Playing the Root Note

[ObsidianDagger]

Notice at some casual jams,I have heard some people say just play the Root.Is that just playing the Root of the chord being played?I'm not suppose to play a bass line?

When you're jamming with a group, imagine that you're all trying to get through a path in a dark forest. The drummer is providing your marching pace, and you are keeping track of where everyone puts their feet. That said, you want to play the roots because you know you'll land on solid ground every time.

Once you know where each root note is, you can have a bit of fun getting from one root to the other. Meaning, one way to construct a bassline is by finding a good way to get from one root to the other. If you aren't sure about how to get there, just stay on the root. It's better to stay on solid ground than to stumble along the path.

 

[Dano59]

This past Sunday after reading and thinking about this whole subject I whent in with a more confident aditude and just played the heck out of the root and let my right hand, timming and accent/feel lead the way and I played better than I ever had. Everyone in the band was realy jazzed about the whole feel of the day.
Roots with tast and confidence rule.

 

[PaulMacCnj]

Something to note from my experiences. If I play a more complicated bassline with lots of note jumping, fills, etc., no one says a word. If I stick with Root, Root-Fifth or Root-Third-Fifth, I get compliments. Go figure.

 

[Quadruple Jay]

If playing the root is wrong, then I don't wanna be right.

 

[Nashrakh]

Something to note from my experiences. If I play a more complicated bassline with lots of note jumping, fills, etc., no one says a word. If I stick with Root, Root-Fifth or Root-Third-Fifth, I get compliments. Go figure.

Suddenly, Pavlov comes to mind.
They want you to be less flashy so THEY can be MORE flashy themselves! And you know what, by complimenting you, they get what they want

Err, anyways, I found myself to be a root player, too, especially in the acoustic cover band I'm in right now. I play root note heavy with some passing notes, on the 4 most of the times, and I like the 7th.

 

[ajn]

The drummer is providing your marching pace, and you are keeping track of where everyone puts their feet. That said, you want to play the roots because you know you'll land on solid ground every time.

If I play a more complicated bassline with lots of note jumping, fills, etc., no one says a word. If I stick with Root, Root-Fifth or Root-Third-Fifth, I get compliments. Go figure.

I have always believed that the purpose of the "bass" instrument is to hold the music to the earth, and I think that is why other musicians and listeners respond when we emphasize the "root" note, or stay with walking lines that define a path from root to root. (Heck, the root is what holds everything down in nature!) Sure, there is a place for the melodic bass line in many songs (We Gotta Get Out of This Place is just one of a zillion wonderful examples) but I think somewhere along the way things have gotten a bit too busy in a lot of music and the intention of the instrument has gotten a bit lost. There is much that can be done with the root note beyond just hitting the 1, and I think it is a great exercise to explore that.

 

[bassbully]

Something to note from my experiences. If I play a more complicated bassline with lots of note jumping, fills, etc., no one says a word. If I stick with Root, Root-Fifth or Root-Third-Fifth, I get compliments. Go figure.

I couldnt agree more with your statement. I have heard this myself and all the compliments i have recived were from simply played bassline groovin with the kick.

 

[Risen]

Root Notes are the reason I can come up with real good basslines

Play Roots if you want to stay safe, and when a really good bassline pops up in your mind while jamming, and it fits perfectly with what you're playing, go for it.

 

[bassbully]

The root is the foundation of the bassline. What would we have with out it ? There are thousands of great songs riding the old root throughout. I love the root...adore it. It is huge to me and the music i play. Most of the players who inspired me were good root groovers.

 

[Jedi Of Syrinx]

One my band's songs is a weird System Of A Down-type deal, with heavy metal bit, and a really random break (think funk, but half-assed teenage style!), where I have two or three different basslines for the song, but at band practice I keep coming back to the most basic one, which is literally nothing but the Root, and in the break I will occasionally use 3 or 5 with the octave, really basic, but it blows the pants off everyone =]

 

[duff beer]

One more thing about playing roots...as you get better, you start to add things here and there...runs, 5ths, 3rds, ghost notes, etc. 95% of the song is still root notes, but if those little "extras" are done tastefully it can really add to the song.

If I am unsure of a bassline, I start with the root and expand from there as I get more confortable with it.

 

[PaulMacCnj]

This is all good stuff, but between us bassists, I think playing along with things like slash chords sounds really interesting. Well, it's also interesting (and funny!) how it can throw off a rhythm guitarist. I can remember several times when I was shot a look from a guitarist trying to play a chord and using my bass line as a guide only to get totally confused!

 

[Ten Four One]

There's a time and place for everything. With some songs it is not only acceptable but preferable to thump on the root. Other songs, it is damn boring. The more you play, the better you get at knowing the difference.

The crucial difference is knowing when it's boring for you & when it's boring for the audience. I stray from the root a lot when I'm bored & come off as "busy." I stray from the root when the song needs a bit of a lift & come off as .... well nobody really thinks about my part then, it's just part of the song.

 

[tobie]

Sometime I feel a little guilty when I'm "just" playing the root

I know the feeling, but I listen many an hour to the country channel on dish TV and 99% of the time ALL bass notes are roots. Perhaps because the bass plays a very prominent role in country music - always one of the most audible instruments in the band. So it adds most value when things are kept simple and the bass sounds smooth on the ear.

In other words: when you're mostly playing roots, rest assured: you're in good company!