Root notes are boring, help me put here

[candiehappy]

There is a youtube video about how brilliant and under appreciated the bass player for AC/DC was and really drove the music.
I know AC/DC is not Punk, but the bass parts are fundamentally the same, typically root based playing, on the beat reinforcing the drums and the guitar, but he did not play the root all the time, he reinforced the chords with 3rds and 5ths.

As long as you are reinforcing the drums and guitar you are playing Punk. Root, 3rd, 5th does not matter.

 

[Xjenrbcjsmsbfjw]

Give some pop punk a listen. It's going to offer more in the way of melodic/"complex" bass lines. Add in what you can get away with while not changing the genre or screwing up the vibe you guys are trying to go for.
You can pull 5% toward something more melodic without screwing things up. It's like how so many players will work in a quick funk-style riff because it's something they like the feel of in that specific context, not because it's canonically perfect for what they're playing. The good ones make it work, the bad ones will learn how to make it work someday if they keep trying.

 

[Asylum-49]

Paul Simonon, what a foot note wank.... wait a minute!

 

[Ian Lewis]

Hey y’all,
I play punk music...which basically means I just play root notes...and it’s boring, but I wanna play the music I enjoy. I know my modes, and scales, and all the music theory in the world, but the guitarist down-stroking into hell and back at the speed of light seems to make root notes and octaves the only viable option. Right now, I'm playing octaves, and when possible for the feeling of the music, ill sneak in an inversion or two. But, what would you do, other than playing another genre? How’d you approach punk bass (when the guitarist is playing the same three power chords) to make it different, and fun?
Maybe I have just learned too much to enjoy playing punk, sad day.

I think you hit the nail on the head - wrong genre for inventiveness.

 

[JimmyM]

I think you hit the nail on the head - wrong genre for inventiveness.

Not even true. Maybe not jazz-style inventiveness, but there's plenty of room for other stuff besides roots if you think about it a little and pick your moments.

 

[*ToNeS*]

It's harder punk but Converge's bassist does stupid-cool things with his style and tone. The tone, especially, is what I think makes a punk bassline killer more than anything else:



Astounding

 

[knee_boarder]

3 words... Jean Jacques Burnel

I'm really surprised by the only one mention of JJ. His bass lines drive all of The Stranglers songs

 

[GreyEagle]

I've heard a good number of punk bassers hammer a 3rd or 5th (or as a heavy passing tone). Also I've heard some murderous riffing running under & through. Punk has a number of approaches/styles within. Can you come up with riffs/runs you could use to loose your creativity within the band's sound? If not, consider a different band instead of a different style/genre. The bottom line is you should be enjoying what you're playing. IMHO

 

[greatbassguitar]

Don’t overlook Mike Watt from the Minutemen and later Firehose.

 

[Groove Master]

If you don't like playing roots then bass is not for you ! Even if we can stretch from that role it is still the primary role of ours.

 

[bbh]

If you don't like playing roots then bass is not for you ! Even if we can stretch from that role it is still the primary role of ours.

Yeah, you must play what the music dictates. I experimented for a month or 2 in a rock/ blues band. Played blues tunes with no blues riffs. It was fair but didn’t cut the mustard in my eyes. Just to unorthodox to sound correct. I don’t think patrons noticed.