Songs you play wrong on purpose

[semiprohooker]

Not exactly wrong per se... But we had a call and response section with a guitarist and myself in one song and in the second to last call I would just go into an obnoxiously busy sounding slapped triple thumb kick that covered my call, his response, and my last call and then end it with the memory to "nanny nanny boo boo" while shooting him some stupid teasing face with my tongue out.

Purely intentional, and his idea actually, but it definitely was a departure from what was going on and forced people to look for sure

 

[60bass]

I've played bass since 1969 many covers on the club circuit mixed in with originals. Some I sang lead on and backing vocals on those I didn't sing. Sometimes I'd have to change the bass line a bit to allow me to concentrate more on the vocals. My style is a conglomeration of players I admire and snitched a few of their riffs here and there. As far as playing the song's original bass lines, my opinion is this. Yours may vary and that's OK.

If the bass line is a pattern riff with the guitar, Keys or whatever, I play what's there or it doesn't sound right. However during the solos, I cut loose as long as it fits the tune. Songs that are 12 bar stuff I just play what I feel. I've never played a blues tune or a three cord rocker without playing my own lines in there regardless of who originally did the tune. I'm self taught and learned by copying riffs and sections I heard in songs that I liked. I would use them where they would fit in other songs. Many years of my playing has been in 3 piece situations where I could just play what I felt. That was for me a great place to use many of those riffs I snitched over the years. Sure I play scales like every other bassist does but I also just play whatever "feels" good to me in a song.

I've always felt that the band you're in and their style decides what works for you as a bassist. I've probably played Mustang Sally hundreds, if not more times with different groups and my bass line is always similar but adapted to that band's style. The same with other tunes as well. I must have been doing something right over all these years because I have never fired from any band and I'm proud of that. I'm sure being able to play bass while singing lead and backing vocals has a lot to do with that. My advice to any bassist who wants endless work, is to LEARN TO SING AND PLAY at the same time. If you're good at that, nobody will care what the bass line you're playing is. Remain true to the style of any song but make it YOURS.

 

[bassbrad]

I recently learned that I have been playing Miles Davis's 'All Blues' wrong all my life and to me the 'correct' bass line just sounds dumb and not modal. I will continue playing it my way.

 

[rtslinger]

We start out note for note versions and they always morph into our own. We have been doing it for about 20 years now the crowd digs it and we enjoy being creative it keeps the band fun.

 

[Jeff Michael]

For me that sounds like how the blues should be played, expressive and in the mood.

I dono, it may be my age, it may be due to the music I grew up hearing. For me it has always been about improvising and making it your own (unless you are in e.g. a tribute band, which e.g. dresses up to give the audience the illusion they are seeing/hearing the originals).

Aside from Blues/Soul/R&B/R&R/Brit Invasion/Folk & Folk revival/Trad country/Rock/Funk... I grew up hearing pre hard-bop jazz constantly in the background, and later when my journeys took me there in the foreground. My step dad had been a jazz drummer and was a huge jazz buff, rare when it was not spinning on the turntable.

Many of the "Jazz Classics" were origionally really flat and often horrible pop/dance/schlager tunes, which the musicians took and made their own and spectacular. There were of course many others which were also composed specifically as Jazz tunes with open space for the soloiists (especially Ellington/Henderson). Each musician interpretating it very differently and uniquely. Think of Billie Holiday or any of the Cafe Society bands & musicians. None played it as it was in the original.... often in those cases fortunately. The same is true of Blues/Soul/R&B... Think of Aretha, she never sings the same tune twice the same way, even her own self written songs. The Jump/Country Swing/Doo-wop/Rock 'n' Roll bands were doing the same often with a riveraly competing back and forth each trying to outdo the other with the same songs.

I'm not critizising what a cover band now appears to mean/be, you can learn and perfect your technique a lot by copying your role models exactly and there are apparently eager audiences who want and perhaps now demand to hear it played that way. I just wonder when this started, I fear I missed that bus when it came by.

This raises the easily-overlooked difference between a ‘song’ and a ‘record’, which really only became an issue in the second half of the 20th century. I found this excellent but controversially-titled book a really eye-opening work on that aspect of music history.

https://a.co/d/1omb74L

 

[waveman]

I used to play Blackhorse and a Cherry Tree chorus wrong partially on purpose I would hit the F# and 1/4 bend then the D rather than the D twice to add some tension and motion to the run. At first it was all I could figure out real quick like, then it became a staple because the two D' are boring, lol

 

[DrThumpenstein]

I recently learned that I have been playing Miles Davis's 'All Blues' wrong all my life and to me the 'correct' bass line just sounds dumb and not modal. I will continue playing it my way.

A little zombie wants to know how you play it

I play it with a guitarist once in a while, staying pretty faithful. But it's a line that I always thought could be more interesting. Unlike you, I didn't really ever do anything about it. Care to share?

 

[Jeff Michael]

A little zombie wants to know how you play it

I play it with a guitarist once in a while, staying pretty faithful. But it's a line that I always thought could be more interesting. Unlike you, I didn't really ever do anything about it. Care to share?

I’ve always played moving the figure to the IV chord, but on the record Paul Chambers doesn’t.

 

[J Wilson]

Probably a few too many . . .

 

[JimmyO]

I’m playing in a new project that’s only been together 5-6 months at this point, so it’s still kinda early, but things are coming along. We’re doing garage rock, punk, blues type stuff. White Stripes, Black Keys, Ramones, etc etc.

I say all that to say, what I have been doing a majority of the time for the first time in 30 years of playing bass, is I’m playing with a pick. I’m having a lot of fun doing it, and so I think I get a little more flourishy with some of the lines because it’s so damn fun to futz around with upstrokes, chords, etc. The good thing about these genres is that a little “sophisticated dishevelment” very much fits the spirit of the tunes. I always try to be conscientious about getting too busy with the bass lines, at the end of the day you’ve gotta serve the song well.

 

[Wasnex]

Years ago a group I was in covered Train's "Drops of Jupiter." I thought the groove felt stiff and awkward. I was struggling to lock in with the drummer, so I suggested making it swing like hip hop. It was a pretty subtle change, but it felt so much better (Aaaaahhhhh).

 

[bassbrad]

A little zombie wants to know how you play it

I play it with a guitarist once in a while, staying pretty faithful. But it's a line that I always thought could be more interesting. Unlike you, I didn't really ever do anything about it. Care to share?

Essentially I played what is considered the "horn" part as a static line, we always really stretch out the time and choruses I will repeat that motif, take off walking in 6/8, 6/4, or 4/4 and then return to that motif at the beginning of each solo and react to what the soloist plays or likes.