First off, I'm 35 and play mainly Slayer, the sword, my dying bride and doom metal. But I listen also to old country. I love those old country bass lines. So whats the trick w these old country bass lines? They seem to have funk in them. The scales are not to scale, so to speak . So what's up? Why can I play play slayer, tsol, n all the other mains but trip up when playing along w.old country?
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That old scool country bass
- Thread starter Reigninblood
- Start date
- Jun 25, 2007
- 4,531
- 135
- 63
- Disclosures
- Artist:TC Electronic RH450 bass system (original test-pilot)
A lot of old country besides roots and fifths is major pentatonic walks and major scale walk ups. If you can list any examples of parts of songs that you are listening to, it will help to steer you in the right direction.
the funk you hear besides walk ups is prolly a few ghost notes to add feel and rhythm!
i can't claim to have studied any old school country bass but when i play something like Folsum prison i throw in some ghost notes just before the down beats
i can't claim to have studied any old school country bass but when i play something like Folsum prison i throw in some ghost notes just before the down beats
Well it's probably a whole different feel jumping from slayer to country. Its called the POCKET!! Haha. I know where you're coming from. I grew up playing punk and prog and my first blues gig was a nightmare!! It's sounds soooo simple. Until you have to settle into that groove and you realize how every millisecond of each note affects the groove.
As far as scales go..... A lot of major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and a lot of passing tones. It depends on the situation. When a song only involves two or three chords you have to be very creative in your approach to those chords. Theres a ton different ways to make it happen. Chromatic approaches, chord tones (arpeggios), and different rhythmic approaches. The up beats and and down beats can add different feels along with what note you choose to approach the next chord with.
Everybody seems to think country music is soooo easy from just listening. But it's definitely an art unto itself. Like boxing..... You have so little weapons to use, but there's sooooo many different ways to use them. And it's an art figuring out how you're gonna make that jab come from thirty different angles!!
As far as scales go..... A lot of major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and a lot of passing tones. It depends on the situation. When a song only involves two or three chords you have to be very creative in your approach to those chords. Theres a ton different ways to make it happen. Chromatic approaches, chord tones (arpeggios), and different rhythmic approaches. The up beats and and down beats can add different feels along with what note you choose to approach the next chord with.
Everybody seems to think country music is soooo easy from just listening. But it's definitely an art unto itself. Like boxing..... You have so little weapons to use, but there's sooooo many different ways to use them. And it's an art figuring out how you're gonna make that jab come from thirty different angles!!
First and Fifths, AKA The Power Chord, are great for any folk, bluegrass, or other traditional's like reels, even waltz's, etc. When doing improve with those types of guys, it lets me get in the groove until I get the rest of the band figured out.
I'm 36 and have been actively gigging Country music since I was 15 including being a full time musician playing close to 200 shows a year for a couple of years, and some of it is bore you to death, but some is harder than you would think, and sometimes the easy stuff has more to it than meets the ear for feeling, etc. I like other styles too, but Country doesn't get the props it deserves for the talent it takes to really do it right!
Great post and so true. When I went from playing rock and hard rock to country it was an eye opener for sure. I was raised on Country and knew basic R/5th bass but the dynamics, playing tight in the pocket and the lack of the wall of noise I hit behind left me feeling naked as a bass player. I felt like all eyes were on me and my basslines on stage. In country the basslines are huge and outline the chords and walk up to and thru the changes, you have to on and tight...all night!
Gotta agree also! I don't play country often, but it's amazing how much funk there is in the lines. It's because you're driving the band, and when you're in that sweet spot you can really make those subtleties heard.
Root and five are your targets. Those are the notes that define the chord. A and E tell everyone it's an A chord, whether A major or Aminor, or A7, etc. And that's the bassist's job, to DEFINE the harmony.
As others have said, focus on hitting the root and fifth, some simple diatonic major scale walks between roots on occasion, and nailing the lock with the kick drum. It's also very much about note length so the snare drum and the acoustic guitars come through, and having a tone (on ALL THE INSTRUMENTS) that doesn't crowd any other instrument out of the mix.
It's mostly attitude.
John
As others have said, focus on hitting the root and fifth, some simple diatonic major scale walks between roots on occasion, and nailing the lock with the kick drum. It's also very much about note length so the snare drum and the acoustic guitars come through, and having a tone (on ALL THE INSTRUMENTS) that doesn't crowd any other instrument out of the mix.
It's mostly attitude.
John
