I played for a folk dance this weekend. Very appreciative audience and I don't mind playing lots of root-fifth stuff (and a bit of walking around the circle of fifths) at all.
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The joy of root-fifth playing
- Thread starter VicDiesel
- Start date
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Just remember, in legit country when playing I V and the next chord is the V, do not play the V right before the change. Play the I again, or do a passing tone or walk to the change. Buck Owens would fire you if you played the V before a change to the V.
I had this experience about 10yrs back getting a call for Polka gigs during Octoberfest season... it was a blast
For certain styles of country it's definitely the best thing to do. Not just old songs, been working in a Meels cover which is in a very retro style (aside from somewhat edgy modern lyrics about "chlorine in the water, fresh air in my gills" and stuff).
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
It works great for jazz sometimes too, depending on the exact context and spot in a tune. Don't let people tell you differently.
And now, it's time for a bass joke! How many bluegrass bassists does it take to change a light bulb? One, five, one, five, one, five.....
And now, it's time for a bass joke! How many bluegrass bassists does it take to change a light bulb? One, five, one, five, one, five.....
All depends. Playing the higher fifth is often the vibe that gives a section of the tune that bounce and lift, while the lower fifth makes that part feel more "planted". Just see what feels and sounds best and as I always say helps to "tell the story of the song" - listen to the lyrics as well as the other instruments and what they're doing.
Then there's all the ways you "connect the dots" in country bass--it can have way more harmonic movement in the bass than most rock music these days (at least the good country stuff does). You can tell when a rock bassist who hasn't really gone into the weeds to study the genre is trying to play country, same as with reggae
And listen to the great country session cats like Mike Brignardello, Michael Rhodes (RIP), Glenn Worf, and others.
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Playing root/five 1-4-5-style 'traditional' country (NOT what's out there now) will teach you a lot about maintaining a groove inside very simple constructs, and I consider the experience as vital as any other style I worked in.
I spent many nights in a 'rimshot/verse/whole or half notes' giving into 'full snare/quarter note chorus and solo' song shapes. This is how you pack a wooden dance floor the size of 18-wheeler parking with couples dancing backwards in a circle !
Right off the top of my head, an early Lee Ann Womack single, 'Say Never Again, Again', goes like this:
And be sure and go with the walk-ups and walk-downs !
And above all, do NOT underestimate how hard it can be to make simple parts like this groove. Get it wrong, and big simple stuff can kill you fast.
I spent many nights in a 'rimshot/verse/whole or half notes' giving into 'full snare/quarter note chorus and solo' song shapes. This is how you pack a wooden dance floor the size of 18-wheeler parking with couples dancing backwards in a circle !
Right off the top of my head, an early Lee Ann Womack single, 'Say Never Again, Again', goes like this:
And be sure and go with the walk-ups and walk-downs !
And above all, do NOT underestimate how hard it can be to make simple parts like this groove. Get it wrong, and big simple stuff can kill you fast.
This right here. When even your whole notes propel the song forward you're in that zone.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
Dave Pomeroy once said of playing country and country-adjacent bass parts: 'Think of the simplest thing you can play, and then play half of that.'
Sounds like someone who doesn't dance.... The bass is what drives the dance rhythm so need to play enough notes to keep the feet moving.
At a typical two-step / polka tempo of 160bpm (that's very moderate polka btw) that means you play half notes with an occasional quarter note on 2 or 4. As a basic principle.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
You're welcome to question a well-respected legend of the Nashville live and studio scene as much as you want, but in doing so you've missed his point, and I'd caution against that assessment.... not before you check the very-danceable and substantial discography of people he's worked with over the decades. I had the pleasure of hearing Dave live before at MerleFest and there were plenty of people dancing. Dave didn't get to where he is by playing bass parts that didn't fit or didn't groove.
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Totally agree. The simpler the line, the easier it is to play (by definition), but the harder it is to get the timing exactly right to make the tune groove in whatever way the tune wants to groove.
