Double Bass Timing Issues/Questions

[Jack Clark]

In the situation you are in, the only objective resolution is to rehearse as a band with a LOUD drum machine / metronome playing. This is the only way to REALLY find out who is speeding up, who isn't, and who has a good sense of time. I have advocated practicing as a band like this for a long time. However, it isn't the easy to convince other, less rhythmically supportive, members to practice that way. Its challenging, but it teaches other members of the band (perhaps that don't have the experience you have with a metronome/drum machine) to LISTEN to the beat as opposed to neglect it during a solo.

Thoughts on this?

This is a good idea, I'm thinking. It might be hard to sell if your group has a drummer and you're not him, but if there is no drummer—like in my group—I think it would be a much easier sell. I'll see if my group will buy in.

 

[mythmaker99]

I looked up this thrtead out of curiosity. Im with a different band and we are having different problems...imagine that! Now the lead banjo player kicks it off super fast and then the lead singer settles into his rythem...which means we slow down to where he can get all the words in. I brought this up and got the usal "it's the bass players job to keep the time".

To make a point on one fast song I consciously closed my eyes and kept the time that was
set on the kickoff! OF COURSE WE SOUNDED LIKE CRAPOLA!!! Lead singer couldn't fit all the words in and the other lead instrument couldn't play a good break!!
I pointed this out and got a shrug!!! We are going to do what we do and no one cares!!! As long as we sound good to the typical audiance, not other musicians, all is good!!
If you listen to some of the old , classic bluegrass...Lester and Earl..and perhaps even Bill....you will hear some tempo changes! Yes...even the best of them...had tempo changes from kick off to when Lester /the leadsinger startes singing LOL!
Just pointing this out to the bluegrass police out there!,,