What to do with no drums...

[Minger]

Alrite, for the past few (lot of) and the next few weeks me and my frriends in my praise/worship band...which leaves me with some time to be creative (but i'm not that good yet, still learnin to walk lol)...

its an electric, an acoustic and me on bass...any suggestions on stuff to do? (Ohter than improve walking)

 

[Rav]

Well a bass + rhythm guitar + lead guitar and no drums = mariachi band

-Rav

 

[Dynna]

Now's a good time for YOU to learn to outline the basic beat of the song. As part of a rhythm section you do it partially to begin with, but w/o a drummer for the next while, this gives you a chance to teach the band to follow the bass, and to play more rhythmic and consistent.

As an example, one thing I know Billy Sheehan does on faster rock tunes is to hit an accented note with the snare drum. If you did this on your own w/o the drummer, the rest of the band would have something familiarily rhythmic to follow.

While the drums play....
hhhh_hhhh_hhhh(hi-hats)
k_s__k_s__k_s_


You play...
_________________________
_________________________
_____7_______7_______7___
_0_0___0_0_0___0_0_0___0_

You're still playing a decent bass line AND reinforcing the rhythm of the tune.

In other tunes it might be more advantageous to play simple 1/2 notes to keep everyone in line. Especially if there's a complex guitar part. And ESPECIALLY if the guitar player's struggling with it.

Just listen for your part to exist with the guitar parts and see what you can bring out that accents certain things, and makes up for other things that are missing.

 

[Matt Ides]

If people get lost, accent the 1 until they find there place.

 

[Ibanezzer]

but w/o a drummer for the next while, this gives you a chance to teach the band to follow the bass, and to play more rhythmic and consistent.

i liked this.... just had to repeat,

 

[cassanova]

This will be an opportune time for you to really hone your skills. Without a drummer, you are forced to keep it all together on your own. In other words, the timing is your sole responsability. This should allow you to really explore your creativity to create differnt rhythms/grooves to "fill it up."

Think about every style of music you ever have listened to and try to emulate the various styles you can think of. Start listening to various forms of music. This will help you to expand the structure of your bass lines.

 

[eots]

Isn't this how Larry Graham got started doing some funk? Thumping with the thumb to simulate bass drum and popping to simulate the snare.....

 

[whamonkey]

You might want to think about mixing up the band a bit. Do you have access to an acoustic bass? Even if you don't, tell the electric player to grab an acoustic and have him play along with the leader , but voice it differently. For example, the song is in E, the leader plays it in an open voicing (E), Acoustic 2 plays it in D with a capo on the 2nd fret. The acoustic bass will blend much better than your electric but electric will still work. The combination of acoustic, electric and bass with no percussion is kinda funky, especially for praise/worship. 2 acoustics and an acoustic bass make it appear as if your supposed to be set up that way, not like someone is missing. Who's leading anyway, the acoustic player? He will probably establish the "rhythm" of the tune with his strumming...you shouldn't have any trouble picking out a groove...keep it simple, root note...lots of quarter and half notes....solid "hold-down-the-fort" type basslines. Creative doesn't always mean busier. You're not trying to emulate a full band by having everyone else "fill-in". I'm basing all this on the statement you made about your skill, which is kind of new. Obviously, more experienced musicians may be able to pull off something more complex, but it's cool to take small steps until you see what works and what doesn't. God Bless bro.....

 

[Minger]

I don't have access to an acoustic bass...but I was considering getting one solely for the fact that if they decide to do an acoustic set again (New Years at the lockin at my youth group...) I don't feel too stupid there with my green bass, but other than that its cool.

The person whose leading I can follow her strumming, but I mean eventually I kinda want to do what like...Sonicflood's bass player (sorry first example that came to mind) in their song I Want To Know You...Its like walking over the place, and I thought it was awesome...

Right now I pretty much am focusing on the root note and then very few other ones...I can do fills between different chords so it sounds pretty decent...

And I'll try the accenting...at least both guitarists have been playin together for a long time before I got my bass...and well, my youth group is the place where I get to mess with stuff before my first gig over in a college in Massachusets...but yeha thanks for the advice...