Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Would you consider this overplaying the bass line?
- Thread starter ThinCrappyTone2
- Start date
Solid part, not too flashy at all, but as many have mentioned, watch out for stepping on that second line of the vocal during the verses, and your fills should never (NEVER) go past where a vocal comes back in. Always gotta land it by the down beat. Very cool little recording/rehearsing set up you guys have!
This is the correct amount of playing for this kind of music. Kudos to your bandmades for giving you the space to get freaky with it.
Nah, man, sounds great. The guitarist could lay back a little! You guys are tight!
I voted “Nah” as that was the closest to my opinion. I’d say you hit a sweet spot of laying down the groove and keeping the song tight while allowing some original style and having fun with it!
For the last half of the verses, you are playing the same "fill" (where you go up to B) 4 times in a row, exactly the same each time. It would sound less mechanical if you switched it up a little, maybe on the 2nd time, and definitely the 4th time (where it sounds like you're trying to cram it in before the chorus). By "switch it up" I mean maybe only changing a note or two; doesn't have to be a drastically different pattern.
Last edited:
Honestly, to me, for that song which I've played in bands many many times, I play busier than you do.
My fills are similar-ish to yours in busy-ness, I guess, although yea I am probably busier than you. And I haven't been complained at for over playing for many years.
I think it's only over playing if it isn't great sounding.
But your basic bass line is root, root, root, root.... so yea not over playing.
Fills are not now and have never been over playing.... for me, fills MAKE the song great.
Awesome job, loved it!
My fills are similar-ish to yours in busy-ness, I guess, although yea I am probably busier than you. And I haven't been complained at for over playing for many years.
I think it's only over playing if it isn't great sounding.
But your basic bass line is root, root, root, root.... so yea not over playing.
Fills are not now and have never been over playing.... for me, fills MAKE the song great.
Awesome job, loved it!
Not overplaying, especially given how simplified and straight the guitar is... something in there has to funk it up and fill in the space.
If anything, I would like to hear it be a little busier in certain spots.
If anything, I would like to hear it be a little busier in certain spots.
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
- 14,723
- 20,970
- Disclosures
- I suck, but nobody really notices
It thins out because he's slapping. That's what happens when you do that. That's why a "slap tone" is a huge bass boost. Slapping gives you a mid crazy sound. Boosting the bass and treble counter acts that.
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
- 14,723
- 20,970
- Disclosures
- I suck, but nobody really notices
You took over the clavical, and your guitar player is just playing a funk rhythm. Instead of your guitarist playing Stevie's part, and you playing the bass part. I dig it.
A buddy I used to play this song with, didn't even know there was a seperate bass line. Til I pointed it out.
"See, that's the bass"
I thought it sounded excellent, nice tight band too. Superstition is now a standard with no set way to play it, play it as you feel it.
The business is appropriate for the band and rendition (which reminds me of Wild Cherry).
If you want to keep some bottom in the slap tone, try trading in the Flea bouncy thumb for some Larry Graham style where you push the thumb downwards through the string so you get more string and less fret in your tone. That puts more meat on your popping fingers too. It also might be harder to keep the lows in your thump on a modern-design headless bass, but that's pure conjecture. Raising the action might help. I've always considered it cheating to change your EQ when you whip out your thumb, and it's hard to switch back and forth between fingers and thumb when you have to tap a pedal or turn a knob too. Better to use your hands to keep the bottom in when you whip the thumb out.
If you want to keep some bottom in the slap tone, try trading in the Flea bouncy thumb for some Larry Graham style where you push the thumb downwards through the string so you get more string and less fret in your tone. That puts more meat on your popping fingers too. It also might be harder to keep the lows in your thump on a modern-design headless bass, but that's pure conjecture. Raising the action might help. I've always considered it cheating to change your EQ when you whip out your thumb, and it's hard to switch back and forth between fingers and thumb when you have to tap a pedal or turn a knob too. Better to use your hands to keep the bottom in when you whip the thumb out.
EQing aside (that is for more knowledgeable people to discuss), when I go from finger to slap, the volume increases dramatically. So I would have assumed that such a section would actually jump out at the listener... right? Hard limiter on it then?
If you spice up the song, why not go all the way. I mean, you are not obliged to do the song justice, it has been done perfect by Stevie Wonder in the first place, and anyone who wants can listen to that version. If you're inspired by whatever aspect of the song and want to give your own twist, you should give it your all. Sometimes too much respect for a song can restrict your creativity...
Great sounding rendition and great playing all round.
My 2p would be to be playing less fills on the verse, maybe for the first few phrases, then build up your playing for that main riff. As a noodler myself, there is something really special about those open low notes with the slide that just really drives the song; definitely a great example of less is more on the original recording IMO.
My 2p would be to be playing less fills on the verse, maybe for the first few phrases, then build up your playing for that main riff. As a noodler myself, there is something really special about those open low notes with the slide that just really drives the song; definitely a great example of less is more on the original recording IMO.
No, absolutely not, but IMO the whole band should drop it back a few BPM.
Great tone BTW.
Great tone BTW.
