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Post by Admin on Mar 6, 2014 14:07:16 GMT -5
What's your opinion?
Keeping a steady rhythm, or a pulse, is one of the bassist's primary functions. This function is called locking in with the drummer, because you work very closely with the drummer to establish the rhythm. So be nice to your drummers. Listen to them carefully and know them well.
By playing one note at a time in a rhythmic fashion, you propel the music along. You set up each chord for the other players in your band by choosing notes that lead smoothly from one chord sound to the next.
As a bassist, you need to have a very clear understanding of exactly how the rhythm relates to the beat. You need to know where to place the notes for the groove in relation to the beat. And you want to make your grooves memorable. If you can't remember them, no one else will be able to either — including the listener (who, of course, makes the trip to hear you play).
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Post by Steven B on Mar 7, 2014 13:48:11 GMT -5
TJ, I agree with everything in your post. The Bass Player is the foundation of any musical setting in my opinion. He is very important to the timing of the group (not speeding up or slowing down). His root notes provides the "home" for others in the band to go off on solo tangents yet have a place to land when they are out of gas. In 90s country, the bass player did have to work hard with the drummer. If the drummer "kicked", the bassist better be hitting a 1 or 5!....hehe
Of course that theory really doesn't apply to rock and some other styles of music. One of my favorite bass players of all time is a guy named Nathan East. He can fill the bottom, keep impeccable timing, and fill up back ground licks in a trio situation. Check this out. This is perfect bass playing as far as I'm concerned.
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Post by steve on Mar 19, 2014 16:45:54 GMT -5
I agree with both comments. I always saw my job ( as a bass player) to be the link between the mad man behind the drum kit and the rest of the band. To make sense of it all I had to reign in the excess of one to enhance the other.
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Post by sarge on Apr 5, 2014 17:24:39 GMT -5
Yep, I agree with Herb. I think the bass player lays down the groove. One of my favorite bass parts is in a song by the 5th Dimension called Aquarius and the bass part starts right before they start singing "let the sunshine" It starts at 2:17
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Post by steve on Apr 23, 2014 15:37:19 GMT -5
By a round of drinks during the break too ( whilst the lead guitarist gets the girls).
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Post by Admin on Apr 23, 2014 15:55:13 GMT -5
By a round of drinks during the break too ( whilst the lead guitarist gets the girls). LOL...no that's the Banjo player's job... [laughing]
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