WHEN To Play Bass Fills (3 Places That Will ALWAYS Work)

►► FREE: Learn my absolute favorite bass fill of all time (Tabs and Notation Included) → • Is This The Best Fill ...
A lot of people will talk about what to play when you’re creating bass fills, but hardly anyone talks about WHEN to play a bass fill.
When you play something is just as important as what you play. If you play the ‘right’ thing in the wrong place, it’s no longer the ‘right’ thing, right?!
That’s why today, I’m sharing a brand new video where I show you three places you can play fills that are almost guaranteed to work, plus I’ll be sharing real-life examples of amazing bass fills along the way.
You’ll learn why it’s bad to be a ‘Rambo’, and why you should be more of a ‘sniper’ when it comes to your bass fills and I’ll also share one of my favorite underrated bassists and the very subtle genius of his bass fills.
It’s OK if you’re more of a ‘Rambo’ than a sniper at the moment. In my very first real band, I was totally a Rambo - machine gun filled with bass fills and I put them anywhere and everywhere I could.
It was a hell of a lot of fun, but it didn’t make for the most inspiring music.
If you start by sticking with the 3 places I talk about in the video though, you’ll be in a good place and from there, you can stretch out and experiment with putting fills in other places.
If bass fills are something you want to learn more about, then check out my other video about the absolute best bass fill of all time. You’ll learn how to play it, plus how you can use and adapt it and make it a part of your vocabulary. Check it out here → • Is This The Best Fill ...
As always, if you have questions, just leave a comment. I always try and help as best as I can.
Good luck with the lesson and happy filling!
Cheers,
Luke
P.S. Make sure you check out my absolute favorite bass fill of all time. I even include the tabs and notation so you can follow along yourself: • Is This The Best Fill ...

[@dwirth77]

Luke, thanks for putting together all these nice videos, they are super helpful to me. I do take regular lessons with a pro teacher, yet all the stuff you show us feel more practical to me and let me understand better how actual music works. Cheers man!

[@randyfloydmichaelsmith8168]

Thanks Luke. Solid information as usual. Another fill technique I sometimes use, usually when there is not a full drum kit being used, is to play a fill with the percussionist hitting some, most, or all, of the accent beats. Michael

[@Ivartshiva]

6:36 Unexpected Dog Fill

[@alfrazier8389]

You are a great teacher, you give a person something to think about

[@thomastaberski5909]

Thanks Luke...I'm just getting started on the bass...love your lessons..

[@BecomeABassist]

Awesome to hear @Thomas Taberski - thanks for watching!

[@detlevgebers]

Good point. Tell this guitar players 😂👌

[@mivanov4]

Fantastic video Luke. Was just thinking about this today as I was listening to "I Alone" by Live. Even though there is so much space during the verse, just a few fills add a lot of interest.

[@niallsbasstones9713]

Hey from Dublin. Another super awesome video. Thanks so much for sharing 🎸

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much for checking it out Niall - really appreciate it.

[@littleroots2002]

Ha, is that your dog at 6:37?

[@BecomeABassist]

Absolutely!

[@travisguide4516]

Your advice is as gold as your bass very wise player I look up to your experience.

[@russellbooth5163]

Enjoy your insight and tips. I always look for the appearance of the pup.

[@ruthkearin3721]

Another great lesson that is relevant and fun

[@richardscott5080]

Awesome, thanks Luke. That has been a question mulling in my mind for quite some time. Do you have a video that gives some examples of cord progressions used in fills? Excellent lesson, as usual.

[@robgeller1]

listen to Nate Mendel on Next Year. Great fills.

[@scottyshepardthesmoothdeep3081]

Awesome dude Luke 👍😊 you are a awesome great teacher and easy to get and understand for any one, and that super cool doggy is a real deal teacher for us all the puppy know when it hears good bass player and want to get closer to the feel the vibe,😁😁😁😁 , also what are you using for your drumm track's? Is it a separate drum machine? Or some app you have installed on your phone or computer or laptop? It's a great sounding backing track's what ever it is? Thank you so much for your videos and help okay,

[@chizhang2765]

"You don't need to pull a bass fill every 4 bars."
Vulfpeck /// Cory Wong: Amateur.
Nah I get it the track was designed for bass, normally it would sound too busy to do that. Thanks for the great lesson!

[@SentimentalApe]

Have you ever listened to Colin Edwin, most notably from Porcupine Tree? I'm very curious to know your thoughts on his style and decision making.

[@Rahsim]

Thanks Luke...

[@guitarpro]

Cool! 👍

[@davidbohm718]

Gah..gah..gah..gah....gah..gah..gah..gah. Haha

[@BrunoNeureiter]

hysterical

[@mharclerode]

The only problem is when you play with most amateur dad-bands the rhythm guitarist will leave no space for your fills. NONE. IN fact they will sometimes double the bass fills when you do cover songs.

[@BecomeABassist]

True - those kind of situations can suck.

[@Ivartshiva]

Practice more and get into a band with real musicians who know wth they're doing. It'll take 40 years unless you quit your day job. That's how long it's taken me anyway

[@longsnapper5381]

LOL you know its Dave Grohl telling Nate where to put fills. Love the Foo Fighters but I think Dave would rather play all of the instruments himself, his way. (Because he can)

[@rome8180]

Nate Mendel probably plays so few fills because Dave Grohl won't let him play more. He has to sneak them past the censors, so to speak.