I'm late to this video, but I'll add this: if you can play simple lines on a gig where every note lands, grooves, and makes the band sound great, the other musicians in the band will openly express their appreciation for your work. And you'll get called back. A little flash here and there, but honestly, it's not necessary most of the time. Flash rules social media, but being a great ensemble player is the coin of the realm in the real world. Simplicity is POWER.
Well done… Agreed. My friend and great bassist Steve Wallace (worked and toured with everyone including Oscar Peterson, Woody Herman) said his job was to “eliminate ALL DOUBT”. Which is the result of everything that you’re talking about in every style.
Terence, thanks for sharing your insights. I'm a 40 + year veteran bassist and I have many recordings and live shows with recording artist to my credit. Brother, you hit the nail on the head; I have nothing to add, peace.
I've been a bass player since the 70's when I was a teenager and have worked in numerous bands over the years and am still playing in a working band today and having the time of my life now in my 60's. I agree with your advice and I took it as a good reminder. I have always believed in being (like you said) be the "Low End Infrastructure" and lock in with the drummer, and serve the songs we play and give the other musicians the foundation for them to play on.
Thanks 🙏 for all you do 🙏.... Your videos are always to the point and amazing. Wish we could get you for a music seminar.... We musicians go through a lot and I love that you address it the way you do. You're awesome 👍 bro.
In my early bass days, back in the nineties, i happened to have the chance to work along with a very talented and very pro drummer, here in Italy. At the reharsal before the show (we were going to play in a huge stadium), he said to me: "Wow, mate, you're good!". Back then, although very pleased with his authoritative compliment, i didn't fully understand it. Now i realized, in absolute humility, that i could and still can nail it. Thank you Terence, in the name of those numberless young bassists who think that a bass line is nothing else than a bassist showcase; i think this vid of yours can direct them to the correct mindset! P.S. after 40 years, i still have to take care of not overplaying🤣😂🤣!
Yes this is true. I was working with a friend of mine who just could not accept that he wasn't going to be writing songs or be the Jimi Hendrix of bass. I finally just decided it's not worth it and now I play the bass parts. I've even thought about checking around to see if there's a band that needs a bassist who won't get upset at playing mostly root notes in time with the kick. I've always loved the sound of the bass.
Great concepts! I'm a guitar player who also plays bass for fun. I like to put on my favorite albums then play along and listen to find out if my bass line synchs up with the bass player on the recording. In some music the bass is understated but solid. (Think Lyle Lovett) In other music like SRV and Double Trouble the bass is integral to the tonal accompaniment of the guitar plus the rhythm of the drums. (Trio work) I find knowing how to play the bass line in multiple positions also helps drive the music through the different phases of the song to create emphasis, swell, and resolution. I love being able to drop a low E, F, or G in at the right time in the right place. I doesn't need to be overly loud because the tone is so strong and solid. Heck, if it was a bridge you could drive a semi over it. Thanks for all the great advice.
I’ve been playing bass on gigs since the 90’s, one of the biggest game changers for me was switching to in ear monitors, I can adjust my own personal mix so I can comfortably hear my bass and kick solidly. I really like hearing the kick and IEM’s will really clean up your technic and string muting verses blasting out of a loud amp on stage. Just my 2 cents. Cheers!!
Great points made here, but I would add it depends on the type of band your working with and the material you're playing. If you're playing in a cover band with a keyboard player it's imperative you keep it simple and tasteful. If you're in a power trio then it's perfectly acceptable to be more dynamic like a Geddy Lee or Jack Bruce.
Thank you, for this video. As a bassist who played in Brooklyn in the early 2000s, a lot of folk were trying to be Reggie Parker, Reggie Young, and Dwayne Wright. Great and legendary players. But it caused a lot of folk, back then, to become "too out of their lane" with the music. Many players failed to appreciate that those players knew how to groove.
The bass player should play what is required for the music! Music first! Having the ability to play all that other stuff is nice but overplaying will get you fired or not hired.
I came to this video (and I'm sure you might not know this but i comment on a lot of your material) to find a link for band member positioning on stage as we have a guitarist who might be too forward during the songs, almost taking the main roll of the vocalist away from her.... but I did get some good tips here and if I'm being honest some things I dont necessarily agree with, but can you link something for me if you have a video that i can watch and share with the band? Thank you in advance
I'm going to challenge you a bit here. Holding down the groove is a default setting. I lean on the aggressive side but still remain in the song. I can go from Jamerson to Lemmy. Knowledge of theory along with synesthetic perfect pitch helps in my case. I have an ear to melody-guitar/keys and an ear to drums. I keep my eyes and ears totally open onstage. We drive the band.
The role is purely contextual and a great bass player will know what that context requires. Whether it be ripping solos or root and fifth country tunes all night. In regards to tone, every gigging bass player knows the room dictates a lot of your tone. I change my tone, switch pickups etc. Almost every song if it's a cover tune to get as close to the record as I can.
My frustration was our pianist who was also the worship leader. She constantly played bass on her piano and would always tell me to stop playing what she was playing. She always wanted me to over play the most beautiful worship songs where I as the bass player could lay down a solid foundation for her to shine on the piano, but she refused to be the pianist and wanted to play the bass parts .
So true, when I started playing bass on Church worship team, the piano totally ignored the Grove. The drummer and synced up, songs feeling good, people engaged....then you guessed it, piano player stomping on the bass with silly left hand octaves.
Heres a tip for bass players, from a bass player: CHANGE YOUR STRINGS!!! Just because you are trying to get a tone like 60s Motown, you dont have to use the strings that were on your bass since the 60s. Newer strings give the most dynamic tone potential.
I'd say that the thing about playing the root and not another chord note is a good advice but not for arranging ones own music- there it is actually a good idea to listen to the melody and- especially in music that is very simple in it's harmony- to not stick to the root but going to the 5 and 3 more frequently when it is good voice leading concerning the melody and this is done far too rarely.
My bad experience: the bass player is 1) drunk 2) sloppy not tight 3) has bad tone due a ridiculously outdated Zoom multieffects 4) wont play country 5) too loud 6) wont learn new material 7) improvises needlessly
I do not agree with the advice given in this video. It makes bass players seem difficult, incompetent and unprofessional to work with. Chords, runs, inversions etc are just tools and they should be available for use by anyone on any project. Musicians should be prepared to do whatever is necessary and best for the music. This should be discussed and rehearsed to ensure that everyone is on the same page. It's important to have confidence in who you are and the skills that you possess. Be open to constructive criticisms and suggestions. It's okay if you are not the right fit for the project. Fail forward with no regrets while remaining respectful and professional at all times. Continued successes and blessings in your playing, in your career and in your journey. Keep moving forward and shine on.
So, I'm not sure what was said here that gives you the perspective that I'm saying bass players are difficult, incompetent, and unprofessional. I, myself am a bass player and if I were saying this about bass players, I'd be talking about myself, lol. Nevertheless, outside that, I actually don't disagree with what you have said here. You made some great points!
If you watch any videos on playing bass in church, the first thing that will be emphasized is DON'T OVER PLAY. BE SIMPLE! Possibly this is a problem in mega churches or some gospel churches, but I have never seen it. The problem I see most is not listening and adapting to the other musicians and the other musicians not listening and adapting to the bass player. It is so frustrating trying to patch the difference in rhythm between the keys and the guitar and to try to follow the left hand of the keys when they are playing all the low notes and playing them in a rhythm that doesn't match anything. That's really why Christian bass needs to be simple. It's because the other musicians feel that they should be followed and there is no give and take.
I'm 65 and I play bass guitar and sing for my band, a power trio.We get some help from a multipad to fill up some air space now and then but generally we're all generating notes. When it's time for a lead ,I really have to step it up with scales etc to keep the full sound. It matters what kind of band you play in and making generalities about what a bass player "should do" just shows the average arrogance guitarists and keys players have on the subject. Unsubscribed.
If you don't know any of this stuff. Then you're probably not professional this is stuff that I learned in my first year of playing music. I think this guy may be joking. When you're on the internet you have to weed out some of these characters to make your life a little bit easier. This man is probably one of them. I put them up there with Rick beato and rhett shoal for being annoying
I'm glad that I just found this video as you do offer a very interesting point of view in talking about the role of the bass player from the perspective of the other musicians in the band. I understand the 'Jaco Fetish' that most bass players have and which annoy everyone else. I avoid that for two reasons: 1) What Jaco did worked well for him because it was his style, meaning that it won't truly work for anyone else and 2) Unless someone is a fretless player, which most bassists aren't, then they have no chance of sounding like Jaco anyway, so why even bother? The opposite problem, which many bass players get stuck in, is playing nothing but root notes for an entire gig. If a bass player is constantly hitting the 1 of whatever chord the keyboard player or guitarist happens to be playing right at that moment, then the result will certainly be consistent but it will also sound mechanical and boring. Bass players can be like the race horse slamming itself against the inside of the starting gate before a race. After playing nothing but roots for minutes at a time, it's hard to resist the urge to chop it up a bit when the opportunity presents.
I'm late to this video, but I'll add this: if you can play simple lines on a gig where every note lands, grooves, and makes the band sound great, the other musicians in the band will openly express their appreciation for your work. And you'll get called back. A little flash here and there, but honestly, it's not necessary most of the time. Flash rules social media, but being a great ensemble player is the coin of the realm in the real world. Simplicity is POWER.
Omg this is 💯 true👆🏽
When I played drums with solid bass players during my career (who didn't overplay) it always was a joy. Thanks for this great video Terence.
Well done…
Agreed.
My friend and great bassist Steve Wallace (worked and toured with everyone including Oscar Peterson, Woody Herman)
said his job was to “eliminate ALL DOUBT”.
Which is the result of everything that you’re talking about in every style.
Very wise words indeed! Thanks for sharing Mark!!
Wow! Now THAT is
Enlightening!
Terence, thanks for sharing your insights. I'm a 40 + year veteran bassist and I have many recordings and live shows with recording artist to my credit. Brother, you hit the nail on the head; I have nothing to add, peace.
I've been a bass player since the 70's when I was a teenager and have worked in numerous bands over the years and am still playing in a working band today and having the time of my life now in my 60's. I agree with your advice and I took it as a good reminder. I have always believed in being (like you said) be the "Low End Infrastructure" and lock in with the drummer, and serve the songs we play and give the other musicians the foundation for them to play on.
Thanks 🙏 for all you do 🙏.... Your videos are always to the point and amazing. Wish we could get you for a music seminar.... We musicians go through a lot and I love that you address it the way you do. You're awesome 👍 bro.
In my early bass days, back in the nineties, i happened to have the chance to work along with a very talented and very pro drummer, here in Italy. At the reharsal before the show (we were going to play in a huge stadium), he said to me: "Wow, mate, you're good!". Back then, although very pleased with his authoritative compliment, i didn't fully understand it. Now i realized, in absolute humility, that i could and still can nail it. Thank you Terence, in the name of those numberless young bassists who think that a bass line is nothing else than a bassist showcase; i think this vid of yours can direct them to the correct mindset! P.S. after 40 years, i still have to take care of not overplaying🤣😂🤣!
Yes this is true. I was working with a friend of mine who just could not accept that he wasn't going to be writing songs or be the Jimi Hendrix of bass. I finally just decided it's not worth it and now I play the bass parts.
I've even thought about checking around to see if there's a band that needs a bassist who won't get upset at playing mostly root notes in time with the kick. I've always loved the sound of the bass.
Great concepts! I'm a guitar player who also plays bass for fun. I like to put on my favorite albums then play along and listen to find out if my bass line synchs up with the bass player on the recording. In some music the bass is understated but solid. (Think Lyle Lovett) In other music like SRV and Double Trouble the bass is integral to the tonal accompaniment of the guitar plus the rhythm of the drums. (Trio work) I find knowing how to play the bass line in multiple positions also helps drive the music through the different phases of the song to create emphasis, swell, and resolution. I love being able to drop a low E, F, or G in at the right time in the right place. I doesn't need to be overly loud because the tone is so strong and solid. Heck, if it was a bridge you could drive a semi over it.
Thanks for all the great advice.
You rained on my parade, but I love you brother!!! Lol, a brother loves his substitutions!
Great video!
I’ve been playing bass on gigs since the 90’s, one of the biggest game changers for me was switching to in ear monitors, I can adjust my own personal mix so I can comfortably hear my bass and kick solidly. I really like hearing the kick and IEM’s will really clean up your technic and string muting verses blasting out of a loud amp on stage. Just my 2 cents. Cheers!!
Just subscribed after watching a number of your videos. It's helping me a lot as a drummer to learn this bass role as well. Thanks.
Great points made here, but I would add it depends on the type of band your working with and the material you're playing. If you're playing in a cover band with a keyboard player it's imperative you keep it simple and tasteful. If you're in a power trio then it's perfectly acceptable to be more dynamic like a Geddy Lee or Jack Bruce.
Good info!
Thanks Wayne!
Fantastic Content Lance!
Thank you, for this video. As a bassist who played in Brooklyn in the early 2000s, a lot of folk were trying to be Reggie Parker, Reggie Young, and Dwayne Wright. Great and legendary players. But it caused a lot of folk, back then, to become "too out of their lane" with the music. Many players failed to appreciate that those players knew how to groove.
The bass player should play what is required for the music! Music first! Having the ability to play all that other stuff is nice but overplaying will get you fired or not hired.
Well said, Mitchell!
I came to this video (and I'm sure you might not know this but i comment on a lot of your material) to find a link for band member positioning on stage as we have a guitarist who might be too forward during the songs, almost taking the main roll of the vocalist away from her.... but I did get some good tips here and if I'm being honest some things I dont necessarily agree with, but can you link something for me if you have a video that i can watch and share with the band? Thank you in advance
I'm going to challenge you a bit here. Holding down the groove is a default setting. I lean on the aggressive side but still remain in the song. I can go from Jamerson to Lemmy. Knowledge of theory along with synesthetic perfect pitch helps in my case. I have an ear to melody-guitar/keys and an ear to drums. I keep my eyes and ears totally open onstage. We drive the band.
Bass is the link between Drummer Neanderthalensis and Guitarist/Keyboard Sapiens.
The role is purely contextual and a great bass player will know what that context requires. Whether it be ripping solos or root and fifth country tunes all night.
In regards to tone, every gigging bass player knows the room dictates a lot of your tone. I change my tone, switch pickups etc. Almost every song if it's a cover tune to get as close to the record as I can.
My frustration was our pianist who was also the worship leader. She constantly played bass on her piano and would always tell me to stop playing what she was playing. She always wanted me to over play the most beautiful worship songs where I as the bass player could lay down a solid foundation for her to shine on the piano, but she refused to be the pianist and wanted to play the bass parts .
So true, when I started playing bass on Church worship team, the piano totally ignored the Grove. The drummer and synced up, songs feeling good, people engaged....then you guessed it, piano player stomping on the bass with silly left hand octaves.
Pull the piano player to the side and tell him/her. If there's still refusal, take that issue to the pastor....!
Dude is that a Sire Bass ?
Best bass for the money , and I have a couple
Thanks for this vid
Bass is the easiest to learn the hardest to master!
Wrong its easy to master
@@observedot7490 let me guess you play a 4 string p Bass and probably only play in the key of G
Heres a tip for bass players, from a bass player: CHANGE YOUR STRINGS!!! Just because you are trying to get a tone like 60s Motown, you dont have to use the strings that were on your bass since the 60s. Newer strings give the most dynamic tone potential.
I will send this video to the bass player of our band. I hope he will not get mad... 🤣
Bass players can learn chord theory, understand harmonics and different styles of playing.
I'd say that the thing about playing the root and not another chord note is a good advice but not for arranging ones own music- there it is actually a good idea to listen to the melody and- especially in music that is very simple in it's harmony- to not stick to the root but going to the 5 and 3 more frequently when it is good voice leading concerning the melody and this is done far too rarely.
My bad experience: the bass player is 1) drunk 2) sloppy not tight 3) has bad tone due a ridiculously outdated Zoom multieffects 4) wont play country 5) too loud 6) wont learn new material 7) improvises needlessly
Low-end Infrastructure. Amen.
I do not agree with the advice given in this video. It makes bass players seem difficult, incompetent and unprofessional to work with. Chords, runs, inversions etc are just tools and they should be available for use by anyone on any project. Musicians should be prepared to do whatever is necessary and best for the music. This should be discussed and rehearsed to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
It's important to have confidence in who you are and the skills that you possess. Be open to constructive criticisms and suggestions. It's okay if you are not the right fit for the project. Fail forward with no regrets while remaining respectful and professional at all times.
Continued successes and blessings in your playing, in your career and in your journey. Keep moving forward and shine on.
So, I'm not sure what was said here that gives you the perspective that I'm saying bass players are difficult, incompetent, and unprofessional. I, myself am a bass player and if I were saying this about bass players, I'd be talking about myself, lol.
Nevertheless, outside that, I actually don't disagree with what you have said here. You made some great points!
Gospel bass players are expected to over play
True, however, it is a solid Grove, easily engaging.
If you watch any videos on playing bass in church, the first thing that will be emphasized is DON'T OVER PLAY. BE SIMPLE! Possibly this is a problem in mega churches or some gospel churches, but I have never seen it. The problem I see most is not listening and adapting to the other musicians and the other musicians not listening and adapting to the bass player. It is so frustrating trying to patch the difference in rhythm between the keys and the guitar and to try to follow the left hand of the keys when they are playing all the low notes and playing them in a rhythm that doesn't match anything. That's really why Christian bass needs to be simple. It's because the other musicians feel that they should be followed and there is no give and take.
I'm 65 and I play bass guitar and sing for my band, a power trio.We get some help from a multipad to fill up some air space now and then but generally we're all generating notes. When it's time for a lead ,I really have to step it up with scales etc to keep the full sound. It matters what kind of band you play in and making generalities about what a bass player "should do" just shows the average arrogance guitarists and keys players have on the subject. Unsubscribed.
If you don't know any of this stuff. Then you're probably not professional this is stuff that I learned in my first year of playing music. I think this guy may be joking. When you're on the internet you have to weed out some of these characters to make your life a little bit easier. This man is probably one of them. I put them up there with Rick beato and rhett shoal for being annoying
I'm glad that I just found this video as you do offer a very interesting point of view in talking about the role of the bass player from the perspective of the other musicians in the band. I understand the 'Jaco Fetish' that most bass players have and which annoy everyone else. I avoid that for two reasons:
1) What Jaco did worked well for him because it was his style, meaning that it won't truly work for anyone else and
2) Unless someone is a fretless player, which most bassists aren't, then they have no chance of sounding like Jaco anyway, so why even bother?
The opposite problem, which many bass players get stuck in, is playing nothing but root notes for an entire gig. If a bass player is constantly hitting the 1 of whatever chord the keyboard player or guitarist happens to be playing right at that moment, then the result will certainly be consistent but it will also sound mechanical and boring. Bass players can be like the race horse slamming itself against the inside of the starting gate before a race. After playing nothing but roots for minutes at a time, it's hard to resist the urge to chop it up a bit when the opportunity presents.