How A REAL Bass Player Thinks
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- Опубликовано: 21 окт 2024
- 7 simple steps for amateur bassists and guitarists learning bass to start playing and thinking like a professional bassist.
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#7 deserves a whole video to itself. It applies to all instruments.
It really does. If you think about a band like you would an orchestra pit, there are huge gaps for some players to just wait for their moment. Thanks for the comment!
In my experience, most guitar players moving to bass sound like a guitar player playing bass. They don't understand the role of the bass as a rhythm instrument, laying down the groove and setting the platform.
Agreed. The mindset of guitar is totally different than bass. I think it just comes down to understanding the bassist role. Thanks for the comment!
You forgot THE most important one: Keeping good time.
True! You've got to keep good time. I suppose if you've following a drummer with good time, your time will also improve.
Thanks for the comment!
You mean "Follow the kick drum"?
@@barrysrcdump3557 Yep! 😊
Good point about the arrangement ideas of withholding bass and lowest notes
It makes a big difference! Thanks for the comment!
There were great tips! Hope to see more bass related content from you. Cheers from Vancouver!
Thanks so much!
Well said. This actually made me feel better about my attempts at playing bass. Thanks.
Drummers make great bass players! and it make you more kick pattern aware when you get back behind a kit.
this was a solid video to watch before the gig!
guys said i grew a lot since the last jam
i didnt even practice for 2 weeks lol
The more you know! lol That's awesome. Thanks for the comment!
You forgot one step: pro bass players knows when to change the plucking/picking position based on the tone you need for the song (playing closer to the neck gives you a deeper sound, playing closer to the bridge gives you more treble, but a tighter sound).
Ooo good one! That's a great move and can make a big difference especially if you're playing a one pickup instrument. Thanks for the comment!
I’m a p bass player and a few inches more towards the neck or bridge makes it sound like a whole new bass
@@dirtblock2147 Love it! I need to get a P. I have a couple PJ basses that I really enjoy but it's just not the same.
True specs man... I will add another unsaid tip: serve the song. Keep it simple and add colors and licks as the song progresses.
Agree! Always serve the song. Thanks for the comment!
Totally agree with you on #7 - dead spaces are so often ignored by amateurs.
It's a thing man. But recognizing it is the first step.
number 1.5, also hi-hat, possibly more important than kick in some instances.
It sure does help to get you locked in!
The pickup selection all depends on the music you're playing. You want the full, rich sound of the neck pickup for most rock, blues and Motown-types of music. However, for funk and punchy pop, the bridge pickup may provide a better sound. In my experience, using both bridge and neck together seems to scoop out all the mid-range (which might be good in a studio mix because you're getting out of the way of the other instruments, but sounds very thin in a live setting).
Agreed. Bridge only IS a sound but for most music styles Neck or Both is a better starting point if you're not specifically looking for that really punchy, not very boomy sound.
Thanks for the comment!
@@GettinBetterWithDave great channel, appreciate the free teaching!
Thanks for the sub and your support! Is bass the main thing for you or do you play other instruments?
@@GettinBetterWithDave rusty former touring pro on bass, frustrated hack on guitar and drums.
@@LionAndALamb Right on! I feel your pain. It's nice to be a well rounded musician, hard to split up your time.
As a veteran bassist I'm glad to hear I've been getting 6/7 right! I used to be an anti-pick snob, but I agree if the song calls for it you should use it.
6 outta 7 is great! which one did you miss? Or disagree with? That's ok too. :)
@@GettinBetterWithDave #5 Never using a pick lol. I do now when the song needs it, but I'm very inexperienced with it.
lol of course! my bad. Yeah, when you do get more comfortable, it can be a blast to use. If you haven't already, try different picks. I like them a little heavier for bass.
Finally, a bass oriented video that reminds us that the purpose of the bass is to play the BASS NOTES! Not playing lead guitar licks up high on the neck!
For real! It's easy to get it twisted. Thanks for the comment!
All great tips, but I think being too rigid about things like following the kick and only using a certain tone for certain styles of music can really limit you as a player. Above all else you should serve the song and sometimes it's better to outright ignore those conventions if it makes the song better as a whole. Those are really great places to start for beginner to intermediate bass players who are just starting to improvise/write their own basslines tho
Agreed! Thanks for the comment!
GREAT video! I played the drums for 10 years and now I am a bass player, this video is spot on helpful! Thanks!
Thanks so much for sharing! That means a lot. Glad this is helping players grow. ☺
Two rules I go by also are.
1. GENERALLY avoid open strings. Yes, they can be important to some parts, but often they are a bit of a “sore thumb” versus the fretted ones.
2. The exception to rule 7 is “Kiss” by Prince. There is no bass in the song, but I’ve never played with any band that could make it sound worth a damn without a bass line.
Thanks for the comment! Yes, open string can have a different sound, or some basses more than others. Good thoughts!
I don’t know about that first one. Look into James Jamerson’s techniques. He would deliberately play the open string tones instead of the fretted ones *any time* it was possible to do so. I think I recall that it was something that he carried over from his experience playing upright bass.
@@darwinsaye interesting! I had never heard that before. Can’t argue with James Jamerson!
Bass was the first and only instrument I've ever learned to play and when I first started, I learned playing with fingers first then immediately switched to a pick full time once I'm comfortable playing with my fingers because some of my favorite bassists play with a pick and I also like the sound of it. and it was hell to mute strings when using a pick at first. It's been a few months but now I'm back to practicing finger style again, I should have practiced both instead of just one technique.
Good on you for finding a sound you like and rolling with it. I was the same way, Learned fingers first and then saw rock plays using a pick so I had to give it a shot and I loved it! but I also started on guitar before bass so it was pretty easy to transition. I just wish I spent more time working on slap, I don't need to use it very often but when I do I feel a bit like a fish outa water.
The bass line in Will Do by TV on the Radio provides examples of "How A REAL Bass Player Thinks". Almost any song with Pino Palladino playing bass incorporates these tips, too. Pino is a real bass player.
Absolutely! Pino is the man! Thanks for the comment. I'll look up that TV song
I would add Nathan East, James Jamerson (and by extension Bob Babbitt), and Leland Sklar to this list. Quintessential “bass players”. McCartney is no slouch either.
Those guys (add Carol Kaye) always play the right notes at the right time for the song and yet still keep it musically interesting!@@stevesheroan4131
Thanks for your super bass information! I had to learn those tips the hard way...years of playing! You nailed the essentials perfectly!@@GettinBetterWithDave
Very helpful stuff. Thanks. Liked and subscribed
Awesome, thanks very much!
Great video great recommendations. I've been a bassist since late 70s. As a bassist friend of mine once told me...learn the Zz top songs learn the AC/DC songs the right way to get in a groove & learn how to play in the pocket to make the song. That bassist is Billy Sheehan whom I've known forever here in Buffalo NY. You'll have a much easier time getting work as a bassist. When he started teaching he said he had kids that could solo like you wouldn't believe but if they tried ZZ Top or AC/DC they couldn't do it. Learn to walk before you run lol.
Wow! You know Billy Sheehan! What great advice from a bass master! Yes, you really do need to walk before you run. Thanks so much for sharing!
Exactly. Way too many wannabe Jacos out there, who cannot groove in the pocket to save their life.
I'm used to getting ignored heck.. I ignore people too.. ;) lol
lol At least we're all being honest here!
I think the main thing I hang onto is attitude. As the bassist in our band I'm the support instrument that hooks together the drum's beat and the top end melodies. To do that I need to be the main "team player" in the band - to be really aware of what everyone else is doing and to know what to do to bring the best out of the whole - not just groove the stuff that makes me happy.
Great advice! It's amazing how much of music is listening to the other players around you and yet how many players suffer from only listening to themselves. Thanks for the comment!
I totally agree with no. 7 👍🏻
I see it all the time! haha
Interesting that I was recommended this channel, I guess the algorithm knows I’m always looking for the underdog hidden gems.
Welcome back to RUclips man, looking forward to seeing more from you.
Thanks for the comment! It feels good to be back. Are you a bassist?
@@GettinBetterWithDave I am, but also a guitarist and singer/songwriter. My sweet spot right now is the baritone guitar, bridges the two worlds for me 😊
@@WTF-Cubing That's so cool! Small world! I have been borrowing a friend's Bari electric and having a blast with it. They record really well and add some much depth to a tune. I might be hooked! haha
@@GettinBetterWithDave Can’t wait to hear some of those recordings! 😁
The new stuff won't drop til next year. But here's a tune from a while ago when my buddy first got the Bari. I just used it on the very last Chorus to beef it up. Those things have some mojo!
ruclips.net/video/C7NBLGeZ8XU/видео.htmlsi=Xmh-zwgikbp9p_sm
Cool Gibson, and new sub here. I appreciate the newer channels for their passion. I've been playing for 40 years and I think I'm getting better.... I came from guitar in 1985 and I made the conscious decision to NOT play with a pick, and now I have ZERO pick ability, and it limits me. Good point ! Totally agree, and have always played the 3rd pass differently. It adds "pizaz". All great advice, and as a gigging bassist everything you said is 100%. I tend to Geddy everything, so I overplay, but I'm learning to Laura Lee it, less is more.
Wow! Thanks so much! It's never too late to pick up that pick. (provided you're not dealing with a wrest injury or something)
I like them a little heavier than what I use on guitar. Like 1.14mil or a little more. And yes the AABA just works man! I try to not over use it but it almost always first in the song. Thanks for the sub!
I think these all could be considered fundamental or rudimentary, not only Pro. #1. If you're playing along with a live drummer you can get closer to the kick, put a foot up close to it, and even place your foot against the front rim to feel it and lock in. + Effective string muting, whether playing a pick or fingers is essential but being great at it can be fundamental for greatness. Great bass players have great dynamic control--you can't accomplish that without your muting game down. Muting techniques require different strategies between the two methods of right-hand playing
Very true! Muting between both hands is an important skill for pro bass players! Thanks for the comment!
I struggle with number 7. Oopps.
Well now you have the easiest adjustment to make. lol
I've seen it from a lot of players, and if I'm not being intention, I do it too!
Model bass are you playing?
It's a Epiphone Ripper bass that I have had for years. I think Epiphone do a short run of the Ripper in the sometime in the 2000s.
It's a really fun instrument and record way better than it should for what I paid for it.
I agree with most of this. Stick with the Kick is a GREAT tip, and can take a bass line from meh to sweet. Saving the Low notes is also great tip for if you are playing a 5 string with that nice low B. Save those extra low notes for the big moments. You should definitly learn fingerstyle, pick, slap.... all the different ways to play.
For sure! Saving the those low notes on a 5 string is even more important. Thanks for the comment!
@@GettinBetterWithDave the point you made about NOT playing was a good one too. The notes you don't play matter as much, if not more than the ones you do play. I play a lot at church, and there are some of the slower, "lower key" songs where I might only play on the big bridge, and that is what the song needs.
@@RyanWright That is a great move! Your You have so much more impact when you finally drop in! We call those types of songs "slow burns" where it really doesn't develop dynamically unit you past the half way point.
@@GettinBetterWithDave Yep. for sure
October 13th will be the 40th anniversary of the day I got my first bass guitar. Every word this cat said is true. Take it for what it's worth, n use it to rock on🤙
Wow, Thanks so much! That means a lot coming from a seasoned player. Happy 40 years of bass!
Number 7 - see Colin Moulding, e.g. Senses Working Overtime.
Yeah, He drops out to get out of the way of that vocal hook and when he drops in it has more impact than if he'd just played though it. Good example! You can exaggerate that move by staying out even longer, like dropping out for a verse 2 can coming back in at the chorus. Thanks for the comment!
My man wore sunglasses way too much.
Haha You're not wrong! The sun is brutal here in Arizona.
No neck pickup on a precision
That's true the pickup on a P is closer to a middle position but I can't say I've ever heard someone call it that. What do you call that position?
Thanks for the comment!
Even experienced professionals should be told to stay away from the solo bridge pickup. So sick of hearing modern bassists noodling around in the treble position.
For sure. All sounds can have their place and maybe just bridge makes sense for some with their style and band context but the majority music I'm around, it just doesn't fit. Thanks for the comment!
Stanley Clarke, Alphonso Johnson, John Patitucci and Jaco Pastorius don’t play with a pick. And I don’t either!
Those are not necessarily rock players but they are legends no fought about it! Question for you, Do you ever play slap?
I find that a lot bassist are open to playing slap but refuse to use a pick. Yet both of these are technique to get a different sound out of an instrument. So if a song calls for the slap, of course play slap. But if a song calls for a pick to get a different sound, be open to it at least. That's all. Thanks for your comment!
I wish I had kept up my teenage pick skills and not gotten snotty about being a finger style only player. Take it from and old guy who learned too late; don’t get snotty about playing with a pick (unless you only play upright bass).
For sure! Thanks for sharing! :)
No Picks
Aw bro, they can be so much fun! you're missing out. Thanks for the comment!
@@GettinBetterWithDave Missing out on what....to me bass needs to be a full round sound.
@@jmoosic In the Rock context a pick can add aggression and percussion in a way that's just not the same with fingers. But to each their own. 😊
opinions vary....@@GettinBetterWithDave
@@jmoosic for sure! What type of music do you play? (most of the time)
playing bass with a pick is boring
I disagree. But thanks for watching! 🙂
You play sounds, not music.
I'm not sure what you mean by that.
you got many things wrong or really negligible 🤷♂
Sorry you feel that way. I've had lots of people tell me this was accurate and helpful but that's just in MY context, I'm sure players in different types of bands may feel different. What do you think I got wrong? Or which tips don't apply to your context? Thanks for your input.
i'm sorry i was too rude. i'll try to clarify:
1. you do not following the kick drum. you follow the tempo (click) and the style of the music you wish to create. some grooves patterns are on the kick, as you said, some offbeat, opposite, not bind... it is endless. do not tight the bass playing to strict rules. the bass line is not a shadow of the kick drum.
2. stay away from the bridge pickup? bass pickup coloring the sound. use any pickup configuration sounds right for the specific task. can you instruct a guitar player to use only one pickup setting?
3, 4. high notes, low notes - it's all depend what needs to be played and how it will serve the song. but overall your idea to open the mind and encouraging using all the neck is good.
5. pick \ no pick - great advise. use a pick when needed, use finger when needed. it is a common issue with bass players that refuses to understand that.
6, 7. same as 3 and 4.
with that said, i think you brought up a fine guide for beginners bassists, and i encourage to keep up the good work.
@@mckeithen69 Thanks for the clarity! I agree with you on point 1. My advice to newer player would be to start by listening to the kick following it as a starting point, then add or creative from there.
As for 2. sort of the same thought, Using the neck P/U as the default setting and adding or switching to the bridge when it feels like it needs something different.
Seems like we are close on the other points. :)
PS, I checked out one of your live videos with you playing and singing at the same time. You're a great player! Keep it up! Thanks again for the comment.
@@GettinBetterWithDave thanks my friend.
you keep up publishing good stuff and i'm sure your audience will grow :)
@@mckeithen69 Thanks buddy! I will :)
yes I agree with everything except the pick. After 50 years pro experience I have never used a pick...but that being said I do think there are times when it does sound good and work...
Hey, thanks for the comment! I bet you'd have fun with a pick and that song of course. Picks don't make sense in every genre but when they fit, they have their own sound.
for the styles of music I play would not does not work..also after all this time I not really going to change. I know Bobby Vega and I'm never going to sound like him...neither are you..@@GettinBetterWithDave
Fair enough! :)