| Author | Message | ||
| cool_hand_luke_fancy
New Username: cool_hand_luke_fancy Post Number: 4 Registered: 6-2010 |
Something I've been working on for awhile. Doing one here and there for a few months. I usually don't refer to myself as a "bass player", I consider myself a "bass guitarist". Because these videoes were made as time progressed you can see how my playing has progressed too. Echo and the Bunnymen - Crocodiles, December 25/2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rD-5ybr7nw The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Spanish Castle Magic, April 15/2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3_mhmuybSU Led Zeppelin - Black Dog, July 4/2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lljdFk0E7mw Echo and the Bunnymen - Villiers Terrace, November 5/2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_iiY0b0Vaw Who - Pinball Wizard, March 5/2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYawQUwYf9g The Rush - A Passage To Bangkok, May 16/2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI9a-MBNPZA Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody, June 13/2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj1cjfVkSsU Basses: Squier Bronco Bass, Squier Classic Vibe Jazz Bass | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1417 Registered: 9-2002 |
Well you've certainly been woodshedding! And good for you, the Squier Classic Vibe Jazz is one hell of an axe for $350, easily as good as a Mexican Fender for way less money. I'd only suggest three things: 1) IF you want to move to a five (or more) string later, I'd work on centering my left thumb along the center line of the back of the neck. It's no big deal on a skinny neck like a Jazz or a Ric, but you'll have a hell of a time hanging your thumb over the fingerboard on most multi-string axes, especially the really wide fives or sixes. Even on a four-string, it lowers your wrist and straightens your wrist to forearm, preferable if you can play that way. 2) Fast stuff is great and flashy, but slow tunes are harder. Doesn't seem that way, but in slow stuff, there's no place to hide: EVERY note counts, and slow tunes teach you this. Fast, busy stuff will let you have lots of throwaways in the zooming by, but the idea is to have NO throwaways even in fast stuff. The hardest thing I struggle with to this day? We spend so much time learning how to play lots of stuff, ony to find out that the most important part is knowing what to leave out. 3) Watch your time, I hear you rush just a bit in a very few spots. I admire your guts for putting this out there. You're well on your way. I've been at this since 1976, and I still work on 1, 2, and 3 everyday myself. Best Wishes and Good On 'Ya ! J o e y | ||
| richbass939
Senior Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 1095 Registered: 11-2004 |
Luke, Congrats to you. You are well on your way to being a great bassist. As Joey said in #2, the fundamentals are essential. When you are playing other bassists' lines, notice how they relate to the kick drum. Locking in with the drummer is how great grooves happen. In my experience, there is nothing more fun (in music, anyway) than being in sync with a great drummer and letting a cool groove flow out. The most important thing I've learned over the years is that the main role of the bass (anchoring the groove) must be there. Nobody else in the band can cover that role but you. Second, excessive notes take away from the groove, not add to it. To be fair to you, I didn't hear all that many places that had note overload. Besides, you can take a solo every once in a while and let 'er rip. It's exciting seeing a young person finding something that he loves, has talent for, and is diving into. GOOD FOR YOU ! Rich Edit: Where are my manners. Welcome to the club. (Message edited by richbass939 on July 02, 2010) | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1274 Registered: 11-2004 |
Nice playing and welcome to our world. Lots of classic rock stuff, obviously your type of music but another suggestion is to listen to some soul, jazz, funk, country & western(never thought I would advise that LOL) Listening to different bass styles improves your playing. I remember listening to Stan Clarke when I first started and I want to be like him! and then Mark King came along and I wanted to be like him but as I got older I listened to everything to gain knowledge and steal licks to incorporate with my playing. One great tool is a rhythm unit, if you have a PC there is a lot of free stuff on midi which is great for improving your timing. Keep up the good work and your school report will improve!!! | ||
| cool_hand_luke_fancy
New Username: cool_hand_luke_fancy Post Number: 6 Registered: 6-2010 |
Thanks for all the compliments! I really appreciate it! @bigredbass: On #1, my dad has suggested that to me before. The way he described it was forming your hand into a "claw" shape and spread four fingers over four frets. I'm still young and I have yet to adapt myself to it. It actually kind of hard for me to do but I still got 60 years of life in me (I hope, lol), I'll get it sometime. On #2, those slow songs can be a bugger, yes. If you're playing, say a Rush song, you can fling as many notes as you want and people hardly notice because every is going so fast. Now I'm a Jaco fan, not die hard but I love his basslines. When I listen to one of my favorite Weather Report songs A Remark You Made, now that is a song where you need to know where the notes are. If you're in a loud band, it's fine. But if you're in a really slower quieter kind of group, which I learned in my high school jazz combo, those slow notes are extremely important. And too much fiddling results in many mistakes, which I learned the hard way, lol. On #3, yeah another problem I have. Rushing the bassline results from me being to tense when playing fast stuff. As you can see in Crocodiles, I'm tense the entire movie. I do appreciate the insight. I actually might try and find a song I know that's slower to balance it out. EDIT: My Squier Jazz is a monster! It plays so much better than most Fender-made basses. The neck is unbelievably comfortable. @richbass939: I know exactly what you're talking about. I started out playing with less than spectacular drummers and it really denting my playing for awhile. I remember the first time I locked in with an amazing drummer, it was so exhilarating and satisfying. I'm still trying to find that niche: playing lead lines while anchoring the band. It's hard. Fortunately for me in my blues band, the drummer is a natural time keeper. He isn't a extremely wild drummer but it helps me stay in time and it really helps if I'm playing lead stuff. And yes, playing bass is something I'll love the rest of my life. @terryc: Some of my favorite all time basslines are funk basslines. I can't really do the slap and pop thing like Flea or Les Claypool (but I practice it) but I love finger funk more than thumb funk. Two of my favorite funk basslines are Bootsy Collins in Sex Machine and Donald "Duck" Dunn on Soulman. Very groovy. I'm starting to get into more jazz and soul like Jaco and Jamerson, in fact my high school music teacher gave me a huge list of bass players in those areas to listen to. I also have a cheap Yamaha keyboard from the early 2000s that has over 200 drum parts on it and I actually created a really good prog bassline out of one of them. Some other songs I'm thinking of recording in the near future include Natural Science and Anthem by Rush, Twist and Shout and Back In The U.S.S.R. by the Beatles (both have amazing basslines), and a few U2 and Bunnymen songs to try out. Again thanks for the positive feedback. I'll continue to update this thread so long as I keep making movies. (Message edited by cool_hand_luke_fancy on July 10, 2010) |
