solo4652 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) Folks, My band's decided to have a go at this reggae version of Summertime: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RAMm_VmOjA[/media] I've not played reggae before, and I'm struggling with it. I can just about play simple roots on the 2 and 4 but anything else, I'm flummoxed. Any advice, please? Steve Edit: original post read "... roots on 1 and 3". I meant 2 and 4. Edited December 21, 2012 by solo4652 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) Hi, It's got a pretty cool bassline already - were you just trying to work it out? Have a look at these chords in the pic. Assuming you know your scales / chord tones you should be able to pick out the notes in the song from whichever chord you're looking at. For example, the opening line is based on Am7, so play that scale and see how that compares to what you hear in the track. My ears tell me that it has root, 4, 7 and octave, (but chucking in a 3 just before going back to the root might sound nice). There may be deviations from the original score, but for now just use your ears and the chords to try to get the gist/feel. Then keep working through the different chords till you have it more or less nailed. If in doubt, just play root/5 :-) Hope this helps Edited December 21, 2012 by Roland Rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapiro Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) A couple of simple reggae tips : You play on the beat, offbeat is guitars(or whatever, but you always play on the beat). Do not get sucked into lpaying on the off beat, as it screws over the guitarists The backbeat in reggae is on the 3. Often you will hear a note on the 1, then something faster on the 3 and 4 My favourite reggae thing i've ever done, was at a jam session, a couple of guys I hadn't met before had this idea of Take 5 in 4/4 and reggae beat......(see bad quality recording at [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cHaBy3_wSk&list=UUWHSVFROuxV6JdNsWtpLDpg&index=9"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cHaBy3_wSk&list=UUWHSVFROuxV6JdNsWtpLDpg&index=9[/url] ) Edited December 21, 2012 by gapiro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) [quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1356094503' post='1906720'] A couple of simple reggae tips : You play on the beat, offbeat is guitars(or whatever, but you always play on the beat). Do not get sucked into lpaying on the off beat, as it screws over the guitarists The backbeat in reggae is on the 3. Often you will hear a note on the 1, then something faster on the 3 and 4 My favourite reggae thing i've ever done, was at a jam session, a couple of guys I hadn't met before had this idea of Take 5 in 4/4 and reggae beat......(see bad quality recording at [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cHaBy3_wSk&list=UUWHSVFROuxV6JdNsWtpLDpg&index=9[/media] ) [/quote] Ahh. I watched Ed Friedland's video on reggae and as a result I was concentrating on the 2 and 4 and was struggling. Interestingly, I was making progress with root, rest, 4, 5 which seems to tie-in with what you and RolandRock are suggesting. For now, I'll practise that. Edited December 21, 2012 by solo4652 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Here's another vid you might find useful. It includes footage of info from Robbie Shakespear. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MA7tgqp10"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MA7tgqp10[/url] Oddly it contradicts Gapiro, sorry mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 What language is Robbie Shakespeare talking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I guess you don't get much Patois up in Manc- land? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapiro Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1356102221' post='1906895'] Here's another vid you might find useful. It includes footage of info from Robbie Shakespear. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MA7tgqp10"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MA7tgqp10[/url] Oddly it contradicts Gapiro, sorry mate. [/quote] Haha don't worry I am by no means an expert. Just my observations that feel right to me. Always open to new ideas. How does he play eith all that bling on though ?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1356102221' post='1906895'] Oddly it contradicts Gapiro, sorry mate. [/quote] 'One Drop', quite common in Reggae. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74NCfS3h2JY Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raslee Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 (edited) Some times playing closer to the neck can give a warmer sound, nice technique, i tend to do that if i'm playing a more 'dubbier' section in a tune. One of the hardest things i find playing reggae music is a good drummer who is solid, a lot of drummers will slow down to sometimes match the bass which can often be behind the beat like old school studio 1 bass lines/riddims etc. Reggae drumming is quite hard to do well in my opinion...i've had some drummers slow so much it becomes painful, Enjoy the vibes Edited December 22, 2012 by Rasta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 The number one trick to getting Reggae to sound good is to absolutely nail the feel. The lines are quite often simple and repetitive, but they don't sound right unless you nail the phrasing. Listen really carefully to the note lengths and the emphasis on different beats. Have fun! Great version of Summertime btw, never heard that one before. Think I'll learn it myself... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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