The 'challenge' of post-rock bass lines

[Cyrene]

How do others approach it?
I find the space and often slow melodic themes allow for some great invention, but on the other hand the repetition and seemingly ambiguous chords can cause a bit of frustration.
There is also the tendency to go for the 'less is more' approach, which obviously is not always the best one.

[TheRev]

I'm a massive post rock fan, but I don't get to play in that style very often.
When I have played, I've tended to play little melodies, working with the space to keep the feel of the track going. Drone notes work well too.
To me its definitely more about 'playing the song' rather than 'playing bass' if that makes sense. It's all about the space.

[Cyrene]

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1358796562' post='1945248']
I'm a massive post rock fan, but I don't get to play in that style very often.
When I have played, I've tended to play little melodies, working with the space to keep the feel of the track going. Drone notes work well too.
To me its definitely more about 'playing the song' rather than 'playing bass' if that makes sense. It's all about the space.
[/quote]
Yes. I tend to do this too. To the extent when i auditioned for my first band, having only heard a rough sketch of their stuff, I was called a "very melodic" player. Can't be a bad thing.
Maybe this explains why i have problems chugging out straight eighths through pop/rock tunes.
Thanks, I'm not going wrong then

[SteveK]

Ok, I've got to ask... what is 'Post Rock'?
[i]'Slow melodic themes', 'Seemingly ambiguous chords'[/i], you've got me interested. I'm an old geezer who doesn't get out much - humour me... any youtube links?

[Dingus]

I've been listening to the early PIL records lately , and they could be seen as an early example of or influence upon the post rock genre . Have a listen to some of the fledgling Jah Wobbles ' lines and maybe get some ideas or inspiration from them . To me it's one of those genres ( if in fact it is a genre ) where the only rule is that there are no rules , if you see what I mean .

[xgsjx]

I'm curious too! I thought rock was still very much alive though?

[Cyrene]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1358798181' post='1945296']
Ok, I've got to ask... what is 'Post Rock'?
[i]'Slow melodic themes', 'Seemingly ambiguous chords'[/i], you've got me interested. I'm an old geezer who doesn't get out much - humour me... any youtube links?
[/quote]

Ha. I'm going to expose my post-rock naivety now and link you to [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-rock"]Wikipedia[/url]
Seriously though, a lot of bands have embraced it now, including Radiohead (via Tortoise etc.) and others via an assortment of [i]musique concrète [/i]influences.
I suppose the best known exponents are Sigur Ros.

[gjones]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1358798181' post='1945296']
Ok, I've got to ask... what is 'Post Rock'?
[i]'Slow melodic themes', 'Seemingly ambiguous chords'[/i], you've got me interested. I'm an old geezer who doesn't get out much - humour me... any youtube links?
[/quote]

I looked up wikipedia and they weren't very helpful (rock instruments used to create a soundscape or timbre) but mentioned Tortoise. This is Tortiose and they're quite groovy [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfb58eB5oAA[/media]

And I like the video too.

Edited January 21, 2013 by gjones

[Truckstop]

Sigur Ros, Yndi Halda, The Twlight Sad and Mogwai are my particular favourites. EITS are also awesome, but I little to heavy to be post-rock.

Mainly instrumental; post-rock bands tend to create ultra atmospheric songs. Lots of effects, distorted drums, odd time signatures and often accompanied by bleak imagery and a drawn, dark, emotion-less live show. Post- rock draws on classical influences and strings and organs are often used to great effect.

Mogwai are my particular favourites; can't be bothered to find a link, but 'Secret Pint' live in Japan really is a gorgeous piece of music.

Truckstop

[phil.i.stein]

genres etc..

but i'd say .. use the fretboard like a painter uses a pallette.

stick to just a few colours (notes) and manipulate them in different orders/times

the expression comes from the strokes.

sheeeeittt ! how poxy am i ?

[Graham]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0BSHAXpNey0

Probably my favourite post-rock song see also Isis, Red Sparrows, Russian Circles and Minsk

Bloody mobile, can't embed the video

Edited January 21, 2013 by Graham

[paul_5]

"And So I Watch You From Afar" get my vote.

Do bear in mind though...

[color=#282828][font=Helvetica]
'Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.' Frederic Chopin[/font][/color]

[TheRev]

[quote name='phil.i.stein' timestamp='1358801610' post='1945404']

but i'd say .. use the fretboard like a painter uses a pallette.

[/quote]

Nicely put.

Post rock is all about building a soundscape and drawing the listener in emotionally. At the risk of drawing a lot of flak, I'd suggest that post rock and jazz aren't that far removed in terms of the aim of the music.

The guys I used to play with had an interesting way of writing material. There would be a clock on the wall of the rehearsal room. below the clock they'd put a long strip of paper with a graph on it. The x axis was time in minutes, the Y axis was intensity and the trace was the desired sonic pattern of the track, The clock would be set to 12pm and off we'd go,following the trace of the graph with the music. There'd be peaks and troughs for loud/quiet bits and so on. It was actually a lot of fun,

[Cyrene]

it's all good. Sounds like I'm doing the right thing!
The tunes are very much aural soundscapes and in one gig soon we're providing music to complement an art installation.

[TheRev]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1358798181' post='1945296']
Ok, I've got to ask... what is 'Post Rock'?
[i]'Slow melodic themes', 'Seemingly ambiguous chords'[/i], you've got me interested. I'm an old geezer who doesn't get out much - humour me... any youtube links?
[/quote]

The big guns are Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor (a.k.a GY!BE). GY!BE are undoubtedly the grandaddies of the genre, although they were predated by Tortoise and, would you believe it, Talk Talk. yes, that Talk Talk, the one from the 80s. (If you don't believe me, listen to the' Spirit of Eden' album).

As mentioned above, And So I Watch You From Afar are well worth a listen, Red Sparrowes and Mono tend towards the heavier side of things.

Two of my favourites are Thiswilldestroyyou (esp. the Young Mountain EP and the first album) and Grace Cathedral Park. Grace Cathedral Park are particularly interesting as they're all acoustic. (post folk anyone?)

[Sean]

Seriously. Are there such genres as post-blues, post-ska, post-bluegrass or post-reggae? If not, why not and could there be. Is there a future for me as the godfather of post-grunge, for example?

I've just been told there's post-hardcore (whatever that is) so I guess anything's possible. Help!

[SteveK]

Thanks for the names and links - I'm on my laptop at the moment, with its crappy speakers - I'll check out these 'post rockers' when I get to my desktop. Cheers.

[bobbass4k]

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1358808744' post='1945586']
Seriously. Are there such genres as post-blues, post-ska, post-bluegrass or post-reggae? If not, why not and could there be. Is there a future for me as the godfather of post-grunge, for example?

I've just been told there's post-hardcore (whatever that is) so I guess anything's possible. Help!
[/quote]

Post-grunge and post-jazz are already a thing. Post-grunge is stuff like Nickelback, Staind, Puddle of Mudd. I think the "post-" just means "post 1993".

It's got kind of trendy to just stick "post-" in front of genres, personally I don't find it all that useful. I'm not one of the "anti-genre, music can't be pigeon holed types", I recognize that genres can be quite useful, but for me, their use is in helping people identify similar bands. If a complete music novice listened to Anthrax and liked it, I'd tell them Anthrax are a thrash metal band. The thrash metal label would lead them to bands like Testament, Metallica, Slayer, which they would probably like. The problem with the post-rock is it's become a label that gets stuck anything that is mainly guitars but doesn't fit in some arbitrary box, it's such a broad term that it doesn't really mean anything anymore. For example, both these bands get called post-rock:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufOE-i1BN7k[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l5wy5TuTj4[/media]

I for one wouldn't place those bands very close together on the musical spectrum at all really.

Edited January 21, 2013 by bobbass4k

[toneknob]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1358798181' post='1945296']
Ok, I've got to ask... what is 'Post Rock'?
[i]'Slow melodic themes', 'Seemingly ambiguous chords'[/i]
[/quote]

Sounds like Red-era King Crimson

[oggiesnr]

Sounds a lot like late sixties, early seventies prog-rock without the bombastic keyboards and about as self-indulgent

I'd approach it like I'd approach jazz, keep it fluid and look for the spaces.

Steve

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1358804098' post='1945457']
[color=#282828][font=Helvetica][size=4]'Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.' Frederic Chopin[/size][/font][/color]
[/quote]

Is there thread on this forum where you haven't quoted that yet Paul?

P.S. Inventor of post-womble here. You can do it with anything.

[paul_5]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1358848493' post='1945848']
Is there thread on this forum where you haven't quoted that yet Paul?

P.S. Inventor of post-womble here. You can do it with anything.
[/quote]

I don't think so, but if you fond one let me know and I'll paste it in. . Some of Chopin's other quotes include "Oh I say, get your petticoats off" and "yes, it's easier to play in the nip" etc... Not massively appropriate for a bass playing forum.


...or is it?

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1358848854' post='1945859']
I don't think so, but if you fond one let me know and I'll paste it in. . Some of Chopin's other quotes include "Oh I say, get your petticoats off" and "yes, it's easier to play in the nip" etc... Not massively appropriate for a bass playing forum.


...or is it?
[/quote]


Very appropriate for this bass playing forum i reckon.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1358798181' post='1945296']
Ok, I've got to ask... what is 'Post Rock'?
[i]'Slow melodic themes', 'Seemingly ambiguous chords'[/i], you've got me interested. I'm an old geezer who doesn't get out much - humour me... any youtube links?
[/quote]

You beat me to it by asking - thanks.

Anyway, so I followed the wiki link and read about Tortoise, who I had never heard of, and am now enjoying the performance below.

If I discovered them all by myself I'd have embarrassed myself by calling them prog-rock, having never heard of post-rock

Genres eh? I s'pose they can be helpful in helping to find new bands but a lot of that wiki article seemed to be all about who had first invented the name of the genre in the first place - which matters diddly-squat to the actual music itself. Ho hum.

Still, I've discovered a new band that I really like, so all's well that ends well.


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sps7YxLeYM[/media]

Edited January 22, 2013 by flyfisher

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1358853256' post='1945933']

If I discovered them all by myself I'd have embarrassed myself by calling them prog-rock, having never heard of post-rock

[/quote]

I think post-rock is a lot like prog-rock, except without all the w**ky soloing that makes prog-rock unlistenable

Mogwai are an astoundingly good band IMO, but I've never really tried to learn any of their songs---its not the kind of music that lends itself to playing on your own in the house!