gub Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Would love to play do ya by elo as I am a big fan of the band and jeff and really love this track in particular! but i was just running through it in prep for next rehearsal , and hadn't quite realised how simple the bass line that's played by Kelly Groucutt is ! don't get me wrong I am a big fan of Kelly's playing and I know it just drives the track etc , just wondering if anyone else in cover bands has the same probs when suggesting songs to play ? Part of me wants to go for a track that requires a bit more on my part but at the same time I really would like to do this track ! I suppose I could put a few of my own little tweeks in, or would this take something away from it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) May I suggest you try to enjoy the whole song and appreciate the part you play in it, rather than doing what too many people do and only focus on yourself? The clue is that you hadn't even realised how simple the bass line is, THAT my friend is REAL music. You've been tricked by movement and harmony. I very much doubt that you are playing the part well enough to get your mojo on, so concentrate on nuanced playing and how you fit in the song. Just because you don't have 16th note triplet arpeggios to play does not mean the bass line is simple or unmusical. So many of us are trying to learn stuff that means nothing on the bass unless it's in a virtuoso context. There is far too much emphasis on chops and f*** all on MUSIC. If you can truly learn to love simplicity, you will be a much better and more useful musician for it. Edited January 22, 2013 by silddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358876719' post='1946433'] ....May I suggest you try to enjoy the whole song and appreciate the part you play in it.... [/quote] +1 By now you ought to know that simple bass lines make great songs, for example Hey Jude, Let It Be and anything by Tom Petty or U2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMX Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) I guess we're talking ELO here. Are we missing something? Some really tasteful playing by Jeff on the records. I agree with Silddx regarding listening and appreciating the song as a whole - that's a whole different type of satisfaction! Edit: Yes, I missed your first sentence. Cool tune. Edited January 22, 2013 by HMX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358876719' post='1946433'] May I suggest you try to enjoy the whole song and appreciate the part you play in it, rather than doing what too many people do and only focus on yourself? The clue is that you hadn't even realised how simple the bass line is, THAT my friend is REAL music. You've been tricked by movement and harmony. I very much doubt that you are playing the part well enough to get your mojo on, so concentrate on nuanced playing and how you fit in the song. Just because you don't have 16th note triplet arpeggios to play does not mean the bass line is simple or unmusical. So many of us are trying to learn stuff that means nothing on the bass unless it's in a virtuoso context. There is far too much emphasis on chops and f*** all on MUSIC. If you can truly learn to love simplicity, you will be a much better and more useful musician for it. [/quote] That, Nige, is the most sense I've read on here in some considerable time...I'm tempted to to nick it for my sig, but it's a bit big. Nail/head, all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Over the last 30+ years of playing bass live in bands, I've gotten as much (possibly more) enjoyment out of some of the simplest bass-lines as I have from some of the more technical and flash stuff. As has been said already, it's about the song/the whole experience and if I need to play one note 120 times in succession I'd be happy knowing it was what was required... in fact I'm already imagining varying the tone of that single note by altering my finger/pick attack, subtly altering the dynamic as dictated by the other instruments, possibly even playing few individual notes and letting them sustain to add space or tension as I start to put the notes back in. Oooh I'm off to play some U2! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldslapper Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Dear gub, Please do not add anything to what you already described as a great bass part, just enjoy your part in the song. Jeff (and mum) knows best Yours, The Song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Nailing the harmonies will make more difference to that song than what you end up playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Me & a friend was just talking about this very subject this morning. Not ELO, but musicians wanting to play too much when it isn't needed. I was gonna write about how a good bassist can play flashy & technical, but a great bassist is one who knows when to shut up, when to play technical & when to play something simple (Flea was my example today & BSSM the album to highlight the differences). But Nig has hit the nail on the head. Whenever I cover a song I never do it the exact same as the original (I don't play a covers band). I like the band to do "their" take of the song. Better or worse is up to the punter to decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358876719' post='1946433'] May I suggest you try to enjoy the whole song and appreciate the part you play in it, rather than doing what too many people do and only focus on yourself? The clue is that you hadn't even realised how simple the bass line is, THAT my friend is REAL music. You've been tricked by movement and harmony. I very much doubt that you are playing the part well enough to get your mojo on, so concentrate on nuanced playing and how you fit in the song. Just because you don't have 16th note triplet arpeggios to play does not mean the bass line is simple or unmusical. So many of us are trying to learn stuff that means nothing on the bass unless it's in a virtuoso context. There is far too much emphasis on chops and f*** all on MUSIC. If you can truly learn to love simplicity, you will be a much better and more useful musician for it. [/quote] Well said. That man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) [quote name='oldslapper' timestamp='1358879173' post='1946486'] Dear gub, Please do not add anything to what you already described as a great bass part, just enjoy your part in the song. Jeff (and mum) knows best Yours, The Song. [/quote] Lol ok point taken very well spoken chaps and makes sense! Les .. yes I was thinking the harmonies will keep me busy too, some great stuff going on in it ! Edited January 22, 2013 by gub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) Not having heard the song - at least don`t think so - my thoughts are that invariably good harmonies will add more to a song than a bassline for live work. If in my covers band there is a bassline that`s difficult to sing along with on a chorus, but the song has great harmonies, drop the bassline to something more simple. It`s the chorus people will holler along to, not my bass-playing. Edited January 22, 2013 by Lozz196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Very true lozz ! Still getting the knack of backing vocals , always want to sing the bassline lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) Every chance I get i will post this song, bass could not be more simple, but it is exactly right. Just like every other bass player I love my bass heavy songs, but it's often the simple ones where you need to really get into the music to keep the groove and enjoy, the simpler the line, the more anything shows if your not on it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xwL-7fKKUE&feature=youtube_gdata_player Edited January 22, 2013 by lojo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Some of my favourite songs to play in our repertoire are the Dance/Trance tunes that we play, especially I'm Not Alone by Calvin Harris. Not a complex bass part by any stretch of the imagination but I love the way it kicks the whole song along. Playing dance tunes well makes for a bit of an out-of-body experience, I find Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358876719' post='1946433'] May I suggest you try to enjoy the whole song and appreciate the part you play in it, rather than doing what too many people do and only focus on yourself? The clue is that you hadn't even realised how simple the bass line is, THAT my friend is REAL music. You've been tricked by movement and harmony. I very much doubt that you are playing the part well enough to get your mojo on, so concentrate on nuanced playing and how you fit in the song. Just because you don't have 16th note triplet arpeggios to play does not mean the bass line is simple or unmusical. So many of us are trying to learn stuff that means nothing on the bass unless it's in a virtuoso context. There is far too much emphasis on chops and f*** all on MUSIC. If you can truly learn to love simplicity, you will be a much better and more useful musician for it. [/quote] yes definitely this we have a few P!nk things (ooer missus) in our set and Get This Party Started is one of them It only has two notes all the way through - B natural and F sharp it makes a nice change to switch totally on to auto pilot and listen to the whole thing going on as opposed to the trickier numbers where you need to focus and concentrate on your own part more and that in itself can help create a bit more dynamic to the set as a whole imho Edited January 22, 2013 by steve-bbb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 You can't get bored playing a great song Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnyboy Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 ItS a rocker, just keep it tight , and , well ,rock.!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) I quite like playing great songs with simple basslines, 'Jesus just left Chicago' is a good example. Simplicity and groove is the key. BUT on the other hand I'd LOVE to play 'Rhythm Stick' by the Blockheads before I die but since I don't play in cover bands that play that kind of stuff, I doubt I ever will. Edited January 22, 2013 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I don't suppose Kelly Groucutt got bored because he was singing those ridiculous falsetto harmonies the whole time. When I was a kid I shared a bedroom with an older brother who had all ELO's records so I know all of them and even like some of them. I've got one acoustic duo gig going on with a singer/guitarist and I've been thinking of suggesting we do 'Wishing'. Lots of scope for cool harmony vocals to make up for the missing instrumentation. Bless ELO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 and ... just because you think its boring , the rest of your band and all the punters in the audience might like it!!! theres not accoungting for taste dontchaknow i think i may be on the verge of persuading our band to cover N.O. Regret - its a great tune and goes down well and many a basschatter would argue the merits of it's iconic bassline [i][b]BUT[/b][/i] .... imho the bassline is a bit pedestrian and boring to play [i][b]BUT[/b][/i] i like the song so much as a whole it overrides everything i think about it being boring and i actually enjoying playing it at the same time as finding it boring NURSE ... the screens.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 Is this the Robbie Williams one ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1358929452' post='1947079'] and ... just because you think its boring , the rest of your band and all the punters in the audience might like it!!![/quote] Shock news!!! Most punters don't give a f*** what the bassist is doing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1358931043' post='1947104'] Shock news!!! Most punters don't give a f*** what the bassist is doing!! [/quote] thats because their ears are being assaulted by the cheesewire strummers [quote name='gub' timestamp='1358930633' post='1947093'] Is this the Robbie Williams one ? [/quote] New Order runs for cover as all the new order fans rush to give me a shoeing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I'm not sure I've ever been bored playing the bass part in any song - literally never! As others have said, often it's the simplest parts that are the most fun. Let's you sit back and really 'work' with the band and appreciate everything around you. In fact, employing this approach has actually lead to me not playing at all in certain parts of a song to change the feel - I really enjoy being able to do that, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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