T-Bay Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Got a load of new songs to learn for our extended set and stuck on one despite an easy bassline. My problem is that when it gets to the chorus it's very catchy and I find my fingers ignoring the rhythm I should be playing and sort of badly joining in with the lead. I have been at it for about an hour total which is usually way more than enough to lay a bassline over the rest of the song for me. I will keep practicing but was wondering if any of you have any secrets or tips for overcoming this sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Maybe try practising the part without the backing track until you get it down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted May 16, 2017 Author Share Posted May 16, 2017 [quote name='Cato' timestamp='1494965466' post='3300088'] Maybe try practising the part without the backing track until you get it down? [/quote] That's what I always start with, I can play it 100% every time on its own and it's not hard (which I think is part of the problem in some ways). I guess I just need to keep at it until it's completely fixed but was wondering if others had any techniques that helps in these circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Ah, the curse of Smoke on the Water! Try sitting out for the first 8 bars and then come in (with the correct line) and hear the difference it makes. Just a hunch, not coming from any great level of expertise, but to me this could be a good way of understanding how the two parts work together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 (edited) 1. Listen to the track concentrating on just the bass line. 2. When you've got it turn off the track and sing the bass line to yourself. 3. Work out what to play on the bass from your singing and then write it down in whatever form works best for you. 4. Practice playing the bass line. Only go back to playing along with the track when you can do it without really thinking about it. It might be worth also practicing the lead in and out to this section on its own first. HTH Edited May 16, 2017 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted May 16, 2017 Author Share Posted May 16, 2017 Thanks guys, will,give the ideas a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_sub Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 I would agree to focus on precisely mentally visualising what you need to play. I find it helpful to analyse the backing track / other instruments to identify exactly which notes everyone else is playing at the time that my part is supposed to be, and using these as a guide-rope, until I've internalised the feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Sharman Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 sit down with your guitarist for a while and ask him about his gear. Focus especially on his effects pedals and why he uses "this setup for this track" etc. After two hours of listening to him drone on about that you will find it easier to ignore any other noise he makes! (it's a service I provide this - NEXT!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 [quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1494965218' post='3300087'] . . . . wondering if any of you have any secrets or tips for overcoming this sort of thing. [/quote] Yes. Don't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 do you have a graphic equaliser in your setup? Try boosting the bass and cutting the high frequencies. can you tell us what the song is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted May 17, 2017 Author Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1494970812' post='3300153'] sit down with your guitarist for a while and ask him about his gear. Focus especially on his effects pedals and why he uses "this setup for this track" etc. After two hours of listening to him drone on about that you will find it easier to ignore any other noise he makes! (it's a service I provide this - NEXT!) [/quote] You have obviously met our guitarist then? [quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1494990223' post='3300223'] do you have a graphic equaliser in your setup? Try boosting the bass and cutting the high frequencies. can you tell us what the song is? [/quote] It's learn to fly by Foo Fighters, stupid really as it's such a simple song. I think it's partly because it's one of my favourite songs, I just get lost in the chorus. I played again last night after posting this and not sure if it's the guitar or the vocals that are throwing me. It just all goes a bit sex pistols live free for all style. I can play it 100% without thinking on its own. I will give the ideas on here a try and keep at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1494970812' post='3300153'] sit down with your guitarist for a while and ask him about his gear. Focus especially on his effects pedals and why he uses "this setup for this track" etc. After two hours of listening to him drone on about that you will find it easier to ignore any other noise he makes! (it's a service I provide this - NEXT!) [/quote] Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1495001814' post='3300248'] You have obviously met our guitarist then? It's learn to fly by Foo Fighters, stupid really as it's such a simple song. I think it's partly because it's one of my favourite songs, I just get lost in the chorus. I played again last night after posting this and not sure if it's the guitar or the vocals that are throwing me. It just all goes a bit sex pistols live free for all style. I can play it 100% without thinking on its own. I will give the ideas on here a try and keep at it. [/quote] I get the impression that you've really got the bit between your teeth on this one. If that's so it's understandable. If you haven't taken a break from the song since picking it up then consider doing so, completely. If time allows you to take a whole day away from it I'd recommend that. Play something as different from the tricky song as you can, go and have a coffee, come back and play something different again. As you let go you might just get that eureka moment where something "clicks" subconsciously and you're there. I have every confidence in you. You'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 (edited) Count the beat as you play it. Go back to basics and if it's a 4/4 count 1,2,3,4 or 1&a, 2&a 3&a,4&a, or whatever it takes. Edited May 17, 2017 by Grangur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 (edited) Put the bass down until you can hum/sing the bassline along to the song, sing it out loud against the song until this is melody you associate with the song. Edited May 17, 2017 by bassman7755 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1494965829' post='3300098'] Ah, the curse of Smoke on the Water! [/quote] Also known as 'Pink Panther Syndrome' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 It's probably mainly the rhythm that you're messing up? I find I have to be able to figure out exactly where the bass notes go, in terms of rhythm, in relation to the drum beat/vocal/lead riff. Kind of like when you're first learning to play drums, and you have to figure out "this kick drum goes with the right hand here, but in between the right hand here" etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1495023970' post='3300536'] It's probably mainly the rhythm that you're messing up? I find I have to be able to figure out exactly where the bass notes go, in terms of rhythm, in relation to the drum beat/vocal/lead riff. Kind of like when you're first learning to play drums, and you have to figure out "this kick drum goes with the right hand here, but in between the right hand here" etc. [/quote] I had a song to learn recently where the bass line to the chorus had very obviously been written and recorded before the vocals. I had no problem learning the line and it was a great tune on its own, but trying to play it with the vocals was very hard work indeed as the rhythms were completely different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 I thought it'd be easy to play basslines on a keyboard with my left hand while playing drums with my right hand and feet. The beats I'd written to specifically match the bass pattern seemed so simple when someone else was playing the bassline. It took me a good hour to learn how to do one song. I had to go through it slowly, figuring out how each part "played" with the other and then try to remember it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1494965218' post='3300087'] Got a load of new songs to learn for our extended set and stuck on one despite an easy bassline. My problem is that when it gets to the chorus it's very catchy and I find my fingers ignoring the rhythm I should be playing and sort of badly joining in with the lead. I have been at it for about an hour total which is usually way more than enough to lay a bassline over the rest of the song for me. I will keep practicing but was wondering if any of you have any secrets or tips for overcoming this sort of thing. [/quote] I think that's just groove. It's how you're feeling the song even though it doesn't match the original. Tell me something, does your band requires you to play the songs in the original form or do you have some kind of freedom in the way you play them? Personally i wouldn't be bothered by that and proceed to learn the rest of the set. With time and practise you'll learn how to disconnect from the lead and play it as it should. My trick to do this is to concentrate on my line and filter out the rest of the band except for the kick drum and hi-hats, it's especialy usefull when i have to play parts in a different time signature as the guitars or drums. Not easy though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 (edited) Prize for most out-of-sync guitar/keys/etc and bass must surely go to ... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaMX0Cs5Bc4[/media] but it works brilliantly - I just cant comprehend the magnitude of genius needed to invent such a line. Edited May 19, 2017 by bassman7755 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 If you like the guitar part; learn it! Learn the vocal melody, drum fills and keyboard part on bass too. Then focus on the bass part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 I have given up on it for the moment, I will keep going over the chorus to fix it in my head. I have a load of songs to learn for our new set so will concentrate on others and then come back to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 well if it's Foo Fighters then what you are playing is almost certainly better I like the FF but the basslines are very ordinary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted May 21, 2017 Author Share Posted May 21, 2017 That's what's frustrating, it's almost as though it's too easy and my brain wanders. I will get it but have moved on at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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