Mr Fudge Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I think you have to know where a bass player plays. I started playing bass many moons ago from a massive love of Rush. A Geddy line is usually well up the neck, probably more to cut through that wall of noise gigging 300 times a year when he started out. Back to the bollocks playing rather than grace under pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witterth Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='Oscar South' post='585516' date='Aug 31 2009, 12:43 AM']I always improv the basslines in my covers bands by following what the guitar player is doing and eventually just memorising the harmonic structure and accents. At first I did it when I didn't have time to learn the songs properly but I got a lot of good feedback about how I was changing the songs and it makes it much more fun and characterful live so I've kept doing it. We're booked for a lot of gigs though so I figure it can't be too bad, watch out for us around Cheshire [url="http://www.myspace.com/lespeches"]http://www.myspace.com/lespeches[/url] . Unfortunately none of my bass parts are on that myspace yet[/quote] I totally agree with that perspective. however reading (a little bit) and finding those elusive "proper"notes has made it possible to glean a litte bit more out of music in general. it takes time and I very often dont get it right, but the journey and "googling" can be fun dont you think? maybe I a masochist! some times with a dep 12 hours away we dont have such luxury though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig222 Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'm on with Joe Jackson's "Is she really going going out with him" but missing some of the twiddly bits that enhance the main bass line.... (fairly new to this bass malarkey) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar South Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 (edited) [quote name='witterth' post='585529' date='Aug 31 2009, 01:09 AM']I totally agree with that perspective. however reading (a little bit) and finding those elusive "proper"notes has made it possible to glean a litte bit more out of music in general. it takes time and I very often dont get it right, but the journey and "googling" can be fun dont you think? maybe I a masochist! some times with a dep 12 hours away we dont have such luxury though [/quote] Yeah I agree, I've spent many years (well, 2-3) learning and analysing an onslaught of covers note for note and many more (4-5) studying music theory in great detail, and I've been improvising and jamming since the day I started playing (6-7 years ago.. wow). And I'm not a fraction of the way I hope I reach down my musical path. In my opinion learning about music is the true reward, playing it is just the day job. I learned to play as a jazz musician too, which is a great help for this kind of expression. I especially love putting walking lines into pop songs (or dropping in and out of them, which is my usual approach), regardless of the potential gimmick factor. It fits into some so naturally and lifts the song so much that its incredible it didn't have one in the first place. Just 'out of style' I guess. Edited August 31, 2009 by Oscar South Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witterth Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='Oscar South' post='585534' date='Aug 31 2009, 01:20 AM']Yeah I agree, I've spent many years (well, 2-3) learning and analysing an onslaught of covers note for note and many more (4-5) studying music theory in great detail, and I've been improvising and jamming since the day I started playing (6-7 years ago.. wow). And I'm not a fraction of the way I hope I reach down my musical path. I'm my opinion learning about music is the true reward, playing it is just the day job. I learned to play as a jazz musician too, which is a great help for this kind of expression. I especially love putting walking lines into pop songs (or dropping in and out of them, which is my usual approach), regardless of the potential gimmick factor. It fits into some so naturally and lifts the song so much that its incredible it didn't have one in the first place. Just 'out of style' I guess.[/quote] "out of style" walking ?( slap maybe but..)Never. more power to you. the news is however all bad, Ive been playing for 26 years, mostly professionally and like you Im still scratching the surface. but its still fun.fustrating at times, but still fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Moondance - Van Morrison, I've never played it the same way twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJTee Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='ironside1966' post='585315' date='Aug 30 2009, 07:07 PM']Good times – Chic[/quote] I've never seen it tabbed the way Bernard played it on the Live at the Budokan video (and presumably how he recorded it). He doesn't use the open A-string (or open D-string) on the ascending riff, and plays all the A's at the 5th fret position on the E-string. It feels easier and more natural (to me anyway, and it's always tabbed that way) to play an open A on the ascending riff and in between playing those quick F# and G's. I struggled for years to hear the turn-around notes on the E-string at the end of the whole riff before it returns to the open E-notes, and what the hell was being played - I've seen all kinds of versions - but I think Stuart Clayton's version nails it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='witterth' post='585410' date='Aug 30 2009, 09:33 PM']Ohh!...Ohhh!...."aint no stoppin us now" by macfadden&whitehead. in its proper key, Bb (well technically G#m I think)[/quote] Love that bass line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witterth Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='bubinga5' post='585580' date='Aug 31 2009, 08:28 AM']How can you be scratching the surface after 26 years of playing?? [/quote] just trying to make the point that you never know it all,theres allways more to learn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 i very rarely play a cover without doing a little improv, find it boring otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Worth bearing in mind that the guy who plays on your actual recording is unlikely to play exactly the same version live - all the bands I've seen in recent times seem to have a 'live' arrangement of the numbers they made popular and no-one carps about it 'not being right'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witterth Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='The Bass Doc' post='585687' date='Aug 31 2009, 11:51 AM']Worth bearing in mind that the guy who plays on your actual recording is unlikely to play exactly the same version live - all the bands I've seen in recent times seem to have a 'live' arrangement of the numbers they made popular and no-one carps about it 'not being right'.[/quote] very good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='witterth' post='585538' date='Aug 31 2009, 01:40 AM']I've been playing for 26 years, mostly professionally and like you I'm still scratching the surface.[/quote] Totally. I've been playing for 30 years & I feel like I know less now than I did when I started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 There are some bands and recordings where you just can't hear what the bass is doing all or some of the time so it's going to open to interpretation. Most of the Who recordings are so awful there's an element of guesswork plus nobody can quite match The Ox's mad technique. I was learning "Club Foot" by Kasabian last night and the bass line is so distorted and muddy that I'm well down the "wild stab in the dark" path. Also, with covers, unless you have a lot of time on your hands there's an element of "get one verse and one chorus down and you've got it". It's rare all the variations in other parts of the song matter much/enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 The fast slap part in Car Wash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nottswarwick Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7elX4Jb_gM"]Chic[/url] Awesome - this is why I play bass. He's using my bass too lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='molan' post='585803' date='Aug 31 2009, 03:19 PM']The fast slap part in Car Wash [/quote] That's trickier than it sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='witterth' post='585410' date='Aug 30 2009, 08:33 PM']Ohh!...Ohhh!...."aint no stoppin us now" by macfadden&whitehead. in its proper key, Bb (well technically G#m I think)[/quote] Wouldn't the relative minor of Bb be Gm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witterth Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 [quote name='leschirons' post='586031' date='Aug 31 2009, 08:26 PM']Wouldn't the relative minor of Bb be Gm?[/quote] just goes to show what I said about learning is often true (Ooopps!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 basslines that everyone plays differently.................... ........all of them , I hope. Certainly all mine are. Bassline that I've seen played wrongly by folk attempting to play it like the recorded version - which isn't the same thing to me - Crazy Little Thing Called Love I just googled it and even many of the tabs are wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 [quote name='Dr.Dave' post='586313' date='Sep 1 2009, 10:31 AM']I just googled it and even many of the tabs are wrong[/quote] You can always tell when a tab is going to be wrong. It says, "this tab is definitely 100% correct" at the top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XxBassMastaXx Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Good times is one of those songs that people play diffrently. Kind of depends on your style. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 [quote name='thepurpleblob' post='586316' date='Sep 1 2009, 10:33 AM']You can always tell when a tab is going to be wrong. It says, "this tab is definitely 100% correct" at the top [/quote] I find that a comment/explanation starting with the words 'Hey dudes' is just as good an indicator !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XxBassMastaXx Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Yeah, on youtube good times by chic is played diffrently by every person i see cover it. Its wierd. I tend to play it like on the record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayfan Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 The solo in My Generation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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