By John Nightwolf
Being a Bass Guitar player is not as straightforward as it may seem. I'd like to explain what makes a good Bass player, and how you can play effectively within a band. I may be about to offend some people. My aim is not to cause offense, but rather to open eyes to the central role of the Bass player, specifically in a rock band setting.
Types of Bass Guitar Player
There are three types of Bass Players as far as I'm concerned.
- The frustrated Guitar Player. This is the guy who thinks a Bass is a guitar with four strings, he/she plays the same notes as the guitars are playing at the same time. While this adds the illusion of having a Bass Player, this technique does not really add much to the mix.
- The Egomaniac. Les Claypool has an interesting approach,...and it works for him. It won't work for you so knock it off. I don't even like guitar players that play that fast.
- The well-centered rhythm minded Bass Player. In case you can't guess by the obviously weighted title, this is the group I believe myself to be in. This is the technique I will now expound on as the ONLY correct way to play the Bass.
OK, so the last bit was a little over the top. Seriously enough sarcasm. There are as many different styles of Bass Players as there are types of Music. My object today is to talk about the Rock Bassist using the WCRMBP (technique #3). OK, I was chastised for my acronym, let's just call it the WC technique for the ADHD folks. I was also chastised for making fun of ADHD and regret (and apologize for) the last comment.
The Rhythm Section
The rhythm section is responsible for setting the ground work of the song, a firm foundation for the lead players to build from. They are the backbone of the band. They create the framework that all the rest is built upon. This handles the roots and rhythm of the song and helps get the groove on track and keep it there for the duration of the song. People cannot sing along with a song they have never heard, but they can dance to it. The rhythm section is generally what people key into first.
Rhythm Section Dynamics
From an audio(aural) perspective the bass drum and the bass guitar compliment each other in several ways, the bass drum has a very hard knee (sharp attack) and a rapid decay (quick fade) while the bass guitar has a softer knee than the bass drum, but a longer decay. They also cover different , but complimentary, frequency ranges making them both sound "bigger" when played together. In layman's terms this amounts to making the bass drum sound fatter and last longer while making the bass guitar also sound fatter, but more importantly, sound like it is hitting harder.
Gettin' In Tune
One of the most important things for a novice Bass Player to do is to get “in tune" so to speak, with the Drummer. As a Bass Player you need to learn to play tightly with the Drummer. It can be very hard when you start out, making sure the rhythm section sounds together, and not like a drum kit and double bass rolling down a hill. Get to know the particular Drummer's style.
Does he hit, before, after, or directly on the beat?
Answering this question will help you to anticipate his moves and be where you need to be right with the drums.
There is one simple trick that will help even the most challenged of bass players...
Watch the Drummer's Feet
I have told beginning Bassists that I position myself during practice so that I can see the Drummer's feet, this seems to enlighten them a bit. Bass hits should not follow the guitars, they should accentuate the drum hits, most importantly, you guessed it, the Bass Drums.
The easiest way to work on this is to watch the drummer's feet and hit when they hit. - EVEN IF THEY MAKE A MISTAKE.
Watch the Drummer's Back
Like it or not your job is to work with the drummer, even to the point of covering their butt when they miss (of course, their job is to cover you, but that is for a different article). A mistake by one member of the band is easy for an audience to spot, but when other members of the band cover for it, it is not as obvious and is easy to overlook. Enough of that, no mistakes guys 'K?
Back to the point, follow the drummer's feet. Next time you are listening to your favorite Music, try to find a bass drum hit that does not have a bass note associated with it.
“Why?", you ask...
Filling in the Gaps
Once you are familiar with the Drummer's foot hits you can move forward and start adding fills to the mix. Until you are more experienced a good rule to keep in mind is that you are there to add notes to the drum hits, for every note you hit there should be a drum/cymbal hit (real or imagined) right with it. That is not to say there should be a bass note for every drum hit, as a Bass Player, get used to the idea that you are not the hero in this picture, you are there for support.
Over doing Bass fills gets old real quick. A good Bass Player just peppers enough to accent without drawing undue attention to themselves. I plan to do an article centered around bass fills in the near future so be sure to check back.
Summary
The main points I hope you will come away with are:
- Gettin' in Tune- learn to work with the Drummer
- Watch the Drummer's feet- learn to hit solid with the bass drum every time
- Watch the Drummer's back- every time means EVERY time
- The Rhythm Section is the backbone of the band
- Dynamics tie the Bass Guitar and Drums together and accentuate each other sonically
- Use fills sparingly
These are just some ideas and basic guidelines to help someone starting out on the Bass Guitar. I hope you found it informative (and maybe even a little funny).
Discuss this article in our Music Forum.
About John Nightwolf
John Nightwolf is 42 years old and has been playing since the age of 13. Although John also plays Guitar, Keyboards, and Drums, he would tell you that Bass is his real passion.
John plays a Regal acoustic Bass, an Ibanez 4string, and a Schecter 5string. Hartke Amp with a Genz Benz cabinet.
He has played for Witch, Intox, Stressmonkey and Two and a Half WeeKs over the years.
John Nightwolf is a member of the Songstuff music community.
