While spending time on YouTube looking for bass guitar inspiration, you will find a lot of bass players who are very good at imitating other well known styles of bass playing, but if you are looking for real in-depth fundamentals of how to craft solid, new and original bass lines, there isnt really all that much out there. Why is that?
When you have been playing for as long as I have, which is pushing thirty years, you can see that a lot of new bass players havent realized, or learnt the basics of rhythm and timing. I am not talking about complicated music theory or sight reading; I am talking about basic time keeping as a musician. Most bassists have timing in varying degrees, but it is an unconscious knowing, just feel it man. Although this attitude is ok to get you started and have some fun, if you want to get serious and write or perform your own material, you need to bring the knowledge of timing and rhythm to the forefront of your mind.
Most bass players are just learning licks, bits and pieces here and there from their favourite players, this is fun, it is ok, but it gets boring very quickly for the listener. Also, when that bass player goes to play in a band, the same stuff will be played over and over without developing anything original.
The reason why bass guitar instructors advise students to play with a metronome or drum machine, is for the same reason James Brown said 'give me the one,' to Bootsy Collins. Learn where the pulse originates and you will develop confidence in your own playing, you will start to play your own material.
We have already established that if you want to play like the professionals that you admire, you are going to have to advance your timing skills. The quickest way to increasing your awareness, or sensitivity to timing is to buy yourself a set of drum sticks and air drum along to your favourite music and feel the music from the bottom up. Doing this will help align your mind to how other musicians are positioning themselves within the music, great music has certain traits, one of them is great timing. It is not just about which note you play, its where and how you play it. Timing is a lifelong pursuit, once you start on the road to timing, there is no going back, your life will never be the same again.
Remember that timing is for life, not just for christmas. - 15338
When you have been playing for as long as I have, which is pushing thirty years, you can see that a lot of new bass players havent realized, or learnt the basics of rhythm and timing. I am not talking about complicated music theory or sight reading; I am talking about basic time keeping as a musician. Most bassists have timing in varying degrees, but it is an unconscious knowing, just feel it man. Although this attitude is ok to get you started and have some fun, if you want to get serious and write or perform your own material, you need to bring the knowledge of timing and rhythm to the forefront of your mind.
Most bass players are just learning licks, bits and pieces here and there from their favourite players, this is fun, it is ok, but it gets boring very quickly for the listener. Also, when that bass player goes to play in a band, the same stuff will be played over and over without developing anything original.
The reason why bass guitar instructors advise students to play with a metronome or drum machine, is for the same reason James Brown said 'give me the one,' to Bootsy Collins. Learn where the pulse originates and you will develop confidence in your own playing, you will start to play your own material.
We have already established that if you want to play like the professionals that you admire, you are going to have to advance your timing skills. The quickest way to increasing your awareness, or sensitivity to timing is to buy yourself a set of drum sticks and air drum along to your favourite music and feel the music from the bottom up. Doing this will help align your mind to how other musicians are positioning themselves within the music, great music has certain traits, one of them is great timing. It is not just about which note you play, its where and how you play it. Timing is a lifelong pursuit, once you start on the road to timing, there is no going back, your life will never be the same again.
Remember that timing is for life, not just for christmas. - 15338
