Reccomended listening for a bass player...

[beggar_guitar]

I seem to be the go to guy for some of my friends musical questions, and in turn I bring it to you guys. Perhaps if there are any bass players who could help but I'll take any advice I can get.

I have a friend who is just starting out on the bass. I am trying to explain to him the concept of "the pocket" and groove. I am not a bass player.
I am trying to lead him away from learning Godsmack, or Nickelback, or any other radio ilk. (Of course what I am saying I like modern rock, but anyway) What would be some good listening for him? He is wanting to play in church so of course I am reccomending some good choirs with good bass grooves. I don't want to throw anything at him that is over his head. What would be some good TIGHT bass players. Some stuff for a beginner but that he could build off of. I am of course telling him to learn his scales and such. Like I am said NOT a bass player, but then again we are sans bass player at church right now, and the other bass player plays it like a guitar so... I just wanna lead this guy the right way. It doesn't have to be choirs either guys just whatever. Some good funk or anything with a groove. He is interested in learning slap bass and things like that...

Thanks for the tips!

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Robert Deleo in STP. I love how he plays bass. Especially what he manages to do in Plush (that bassline transforms the song).

Flea, in his mellower moments. I love the bassline on RHCP's Soul to Squeeze, if you can find the coneheads soundtrack (or just download it :laugh2:

Cream? Jack Bruce was a good bassist. I like his line in Badge.

Slade

 

[Great_Kazoo]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

He is wanting to play in church so of course I am reccomending some good choirs with good bass grooves. I don't want to throw anything at him that is over his head. What would be some good TIGHT bass players.

I'm not sure what "choirs with good bass grooves" means, but it might be
due to my lack of knowledge of secular music. Are you saying he's going to
be accompanying a vocal choir?

Anyway, if he's new to playing bass (and knows to not do as the other bass
player is doing, as far as playing the bass like a guitar), I learned to keep
it "in the pocket" by playing blues---over and over again! I think the first
day I got a bass, I stayed up all night with a basic blues book and a little
floppy record to play along with. Later on, I got a drum machine which was
HUGE in learning to play at different tempos and rhythms.

Also, as he gets better, he can learn walking bass lines, and add all the
other tricks to spice it up--fills, mute notes, funky syncopations, etc. One
album that has a lot of these elements is the first Led Zeppelin album.

As far as playing tight, a few people I know learned the bass by playing
along with the Ramones. Simple tunes, but since there's not a lot of
"looseness" in their music, it can help a beginner with timing and stamina.

 

[Corbic]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

For great bass playing I'd listen to Cream or the Who. Both Jack Bruce and John Entwhistle were amazing bassists. Great fluidly moving basslines from both, and if you ever saw a video of Entwhistle playing, his fingers danced across the fretboard, earning him his nickname of Thunderfingers.

 

[speed2dirt]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

-Cliff Burton from Metallica had great melodies/harmonies. He played the instrument so fluidly and was definitely creative. Probably not for a beginner though. If he wants to learn slap, Rage Against the Machine has some good bass lines. Personally, that's not my style at all, but still talented nonetheless.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Motown music in the day.

 

[beggar_guitar]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Thanks for the tips so far guys. I want the guy to be able to have some fun with it, but I really want this guy to be a Good bass player. Not just play it like a guitar.

Keep it coming... I will get some stuff from him that he wants to learn, as well as make him a CD of some stuff to listen to/learn. Like I said I am NO bass player. I kinda want to turn him into THE bass player I would prefer to play with. lol

Keep on with the stuff. I like the idea of Motown. I want some stuff that will easily translate into a church/choir sitting.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Thanks for the tips so far guys. I want the guy to be able to have some fun with it, but I really want this guy to be a Good bass player. Not just play it like a guitar.

Keep it coming... I will get some stuff from him that he wants to learn, as well as make him a CD of some stuff to listen to/learn. Like I said I am NO bass player. I kinda want to turn him into THE bass player I would prefer to play with. lol

Keep on with the stuff. I like the idea of Motown. I want some stuff that will easily translate into a church/choir sitting.

Here's the man - http://www.bassland.net/jamerson.html

James Jamerson.

 

[beggar_guitar]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Geesh dude... That was so obvious. I was just talkin about the doc Standing in the Shadows of Motown the other day. Why didn't I think of turning him onto some Jamerson stuff?

What are some good modern bands?
I know he is going to want to play stuff by bands he enjoys. I know he digs RHCP.... is Flea gonna be Way over his head? This guy is Green.
The guy is wanting to be able to play slap/funk stuff, but I want to make sure he understands the basics and the concept of playing "in the pocket."

Also what is a good website for bass scales/arpeggios?

Thanks for the help so far!

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Easy rock, 8th notes and good taste U2.

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Most of the Chart Topper's recorded in the 60's came out of one of 3 Famous studio's. Motown, Stax or Fame in Mussel Shoals (A.K.A. the Swappers) Each studio had their top session man on Bass,And all three had a distinct style.
Motown had James Jamerson who IMO was THE MAN ! Then you had Donald `Duck' Dunn at Stax. One of the best pocket player's IMO. Then down in Alabama you had the Swappers David Hood & Jerry Jerrmont. These 4 guy's played on more hits then you can imagine and set the standard for how Electric Bass was to be played for Future players. Then in the later 60's you had guy's like Jack Bruce,Jack Cassidy and Phil Lesh who took all the rules of Bass playing and threw them out the window and crafted their own Unique style of playing.

 

[BigDaddy]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Jamerson, Dunn and Jermontt......that's a life time of listening right there.

The best way to learn how to play bass is to play off the root. Use the rhythm to just stay with the root and follow it with your right hand.

Than you can start making up simple patterns with the 5th and octave. Like the old country western music.

You have to crawl before you can walk, to try and get up and run is to fall flat on your face.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

yup, jamerson, dunn ... and i'll throw in carol kaye

then paul mccartney once your friend is ready to branch out of strictly 'the pocket' and begin to play with an extended melodic sense

 

[italic zero]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

Colin Edwin of Porcupine Tree is so in the pocket. That's not a very difficult transition from what he's listening to, either.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

lee rocker/stray cats

no it's not bass guitar but it'll help him with the whole walking line thing & straying away from only doing root notes

 

[Osensei]

Re: Reccomended listening for a bass player...

All music is Gospel! It's not the music's fault if someone uses it to worship SATAN! :lmao:

It might sound like a joke but I believe its true! To serve God with your talent you first have to have talent! Therefore, reject nothing! Embrace all things! Transform them to meet your own ends.

Now after having waxed so eloquently let me say that most Gospel you hear nowadays is either close to an R & B or Country Style. There is also a genre of Gospel that approximates Modern Pop and Rock. I would concentrate my efforts in those areas/genres to get up and running asap.

Keep in mind however, that as musicians its your burden to continually evolve (in a non-Darwinian fashion of course)!:lmao: There is a ton if good music of all genres that warrant investigation. Who's to say it can't be used in church? The problem with some Gospel musicians is that they are not versatile. They let others define for them what Gospel music is and isn't. Such musicians allow others who aren't even musicians to hinder the development of thier art.

God deserves no less than musicians who are willing to master thier art without limitations.