How To Become A Consummate Bass Session Player

By Mark Grove


Co-writer: Dee Curtis



Like the Detroit blues artist and regular contributor to Canadian Guitar Player Dee Curtis always says about bass players, All I ask for is a good timekeeper who supports my playing and the band's, nothing else.


You can play the bass with what is called "The Magic groove" and not play above the song or the band. Just use common sense. This bass basics interview should be done with a bass player. But I thought it should be done with a leader of a band, that being Dee Curtis of The Big Dee Curtis Trio.

By doing this interview with a front-man, bassist's can in-grain some insight from a veteran musician on how to play bass for certain types of music, and approach auditions for live work and sessions.


This interview is a must read to keep for future reference, for not just bass players, but guitarist's and drummers as well. This will help front men in all genres of music spot a suitable bass player who has the chops and the feel for live or studio work. Keeping time is great, but if you don't understand the textural aspect of music you are just "Keeping Time".


MG:Do you like a bass player who can play guitar parts without playing above you or the band's tempo for a certain song?


DC: As a singer-guitarist, I need a bass player who is a team player and can support me, and that means play the tempo and the groove. One who knows when to bring the volume of the groove up when I rock, or take the volume down so I can whisper,or shout the blues.


MG:Where should a bass player develop their bass line off of, the guitarist or drums?


DC: A bass player should play off the drummers bass drum, and be aware of the rhythm of the guitarist. By doing so he can support the unit and he will develop a style, by playing in and off the pocket of the groove the drummer lays down. And as James Brown says: "The drummer should be on the good foot". A light foot on the Bass drum and you will lose your bottom.

Remember today's music has a lot of bottom, so drummers-use that foot. Weak foot, weak groove.


MG:Any types of cues a bassist should use when developing the phrasing of the rhythm structure?



DC: Yes, the bass player should have cue's that he use's with the drummer, and the drummer will have cues that he use's to take the bass player into a change or out of a change. And the leader will have his cues to take the band where ever he wants them to go in a song. After the group has played together and able to jam, they will be able to go where ever the music within takes them. A cue could be a (Nod, raising or lowering of the guitar neck, or certain phrasing. You'll gel together or you won't, but work on those cues.



MG:Is it important for a bassist that's auditioning to do either live shows or sessions to have a live or studio feel in their playing?

DC: Yes it is, a Bass player should get as much live playing experience as he can, be it jam session or what ever. This will give him a chance to play and work out his style in a live situation. Studio playing is a whole other monster.

You have to be able to play quite well,and your chops have to be top notch to be able to play the music of the moment. Log as much studio time as you can playing by yourself and recording your solo playing, along with playing with local bands and submitting your material to local studios, to see if your playing is what studios want for session work.


This makes you a better and more employable Bass Player in the studio and out. This will eventually show when you audition, that you are in the pocket and able to keep the timing of a song fluid.



Dee: Remember, the Bass is the bottom of the groove.

When you get the gig your hard work will pay off."And as they say, the proof is in the pudding".




MG:When preparing for auditions is studying your cd's and practicing to those songs a must?



DC: Yes, and I give all musicians a CD just so they have something to listen to and get a feel for what style of music I play. Depending on the musician it may take him on a 2 hour musical journey to Mars,The Moon and Mother Earth. And I love it when I can do that with a Bass Player.


MG: I've found that you've used quite a few bass players who've played mainly metal or rock and have had a hard time developing a solid bass time with the slower tracks than the faster, higher action ones. As a result of that do you have bass players audition with lower or higher tempo tracks first?



DC: First of all, I love playing with bass players from a metal or rock back ground. And yes, some have had a hard time playing the blues-R&B, soul, the slower songs. I use who ever can Groove to what I do. When they leave my school of groove, they are better players of all styles.


I have played with Bottom end players of funk,R&B and Soul. Some of them have a hard time with Metal and rock. So It's a two way street.

In my auditions I put the bass player to work. My job is to pull the best out of them. All I ask is that they stay in the pocket.




MG: Is studying set lists and previous bass players who've played with The Dee Curtis Trio essential for any bassist wanting to back you up?




DC: No, as my set list change's all the time. As I love to play originals and covers, I take a cover song and play it my way. I'm currently Looking for a killer bass player who can groove to tour with me in 2006.

Just listen to as much blues as you can, and any solo Cd's from Avante- Gard Producer and performer Bill Laswell who I played with. Greg Sanders (Jamnation CD)and anything by my former Band Thee Horizon, which I fronted in Canada.

Anything by James Brown, especially his Live at The Apollo release and any blues by Hendrix, and Band of Gypsies. Oh,and don't forget anything by Funkadelic of course.

Then e-mail me.


Dee Curtis is frontman for the band The Dee Curtis Trio,and a regular contributor and consultant for Canadian Guitar Player Magazine.Dee is based in Detroit,Michigan.


For further information please email Dee Curtis at:deecurtis@rock.com



Mark Grove-CGP


Dee Curtis-Co-Writer