Bottom Feeder Series--Basic Bass Playing Bassline Tip

"I Like To Say, "The Sky Belonged To Jimi and the Earth Belonged To Me" (Billy Cox) Jimi Hendrix Bass Player for The Band Of Gypsys 

First of all,I have to say I can't read music and nor do I know what a note is or the chorus of a song is for that matter. Some of you are probably thinking, how can this guy call himself a music journalist?

Yeah, I'm kind of a dunce in that regard and I don't worry much about it.

But how many musicians do you know that can't read music? Probably more than you think. But I digress. Lets get back to what this bass playing tips article is about. Okay, I was reading an old article

in Bass Guitar Mag by one of metal's ultimate bottom feeders'--that being Shadows Fall Paul Romanko.

He talked about the give and take between Bass, drums and what's involved in effectively playing a solid bassline without playing over the drums, and giving the bassline what it needs. This in effect means 2 things. First knowing when to work around lead guitar and drums without stepping on the basic chord and riff progression. Also, using differing chords and riffs when fretting to change it up a bit as well.

But here's the rub bottom feeders,when anyone kicks the playing up a notch keep the bottom down and don't play above the fray so to speak. Meaning keep the bottom down and don't play above every one chord or tempo wise. Got it?

But when someone else lays back a bit or you see their phrasing has textural spacing in-between, that is your cue to either noodle around their chording or step on the bassline just slightly in between their phrasing to give it a different feel. Basically your bassline should serve the song and comp the tune in a way that benefits everyone. In some respect giving a good bassline what it needs for everyone else. It's kind of like doing session work. What I mean is if you're an old pro at creating a great bassline you will know almost to the note when to complement the song with your bass stylings and go above the fold just slightly and when to lay back and hold down the fort.

But a pro bass player can put in his style of playing at sessions whether live or in the studio and it serve the song in a way that makes it better. You won't always do it in a way everyone likes,but if you're a straight ahead player who listens and studies like a bastard you'll do well as an in demand bottom Dweller!

Maybe I'm talking friggin' jibberish and don't know shit. I think if you practice your ass off with your band and learn all you can you'll do well as a bass player and be served well holding down the earth like Paul Romanko and Billy Cox.

Mark Grove