How do you get it done?

[Ole Man Blues]

I'm a church player and we play off lyric sheets with chords changes placed on the lines at the change point. Basically we have the option musically of playing what we want, what we hear in our heads. There is no set basslines to remember or have to think about, until you create them of course.

When we do new material 1st thing I do is start thinking about scales and different Bass patterns that may fit into a given chord of chord change or what notes are part of that particular chord. I don't like to get to technical but try to keep it simple because simple is easier to remember if'n incase I like what I'm doing or am asked about what I'm doing.........

An easy playing Bass like the Bongo really helps when you're working up new material.......

OMB

 

[oli@bass]

Currently I just play originals, but in general, I do it similar as you, with these additional options:

- try humming bass lines to the song, to get a less player oriented and more melodic approach
- try figuring out bass lines on the computer (in Logic) to the changes, which sometimes is so creative that I have a hard time play the lines I composed myself

 

[rhythmCity944]

I do the same thing every sunday with lead sheets...i like being able to play what's in my head rather than the exact...it really opens up my improv abilities to try out new things

 

[bigvissch]

I've done it so many different ways in the past but being an ear player (I used to only read but didn't use it and now would struggle) I am loving the way we are doing at the moment. In addition to chord charts which are distributed through a password protected web hosting site (we know how many users and downloads so can pay the appropriate royalties), we also get a bi-monthly CD with all the new songs in the play list.

I love to listen to the original recordings to work out what the recording bass player was doing. As much as possible I try to do close to that but with my own interpretation as well. It is up to every one on the team to learn the whole set (sometimes up to 15 songs each release) so that at any stage a song can be sprung and everyone can just play it. That said, we generally get the song list 4 or 5 days before each meeting, just to make sure people can revise if necessary.

As you say, simple is best. In a church situation I'm not there to impress people, so flashy (whilst it's fun) is not appropriate most of the time. That said, their is still certainly plenty of room for musicianship.

The system above works really well and if everyone in the team works with it, rehearsals are a real hoot, because everyone already knows their stuff and is just putting it together with the rest of the team at rehearsal. The added beauty of this approach is that for most of the musos in the team, they do not need to refer to their charts. We only rehearse together 2 hours before the first meeting (Saturday and Sunday 2 meetings each at main venue). We used to rehearse week nights as well but that got really messy with Saturday / Sunday meetings and multiple venues. I can honestly say that the level of musicianship has risen significantly using this model. Whilst that makes for an early start on a Sunday (7:00AM) I much prefer it to another night out in the week.

It may not all work for your situation but their may be some principles you can apply. I hope that helps.

 

[T-bone]

Great question, OMB.

Just about all the music I play is original. So I almost always start with root notes, played with the kick. Much of it is folk/rock, so it's easy to jump to the 5, then of course, up an octive. When it's bluesy or swingin', I walk it. When it's jazzy, I play whatever comes to mind (cause hey, it's jazz). And when it's Disco, I put down my bass and walk away.

When I listen to music, I always hear patterns. There's a pattern for the verse, a pattern for the chorus, and a pattern for the bridge. For me, when I break it down this way, it's simple to create / learn something new.

tbone

 

[joshbrake]

It's all just music. The only thing different might be the key, chord changes, and time signature. Once you can figure all of those out you're in business

 

[oli@bass]

It's all just music.

Sidenote: Scientifically, music is one of the most complex systems ever developed by man. The more you know about it, the scarier it gets...

 

[Psycho Ward]

I first think “what would Tony Levin do?” Then get depressed and see if I can “1-5-1-5” thru it…

 

[mynan]

I'm a church player and we play off lyric sheets with chords changes placed on the lines at the change point. Basically we have the option musically of playing what we want, what we hear in our heads. There is no set basslines to remember or have to think about, until you create them of course.

When we do new material 1st thing I do is start thinking about scales and different Bass patterns that may fit into a given chord of chord change or what notes are part of that particular chord. I don't like to get to technical but try to keep it simple because simple is easier to remember if'n incase I like what I'm doing or am asked about what I'm doing.........

An easy playing Bass like the Bongo really helps when you're working up new material.......

OMB

Same for me. My only problem is that we have 3 different drummers with 3 different styles and it's very difficult to get anything nailed down because what I play almost always changes, depending on what the drummer is doing.

 

[SharonG]

I first think “what would Tony Levin do?” Then get depressed and see if I can “1-5-1-5” thru it…

I'm right there with you!

OMB, Basically my plan is just whatever works! With the band I'm in w/ Tommy, I stick pretty close to whatever is on the original recording (or at least as close as I am technically able to get.....). Keeping the groove and laying down a platform for Tommy and the girls is what that's about.

In my original band, whatever goes. No charts. Heck, the song writer isn't even sure what key we're in most of the time - he uses a capo and different tunings, so that's totally by ear.

At church - everything from the left hand of the piano part to a chord chart to purely by ear. Like I said - whatever works!

 

[EBMM7181]

OMB

I also play in my church's praise team. We do alot of contemporary music, like Delerious, Third Day, Casting Crowns, Mercy Me...... we're even doing a verse and chorus of a U2 song this Sunday ( Pride - In the name of love )

I usually just listen to the song on CD, learn the notes, and then add stuff to taste.

Mostly I just play the original CD version bassline, because all those bassists are great and they have really fun, busy basslines, but I also throw something of my own in there every now and again, like a cool run or something.

It's really fun playing at my church, they allowed me to set up my Ampeg SVT Classic & 810e cab
How many churches do you see THAT in?

 

[TNT]

I like to play secular songs (perfectly note for note), and rewrite the lyrics to play at church.

Most of us know that the "music" isn't the issue, but the lyrics are CERTAINLY a serious issue!!!

I know this may not fit in with other musician's, but when we play out (as much as it depends on us) we have a policy of no swearing, no improper behavior, comments, remarks etc. . . . I don't think that is cool at all!!

And, I really don't care what anyone thinks (oh, except for ONE)- period!!!

Oh, and thank the LORD for Musicman guitars too!!!!

 

[midopa]

The praise team I play with usually just wings everything. We sound terrible.

 

[Ole Man Blues]

There's lots of good stuff and ideas here to study over.

Different ways to complete the same task.

It helps too when you play with the same musician's all the time, getting used to their style and playing off what their doing.

We have a piano player who has a heavy left hand sometimes conflicts with what I'm doing. We get into it then she backs off for a while. Our drummer is the chief musician and has been getting on her about it too.

I tell her to keep it midrange and I'll lay down the bottom. Can be quite frustrating at times.

Anyway thanks for all the replys, keep em coming. This is really good stuff for the young or new up and coming Bassist's we have lurking here trying to learn something...........

OMB

 

[Brim]

It helps too when you play with the same musician's all the time, getting used to their style and playing off what their doing.

+1

You start to know what your band mates will do before they do it. I've been playing with the same church drummer for one year now and it makes a huge difference when someone else steps in for him. I can't seem to "lock" in as well.

 

[bovinehost]

We have a piano player who has a heavy left hand

So does everyone else (who is not in a band with Jimmy Cox).

I study some Tony Levin a little bit and some Paul McCartney still. What I've finally figured out is something like.....well, I haven't figured out anything, but here's what I've decided for me.

"Paperback Writer" is really three chords or so. (Maybe more, I'm going off memory, leave me alone). But let's say the 1 is G. So really, you only have to know where G is, then C and maybe D.

The genius is in how Paul travels from G to C to D. Levin is the same. I've heard him play some fairly simple stuff (check out Jules Shear's "Healing Bones") but you still know it's TL and not Sir Paul because of how he drives.

So that's it. That's how I look at it. How am I going to get from E to B? Can I make it my own little road from here to there?

(Generally, I just steal something from a good bassist.)

Of course, root-five is also good.

 

[paranoid70]

About 10% is completely improvised. Our band played a gig last night. We had a filler of a 5 minute instrumental that we never even practiced before. The other guitar player just started playing some chord progressions and we jammed it out for a while. That was fun.

Other than that, I hate to say it, but I often download the tablature off the 'net and then try to figure out songs that way. Sometimes they are way off unfortunately, so I have to use my ear for the rest. I don't have the best trained ear in the world, so the tab helps be get in te ballpark. Most of the times we re-arrange the tunes anyway, so it isn't always completely like the original.

 

[carpedebass]

My team plays twice Sunday mornings, once Sunday night, once Tuesday night, once Wednesday night, and rehearses every Thursday night for 2 1/2 hours. As of now, we use chord sheets, but are about to switch to the Nashville number system because our cheaters...er...I mean...guitardists like to capo everything and the communication gets confusing.
We play a lot of the Desperation/New Life Worship, Hillsong/United stuff. The band uses Avioms with in ear monitoring and the front line vocalists and choir uses wedges.
We have just gone through a complete leadership change in the team, so we took a bit of a hit for a while, but we're coming back strong.
Coming up we do a thing for a week called "Jubilee." Basically we will get to rock the house with lights, fog, etc. It should be a kick!
PS...have you guys heard "Fee?" If not, you should give it a look. It's like praise team stuff on steroids!! Awesome!

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

It has varied over the years for me. In original bands, I used to just sing the line I was hearing and then learn it. For covers, sometimes I learn it note for note (or pretty close) and transcribe it in standard notation with all the chord changes above the staff and everything. Other times, I'll chart the song out with sample bass lines and fill in the rest with the chords and slash marks. These days, I mostly learn by ear.

It really depends on the song whether I go for note for note or just do my own thing. Some key parts have to be there, but I generally try and keep it simple.

I have tried to follow lyric charts with the chords written over them and I find that tough because there is no rhythmic or counting reference. You really have to know the song well already and you have to read lyrics at the same time you play. I much prefer a standard chord chart.

 

[carpedebass]

I hear ya' on the chord chart thing there smallmouth bass! However, the more I force myself to think about and use the Nashville system, the more sense it makes.