5 Things EVERY Bass Player SHOULD Master

In this episode I discuss 5 Things EVERY Bass Player SHOULD Master.

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[jkrohmer]

I'm originally a drummer who switched to bass 30 odd years ago because we couldn't find a bass player. It's true, you're not noticed until you make a mistake or are absent. I played in a rock band in the nineties and never missed a rehearsal until I got injured. At the next rehearsal the band leader said to me "I'll never take you for granted again". Yep.

[hiramgonzalez]

“Nobody notice what i do until I don’t.” - the bass player-

[georgeplunkitt]

For the first tip, “Airbag” by Radiohead would’ve also been a great example. I’ve always loved the way the bass spaces in and out. It adds so much.

[bassman]

1. Timing
2. Timing
3. Timing
4. Timing
5. Timing

[nofretzDW]

I’ve played bass for 25 years. LAYING OUT: I learned “space” from Miles. NOT PLAYING ROOT/NOTE CHOICE: I learned that from Sting. RIGHT HAND POSITION: I learned that from Jaco and Marcus Miller. MUTING STRINGS: that just comes naturally with time. All the masters are the best at this—most notably: Nathan East. ELECTRONICS: your hands are more important than any piece of equipment. Your gear/EQ/compression is important, but don’t overthink it. Play in time and choose the best notes. POCKET: feel is everything on every instrument. Pino Palladino is my favorite example of “feel”. Rick this is a great video, as always. God bless. 🙏

[SteveSatori]

Very interesting as a bass-player going from channels like Scott's Bass Lessons, to this video, cause Rick is not talking about techniques to elevate playing, but instead he talks about what works in the production.
Really good info, that is often left out in the more general YouTube bass channels.

[fredherfst]

Playing live vs recording are two quite different things for a player. Rick is aiming mostly at recording.
I submit one other bassic rule for playing live in a small combo. Get a wireless, walk around the venue and listen. Every room has a different low frequency response and resonant points.
In large rooms, I find I have to play slightly ahead..speed of sound varies with frequency.
I also cut notes shorter in large rooms with high ceilings. Knowing when to stop notes is really important too.
I'll get off my soapbox now..
Thanks Rick.

[SecondaryHomunculus]

One of the best bass lessons I ever learned was a single line from a Bootsy Collins interview. He said James Brown taught him that, no matter what you play in between, you hit that ONE every time. 100% truth. Whether you're playing funk, metal, pop, jazz, anything, staying on that first beat makes the bassline hammer the beat home.

[Akrn]

I wish Rick would expand a bit more on the pocket thing with example showing the effect playing behind, ahead or on top the beat and how to choose which is appropriate in different situation. I hope he makes a full video on this

[davidmesser]

Steve Martin, the comedian/banjo player, said that when he makes a mistake on a note, since what he plays is Bluegrass, there are people in the audience that know every note. He'll see several people look around like, "he missed a note." So he said, when that part comes around, he'll deliberately mess it up again. The same people look around again. When he comes around again he will mess up, and the same folks get a look on their face like, he must have done it on purpose. Steve will come back a last time and mess it up. Those same folks will go, yeah baby that sounds good. I heard Steve tell this story on the "Dennis Miller Show." Vaughn

[pbierre]

One thing I notice about ace bass players is the timing control over when a note ends...it's a conscious decision how long to hold a note, and the attenuation of a note clears the air to hear the attack of the next note -- all to better support the groove.

[ulfsch]

0:28 Tip #1 - Lay out for dramatic effect/use space in your bass lines
1:27 Tip #2 - Play more than the root (but sth. different from the singer)
2:43 Tip #3 - Where you play determines tone
4:24 Tip #4 - Mute the unused strings
5:20 Tip #4 - Learn the tone tools
8:40 Tip #4 - Pocket!

Free tip - impress your band peers, learn to count properly above 4! (Kidding, but very nice how you sneaked in 6 tips here ;-)

[bentleycharles]

Rick is right as ever: avoid doubling thirds, and he's right on everything else here, as usual. A lifetime's experience and study, all for free. But avoid doubled thirds.

[trevormills]

As a bass player with chops, the time an instructor put in my place for being to busy was really eye opening. Knowing what not to play will make you a better player. A bass player is a sacrifice, the Limelight for the quality of the song.

[dees]

I’ll also studied “classical” bass as an undergrad but my instructor was a Latin jazz bassist named Carlos Castillo. He played with a band called Machito, as well as stints with Tito Puente and other Latin jazz bands in the 60s and 70s. What a fabulous experience and introduction to Latin jazz.

[denniscasey]

I played bass 5 to 7 nights a week in the 60s. I moved on to keys and guitar after that a total of 30 years. I am 78 years old now. Although I had good chops knowing what not to play was as important as knowing what to play. My role as a bass player was to set up the rest of the band to play better. If the focus was on me then the rest of the band suffered. The bass is not a guitar. It is part of the percussion section as well as the bottom. Fortunately I'm not very opinionated about this.

[Secretsofsociety]

I tried watching this on my phone and can barely hear the bass. It's so sad that most people never experience music with full range speakers or a subwoofer these days. Laptop speakers don't cut it either

[shifteleven]

I would love for you to talk more about being in the pocket. The effects and examples of being behind/ahead/locked in

[xser]

As a bassist from 15 years my best recommendations are this:
1. Change your strings regularly.
2. Keep practicing and don't fall into thinking that your struggles with the instrument are caused by your equipment, brand of bass or anything else like that. Just keep practicing.

Everything else will come naturally.

[ItsNotaTuhmah]

Bass Tip: It's far more efficient to do the string muting with the plucking hand, since it allows the fretting hand to move freely and quickly. Gary Willis has an incredible technique for it. Floating thumb also gets the job done.