Overplaying?

ampeep

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This is one of my pet peeves - bass players that try to do too much. For example, in the Woody Guthrie song 'This Land is Your Land' or other ballads, most people would stick to a simple bass line of root/fifth. However, if you choose to play a walking bass line, the tempo & notes should fit the song.

The other day, our group played with a bass player that was all over the place - at times it seemed as though he was playing a totally different song. Used the same bass lines regardless of what kind of song we were playing.

On one boogie woogie, where the bass player normally establishes a beat, he was totally erratic with seemingly random notes strewn about.

I'm not the greatest bass player, but am curious about others' thoughts.
 
I think musicians are like everybody else. Look at drivers, some are good and courteous and know what they are doing and some are well......... I guess from what you said if you had to be licensed to play bass, that one's license would be in danger. If you played a duet with me I am sure i would be disappointing too. I had the opportunity to play with Jacko Pastorius once. Now that was a bass player.
 
This is one of my pet peeves - bass players that try to do too much. For example, in the Woody Guthrie song 'This Land is Your Land' or other ballads, most people would stick to a simple bass line of root/fifth. However, if you choose to play a walking bass line, the tempo & notes should fit the song.

The other day, our group played with a bass player that was all over the place - at times it seemed as though he was playing a totally different song. Used the same bass lines regardless of what kind of song we were playing.

On one boogie woogie, where the bass player normally establishes a beat, he was totally erratic with seemingly random notes strewn about.

I'm not the greatest bass player, but am curious about others' thoughts.

I guess if you're comfortable, talk to the guy. If you have a group leader, have them say something in private. Also, maybe that's all he knows.
 
plunker, don't think I'd be disappointed if I played with you. Pastorius - wow! How'd that happen?

captain-janeway, thanks for the suggestion. He's a relatively new bass player so I don't want to stifle his development. (don't play with that uke group very often.)
 
He and my older brother were in a band together. My brother is a quite accomplished saxophone player. One day (in 68 or 69) he invited me to bring my trombone and play with him and Jacko. I was so out of my league, I could not wait for it to be over. Jacko was a real gentleman though and very encouraging. The other night my brother was just playing with Joey Gilmore. Down here in south Florida there are a lot of retired musicians who cant give it up. Some of them have played with big name acts. From time to time he has the opportunity to get together and play with them.
 
Overplaying is a good word, we have a bass player who is an old rock band bass guy, he's a good player, but yeah he overplays besides playing an electric bass usually too loud. I probably underplay, because I don't know a lot of bass lines, but people seem to appreciate what I do.
 
Interesting you should mention "This Land" because my uke group plays it. I might consider myself in between your guy, I'm strong with 1-5, but I do add walks, usually at the end of a phrase just before the next one starts. Also, we just started to do "Stand By Me" and at first I did a basic three note riff, but I wanted to do the original bass line, so I found a YouTube tutorial, which I got fairly quickly. There are more notes than my arrangement, but because it's the original, it works so much better. We also just started to do "Hey Jude" and I find myself plucking many more notes than I usually do all the way through the song. Seems like there are some songs that make me want to do that.

Telling your guy depends on how receptive he is to constructive criticism. We have a uke player who also does some percussion, but she can't keep in tempo, constantly slows us down and does not listen to the bass to stay in tempo. In my experience with her, she does not take criticism well at all, so I don't say anything, just turn up my bass when she starts going off to try and get her in line. Sometimes it works, sometimes not


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
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captain-janeway, gave it more thought & ended up sending an e-mail to the group leader, who was very appreciative.

plunker, maybe jam with your trombone?

Ukerdanno & Kohanmike, I have no problems with playing walk ups or downs, or more complex parts as long as it fits the song. If you get inspired to add notes as you feel them, great!! The part I object to is playing the walking bass line for 'Fly Me To The Moon' on a song like 'Hawaii Aloha'.

Regarding your wayward percussionist, I can sympathize cuz that can really throw off the entire group. On the other hand, It's fun to lock into a groove with a good drummer.
 
About half way through college I had a real STUPID period in my life, walked away from the trombone. I can find the instrument but I am still looking for the lip.
 
Haven't heard the term 'lip' in many years!

Would be fun to play when i'm 64 in this group:
https://youtu.be/RXHZEEWZhKw

Yesterday, got play bass with some friends who played slack key guitar. Had to be careful to fit the bass in to avoid interfering with their alternating bass lines.
 
Well, as an upright bass player I can tell you that simpler is almost always better.

The bass role is about stating clearly the rhythm, and providing a harmonic basis. Believe me, if you try to play just roots and fifths, with the exactly correct note length, attack, perfectly in tune, and exactly the right feel for the tune, you can make a lifetime study of just playing two-beat roots and fifths.
 
Well, as an upright bass player I can tell you that simpler is almost always better.

The bass role is about stating clearly the rhythm, and providing a harmonic basis. Believe me, if you try to play just roots and fifths, with the exactly correct note length, attack, perfectly in tune, and exactly the right feel for the tune, you can make a lifetime study of just playing two-beat roots and fifths.
 
The best musicians know when not to play. Any hack can (and tends to) play lots of notes. It takes experience, thought, taste, and guts to leave space.

Bass is a big responsibility. You've got to be on otherwise it makes EVERYONE sound bad. A uke player who blows it gets to own the mistake, but a bass player who can't hit the 1 is, well... fired! :D

Some people aren't cut out for it. An option might be: "Have you considered using your chops for guitar or 'ukulele instead of bass?" Less offensive than "you suck."

EDIT: The 2nd paragraph of the above post is SO TRUE!
 
The best musicians know when not to play. Any hack can (and tends to) play lots of notes. It takes experience, thought, taste, and guts to leave space.

Bass is a big responsibility. You've got to be on otherwise it makes EVERYONE sound bad. A uke player who blows it gets to own the mistake, but a bass player who can't hit the 1 is, well... fired! :D

Some people aren't cut out for it. An option might be: "Have you considered using your chops for guitar or 'ukulele instead of bass?" Less offensive than "you suck."

EDIT: The 2nd paragraph of the above post is SO TRUE!

I agree with Brad. Especially the point about when not to play...

Active Listening, (which allows for careful attention to the rest of the ensemble) and leaving space for the other players, is what can help a group mesh well together.

Otherwise it can sound anywhere along the spectrum from slightly "off" to a jumbled mess.

IMHO, if there is a drummer, the bass player and drummer need to be "tight", which should be the foundation upon which the rest of the music is layered, otherwise without a drummer, the bass player sets the tempo and is the foundation alone.

A bass player can make an otherwise simple and decent performance have an added nice groove, or drive it into chaos with over-playing, depending upon whether or not they are Actively Listening, and in fact participating in the "feel" of the group as a whole.

I'm a big fan of Jaco, and how he brought attention to the bass as more of a lead instrument, but this kind of playing is not always applicable if in a uke group with 10+ uke players.

I'm pretty sure other virtuoso bass players like Victor Wooten understand all of this as seen in his videos on YouTube.

IMHO, in a good sounding ensemble, everyone shares the "space" of the song as it's being played, without ego or need for any upstaging the other players.
 
Well, as an upright bass player I can tell you that simpler is almost always better.

The bass role is about stating clearly the rhythm, and providing a harmonic basis. Believe me, if you try to play just roots and fifths, with the exactly correct note length, attack, perfectly in tune, and exactly the right feel for the tune, you can make a lifetime study of just playing two-beat roots and fifths.

EDIT: The 2nd paragraph of the above post is SO TRUE!

I agree with Brad. Especially the point about when not to play...

A bass player can make an otherwise simple and decent performance have an added nice groove, or drive it into chaos with over-playing, depending upon whether or not they are Actively Listening, and in fact participating in the "feel" of the group as a whole.

:agree: with the above 3 comments, since that's me, and the groups I play with appreciate me for what I do. I'm trying to learn some bass lines, but making them fit in is a different thing...:shaka:
 
turf3, Brad Bordessa & Joe King, excellent points! You were
very articulate in defining the bassists’ role in a group.

As all of you noted, am much more aware of timing when playing bass, as opposed to guitar (where it doesn’t matter as much).
 
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