Few Bass Questions

[~kc~]

ok well i mainly play guitar but have been playing bass for about a year, i know a **** loada theory and my technique is pretty good, i can "groove" and i can slap and pop well enough to get by.
i have just joined a reggae/ska band playing bass and wondered if anybody has any pointers to share with me?? i have the basics down using triads, bass/EQ setup etc. but i was wondering if im missing stuff..

and also i play with my fingers not a pick so i was wondering how long roughly it will be before i get a callous on my fingers instead of blisters... :confused: they really hurt.

sorry for all the questions..

kc

[sineP]

sit on the up beats, and not the down beats. play on the ands of each beat you'll feel it

[~kc~]

ye thats basic reggae, accent beats 2 + 4 *nods*

[sineP]

ye thats basic reggae, accent beats 2 + 4 *nods*
not even 2 and 4.

like this

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

play the +'s not all of them but mix it up

[Criss Frantic]

I would have thought the guitar would be playing on the +'s to get the syncopated feel.

[katana_manatee]

It is mainly the guitar that does the upbeats, but doing syncopated basslines that are slightly behind the beat can be great. The best thing really is simply learn a lot of reggae bass lines, see what they are doing in the context and get and idea of what to do from there. There is no set formula of course, so it is hard to describe what you should do apart from the stuff you already know. At the end of the day, experiment and find what works. But try and keep laid back grooves, ones which help carry it along rather than drive it.

[Polyamarous]

Ska lines are often played on the off-beat.

[FauxApathy]

Most ska lines I hear that stand out are very fast... It's a good thing you're playing with your fingers, It will probably take about a good two weeks of playing for a callous to form.

[tim_commerfordism]

Walking bass line. Syncopate your lines.

[Specialsauce]

for some good two tone era ska lines listen to some of these songs:

The Specials - Monkey Man
-Ghost Town
-Gangsters
-Too Much Too Young

or if you want some more modern, punk inspired stuff, listen to

The Suicide Machines - Give
- High Society

Or if you want it without the the punk edge, i recommend listening to

Might Mighty Bosstones - Royal Oil
- 128
- Everybody's Better
- The Impression That I Get
- Someday, I Suppose