Blues bass techniques?

[oak tree]

I'm going to be playing some blues over the next few weeks, I've got a free day tomorrow so I'm going to spend it practicing 'conventional' walking basslines over all 12 major blues keys, are there any other techniques that any blues players here would recommend I practice?

Cheers.

[edgebass5]

I used to play in a blues trio and my current funk/hip-hop band does some blues jams as well... My two biggest "rules" that keep me sounding bluesy are:

1. Don't overplay. If a simple walking line with the occasional inversion (to keep it interesting) will do, then just do that.

2. Play with a light touch. Turn your amp up and let it do all the work. I find that when I dig in or play aggressively I tend to lose that great bluesy tone.

[oak tree]

Thanks, I generally play with a light touch due to low action so that should be ok and I'm not a showey player so overplaying isn't too much of a problem.

My main worries are in terms of style, I've got no real issues about technique and finding the right notes etc. (I'm not perfect at it, but I know what and how I need to practice so it isn't worrying me), its just getting what I need to play at any given moment into my head. Could you recommend any blues recordings to listen to and pick up the styles from, I want 'jam night' kind of stuff with just a bunch of musicians improvising and playing solos, rather than more rehearsed vocal performances, if you know of any. I've listened to a lot of jazz so at the moment my only real approach is jazz style walking.. I want to be able to accompany a wider range of styles.

Cheers.

[Akira]

Listen to Jack Casady. He actually has a DVD out, and it rocks.
It's probably different from the style of blues you are playing, but very worth a listen.

[edgebass5]

Most of the blues I've played is pretty driving, guitar oriented stuff like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Just grab anything by those guys in a live setting and you'll get an education :p

[Akira]

That's the thing. "Blues" is really broad.

[oak tree]

I think theres a clapton live dvd in my uni library and theres bound to be a few cds, I'll check em out tomorrow.

[YDload]

what other instruments are you playing with? are you going to be very audible or are you just going to hold down the groove?

do you practice with a six-note blues scale or do you add the major second (B in A blues)?

[Akira]

Isn't that last part up to the soloist?

[oak tree]

I don't really use the blues scale much, only when soloing really which I don't do often, and when playing more rocky 'riff based' stuff. Most of the time I walk on chord tones and chromatics. Just playing with guitars and drums and stuff, I'm just really getting into it as its an area I've only explored a little so far and I want to be strong in any style, so I'll mainly be holding it down but I'll have chances to solo and stuff if I want to. I practiced the 'blues scale' as a minor pentatonic with an added #4.

[Jody LeCompte]

Listen to anything that features Pino Pallidino, Jack Casady, Tommy Shannon, or Jack Bruce.

Learn slow blues first, you can't overplay AT all in slow blues, theres too much space. After you master slow blues you will be unnecessarily tasteful when playing fast blues.

[YDload]

Isn't that last part up to the soloist?

well i didnt know how much playing he was doing when i asked that