BASS
[ HEY BUD, WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? | Gary Lunn ]
Of course, I am joking. Most likely you would bass player. It’s a totally different concept than be a very useful tool in examining your rhythm
never hear this question asked in a church what we are used to as contemporary worship problems and correcting them. Simple digital
rhythm section setting. But what if you did? As musicians). My student’s goal was to learn how audio workstation (DAW) programs are fairly
a bassist, how would you respond to it? Most to lay back in the groove and play “rhythm inexpensive and most often come with any
importantly, how would you deal with it? Would section” style country, pop, and rock music new computer you purchase (Garage Band
it occur to you that maybe you should consider styles. My advice to him was to think “slow… on Mac, for example). If you have access to a
putting a plan in place to try and solve the slower…slowest...” and to play behind the computer and you have some computer skills,
problem...or would you just be offended? this method is definitely worth a try.
When one of your musical/spiritual authorities
pulls you aside and tells you that you need to
improve upon something, the most important
thing you can do is keep an open mind and a
humble spirit (and be glad he/she didn’t tell you
in front of everyone else!)
The first thing you should do is find out what
the concern is. Next, devise a way to address
the problem. And lastly, try your best to correct
it. For instance, if your timing is the issue, be
sure and ask if you are rushing or dragging.
This is important to know! Dragging (playing
way behind the beat) can cause a tension in the
music that feels almost like the song is dying
If your problem
If your problem is that you are playing too
many notes, the answer is very simple: don’t
is that you are
play so many notes! Less is more. Always!
playing too many
In some cases, you may be playing too simply.
If that is the case and your worship leader
notes, the answer
wants to hear more melodic information from
you, start listening to some music that has
is very simple:
more melodic basslines. One of my favorite
bass players in the world is a man named Pino
don’t play so many
Paladino. He is one of the “groovin’est,” most
tasteful, melodic bass players on the planet.
notes! Less is
He manages to play beautiful melodic lines at
just the right moment, no matter what kind of
more. Always!
music he’s playing… what he does just makes
(for lack of a better analogy). Either way, the sense. Google his name and listen to some of
best way to deal with this issue is to practice his work and you’ll see what I mean. Listen to
with loops, a drum machine, or a metronome.
bass drum - let the attack of the bass drum any bass player you choose and let their bass
“be” the bass’s attack. playing inspire you, but be sure the music is up
Another way to improve your timing is to Another way to lay back is to pluck each note to a good standard for your spiritual senses.
play along with recordings that you know with more than the tip of your finger. In other
have been recorded with a click (this would words, place the string in the middle of the tip- Most importantly, after you have done these
probably include just about anything that is joint of your finger instead of the end before you things to improve your playing and address the
recorded present-day - even self-contained pluck the string. This can really help you! problems that were brought to your attention,
band projects are recorded with a click so that
be sure to inquire with your music director/
editing can be performed more easily). A more advanced way to improve your timing worship leader to check in on your progress.
is, if you have computer skills, to record They will greatly appreciate your efforts and
If you are rushing, you may as well give up. yourself to a track without bass (there are files your proactive nature!
OK. Sorry! I’m kidding again... there is hope. I like this all over the internet), or record yourself recently worked with a student who has played to a track with only drum machine. When jazz music most of his career…I mean, up- you’re done, zoom in to each downbeat and tempo, swing-style jazz. (In this kind of music, look to see where you are on the grid (the line the drums play the bass drum minimally, which that indicates the downbeat in the ‘arrange’ means you have to be the bass drum and the window of the program you’re using). This can
Gary Lunn
Session player, producer, writer from Nashville, TN.
He plays for many recording session accounts,
does home recording, and project producing.
Attends Grace Church (gracechurchnashville.com)
in Franklin, TN. Email him questions, comments, or
for scheduling at [email protected]