BASS
TAKE THE HIGH ROAD | Gary Lunn
I saw a great church sign today . It said , “ The best ministry anyone could have is being nice to people . That ’ s more important than any platform .” I didn ’ t say “ Amen ” out loud in the car , but I sure did think it ! Anyway , I thought it would be a good idea to talk about how we should treat people we work with in our church music world ( s ).
KEYBOARD AND GUITAR . The most respectable thing you can do for these vital positions is to listen intently and constantly figure out new ways to stay out of their way . You can only do this by listening , so be sure to listen closely to their individual parts and think of ways to enhance what they are doing by not conflicting with them . It ’ s not rocket science . :)
BACKGROUND VOCALISTS . Always try to have some of them turned up in your monitor or headphones . You never know when they will be / feel called to add something to the song ( something to play off of , perhaps ). You always need to be there to support them — not play over them .
DRUMMER . The wonderful musical conversation that we bassists have with the drummer is so important . We can play right with them , slightly behind them , or a little ahead of them , but the coolest part is that we can do ALL of it ! As far as actual conversation goes , be sure to ask them about the kick patterns that THEY want to play and TRY THE PATTERNS before you make your suggestions . A happy drummer is a fun drummer ( and vice versa ).
WORSHIP LEADER . You really must pay attention to them and learn their body language for musical dynamic cues ( soft , loud , breakdowns , etc .), section chords that might not be on the chart , repeating a section , etc . Also , it may require an extra measure of study to be familiar with the instrument they lead from . You can often tell what changes a guitar player will play by watching their hand from the back of the neck , but only if you play “ some ” guitar yourself . It really helps ! It is the same with keyboards ( you can watch the leader ’ s “ bass hand ” during worship ). At the very least , ask them how you can serve them better .
SOUND PERSON . As a responsible musician , I don ’ t want to even remotely resemble someone who will make the sound person ’ s job more difficult . I certainly don ’ t want to force them to mix everything else on stage around MY level . I ’ ve learned from past experience that it ’ s typically the drummer or the guitarist ( s ) who gives sound people the “ mix-around-you ” challenge . I usually play through an amp capable of competing with anyone else ’ s volume level . Still , I want always to be sure not to play too loud ( no matter how much I like it ). Be nice to the sound person . They are the MOST important member of the band . Ask them if your amp is too loud . (* Side note : If you ’ ve never played bass while standing 1 foot away from a 500-watt Ampeg SVT with an 8-10 cabinet , then you have not yet lived !)
YOU . Last but not least , be kind to yourself and get your mix dialed in right in your headphones . If you are on in-ears , consider these level choices as a starting point : Have the acoustic instruments panned to 8 o ’ clock and 5 o ’ clock , the electric guitar panned to 11 o ’ clock , the piano ( and the BGVs ) panned to 9 and 3 o ’ clock in stereo , the aux keys panned hard left and right in stereo , the click panned to 2 o ’ clock , the hi-hat panned to 10 o ’ clock , the overheads hard left and right , the kick and snare at 12 o ’ clock ( the snare is set substantially lower in volume than the kick ), and the bass at 12 o ’ clock . The kick , bass , and click should be the loudest elements in the mix . For stereo imaging , I like to hear the behind-the-drums-type drum mix ( some people like the facing-the-drums perspective ).
If you are using amp / wedges , be sure to take the bass out of the wedge and mix your amplifier volume with it — it will help you play tighter with the drums . Also , be sure never to turn anything completely off in your mix .
Remember , this is only a starting point and is my own mix preference . You will want to tweak it according to your own taste . Still , I strongly feel that having clarity and perspective between all of the instruments , the lead vocal , and the click is paramount to finding the overall groove .
Treating others with respect should always be at the top of everyone ’ s daily list of goals . God will honor your humble spirit as you do that . May God continue to bless the work of your hands !
Gary Lunn Gary is a session player / producer / writer in Nashville , TN . He plays for many recording session accounts and does a lot of home recording and producing . Email him for questions , comments , or scheduling at this email address : garylunn @ me . com
86 September 2024 Subscribe for Free ...