The Pot Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Recently I have been playing with a friend who plays guitar and all he does is these fast freaking metal riffs usually with a droning E or D and I can't come up with anything to play behind him. I am use to standard tuning for one and usually play funk to moderately fast rock stuff. What can I do that won't sound horrible other than playing the droning E and D notes to keep time. There is no room for fills and he moves around so much I can't really do chord tones. "Music is the space between the notes." -Claude Debussy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Find someone else to jam with. A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 string Mike Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Find someone else to jam with. +1 "Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"- George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Is it songs, or just him playing scales and showing off? If it's the former: learn the songs. If it's the latter ... Find someone else to jam with. +1 +1 "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 If you're dead-set on playing with this guy, you should probably learn what he's doing and then cut it back to the basics (downbeats with some accented unison parts) and call it a day... That's a tried-and-true bass technique for most metal, and it usually works in a very standard way. However, if you wanna get creative and come up with something complimentary that fills the holes in his riffing, that can be cool, too, but it's not particularly "metal." Either way, the real key for writing a bass line is to understand what the other instruments are doing and finding a way to play right in there with them or around them... or both. Mess around and see what happens. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 When he's not looking, cut off his low string. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowtones11 Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 "Music is the space between the notes." -Claude Debussy That's a good thing to keep in mind. It sounds llike there is nothing musical happening with you and your buddy. Unless you are gaining something from your time with this guitarist, don't play with him anymore. I try to fit myself into situations all the time that are not right for me. I will do it gladly if I can learn and grow musically, or, as a last resort, if the money is right. I've been in situations where I've been friendly with musicians that have wanted to jam. Outside of being friends with these particular players, we had nothing in common, especially musically. They tried to get me to fit into their world which didn't work. I tried to get them to fit into my world, no luck. It was only a matter of time before we were all frustrated and stopped playing together. Do you think you can learn something from your time with your friend? Do you think if you asked him to leave you some space, he would be willing and able? Do you think it could lead to gigs by playing with him? Do you think you will improve by playing with him? When you really look at this situation, are you happy to be playing with him? Just a couple thoughts. "It takes an awfully good drummer to be better than no drummer at all." Steve Millhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowtones11 Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Or do what those other guys said. They said it in less than 9 pages which is to be commended. "It takes an awfully good drummer to be better than no drummer at all." Steve Millhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pot Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 Thanks alot guys for the advice. Chances are I will try to find someone else to play with. I have jammed with him like 3 times and each time became more and more frustrating. Not that he is a bad guy he just goes off and does whatever without any direction in mind it drives me crazy. No groove what so ever. I would much rather play something I enjoy. "Music is the space between the notes." -Claude Debussy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b5pilot Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 That guy sounds like a musical masterbator. It's got to be awfully boring jamming with a guy like that. Anyway, the only way you can play with a guy like that is to keep it simple. You don't have to just play E and D but use some of the notes that make up the chords. Or work with the melody. Good luck! Lydian mode? The only mode I know has the words "pie ala" in front of it. http://www.myspace.com/theeldoradosband Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Sounds boring. No reason metal shouldn't groove...just ask this guy (RIP): http://earsucker.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/dimebag.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I would much rather play something I enjoy. Then play something that you enjoy and make him follow you. Or find someone else to play with. My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigs_back Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 to play metal on bass just copy what the guitarist plays and it makes it heavy as if the bass player follows same. also try drop c for it to sound heavier visit my website plz http://howtoplaybass.co.uk Why play anything else? http://www.play-bass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thanny XIII Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Ahhh. All good advice. but metal bass doesn't have to be silly. It can be full of wonderful fills and crushing tone Don't write it off. This guy just sounds like one of them there stairway to heaven g*****ists. You know they can play something that they think is cool and hard and will impress people, but in reality just sucks. Ahh whatever shall we do..... I knew a girl that was into biamping,I sure do miss her.-ButcherNburn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 If the riffs repeat, which I guess they should, stick to the roots for 3 out of 4 then play in unison for the 4th time round. Assuming he is able to stop messing around for long enough for him to show you what he is playing. Feel the groove internally within your own creativity. - fingertalkin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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