davebrownbass Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 I just got my chance to see the Great High Mountain Tour. If you haven't heard about it... here\'s the link. The tour is coming to a close, but it was one of the most impressive things imaginable. I saw something by Allison Krauss/Union Station's bassist Barry Bales that I've never seen before. It is quite common to keep time by tapping the string on 2 and 4 in bluegrass. I've done it thousands of times. Barry played his note on 1, then wobbled his hand on "and 2 and" exactly in time. Made a pretty picture, but I think he was doing that to keep from rushing. Do you have secret ways to keep time in your body? I know one of the things I do is to feel the one in my shoulders, and move my head on rests. Anybody else? "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 I've seen a lot of bassists do that on slow ballads where they're playing half notes. Helps keep the pulse swingin'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
way2fat Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 I don't have a secret, but timing is what makes me lose sleep before a gig. A number of years ago I saw Victor Krauss playing bass for Peter Rowan and on slow songs he would pluck the note and use his right arm like a metronome- it would swing back to his side and then forward again to the string. It worked for him. I guess if it didn't he wouldn't have been up there with Peter Rowan. www.ethertonswitch.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 I often find myself involuntarily clicking my 'teeth' inside my head to keep time. Especially in long multibar rests, or when the drummer is playing way outside on a fill. There is one song we play which has a three bar rest, while the lead guitarist does one of those wacky Robert Cray endings. He is playing way outside and all over the meter, of course, and there is not even a gentle high-hat tap playing the quarters underneath, just silence from the band and the guitar wailing. Then we all hit the shot on the one of the fourth bar, and then on the three to end. My teeth get me through those 12 beats every time. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Knight Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 For me, it depends on what feel the song needs. I usually tap my foot on each quarter, tempo permiting, or on 2 + 4, or just 1, etc., while singing rhythmic phrases like doo-dit-doo-dit or doh-doh-doh-doh for 8's. 16's? Shook-a-dook-ah, shook-a-dook-ah, shook-a-dook-ah, shook-a-dook-ah, or some other nonsense. I'm usually keeping that going all the time. Then I try to use that as my template to lay the groove... This keeps the drummer looking to me for the groove and not the other way around. Hog the groove baby! They'll think it's them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbroni Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 It depends on the groove. Sometimes I dance with my bass,On slow rock steady grooves I stomp my footWhen making funk holes I tend to lightly slap the body of my bass Together all sing their different songs in union - the Uni-verse. My Current Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMan99 Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 Tapping the foot (or toes) is a great start (I'm preaching to the choir here, I realize). Beyond that, do you dance? Seriously. Put on some great loud dance music, draw the curtains, and "get down wif' your bad self"! Even better, go out to clubs & dance with that someone special. You can learn moves from others quickly. While I stopped playing for a number of years, I developed a pretty good sense of time by dancing quite a bit back then (singles mating rituals...). As long as you are ON THE BEAT, you can get away with almost anything on the dance floor (not including ball-room dancing). Your mileage may vary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkW Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 I bob my head usually only when the stage mix is bad and we need visual cues to stay together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickPunk Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 i just move as much as a can and i usually get a combo of foot tapping and head bobbing each quarter, or if im playing som really fast punk or hardcore or sumthing i'll just end up jumping around or head banging the quarters or halfs. if i'm singing and playing i tap my left foot (whenever i'm foot tapping its always my left foot for some reason, guess its just a subconcious thing ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cozmicslop Posted June 17, 2004 Share Posted June 17, 2004 I definitely dance. Before I played bass I was in dance groups. I think that's why I picked bass as an instrument. On slower and midtempo tunes i swing my right ankle in and out while rocking back and forth from foot to foot. I picked this up from a bass player/songwriter who wrote a lot with tricky time signatures. The only way I could play his basslines was to dance like he did and it kind of stuck. http://www.myspace.com/2coolplay http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=89641 http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=89684 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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