Jul 122010
Hi. I’m learning to play bass my favorate type of music is blues music I like Howling Wolf Muddy watters and Elmore James that kind of thing . I was woundring if the bass guitar has a role to play in Blues Music(chigago kind ,chess) (since I can not think of many famous blues bassists ) and where the best place is (online) to pick up chords and tips to learn to play Blues music on my bass guitar.
Thanks
The Doors used a bass keyboard that Ray Manzarek played. Later, they hired studio musicians. The Cramps started out without a bass player. FYI
Willie Dixon often played acoustic bass, which sound great, but bass guitar is fine. Most blues bass players use bass guitar.
One of my favorite blues guys is Little Walter. His back up band, which sometimes included Dixon on bass, were the Myers brothers. They played guitar, but you can get some interesting ideas from them, too.
EDIT: On some tracks, it was Muddy and Jimmy Rogers both on guitar.
Follow your dreams sweet heart, I really don’t know that much about music, just wanted to encourage you, I know you will master this ,because you are asking questions that is how we learn. Good Luck, and Merry Christmas
Bass is great!
Although it doesn’t usually stand out to the untrained observer, bass plays a crucial part in much modern music, especially blues, which often has interesting and ‘colourful’ basslines. Here are some of its roles:
-defining the chord structure of a piece.
-keeping the rhythm together, locking in with the drums and the guitar/keyboard.
-setting the mood- a different style of bass playing can transform a song!
-and helping provide a bridge between the rhythm and the chords/tune.
I taught myself bass from the internet and from my music library. I think a good way to become a well-balanced player is:
-Get a professional lesson or two for some basics. It’s worth it. Good playing technique, and learning some regular exercises (such as scales, arpeggios, hanons, or other difficult riffs/patterns), will help you immeasurably. It’s a good start for your fingers to be able to do what you want them to.
-Surf to http://www.ultimateguitar.com ..They have lessons and tabs, so you can learn more about technique and exercises, and also you can find out how to play your favourite songs. I’ve learnt heaps there.
-Jam with your iTunes/Windows Media library. Just put it on shuffle, and try and play along with songs that come up. This is a crucial one in my opinion, and the MAIN source of my learning. Really get in touch with the song, work out what the bass is doing, and try to reproduce it. It will take a few goes, especially for harder songs, but it’s worth it.
-When you can play plenty of songs, and can learn new ones quicker (because your fingers can do exactly what you intend), find a bunch of other like-minded people and make a band. Just have a good time, play ‘covers’ (copies of existing songs), and eat lots of pizza together! There’s no substitute for practical experience, even if it’s just in your garage with mates.
Hope this was helpful!
**edit: i just remembered another good site with backing tracks and lessons and stuff, i haven’t used it as frequently but it also looks great. it’s the fender players’ club:http://www.fenderplayersclub.com/woodshe…
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Famous Bass player? ummmm ….. Howlin’ Wolf.
Have a listen to some of the bass work on the Led Zep tracks: Since I’ve Been Loving You, What Is and What Should Never Be” and some of their bluesy stuff …. now, since I HATE to recommend “Led Zep” on a blues forum, and I HATE that I can’t think of any other famous BLUES bass players, I will say I have heard some good upright bass solos on Lightnin’ Hopkins recordings, but I do not know who the player is!
edited to add: Sorry Mate, it WAS Willie Dixon I was thinking of! Thanks for the correction!
Here’s a link Willie playing bass:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcqqyL-Y6…
(note: Howlin’ Wolf was not a bass player)
Blues music is all about rhythm (Rhythm & Blues). Bass is the foundation is which blues music is built around. A solid bass player will create the groove that the music flows in. Without it the music goes nowhere.
If you are listening to Muddy, Howlin Wolf and Elmore James you are listening to the best blues bass player there was. Willie Dixon wrote most of their best material and he is a bass player by trade.
Also listen to Duck Dunn (any Stax records) and James Jamerson (any Motown record). They are the masters.
Modern bass players to listen to would be Tommy Shannon (Double Trouble) Mookie Brill (Duke Robillard Band), Johnny B. Gayden (Albert Collins), Larry Taylor (freelance), and Tony Garnier (Bob Dylan)
The bass is a big part of the rhythm section of any music genre but since the bassist isn’t the focal point, he is more in the background. The focus is often on the singer or guitarist. Willie Dixon is the only well known blues bassist.
I bet you can’t think of too many jazz bassists either. In rock you know a lot because they are part of a band. Only one band I know of didn’t have a bassist – The Doors.
Listen to any Motown hits of the 60′s and 70′s. The late James Jamerson played a lot of blues and pop records. Work on your Pentatonic sacle and turn it into a “walking” bass line. If you were playing in the key of A it would be” A C# E F# A (Penta is Latin for the number five). Have fun with this scale,you will find this a lot in blues.
Bass plays a critical role in any genre of music. It provides the very foundation, with regard to tone and rhythm, that makes any
music sound “complete.”
At it’s most basic level, Bass provides tonic emphasis.
the only thing i can tell you is to listen to others. basic blues on the bass is not that hard providing you have the feel for the music to begin with. you can listen to what others play and pretty much use the riffs you like and incorporate them into the ones you know already. the bass is also part of the rhythm section, and has to be totally in sinc with the drummers bass pedal. jamming with other musicians will help you the most. you can sit around and practice all you want, but all youll get good at is practicing. if your having trouble in the beginning, take a couple of lessons. use your fingers instead of a pick, and use your little finger on the fret hand as much as possible. have fun
Great instrument.. Many kids take up guitar.. think bass is either boring or not as popular as guitar. .My sons both are getting instruments for Christmas.. One a guitar(loves metal) and the other a bass.. Fender Precision. I play guitar, bass, piano dobro and a few other instuments.. I’m telling my 13 year old.. Play bass and you’ll always have a gig.. My wife played in elementary school(upright). She likes country and I’m teaching blues, funk and jazz to my bass playing son. Have fun.. You can make it as simple or as complicated as you like.. Mix it up and keep the rhythm section solid!