Well so far my experience on bass is just enough to hit the root note on the chord changes sometimes adding in the fifth for our praise and worship team.
In a couple of weeks our drummer is going on a mission trip and now it looks like it will be me, our only real musician playing lead and maybe an acoustic strumming chords to back up the singers and congregation.
My instinct says just make sure to hit the one beat, hit the quarter beats and don't anything else. With more experience and skill what should the bass be doing to add to the mix if there is no drummer?
My instinct says in the absence of a drummer, the bass player's going to have to carry the rhythm section on his own - the other guys are going to take their timing cues from you. However, if you're not that sure of what you're doing, you'll probably have to take your cues from the guitarist. Is there any chance you and he/she could get together and practise? It might help if you worked on the songs together.
I've been jamming with a couple of guys tonight - two guitars and a bass, no drums. Two of us swapped guitar and bass around, and we just played normal bass-lines - when I was on guitar, I took my timing cues from the bass player. When I was on bass, I was fairly comfortable mixing it up a little, I knew the songs pretty well....but I found myself listening to the lead player for timing!
Maybe a drum machine? Although we've tried that in the past, the problem is you can't change tempo mid-song - at least not on my keyboard, with a choice of a lot of patterns, but no variable tempo.....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
This is a song done back in the 70's by an English folk/rock band. Notice NO drums, but you really don't even miss them. The Key is a percussive bass line. The bass line is clean and simple here. Don't mind the silly video. :D
Bizarre video! :shock:
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
