Results 1 to 21 of 21

Thread: Who do you groove with?

  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    Default Who do you groove with?

    Yesterday, the bassist in my band and I were working on matching my kick hits with his picking pattern. Later when we were playing through our songs, I realized the reason he wanted to work on this is because when we are playing our songs, my kick and the rhythm guitarist strumming pattern were synchronized. So rather than the bass and drums matched up and grooving, it's guitar and drums. I think the reason is because I have been playing with the guitarist for 5 or 6 years now while this bassist has only been in the band for a few months now. In the absence of bass, I synchronized with the rhythm guitar.

    I'm guessing most people set the groove with bass and drums, but I was wondering if anyone else locks on to the groove of a specific band member or instrument when you are playing and why do you play to that person rather than someone else in the band?

  2. #2

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Whenever I've played w/other people, it's always been w/ the bassist. I set tempo, they drive the rhythm, trombones and saxes follow along, my band teacher goes crazy cause we're playing faster than he wants us to, it's all good.
    6 Piece Pearl Masters Custom Extra Maple
    14x5.5 Snare
    10x8 Tom
    12x9 Tom
    14x12 Floor Tom
    15x13 Floor Tom
    22x16 Bass Drum

    Miscellaneous Hardware
    14 inch Zildjian Quick Beats
    16 inch Istanbul Xist Crash
    20 inch Meinl HCS ride.

  3. #3

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    My son plays the bass. We play nearly every day. He's really good. We hate Rush. This is an old picture.

    Custom Classic Pro Maple 6
    8",10",12",13" Mounted Toms
    (2)14",16" Floor Toms
    22" x 18" Kick
    6",8",10" Roto Toms
    14" x 6.5" Mapex Black Panther Snare
    13" x 3" Pearl Piccolo Snare
    Sabian: 13" Paragon Hats
    14" HH X Hats
    22" Paragon Ride
    (2) 16" Paragon Crashes
    20" Paragon Crash
    18" Paragon Crash
    20" Paragon Small Flange China
    19" Paragon China
    Wuhan:20"with gingles
    8",10" Splash
    Roc N Soc Lunar
    DW 8002B Pedals
    Tambourine
    Cowbell
    Sabian Squad






    C C Militia

  4. #4

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Quote Originally Posted by SparrowBeat View Post
    Yesterday, the bassist in my band and I were working on matching my kick hits with his picking pattern. Later when we were playing through our songs, I realized the reason he wanted to work on this is because when we are playing our songs, my kick and the rhythm guitarist strumming pattern were synchronized. So rather than the bass and drums matched up and grooving, it's guitar and drums. I think the reason is because I have been playing with the guitarist for 5 or 6 years now while this bassist has only been in the band for a few months now. In the absence of bass, I synchronized with the rhythm guitar.

    I'm guessing most people set the groove with bass and drums, but I was wondering if anyone else locks on to the groove of a specific band member or instrument when you are playing and why do you play to that person rather than someone else in the band?
    You know, I thought I was the odd man out here. I do exactly as you do for very similar reasons. I lock in with the guitar 95% of the time. Why? Well he is an original member and until we recruited our current bass player (2.5 years ago) we had bass players who weren't very good. They couldn't be counted on to lock in with.

    Now, I noticed one day at practice when I focused on our bass player's right hand and lock in with it the songs are really tight.

  5. #5

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    If you can develope a symbiotic relationship with the bass, it will get you through anything you have to play.

  6. #6

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Bass....alot of small bands that did NOT have a drummer(mostly old three pc ) use the bassist as the beat...take for instance Elvis...he had another guitar and bass player at first at sun records..drums added later.
    Enjoy the Music!

    HOOKED ON VINTAGE ROGERS

    12 tom times 3
    13 tom times 3
    16 floor tom 3
    22 BD times 2
    24 BD 1
    Dyna-sonic snare 1976
    Dyna-sonic snare 1969
    Powertone snare 1969
    24 x 12 Djembe

    21" K Hybrid custom ride
    21" Avedis ride
    20" Zildjian 1970 ride
    18" A Custom Zildjian fast crash
    17" A Custom Zildjian med crash
    15" A Custom Zildjian Reso hats
    10" A Custom fast splash
    18" A Custom China
    LP Cowbell baby..always more cowbell

    Member of "PHROGGES AQUARIAN ARMY"
    The Zildjian League

    Drum Chat's Record for Most Users Online
    BE COUNTED!

  7. #7

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    I lock with guitarist quit a bit myself, but then I now I have a awesome bass player again, so I'm locking back in with the bass.
    Proud Yamaha Player

    The line between the real world and the machine world is becoming more and more blurred every day.But its not that humans are turning into automations or becoming slaves to the machines.No, we're simply growing toward each other!

  8. #8

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    I used to lock in with the bass player, but then there was a bit of a line up change. Our current bass player is not as experienced, so I tend to lock in with the rhythm guitar. Hopefully, the lock with the bass player will return.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





    For coupons and specials, join the Drum Bum mailing list.

    Buy Gifts for Drummers. And don't miss the free Drum Lessons!

  9. #9

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Just depends on the situation for me. If behind the kit, and I'm with a strong bassist, of course we lock in. But if the bass ain't that great, then I'll lock in with who has the strongest sense of tempo and timing....it might be the guitarist, it might be someone else. I've also worked with a handful of singers that possess a really strong sense of rhythm, and of course you might find that they are former drummers themselves or they have a great sense of timing on the piano or guitar. I think it might be a cultural thing, but I've rarely met a Latino musician with bad timing...loads of them seem to play some sort of percussion instrument as well as their main one....one of my sax mates was like that, he had a bass playing background, played piano and also owned a couple of hand drums. And there was a gig I did filling in for a band of Latinos who were also doing rock originals.....I really had to do my rhythmic homework at first, and really locked in with the bassist, they're all great people.

    Speaking of percussion....as a percussionist, one major job is to lock in with the rhythm section, so I have to groove with the drummer and bassist. Mind you, that would be if I was playing Latin stuff with congas, timbales and other rhythmic toys. But percussion roles are so varied. I have to keep up with hand techniques for a variety of drums, so there's the rhythmic aspect. But when you have to add 'colours'.....all the stuff like shakers, windchimes and other bits and pieces, that's when you may or may not choose to lock in with a particular player (so long as I'm not stepping over the vocals and other important melodic, harmonic and rhythmic parts). And when I get the rare chance to do melodic percussion (marimba, vibes etc) then that's totally different. Some parts lock in, like a repetitive pattern, arpeggio up and down the scale or other kinds of motif, but other parts won't necessarily be. Again, it depends on the piece, but it's certainly a very different discipline and balance to get right.
    Last edited by Drumbledore; 03-24-2013 at 08:21 AM.
    "...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube

    668: The Number Of The Guy Next Door To The Beast.

    "A random act of kindness; it keeps my heart in shape!" - Late8

  10. #10

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Somewhat similar to Drumbledore, I think it depends on the song/genre.

  11. #11

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Completely depends on the song with my band. I follow the bass a lot, or he follows me; but other times it just sounds a bit cooler if I lock in with a synth pattern or guitar part. There are also a few instances where the bass player and I intentionally play against each other to create a certain dynamic...
    So, to me, it completely depends on what kind of music you're playing and , probably, who you're playing with.

  12. #12

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    I groove with the bass player, it helps that he's also a drummer.

  13. #13

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    I like to groove with all of them. I think it helps get to know the individuals more, their styles and tastes. Many times we improvise and do just this, playing off of each other. I'd have to admit though, I like playing off the long time friend lead guitarist when he goes off sometimes and try to duplicate it....sorta.

  14. #14

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    the drums, bass and rhythm guitar are the rhythm section of the band ,you must be tight with them. if the 3 of you are together ,the rest of the members have a great foundation to build on . if the rhythm section isnt tight your band will suffer.
    Tamaholic

  15. #15

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Quote Originally Posted by marko138 View Post
    You know, I thought I was the odd man out here. I do exactly as you do for very similar reasons. I lock in with the guitar 95% of the time. Why? Well he is an original member and until we recruited our current bass player (2.5 years ago) we had bass players who weren't very good. They couldn't be counted on to lock in with.

    Now, I noticed one day at practice when I focused on our bass player's right hand and lock in with it the songs are really tight.
    Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

    I've started to do the same thing and it does make it a lot easier to stay in a groove. Bass and drums just belong together.

  16. #16

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Quote Originally Posted by Olimpass View Post
    I like to groove with all of them. I think it helps get to know the individuals more, their styles and tastes. Many times we improvise and do just this, playing off of each other. I'd have to admit though, I like playing off the long time friend lead guitarist when he goes off sometimes and try to duplicate it....sorta.
    I agree. Our new bass player really likes prog and odd time signatures, which I find difficult to play. So I find it really hard to play some of the things he has been playing for years, but we are slowly learning what the other likes to do.

  17. #17

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    I love to lock in with the bass especially when it's not overplayed which I feel personally is the way hard rock bass should be played. It just makes the song so much cooler. The bassist I play with now is an awesome player and sings on top of it. So is our guitarist. Lots of fun and super cool dudes. I love you guys man!
    RDM/Damage Poets
    UFiP TAMAHA Zildjian
    REGAL TiP
    AQUARIAN

  18. #18

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Groove with everyone if possible. Rhythmically lock to the bass, but dynamically take cues from the vocalist and guitar and/or keys.

    all the best...

  19. #19

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Typically, I'd groove with the bass player. The guys I jam with now, the bass player is the weakest link. I find him eye-balling the guitar player alot because he dosen't know the material or the chord changes and never bothers to learn them at home; frustrating to say the least. If we had a stronger bass player, the rhythm section would be totally locked in so I find myself grooving to guitars.

  20. #20

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Well, I'm locked with the bassist in my rock band "Brainstorm shadow". He's not the most experimented, but he get a good timekeeping. Since we're coached by a professional bassist in the context of a collective project and my dad, who's and experimented guitarist... They all recommend me and the bass to be tightly locked in. And that's how it's work generally, as we all know.

    When I play in duet with my dad, generally I locked me in his time (he can be insanely tight and HE decide of the tempo like random if we start a kinda traditionnal jazzy improvisation^^) and we both follow the metronome while practicing. Sometimes he ask me to lead him, cause I have to lead other musicians. Metronome is GOD, remember that, but my fellow rockers aren't willing to hear any "click"...

    In my Folk band called "Wootwootmen"... I'm locked with both the bassist and the guitarist. They began to practice together a couple of years before I joined the band, the two have good timekeeping...
    So what I do is just a back-up job, which makes me very happy... Sometimes I complicate a part, I'm like "ouuumf, there was no need of that" and the leader reply "no, no that was great! Good little groove, perfect for the bridge."

    Sometimes when I do a syncopation all my rock band became loose cause individually the others musicians don't have a good timekeeping (the bassist is an exception) and don't practice to a click track. Since the listening becoming better and better (we started with our new songwriter only 3 months ago), the whole band is on the journey to tightness...

    It depend greatly on the dynamics *inside* the band, *between* the musicians. We drive the tempo, but everybody have to participate keeping it if we want tight, tasteful music, whatever the genre.
    If I go to a jam, with unknow musicians, then I lock me in with the bassist.

  21. #21
    Larrysperf Guest

    Default Re: Who do you groove with?

    Bass Nuff Said

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •