When I moved from Guitar to Bass a few years ago and took the B2B course, I never thought that I’d be up to taking on another instrument, damn, I do love playing bass!!!... But, never think never……
So here I am - with 70+ years of sunrises and sunsets under my belt, two tours to Nam, two sets of adult twins, thirteen adult grandkids, a couple of “greats”,…. and most recently decide that it’s time to take on playing another instrument…… this time… percussion….
I’ve played with a bunch of really great drummers over time, and as a guitarist turned bass player, I can also say that I’ve played with a few “marginal” ones - especially after taking @JoshFossgreen ’s B2B course and realizing how important “timing”, and dealing with “syncopation” is when you are playing in the rhythm section - hell, I played lead guitar for years and had no idea…. Syncopation?? Hell, we just slammed out notes and bends that made the girls in front throw underwear at us!! Besides,…… When things go to hell and tomatoes are being thrown instead of Victoria Secret’s G-Strings,…… blame it on the drummer and bass player….. Right?? Well….
Never did I ever realize how damn important a good drummer is until I started playing with them… Never did I realize that syncopation and groove were not just a bass players gig, but now I’m learning that a good percussionist has those same skills - and good ones know how to use them……
I took percussion on as a means of hopefully developing my skills as a better bass player…. Bottom line,…. It’s working…… Keeping time is (has never been) a problem when you lock in on the high hat’s 16th note beats and the snare on the two and four counts,…… But it’s that “Kick” that hits on the off beats that really puts the groove into the rhythm that the bass can shine by focusing onto and adding that “color” to the groove….
I know there are other Drummers on this forum who also play bass who could offer way more than I can - all I know is that when it comes to making great music - it’s all about TIMING - and who better to keep that time than the “Timekeeper”…. Oh, and when there is no drummer, it then becomes the Bass Player’s responsibility to keep that beat….
Hey @Lanny
I too play both bass and drums, that’s before I came back to play bass during the lockdown. before that I spent a few years playing just drums. It’s oddly satisfying. Half way through my drum experience and progress I chose to follow my drumming hero Simon Phillips and it was just way cool I decided to try it and I just love it. Sadly the more complicated songs I still go back to cross hand.
Here’s my kits
the V-Drums has more flexibility obviously, I can have my hi-hat low on both side so I can play openhanded on either side using the same hi-hat pedal to control.
Damn @Al1885 - So damn cool!!! LOVE your kits!!! Oh, will have a lot of questions…… I always figured you had some percussion background!! Your groove is so damn tight when you play - you know exactly what’s going on……
So, my question……. Did playing drums lead you into playing bass?? Is playing bass easier because you learned percussion??
There are so many cross overs between playing drums and bass, and I’m just curious as to gow they all interact….
So, has being a percussionist made you a better bass player, or has being a bass player made you a better percussionist???
I’m actually a Bassist. I did study Keyboard, the Japanese calls it Electone, those 2 tiers or 3 tiers ones with the bass pedal. I grew up in the restaurant business and we had 3 of those for 3 separate floors of the restaurant. My parent sent me to Yamaha School of music and a private tutor.
I learned mostly notations and since the Electone covers all of the notes, I had to learn both clefs. It didn’t really come in handy for me when I started playing bass either, as they were no sheets widely available back in the late 80’s so I learned by ear and transcribed everything I play myself. It was awesome figuring out the breaks and learning how to put music on sheets.
I always wanted to play drums but I wasn’t going to happen because it’s big and it’s loud. I jumped in every chances I got when playing in the band(s). Luckily or not depending on how you look at it, my early bands had pretty weak drummers, so I had to jump in and help from time to time so I got used to the kit. My keyboards player was a prodigy who could play anything and he loves drum, so I learned a lot from him.
Once I got the opportunity I just bought a set and never look back. I just figured it out as I go. Funny, I don’t listen to the same music/ songs on drums as I did bass. So my drum playlist looks different than my bass playlist. I wish I have more time I might bring out the kit and set it up again.
Gday Bill,
I did 2 terms of drum lessons after my first stint at learning bass about 30 years ago, because I thought learning drums would improve my bass playing, and it does improve your bass playing imo.
You develop the ability to lock into the timekeeper and play off the bass, snare and cymbals.
I also believe that the more instruments you are exposed to the better musician you can be, everything gives you a different perspective of how all the parts come together to create something really special “The Music”
Unless you’re learning to play the bagpipes which have their own unique challenges you gotta suck, blow, squeeze , use your fingers and March all at the same time and try and remember the music as well and wear a kilt:joy: cheers Brian
