Curious - is there a name for this style of bass playing?

ack1961 · January 25, 2015, 08:16:00 PM

Excuse my ignorance - I'm been listening to and loving music my entire life, but I know zero about music theory or the myriad styles/classifications of music.

There's a song I really like playing by R.E.M. called "You Are The Everything" - If you listen to the verses, Mike Mills is not playing with the beat, but he seems to be floating harmlessly somewhere in the mix.

I'm just curious - does this type of bass playing fit a category, or is it just "art" (as the kids call it these days)?

Thanks,
Steve

uwe · January 26, 2015, 05:33:19 AM

It's hard to hear over my puny office destop speakers, but it is double bass'ish in its sparseness and "letting notes stand". I can't hear if it actually is a double bass (some of the longer notes sound that way), but it sure takes a double bass approach to the song. Reminds me of Styx' boat on the River or Queen's 39 which were both played with a double bass.

Highlander · January 26, 2015, 04:09:31 PM

Sure sounds sloppy... if it is on an upright it sounds like he needed more practice first but didn't give it the time it deserved...

Pilgrim · January 26, 2015, 04:14:47 PM

Seems to me he's playing the line jazz-style, with a lot of syncopation. He is actually holding the overall rhythm down on a measure-by-measure basis, and his note patterns are repetitive, just not in simple ways. He's closer to a walking bass line than a conventional rock bass line...not a 1-2-3-4 walking rhythm, but a moving bass line which carries the music and leaves room for the melody.

This tells me something about how he thinks as a bass player. He's thinking about the music overall and how to complement it, and not concentrating on reinforcing the beat. This music doesn't require that. (I wish I could say that I have achieved this, but that would be lyin'.)

ilan · January 28, 2015, 12:46:43 AM

Just a busy bass line. I don't think there's a name for it and I don't hear anything jazzy in it.

the mojo hobo · January 28, 2015, 07:21:14 PM

Quote from: ilan on January 28, 2015, 12:46:43 AM
Just a busy bass line.

I guess there's the name for it.

ack1961 · January 28, 2015, 08:28:43 PM

Thanks.

Aussie Mark · February 03, 2015, 03:35:46 PM

I think it's called "lead guitar"

ack1961 · February 03, 2015, 05:14:09 PM

Busy, sloppy, lead guitar.

Got it.

mc2NY · February 04, 2015, 08:29:09 PM

In defense of the bass part, he IS covering for both bass and the missing drum part over a couple of rather airy instruments. So, I think that it is deliberately busy to achieve that.

uwe · February 05, 2015, 06:27:47 AM

True. It's a mix of trad double-bass approach (bass as the time keeper), leaving space and putting melodic bits in. Nothing wrong with that.

westen44 · February 09, 2015, 06:39:54 AM

I got into a discussion about this song with a friend a few months ago. At least 90% of the time we seem to agree on songs. But she loves the bass to the song and I don't like it. I respect her opinion, though, and decided maybe there was just something about the song that I wasn't relating to for some reason. It's interesting to see all the comments here.

westen44 · February 09, 2015, 02:30:18 PM

Not that there is anything wrong with Mike Mills or R.E.M.--there isn't. But here is some double bass playing I just found that's pretty interesting, too.

Chris P. · February 12, 2015, 10:22:54 AM

I always liked this bass line:

Dunno if it's Weller himself, Steve Cradock or one of his bass players.

ack1961 · February 12, 2015, 07:28:05 PM

that was enjoyable.