BASS
Warren Bray is a bass player , composer , producer , disc jockey , and music supervisor . He plays bass and produces for the Toronto hip-hop group Grand Analog and licenses music for the production company Pirate Toronto .
By Warren Bray
Dynamics & Tone
I
’ ve been playing bass for just over 20 years now , and the two things I focus on the most these days are dynamics and tone . They ’ re the two most important things in developing your sound . The sound you get from a bass is fairly dependent on the make and model of your bass along with the amplifier you use , but it mainly comes from the way you play the bass with your right hand .
Velocity of Your Right Hand For each piece of music you ’ re playing , depending on style , genre , and vibe , there will be a corresponding level at which you strike the bass . If I ’ m playing funk or punk , I ’ ll dig into the bass with my right hand and play it quite heavily . If I ’ m playing reggae or soul , I ’ ll play the strings lightly with my right hand and turn up my amp to compensate .
This is something I ’ ve been doing more lately – playing a bit lighter overall with my right hand while my amp is louder than usual . It can also help to keep your right hand from tiring out if you ’ re playing a long set or rehearsing . Experimenting with these different velocities will help you determine what ’ s needed as you ’ re writing or performing new pieces .
Right Hand Placement This is something every bass player eventually figures out when playing the same bass over an extended period of time . Depending on the placement of your right hand , the dynamics and tone of your bass can change drastically . Playing in the middle , between the neck and the bridge , will give you a nice , neutral , overall sound . Playing near the bridge will give you a tight , punchy sound . Playing closer to the neck , or right on the neck , gives you a really deep , round sound . Right hand placement is very important because it can affect your dynamics and tone .
Changing Dynamics Mid-Song Dynamics are defined as variation and gradation in the volume of musical sound . These variations should be used as needed in regards to one ’ s own playing and style , but to execute these variations and gradations during a song can be the most effective element of movement in a piece of music .
There are a few Grand Analog songs where I start playing at a neutral level with my right hand . When the verses come in , I ’ ll start playing much lighter , but once the chorus hits , I ’ m playing with a much heavier hand . Not only is this important for bass , it ’ s important for the whole band to lock into these dynamic movements .
A classic example of this is Maurice Ravel ’ s “ Boléro ” from 1928 , which consists of two main melodies that repeat for 15 minutes without any development , except for the gradual increase in dynamics from all of the instruments in the orchestra ( and different instruments switching to play the main melody ). At the beginning , everyone is playing so quietly , it ’ s almost hard to hear , while at the song ’ s climax , the orchestra reaches a “ fortissimo possibile ” ( loudest possible ) where they ’ re playing so loud , I always need to turn the volume down , especially if I turned it up at the beginning of the piece .
Dynamics Exercise A great way to develop dynamics is to pick a scale or intricate bass line you know really well , ideally something that moves up and down all four strings , and play it on loop . Start by playing the looped line four times as quietly as you can , then four times normally , then four times digging in , then back to four times normally , and finally four times quietly again . Repeat this cycle again playing each loop twice , and again playing each loop once . Lastly , make the dynamic movement from quiet to heavy all within one loop of your scale or line . Always keep tempo in mind – don ’ t slow down when playing quietly and don ’ t speed up while digging in .
Tone Tricks You ’ ll notice your tone changes slightly as you go through the dynamic range of your bass , but one of my favourite tricks for tone is to tape a piece of felt or tissue over the bridge , just touching about a centimetre of the bottom of the strings . This will give you a slightly muted sound and with very little sustain . You can get a great ‘ 60s bass tone this way , especially if you use a pick and turn the tone knob all the way clockwise to the treble side . Also , if you keep the tone knob in the middle , with the bass and treble turned up on your amp , you can get a similar sound to what Sting had with The Police ( though he often palm muted instead ).
Dynamics and tone are elements of your playing that will develop over time . Each one helps the other . Rather than using compressors or limiters , I strongly recommend trying out the tips and exercises above while experimenting with the placement of your right hand and the velocity at which you strike the strings . It will definitely develop your feel for dynamics and get your ear more tuned to the tone of your bass .
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