Bassists who`play Steve-esque stuff.

[LordFireworm]

Howdy.
Recently when I've been writing songs with my guitarist,I've started doing the free roaming bassplayer type stuff like Steve and Roger Patterson.
Anyway,although it sounds cool with the music,my fear is that it may take away from the overall heavyness of the tunes.After all,it is metal.It should have some fucking thunder to it.
Its only me and one guitarist so it is'nt like there is another string player there to play more conservatively and keep a much more concrete groove if me and John (Guitarist) are both doing seperate things.
Anyway,does anyone else have this problem?
Steve,are you ever faced with this scenario?
Help?
Fjorg?
Eamonn

 

[Damien]

Well,

I'm not Steve, but I play in a band that plays pretty progressive heavy music, and I try and fill it up with as much bass as possible, but alot of times I'm have to hold back... My best advice for filling the music up with bass is listen to the drummer and work with him ALOT. Alot of time I work with my drummer so he writes his beat with my lines, that way we support eachother and we can branch away from the guitar line a bit, and when we do this the guitarist NEVER seems to complain. Also I try and listen to the other guys in the band. Sometimes I'll try and lay some bass chord-type textures under the guitar to fill out the sound and still add some tonality to free up the guitarist. Most of the time I play tight with the drummers snare and like to pop notes for more attack, or listen to his flam and cymbal work and work into to that.

I guess I have been criticized for some over playing, but if you can keep in in context to where it's beneficial to the music people usually dont complain.

good luck
damien

 

[Coypu]

I think that Roger Patterson is a perfect example of how to do it, he stayed with the guitars most of the time but added a fill here and there and at times spiced the songs with his amazing basswork like in I deny & Unholy War.

Sean Malone have also written about this : http://dsrmusic.com/metaltab/text/guitarLessons/theLessons/smaloneL1.html