Rhythmic divisions, Blues bass lines and Latin grooves

[@cheolliebee]

👏🏻👏🏻 thanks!

[@zoltansbasslounge]

You are welcome!

[@shooz4unme]

Q: What does it mean when the band is playing an 1/16th note groove? Also, what does it mean to play against the beat? Most informative video!!

[@zoltansbasslounge]

Hi, good questions! First, a sixteenth note groove means that the main rhythmic pulse (subdivision) applied to the beat is sixteenth notes. There will be other divisions present of course, likely ones that fit with sixteenth notes, so eights notes, quarter notes for example in the band. You can hear many sixteenth note grooves in Tower of Power songs. Francis Rocco Prestia was hugely famous for his sixteenth note grooves. About playing against the beat, when you play eights notes you play 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. Every time you hit those “and” off beats you are playing against the beat as you are playing the off beat. There’s a lot more to this in terms of superimposing note groupings over certain subdivisions, ie.: you could be playing a reoccurring 4 note phrase over triplets which is against the natural flow of triplets. It will sound somewhat unsettled as you would still be playing triplets but grouping them in four notes at a time will give you the feeling of playing sixteenth notes, so you’d be playing against the triplets. It’s a great effect actually..

[@shooz4unme]

@@zoltansbasslounge TY for the explanation! Q: When listening to any band, how would I know if they’re playing a 1/16th note groove? Also, what’s locking in with the drummer or the band for that matter, and going against the drummer or the band from bassist point of view?

[@zoltansbasslounge]

@@shooz4unme To be able to hear a 16th note groove, you need to know what 16th notes sound like. They equally subdivide the beat into four notes, so they are relatively fast. Like: 1-e-and-uh 2-e-and-uh etc. You'll hear it from drums playing continuous 16th notes to the beat/tempo on the high hat, and also in funk music there's a noticable chugging type accompaniment on the guitar in 16th note grooves. In general, you'll hear a sense of 16th note divide of the beat. Some say locking in with the drummer is to play the same rhythm as the bass drum plays and with identical feel and time. To me it's a bit of a myth as if you learn to play good time, you'll "lock in" with good drummers pretty much immediately. To me its being able to play and keep the same tempo and feel with the drums..

[@shooz4unme]

@@zoltansbasslounge TY again!! Very informative! Your video lessons are spot on!

[@zoltansbasslounge]

@@shooz4unme Thanks very much! Glad they are useful..