Who likes to play pocket

[DWBass]

Here's a good example of pocket playing (with a bit of embelishment).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_KuD0AjWdE

[DWBass]

This is more in line of what I like to listen to and play.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u3V-WKw_SU

[DWBass]

This is my type of pocket playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8P72S8E230

[Gðñg§†a_Ñè®Ð™]

This has been one of mah favourite bass vids

Here's a good example of pocket playing (with a bit of embelishment).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_KuD0AjWdE

Oh I kinda understand a little better now, and by the way how do you "Keep in within the pocket"?

[Gðñg§†a_Ñè®Ð™]

To me, MO is an excellent pocket player.  He's definately busy but SO controlled that he don't sound busy at all until you try to play "any" of his work.

Who is that? "MO"

[ddwilkins]

Here's a good example of pocket playing (with a bit of embelishment).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_KuD0AjWdE

I can't believe you broght Sharay out the bag and posted him. This is straight pocket playing. Another example of pocket playing is looking up the late great James Brown. His band always played in the pocket.

[ddwilkins]

Who is that? "MO"

"Mo is Maurice Fitzgerald. Here's a clip of him from the same concert as Sharay Reed. I know if may seem that he is doing a lot more in this clip. But check out some of his stuff with Fred Hammond.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nqbkXmyOYk&feature=related

[DWBass]

"Mo is Maurice Fitzgerald. Here's a clip of him from the same concert as Sharay Reed. I know if may seem that he is doing a lot more in this clip. But check out some of his stuff with Fred Hammond.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nqbkXmyOYk&feature=related

Whew! I'm worn out from watching that. I couldn't take a whole evening of that though! An old band of mine came down from NY to Virginia Beach to play and the bass player that replaced me is one of those 'gotta slap everything' type of players. By the end of the show I was totally worn out from hearing this guy!! I can appreciate the skill to sustain that over a couple of hours though.

[brotee]

Thanks for the replies, but could someone give me a song where there is a lot of pocket playing?

Hear is an example of organized playing, meaning the arrangement is planned.
This song positions in and out of pocket playing

Marcus Miller Run for Cover  Pooky Bell on Drums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHf7DvVpeiU

[brotee]

  I've been playing in The Church over a year now, prior to that I was in the Jazz seen. playing by ear most of the time, taking theory now. Could some one post some titles of some CD's with some nice bass work in them. I don't have a very good collection fo gospel music. Only what the MOM gives me at Church.

Thank you anyone.

[hands5]

Old School Pocket player here! I can appreciate what the younger crowd likes to display but for me it totally distracts from the message I'm trying to listen and it further distracts me because I'm a bass player and I always listen to what the bass player is doing. I'd much rather enjoy the song as a whole.

Exactly, not to mention that you're likely to get more gigs if  you're discipline to play like this.....TRUST ME !

[bassthumpa]

Here's a good example of pocket playing (with a bit of embelishment).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_KuD0AjWdE

Here's the entire song at a different camera angle.  His pocket is DEEP man, he really grooves within it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILa-XvSbwCY

Pocket playing is the way to go, no question.

[Torch7]

All these different angles, now all we need is that concert in HD...

[bassthumpa]

All these different angles, now all we need is that concert in HD...

LOL, right!

[Browntiplocs]

It means the most to me when a bass player that has a lot a chops can demonstrate his maturity and play the groove and make it it as funky as possible on an upbeat tune and as big and powerful as it should be on ballads. 

(sigh)I personally think the whole "in the pocket" statement is soooooo overrated.  Mostly said by people who 1. haven't the faintest idea of what a pocket really is or 2. have no choice but to play the same thing repetitiously for their lack of chops.  No knock on those who apply but as a producer I would want and HIRE a bass player that can do both.  One that can groove me to death but can tear the house down as well when the time comes but thats me, my opinion, my preference.  For the record, a pocket does not necessarily mean not showing chops or keeping it steady as much as it means staying relatively in the same wave with the rest of the band.  So if my band is capable of doing Chick Corea (authentically) then wouldn't you want a bass player to be able go there as well??  I mean in Indiana, we do all of that...I have heard from way busy-busy-nice-grooving-robotic-boring-please go.  Notice how grooving falls in the middle...that's the pocket IMO.

Most of the guys on most threads say "his groove is so tight" or similar statements.  I'm like"huh???"   Is it or is it not our job as bassists to "hold the groove"?  That's like saying "I went to the store and paid for everything I walked out with".   Not to mention a lot of the "chops" you hear from some well known bassists on CD's that you think are soooo crazy are in fact the extent of their chop-o-meter anyway.  I was at a concert and the bass player was kinda grooving with a few predictable licks here and there...I was appreciating the overall approach then the Director said, "Come on, ****, let me here some!"  It was a musical (midnight) and we were having a great time anyway...it was the last song too...oh and service had dismissed so I guess it was a shed(ish)...Anyway he played perhaps the worst display of chops I have ever had heard and the people were like

 

Furthermore, holding a pocket has little to do with getting "work".  Maturity, attitude, placement, professionalism, experience, and sometimes sheer NAME RECOGNITION do.  It is because of all of these most of us continue to work and record albums-do gigs or what have you.  I know a slew bass players with nice "pockets" who never play anywhere...unfortunately.

My point is simple.  Give me a bass player in my studio that can't hold a groove but got all chops and I'll show him the door.  Give me a bass player that can groove but has no "creativity" and I'll call him for some things, but give me a Sharay, or Darrell, or Lil Rodney that can do them both very well...........I am not saying I am all that because I am surely not.  I am just stating my opinion or perhaps trying to show another point of view.  Less is more but there is a time and place for everything.  Now let the flaming begin..

[twest45]

I agree with Brown! That's what I'm working on now, holding a groove and having chops.  I basically have the groove them, it's just chops im working on very very hard now.  Like 2-3hrs everynight of basically just taking scales and coming up with licks.  I record them all too so i kind of got my own "lick" library.  And I try to learn every lick that i hear that i like rather it's bass, lead, paino, organ, ..... etc.

[DWBass]

Hmmmm. I have done a ton of studio work starting in the late 70's. Chops are wanted, yes. But, in my experience, a bassist who plays for himself, independent of the rhythm section, will get shown the door with the quickness. I guess it depends on the type of music the producer is working on. The majority of the music I played on required simple laid back steady playing (all genres). I would not call it boring but it does take discipline to NOT embellish at times. IMO, urban gospel music seems to be the only genre where the bassists get to 'go off' more than usual. I just find it a bit self serving. Admittedly, some of it does sound good.

*Side note: I owned and ran my own project studio for about 10 years when I lived in NY.

It's good that we all have different opinions. It just shows and proves that we all come from different places and have our own unique experiences.

[BassMan2000]

It's all in what you want. I play pocket and riffs. when there is a opening I'll put riff.
It all depends if it fits with the moment. The past 3 or 4 years I have studied Theory and melody over chords. My brother is a Jazz Guitar player and he showed me how to combine  partial scales and modes. I use the 2, 4 & 5 mode the most.

[floaded27]

so what do us "chop"-less players do in the meantime? i do be wondering if the occasional bass player that hears me thinks in his head "this dude is wack". i know im far from tearin the house down and i know people wouldnt be crowded in the corner around me like in those videos. everybody wants the people lookin over sayin "where did they get this guy. i gotta hear more" but just startin out im probably closer to  "where did they get this guy. get him outta here" LOL. i definitely cant stop playing and wait until i get chops.

[dhagler]

*WARNING* Novice Bass Player on Board.  Maybe it's just my age (43) or my lack of experience (only 3 years) but I gravitate toward simple, melodic playing that compliments rather than riffs, runs, and solos that stand out.  At the end of the day I want to feel as though what I played fit the context and the spirit of the song, and frankly I want to call as little atttention to myself as possible.  Put it in basketball terms:  I'd rather be Tim Duncan than Kobe Bryant.

I appreciate Brown's point of view.  DW's as well.  But most of us aren't going to get called to do session work.  We're going to go every Sunday to (insert name of church here) and play to more or less the same audience every Sunday.  If what I play is pleasing in God's sight, if my church family likes it, if I look over at my keyboardist and she gives me a thumbs up, then I've done what I came to do.