Notes_Norton

Or perhaps after bruising children with yardsticks for 30 years, they enter a mellowing out stage

Without a good foundation, the other instrument players don't know exactly how to play their parts to fall into a unified groove. In the recording studio, for pop songs anyway, the drummer is the king. Everybody syncs with the groove the drummer establishes. The bass player and drummer should work as a team, if not the groove is messy or lost. (In Latin American music, it's usually the clave player who sets the groove.) Then, if everyone else is listening and locking to that groove, the result will be a tight rhythm section instead of a sloppy one. When I lay down the drum part for a backing track I'm making for my duo, I 'sing along' the melody and bass line in my head while I'm playing the drum part. In that way, the groove fits the song and takes care of itself. I dislike drum machines for two reasons. 1) Each song needs its individual groove. Even if the variation is only slightly different from similar songs 2) The drum patterns and fills IMO must be tailored to each individual song as well. Of course, if you can't play drums, you have to find your best compromise. But keeping these things in mind might make your selection of a pre-played drum pattern a wiser choice. Insights and incites by Notes I've played in pop/rock/funk/Latin bands since I was a kid in Jr. High School. I learned to double on bass, rhythm guitar, and keys because every songwriter doesn't have the good sense to write a sax part. In the band I was on the road with for years, the drummer was a decent singer. Since my first instrument was drums, I knew how to keep time, I knew the first dozen or so rudiments, and I could do it, I'd sit behind the kit for 4 or more songs every night, so the drummer could get up and sing in front of the band. It impressed the girls, when I switched from sax to bass or guitar (most called them both guitars), keys, drums, sax, and flute. They would say something like, "How many instruments DO you play?" Another thing about learning all those instruments, is when arranging, making backing tracks, or writing styles for Band-in-a-Box, the experience lets me know the gifts and limitations of each instrument, and how the different instruments should interact with each other. Now I'm sure I couldn't keep up with the majority of good guitarists, bassists, or drummers, but I'm OK with that. Wind-Synth / Sax is my main axe.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics

I had 6 years of Catholic school. Vampires and werewolves are fictitious, they don't scare me. Nuns are real and they definitely scare me. ? What they did to the kids back then would have them thrown in jail today.

When I see my peers leaving life's stage, I consider myself a survivor. That doesn't mean I don't miss them though. Notes

I probably can't help because I play my own drum parts. My first instrument was drums. When I make a backing track, I play the drum part first using MIDI drum controllers and then the bass part. The two work together as a unit. Then I layer other parts on, the order depends on the song itself. I always save the two most fun parts of the song out of the backing tracks for Mrs. Notes and me to play live on top of the tracks. Notes

Willie And The Hand Jive - Johnny Otis

Yellow Days - Frank Sinatra

Indeed. Although, the 9/8 isn't too bad -- depending on the song. In "Blue Rondo a la Turk" when the 9/8 gives way to 4/4 it is such a delightful release. It's one of my favorite Dave Brubeck Quartet songs in their catalog.

"Heartbreaker" - Pat Benatar

As a bass 'doubler' I believe a bassist should always play something that works with the drummer, supports the song, adds tasty licks when appropriate and never competes with whoever is singing or playing the melody. Although sax is my primary instrument, I played bass full-time during the psychedelic era when nobody wanted to hire a sax player. Before and after that, I really enjoy doubling on bass. IMO the guy in the video is overplaying and just showing off, but I must add, there is nothing wrong with that either. Notes

We're losing too many of the people who shaped many of our lives. Dozens of early Rappers are old enough to move into the +50-year-old communities that have been our bread and butter since the late 1980s. Damn, that makes me feel old. Anyway, RIP Don, I hope you and Phil can sweeten up heaven with your beautiful harmonies.

^^^ Both was a good choice! ^ ^ ^

I couldn't resist combining down and town Downtown - Petula Clark

Pata Pata - Miriam Makeba I haven't heard this one in years. I heard part of this on the radio in an office, and so now I need to hear the rest.

Mannish Boy - Muddy Waters

To fret or not to fret - Bapu knows the answer

Another Double Bass for Bapu

What Is This Thing Called Love - Stan Getz

I was going through some old pictures and putting the better ones up at AdobeStock, hopefully to make a few pennies commission, when I found this one. A few years ago, Mrs. Notes and I visited the Czech Republic. Before we left, we bought first row balcony tickets for Dvorak's Opera, Rusalka. When we got there, someone was in our seats. We flagged down an usher, who found someone with authority for us. She assured us she would fund seats for us. It turned out she found seats in the very first row of the theater. I just leaned over the rail, looked into the pit, and snapped this one. We were so close we could hear the cast breathing. We also heard the Czech Philharmonic and the Prague Symphony Orchestra but didn't luck out with front row seats on those nights. But the music was delightful. I hope it doesn't give Bapu GAS. We were sitting in the balcony for this one. A delightful symphony never played in the USA.

When the Levee Breaks - Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie When it breaks, you'll be underwater for sure