Play Reggae Bass Like Flabba Holt
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- čas přidán 21. 11. 2020
- Reggae bass tutorial. Get that Roots Radics sounding bass by studying the style of Flabba Holt.
Some Roots Radics Tracks featuring The Flabba Holt Groove Move.
Zunguzungguguzunguzeng - Yellowman
• Yellowman Zungguzung...
Police In Helicopter - John Holt
• John Holt Police In ...
I'm Still Dancing - Michael Palmer
• 12 inch - Michael Palm...
Strictly Roots - Morgan Heritage
• Morgan Heritage - Stri...
Spotify Playlist with songs featuring this concept
open.spotify.com/playlist/0ED...
Backing Tracks and pdfs
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
If you're enjoying the content here and would like to support the channel, you can show support by buying me a coffee.
ko-fi.com/donstrumental - Krátké a kreslené filmy
I have zero and I mean *zero* idea how I was recommended this video, but for the first time in my life, I know what I want to be when I grow up: a reggae bass player that grooves like Flabba Holt.
🤣🤣🤣
@@donstrumental8905 kkkkk the same here. And maaaan I love the way he talks, the way he says "Flabba Holt"
Go get a bass and start groovin!
@@RickyMontijo I keep thinking about it. This video has stuck in my head like no other. The pandemic has hit me fairly hard, but I'm not destitute yet. I still have a few bucks to throw around. Roughly how much do you think a person would have to spend to get just a very basic, serviceable bass and reasonable, no frills amp?
@@OTOss8 about $150 would get you started lots of good package deals around 👍
This guy is teaching you bass when he has the voice of the gods
🤣🤣🤣
I'd rather hear the bass in the bass lesson, not his "god" voice. Useless
@@samn5564 Virgin detected
true that! what's most important - he's happy with teaching us bass with diz godly vocal.
note.. note note..
You teach the actual FEEL of it better than any other music teacher!
Thank You Bob👊🏾
He leads u staright to the battle field.......Captain my captain
The execution of rests makes the whole groove nice and steady. Reggae bass is totally on a different level.
Absolutely!!!
I think leaving space is just as important as playing a note, a great example of this is this fabulous Bassline 🙂 czcams.com/video/K0Ux_w4XV_g/video.html
Hits different 🇯🇲❤️
as a metal guy, bass is sinfully treated in our genre. those bands that make proper use of it and make it genuinely audible and have a groovy REALLY stand out - and yet it's still very rare for some reason
im a metal fan but the bass is hardly audible in most bands because the rhythm guitar is supposed to have a fat low end to sound chunky, so they cut the bass. That and the rhythm section groove isnt as important as it is in reggae, thats why i appreciate it more
Well, adding 3 bass strings to the guitar doesn't help either. Most modern metal today is guitars pretending to be basses and basses pretending to be guitars virtuosos.
Check out Havok if you're not familiar for some good bass in metal
@@ReezMo havok has one good album… rest are now boring generic “new thrash”
For some amazing metal bass playing check out Dan Briggs of Between the Buried and Me.
Reggaebass is one of the hippest things in music history. 🔥🔥❤
Agreed👊🏾
You know this is true
@@donstrumental8905, cfc, 4,😏
I used to see Flabba a lot in LA whenever he would pass through on tour, we meet and have a meal at one Jamaican restaurant. Such a wonderful Man and he KNOWS bass. A mentor for sure ! That tone though !!!
I met him at Rotorom festival many years ago, he was just finishing on stage and I was going on. I told him that he was the reason I play. He called over Style Scott and said “tell him what you just said”🤣
@@donstrumental8905 Sounds like him ! He was w Israel Vibration most times and the other time w The Abyssinians, we were like two kids, singing and playing ‘mouth bass’ he is so animated !
@@donstrumental8905 lmao, great story.
Back in the ‘90’s I had the honour of Don playing live with our hip hop/reggae band.
Best bass player I ever worked with by a country mile.
And a lovely brother to boot.
That is the sickest bass tone I’ve ever heard! So tight!
No kidding & I think that bass would sound like reggae no matter what style of music it was playing.....
Pre amp?
@@zeusapollo8688 He's also got a block of foam muting the strings slightly
lf I had to guess I would say the mids and highs are both rolled back to detent (maybe even further). Lows slightly boosted. Pickup pan definitely rolled up towards the neck. That just covers the electronics. The kind of strings could definitely be helping achieve that tone too. Last thing would be how he's got his rig EQ'd
@@andreswaringer1476 definitely got the mids and highs cut. It's reggae bass, all about the sub. String wise, I'd say maybe flatwounds but that's not a stereotypical choice really. Most of the sound of reggae bass comes from the EQ on the desk and tape compression and saturation.
Just realized reggae may be the best music out here. It feels like music in the mother tongue..
Not going to argue with that👊🏾
It is
I see reggae and bass, I subscribe.
Done the right thing👊🏾
Same here 💯
true dat. same.
Jam on. ✌🏽
Same 🙃
This video taught me more in 13 minutes than my precalculus teacher in 45. Subscribed.
Usually a punk/metal bass player but always looking to expand my horizons
I’m not a bass player, but it’s the subtle economy of the reggae bass that keeps all other instruments grounded and tells them HOW to play and not overplay. This video has done more to demonstrate that than countless playing and listening. Great job
"Space"
😂😂
Reggae bass is like nothing else. I joined some great Jamaican guys to fill in on the bass, coming from rock music "space, before the beat, after the beat. Don't be so precise" was what I was told.
Bless up!
You were told the correct stuff👊🏾
When you dropped that note on the first beat of the second bar ("space") at the end, it brought a huge smile to my face. Your lesson is such a gift. Thank you. I like your round fat bass sound as well.
As someone who's always wanted to play some old school heavy dub music, I'm insanely impressed with your last 3 videos. You've somehow managed to do what most fall far short at by condensing extremely important concepts into short, to the point videos WHILE providing references, tabs, and even backing tracks! Seriously please keep it up, one of the best music channels I've seen on YT. You deserve way more subscribers.
Thanks Man. I found the reggae of the last 20 years has been lacking good bass hence I need some bass disciples to help bring it back to life. I’m sure the subscribers will come, I’m in no rush👊🏾
Are you kidding? He is talking to me while grooving that hard...
@@donstrumental8905 subscribed! It's clear from that rock steady groove that you are in no rush
Let me put it to you now, Don might not work. Big it up.
@@donstrumental8905 hit us with how to get the best tone brethren.
String choice, rounds vs flats vs tapes. I love flats.
How to set tone on amps, whether to use a compressor...
Many thanks
BASS!!!!!!
I’m mostly a jazz guy, but man I dig reggae bass. Definitely something I need to work on
@Guy Fredlund Those must be bassists who used to be guitarists, and wanted to emulate "busy bassline" like Chris Squire or John Entwistle :p
I grew up on soul, funk and reggae and I would say the discipline of reggae helped me play everything else better.
I saw the photo from that concert in the amusement park when I was in a venue in Stockholm. People were everywhere. You lucky man.
I love it how reggea bass players play off the 3 (in cut time) it sounds awesome especially when they pick it up straight after its disorienting in such a great way...literally been taken a trip.
I agree that Flabba's a bass genius. One of my favorite tricks of his was when he reversed the two halves of the bassline for Joya Landis' "Moonlight Lover" when he backed young Barrington Levy's version of the tune. He started out with the sixteenth-note delay in the line to "modernize" the line. Very clever and really propelled the riddim!
I love so many of his lines...another of my faves is his wikked line for Leroy Sibbles' (who knows something about bass himself!) "Give Me What is Mine," recorded in JA with the Radics when Leroy was living in TO.
Sorry for the late response, I had to go check out the song. Think I’ve found a bigger Flabba Holt geek than myself👊🏾
@@donstrumental8905 LOL so you see (hear) what I mean?
Really great video, I like the way you break it down, and the tabs on screen are so helpful, keep em coming don ☝️
Nice vídeo! I'm a bassist in a reggae band here in Brazil and I had the pleasure of meeting and traveling around my country with Flabba on an Israel vibration 2019 tour, he told me great stories about Gregory Isaacs and others, Flabba is phenomenal as a bassist and also as a human being.
Reggae is the one off the best musical zones for a bassist, in my opinion, keep it up!
would love to hear you're band👊🏾
Valter qual nome da sua banda? eu adoraria conhecer!
I have done all kinds of arts, from music to painting to writing to dancing. In all of them, space is the overlooked magic ingredient. This is one of the reasons I fell in love with reggae when I was 20 years old, and a reason why I love to play reggae and '68-'75 funk bass. Silence speaks louder than sound.
Space is underrated, especially in the modern era of funk bass. Too much information and no one comes up for air.
@@donstrumental8905 I like your metaphor
All slow and heavy bass is the reason why I have played Bass and 5ers. I love the slow heavyweight swing. Like swells in the ocean 🌊.
Love it. Definitely the pause gives the music breathing space.
Bruh I could listen to your thoughts and experience and watch rhythms and lines evolve all day and never get bored. This was incredible. Thank you for sharing with us!
Flabba holt is a legend with the legendary roots radics
Underrated!!!
That space on the 2nd bar does so much difference to the feeling. Incredible! Keep it up and thanks for sharing :)
You are very welcome👊🏾
This is sick man. The bass lines are so tight and groovy . Love it
I've played reggae bass from feel and now this has given it context and meaning... awesome!!💲💲
Probably one of the best bass videos I’ve ever seen. Perfectly explained and presented. I’m now want to play reggae after watching this
This doorway into reggae makes me look at the music in a whole new way. Thank you and subscribed!
Thanks Ed, happy to have you on board👊🏾
I am
This as well as Funk opened up a whole other world for me.
Reggae is deep rabbit hole. The amount of good music that came out of the tiny island of Jamaica is insane. Dive in buddy, you wont be disappointed!
this has to be one of the most useful things i've been taught about music. i don't plan to play much reggae, but this quality of tutoring and knowledge isn't something i find very often. thank you for sharing!
This man Flabba Holt and the Roots Radics band were very pivotal to Gregory Issacs success. Legendary indeed..
A drummer buddy of mine sent me this since reggae has always eluded me. Conceptually I've always understood the role of the bass in the genre but the way break down making a line in this one has finally made it start to click for me, definitely diving deep into anything else you've got now!
Only 5 minutes into watching this and already learning a ton. I just got back into bass last month after a verrrryyyyy long pause and have been jonesing to play some reggae, rocksteady, and dub lines that I’ve been loving the last several years. I’m so looking forward to digging through your vids. Thanks for sharing your craft. Much love.
Great to have you
Flabba Holt is the one that inspired me to play bass :)
Today it's my fav' instrument !
I’ve been playing bass for years but you have inspired me to get back into why I first picked one up!
love love love this lesson. One of the best lessons I've seen on CZcams because you are teaching how to GROOVE and play BASS.
🙏🙌
If you've got a Drummer ... "A REAL Drummer..." LOL Love you and thanks for sharing master!
Feel blessed that this video was recommended to me, instant subscriber.
Absolutely was meant to find this video, thank you !
“Live if you wanna live!” Damn, this channel is 🔥🔥🔥. Where was this channel 30 years ago when I started learning Flabba, Fams, Robbie by ear. This would have made my life so much easier. Amazing work Don! ❤️ from Brooklyn!
Bass' tone is perfection in the mix
Thank you Uele, some of the comments say the bass is too low, I deliberately mixed it too loud. I can hear it clear through my phone with no headphones.👊🏾
I love that you show people you can have rhythm and sound good without playing like a mad man lol
Especially in todays online world. Thank You
Well put. Makes me understand the Roos Radics groove much better!
Thanks for the latest installment. Love your work
Roots Radics are my favorite so I had to watch even though I don't play bass yet.
Get that bass and join us Jeff, you only live once👊🏾
This is brilliant. Been listening to Roots since mid/late 70's and Ska, Rocksteady etc from before that. Also been playing bass a long time too. I've learned more in the last 12 minutes than I have in years. Not so much about triads, which I already knew but the timing and the importance of the occasional space or 'short' note. I will be subscribing and watching with great interest the rest of your content. Thank you. Rude boy forever. Praise be.
A lot of reggae taught on youtube is very academic. Things like "Family plays off the back of the beat" doesn't really mean anything. Each player has a personality, Those are the qualities I dissect. That space at the beginning of the second bar is a thing Flabba does on so many recordings, It's part of his D.N.A, He probably has no idea about the the things he does. Thanks for jumping on board👊🏾
Holding my 2 days old bass guitar and trying to mimicking you is so phenomenal
Congrats and good luck with your playing
Again a very good and interesting tutorial video! Thank you Don!
My mantra when recording is "bass needs space" be it reggae rock or soul or whatever.
This guy's nailed the feel perfectly.
Thank You
Jah led me here! what a great way to display a lesson. just exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the downloads..helps a lot.
Jah will always guide you👊🏾
This has become my favorite videos to watch, Respect 🤜🏾
best thing for ages! great channel! bless up Don!
Brilliant! I bet I'm not the only one who discovered Flabba from the Scientist records... I was playing bass in a Motown covers band when I got into Roots Radics, so you best believe we did Please Mister Postman with a Flabba Space 😁
Yep!!! Greensleaves Record label had the credits on the 12” records in this order Mixed by Scientist at King Tubbys Recorded at Channel One, Backed by Roots Radics. That was all I needed to see to fork out my saved up dinner money👊🏾
This is one of the best bass tutorials I've seen; clear, direct and inspiring. Thank you!
Thank you, hang around, there’s more to come.
So much flabba
The one and only! Thanks for this video!!
Love it. Thanks for masterful work, and sharing.
This great dude :-)
Thank you for this... I am always teaching "less is more." Now I have an example... plus many more examples. Gratitude...
Hard to get through to the kids nowadays when every bass video is someone playing 20 notes in a second👊🏾
@@donstrumental8905 Maturity has its advantages. .I was just listening to an old video of a very talented gal, from '82. I was smitten with this gal's stage presence and talent. At the time she was a goddess... Now, with my mature ears, I hear her youthful flaws with phrasing and timing. It is a blessing and a curse.
Again, thanks for laying this groove down... I'm sharing this with my drummer, who has a tendency to over-play. She's slowly "getting it," but has a way to go.
@@thomaswalz3515 depends what music your playing though. Genre I mean.
So glad I found your channel, amazing video, thank you so much !
Thank you👊🏾
Awesome. Love Flabba! Thanks for this
Uncle!!!! please i beg, give us at least one video a month... the knowledge that you share is soo valuable to us young musicians.
I will do my best to do better than one video a month. Happy to know you’re enjoying the videos.
@@donstrumental8905 Yeah man we love it. Thanks for sharing your experience.
@@albertonavas6357 Thanks bro👊🏾
Very interesting, and nice to hear. Beautiful bass sound !
Thank you👊🏾
Thankyou so much! I play reggae Bass,and I too see flabba Holt as the epitome of Deep playing.I am always looking to improve my playing and your tutorial is just brilliant.So full of no-nonsense info,and proper helpful detail. RESPECT I will subscribe ,and will check out your previous tutorials.
Awesome video! Lots of fun learning those concepts and playing along. Thanks!
Thanks bro
awesome lesson. coming from a heavy metal background this is refreshing to hear and learn. cheers
Metal and reggae are my to favorite styles of music. Bad Brains album Quickness is kind of the pinnacle of that to me.
This video reminds me of Bob Ross "The Joy of Painting" ...it's worth watching even if you're not interested in the subject, because the presenter is so righteous.
Thanks man☺️
Such a nice comment
Incredibly gorgeous sound, excellent timing, an Aston equal
This was so thoroughly explained! AMAZING! Loved this video! ❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥
1:06 Flabba Holt groove move (rythm)
2:36 Police in helicopter - John Holt
3:30 I’m still dancing - Michael Palmer
5:43 original baseline
I play reggae bass but this... this has just opened my eyes to a whole new approach and concept.
Thanks for this tutorial. Love the groove and the bass mix is lit 🔥
Liked! Subscribed! Shared!
You're welcome Russell👊🏾
Thank you so much for this. Flabba Holt and Style Scott - pure genius.
Absolutely👊🏾
Universal quality content...love from South Africa!!!
awesome!!!
donstrumental's getting a huge endorsement i see. i follow this guy's channel
@@krisdarie3980 Yes me too! Maybe Claudio from Doctor Mix will produce some reggae soon ? Who knows!
I just checked out Dr Mix’s reworking of Thriller, Holy Shit!!!
@@donstrumental8905 Well, THAT GEAR!! :D
Doctor mix here hahaha neeeeeeeext. Awesome tecnics Man amazing reggaebassline
great great content! love it!
this kind of thing is missing on youtube
Yes, a lot of misinformation on CZcams👊🏾
I dig these grooves...Right up my alley
Hi Don, these basslines are vintage and so good to play, thank you I really enjoy ur lessons , I never get tired listening to Reggae 🇯🇲🏴🇬🇭
Dat bass tone.... Definitely subscribed!
Thank you Rob👊🏾
Great lesson. I’ve been playing reggae bass for 15 years now and played with the likes of the wailers, Barrington Levy, Toots and The Mattel’s, The Itals, Soul Syndicate
Whats your name and where you from bro?
@@donstrumental8905 why is my leg getting longer 😂
Yeahhhhhh more of those please!!! Really good video :)
Brilliant! A superb use of the last 13 minutes! Thank you Don
Very welcome
When he says “Space” i felt it!
Thank you for the grooves! playing along with you. You have great tone. Could you talk a bit about the foam thing in the bridge and how/when you use it.
Just a bit of foam I found hanging around the studio nothing special. It just kills the sustain. I don’t always use it. Depends on the sound I’m going for. An alternative is to play with you thumb and mute with the side of you hand. I find that I get more freedom when I use the foam.👊🏾
Very helpful, I love the concept of using space. Cheers!
I’m so pleased for this content. I have always looked for some instructions about reggae basslines on the internet and never found so much things. Therefore I had to create my own path and learn through effort. Thank you master, I just find out your channel right now and I’m gonna watching all the videos.
Thank you Igor, we going to make the world a better place with more reggae bass.
I've never tried playing this style before, just tried the foam at the bridge and it's a HUGE part of the sound/tone. I was trying to mute the strings with my left hand to get that short-sustain muted note, but the pressure is critical and it's tough as a newbie. As soon as I put the foam in I all of a sudden started sounding like Don here! I was lucky enough to have exactly the right kind of foam from an acoustic panel for a studio. There's still a lot of skill that goes into making this sound really good, though. Now I can keep practicing.
Welcome to the reggae tribe Matt👊🏾
Can we just talk about that tone for a minute. Like BUTTAH!
Yes we can!!! Video coming soon👊🏾
i suddenly realize i need a jazz bass in my life. i used to have one (i'm a guitar player) i have a p now. i need a jazz as well.
Thank you!! You explain it so well and your breakdown is so clear, very helpful!! I hope you do more of these - much respect from Australia 🇦🇺
Plenty more coming, I miss Oz👊🏾
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your knowledge.
You’ve got amazing timing! That’s the hardest thing to nail when playing this type of Music I think..
Thanks bro👊🏾
I think playing this type of music helps your timing. It’s easier to play in time fast than it is to play slow because the space between the notes gets further apart when playing slow.👊🏾
@@donstrumental8905 Howard Cowart (bee gees,john fred& the playboys ect)(rip) told me the same thing in 2005 when I recorded some R&R at his studio ,playing fast is easier
**he had a very creative original style he played on many disco hits w/ bee gees ..but judy in disquise is a very creole south Louisiana zydeco flavor bass line
SPACE, MAGIC SPACE!! Thanks for this lesson, it's sometimes very difficult not to play. Less is more.
It's a rythmic silence!
Absolutely, the magic is in the notes you don’t play.👊🏾
Flabba Holt is my favorite reggae bass player of all times, blessings for all the vibes - big up!
Love your channel, very insightful. You’ve got an awesome feel too.
Thank the algorithm gods for recommending me this, couldn’t subscribe any faster.
I’m new but I’m already asking: any tips specific for Rocksteady basslines / dynamics? I know a lot of these apply, but I’m aiming for that golden era sound :)
Listen carefully to as much Rockseady as you can consume. Eventually it gets in your DNA
This video is great, and it's so cool to see a real player in action. Someone who knows and respects the traditions, but just looking at the gear in there you also keep up with the times. You also use musical notation. All-in-all very inspiring! Any chance you, @Donstumental, can share those drum loops for us to practice with, or even just the notation on the drum loops?
Thank you for the kind words, yes!!! I try not to be a dinosaur, there’s kids trying to kick your ass so you have to be 1 step ahead. Is it just the drums your asking about? Are you aware the backing tracks are in the description for you to download with bass and without. If that’s not what you’re asking about drop me an email donstrumental@gmail.com👊🏾
@@donstrumental8905 I was not aware of that, that will be plenty, thank you for the considerate and prompt reply!
This is pure gold! Thank you
Great video, thanks for sharing and teaching us some cool reggae concepts!