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Adam Nitti Technique Series: A Recipe For Delicious Time
Meet Adam Nitti –
From: Adam Nitti’s Kitchen Of Groove
Prep: 5 minutes
Work: 20-30 minutes a day
Serves: Audiences worldwide
Ingredients:
1 bass player (preferably YOU)
2 fresh ears, cleaned and listening
1 bass, properly slapped and shredded upon
1 metronome or drum machine
1 mental ‘knife’, used to slice time in halves
Directions:
Ok, folks. Today we are going to learn to make some great time the old fashioned way… from the inside-out! In other words, we are going to spend some quality time developing our INTERNAL clocks. Simply put, our internal clocks are what give us the ability to keep time and create a groove. They are the heartbeat of the music that lives inside us. Our internal clocks are what allow us to play music in time without the aid of any other device or player. Over the years, you have undoubtedly spent some time practicing or performing some things by yourself. If these musical performances or rehearsed parts utilized anything more than a single note, then you had to have relied on your own internal clock to give them some sort of relevancy to time. However, some of us have developed this skill more than others, and I want to help you to make your internal clock even stronger. When your internal clock is strong, then you naturally play with a strong and convincing groove. Groove is what makes you and the listener want to move to the music. It is that undeniable, almost intangible force that connects people to the sounds they are experiencing. The greatest players in the world all have this ability to groove in common, and they exhibit it regardless of if they are performing with other players or not!
Now, a lot of us have spent a lot of time working with metronomes and drum machines in order to improve our time. Metronomes, drum machines, and even drummers are examples of what I refer to as EXTERNAL clocks. To state this another way, an external clock is a time source that we FOLLOW. It sets the time, and we fall into its pulse in order to play along with the time. Now, just in case you think I am headed in a peculiar direction, let me emphasize that I am not going to argue the value of practicing with an external clock source at all! In fact, I spent many years as a young player working with a metronome to try and fine tune my timekeeping abilities while challenging myself technically. Those years absolutely helped me to elevate my technical abilities. However, as I became a little older and more mature as a player, I discovered a very important point. Depending solely on external sources to hone your timekeeping skills brings about diminishing returns. In other words, you can only go so far depending on an outside source to keep you aligned with the time. If you can’t rely on your own inner clock, then you are going to have a lot of trouble grooving.
There are many factors that can get in our way when we try and rely on our internal clocks. Anxiety, nervousness, expectations, ego, and arrogance are all examples of ingredients that will make our time taste horrible. Before you start preparing this recipe, make sure that your ingredients are fresh and of the highest quality. I recommend seasoning your time with humility, unselfishness, generosity, and love. Folks won’t be able to get enough of your time when you serve it up that way!
Now that we have a basic understanding of what it is we are trying to create here, let’s work on an exercise that will help you to strengthen and rely more on your own internal clock. This exercise is very, very simple, but it is also very challenging. What we are going to do is play a groove to an external clock source, but as we work through the exercise, we are going to progressively wean ourselves off of it, while relying more on our internal clock.
NOTE: For this exercise, it will be most effective if you have a metronome or drum machine that can be programmed to play a click at VERY slow tempos. I recommend programming a click or sound that plays on a whole note subdivision. That way, you can create clicks with long spaces in between.
INTERNALIZATION
To start, program your metronome or drum machine so that it only plays on the whole note subdivision, or in other words a single click or pulse on beat 1 of each measure. (We’re going to stay in 4/4 time for this particular example, but the sky is the limit with time signatures here…) Now, set the tempo to 200 bpm and start it playing.
NOTE: Although you have the tempo set to 200 bpm on your metronome or drum machine, it will sound like 50 bpm, since you have the click set to a whole note.)
Listen to the click for a while, allowing the time to internalize. While it is playing, without touching your bass, think about a groove that you can play to the click that will fit nicely into the time feel. With your ears and your mind, imagine yourself playing this bass groove perfectly within the time. Notice that I have you first spending time listening to your groove being played inside the time even BEFORE you start actually playing it!!! This is a key objective in working on your time. Internalization is step 1 to being able to play a groove convincingly, because it proves that you are already grooving even before you play a single note! Continue imagining yourself playing this groove for at least a couple of minutes before moving on.
EXECUTION
Now that you have your groove internalized and can already hear yourself playing it, now pick up your bass and start playing that groove. If you have internalized effectively, then you should come in right on time and be playing solid time from the moment you strike your first note. (For some of you, this may be a huge light bulb moment from the get-go. Many players have never before attempted to internalize the time before starting to play, and subsequently have had trouble in the past locking with a groove from the first note forward…) While you are executing your groove, don’t stop internalizing! Some of you when you start to play, will have a tendency to want to try to mentally time your notes so that you can predictively match the pulse of the click. This is what I would consider playing from the ‘outside-in’. In other words, you are not playing as someone who is an actual part of the music… Instead, you are playing your part ‘at the same time’ as the music… I hope you can understand the huge difference there. Internalization allows you to actually become the music being made, as opposed to timing what you play to match the music. There is a huge difference in how these two approaches come across to the listener. Listen from the ‘inside-out’. That means getting to a place where you trust your internal clock enough to depend on it.
CHOP IT IN HALF
Now that you understand the intricacies of ‘internalization’ and ‘execution’, we can get to the meat of the exercise. This is the part where we are going to rely more on our internal clocks to keep us in time! Right now, you are playing at 200 bpm. Spend at least a few minutes playing at this tempo. Then, then cut the tempo in half, to 100 bpm. Once again, before beginning to play, internalize the time and the groove. Hear yourself playing the same exact bass groove at the same speed, but at the new metronome setting. You will only hear clicks played half as often, so you will have to spend more time in between the clicks relying on your own internal clock. After you have successfully listened to yourself playing inside the time in your mind, then pick up your bass and start the groove again. Really strive to still hear the subdivisions of the higher metronome setting even though they are not audible from the device. The smaller the beat resolution you can hear on your own, the easier it is going to be to play in time, regardless of the situation.
Continue playing at this halved tempo for at least 3 minutes successfully to continue to reinforce your timing. Then, cut the metronome tempo in half once again, from 100 bpm to 50 bpm. See where we’re headed here? Now you are going to have even fewer clicks to align to. You have no choice but to rely on your internal clock. This tempo will be more challenging because there will be more ‘dead’ space in between the clicks. Once again, first internalize the groove over the current metronome setting before starting to play.
If you have done well so far, take it to the next level! Cut the tempo in half one more time to 25 bpm and see how you fare. This tempo is super-challenging, but is not impossible. In fact, if you have successfully internalized your groove over the previous metronome markings, then you might be surprised just how close to the time you can get right out of the gate! As with the previous tempos, first internalize and imagine yourself playing the groove before you start to play. NOW you’re making delicious time!!!
Obviously, you’ll want to practice this approach repeatedly with a variety of different bass grooves and tempos. Don’t ever get into the habit of working an exercise like this one-dimensionally. Challenge yourself daily. Make this internalization philosophy part of your practice routine, and don’t just limit it to metronome or clock work. Internalization will apply just as significantly to your improvisational or technical skills. I also strongly recommend recording your practice sessions when you work on these exercises. If you will journal your progress in this way, you should be able to hear an improvement in your time and groove playing as you move forward. Positive reinforcement will do wonders for your confidence and prove to you that this is all time well spent!
MENTAL PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
I hope that this simple approach to working on your internal clock will help you to overcome any obstacles that are preventing you from grooving with confidence and purpose. Like so many things in life, often it is a mental challenge that needs to be overcome before we are able to execute things physically. You want to get to a place where it becomes second nature for you to internalize and groove. My hope is that as you progress as a musician, you will continue to discover how powerful a communicator you can be simply by allowing your heart to speak through your hands.
Until next time, keep it bassy!!!
Gear News
New Gear: Esopus Guitars Launches New Acoustic/Electric Bass
Esopus Guitars Launches New Acoustic/Electric Bass…
Esopus Guitars is proud to announce the new “Tailwater” bass guitar, from legendary bass luthier Stuart Spector. This 32” scale bass is handcrafted by Stuart using the only finest woods and components at the Esopus Guitar workshop located near Woodstock NY in the Catskill Mountains.
From its fully carved spruce top (the top is carved on both its exterior and interior surfaces) with a thumb rest that is elegantly carved into the top, to its custom-made Fishman piezo pickup and super hard Carnauba wax finish, every detail of the Tailwater is part of creating the ultimate playing experience.
The Tailwater bass features a fully chambered spruce over alder body (15.5″ lower body bout width, 2.25″ body thickness measuring from the peak of the carved top) that delivers a super comfortable tonal tool for all your low-end needs.
Each Tailwater bass is hand-signed and numbered on the back of the peghead by Stuart Spector. A very limited number of Tailwater basses are handcrafted each year at the Esopus workshop.
“I am proud to present the Tailwater bass, a bass that I have spent the last three years perfecting. The Tailwater is a culmination of all of my 45 years of experience, knowledge, and passion for bass guitar crafting. I am so eager to hear what fellow musicians create with this exciting new instrument.” -Stuart Spector
Direct Pricing : $4995.00 plus options.
For more information about Esopus Guitars and Stuart Spector’s handcrafted instruments, visit www.EsopusGuitars.com.
Bass Videos
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
Ian Allison Bassist extreme…
Most recently Ian has spent the last seven years touring nationally as part of Eric Hutchinson and The Believers, sharing stages with acts like Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Rachel Platten, Matt Nathanson, Phillip Phillips, and Cory Wong playing venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Staples Center and The Xcel Center in St. Paul, MN.
I had a chance to meet up with him at the Sellersville Theater in Eastern Pennsylvania to catch up on everything bass. Visit online at ianmartinallison.com/
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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…
Click to follow Bass Musician on Instagram @bassmusicianmag
FEATURED @officialspector @bqwbassguitar @brute_bass_guitars @phdbassguitars @ramabass.ok @tribe_guitars @woodguerilla_instruments @mikelullcustomguitars @jcrluthier @elegeecustom
Features
Interview With Audic Empire Bassist James Tobias
Checking in with Bergantino Artist James Tobias
James Tobias, Bassist for psychedelic, Reggae-Rock titans Audic Empire shares his history as a musician and how he came to find Bergantino…
Interview by Holly Bergantino
James Tobias, a multi-talented musician and jack-of-all-trades shares his story of coming up as a musician in Texas, his journey with his band Audic Empire, and his approach to life and music. With a busy tour schedule each year, we were fortunate to catch up with him while he was out and about touring the US.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Dallas, Texas and lived in the Dallas area most of my life with the exception of 1 year in Colorado. I moved to the Austin area at age 18.
What makes the bass so special to you particularly, and how did you gravitate to it?
I honestly started playing bass because we needed a bass player and I was the one with access to a bass amp and bass. I played rhythm guitar and sang up until I met Ronnie, who I would later start “Audic Empire” with. He also played rhythm guitar and sang and we didn’t know any bass players, so we had to figure something out. I still write most of my songs on guitar, but I’ve grown to love playing the bass.
How did you learn to play, James?
I took guitar lessons growing up and spent a lot of time just learning tabs or playing by ear and kicked around as a frontman in a handful of bands playing at the local coffee shops or rec centers. Once I transitioned to bass, I really just tried to apply what I knew about guitar and stumbled through it till it sounded right. I’m still learning every time I pick it up, honestly.
You are also a songwriter, recording engineer, and a fantastic singer, did you get formal training for this?
Thank you, that means a lot! I had a couple of voice lessons when I was in my early teens, but didn’t really like the instructor. I did however take a few lessons recently through ACC that I enjoyed and think really helped my technique (Shout out to Adam Roberts!) I was not a naturally gifted singer, which is a nice way of saying I was pretty awful, but I just kept at it.
As far as recording and producing, I just watched a lot of YouTube videos and asked people who know more than me when I had a question. Whenever I feel like I’m not progressing, I just pull up tracks from a couple of years ago, cringe, and feel better about where I’m at but I’ve got a long way to go. Fortunately, we’ve got some amazing producers I can pass everything over to once I get the songs as close to finalized as I can.
Describe your playing style(s), tone, strengths and/or areas that can be improved on the bass.
I honestly don’t know what my style would be considered. We’ve got so many styles that we play and fuse together that I just try to do what works song by song. I don’t have too many tricks in the bag and just keep it simple and focus on what’s going to sound good in the overall mix. I think my strength lies in thinking about the song as a whole and what each instrument is doing, so I can compliment everything else that’s going on. What could be improved is absolutely everything, but that’s the great thing about music (and kind of anything really).
Who were your influencers in terms of other musicians earlier on or now that have made a difference and inspired you?
My dad exposed me to a lot of music early. I was playing a toy guitar while watching a VHS of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble live at SXSW on repeat at 4 years old saying I wanted to “do that” when I grew up. I was the only kid in daycare that had his own CDs that weren’t kid’s songs. I was listening to Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, and The Doors when I could barely talk. I would make up songs and sing them into my Panasonic slimline tape recorder and take it to my preschool to show my friends. As I got older went through a bunch of music phases. Metal, grunge, rock, punk, hip hop, reggae, ska, etc. Whatever I heard that I connected to I’d dive in and learn as much as I could about it. I was always in bands and I think I kept picking up different styles along the way and kept combining my different elements and I think that’s evident in Audic’s diverse sound.
Tell me about Audic Empire and your new release Take Over! Can you share some of the highlights you and the band are most proud of?
Takeover was an interesting one. I basically built that song on keyboard and drum loops and wrote and tracked all my vocals in one long session in my bedroom studio kind of in a stream-of-consciousness type of approach. I kind of thought nothing would come of it and I’d toss it out, but we slowly went back and tracked over everything with instruments and made it our own sound. I got it as far as I could with production and handed it off to Chad Wrong to work his magic and really bring it to life. Once I got Snow Owl Media involved and we started brainstorming about a music video, it quickly turned into a considerably larger production than anything we’ve done before and it was such a cool experience. I’m really excited about the final product, especially considering I initially thought it was a throwaway track.
Describe the music style of Audic Empire for us.
It’s all over the place… we advertise it as “blues, rock, reggae.” Blues because of our lead guitarist, Travis Brown’s playing style, rock because I think at the heart we’re a rock band, and reggae because we flavor everything with a little (or a lot) of reggae or ska.
How did you find Bergantino Audio Systems?
Well, my Ampeg SVT7 caught fire at a show… We were playing Stubbs in Austin and everyone kept saying they smelled something burning, and I looked back in time to see my head, perched on top of its 8×10 cab, begin billowing smoke. We had a tour coming up, so I started researching and pricing everything to try and find a new amp. I was also fronting a metal band at the time, and my bass player’s dad was a big-time country bass player and said he had this really high-end bass amp just sitting in a closet he’d sell me. I was apprehensive since I really didn’t know much about it and “just a little 4×10” probably wasn’t going to cut it compared to my previous setup. He said I could come over and give it a test drive, but he said he knew I was going to buy it. He was right. I immediately fell in love. I couldn’t believe the power it put out compared to this heavy head and cumbersome cab I had been breaking my back hauling all over the country and up countless staircases.
Tell us about your experience with the forte D amp and the AE 410 Speaker cabinet.
It’s been a game-changer in every sense. It’s lightweight and compact. Amazing tone. And LOUD. It’s just a fantastic amp. Not to mention the customer service being top-notch! You’ll be hard-pressed to find another product that, if you have an issue, you can get in touch with the owner, himself. How cool is that?
Tell us about some of your favorite basses.
I was always broke and usually working part-time delivering pizzas, so I just played what I could get my hands on. I went through a few pawn shop basses, swapped in new pickups, and fought with the action on them constantly. I played them through an Ampeg be115 combo amp. All the electronics in it had fried at some point, so I gutted it out and turned it into a cab that I powered with a rusted-up little head I bought off someone for a hundred bucks. My gear was often DIY’d and held together by electrical tape and usually had a few coats of spray paint to attempt to hide the wear and tear. I never really fell in love with any piece of gear I had till I had a supporter of our band give me an Ibanez Premium Series SDGR. I absolutely love that bass and still travel with it. I’ve since gotten another Ibanez Premium Series, but went with the 5-string BTB. It’s a fantastic-sounding bass, my only complaint is it’s pretty heavy.
Love your new video Take Over! Let us know what you’re currently working on (studio, tour, side projects, etc.)
Thank you!! We’ve got a LOT of stuff we’re working on right now actually. Having 2 writers in the band means we never have a shortage of material. It’s more about getting everything tracked and ready for release and all that goes into that. We just got through filming videos for 2 new unreleased tracks with Snow Owl Media, who did the videos for both Love Hate and Pain and Takeover. Both of these songs have surprise features which I’m really excited about since these will be the first singles since our last album we have other artists on. We’ve also got a lot of shows coming up and I’ve also just launched my solo project as well. The debut single, “Raisin’ Hell” is available now everywhere. You can go here to find all the links distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jamestobias/raisin-hell
What else do you do besides music?
For work, I own a handyman service here in Austin doing a lot of drywall, painting, etc. I have a lot of hobbies and side hustles as well. I make custom guitar straps and other leather work. I do a lot of artwork and have done most of our merch designs and a lot of our cover art. I’m really into (and borderline obsessed) with health, fitness, and sober living. I have a hard time sitting still, but fortunately, there’s always a lot to do when you’re self-employed and running a band!
Follow James Tobias:
jamestobiasmusic.com
Facebook.com/james.tobias1
Instagram.com/ru4badfish2
TikTok.com/@jamestobiasmusic
audicempire.com
Bass CDs
New Album: Avery Sharpe, I Am My Neighbors Keeper
Avery Sharpe and his Double Quartet to release, I Am My Neighbors Keeper
A new recording will be released on JKNM Records by internationally renowned bassist/composer Avery Sharpe, “I Am My Neighbors Keeper” is scheduled for release in June 2024.
Sharpe has composed a new work that highlights our commitment to one another. Avery initiated the project as a response to the political and racial division that has grown over the past seven years in the country. “The U.S political climate has drastically changed in the past 40-plus years, especially during the last seven of those years. In this age of greed, which Sharpe refers to as “IGM,” I Got Mine, basic human compassion has been eroded. Racial, economic and social strides are being turned back.
“We have food insecurity, the unhoused, pandemics, school shootings, domestic violence, and an opioid problem, just to name some. There is a need to remind people that each of us is here on this planet for a very short period of time. It doesn’t matter if one has a religious approach or a secular approach, it all comes down to concern and compassion for each other. Through these compositions and recordings, Avery’s mission as an artist is to remind us that we all are interconnected and that ‘We Are Our Neighbor’s Keeper.’ When we help to uplift one, we uplift everyone,” Sharpe said.
Each movement in the piece describes the values we should strive for to help one another for this multi-media (video slide show during performance) and multi-discipline performance.
Many of Sharpe’s projects and recordings have been about “standing on the shoulders of ancestors, heroes and sheroes.” Among his recordings and projects, include “Running Man” (celebrating the athlete Jesse Owens), “Ain’t I A Woman” (about Sojourner Truth), and his most recent project “400: An African American Musical Portrait” (marking the 400 years from 1619 to 2019).
Avery Sharpe has recorded and performed with many jazz greats from Dizzy Gillespie to Yusef Lateef. He had an illustrious run of 20 plus years with the legendary Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, of which he recorded more than 25 records with Mr. Tyner and performed countless worldwide concerts.
Visit online at averysharpe.com/
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
Interview With Audic Empire Bassist James Tobias
New Album: Avery Sharpe, I Am My Neighbors Keeper
