help! trying to learn to count

i put this here instead of tips and theories cause i need advice from bass players. the problem is i'm trying to play some classic rock songs and i'm trying to learn them right and i can't get a handle on how to count them correctly. 3 songs i'm trying to work on are free ride by edger winter, funk 49, and also johnny winter's version of rock roll hootchie koo. none of these are particularly techninally hard, i don't think, and i've got the tab for each of them. i can play just a general sketch of the chord changes, sure, but i want to play exactly what's on the record.

i'm on a screwed-up computer, it's hard to get this message up. just generally tell me about counting, please? thanx

Generally with these you count to 4, lather, rinse and repeat. I'm really confused on what mean.

All those songs are in 4/4 time. 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 etc.

in 4/4 time a Whole note = 4 beats, a half note = 2, a quarter note = 1.

In one measure of 4/4 time there can be either: 1 whole note, 2 half notes, 4 quarter notes, 8 eighth notes, 16 sixteenth notes, and so on. OR a combination of varied values to equal the count of 1-2-3-4. You could have a half note and 2 quarter notes, a half note and 4 eighth notes, a quarter note and 6 eighth notes...etc.

But for those songs...you'd basically just count 1-2-3-4 over and over, in their respective tempos, to the end.

Three great songs.

I have played Funk 49 and Free Ride in bands before. The guitar on funk #49 is pretty basic but the bass kills. I have figured some of it out before but I'll be honestly I got it by immitation and didn't do much actual counting. it is not as simple as one migt think.

The same is true for Free Ride. I played guitar on that one and it was surprisingly difficult to get the band hitting all the accents together. It was most challenging for the bass and drums to get it together. I was already fairly comfortable with the song.

So I guess I'm not much help but I can sympathise.

You've got to feel it and don't forget to tap your foot.

Maybe counting bars rather than every quarter is easier.

i.e. 1 (234) 2 (234) 3 (234) 4 (234)

Because. it's really the bar count that tells you where you are.

You've got to feel it and don't forget to tap your foot.

Maybe counting bars rather than every quarter is easier.

i.e. 1 (234) 2 (234) 3 (234) 4 (234)

Because. it's really the bar count that tells you where you are.

Yep! Always know where "1" is. If you don't you are lost in space. :wink:

Yes to all the above, and three great songs that might not be as easy as they seem.

Count, but FEEL !

thanks to all you guys for your suggestions. my computer has been messed up for the past month - and it ain't too healthy right at the moment - so i couldn't get back here very much.

during the years i played guitar, i always had it in my head that bass was easier to play than guitar. but i'm finding that if you want to do it correctly, it's not nessacarily easy at all.

Hey I couldn't help but think that by count you mean the subdivision of the beat. Feeling the subdivision of a songs beat is where it is at for grooving.
Check out "Bass Grooves" by Ed Friedland. The second chapter has some great exercises for learning how to internalize and subdivide the beat using a metronome. The entire book shows how to groove with a bass using a programable drum machine as a aid.
I think this book will improve the rhythm of any musician not just bass players.

Hey I couldn't help but think that by count you mean the subdivision of the beat. Feeling the subdivision of a songs beat is where it is at for grooving.
Check out "Bass Grooves" by Ed Friedland. The second chapter has some great exercises for learning how to internalize and subdivide the beat using a metronome. The entire book shows how to groove with a bass using a programable drum machine as a aid.
I think this book will improve the rhythm of any musician not just bass players.

thank you, Eclipse, i think this might be exactly what i'm looking for.