’Groove’ Vs ‘Good Time’… are they different things?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- This lesson is a super special for 2 reasons…
Reason 1:
You guys have been asking me to get Michael League (bass player and leader of the grammy winning band, Snarky Puppy) in for a LONG time… I mean, for the last 3 - 4 years he’s been the most requested guest for my TH-cam channel.
So you’ll be glad to know… I’ve finally got him in for ya!
And Reason 2:
The topic we’re discussing in this lesson is of critical importance to all bass players (and it is hardly ever discussed).
‘Groove’ Vs ‘Good time’ - and why they’re completely different.
And… you’re also going to learn his favourite exercises and approaches to both these crazy important skills for any bass player.
Ladies and gentleman… I give you, Michael League of the amazing Snarky Puppy.
As always, see you in the shed...
Scott :)
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I was Mike's drummer when he had just finished high school. He's one of my dearest friends and he even played at my wedding. First time I heard snarky puppy was when they were just getting started in a tiny bar in virginia... less than 10 people. He is truly the GOAT.
Patrick Moss That’s awesome man!
Congratulations, then you are the GOATEE.
That’s really cool. He’s seems like a very humble guy.
You're so lucky to know him on such a level. I honestly think I would faint (or probably tear up) if I had to meet him in person.
He's inspired me so many times, and made such a difference in my life and musical career, and I'm all the way in South Africa!!. That is influence on a whole other insane level.
Wow that's a lucky friendship! The Pups are amazing.
When it comes to bass face, he is in a League of his own.
Lmao
I see what you did there
J3TT don’t get snarky
Este Haim says hello, lol.
He should team up with John mayer and have a weird face off
-Hey Scott, lemme introduce you to Michael League.
-Yeah, I see he's your colleague, but what's his name?
-😶
kkkkkkkkkk
Just don’t introduce him to Michael Caine...
😂nice one.
Ayyyy what a tasteful pun
EVERYTIMEEEE😂
“The Curtain” is my personal favorite. Such an amazing composition, with such a groovy weird bass solo.
My fav part is the piano solo
@@MrArticSwing its so beautiful!
Ditto
I’m not a musician. So obviously don’t play bass. But I’d enthusiastically watch an interview with ML for an hour any day. And, I suspect, being interviewed by yourselves brings out the best in him. So, thanks. And very well done, from us non-musician humans!
An instructor at Berklee once told a bass class I was in that many people have "time" issues because of poor control (technique), not because they actually dont know good time.
With Snarky, ML has a lot going on as leader and isn’t always able to reveal his full potential on bass. If you hear him in other (smaller) settings, you get a better sense of what he's capable of. When he tells interviewers he's not technically advanced, he's really selling himself short. He has superb instincts and has more than enough technical ability to express his musical ideas.
I first heard Snarky on YT. I don't have a favorite track, but I remember watching the video of Lingus live at Hailey's in Denton late one night and thinking that the world was a joyful, deadly, mystical place.
A sign of Michael’s ability as bandleader: he's the bassist, he stands up front, the drums are behind him, he NEVER turns around and looks at the drummer. He knows he doesn’t have to. His great drummers own it and have it covered. And the connection is there even on nights when they have a first time sub on drums who has never rehearsed with them.
I believe he is probably talking about "technique" in the sense of virtuosity.
If there's ONE guy, who has truly earned his spot in the music world, it's Michael League, he's brilliant & has REALLY put in the work & I wish him nothing but the best.
Lingus is my favorite track. Such a nasty groove
Cory Henry's solo 🔥
@@enkiea8322 exactly, it's insanely good! Also, way better watched on youtube than listened to on sportify or else!
@@valendis You're better than me. You win. 😔
The first snarky puppy song as well as my favorite. My best friend introduced me to it
Top 3 track easily
"I Remember" featuring Knower and Jeff C. I would not have believed how solid Michael League's groove and timing on bass is if I had not watched this track. I actually have it on repeat right now.
For me he is one of the most influential and best bassist! His musicianship ist beyond amazing. His bass playing is not showing off (I have nothing against it, I like Miller, Wooten, etc), but his work is just outstanding.
Exactly :) for my opinion there is no doubt that he is one of the best in our century and he shows off,but people who don't have a clue can't realise.
Just perfect!I hope one day I become my own version of Michael league and all the other great bass players wich inspire me.
Sorry for my grammar :D
Exactly, the dude is a genius! He writes most of snarky's hits!
@@andrepeixotooo there nothing more to say about that! I don't know how you feel,but I can't even name one track that don't give me chills und goosebumps at the same time!
Looking forward to 2 these guys in Berlin!😍
Thank God there is Ground up music!
That's how music should be,real and entertaining and from heart!
I found him by accident and at the same time Cory Henry another “genius “. I was doing a search for Creepin- Stevie Wonder- I suggest you check it out.
Max Bg : ML = PREMIER LEAGUE
I am SO GLAD that 1) you got Michael League on your channel and 2) how he mentioned how TIME and GROOVE are two separate things. I've been struggling with the fact that I don't have good time and have had few musicians chastise me for that, yet I've had mainly drummers saying they're comfortable playing with me because I got pocket. This makes SO MUCH sense to me. Man...Michael League is becoming even more of a bass hero to me. I can't wait to practice my bass more and more now!!!
"Time" and "Groove" are two separate things indeed. But I'd like to make an important note that is, "Groove" becomes increasingly unpredictable if it is not in time. Think of it this way: everyone has a groove, but when you are the performer, you want others to groove to your groove. That means you gotta show it, you gotta lead it. The only way you're gonna do that effectively is to give your audience a good pulse as a starting basis... That's your "time". Technically, it doesn't need to be perfect. But it doesn't mean that it doesn't need to exist just because "time" and groove" are not the same thing.
The important of "time" also reveals itself when you are grooving with the rest of your band. Like I said before, everyone has their own groove, and therefore their own sense of time. But if everyone's sense of time is similar (close to perfect but not 100% perfect), then they can synchronize easily; thereby achieving a united "groove".
I say this from a drummer's perspective. Too often I hear crappy guitarists and pianists saying that I play out of time, when really, I can hear that they are playing out of time first, and I keep getting drawn in by them because out of the whole band, I was the only one keeping time. Then I get the b!tchin' from them. (The last time this happened, I told them I was eyeballing my metronome on the floor i.e. I was not lagging, they were rushing. They told me to take my eyes off the metronome because I wasn't groovin' - oh puh-lease... Btw yes I stopped playing with those idiots.)
I just want to get this out there. Because too many people treat groove and time as separate things. They ARE. But as a band, time is important to keep the "collective groove" together. Just listen to some instrumental solos in rubato. They got feel, groove, time as well - but you definitely can't feel their sense of time as accurately on the first listen because you can't predict it. It's in free time. Try jam to that, you'll find that you just can't do it unless you rote-learned the solo to death. (Yes, this issue p!sses me off to no ends... Yes, I do play bass as well.) Also, when I said "time", I didn't mean "flow"... Again, they are different, but related. Anything in rubato/free time, you perceive the flow...
the new tune "Bad Kids To The Back" is great
I played bass in a few bands with their guitarist Bob Lanzetti. I met Michael for the first time before a rehearsal at Bob's place in Brooklyn back in 2006 and started checking them out after that. I'm so happy they've been fully recognized for their contributions. Michael and the rest of the group are monster players and so humble. It's been a pleasure to be in their orbit.
Flood is one of my favorite track,groovy 7/4 and sick bass lines
shofukan. about 3 years ago. i love the way they connect arabic scales with funk.
Such a cool song.
I was gonna say shofukan as well. There's an awesome drum fill thing right at the end of the singing bit (5:41 or so in the youtube video) that's probably my favorite rhythmic moment of all time.
See them at Wembley a couple weeks back and have to say the musicianship of the band is on the next level . Wonderful gig . I took something from it .
👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
I always have a good time when I play my bass...
First heard them 3 years ago, and my favorite track is "Sleeper". It just hits the soul in no other way that I've ever heard before.
That song is so epic. Love it.
Down to earth, nuts and bolts. That was good. Thanks for bringing Michael to your lessons.
First started listening to Snarky Puppy about 2 years ago. Heard them live a year ago and my favorite song of theirs is “Grown Folks.” Great lesson from Michael League, one of my favorite bassists!
As a guitarist for 18 years who's been bored of the instrument for several and recently switched to bass, having to learn how to not play bass like a guitar player has been one of the biggest challenges. This video was one of the most enlightening things I've seen thus far.
When I was at my darkest point, I ended up in hospital through mental issues. Snarky Puppy gave me an escape from all the issues, if I (or someone else) was freaking out, I would put on my headphones and listen to We Like it Here and Culcha Vulcha. One of my biggest musical heroes.
I've seen Michael play live in a trio setting, but had no idea he was so eloquent, charismatic and moving off stage as well. What a great interview!
I first met Michael when he was promoting the Ground Up album. He came to the Music Lab at the Jefferson Center and gave a talk to the kids. My son was a bass student at Music Lab at the time. We had a listening session of the album and he gave a talk to the kids. We also had the opportunity to later sit in for the Family Dinner recording which was phenomenal. From my experience Michael is not just a great bass player and composer, but an exceptional human being. I enjoyed this interview. Thanks!
Few years ago on TH-cam , Shofukan just blew up my mind! So far Snarky Puppy and Bokante are my favorites and the best what I’ve heard live!
I first heard Snarky Puppy in 2012, and was instantly hooked.
Great material! Love your content scott.
A drummer friend of mine made me listen to Binky on his cellphone back in 2013. I was blown away.
As soon as I got back home I went to youtube and searched for snarky puppy. I found this cool live recording of "What about me" in Dallas.
It was one of the most gratifying musical experiences in my life, and it has been my favourite track ever since. To this day I like it better than the studio version. Caleb Mcampbell killed it on the keys.
A couple years later I made a 6hr road trip just to see snarky puppy live in Buenos Aires.
Heard them about 2 years ago, through a Larnell Lewis interview. Loved hearing him talk about drums, looked up the band, haven’t stopped listening since. Such a great band!
Brilliant musician, saw Snarky like 7-8 years ago on a small stage on North Sea Jazz. Since then saw them everywhere and the stages got bigger and bigger. My favo is thing of gold
Cool vid. What Mike described - hangin' with the best musicians, setting up their gear, etc. - is an awesome example of "payin' your dues". It's apparent that he made the best of that investment. What a player!
Two years ago a friend of mine came to my house super motivated and he said to me: "sit down, you are about to listen to some music that will blow yout mind". And it was true. This was the firs time I listened to Snarky Puppy. And my favorite Snarky Puppy tune is "Something", with Lalah Hathaway. Her voice is INSANE!!
Thank You SO MUCH! Scott. I love this video.
Everytime I listen to Michael's golden nuggets of info about his approach to "muse-ing" my approach levels up in ways that I can immediately practice and apply.
You're totally right about how many phenomenal tunes they have, but the classic favorite for me, because it was the first magical moment with them, is "Thing Of Gold"
What I like about these guys is how they always make you think about something in your foundation that could be lacking
First heard Lingus at my highschool. Favorite song is still Lingus.
“Before you do anything when you’re practicing, just thinking about ‘how will this sound?’ Hear it in your head and then try to pull the sound out.” Incredible advice.
Lingus. What a perfectly iconic track.
"The Curtain", the track they did with Metropole Orkest, is also unforgettable.
Michael League, I discover him 5 years ago with is interpretation of Continuum. Just blow me away !! Lead me to the music of his band Snarky Puppy a while after. Just amazing ! It sounds fantastic.
First found Snarky Puppy in 2022, just scrolling through TH-cam watching bass player videos. Favorite, so far, is Sleeper for the horn in the beginning. SO GOOD!
4 years ago... And then i saw them at jazz festival in Slovakia... Also they are very friendly and it was nice to talk with Michael and rest of band
It was probably 3 years ago when I stumbled upon Lingus. My heart was glad I did. Been a fan ever since. Probs my favourite band of all time. Favourite song: 'Thing of Gold' from the album 'groundUP'.
Brent Tauro things of gold! All time master piece
Scott has always the right questions!
I love how Michael underlines the difference between technicality and "spirituality" in Groove... You can easily gain all the knowledge there is on Musical Theory, Time, but having a good musicality is just following something beyond those concepts!
Michael is and will be one of my favourite bass player ( as well as Scott ;) )
Thank you for having him! Can't wait to hear the complete interview!
THE CURTAIN
the Bass solo within this song is glorious :D
"What about me" definitely my favorite track by snarky puppy
Scott, it´s so good and important that you are in this (music/Bass) world and I´m serious!!!
Like many many others, Lingus took my Snarkginity but Binky is my fav.
I listen to it daily
F'n amazing take-aways from Michael!! Thank you both!! :D
Last 2015, the first time I heard Snarky Puppy. Young Stuff is my favorite song. Not just the bass solo, but, all the groove. This man makes me wanna be a bass player.
Thank you!!!
I heard Snarky Puppy accidentally in January 2020 and since then can't stop hearing it.
So many top musics... But Belmont is something out of this world.
100% there are a whole host of killing musicians in the band!!
This wisdom from Michael really is next level spiritual advice from real grinding, I'm blown away by this interview, keep these gems coming
Mike League is the GOAT! Watching these two guys talk bass is extraordinary!
-I first heard Thing of Gold in highschool...my ensemble teacher had us play it......wow did that song change my life
-My favorite song is impossible to choose..I'll just say Flood
Got tickets to see the mighty 'Pup in November, monsters all round. Love your stuff Scott, from a guitar player. You demonstrate universal musical concepts that have really helped my guitar playing, so thank you! Fantastic content, and you are a beast of a player. Learnt a helluva lot about how to sit in with a band from your content, so again, many thanks!
Big fan of Michael League. Thanks for the plug 🙏
Worked for his label for a little while, really incredible to see Mike’s work ethic up close, not to mention how great a player he is
I do that all the time, right from when I started Bass. Alternating on open strings. Hadn't seen it before, I just enjoyed doing it while chatting on the phone, etc 😁
So thankful to have grown up listening to bands like Rush and Dream Theatre, when I finally started learning bass at 16, I realized I had a great grasp on time and odd/unusual Time signatures. Thanks Dad.
ALL OF THEM...i love his entire aproach to music
ML is the man! It's really inspiring to have the chance of listening to him. My favorite album is Culcha Vulcha but I have no favourite song, they are so many and so good!!!
I heard of them when a friend asked me to 'hand out some beers and play with some cool guys from the states who will be recording a live studio album in town'. This was Utrecht, Netherlands, for the We Like It Here recordings. So glad I went, didn't know the band at all but they were a couple of great days, working at the studio and at night jamming out with local musicians and Snarky Puppy guys. Favourite recording is Shofukan.
He seems to be a great guy !!! My favorite track is lingus, I think that track really shows what he was talking about groove being different from time.
Heard Snarky Puppy for the first time about three years ago. The song was "What About Me" - still my favorite to this day - and I was instantly hooked. Love at first beat.
I've never heard of Snarky Puppy. However, this was a great video for me for a couple of reasons.
I'm relearning or learning correct methods, practices etc.
Thanks for this and for how you explain how to play bass
That man is amazing!! Badass composer musician and person.
I have heard of Snarky Puppy but heard any of their music. I just went looking on You Tube. INCREDIBLE !!! Thanks so much . I also checked out Mike soloing with them. I love the way he phrases and takes his time to develop the solo. Thanks so much Scott.
Thank you for bringing my favorite bass players on the channel.
I really read that title the wrong way, I was thinking good times as in enjoyment is completely different than groove... it put me en an even weirder place than this actual vid.. great vid by the way. Prolific, that's Scott's bass lessons. You and the team give so much. Thank you!
OK Scott you asked... I'm living in Germany and was interested in the famous Elbjazz festival. While looking at the website I looked at all the band names and something about the name Snarky Puppy caught my eye. I looked them up on TH-cam and the first song was "Thing of Gold". Based on that I bought two albums. Unfortunately I was too late to see them because the Elbjazz had already come and gone for that year, but when i looked up their website I saw they would be coming back to Germany the following October to a little town about 90km from me. Oldenburg. I bought the ticket and saw them live. Absolutely astounding!! After that "Shofukan" is how I introduce them to people who have never heard.
I HAD TO BOOKMARK this video. I'm a drummer and play a little bass (always had a crush on bass) and this lesson is a huge eye opener. Thanks Scott.
Btw, I discovered Snarky Puppy thanks to a friend, who's also my keys player. My favorite, unoriginally, is Lingus.
Actually about 3 or 4 years from now . I saw them live 3 times , always was an amazing moment.. Favorite track : Quarter Master , specially the end of the song :o !
2013 was when a friend put me on to Snarky Puppy.
Lingus is my all time favorite also love Ready Wednesday.
interview starts at 2:30 you're welcome
Thank you.
Oh so it starts
Number one reason I seldomly watch Scotr's stuff anymore.
I love that they miced that Markbass cab with a 58 and pop filter. $100 mic on a $1000 amp. I know there may be some DI blended in, but that speaks volumes to the versatility of the SM58.
I could listen to Mr League everyday ❤
Outstanding interview. Scott, your channel has become way more than a lesson channel-I mean, it is also inspirational and gets into the stuff people don’t really teach. Like when I saw Victor Wootens groove workshop DVD. GREAT stuff SBL! If you could please get Abraham Laboriel for his insight on session musicianship and other things. Carol Kaye as well. These are legends who deserve to be chronicled how you do it. 👍
The first time I heard Snarky Puppy was 7 years ago. It was a You Tube video either "Flood" or "Whitecap". I was immediately hooked, went back and found everything they put out before the "Tell Your Friends" project.
Heard about Snarky Puppy some years ago, then found and enjoyed some CD's (We Like It Here in particular), and finally got to see them live.
That is a band I can recommend to absolutely everyone - not just musicians!!
Spoke briefly to Michael afterwards, such a nice and relaxed guy... As well as a brilliant musician!
Scott, this interview with Michael League was incredible! Thanks so much for uploading this segment of the interview as the insights I gained from those 11:18 of conversation will have a profound on the way I practice, and I plan to sign up for your coursework in the near future.
FYI: Never heard of Michael League before, nor Snarky Puppy..
3 years back when my high school band used their sylva album for our show. Atchafalaya is my favorite, partially because I live near it. also really love the clearing
Thanks Scott - never heard of them before your chat. What a great group - especially the latest album. Seeing them end of April here in Melbourne. Excellent interview.
Just listened to Lingus never heard of the band. You just made my day, literally socks were knocked right off haha
Yup, really good.
I first heard Snarky Puppy the first night I moved down to Denton, TX. They were a local band and my roommate was about to start going to school with some of those guys. They were awesome then, too.
Ooh Scott you keep getting my favourites bassists! First time I heard them was 4 years ago when my music teach said “ooh you’d like these guys” skate u is my favourite.
Good time and groove exercises? With Michael League? Man, you have my entire week !
To many songs to choose from! This guy is amazing. Outstanding interview
Snarky Puppy! About 3 weeks before Xmas 2018, TH-cam figured I would like to watch Shofukan... how right it was! Michael is such a groovy fella.
You're awesome, too, Scott! Your videos started me on the right track after 15 years of abusing guitars and bass guitars. Thank you!
"What about me". First time I heard it and fell in love. I came to a board game party to my friends and they just lanched a TH-cam Jazz mix and there it was. Thanks TH-cam! :)
I first heard them in '14 with "We like it Here" and that whole album for me is like a favourite track
What About Me was my first Snarky Puppy track... i heard that, and i was like, OMG!
That's what music is supposed to be like!!! So wicked!!!!
This is incredible content. Guys like Scott, Rick Beato, Adam Neely and others are putting out some really special stuff. It's going to be tough to quantify the impact some of these TH-camrs are having/will have on music. 👍👍
My 16-years-old brother introduced me to Snarky Puppy. And the first song I listened to was Lingus. That‘s one of my favourite, and also What about me? is great
2014 - An old coworker stopped me in my tracks with Lingus off of We Like It Here... I couldn't believe I was hearing such incredible musicianship across the board and know it's being recorded live. I was hooked immediately. That entire album was on repeat the full summer of 2014... went on to (LUCKILY) see them two different times in Chicago.
I love Lingus (live) but I discovered Michael with this Continuum cover which is just heavenly good!!
The first track I've heard from Snarky Puppy was 'Lingus' and Cory's solo has totally blew my mind, but then I've heard 'What About Me?' and the syncopated section from it is now one of my favourite grooves of all time
Had never heard them, Thanks!! My head's is in constant bobbing mode as I'm listening to Jefe!! oh yeah, talk about a tight pocket. I'll never play like this but a delight to listen to!
I am partial to the thrilling TH-cam performance of Snarky Puppy with Jacob Collier playing "Don't You Know" -- I had never heard of either until Aimee Nolte mentioned them - her channel has introduced me to many things about music.
Nice interview...I learned something just from listening....love it!
Sleeper and Outlier are current favs but it’s always changing. Started listening about 2 years ago, saw them live last year.
First time I heard snarky puppy was live in Leeds some years ago. Hadn't heard of them just went along with friends and had my mind blown.