Originally Posted by
NWBasser
I'm not totally clear on it myself, but I think what the author is getting at is the attention paid to each note by the pro studio bassists is what sets them apart. I don't think mojo has anything to do with it.
I may well come up short on an explanation, but I guess the point is that the particular way each note is played on the bass may have an influence on the music. Much same way that different chord forms will change the feel of a tune with guitar. So, if you change note duration, attack, plucking position, etc. makes for a suit of small details with a large change is how the music is perceived.
I'm not sure just how close I am to this person's interpretation of things, but I've been paying a lot of attention to how I approach and play notes lately and am finding interesting things going on.
I think it's a given that a bass player should have good timing. The really exceptional ones can intentionally play around either a bit behind or ahead of the beat and make it sound good. I think that would only apply to jazz-fusion though...