Here are a few examples of a more current approach to R&B in a ballad context.

The first is fairly straight...

Audio Example 1

Audio Example 1 (Drums)

 

...while this one has been tweaked a little to make it slightly hipper.

Audio Example 2

 
 

IDIOMS

RHYTHMIC:

This approach to R&B is generally characterized by an underlying 16th-note subdivision. It’s very common for the kick drum hits to occur on beats 1, 3, and the 16th-note immediately before beat 3 (the “a” of beat 2). You’ll notice that incorporated in the motif in Example 1.

In Example 2, that kick drum figure around beat 3 has been displaced to occur on the 2nd & 3rd sixteenth-notes of beat 3 (the “ee” and the “and”). A kick drum hit was also added on the “and” of beat 2. This results in an interesting syncopation that plays around that typical kick pattern demonstrated in Example 1...leaving a rest on (and immediately preceding) beat 3.

Experiment around with beat placement and seek creative yet supportive (groove-oriented) syncopation.

This type of groove is usually played on the back of the beat; this helps to give it that bit of attitude and the right feel.

HARMONIC:

It’s usually effective for the meat and potatoes groove intervals to comprise the basic part or motif, and use other chord or scale tones in the embellishments or variations. In this context, though, those meat and potatoes groove intervals are probably better not incorporated in equal proportions, as that can potentially take it into more of that Motown direction.

It can be very hip to occasionally incorporate some jazz harmony in your fills, too. The lick that occurs in Bar 6 of Example 2 injects a bit of harmonic interest (descending through the 11th, 9th and b7th over the E-7 chord). However, always ensure that the groove and song are served; there are few things as obtrusive and distracting as a bass line that keeps abandoning the foundation (or trampling the vocal line) with “sax licks”.

SONIC:

There are different ways to approach this genre from a sonic standpoint. Going for a warmer tone can work toward emulating a synth bass, which is very commonly used for this type of R&B groove. Alternatively, a brighter tone can be used if the bass line will feature any slaps or pops.

In Example 1, I took the latter approach to allow the pops to speak. Example 2 features more of the former approach, and my phrasing was deliberately intended to have a synth-like quality to it.

In both examples, you might have noticed that the lines were primarily played fingerstyle, with just a few occasional pops. This can be effective, as it can keep low end warmth happening for most of the groove, yet the intermittent pops can speak with clarity (while injecting some of the flavor and syncopation of slapping). This is one way to employ the slap technique with subtlety - it would likely have been a bit too overt (“in your face”) to play the entire groove using the slap technique.

GENERAL:

When employing this fingerstyle-with-occasional-pops approach, ensure that the dynamic range is reasonably consistent. If the fingerstyle part is barely audible while the pops can be heard echoing off neighboring buildings...you’re probably going to be missing the objective of subtlety and musicality. :^)

Try to leave air (rests) in your bass part: this helps keep the arrangement sparse, which is another idiom of this type of R&B. This is a great musical setting in which to make your objective as a bassist to “say the most with the least”.

It can be hip to emulate a synth bass by varying the length of the notes (note duration) and incorporating slides, slurs and vibrato as appropriate.