Bo0tsy

[font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f]Hi - I've been a BC member for a few months now, and am really enjoying the posts on this site. [/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f]I'm a bass novice, but seriously got the bass-bug after being into funk, soul & jazz funk for years. I've always regretted not being able to play an instrument, so thought I'd throw myself into it before I reached forty, and my sons can [i]maybe[/i] grow up thinking they've got a cool dad![/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f]Being a huge Parliament, Funkadelic, & Bootsy fan I managed to track down my dream bass, a Washburn Bootsy Collins Ltd Edition Space Bass ex demo model back in August and got it shipped over from Belgium. Being star shaped it's probably not the most straight forward bass to play on but has a monster tone (& looks).[/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f]I don't play in a band (& have no plans to do so as I'm nowhere near good enough) so have just got myself a 15w Practise Bass Amp and a Q-Tron Envelope filter to add some quacks and squelch to my attempted playing. [/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f]I am teaching myself (I recommend 'Bass Guitar for Dummies' if you're a beginner like me!), been practising various scales and chords, and am learning to read music both through notation and from bass tabs. Within a few months I've gone from not being able to play a single note to playing "reasonable" renditions of Herbie Hancock's Chameleon, Rick James' Superfreak, Aaron Neville's Hercules, and a couple of Gorillaz tracks (Feel Good Inc and Kidz With Gunz).... Hoping to move onto some slightly more complicated stuff, (maybe a bit of James Brown, Slave, Jamiroquai, Sly & The Family Stone and attempt some P-Funk grooves if I'm feeling brave).[/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f][font=Arial][size=3][color=#2f2f2f]Anyway, enough of me waffling on inanely - just wanted to say hello - great forum.[/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font]

Yep, gutted about Mark Adam's and Drac's passing - I bought the Slave Definitive Groove double album a few years ago and have been into Slave ever since. Adam's was an amazing bass player, not sure what model of bass he played to get that tone.

Talking funk, the most immediately recognisable bassists I know are Bootsy (whether he uses effect pedals or not) and the originator of slap: Larry Graham.

With Bootsy, even if you listen to James Brown, Deee-Lite, Parliament, Funkadelic, Brides of Funkenstein, Sweat Band, Xavier, & solo works by George Clinton, Bernie Worrell, etc, you can usually immediately tell if its Bootsy on the bass or not either from the sound and the depth of the groove.

Likewise, with Larry Graham check out some of his work with Betty Davis, instantly recognisable to his sound with Sly and Grahm Central Station. The latter Sly & the Family Stone stuff (after Graham left) has a distinctly different sound.

The late Mark Adams (Slave) has a pretty recognisable sound and groove too, and was massively underrated in my opinion.

I learnt Chameleon from bass tabs and listening to the music - believe me, I'm new to playing the bass (and thoroughly enjoying it), so my rendition isn't perfect but I think it's more about understanding the rhythm and the timing than the complexity.

Thanks to everyone for responding to this thread - it's given me some great ideas on what to try to learn next.

Hi

Any suggestions of some easy funk basslines to practise?

I have successfully got my head round the main riff for Herbie Hancock's Chameleon (which is fun but pretty straightforward and kinda indicates the level I am at), but would appreciate any other good suggestions.

Thanks!

Hi there,

Just wanted people's opinions on what is the best envelope filter for playing funk. I've got myself a Micro Q-Tron which is great for getting a bass to quack but I'm also after that squishy, squelchy low end funk sound.

Any recommendations?

Thanks for any replies.

Vintage Trouble were pretty tight - i'd not come across them before. Is that the Bomb Shelter Sessions album you've got?

I got to see Bootsy at Indig02 last month as well, thought he & Bernie Worrell rocked it. Bootsy was on top funky form.

Attached is a link below of the entire Bootsy Funk U-nity show live from Vienna in Hi-Def.

[url="http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Bootsy_Collins_au_festival_Jazz_a_Vienne/"]http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Bootsy_Col..._Jazz_a_Vienne/[/url]