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greghagger

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Everything posted by greghagger

  1. greghagger
    Recording yourself is one of the best ways to get an honest review of how you are progressing with your playing. This can just be audio or you can include video if you want a visual to get feedback on your technique or playing posture. It's also very common to record songs and albums at home nowadays and it's getting much cheaper to do this. I now record remote sessions for artists all over the world without even leaving The Shed! You don't need to have a pro recording setup like me and it's now very easy to get together your own recording setup without breaking the bank. You just need an audio interface and some recording software and you can get a really good quality recording from your bass. The technical side of building a decent recording setup at home isn't hard, as long as you understand a few simple steps so I've made a YouTube video to show you how to do this. I’ve also made up a list of reasonably priced audio interfaces and recording software (DAWs) which you’ll find a link for under the video.
  2. greghagger
    Every year me and my longtime mates perform the music from 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' at a gig after showing a viewing of the animation. The music is so great and we always get a lot of feedback saying it really gets everyone in the mood for Christmas. This annual Christmas gig means a lot to me as it sets me up for Christmas and I also get to play with my buddy Dan the drummer who I've know since we were 4 years old. The Charlie Brown Christmas tunes were originally played by the Vince Guaraldi Trio and I always get my upright bass out for the gig to keep things authentic. For the last GBS YouTube video of the year I've recorded me playing along with the original track of 'Christmas Time Is Here' on my upright bass. It can easily be played on electric bass though and I've written out a part so you can do that on either bass. You’ll find the free transcription under the video. I hope this classic will help you get into the festive mood 🎄
  3. greghagger
    Recently a bass student shared a video with me that showed a close up of 'The Ox' (John Entwistle) playing at a gig and he was interested in comparing his own plucking technique with Entwistle's technique. The student was concerned that he might not be plucking in the most efficient way. So that prompted me to look at other pro bassists's plucking techniques in more detail. There is of course a sort of 'standard plucking technique' and that's the one I teach all my bass students. But I was interested to see just how much variation there is in technique between the different bass players who are at the top of their game. Variations in plucking technique include: * Angle of hand * position of fingers * Contact point of fingers So, if you want to ensure that you are plucking your bass in the most efficient way and you are producing the best tone possible, then check out my latest YouTube video. In the video you get to see real live footage of six awesome iconic bass players and then hear my thoughts and analysis on their technique. I'll give you real tangible concepts to take away to help tweak your own plucking technique.
  4. greghagger
    Great tip. I’ve heard good things about Musescore.
  5. greghagger
    Last week I shared a YouTube lesson about walking bass which featured some of Chas Chandler's lines from the Animals song, 'Dimples'. I've now made a play-through video of the whole of the Dimples bass line so you can see and hear more of Chas Chandler's ideas, straight from the source. You can view the video where I play Chas's bass line note-for-note along with the original song and you can also download a full transcription of the bass line by clicking on the PDF Booklet button below. This was a fun bass line to record and it was also challenging to sightread my transcription and get it down in one take as it covers a lot of the fretboard and keeps moving for the whole song. But it's really worth looking at as you can learn a lot about how to construct Blues walking bass lines from it. You’ll find a link to the transcription under the video.
  6. greghagger
    Chas Chandler from the Animals had a very unique, upfront style of bass playing and he could really play a great sounding walking bass line. There are particular patterns that will always work when walking a 12-Bar Blues and you really only need to know a few of these and also learn how to link up the three chords and you have the basics to play a convincing walking bass line. After that it’s a matter of using more options to get more creative. In my latest YouTube lesson I show you some of these patterns that are featured in Chas Chandler's bass line from the Animals song, 'Dimples'. Find out more by clicking below and you’ll also find the free PDF with these walking patterns under the video.
  7. greghagger
    If you're interested in playing Blues bass then you have to know the 12-Bar Blues progression. It forms the foundation for loads of Blues standards and if you want to get up and play at a Blues Jam or play in a Blues band then you need to internalise this sequnce. Once you know the progression, you can develop your Blues skills by learning different riffs and adding them to the 12-Bar. You can also easily transpose the progression into different keys once you understand how it works. I explain how to do all this in my latest YouTube lesson so if you're a beginner player or you've always wanted to understand more about the 12-Bar Blues, check out this video. Under the video you’ll find a free PDF with the lesson exercises and five extra Blues riffs.
  8. greghagger
    That’s a very good point. I find a lot of similarities between practicing sport and music. If you gointo something new at full speed you tend to tense up more so relaxing is very much a focus.
  9. greghagger
    It sounds counter-intuitive, but to play fast you must first play slow. This is so important and I find myself repeating this a lot to bass students. It's human nature to want to get stuck in and master a bass line as quickly as possible but if you don't break it apart and work on the tricky sections first, it'll take a lot longer to master. So, if you find yourself struggling time and time again with a few notes in a riff or bass line then this is the approach that you need to take. I explain this simple but effective concept in more detail in my latest YouTube lesson and give you some important tips to help with playing fast.
  10. greghagger
    Yes, open strings do make transposing a little harder!
  11. greghagger
    Totally agree @Waddo Soqable but judging by the questions I get asked about using open strings it was worth making a video! There’s a lot of misinformation out there so it’s confusing for inexperienced players.
  12. greghagger
    Yes, whole different ball-game on the upright!
  13. greghagger
    I've lost count of the amount of time I've been asked whether it's ok to use open strings on the bass guitar. It's a fair question though as there are lots of urban myths floating around about this topic. The open E-string is obviously an open string that we can’t do without on a 4-string but many bassists won’t use the other open strings. Some players favour open strings more than others but there are situations where they are useful to help with fingering patterns and for certain effect. So this week I've made a video to discuss open strings in depth. Find out more in my latest YouTube lesson.
  14. greghagger
    No issues plugging it on this thread! Good luck. I’m sure that you’ll sell it no problem.
  15. greghagger
    There's a classic bass tone that has stood the test of time and that is the P-bass and flatwound strings combination. But how relevant is that bass tone today? Is it still 'cutting the mustard' or has it been surpassed by more modern active basses and roundwound strings? I discuss this in my latest YouTube video and also play samples of P-basses with flatwound and roundwound strings so you can get a direct comparison of the sound differences. I also delve into the various options that you have for different flatwound string brands. Find out more by clicking the link below.
  16. greghagger
    They are pretty fast! The chorus moves a bit too!
  17. greghagger
    After my false start a few weeks ago when I initially thought I was transcribing him, I've finally got round to covering a Leland Sklar bass line. I've gone for 'Doctor My Eyes' which is classic Jackson Browne, as the bass line is pretty accessible apart from a fast triplet bar. This is a great tune and the the simple root note bass line in the verse really helps the song to groove. Jackson Browne is on top form in this song, as are the rest of the band. Sklar's bass line is quality from start to finish and as you would expect from a session player of his caliber, it fits the song so well. There're only a few sections to learn as lots of the bass line is repeated but you'll have to master the triplet bar which happens four times! Find out more in my latest YouTube lesson. The full transcription in notation and Tab is available under the video. Enjoy!
  18. greghagger
    Incredible line-up. I’m currently researching a lesson on Doctor My Eyes.
  19. greghagger
    I'm sure that you know the guitar riff from Layla by Derek And The Dominos. This is probably Eric Clapton's more well-known riff. I must admit that at one point I had heard Layla so much that I started to fast-forward it, in the days of cassette tape! But it's a brilliantly crafted Rock song in two parts that were actually recorded on different days and spliced together at a later point in the studio. Carl Radle's bass line from Layla is often overlooked as there's a lot going on in the song, but it's really creative and is a lesson on how to perfectly support a song. I was reminded when doing a session yesterday that creating a bass line is a fine balance between producing a line that is repetitive but interesting at the same time, and Carl Radle was so great at this. He even switched to plectrum in the second part of the song! As lots of the bass line is repeated, you only have to learn a few sections to play the whole epic 7 minutes. Find out more in my latest YouTube lesson and grab my free note-by-note transcription of the bass line under the video.
  20. greghagger
    As bass players we are used to holding down the low end and providing a strong outline of the harmony for the rest of the band. So melodic playing can sometimes be an alien concept. something that we don't have any experience with. But a strategically placed melodic intro or lick can be very poignant, can really make an impact and lift the song to another level. There's something very unique about the bass player covering the high end. So I've put together a lesson with five tips to help you to start mastering melodic playing on the bass. I've used examples from Elton John's 'Rocket Man' and Carole King's 'So Far Away' which both feature excellent examples of creative melodic bass playing. Find out more in my latest YouTube lesson. Free PDF download under the video.
  21. greghagger
    Thanks for the great intel on frequency in relation to chords. I didn’t really know that side of things. I do love the effect that is created in sone of Avishai Cohen’s music where he plays upright with very low notes being played on the piano. You can hear that frequency difference between the two instruments and it causes a sort of natural chorus effect.
  22. greghagger
    Chords on the bass you say? Yes! Chords definitely have their place in certain bass lines and can be very effective to fatten up the sound. Although chords are utilised more frequently in solo bass tunes, bass players like Andy Fraser and Geddy Lee have been using them for years in fully-blown Rock songs. The humble power chord is king here and is easy to learn and throw in where appropriate. I've made a new video explaining some options for playing chords on the bass and in it I’ve also showcased a few chordal bass lines from songs by artists such as Stanley Clarke and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Find out more in my latest YouTube lesson.
  23. greghagger
    Yes, I would do it like that. I’d always set the preamp level first.
  24. greghagger
    Confused me for a while there!! Thought I was transcribing Sklar! 😂
  25. greghagger
    I'm always on the lookout for interesting bass lines and bass players that are new to me. I've done this since I first picked up the bass around 35 years ago and now I'm also doing this to pass these gems on to everyone else. Jackson Browne has always been a favourite songwriter of mine but up to now I've haven't transcribed any of the bass lines from his songs, in fact I wasn't even sure who played bass on his records. 'The Pretender' is one of Jackson Browne's most well-known hits and after spending a few confusing hours researching this song, it became clear that the wrong bass player was credited on it! It also turns out that one of my P-basses is a signature model from the actual bassist who did record this track. The bass line from The Pretender is a useful lesson in when to lay down a basic bass groove and when to fill the space with a busier and more melodic line. The two bass fills in this bass line are beautifully crafted and one of them just runs on when you think it's finished. Find out more in my latest YouTube lesson and pick up the free bass line transcription (notation & Tab) below the video. Enjoy!
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