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greghagger

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Everything posted by greghagger

  1. 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.
  2. greghagger
    They are pretty fast! The chorus moves a bit too!
  3. 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!
  4. greghagger
    Incredible line-up. I’m currently researching a lesson on Doctor My Eyes.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. greghagger
    Yes, I would do it like that. I’d always set the preamp level first.
  10. greghagger
    Confused me for a while there!! Thought I was transcribing Sklar! 😂
  11. 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!
  12. greghagger
    Glad you like it! In regards to the hum, I haven’t had any issue with that at home or in a few venues where I’ve used it. I’ve only got a few pedals in my chain though so maybe that’s an issue for you?
  13. greghagger
    I’ll see if I can persuade one of my guitarist mates to try this!
  14. greghagger
    Hey @Kateplaysbass I’m glad the video can be helpful for you. Let me know how you get on. Speed is definitely something that gradually happens with practice. Good luck with getting that Bob Seger tune in the set 😀
  15. greghagger
    This week a student asked me about the bass line from the Led Zeppelin classic, 'Good Times Bad Times' and it reminded me of just how good this bass line is. John Paul Jones's bass playing is on form in this song and there are some technically interesting lines to play. There are two sections and two licks in particular that seem to cause problems so I thought this would be a perfect choice of bass line to make a YouTube lesson on. John Paul Jones is such a creative bass player and so many famous bass players have stated that he's one of their influences so he's a great musician to study. This isn't an easy bass line but it's fun to pull apart and you might be surprised when you find that this bass line could easily be taken from a Motown tune! There is a full transcription of the bass line in standard notation and Tab available under the video.
  16. greghagger
    Yes, music existed before music theory and the theory has evolved as the music has evolved.
  17. greghagger
    It always amazes me that when you look at music theory and analyse music, there are always patterns there behind it all. Similar to the way that nature is made up of lots of pattens. The Circle Of Fifths diagram (or Cycle Of Fourths!) is a perfect example of the maths behind music. There are endless patterns in this circle. Of course it’s the human touch that truly makes a beautiful piece of music but music theory doesn’t take that magic away.
  18. greghagger
    Good point! That’s the thing, everyone picks up a certain amount of music theory unintentionally even without a teacher or without purposely studying music.
  19. greghagger
    definitely analysing which is a lot faster with an understanding of music theory. Also great for your playing 👍
  20. greghagger
    Nothing constructive in your comment and you sound very defensive. There is a wealth of information out there for you to take or leave. What you decide to do really doesn’t matter to me, it’s your choice. But perhaps if you did learn music theory, you’d be in a better position to discuss whether you need it or not. There’s nothing to gain by this line of communication so let’s leave it here.
  21. greghagger
    I agree with all of this. Knowledge of music theory certainly opens a lot of doors. I learnt bass initially with a cable wired into my record player! Records were just on the cusp of being replaced by cassette around then. No internet and we didn’t even have a TV 😂 I can only remember one bass magazine that had the odd bit of Tab in it.
  22. greghagger
    Very honest post Frank. I rebelled by picking up a bass as I was learning piano from my Dad at the age of 4 and then trumpet. Playing in a band was my two fingers up at the establishment. But once I realised around the age of 18 that I could actually play bass for a living if I soaked up everything about music, I embraced it all and went for it. Switching what I had already learnt about reading music and music theory from the other instruments was easy to transfer to bass. I thanked my Dad many times for teaching me music in those early years and enabling me to support myself and a family through playing bass. if I can learn music theory from 4 years of age, anyone can quite easily, especially with the amount of resources out there now like @itu pointed out.
  23. greghagger
    That was quite a long-winded way to say that you replied without watching the video. Of course we all have biases, mine is that I value music theory, yours is that you don’t. But surely presenting a question as the title of a video is acceptable even if I already know my answer? I thought that using ten famous bass players from a list that I didn’t pick and looking into their musical education was an objective way to sidestep my bias as much as possible. It surprised me that even more than I thought had studied music when I did this. Anyway, as I said before, I’m not looking to try to changed people’s mind but to present the facts and I reckon that over 40 years of studying many different styles of music and playing bass professionally for over 25 years puts me a good position to make this video.
  24. greghagger
    This particular line of discussion doesn’t seem to be going anywhere for either of us. Let’s move on…. What did you think of the video?
  25. greghagger
    Cool well if you’re going to put words in my mouth and are not up for a civil conversation then let’s move on 👍
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