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Bernard edwards


YouMa
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Can anyone give me any info about bernard edwards the guy who did all the disco stuff with chic.I think this guy is so underrated,his lines are just so fluid and tight,i can find little about him on the web no interviews or anything.Wikipedia doesnt really have much about him i know he used stingrays and spectors.

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That sound he had was amazing but im pretty sure that is down to his muting technique,i started trying to copy the way he drags lightly over then plucks hard on the end of his fingers,its such a smooth sound,nile rogers is a fantastic guitarist and they were both excellent producers.

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He owned at least 3 of these during his time in Chic, And played most of the classics on them.



BC Rich Eagles, So screw all the BCR are crap bandwagon.

And yes i own those two :)

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeJ1c9YOzvM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeJ1c9YOzvM[/url]

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yeah i know he played bc rich there a quality bass,i just dont like the really pointy ones,to be honest i think someone with that amount of natural rythm could make any bass sound half decent,i know john taylor inherited his stingray,what a nice thing to own a bass that started a whole new genre.I wander if he ever gets it out and plays we are family hahaahhahaa im a disco junky those session bass players in the 70s could really play,and freddy washington on forget me nots is just brilliant.

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[quote name='YouMa' post='161149' date='Mar 20 2008, 10:06 PM']yeah i know he played bc rich there a quality bass,i just dont like the really pointy ones,to be honest i think someone with that amount of natural rythm could make any bass sound half decent,i know john taylor inherited his stingray,what a nice thing to own a bass that started a whole new genre.I wander if he ever gets it out and plays we are family hahaahhahaa im a disco junky those session bass players in the 70s could really play,and freddy washington on forget me nots is just brilliant.[/quote]

Nice to see another discophreak here. :)

Stuart Clayton has written a transription book full of tasty nuggets about Bernard. Check his BC forum out here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showforum=55"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showforum=55[/url]

Its claimed that Bernard liked the BC Riches for their look when playing live.

If you're into disco, its worth also checking out contemporary players like Julian Crampton with the Sunburst band and Joey Negro, and Gene Perez who has done quite a few NY house sessions. I'm also a long time fan of Rutger Gunnarsson who did the bass AND wrote the brass parts for Abba. Still one of the most under rated 70's players in my opinion, he should be up there with Bernard.

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[quote name='YouMa' post='161122' date='Mar 20 2008, 09:35 PM']I think this guy is so underrated[/quote]

I agree that he was an awesome player and a huge influence on everything that came after him but there's no way the guy is underrated. He's highly rated by almost everyone. Just check out the thread below about bass players of the 70s.

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[quote name='YouMa' post='161122' date='Mar 20 2008, 09:35 PM']Can anyone give me any info about bernard edwards the guy who did all the disco stuff with chic.I think this guy is so underrated,his lines are just so fluid and tight,i can find little about him on the web no interviews or anything.Wikipedia doesnt really have much about him i know he used stingrays and spectors.[/quote]

He's definitely one of the bass gods of modern music and had an amazing feel for the groove and importantly...space in the music which many a musician takes time to realise is just as or more important than the notes themselves.

I've got most of the back catalogue of his work with Chic and Sister Sledge and it's always fresh, exciting and inspiring to listen to Bernard's basslines which more often than not was the groove with the fantastic Mr Nile Rodgers layering his great rhythm work on his Strat.

Oh to play bass like Mr Edwards...

Just some thoughts.

Ciao

Ian

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Also check out the live Chic Cd...
Bonus interview tracks with Nile Rodgers and BE i think..
Right up to the night when he died...
I believe he collapsed during a number...
Got up and carried on playing.. ;)
Then finally went during th night..... :)

I think we should have our own Disco Section.... ;)

Another A++ for Freddie Washington..
One of my all time fav's.. :huh:

Garry

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[quote name='SMART' post='161269' date='Mar 21 2008, 09:20 AM']He's definitely one of the bass gods of modern music and had an amazing feel for the groove and importantly...space in the music which many a musician takes time to realise is just as or more important than the notes themselves.

I've got most of the back catalogue of his work with Chic and Sister Sledge and it's always fresh, exciting and inspiring to listen to Bernard's basslines which more often than not was the groove with the fantastic Mr Nile Rodgers layering his great rhythm work on his Strat.

Oh to play bass like Mr Edwards...

Just some thoughts.

Ciao

Ian[/quote]


And...here's the man!

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[quote name='YouMa' post='161239' date='Mar 21 2008, 01:02 AM']name of the games a good bass line by gunnerson he used those hagstrom basses i think sweden is a pretty good country for funky experimental music,they seem to dig there own thing there,its expensive to visit though.[/quote]

I think he used a Fender Jazz too IIRC. Thing for me about Abba's songs is that the melodies and chord structures and sequences are so rich and cleverly integrated that its possible to come up with some very interesting improvised bass lines while still underpinning the songs.

I haven't heard Julian playing with Incognito yet. I was lined up to take lessons from him at one point but he got a tour at the last minute and had to back out. I like Randy Hope Taylors playing too but Julian is a little more flamboyant to my ears perhaps.

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