Faithless Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 (edited) Having just got my first lil' synth bass keyboard,Microkorg, for doing pop gigs, I've been listening to some Pop/RnB synth bass playing lately, cats like Usher, Mary J Blige, Brian McNight, Jessie J, and I've been really inspired by some of that stuff... What's yours? This guy is a monster, Kern Brantley (Usher, Lady Gaga, Destiny's Child, Ne-yo) [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYhOOnedNOk[/media] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6JyuC7-0KEo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JyuC7-0KEo[/url] easy Laimis Edited November 26, 2011 by Faithless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Terry Lewis from Jam and Lewis.... he was a monster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeBrownBass Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 My inspiration for synth stuff is never really the player. Im more interested in how to recreate that sound & feel of the song at such a produced level. I listen to so much pop music I can't really say who it what I follow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Greg Phillinganes is probably the only person to look to for inspiration on how to make synth bass sound good, I include him before even Stevie Wonder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Since all the really good synth bass stuff is sequenced the player is pretty much irrelevant. The original and one of the very best: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06a_Xi1AU9s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 (edited) But it's the player that plays the darned thing, not the keyboard itself, isn't it I mean, I can't deny the musicality and fluidity of Kern Barntley, for instance - in fact, I'm years behind him with this stuff, which means that the human-factor is still important at this particular genre. I'll check out that Terry Lewis, thanks. And, yes, Phillinganes is one of the leading cats in this sort of thing. Laimis Edited November 26, 2011 by Faithless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 There are times when you want a human and there are times when the machine is better. A good musicians knows when each time is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 (edited) Greg Phillinganes & Stevie Wonder for me. Giorgio Moroder on some of the older sequenced stuff. Herbie Hancock & George Duke did some great stuff. And of course Bernard Wright. And if you want human. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylQMhYqSntk[/media] Garry Edited November 26, 2011 by lowdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoutFellow Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Saw Joan As Police Woman play in NY in May this year. No bass player - the keyboard player did it all with his left hand.I was quite impressed. My brother who is not a bass player though they needed a bass player. But he may just have wanted to be polite.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyBiskit Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 [quote name='StoutFellow' timestamp='1322343757' post='1449807'] Saw Joan As Police Woman play in NY in May this year. No bass player - the keyboard player did it all with his left hand.I was quite impressed. My brother who is not a bass player though they needed a bass player. But he may just have wanted to be polite.... [/quote] As per the early doors-Ray Manzarek,The KB player performed all the bass lines with his lefthand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooks79 Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 I found my love for the Novation Bass Station through a great band I was into a few years back, called 'Peace Burial at Sea', (since split up, believe a few people are in a band called 'Ghosts of Old Berlin' now) The Bass Station was on my radar cos of Radiohead, but it was these guys who made me want one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Player-wise I have a lot of respect for the likes of Vince Clarke and Brian Eno. Composition-wise I immediately think of old stalwarts such as Vangelis and John Carpenter. In terms of synthesis I personally think that some of the most cutting-edge sounds can be found in genres like dubstep; artists like Feed Me (and even Skrillex) who manage to twist synth sounds in every which way your granny would disapprove of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 (edited) [quote name='LeftyBiskit' timestamp='1322345613' post='1449843'] As per the early doors-Ray Manzarek,The KB player performed all the bass lines with his lefthand [/quote] RM indeed did all the bass stuff live and studio for forst couple of albums, later it was a mixture. Mostly RM on keys but they also used session bass players on some albums. Considering it wasn't even the same keyboard he was using for the bass parts compared with the lead lines it really looks quite impressive! Edited November 28, 2011 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
originalfunkbrother Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Kern's brother Valdez is a monster on synth bass too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 [quote name='Faithless' timestamp='1322307893' post='1449112'] Having just got my first lil' synth bass keyboard,Microkorg, for doing pop gigs, I've been listening to some Pop/RnB synth bass playing lately, cats like Usher, Mary J Blige, Brian McNight, Jessie J, and I've been really inspired by some of that stuff... What's yours? This guy is a monster, Kern Brantley (Usher, Lady Gaga, Destiny's Child, Ne-yo) [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYhOOnedNOk[/media] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6JyuC7-0KEo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JyuC7-0KEo[/url] easy Laimis [/quote] More videos along the lines of this one please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Question for you synth players - do you find lots of situations where you have to play parts with two hands, I mean use the left hand too? Or is left hand more 'dedicated' to just switching octaves and messing with pitch most of the times? In other words is it ok to do the shedding on synth with just right hand, or do I want to shed the left hand as well? easy Laimis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeBrownBass Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Learn both left & right handed playing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXlDWZmWcak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 [quote name='Faithless' timestamp='1322602263' post='1453490'] Question for you synth players - do you find lots of situations where you have to play parts with two hands, I mean use the left hand too? Or is left hand more 'dedicated' to just switching octaves and messing with pitch most of the times? In other words is it ok to do the shedding on synth with just right hand, or do I want to shed the left hand as well? easy Laimis [/quote] I don't think it matters, there are no set rules. I play almost exclusively with my right hand and do all the pitch bend and modulation wheel messing with my left. I think being adaptable with both has its merits, and if you're coming from a piano/keys background you're going to be just as adaptive with your left because you'll have spent you're whole life playing bass parts with your left hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 (edited) If you're looking for a soft synth then you really can't go far wrong with Imposcar 2 - great basses, great pads and great leads. Hardware wise I chose a Kurzweil PC361 because it has a very powerful virtual analogue synth built into it and some great "cinematic" string pads which when played lower down are extremely effective, however its electric bass samples aren't so good but that's not a problem - if I want an electric bass I'll play one (I suppose it's a bit like playing darts on an XBox; if you want to play darts then get a dart board!) Edited November 29, 2011 by darkandrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) Thanks Jake, will take your advice, the only problem with shedding both hands at the same time is that Microkorg's keyboard range is pretty narrow, so I can only do two octaves/each hand, not to mention small keys (and they're REALLY small, man..!!) Eh, somehow.... As for previous experience, I've played classical piano for 8 years or something, so I'm quite familiar with this (though I've lost my chops over 5-6 year gap), but those lil' Korg keys are making all the difference.. I have to find some time to start transcribing Justin Timberlake's "Right For Me", which has a wicked synth line. Will post up the dots later on in coming few days time, if anyone's interested in shedding that. PS Oh my,oh my that synth line on Jay-z's tune is out of control, man!!!! Is that you Jake playing your Gaia??) Edited November 30, 2011 by Faithless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Got a Roland PK5 recently and that is presently firing sounds on a Roland D110 rack. All pretty vintage stuff and, unless I was going to take up tap dancing, is just used for low bass notes on hold. I do find that it is safer to play in socks as there is more chance of accuracy. With shoes on - unless they were winkle pickers - I just end up triggering the wrong note. The original intention was to use them to trigger samples in a Sampletank Player on the laptop, but as the PK5 is MIDI with no USB connector I was getting notes sticking & all sorts so that idea had to be shelved sadly as I have LOADS of samples in ST including SampleMoog (so Moog's through the ages) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 [quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1322662989' post='1454100'] unless I was going to take up tap dancing, is just used for low bass notes on hold. I do find that it is safer to play in socks as there is more chance of accuracy. With shoes on - unless they were winkle pickers - I just end up triggering the wrong note. [/quote] So you are saying that you play a Synth with your feet ? Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeBrownBass Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 [quote name='Faithless' timestamp='1322660587' post='1454059'] Thanks Jake, will take your advice, the only problem with shedding both hands at the same time is that Microkorg's keyboard range is pretty narrow, so I can only do two octaves/each hand, not to mention small keys (and they're REALLY small, man..!!) Eh, somehow.... As for previous experience, I've played classical piano for 8 years or something, so I'm quite familiar with this (though I've lost my chops over 5-6 year gap), but those lil' Korg keys are making all the difference.. I have to find some time to start transcribing Justin Timberlake's "Right For Me", which has a wicked synth line. Will post up the dots later on in coming few days time, if anyone's interested in shedding that. PS Oh my,oh my that synth line on Jay-z's tune is out of control, man!!!! Is that you Jake playing your Gaia??) [/quote] Aha no man, I wish! In the middle of learning, trying to get the runs to sound smooth! I'll post a clip when I'm done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 [quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1322664191' post='1454129'] So you are saying that you play a Synth with your feet ? Garry [/quote]Yes .... well one of these anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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