bubinga5 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 just been reading a thread on talkbass about a guy (below) that the op seemed to be being a little busy... really seemed obvious to me, just wondered what you guys thought... a track like 'rock with you' being such a laid back record doesnt need a fill every other bar... i indeed think the bassist is totally missing the point of playing bass on such a track... it doesnt help that his recording is so high in the mix i guess... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVuG-WegfFA seems to me that it really does depend on the song as a whole... you can be busy and it sounds just right... this bass line by ernie mckone is a great example (imo) of a busy bassline that is matched very well with a track..... superb playing also.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZbAauYiNoc its only too busy when your not applying your playing appropriately... imo... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 he's not locked into the snare quite on the groove is he? and not got the vlaue of space. Also - that is one awful sounding bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 The thing is,Bobby Watson's line on 'Rock With You' is already pretty busy. This guy is just taking it that bit too far and not really grooving with it. To be honest,I just don't see the point in what he's doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1354835687' post='1891188'] The thing is,Bobby Watson's line on 'Rock With You' is already pretty busy. This guy is just taking it that bit too far and not really grooving with it. To be honest,I just don't see the point in what he's doing. [/quote] ... hes letting people know hes got some chops.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1354837439' post='1891219'] ... hes letting people know hes got some chops.... [/quote] He's really not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Looks like fun to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 My covers band play Rock With You and if I played it like that I would get a very hard kick in between the legs from each member. That would hurt plenty as we are a 7-piece! I get the whole 'personal interpretation' thing, but there is a line between taste and pap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 While playing the rhythm as well as the melody (in places) can work well if done properly it does not work here. As Bubinga says, its just too busy, and as Luke says the bass (or the effect) sounds pretty awfull, so he's on to a loser from the off. I dont like crtitisizing anyone who can play 'better' than i can, it makes me feel something of a fraud, but I calls 'em as I sees 'em. Less is more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) [quote name='daz' timestamp='1354838589' post='1891231'] While playing the rhythm as well as the melody (in places) can work well if done properly it does not work here. As Bubinga says, its just too busy, and as Luke says the bass (or the effect) sounds pretty awfull, so he's on to a loser from the off. I dont like crtitisizing anyone who can play 'better' than i can, it makes me feel something of a fraud, but I calls 'em as I sees 'em. Less is more. [/quote] i think recognising what sounds good/bad, or works well, but maybe not having the technical ability yet...., is better than having the technical ability and still not recognising it Edited December 7, 2012 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 He's not playing on a commercial recording, he's doing a Youtube video. He can play what he likes, it won't matter. I think some of his improvisation is ropey, and his bass sounds terrible, but it's not like someone's paid him for a session and got this self-indulgent mess back, it's just a guy in his back bedroom entertaining himself. This is why I don't get why anybody ever uploads videos to Youtube of themselves playing along to records. It always sounds like this to me, if not worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Horrible. What a mess. He's got facility, but there's not a lot of music going on. You can be busy as f*** if it has real personality and it's right for the song, but he looks like he's trying far too hard to impress with technique, which is poor anyway as he's not in any way locking with the kit or the vocal. He needs to play with some good musicians and grow out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbass4k Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 [quote name='daz' timestamp='1354838589' post='1891231'] I dont like crtitisizing anyone who can play 'better' than i can, it makes me feel something of a fraud, but I calls 'em as I sees 'em. Less is more. [/quote] The trouble is a lot of people think like that and they shouldn't, music (to me at least) isn't about how many notes you can play per minute. A lot of these sorts of players act like there's some sort of league table and whoever can play the most notes "wins" at bass. That's just not how I view music, and I don't see why that opinion is somehow invalid because they can play more notes per minute than I can (because ALWAYS what those types of players mean by "best"). For context, this is one of my favourite basslines, definitely better than whatever that guy's playing (naughty language warning, nuns should not proceed): [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96O8SM20y7U[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Well he's managed to slay one of my all time favourite bass parts in that first vid, although I can't care too much because he's only having fun, probably not taking himself as seriously as we think he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) I'd agree there are too many un-needed fills, but over all I quite enjoyed his take on the bass line and rate it equally with the orginal. That said the orginal is what I would have put on the record for sure. It's rather disco-y his take. Though his playing over the breaks for the vocals does grate me a little. Once or twice would have been ok if it had be less notes but over all I rather liked it. Would certainly agree more for fun but if he did that live I'd be happy with the performance Also, i think the tone is alright, heard thousands of other jazz basses and players in the style sound indentical (Then again, I'm a cloth eared distortion freak who plays trombone haha!) Edit: Now Silddx mentions it, he does have a very "bedroomy" feel to his playing. I'd agree he needs some more spiritual and real band and ensemble playing experience. Clearly I'm up too late on a school night haha! Edited December 7, 2012 by AttitudeCastle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) who says youtube vids are bad? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOJzRxlBRhI&list=FLzVUqeF1SLjxa78y2gd03dQ&index=348[/media] Edited December 7, 2012 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1354840632' post='1891249'] who says youtube vids are bad? [/quote] Nice one Bubs. Great sounding bass. If i was being fussy i would say that .......only joking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1354840632' post='1891249'] who says youtube vids are bad? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOJzRxlBRhI&list=FLzVUqeF1SLjxa78y2gd03dQ&index=348[/media] [/quote] Now that is the sh*t! THAT is how to play with sensitivity and groove, and panache. He's completely at ease with what he's playing and thinking. I can usually tell when someone's head and fingers are disconnected, his are perfectly aligned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) you[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1354841690' post='1891256'] Now that is the sh*t! THAT is how to play with sensitivity and groove, and panache. He's completely at ease with what he's playing and thinking. I can usually tell when someone's head and fingers are disconnected, his are perfectly aligned. [/quote] .. you could even say hes being busy, but the core of the song is there.. the root notes of the groove are played but with some flare.. and he leaves space were appropriate... Edited December 7, 2012 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1354842827' post='1891264'] you .. you could even say hes being busy, but the core of the song is there.. the root notes of the groove are played but with some flare.. and he leaves space were appropriate... [/quote] Interesting, not once did I think he was being busy, showboating, or being an arse. Everything he did made the song move and the vocal shine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1354843319' post='1891268'] Interesting, not once did I think he was being busy, showboating, or being an arse. Everything he did made the song move and the vocal shine. [/quote]i was really referring to the fact that he was slapping the part.. as the original is fingerstyle... a bit more going on with the popping etc.. i meant busy in the best sense of the word... busy to me doesnt have to be a negative term, if its done right, and he nailed it.. i have to say his double stop slide at 2.03 is a nice touch.. Edited December 7, 2012 by bubinga5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1354843699' post='1891270'] i have to say his double stop slide at 2.03 is a nice touch.. [/quote] That's in the original part too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1354835687' post='1891188'] The thing is,Bobby Watson's line on 'Rock With You' is already pretty busy. This guy is just taking it that bit too far and not really grooving with it. To be honest,I just don't see the point in what he's doing. [/quote] I'd go with this.. Doesn't work for me...and some of the fuills are too clumsy anyway. If the track was produced, a lot of that would be left on the floor or buried a bit more. But then again, they would direct him and tell him to try again.. Watson's track has such a lanquid feel but who knows how many takes it took.. So, for the point of the OP, yep, doesn't work..but maybe being a bit harsh on the guy.... but then again he did PUT it out there.. whereas you'd leave the failed takes in the bin..?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1354840632' post='1891249'] who says youtube vids are bad? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOJzRxlBRhI&list=FLzVUqeF1SLjxa78y2gd03dQ&index=348[/media] [/quote] See...that is just as wrong, IMO. The bass lines work in itself...but if you were to play it like that... you'd change the rest of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaydentaku Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1354841690' post='1891256'] Now that is the sh*t! THAT is how to play with sensitivity and groove, and panache. He's completely at ease with what he's playing and thinking. I can usually tell when someone's head and fingers are disconnected, his are perfectly aligned. [/quote] Valter Kabas! I love his videos. I discovered him when I was learning Forget Me Nots and this blew me away. It's so natural. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynRG6ahkrcc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 That is superb playing...... I can't watch the video though as the bend on the tip of his thumb freaks me out. [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1354840632' post='1891249'] who says youtube vids are bad? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOJzRxlBRhI&list=FLzVUqeF1SLjxa78y2gd03dQ&index=348[/media] [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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