Aston "Family Man" Barrett 1 - Dom 0

[Dom in Dorset]

My background is heavy rock/ folk rock/psychedelia/prog....
I've ended up depping fairly regularly for a country band....I found country fairly easy to grasp, generally there are no hidden depths melodically, everything is bang on the beat , the main thing I get out of it is working closely and tightly with drummer and rhythm guitarist - a joy when it really clicks and starts to chug along by it'self.
After a gig last week I was asked if I'd play bass in a reggae band for a one of charity gig next month,
I just can't say no!!!
I'm loving it, complete opposite to country , everything off or on or around the beat, more hidden depths than er a secret coal mine (I'll work on that simile)
I'm learning a few Jimmy Cliff songs a few old ska numbers and of course some Bob Marley.
The bass in the Marley songs is interesting, rhythmically and melodically it sneaks past me at every turn. I don't think I've managed to anticipate anything he does so far. Oh well , three weeks to go...
Aston "Family Man Barrett" I salute you.

[Roland Rock]

He's the man!

[miles'tone]

Word

[xilddx]

He's one of 'The Men'

There are lots of amazing reggae bassists. There are a few bloody good ones on here too.

I reckon the simpler you play reggae the more likely it is to sound like reggae. And play on the beat, don't try dragging because you'll sound like white man dub When you get the feel of it, then you can start messing, only as long as you feel it.

Best of luck Dom!

Edited July 15, 2014 by xilddx

[gary mac]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405448144' post='2502000']
He's one of 'The Men'



I reckon the simpler you play reggae the more likely it is to sound like reggae. And play on the beat, don't try dragging because you'll sound like white man dub When you get the feel of it, then you can start messing, only as long as you feel it.


[/quote]


so right Nige.

[Merton]

I seriously suck at reggae, I need to do some studying!

[Roland Rock]

I play white man dub but enjoy it anyway :-p

[thisnameistaken]

He's a really creative player and a great example of what you can do with just a few notes in interesting places.

[Raslee]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1405452541' post='2502076']
He's a really creative player and a great example of what you can do with just a few notes in interesting places.
[/quote] He keeps it spriitual too when he's dubbing down with his few notes..(Natural mystic, Heathen etc)...Familyman is a big inspiration to me and thoroughly lovely down to earth chap too.

[thisnameistaken]

Yeah he impressed me when I was a kid but as much as I dug it I didn't understand what he was doing and I didn't gain anything from listening to him. These days I play a lot of reggae influenced music and I listen to a lot of Jamaican recordings from the '60s onwards, and now it makes sense. I can't imagine a lot of young British players having the self-control to do a good job of playing reggae bass. It's an old man's game. ;-)

[Norm]

The simplest sounding stuff is often the hardest to do well. As others have already said, feel & less is more, keep it understated.
Have fun with it Dom, sounds like a good gig to get!
Cheers,
Norm

[discreet]

I had need to learn the bass line to 'I Shot The Sherrif' for a jam night pub band a while back, which I did - but unfortunately the rest of the band were unable to play the song as it is recorded here - the drummer in particular had no fecking idea whatsoever - so I had to bastardise it just so we could get through it which peed me off no end! It's a lovely line though, and his tone on this is superb.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmhyc_QynE[/media]

Edited July 16, 2014 by discreet

[gary mac]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1405507289' post='2502475']
I had need to learn the bass line to 'I Shot The Sherrif' for a jam night pub band a while back, which I did - but unfortunately the rest of the band were unable to play the song as it is recorded here - the drummer in particular had no fecking idea whatsoever - so I had to bastardise it just so we could get through it which peed me off no end! It's a lovely line though, and his tone on this is superb.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmhyc_QynE[/media]
[/quote]

It amazes me how many musicians can play Rock in a convincing manner but can have a total fail when it comes to Reggae, or, come to think of it Funk and Disco.


There have been occasions when I've left the room thanks to a guitarist thinking he was funking it up

[xilddx]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1405511861' post='2502534']


It amazes me how many musicians can play Rock in a convincing manner but can have a total fail when it comes to Reggae, or, come to think of it Funk and Disco.


There have been occasions when I've left the room thanks to a guitarist thinking he was funking it up
[/quote]
I think many musicians don't realise that music is cultural. You have to grow up in, or at least immerse yourself in, the cultural aspects of the music you want to play, be that Latin, Middle Eastern, Indian, African, Asian, Caribbean or whatever. Just listening to a bit of the music and expecting to be able to execute its cultural nuances is an almost guaranteed fail.

[gary mac]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405517969' post='2502616']
I think many musicians don't realise that music is cultural. You have to grow up in, or at least immerse yourself in, the cultural aspects of the music you want to play, be that Latin, Middle Eastern, Indian, African, Asian, Caribbean or whatever. Just listening to a bit of the music and expecting to be able to execute its cultural nuances is an almost guaranteed fail.
[/quote]

So are you saying I need to be a tad more tolerant then Nige?

[xilddx]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1405518500' post='2502628']


So are you saying I need to be a tad more tolerant then Nige?
[/quote]
only if the music improves

[gary mac]

[Raslee]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405517969' post='2502616']
I think many musicians don't realise that music is cultural. You have to grow up in, or at least immerse yourself in, the cultural aspects of the music you want to play, be that Latin, Middle Eastern, Indian, African, Asian, Caribbean or whatever. Just listening to a bit of the music and expecting to be able to execute its cultural nuances is an almost guaranteed fail.
[/quote] +1 to this - develop a bit of cultural confidence. Reggae - Spot the muso's in Rockers, check out some Jamaican film classics, get down to the Sunsplash, demand goat & not mutton (far more tasty meat) and love your Ackee & saltfish...and of course listen to Culture - the best Jamaican band ever...haha IMO .

I've been fortunate over the years to be part of a local reggae collective and backed a few Jamaican/African vocalists with various bands. It always amazes me that some musicians i play with will comment "the vocalist is singing out of time", "or using the wrong lyrics etc"......far from it usually as when I've observed the same vocalists jamming with their fellow Jamaican friends it is always pretty much perfect reggae...even when it sounds 'out of time' - Jah works in mysterious ways as they say
I've often found guitards and particularly brass players the hardest to nail reggae. Often, and with a few exceptions of course, the horns are usually right on it and often on the beat.

With regards to the OP, check out some Familyman in Dub - The Cobra style!!! , and his nephew on the drums (up and coming).

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0mZXTprvck"]https://www.youtube....h?v=F0mZXTprvck[/url]

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlMf78a6txQ"]https://www.youtube....h?v=VlMf78a6txQ[/url]

Edited July 17, 2014 by Raslee

[Rumple]

I do love playing 'I Shot The Sheriff' it's one of the few non rock/indie/blues tunes I've managed to get our band to play, it seems such a simple tune on the face of it but it's one of the ones I have to concentrate most on to get the feel right.

I remember Bod Marley playing across the road from where I lived in Crystal Palace Park back in the 70's, this was before there were any restrictions on volume, blimey was it loud! I think it may have partially influenced my love of bass

[discreet]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1405518500' post='2502628']
So are you saying I need to be a tad more tolerant then Nige?
[/quote]

Oi! We don't need your sort coming over here, eating our houses, sleeping with our food and being tolerant all over the place. [size=4]I paid National Insurance for forty years, I did. And never took a [/size][i]single [/i][size=4]day off work. Apart from that summons for fraud. [/size]

[KevB]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1405507289' post='2502475']
I had need to learn the bass line to 'I Shot The Sherrif' for a jam night pub band a while back, which I did - but unfortunately the rest of the band were unable to play the song as it is recorded here[/quote]

My guess would be the other musicians were working off the Clapton version, I've found most jam/open mic'ers do.

[jazzyvee]

He is still and always has been a great inspiration for me as a musician. Hearing him on bass made me want to become a musician. Now I'm in a professional reggae band and we do a couple of wailers tracks and always jam on his bass lines at sound check which gives me the chance to capture some of his sound live. I've met him a few times and talked bass with him. He's a great bloke a man of few words but inspiring nonetheless.

[jezzaboy]

There is an often told story about a Family man bass lesson. Can`t remember who it was but they turned up all excited at Astons door, ready to soak up all the knowledge that the great man would share.

They knocked the door, Aston opened the door and said "Nothing above the 5th fret!" and closed the door.

A true story allegedly [size=4] [/size]

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1405630365' post='2503931']
There is an often told story about a Family man bass lesson. Can`t remember who it was but they turned up all excited at Astons door, ready to soak up all the knowledge that the great man would share.

They knocked the door, Aston opened the door and said "Nothing above the 5th fret!" and closed the door.

A true story allegedly
[/quote]

I wonder how he managed to play 'I Shot the Sheriff' then - that goes up to the Eb at the 8th fret on the G string!

[Raslee]

I've played 20 or so typical Wailers tunes, never past the 12th fret, unless a freaky fill, but often been around the 10th (Could you be loved)...guess it depends on how you play stuff, choice of notes etc. Actually come to think of it Familyman does the occasional fill past the 12th live, particularly on the Babylon by bus album. Flabba Holt is a great reggae bass player too