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Sparse basslines


josie

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On 12/02/2018 at 23:45, josie said:

Not sure why I just went back to early Dire Straits 

 

Sorry to be pedantic, but this has been bothering me. This is surely late Dire Straits, not early? 

Apart from that, great post, which has led to one of the best responses to a music based post on here for ages.

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On 2/12/2018 at 23:58, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Well, I'm going to offer this. Very sparse in terms of notes used and it's the same pattern played over and over. But it's not about the bass line, its about how it works with everything else that's going on around it.

I must have listen to this thousands of times since it's release and I never bore of it. Utterly magical.

 

Wheres Tina? Someone else on bass duties on this vid

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So good thread... Some comments:

Dire Straits - BIA - John Isley didn't play on this I thought... Session bass players including Tony Levin? JI just did the tour.

Jaco - above whom I love, could never be labelled as 'sparse' as per this thread. The ballad in question features him playing the melody line so whilst slow, isn't exactly 'sparse'. His occasional growls for the bass maybe...

Winner!: I went to Sting's 'Walking on the Moon' too... maximum music for minimum notes....

 

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Saw this quoted on another site as a baseline you’d probably lose consciousness from boredom if asked to play. I was looking at the post thinking. Hang on, that bass line is nigh on perfect, the whole heart of the song and for all it’s simplicity one of my faves. In fact, it’s one I’ve quoted to over busy players saying “this is what groove is about. So simple but the way it’s played and works with the drums breathes life into what would otherwise be a pretty dull ballad”.

Love this song!

 

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Then again, there are many tunes where the basslines  are just a bit too rudimentary or minimalist and could've done with a bit more to have made the songs work better. Essentially I'm referring to those songs where the bassist just holds down the bottom end with root 8ths or 16ths, occasionally throwing in a couple of other notes, especially where the guitar work isn't exactly dynamic and all the melody is in the vocals. It's a fine line between being effectively sparse and unimaginative or incapable.

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On 2/16/2018 at 11:38, Barking Spiders said:

Then again, there are many tunes where the basslines  are just a bit too rudimentary or minimalist and could've done with a bit more to have made the songs work better. Essentially I'm referring to those songs where the bassist just holds down the bottom end with root 8ths or 16ths, occasionally throwing in a couple of other notes, especially where the guitar work isn't exactly dynamic and all the melody is in the vocals. It's a fine line between being effectively sparse and unimaginative or incapable.

Yes, it depends on what else is going on. My usual duo partner is a rhythm guitar player and if there's any interesting detail in the music it has to come from me.

The most versatile bass player I know from this point of view is Dave Pegg, Fairport Convention. On one song he'll be playing a stripped-down classic anchor bassline, on the next he's playing the melody line while the fiddle and mandolin shimmer over it. (He's also the only musician I've ever seen gigging a 5-string fan-fretted bass - an Ibanez SDG.)

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Got sidetracked via Youtube into Morris Day & the Time - also some great minimalist stuff. Anyone have a recording of their song "Saturday Saturday Night" or know where  can find it?  Saw them doing it on Soul Train years ago...

OK apparently they were covering this song originally done by a west coast funk band called Zoom. MD & T's version is even funkier than the original if possible.

I have to sort out a link....

 

Edited by ivansc
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On 2/13/2018 at 13:36, Cuzzie said:

To me this is almost the perfect rock song.

George Lynch is a vastly underrated guitarist and I think this is a beautiful solo, easily matching the famous Zak Wylde in Ozzy’s no more tears.

Ray Luzier is a monster drummer and drives the song, rhythm changes etc.

dUg kills it with simplicity.

KXM - Breakout - I could listen to this everyday and not get bored.

 

Not to mention that he's one of the greatest singers of all time in any genre.

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@arthurhenry any superlatives you say about dUg will always be agreed with by me, a true true legend, also one who knows his limitations as well.

Its interesting hearing him talk about when he depped for Corey Glover in Living Colour for a few shows, he said he really struggled, but Corey is also immense, different but still immense

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