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We've had Bass Day... now it's time for Tea Chest Bass Day :)


derrenleepoole
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That's great! I used to play tea chest before getting my first upright, years ago. My mate Dave, drummer with Tragic Roundabout, has a superb tea chest technique he learned from an American busker in Italy. I tried it and thought it was a big improvement on the traditional approach. I'll try and explain it (and hope I get it right!). Assuming you're right handed...

First off, the pole is positioned differently: instead of near left corner to pull back on, place the end of the pole at the far left corner to lean on;
Second, instead of right foot up on the chest to steady it, use the left;
Third, instead of plucking the string with your hand, hit it with a drumstick!

I think that's right, but it's been a few years since he showed me and I haven't got a tea chest to test it on.

Using this method eventually you can get a rolling motion with your right hand, and catch the top of the tea chest with the drumstick before the string and replicate the upright bass slap sound. Dave could, I didn't spend enough time trying it.

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[quote name='teej' post='671859' date='Dec 2 2009, 09:37 AM']That's great! I used to play tea chest before getting my first upright, years ago. My mate Dave, drummer with Tragic Roundabout, has a superb tea chest technique he learned from an American busker in Italy. I tried it and thought it was a big improvement on the traditional approach. I'll try and explain it (and hope I get it right!). Assuming you're right handed...

First off, the pole is positioned differently: instead of near left corner to pull back on, place the end of the pole at the far left corner to lean on;
Second, instead of right foot up on the chest to steady it, use the left;
Third, instead of plucking the string with your hand, hit it with a drumstick!

I think that's right, but it's been a few years since he showed me and I haven't got a tea chest to test it on.

Using this method eventually you can get a rolling motion with your right hand, and catch the top of the tea chest with the drumstick before the string and replicate the upright bass slap sound. Dave could, I didn't spend enough time trying it.[/quote]

This technique sounds familiar, I think I've come across it before. Anyway, found this video and just had to share. Miles Davis 'Milestones' by the Old Spice Boys done with snare drum, uke and tea chest bass.

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