This is something I found that I think is cool

[Barklessdog]

I found this I found this from one of the Amazon Downloads

Charles Spearin- He records people talking then the band figures it out note for note.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRmtvGk5IHw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nP0bx4ZI6Y&feature=related

[Barklessdog]

It reminds me of Charlie Brown's school teacher. I know Steve Vai did it as well. I also remember George Duke would scat sing and play the samething.

[uwe]

Having a non-fretted instrument where you can exactly match the tone shifts of people talking certainly helps. Recommended fretless practice.

[Barklessdog]

I remember reading how Jeff Beck tried to make his playing as close to the human voice, since he can't or will not sing.

[uwe]

You hear loads of that on that new live album of his. He is impressive just by the tone, even on those numbers that are jazz rock run of the mill. Some rather unorthodox slide playing at 4.08 I dare say. Someone should have shown him how to do it right. 



The much heralded curly-haired chick on bass, btw, is treated very unkind in the cd mix. All sub-low bass, some treble and presence, no mids, drowned out by the kick drum most of the time. So in awe of Herr Beck that she plays very subdued, similar to Lee Sklar or a black bass player twice her age and girth in groove. I guess that is what Master Beck wants and she does it well, but I would care more for a bit more rock-oriented and attention-demanding bass playing a la Bruce, Bogert, Jim Lea or Geddy Lee in that scenario.

[Barklessdog]

Jeff, like most guitarist, wants the bass in the background, backing the guitar, no shine. I saw him and he spent as much effort just using his volume knobs as he did playing notes, all effortlessly of coarse. The next time I saw him he was flat.

[gweimer]

Jeff, like most guitarist, wants the bass in the background, backing the guitar, no shine. I saw him and he spent as much effort just using his volume knobs as he did playing notes, all effortlessly of coarse. The next time I saw him he was flat.

Jeff Beck's disdain of bass players has been stated before (Guitar Shop, as I recall, had NO bass player on it), but you have to wonder when you look at some of the people he's had behind him:
Clive Chaman
Tim Bogert
Tal Winkenfield

He's got a funny way of showing it.

[nofi]

call me a traditionalist or kill me now, i agree the bass belongs in the 'background' supporting the music. not adding to the wankfest or leading it for that matter.

[Barklessdog]

True but a bass player should be more than the low notes (note for note) for a guitarist. I always look to Entwistle in these situations, WWJE do?

Also the Beatles bass lines. simple yet more than just, in the back ground. The bass can be so much more without being flash.

[uwe]

It's not about wanking, it's about playing something that is recognizable and song-co-defining. Listen to two seconds of the bass in MJ's Billy Jean and you know the song. That is not wanking or difficult, just musical.

The curly girl on that recording is utterly unremarkable in the context of the freedom a jazzy instrumental outfit like the Beck band would allow her. I've heard her play much more enthusiastic in other contexts.

[OldManC]

To me, the song, the style, and what the lead instrument is doing dictate to a great degree what part I hear to play. I'd like to be more Entwistle when the song calls for it, but I probably listened to too much McCartney as a kid because my parts tend to go more in that direction in poppy situations. I'm not a fan of wankfest bass playing, but I think an inventive line can certainly make the song (like Uwe points out for Billy Jean). That's a great example because I'd bet the bass line is what people hear in their heads when they first think of the song (well, that's what I hear  ). In that way, it's a bass player's song. I might like the Beck stuff more if it had a more adventurous bass element to it, but I guess that's not what he hears in his head, so it is what it is.

[Rocker949]

If the bass can't be clearly heard in the mix, then often I can't even listen to a song at all.  There are many examples of this, for example, with Metallica.  Countless other examples could be given.  I know I may miss out on listening to good music because of this, but that's just the way it is and I'm not going to change.  Of course there are a few exceptions.  In some rare cases the song may be so good it would be great even with the bass in a minor role.  Or there may be other cases where the bassist isn't doing a very good job anyway, so you might not care whether you can hear him or not.