Showing posts with label Bass Birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bass Birthday. Show all posts
1.12.13
1.2.12
Jamerson's Part on "Can't Help Myself" by the Four Tops
Since it was Mr. Jamerson's birthday recently, I thought it would be befitting to put up one of his famous bass lines. This is what he plays on "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)".
Surprisingly, this song is not in the "Standing In The Shadow Of Motown" book of transcriptions, which is a little weird, but hey, that means I can put it up here.
The song is very simple. It is an 8 measure long repeating phrase, and it just loops. No B section or bridge really, there are 8 measures out front with bass, and then after they go through the progression 7 times, they do 8 measures of bass and drums and then they start the 8 measure phrase over again and fade out after a few more.
The progression:
The bass line is simple, but very sly and drives the entire song along. Notice how he puts a little marker at the last measure by changing the rhythm there, its like a little period at the end of a sentence.
Here is a recording posted by Rick Suckow that is supposedly the master tracks from the original recording:
And here it is written out:
So just put on a drum loop (at about 125 bpm )and practice playing this line evenly, steadily, and let every note get that thud. Even though this might be considered an easy song, making it sound great and groove is never easy and takes concentration.
Sometimes that last measure could be notated even more syncopated like this:
He really anticipates some of them, but they are not that syncopated, it just feels like they are. He is grooving but kinda floating at the same time. Listen to the track to get into his feel, that is the most important thing for a track like this.
Enjoy!
Surprisingly, this song is not in the "Standing In The Shadow Of Motown" book of transcriptions, which is a little weird, but hey, that means I can put it up here.
The song is very simple. It is an 8 measure long repeating phrase, and it just loops. No B section or bridge really, there are 8 measures out front with bass, and then after they go through the progression 7 times, they do 8 measures of bass and drums and then they start the 8 measure phrase over again and fade out after a few more.
The progression:
C | C | G | G | Dmin | Dmin | Fmaj | G maj |Thats it. Over and over.
The bass line is simple, but very sly and drives the entire song along. Notice how he puts a little marker at the last measure by changing the rhythm there, its like a little period at the end of a sentence.
Here is a recording posted by Rick Suckow that is supposedly the master tracks from the original recording:
And here it is written out:
bass lick tempo 125 4/4 | C c8 g a c8~ c g8 a c8 | c8 g a c8~ c g8 a c8 | G g+ d e g~ g d e g | g d e g~ g d e g | Dmin d a b d~ d a b d | d a b d~ d~ d e4 | F f8 c d f~ f c d f | G g d e8 r g8 a8~ a8 g |
So just put on a drum loop (at about 125 bpm )and practice playing this line evenly, steadily, and let every note get that thud. Even though this might be considered an easy song, making it sound great and groove is never easy and takes concentration.
Sometimes that last measure could be notated even more syncopated like this:
bass lick tempo 125 4/4 | G g+ d e8 r g8. a16~ a8 g |
He really anticipates some of them, but they are not that syncopated, it just feels like they are. He is grooving but kinda floating at the same time. Listen to the track to get into his feel, that is the most important thing for a track like this.
Enjoy!
19.9.11
Bass Link Blast number oh, 3 or 4 I think...
- BassLinepublishing.com has released a book of transcriptions from Zander Zon, the guy who made solo bass famous on YouTube. If you are into some very musical solo bass you might dig it. He tunes his bass like a cello, and up an octave too I think. But it sure sounds pretty.
- If you are in North America, it is Damian Erskine's birthday today, so tweet, email, fb wall, or just call him up and say Happy B-day. I think he turns 14 today. Or 43. It's hard to tell.
- Christian McBride is going to release an album of just duets in November, "Conversations With Christian" will be released on Mack Avenue Records. "Conversations..." is a CD of 13 duets with some of Christian's closest friends and collaborators - Sting, Angelique Kidjo, Chick Corea, George Duke, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Eddie Palmieri, Roy Hargrove, Regina Carter, Russell Malone, Gina Gershon, Ron Blake, the late Dr. Billy Taylor, and the late Hank Jones. If you like singing and bass, but hate all the other instruments clogging things up, you will probably like this record. Christian is a double-threat electric/upright player, so I am sure he will sneak in a little electric bass playing somewhere on the record.
- Here are couple of interviews with two of the A-team for bass, Bob Cranshaw ( Sonny Rollins) and Ron Carter (Miles Davis and 10000 others). Both are from a radio show out of Arizona I think. Bob talks about the business of recording and how it was just that sometimes. Cranshaw is one of the only guys to play electric in a somewhat straight ahead jazz setting with Sonny Rollins so check him out if you can. And Ron Carter, what can you say? He gets called "the most recorded bassist in history" a lot, and I am sure not going to argue with that.
Bob Cranshaw Interview:
Ron Carter Interview:
15.9.11
Happy Birthday, Cannonball
What can you say, he was one of the best ever. Born today.
The transcription of the bass line on his version of Autumn Leaves is the most popular page on the site by a factor of 3 over the next most popular page.
Listen to some Cannonball today and say thanks.
14.6.11
Happy B-Day Ray Riendeau
Ray does some crazy slapping all-righty. But he does it in a very musical way. In this video he breaks down how to play triads and other arpeggios with his techniques, and he doesn't just do it E Minor either!
Rumor has it he has an instructional DVD coming out...
Happy B-Day Ray, and thanks for being willing to share what you know with all of us.
Pollici de' Ridiculoso!
He takes THAT and turns it into THIS:
Rumor has it he has an instructional DVD coming out...
Happy B-Day Ray, and thanks for being willing to share what you know with all of us.
Pollici de' Ridiculoso!
He takes THAT and turns it into THIS:
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