What are your thoughts on this bass player's approach to a classic tune? Does he seem too busy, not enough or just right?
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Is this bass player too busy in the first tune?
- Thread starter quilanthegreat
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- bass player busy player
The bigger issue is they're playing the song too fast.
The bass on the original during the chorus, is a little busier than what's being played here.
Agreed. The original was a little busier, a little sloppier, and it sounded wonderful.
Also, the guys doing shout vocal back-ups rather than talented backup singers.
Are we sure that was live? Just some odd things going on, but it might just be me. Always begin to doubt when the singer's mouth is behind a big mike the whole time and something about the drummer's stick work was a little odd.
- Oct 7, 2000
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Sounds like a jazz dude playing R&R to me. Now I gotta go listen to the original.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,557
- 38,701
- 5,316
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
OK. Listened, and confirmed. This guy is a R&R dude, playing R&R.
Awesome. More passionate than precise, and totally awesome as a result. Watching that really made my day.
A bit much during the intro but he toned it down appropriately for the meat.
I agree that they play the song too fast, but it sounds OK for a good wedding/cover band.
But you are right, because of that tempo, the whole band sounds "too loose", too "amateur", etc...
I believe that ANY song that band performs has the same "feel".
(P.S. R&R as Rest & Relaxation.)
Also, I can NOT hear any Dynamics, any MOOD, any CHARACTER, any tutti ACCENTS, etc., in the wedding band's rendition of Janis Joplin's song.
The original bass line (some could call it, BUSY) had the correct Attitude and Manner for that song, that period of time, etc...
In your video (LIVE), Janis sings that song in a different key and at the faster tempo.
We talk so much about not overplaying, always keep it simple, and often that's good advice... but you actually listen to so many of these classic recordings and clearly those bassists were not at all shy about stretching out as long as they kept the groove.
Late 60s and 70s Rock had some of the most active basslines in history. The instrument was so new, that there weren't any 'rules' yet.
Excellent point!
On the other hand, some fundamental musical rules like, the band's Dynamics, ARRANGEMENT, the bass-line development were followed.
I'm back on my "permanent" band-wagon of "Show me the MOOD, Character, Feel, Tone, etc., of the song/bass-line."
It's easy to hear all those elements in Janis' and her band's performance.
I've heard way worse. He was solid though. I agree song was fast. When songs are played too fast it takes away from the groove, IMO. In any case, all solid musicians and she has a great voice!
100% agree. Even solidly PRO bands suffer from that "playing too fast live" issue like, Tower of Power, etc...
Agree. The bass player has solid technique and, maybe, graduated from Berklee.
P.S. Here is an 11-year old teenager, Bianca Ryan with the same song.
And she ALSO sounds good.
Maybe, Janis' songs make all singers better?
(The band is playing slightly modernized arrangement of that song.)
Sounds to me like people who know how to play across changes, blues progressions and know about something called "passing tones", ya know that stuff Carol Kay teaches... she is a bridge from acoustic double bass technique and embellishments to modern bass playing such as black Sabbath (although Geezer probably knows passing tones and embellishments).
