Lee Sklar sets the record clear: 4 string? 5 string? pick? fingers? fretless?

[frustum]

I know Lee Sklar's recent quarantine videos have been posted here. He tells war stories, then plays along to a song he recorded, then ends with some kind words for the people who are necessary workers.

But this time rather than telling road stories, he mentioned how he reads the various bass forums and always scratches his head (his beard?) over the 4-string/5-string fights, etc. Here he talks about what matters. And plays along to Lawyers, Guns, & Money.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I know Lee Sklar's recent quarantine videos have been posted here. He tells war stories, then plays along to a song he recorded, then ends with some kind words for the people who are necessary workers.

But this time rather than telling road stories, he mentioned how he reads the various bass forums and always scratches his head (his beard?) over the 4-string/5-string fights, etc. Here he talks about what matters. And plays along to Lawyers, Guns, & Money.

It is amazing that people are asking Lee Sklar is being asked play Rush or Red Hot Chili Peppers songs! Great as Flea and Geddy are, Sklar had many, many more sessions with a much wider variety of people. Every time I see Sklar play, it is a clinic. His advice about playing on this video is priceless.
Especially his advice about not getting hung on the B string with a five or the open low D drone with a detuner ona four. Finally, more often than not, great players are not hung up on gear. As he said, the player makes the music.

 

[Hover-Rich]

I enjoyed hearing Lee give his opinion of 4, 5, pick, fingers, etc. When we TBers give our opinions, people still want to explain why they agree or not. I hope nobody wants to slam what Lee says. Good for you and thanks, Lee!

 

[consectaneus]

I liked his idea of a 5 string as a four string with an extra string. I always felt like if I played a 5 string I was obligated to incorporate it as often as possible or I was wasting it or not getting my money's worth out of the bass and not being a real 5 string bassist. Lee said that many times if he is doing a set where one number requires the B string, he will play a 5 for the whole show and think of it as four string for the rest of the show if that's what it calls for. I really appreciate all this thoughts. Very liberating spirit there.

 

[Flying B]

Who's Lee Sklar?

 

[Biggbass]

Lee Sklar is the Dr Fauci of bass.

 

[Flying B]

Who's Dr Fauci?

 

[Biggbass]

Who's Dr Fauci?

He is the Lee Sklar of immunology.

 

[Flying B]

So this Fauci guy was in ZZ top right?

 

[crobasster]

 

[Spaghetti Lee]

I liked his videos at first until he started whining like a teenager about facebook. He sounded desperate and it was embarrassing to look at the screen and see this old dude mope like a preteen who'd been grounded from using his x-box. Not a good look.

Apart from that I find his playing, his tone (ESPECIALLY his tone), and overall his basslines to be the epitome of studio session-guy blandness.

I can see why synths took over in his era. Just no pizazz whatsoever; the opposite of a player like Will Lee who always injected some personality, dynamics and tone to make him stand out a bit even when the point of being a session guy was to NOT stand out.

I liked Lee Sklar better when I didn't actually hear him talk or play.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I liked his idea of a 5 string as a four string with an extra string.

Years ago, I was at Pick Of The Ricks with my Martin Keith Elfin 5 basses. I handed one to Chris to check out and he said he couldn't play 5 string, so I told him to think of the B string as a very long thumbrest. He then proceeded to play it like a natural.

I loved that Lee mentioned Percy when naming fretless players he admires. I assume he was referring to Percy Jones, or was it Percy Heath he was talking about?

 

[Jeff Scott]

I liked his videos at first until he started whining like a teenager about facebook. He sounded desperate and it was embarrassing to look at the screen and see this old dude mope like a preteen who'd been grounded from using his x-box. Not a good look.

Apart from that I find his playing, his tone (ESPECIALLY his tone), and overall his basslines to be the epitome of studio session-guy blandness.

I can see why synths took over in his era. Just no pizazz whatsoever; the opposite of a player like Will Lee who always injected some personality, dynamics and tone to make him stand out a bit even when the point of being a session guy was to NOT stand out.

I liked Lee Sklar better when I didn't actually hear him talk or play.

 

[CB3UK]

Who's Lee Sklar?

You can just call him Al.

 

[micguy]

So this Fauci guy was in ZZ top right?

I never thought of that, but Lee could, with the right hat and glasses, probably sub for Dusty Hill, and so long as they didn't put a close up on the big screens, maybe get away with it.

And, of course, if Lee isn't touring at the end of the year, he's always got a job at the local mall hanging with the kids.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Years ago, I was at Pick Of The Ricks with my Martin Keith Elfin 5 basses. I handed one to Chris to check out and he said he couldn't play 5 string, so I told him to think of the B string as a very long thumbrest. He then proceeded to play it like a natural.

I loved that Lee mentioned Percy when naming fretless players he admires. I assume he was referring to Percy Jones, or was it Percy Heath he was talking about?

Given Sklar’s Fusion track record, I am guessing Percy Jones.

 

[Spaghetti Lee]

I never thought of that, but Lee could, with the right hat and glasses, probably sub for Dusty Hill, and so long as they didn't put a close up on the big screens, maybe get away with it.

And, of course, if Lee isn't touring at the end of the year, he's always got a job at the local mall hanging with the kids.

Lee might LOOK like Dusty Hill, but Dusty simply oozes style, tone, groove, grit, and uses a ton of distortion. Lee is the opposite of all that.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Given Sklar’s Fusion track record, I am guessing Percy Jones.

Me, too. Are there any other fretless bassists named Percy?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I liked his videos at first until he started whining like a teenager about facebook. He sounded desperate and it was embarrassing to look at the screen and see this old dude mope like a preteen who'd been grounded from using his x-box. Not a good look.

Apart from that I find his playing, his tone (ESPECIALLY his tone), and overall his basslines to be the epitome of studio session-guy blandness.

I can see why synths took over in his era. Just no pizazz whatsoever; the opposite of a player like Will Lee who always injected some personality, dynamics and tone to make him stand out a bit even when the point of being a session guy was to NOT stand out.

I liked Lee Sklar better when I didn't actually hear him talk or play.

I think your perception of his politics has colored how you perceive his playing. I hear a musician with a lot of inventiveness and melodicism. I also love his upper register fills. He would make a great Urban Gospel player. He also brings a lot of energy to what he does and is probably a great guy to have on the session or the road. My only criticism is that he is probably more of a “gear whore” than he admits, but I suspect a lot of his basses were either free or bought at deep discounts, and I am pretty sure he afford them so cool!

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I know Lee Sklar's recent quarantine videos have been posted here. He tells war stories, then plays along to a song he recorded, then ends with some kind words for the people who are necessary workers.

But this time rather than telling road stories, he mentioned how he reads the various bass forums and always scratches his head (his beard?) over the 4-string/5-string fights, etc. Here he talks about what matters. And plays along to Lawyers, Guns, & Money.

My two cents:

1. I don’t play 5-strings basses as I don’t feel the need for another string in a bass, whether lower than E of higher than G; but this is me and couldn’t care less for the many debates on the forum in this regard.
2. Who is the GUY on the sofa with the mask on his face???

I mean, is he a real person or a dummy?