"Rock Steady" High Register Licks

[BaileyMan]

No. that way it's easy. The problem is that the low A goes together with the high lick. To me it sounds dubbed or a guitar. The low bassline is never interrupted by the high lick, it goes on even when the high notes fall together with the low ones.

Hmmm...I'll have to listen to those licks in other places. The first time the lick comes in, I'm pretty sure the A isn't ringing through the lick. Like Dr. Cheese said, playing an open A and letting ring, makes it much easier to play. Regardless, I wanted to transcribe where in the measure the lick comes in...

@Jloch86 I look forward to your bass tab video...let us know when you post it.

 

[BaileyMan]

OK, so I've been digging a little deeper into this tune. I came across this interview on No Treble. The first song that Chuck Rainey mentions when asked about some of his favorites is "Rock Steady". He says that it was recorded as a demo before the engineers and producers got there, and that there were no overdubs.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I messed around with the thumb playing open A. The lick is pretty easy doing it that way. This is a great example of something looking hard until you know how to do it.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Thanks, I tend not to use my thumb that way, and other than E, I tend not to play open notes.

Any reason why you don't use open strings?

 

[Brad Johnson]

I messed around with the thumb playing open A. The lick is pretty easy doing it that way. This is a great example of something looking hard until you know how to do it.

Yep. Always consider an alternative. And relax. Sometimes it's amazing how easy things can get when you find the easier approach.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I guess I've just been put in my place for asking question.

As you figured out later on, nope.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Any reason why you don't use open strings?

For years, I was mainly self taught and recognized intervals as patterns that could be repeated in different positions on the neck. Once I got into fives, I rarely needed to play an open string except for a particular tonality or sound quality.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

As you figured out later on, nope.

It was not the end of the world, but simply saying Rainey is master says nothing. We all know he is great. Simply showing how to do something is truly being helpful.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I messed around with the thumb playing open A. The lick is pretty easy doing it that way. This is a great example of something looking hard until you know how to do it.

It's quite possible that Chuck Rainey used that open A.
My amateur(!) "guts" say, No, he did not use open A.

At around 0:50, there is a short rest/silence on the bass, right before that high-register fill.
Here is a short clip of that spot at a very slow tempo:
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...8/?temp_hash=3875ad98c448ef123cde3eb76692828e

Here is another short clip of the bass fill at 0:52.
Once again, I can hear a REST between A and that fill.
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...1/?temp_hash=3875ad98c448ef123cde3eb76692828e

I can hear a slide from G# to A, which means, Chuck (mostly) the 5th fret on E for the A note.

Here is what Chuck Rainey said about that demo recording.
"...There were no overdubs..."
Stories Behind the Songs: Chuck Rainey

Here is Jill Scott live with the same song.
Check the video around 2:28 where you can clearly see how the bass player goes for that fill.


Here is Aretha Franklin live with the same song, only at 129BPM (not the original 104BPM).
The bass player does those high-register fills, and, again, I doubt that the bass player uses open A.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

It's quite possible that Chuck Rainey used that open A.
My amateur(!) "guts" say, No, he did not use open A.

At around 0:50, there is a short rest/silence on the bass, right before that high-register fill.
Here is a short clip of that spot at a very slow tempo:
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...8/?temp_hash=3875ad98c448ef123cde3eb76692828e

Here is another short clip of the bass fill at 0:52.
Once again, I can hear a REST between A and that fill.
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...1/?temp_hash=3875ad98c448ef123cde3eb76692828e

I can hear a slide from G# to A, which means, Chuck (mostly) the 5th fret on E for the A note.

Here is what Chuck Rainey said about that demo recording.
"...There were no overdubs..."
Stories Behind the Songs: Chuck Rainey

Here is Jill Scott live with the same song.
Check the video around 2:28 where you can clearly see how the bass player goes for that fill.


Here is Aretha Franklin live with the same song, only at 129BPM (not the original 104BPM).
The bass player does those high-register fills, and, again, I doubt that the bass player uses open A.

That Jill Scott clip with James Genus and Steve Ferrone was dynamite!

 

[DWBass]

In the Jill Scott video, James Genus (local guy from me) is playing a different lick than the original. That band is groovin' like a mofo though!

 

[DWBass]

I did a short video of the lick. Please excuse the sloppiness. I haven't touched my bass in a week and I was not properly warmed up. Also haven't played the song (simple as it is) in quite a while. I have played this song in several different bands and rarely even played the lick at all.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I did a short video of the lick. Please excuse the sloppiness. I haven't touched my bass in a week and I was not properly warmed up. Also haven't played the song (simple as it is) in quite a while. As I mentioned, I have played this song in several different bands and rarely even played the lick at all.

P.S. Why do you use "vimeo"?

As I understand, you don't play that open A.

 

[DWBass]

P.S. Why do you use "vimeo"?

As I understand, you don't play that open A.

Can you recommend an alternate video host? No I do not use an open A. Neither did James Genus.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

No I do not use an open A. Neither did James Genus.

I can be wrong but somehow I believe that Chuck Rainey did not use open A.
Yes, I can hear some lingering A pitch while Chuck plays that fill but I think that A note lingering sound comes from the guitar.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I can be wrong but somehow I believe that Chuck Rainey did not use open A.
Yes, I can hear some lingering A pitch while Chuck plays that fill but I think that A note lingering sound comes from the guitar.

That was the I always played it before starting this thread.

 

[DWBass]

Unless one is used to playing open strings most of the time, I don't see the point of using the open A for this bassline. For me, at least, it's much easier to play fretted notes. Play it how you like. Who cares. No rules!

 

[Whousedtoplay]

That was the I always played it before starting this thread.

P.S. I'm a big "promoter" of open strings, but...

It's only my opinion but using open A for that repetitive bass riff creates more issues/problems (even some time to rehearse it) than adds anything to the groove, its articulation, its feel, etc...

Unless one is used to playing open strings most of the time, I don't see the point of using the open A for this bassline.

100% agree.

 

[bolophonic]

I jumped into a band that played this song and it took me a while to get it. I wouldn't say that I ever mastered it, though.

 

[HandsFree]

Here's a slower version of the riff looped three times. You can clearly hear that the low bass plays on during the high riff. While it's possible to do as a double stop, it doesn't sound like it on the recording. If that's not dubbed it's a guitar.
BTW, the low A goes together with the high F#, not the G as I assumed in an earlier post.