Scott S Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 Sounds fair enough to me, I'm all for leaving on strings until they break I was a bit gutted a couple of weeks ago though. My dream 'Ray was on the For Sale forum; maple fretboard, white body, black scratchplate and at a very reasonable asking price...and I didn't have the readies, just when I needed them most Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 My band play some Chic stuff. Bernies lines are very difficult to nail - not technically but the feel. The groove that he generated makes him in my top 10 bass players. Truly unique player and someone who always appeared to be uninterested in amps/strings/effects. I would expect that if he played a £30 cash convertor bass he would still outgroove most of us mere mortals. He was a natural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Yep, I agree totally. Just a very natural player who didn't really mess about with gear, having sad that, it was a different world when he started Playing! Nile Rodgers is the same, hit maker strat strait into a DI or the desk, with maybe a some Slight compression. If only we could all sound that good without help!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammeFriday Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 [quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1402851901' post='2477251'] Nile Rodgers is the same, hit maker strat strait into a DI or the desk, with maybe a some Slight compression. If only we could all sound that good without help!! [/quote] Yes, I was just thinking about Nile ... to the OP, the bad news is that your problems are not solved even when you have managed to get a Bernard-ish tone and can play his lines tolerably well. An even more intractable problem then awaits: getting your guitarist to approximate what Nile does. If your guitarist comes from a rock/blues background (and needless to say, many if not most do, in this country at least), then it's going to be an uphill struggle. The problem is that many guitarists think funk guitar is 'easy' - just a couple of chords, lots of choking and that fast strumming plectrum thing - how hard can it be, eh? But when they have a go at it, you get this horrible churning sound that rock guitarists always make when they think they are being funky. Many do not even understand how to eq their amp for funk playing - turn off that reverb and distortion, FFS! Anyway, good luck with it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 [quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1402857999' post='2477339'] Yes, I was just thinking about Nile ... to the OP, the bad news is that your problems are not solved even when you have managed to get a Bernard-ish tone and can play his lines tolerably well. An even more intractable problem then awaits: getting your guitarist to approximate what Nile does. If your guitarist comes from a rock/blues background (and needless to say, many if not most do, in this country at least), then it's going to be an uphill struggle. The problem is that many guitarists think funk guitar is 'easy' - just a couple of chords, lots of choking and that fast strumming plectrum thing - how hard can it be, eh? But when they have a go at it, you get this horrible churning sound that rock guitarists always make when they think they are being funky. Many do not even understand how to eq their amp for funk playing - turn off that reverb and distortion, FFS! Anyway, good luck with it! [/quote] HAHAHAHAHA, I'm crying!!! Nail hit squarely on the head!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott S Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 [quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1402857999' post='2477339'] Yes, I was just thinking about Nile ... to the OP, the bad news is that your problems are not solved even when you have managed to get a Bernard-ish tone and can play his lines tolerably well. An even more intractable problem then awaits: getting your guitarist to approximate what Nile does. If your guitarist comes from a rock/blues background (and needless to say, many if not most do, in this country at least), then it's going to be an uphill struggle. The problem is that many guitarists think funk guitar is 'easy' - just a couple of chords, lots of choking and that fast strumming plectrum thing - how hard can it be, eh? But when they have a go at it, you get this horrible churning sound that rock guitarists always make when they think they are being funky. Many do not even understand how to eq their amp for funk playing - turn off that reverb and distortion, FFS! Anyway, good luck with it! [/quote] Yep, I couldn't agree more, mate. I mean, if you can play the solo from Comfortably Numb then Nile's metronomic "chicka chicka" I Want Your Love verse rhythm playing will be a doddle, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammeFriday Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 [size=4]@Damonjames, @Scott S, sounds like you guys have spent some time in the same covers bands as me! [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott S Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 [quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1402931265' post='2478006'] @Damonjames, @Scott S, sounds like you guys have spent some time in the same covers bands as me! [/quote] Haha, counting to ten and thinking of kittens has a very limited shelf-life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammeFriday Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damonjames Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 [quote name='Scott S' timestamp='1402932572' post='2478022'] Haha, counting to ten and thinking of kittens has a very limited shelf-life [/quote] :-) that has tickled me!!! I think it's just bands, VERY fortunate to be in (IMHO) a good band right now, but it's nearly bloody killed me in the process of getting the right personnel!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott S Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 [quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1402945217' post='2478197'] :-) that has tickled me!!! I think it's just bands, VERY fortunate to be in (IMHO) a good band right now, but it's nearly bloody killed me in the process of getting the right personnel!! [/quote] It's good to hear that you're sorted band-wise atm, bud! Hmmmm, I think it's just when guitarists use the prefix "lead", lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YouMa Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 [list] [*]Bernard is my all time fav,hes beyond Jaco for me a lot more straight groove,if Jaco had stayed with his little beaver type stuff instead of getting widdly it would of been awesome ,but then again i am more funk than jazz..I think that Bernards mutes and the fact that they seemed to just go out of fashion later may contribute to his unobtainable sound. They were just there on the instrument when you bought it back then,you didnt think about it. Jamersons mutes were a part of his sound i think...Dont get me wrong though...the fingers are the main thing. [/list] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyd Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 [quote name='Scott S' timestamp='1402907207' post='2477645'] Yep, I couldn't agree more, mate. I mean, if you can play the solo from Comfortably Numb then Nile's metronomic "chicka chicka" I Want Your Love verse rhythm playing will be a doddle, right? [/quote] +10000 I was listening to Thinking Of You by Sister Sledge the other day and it occurred to me that it was one of the greatest guitar riffs but I've never personally heard a guitarist play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 I saw Chic live at the Apollo in the 70s. Bernard was using a BC Rich with a single P-bass pickup. His sound was awful - muddy and boomy. None of that lovely burp I heard on their records. It became obvious to me that it was all about getting the sound on tape in the studio. The same went for Tom Barney with Steely Dan in 1996 at the Birmingham NEC. Every instrument was clear except the bass, which was that boomy mush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 You'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't!) how many great bands have poor sound engineers. Many years ago I saw Little Feat at at the Shepherds Bush Empire and when they started the sound was fantastic. Like listening to the record. I was beside the desk and noticed that the FOH guy didn't stop twiddling. By the 4th number the sound was terrible. Too loud, no balance between the instruments and no bass other than a woomfing noise. Dave Gilmour had a good guy at the Albert Hall last year. Everything was clear as a bell the whole night, so it can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbass Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Dont sppose this'll ever get read its right at the end..anyhow, My take on Bernard?...it really was all in his amazing fingers and nothing else. I have yet to hear a bassist who can create that dry clicky thwack on Everybody Dance..listen carefully, the speed and timing are very natural and not forced at all, its just amazing what he does...and I bet nothing to do with strings or particular instrument. Fabulous bassist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 [quote name='ians' timestamp='1458072217' post='3004471'] Dont sppose this'll ever get read its right at the end..anyhow, My take on Bernard?...it really was all in his amazing fingers and nothing else. I have yet to hear a bassist who can create that dry clicky thwack on Everybody Dance..listen carefully, the speed and timing are very natural and not forced at all, its just amazing what he does...and I bet nothing to do with strings or particular instrument. Fabulous bassist. [/quote] I read it You are right. I bet if he played a £50 bass it would still sound amazing and you would know it was him. The most difficult thing to do with an instrument is have your own style - he had it in spades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmjos Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Everybody Dance should be a crude disco line but its not, its a palette full or tones, intensities and transition techniques that just rolled effortlessly from Edwards fingers. I have always loved that that line. So here I am at 51 and at last, I can do it - just - but after 35 years, I understand he did it pretty much on the spot. I think of him as one of the greats and a sadly missed and under rated genius. Flats no, dead rounds plus a PEB ray with mutes. He mutes both left and right (just to be difficult - most of the time no muting) and most people miss the transition at the start of the line from fingers to chucking. He also moves between the A and the D String playing alternately between the bridge and neck end positions in a rocking motion between plucks. Creates a totally different feel. The man could have made a broom handle and a bit of string sound good. There will never be another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonky2 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 [quote name='Scott S' timestamp='1393195032' post='2377313'] Flats...on a 'Ray.. really?, wow, I never would have thought that. Thanks for the heads up, Lozz. [/quote] Flats on a ray, oh yes..... Ohhhh yess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbass Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Spot on. Broom handle, fence post, piece of four b two! He could have played anything and it would sound like Bernard. The guy had incredible technique. I can play fast 16ths ala Rythmn Stick easily but I cant get anywhere near what Bernard did..amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmjos Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 [quote name='Wonky2' timestamp='1458083930' post='3004653'] Flats on a ray, oh yes..... Ohhhh yess. [/quote] Ah that depends on the Ray................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonky2 Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Well, actually, mines flats on a sterling..... Sounds great to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 (edited) I went to a function last week and the band was a (IMHO) a very good disco/funk band. Don't know if the bass player is a member here but here they are with Everybody Dance. He had a great sound - a very sparkly Stingray... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR9ROfADwkk Edited March 19, 2016 by Muppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonky2 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Ooooo theyre good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1458047134' post='3004162'] Dave Gilmour had a good guy at the Albert Hall last year. Everything was clear as a bell the whole night, so it can be done. [/quote] That'll be Andy Jackson (he also produced Fields of the Nephilim's Elizium album). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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