Bilbo

Thanks for the responses, Dodge. All good and absolutely agreed 😊

That's a great tone but I find this one better for ballads....😎

Neil's response suggests that there is no one absolute truth in playing bass parts and, like any great story, it grows in the telling. Any part learned, whether by rote, tab or conventional score, is a moment in time and is only definitive by concensus. I guess we all agree that there is one way to play the core riffs in 'Rhythm Stick', 'Good Times' or 'I Want You Back' but, even the hits allow for the injection of a little bit of individuality. Classical musicians such as viola players need to be absolutely accurate because there are 23 of them playing in unison. Bass players are rarely that constrained. Accuracy at that level is not anywhere near the whole deal in Jazz, Fusion, Rock etc. Much more space to stretch out (or hold back, as you see fit).

Nit picky is good. We all win. 😊

There is no reference to quantity there, Paul. My recollection is that there were two of these notes, maybe three. One I specifically recall was a 16th note chromatic run eg BCC#D where one of the notes was not clean. It was not wrong, just not clean. I think we are all interpreting clinker differently. Not all mis-steps are wrong notes. Even Jeff Berlin drops one every now and then (in both Neil and Jeff's cases, these notes are pretty much inaudible until you slow it down to 25%). There is also another explanation: I could just be wrong. It has happened before. Not often but.... 😀 PS The third person thing was a consequence of an early decision by the Web page designer (my nephew, who runs okto design). He wrote the first few that way and it didn't sound right to change it when I started uploading myself. 😀

Chris7273 drew my attention to it, Neil. It was after I had pretty much finished the transcription so I was revisiting the bits I hadn't been absolutely sure of when I transcribed it Please don't think I was implying that there loads of fluffs in there. There weren't. I think, if I recall correctly, I was referring to things like a short sixteenth note phrase where the correct notes were hit but one of them didn't ring out as cleanly as the others. I am a fan and have been Since Strange New Flesh and National Health. Here is a clinker free Tenemos Roads https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/tenemos-roads-national-health/

I read a great bass player biography on Paul Chambers..... Really interesting. I learned a lot about the guy.

A couple of transcriptions of Neil 's bass parts: Down To You by Colosseum II and Fool For Your Loving by Whitesnake https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/down-to-you-colosseum-ii/ https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/fool-for-your-loving-whitesnake/

Yeah? Well, I inspired a beloved children's story and a sequel...

I am selling the rights to my entire back catalogue, if anyone is interested. I perfectly expect to be able to 'go large' at MacDonalds with the proceeds. 😉

Bearing in mind that he was called out and accused of being a 'Judas' for picking up an electric guitar in 1966, it seems wrong somehow that Bob Dylan has just sold the rights to his back catalogue for $300,000,000. I am not blaming him for doing it; why wouldn't you? but it seems like the ethos of the folk/hippy era has been sullied again in some way. Idealism takes another knock, I guess. A luxury of the young. http://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/music/bob-dylans-entire-back-catalogue-bought-in-nine-figure-deal/ar-BB1bHKPG?ocid=ientp

Seriously, though. Mark Egan would make sense as he was a student of Jaco's and spcialises in fretless playing; and, whatsmore, it really does sound like him. Interesting that he didn't make the internet credits I was looking at either 😃 If everyone is happy, I will recredit the transcription to Mark Egan. Egan's website confirms it.

And here is the version with Jaco'. It's chaos out there!!

The internet lists Gary Brown, Andre De Santanna and Reggie Hamilton as linked to the CD (this is one of the problems with downlaods - no cd booklet/ record sleeve to refer to). It is also confusing in so far as Flora Purim records the same tracks repeatedly with different line ups and in different arrangements. I am happy to be proved wrong is anyone knows for sure! It sounds like JP and I put two and two together and got a big 'ol five!.😃

I adore this tune and this one is, for me, THE version. There are other versions availabe but this is the one where Jaco plays the melody before singer Flora Purim enters with the vocals. It appears on the 2005 CD 'Flora's Song' but obviously was recorded long before that. I cannot find the date of the original recording anywhere but it is complicated by the existance of other versions. This is the head and bass solo by Jaco Pastorius on Flora Purim's version of his composition 'Las Olas'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/las-olas-flora-purim/

That's helpful, Dodge. I tend to include chords if they are readily available as I am not inclined to spend hours working out that level of detail. The rest of your suggestions are perfectly possible. The instrument reference is on the Sibelius template and I never considered it to be an issue. BPM would be easy enough. The four bars a line may be difficult depending on the density of the parts. Its also worth adding that the intention of the site is to provide source material for reading practice that is 'real world' as opposed to tedious exercises that are fairly uninspiring. A means of getting people to recognise the value in reading as opposed to studying harmony etc. Good ideas, though, and a welcome post.

I am perfectly cpacble of getting it wrong, Pete. When I deceide what key signature to use, if any, it is about the chart rather tahn the song. What makes this easier ro read? It is perfectly possible that you are right and I am wrong. REading it now, it looks like there are natural accidentals on loads of Fs which would support your argument completely. I am self taught as well so absolutely fallable.

Another Jaco transcription, this is the middle section of 'Suite: Golden Dawn' from the 1976 Al DiMeola album 'Land Of The Midnight Sun'. Entitled 'Calmer Of The Tempest', it comprises a classic Jaco melodic fretless bass part. Relatively easy to play (unlike the rest of the Suite which is nigh on impossible https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/suite-golden-dawn-al-dimeola/

A cheeky little transcription, this is Tom Fowler's bass part for the tune 'Aurora Pt.1' from the 1976 Jean Luc Ponty album 'Aurora'. A few interesting time changes to grapple with but watch the 5:4 pick up. It's a tricky little sucker. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/aurora-pt-1-jean-luc-ponty/

Story of my life. I recorded an album last year. When the band released a promotional video of the first single from the album, it featured another player miming to MY bass parts.

I think Tony is a massively underrated player and should be spoken about more often than he is. His work with Colosseum and Greenslade was exceptional.

From the 1973 Greenslade album, 'Bedside Manners Are Extra', this is Tony Reeve's bass part for the tune 'Time To Dream'. Tony Reeves was another big influence on me as a kid and I spent a lot of time with his playing. Lots of quality playing to enjoy across this album and the other two he recorded with Greenslade, the first album and 'Spyglass Guest'. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/time-to-dream-greenslade/

A beautiful Jeff Berlin bass led ballad called 'Sean En La Madrugada' from the 1997 Berlin CD 'Taking Notes'. There is a second solo on the tune that is overdubbed but this transcription includes the lower 'bass' notes as opposed ot the second solo. I will transcribe that later and post separately. The chart is up in the Gods in terms of ledger lines so I am going to re-do it with 8va indicators when I get the chance. The website now features both the 8va version and the first draft. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/sean-en-la-madrugada-jeff-berlin/

Fretted. That was just the Sibelius template I used.

Have a look at this, mate. Tell me if it ties in with your version. https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/vital-signs-rush/