Bilbo

More Chris Squire. This track often gets a b ad rap from Yes fans but I could never see what was wrong with it. I guess it may be because it came when the Punk thing was fresh in people's minds and may have sounded a bit naïve at the time. I find the bass part interesting, though. As an aside, when I recorded this from ipod to PC, the lead was dodgy so the recording massively favoured one half of the stereo mix. It was the half with the backing vocals on and I heard things I have never heard before despite having listened to the recording for decades. This is a complete transcription of Squire's bass part to 'Circus Of Heaven' from the LP 'Tormato'. Circus Of Heaven Chris Squire Bass Part.pdf

Some more Paul Chambers. This time, it's his solo on 'Almost Like Being In Love' from Red Garland's 'Piano' album. The solo starts at around 3:08 on the track. Watch the phrasing as PC is pushing and pulling the time all the way and this makes transcription very subtle and the nuances difficult to accurately capture. Almost Like Being In Love Paul Chambers Bass Solo.pdf

Yeah. A dream come true for me.

Everybody's favourite Chris Squire bassline from Roundabout from the Fragile LP. Listen to the record on this one because there are nuances in the picking that are hard to put down on paper. This is how I hear it so you may hear it differently. Roundabout Chris Squire Bass.pdf

First section of the cello part of Bach's Double Violin Concerto transcribed and tweaked so it can be played on a bass (electric or double). Just an exercise but a wonderful example of Bach's genius. Just noticed the last note is a low D so you will have to move that up an octave to play it on a four string. Bach Double Violin Concerto - cello for bass.pdf

Major, Minor, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor, Diminished and Augmented. The rest are just variations of the above (and the natural minor is actually a variation of the major but a really important one). In all keys. That's 52. How many more could you need. 😎

Another one of our own lost to the virus. https://www.wbgo.org/post/henry-grimes-bassist-avant-garde-pedigree-and-storied-return-dies-covid-19-84

An odd little album that I always felt was less than the sum of its parts but I liked his track enough to wan t transcribe it. This is the Jeff Berlin bass part for Unt from the Kazumi Watanabe album 'The Spice Of Life'. Some nice lines in it and some strong shout choruses. The attached video is a live version whereas the transcription is the recording but it is not on youtube so try finding it on Spotify or some other website Unt Jeff Berlin Bass Part.pdf

If you write it down in 12:8, you will find it a lot easier to put the transcription together.

In my experience, keep at it until it is second nature. If you can't play it smoothly straight off, it is simply because your chops are not there yet. Kepp playing it and it will get smoother and smoother.

Does anyone have Henry's contact details? Please PM me if you do. Many thanks

Another Jeff Berlin/Bruford classic - I have previously posted the head but this chart is the FULL transcription of the tune. I 'learned' this wjen I was starting to get into Jazz and Fusion bass players (I must have been about 19?). I could not get the detail at that point and never go past the head. It was fantastic to be able to slow it down and hear every detail on the pedals etc. I will try and do the second version of Pump It at some point but not today It was interesting to note that the 'solo' section in this performance was not improvised (he repeats it twice exactly same). Joe Frazier Bass Complete.pdf

My transcription archive in the Theory and Technique section exists for this very purpose, to provide more interesting material to practice reading.

I preferred his take on 'Little Wing' (2.18) https://youtu.be/iT0M5pk9ci8

I SO wish that we had had Transcribe software when I was learning to play the bass! These Jeff Berlin parts were so important to me when I was learning but all I could ever do was try to approximate and I couldn't get hold of any of the details. Now I can slow things down to 25% without changing the key, I can hear everything! This is Jeff Berlin's bass part to 'Gothic 17' from the 'Gradually Going Tornado' LP. As I recall, the title is from the name of the synth patch Dave Stewart is using. Hope some of my fellow travellers can find some of the secrets that had previously eluded them as they had me. Gothic 17 Jeff Berlin Bass.pdf

He is like me and just transcribes what floats his boat or catches his ear rather than popular stuff.

Some more Latin bass. The Band is Harmonia Do Samba and the track 'Nega Do Balacobaco' but I cannot find who the bass player is because all of the internet references to the band are in Portuguese! It's a little bit of fun. Not a major problem reading wise due to the levels of rhythmic repetition. Great intro and outro that may need a bit more focus. For fun, I have also attached a version I did on my home studio with a couple of friends on vocals, percussion and saxophone. It is me on bass, guitar, drum machine and backing vocals. I did this long before I transcribed the bass part as a 'production' exercise Mestre Bimba was the bass player, according to my Brazilian chum (the singer on my version) Nega Da Balacobaco Bass.pdf

Oh. And all things Eden....

I have recently found myself looking at all sorts of small electrical bass amps (my Acoustic Image kit is perfect so it is only electrical bass amps that I am looking at). For literally a decade or more, I stopped practicing electric through an amp and played into a PC through headphones. I had a Roland Cube guitar amp I could plug into if I needed to but rarely did. Anyway, I recently bought a Phil Jones Bass double four bg-75 combo thing just for home practice and I am kicking myself for not getting something decent years ago. I have been playing gigs on electric through the AI Clarus and Ten2ex with a PJB extension cab and it sounds great but I am now Gassing for every little bass combo in the world. The entire Markbass catalogue and especially the Jeff Berlin combo. Two of those, I reckon. The entire PJB range. GK, Ashdon, TC Electronic. I could buy it all. I just want to sound gorgeous. And all of this is happening while I have absolutely no gigs 😀

Hondo II precision copy

If you download the ireal book, you can change the key on the charts.. Only issue is that ireal charts are chords only and no dots.

A Latin groove in 3:4. This chart is Paul Socolow's bass part for the Manfredo Fest tune 'Brazilian Dorian Dream' from the CD 'Braziliana' (the video is the whole CD but, fortunately, the tune in question is the first tune on the album). It is quite rare to hear Latin grooves in 3:4 and the line during the melody is a challenge but some great melodies and lovely grooves. A tough read first time through but, once you nail one bar of the main riff, you've got it. Brazilian Dorian Dream Paul Socolow Bass.pdf

This is a full transcription of the arrangement of Mack The Knife by the Jimmy Guiffre 3. It is from an LP called 'The Easy Way' which I have, again, as part of one of those 7 CD 'classic albums' sets. I have not included all the lines and solos but only the parts linked to the arrangement so this transcription includes the guitar, clarinet and bass part. The musicians are Jimmy Guiffre (clarinet), Jim Hall (guitar) and the incomparable Ray Brown (bass). Mac The Knife.pdf

I transcribed this off a recording that was included in a 7 CD bexed set of Eric Dolphy but I have since learned that it was actually from an Oliver Nelson LP called 'Screamin' The Blues'. This is George Duvivier's bass part inc. solo from the title track which is a standard Jazz blues in F. It is an easy read and I transcribed it as a good example of a stock blues walking bass line. As per established convention, the eighth notes are swung with a triplet feel so listen to the track alongside the transcription. Screamin The Blues George Duvivier Bass.pdf

Have you listened to Moondance. Also, there is a clinker in Jimmy Page's guitar solo on Stairway To Heaven