Stuart Clayton

[quote name='Jase' post='394225' date='Jan 28 2009, 11:53 PM']Yeah, that was really good I thought. Nice one Clive![/quote] That's awesome - it's a great arrangement of a really nice Kate Bush song. Top stuff. Stu

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='388162' date='Jan 22 2009, 02:33 AM'][url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hV58amI1vLU"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hV58amI1vLU[/url] 4:28 ...but the audience reaction proves a point - and you have more than the necessary chops to back it up! PS - hows the book looking?[/quote] haha, yeah they work on that gig! I meant I never use them on regular gigs! The book is coming along... slowly...! Cheers Stu

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='385938' date='Jan 20 2009, 12:35 PM']Interesting thread. The irony of proclaiming the best when it is the only has always amused me. There have been somethings that Bernie has been unhappy about recently with GB reviews, comments on the finish when its not actually a new bass (all GB's are customer basses - Bernie does not build them for review), and slagging off the LED show when the reviewers own bass has the LED show spring immediately to mind.[/quote] If you are referring to the recent 5-string fest which featured a GB Rumour bass, then please be aware that I am the only BGM reviewer with a GB bass that has the full LED light show. I love LED's (although i never use them on gigs, obviously!), but I was not part of the team that reviewed those basses. Stuart

[quote name='urb' post='366017' date='Dec 30 2008, 09:32 AM']Fair enough but for my sins I've been a Flecktones fan since around 1990 so I've been checking Vic out for a hell of a long time and like to think I've heard him play just about everything in dozens of different contexts, you are singling out just on small aspect of his playing, he's a master of dynamics, rhythm and his 'internal clock' is just plain scary. He's a very fine fretless player and can completely support a groove, play for the song etc etc without doing a single fill for the duration. Sadly the stuff that gets posted on Youtube from bootlegged videos of his live shows always focus on his solo spots which invariably feature his patented double thumb stuff, but while I can agree listening to more than a few second of that can be quite annoying, the level he has it at means he can play very musically with it, but if you still hate it fine, it's not the point I'm trying to make. Wooten also happens to be one of the finest fingerstyle players around as well and to be honest that's the stuff he does that I love best, no idea if you have seen this clip but this is a wicked solo off his video from ten years ago, that does feaure some double thumb stuff but in a subtle, utterly grooving way and the tune at the end 'Sex In A Pan' in part 2 is just damn funky and beautifully executed, sorry i couldn't find the whole clip on its own but the instructional stuff on the start of part oneis really good as well i hope you learn something from it! part one part two [/quote] Must agree with Urb here - Victor's fingerstyle work is superb and the clip of 'Sex In A Pan' shows just how creative he can be with the technique. I've recently become a huge fan of Michael Manring's playing, particularly his all solo bass album Soliloquy. I'd like to point out this tune, 'Selene' from the album, which in my opinion is an utterly beautiful piece of music: [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6eTBc7aWBGw"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6eTBc7aWBGw[/url] I think Manring's use of altered tunings is one of the most innovative things happening in the solo bass world at the moment. Stu

I've been watching this thread with interest as solo bass playing is something that appeals to me enormously, and I do a great deal of it. I think it would be a great idea to encourage more solo playing on this forum. Interestingly, I just read a great article about an upright bassist named Bertram Turetzky who single-handedly doubled the solo upright bass repertoire by asking well-known composers to write more music for solo upright bass. If you want to read this article you'll find it in the Sept/Oct 95 edition of Bass Player magazine. As many of you know, I've been writing a book for several years on the subject of solo bass. The book is entitled 'Solo Arrangements for Electric Bass' and will be released next year through Bassline Publishing - www.basslinepublishing.com. During the course of writing the book I have encountered many great solo bass recordings as part of my research, and have included a few good examples that might be of interest to aspiring solo bassists: Brian Bromberg - Let 'Em In (McCartney cover version, upright bass) Randy Coven - Yesterday (Beatles cover version) Aram Bedrosian - Code Red Colin Hodgkinson - Lieutenant Loose Michael Manring - I Left America (this is BEAUTIFUL) STuart Hamm - Nostalgia Billy Sheehan - NV43345 Victor Wooten - The Lesson (has percussion backing, but awesome anyway) Michael Manring - Helios Additionally, on the Bassline Publishing website I have posted several solo arrangement transcriptions that I have arranged. To view them you need to create an account then go to the Solos book page under the Coming Soon link. These include my 'Jazz Medley' (also available on YouTube) and 'Nothing Else Matters' by Metallica, which you can hear on my MySpace page - www.myspace.com/stuartclayton. Next year I will be adding many transcriptions of solo pieces by other artists to the bonus section on the site as well as posting more videos of solo pieces. I hope all of this is of interest to the solo bassists on this forum! Best, Stuart

[quote name='ednaplate' post='362346' date='Dec 23 2008, 08:55 PM']There is a good tab of 'Murder On The Dancefloor' which is quite funky although there appears to be an extra bar at the end of the second chorus which might be a cut and paste error. I've listened to the track a few times along with the tab and I'm sure it's wrong. I've really only skipped over the rest of the content. It definitely needs more tabs and maybe a playalong CD with gear soundbites a la Guitarist or Guitar Techniques.[/quote] You're right. I did the transcription, and there is indeed a cut and paste error. The last bar of the top line on page 85 doesn't need to be there. Hands up! Cheers Stu

[quote name='cytania' post='347215' date='Dec 6 2008, 01:23 PM']Alot of wrong guitar tabs for this about. Good news is bass is quite simple. Really wish this was still part of Stu's 'Solo Arrangements for Bass' book as I could then see the embellishments. Song is a B G# B G# E progression, two 'verses' then a chorus 3 times over. Fingers just need to adopt a bouncing walking pace (found a great live video where the bassists walks and plays on a circular stage that revolves, Pete Gabriel goes for a bike ride whilst singing!). Then you add a basic arpeggio. In B it would be; ------------- ------9----- ---9----9--- -7---------7- Anyone know what I should call this arpeggio? It's very useful. For instance with a 70s reggae groove it's the 'Up Town Top Rankin' line. Also reversed it's what I use for G chord bit in the chorus of 'Brown Sugar'. -------------------- 55-------------5--- ---5----------5----- ------3-----3--------[/quote] I will post my solo arrangement of this on the bonus section for the solos book at www.basslinepublishing.com sometime in January. Incidentally, transcriptions and MP3's are available at the same location for two other pieces that didn't make it into the book: Nothing Else Matters by Metallica, and The Jazz Medley. Cheers Stu

[quote name='geilerbass' post='239501' date='Jul 14 2008, 07:42 PM'] No, it was the guy at college that I used for an example of unnecessary slapping. Truegeminis was also in my class and clearly knows who I'm talking about. I think Stuart Clayton might actually be on this forum - which should hopefully mean he hasn't turned to the darkside [/quote] I will never turn to the dark side!! Bass all the way! Stu

[quote name='SteveO' post='328580' date='Nov 13 2008, 06:48 PM']I may know someone *ahem* who has this. Can PM a link to a not-entirely-legal website where 'my friend' found it if you want. [/quote] That would be lovely. I think there were only ever 1000 copies made anyway, and on vinyl. Stu

Hi all, Does anyone have a copy of this album by Jonas Hellborg? It was his first release and I think was the very first solo electric bass album. Am researching solo bass playing for my forthcoming book and would like to hear this recording. If anyone can help, please let me know! Best, Stuart

[quote name='nick' post='324562' date='Nov 7 2008, 10:43 PM']Me too, looking forward to it - good luck.[/quote] Thanks guys - you can see the finished cover artwork and song list at www.basslinepublishing.com - click on the coming soon link. Cheers Stuart

[quote name='cytania' post='322994' date='Nov 5 2008, 09:29 PM']Just found the Faber version of Substitute whilst being a laudable attempt to play it open with one finger is way off the Entwistle. That new book can't come too soon.[/quote] Glad to hear someone say that. I only recently found out that Faber had done an Entwistle book as well. Fortunately, theirs only has 8 songs in, whereas mine has 20. My book also has a full biog, bassography etc etc. I have been studying Entwistle's style for a while now, and it's been quite a revalation. Lot of cool techniques! Anyway, I better get on with writing it... Stu

[quote name='lowdown' post='306508' date='Oct 14 2008, 06:49 PM']The Original ABBA band... [ if you are talking about the movie soundtrack ] How sad am i.. Garry[/quote] I got dragged along to this too, but surprised myself by quite enjoying it - the music at least. The bassist on the new soundtrack is the same guy that played on the originals, Rutgar Gunnarson I think - somebody already mentioned this. Great playing throughout, well worth learning some of those songs - after all, they always go down well at function gigs!! I think the rest of the band are the original guys too. Stu

[quote name='geilerbass' post='280389' date='Sep 9 2008, 02:33 PM']Stuart Clayton posts on this forum and he's written a book on the subject of slap, that includes double-thumbing. Perhaps he could offer up some wisdom, if he reads this?[/quote] I sure can. Double thumbing can be quite easy to get to grips with, but you need to have set your bass up correctly for it. The most important factor is the string to body distance at the end of the fretboard. On some basses this is quite low, and on some it's a lot higher. The danger with the gap being too high is that your thumb will get caught under the string on the upstroke - potentially painful! The way to get around this is to build a ramp. Start with pieces of card stuck to the body underneath the strings at the end of the fretboard. Build the card up in layers until you find the height that works for you. You need to be able to double thumb easily, but also slap and pop as you normally would. Once you have shaped the ramp to the right height you can have a luthier make you a nicer looking one that matches your bass. Or you can make your own. My bass (a GB Rumour) has a low string to body height, but an additional problem to work around: a groove for truss rod access! Without a ramp my thumb ends up in there every time if I am double thumbing! The ramp helps me get around that nicely and with it installed, the technique is a lot easier. I did indeed write a book on the slap technique and it features 3 chapters on double thumbing - plenty of info/pics about the ramp in there too. You can check it out here: [url="http://www.basslinepublishing.com/Books/UltimateSlapBass/tabid/69/Default.aspx"]http://www.basslinepublishing.com/Books/Ul...69/Default.aspx[/url] Hope that helps, let us know how you get on. Cheers Stuart

I thought both pieces were great - the original piece in particular was really nice to listen to. Hats off to the guy. Stu

[quote name='hatori' post='278755' date='Sep 6 2008, 06:46 PM']Mansons guitar show is on 25th-26th Oct. Looks like its gonna be good, anyone in the SW going?[/quote] I'll be there with my Bassline Publishing bumpf, selling books and doing demos. Might be doing some masterclasses too, not sure yet. Stu

Gone! To Ben White. Wow, that was quick. Stu

Hi all, I have three issues of Bass Player magazine up for grabs to anyone who wants them - have been filling the holes in my collection and seem to have picked up some doubles! Three great issues. Drop me a PM if you want them. Cheers Stu

[quote name='lwtait' post='268740' date='Aug 24 2008, 09:20 AM']I'm learning the Billy Sheehan style piece in Stuart Claytons book "Giants of Bass" and there's a tap solo. I've only ever done tap a couple of years ago when i first started bass lessons cos we were studying different techniques, but never actually used it in a song. Now when i try to tap this solo (or the little tap fill earlier on) im not getting a clean note, im getting a wierd sound. Its hard to describe the sound, but if it helps it sounds kinda like my bass has got wind. I've tried tapping harder and softer, it doesn't help. Can anyone help me?[/quote] I'll try to help - i did write the piece after all! Can you record what you're doing and post it? Would be easy to diagnose what you are doing then. I'll have a look at the piece and post some notes on it later - can't remember how it goes at the moment. Stu

Thanks to Johnny for his kind words! I also really enjoyed doing the summer school, and it was a pleasure for me also to play with the rest of the tutors and guest artists - although we all teach in the same building we rarely get to interact, and in fact I hadn't even met any of the other tutors before Monday! Johnny and the other 3 bass students all did brilliantly, and were a pleasure to teach. I think we all had a LOT of fun this week, and I look forward to doing it again another time. I'm moving across to BIMM's new school in Bristol as of September as head of the Bass Dept - if there are any Basschatters that are heading to the school (or the Brighton branch), or thinking of going, please drop me a message - I'd love to hear from you! Once again, well done Johnny, and if the other guys from the class have made it on here (as I suggested), well done to you all too! Cheers Stuart

Quick plug for Phil here - he's a great bass player, and a nice guy too! I met him earlier this year and would recommend him. Stu

And a fine job you did too Johnny!! Sounded great. See you tomorrow, Stu

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='246555' date='Jul 24 2008, 01:00 AM']For good reason! In 99% of the gigging situations that are gonna come up today it is not needed or desirable.[/quote] Not true at all. It's required in many working bands these days, and even a lot of theatre shows. I use it live a lot - not because I want to, but because it's required. Stu