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Bernard Edwards


YouMa
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I still cant nail this tune! I can play it and can nail most chic,diana,bernard bass lines but the timing/mute thing just is beyond me. I love the cest chic album so much its the reason i got serious about bass,guy pratts youtube version is ok but not like the original. i cant believe so little info is going on about bernard edwards,he was a master up there with Jaco.Any searching i have found always concentrates on Niles and the youtube stuff indicates Bernard was pissed off with the whole industry. Any fellow disco junkies who can play this line well?

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nah mate,i see where you are coming from,but that styling was a trick,i mean im sure 16th/ghost notes was just really coming into its own in the disco period but it has to be one part of that snap i just have not got yet and im pretty good,i dont seem to have a problem with picking up 16th/ghost ala norman watt roy. Anyhow im not trying to replicate bernard just be able to nail his technique.

Edited by YouMa
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I've been told my way sounds pretty close to the orginal recording, though I don't hear it personally!

Not many people know of my secret love for Disco, being in a few metal bands and that :lol:

In my experience (not true of everyone though!) you have to feel it. It's a cliche but it's true.

If you have to think about it, it won't happen. I'm pretty good at mimicking other styles and specific players, and I find it's all in the mind really

Edited by AttitudeCastle
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Its not a "logical" line in so much as its a bit unnatural - to me anyway. I've probably never "nailed" it but have had a lot of fun trying. I just finished the Nile Rodgers autobiography and you can pick up bits about Bernie Edwards through the book. I think Nile was a much better salesman than Bernie so got a lot of the production jobs after. For me, i can almost imagine Chic without Nile but never without Bernie. His lines were unique.

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One thing to bare in mind with Bernard Edwards is that he wasn't afraid to use a pick once in a while. I busted my balls for weeks to try and nail Everybody Dance until I read an article that said he used a pick and subtle palm muting when he recorded that song. As soon as I started to play that song with a pick it all began to make sense. Dance, Dance, Dance also doesn't sound right without using a pick. Some folks say that he used to use the surface of his index fingernail as a pick, but take my word for it I have tried that method and it bloody hurts very quickly!

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[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1337522281' post='1661278']
Dance also doesn't sound right without using a pick. Some folks say that he used to use the surface of his index fingernail as a pick, but take my word for it I have tried that method and it bloody hurts very quickly!
[/quote]

James Jamerson used to do that for 16ths too (according to his son)

I suppose as he only used one finger, he had to get double value from it :)

Edited by daz
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