This is it

[ubassman]

Anyone catch 'This is It' yesterday ? Loved Alex Al's bass playing - a consummate professional.

Whilst I was wondering about the thuddy octave split sound he got on smooth criminal (synth bass part or BG?) I found this fascinating article giving an insight as to what it was like working as a bassist for MJ . I wouldn't go out of my way to buy any MJ but the guy was a complete perfectionist with his music and his art and so it seems were the lineage of bassists who worked with him.

[url="http://www.bassplayer.com/article/Men-in-the-Mirror-The-Bassists-of-Michael-Jackson-How-Alex-Al-And-His-Predecessors-Pumped-Up-The-King-Of-Pop/4769"]http://www.bassplayer.com/article/Men-in-the-Mirror-The-Bassists-of-Michael-Jackson-How-Alex-Al-And-His-Predecessors-Pumped-Up-The-King-Of-Pop/4769[/url]

Seems the sound on Criminal was a Stingray 5 string tweaked through a programmed synth, and on other tracks in the show Alex played hammering on with his left hand and playing a synth keyboard in his right ...plus playing an array of basses to get a specific sound.

[chrismuzz]

I watched some of that. Such a shame that nobody ever got to experience the real live show, would have been a night to remember!

And yeah, Alex Al is incredible. Loved the way he played Beat It. I'm glad his bass was so prominent in the mix