lojo Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Been checking out a few demos on new basses (d Larkin etc) and got me thinking about the choices made in what to play So .. Your asked to demo a bass for a 2 min clip , you've got to do at least a few tone changes and maybe a pickup or 2 What playing styles, part of song, scale etc would you choose ? Btw, I'm havin a lazy start to the day Edited March 22, 2015 by lojo Quote
steve-bbb Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 E E E E A A A A D D D D G G GG EE E E A A AA DD D D GG G G EE AA DDGG EEE E Quote
jonnythenotes Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 Play something that involves covering a bit of the fretboard.... Master Blaster or Sir Duke by Mr Wonder will do this for you. A great Funky style blues thing to demo is Honey Hush...BB King. As long as what you play makes sense to the listener...either thru familiarity with the tune, clarity of sound and a measured tempo so notes dont become a racket...Even just a few scales played in different positions on the neck will show off the tone qualities of the bass, and will give the listener a clear and proper idea of what the bass is capable of. All I would suggest, is do not play any mindless slappy funk nonsense on your bottom E that just produces a low end din. This does not showcase the bass, or the player, and has been done to death by armies of shredders that you can see a million times on You tube. You don't demo a car by doing a hand brake turn in the car park...so don't do the bass equivalent. To me, a clear version of Doe Ray Me etc, is far more informative on a demo than riffs, or slap done badly... Good luck with what you are doing, and why not share what you end up doing with us... Would love to see it..... Quote
paul h Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 I would improvise something with finger style and pick...but I would definitely play either Forget Me Nots or Never Too Much for the slap sound. Quote
Happy Jack Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 [quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1427014063' post='2724591'] Master Blaster or Sir Duke by Mr Wonder will do this for you. [/quote] And of course will show that you had to study these songs along with 38,000 other Music Tech grads, all of whom will spend the rest of their lives using them at sound check. No ... go with Mustang Sally. Quote
jonnythenotes Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 Mustang Sally would do a great job of showing off nothing but half a dozen notes on the E A and D string. Come on..... That's not a demo...it's showing you can play the most kicked to death, sing a long song of all time. You need to go past the 5th fret to show a bass off. I think we both have a completely different concept of what demonstrating the potential, and capabilities of a bass guitar are... Quote
EssentialTension Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 [quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1427016248' post='2724615'] ... You need to go past the 5th fret ... [/quote] Quote
Woodinblack Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 [quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1427016429' post='2724616'] Flight of the bumble bee. [/quote] Yep - the one by manowar Quote
jezzaboy Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1427013417' post='2724583'] E E E E A A A A D D D D G G GG EE E E A A AA DD D D GG G G EE AA DDGG EEE E [/quote] Trust you to go all technical and flashy Got ant tabs for that tune? Edited March 22, 2015 by jezzaboy Quote
Dazed Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 A Rickenbacker. Ba dum tish! I thank you. Good night. Quote
RhysP Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Doesn't matter what you play, there are so many other variables at work in these demo clips that make them to all intents & purposes worthless. The clips on the Bass Direct website are a good example of this, where every bass, no matter how expensive, sounds like a piece of crap (IMO of course.....). Edited March 22, 2015 by RhysP Quote
Lozz196 Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 A few Jam riffs, Down In The Tube Station, It`s Too Bad, Funeral Pyre. Pump It Up by Elvis Costello, Nice & Sleazy by The Stranglers. Quote
wateroftyne Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 This is how I do it... http://youtu.be/6np-PCYITrw Quote
Mykesbass Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 [quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1427014063' post='2724591'] A great Funky style blues thing to demo is Honey Hush...BB King. [/quote] Do you mean Albert Collins Jonny - big BB King fan and can't find a version by him? Cheers, Mike Quote
Truckstop Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 Badge - Cream You can funk it, pluck it, pick it, thumb it, slap it, groove it and distort it. Sounds great any which way and is handy for showing off a basses range. Quote
doctorbass Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1427023347' post='2724733'] A few Jam riffs, Down In The Tube Station, It`s Too Bad, Funeral Pyre. Pump It Up by Elvis Costello, Nice & Sleazy by The Stranglers. [/quote] Add Down In The Sewer to that and it sounds like the perfect demo! Quote
jonnythenotes Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 Yeah.....Sorry Mykebass...getting my BB's and Albrts mixed up....thanks for spotting that..... Quote
Mykesbass Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 [quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1427025982' post='2724777'] Yeah.....Sorry Mykebass...getting my BB's and Albrts mixed up....thanks for spotting that..... [/quote] No worries, nice tune - just gone on to the set list Quote
jonnythenotes Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 Waheyyy Mikesbass.......It's one of those tunes I have been playing in my Funk band for years..... Another absolute corker to have a bash at is Girl I wanna dance with you, by Wolfman Washington.. but only the studio version, and then there is Barefootin....These three allow any bass player to see the crossover point between Blues and Funk.... Of all the funky tunes I play, these are the ones I enjoy most...and they are not originally funky tunes. Give them a try and see what you reckon...and let me know... Quote
zero9 Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 It has to be Dune Tune by L42, or is that too 80's? Quote
Cameronj279 Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 A problem I've noticed with a lot of 'demos' is that they're demonstrating a bass using high end amplifiers and generally seem to use the video as a method to show off their chops. The Bass Whisperer is the only one who I find does demo's where you actually get an idea of what the bass sounds like. Quote
CamdenRob Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 [quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1427016248' post='2724615'] Mustang Sally would do a great job of showing off nothing but half a dozen notes on the E A and D string. Come on..... That's not a demo...it's showing you can play the most kicked to death, sing a long song of all time. You need to go past the 5th fret to show a bass off. I think we both have a completely different concept of what demonstrating the potential, and capabilities of a bass guitar are... [/quote] There is a small chance I wasn't being entirely serious... Quote
JapanAxe Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 +1 for Sir Duke for covering the instrument's range. When I am watching bass-related demos I can usually spot the thumb and stop the video before the slapping starts Quote
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