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Paul McCartney bass playing


The-Ox
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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1449270803' post='2922218']


Everything

Blue
[/quote]

With respect, that's absolute rubbish. Nobody does everything well. If that's what you're saying, I think the possibility of seeing him try to solo like Stu Hamm or play in a progressive band like Tool, or slap like Mark King would be enough to dispel the thought that he can do everything well as I'd imagine it'd be a bit car crash.

He does several things in the terms of playing well like most of us. But nobody, does everything "well." Not McCartney, Pastorious, Clarke, Jamerson, Entwistle, King or any other iconic bass player you can name can do everything well. They have their niche areas in which they excel (or not dependent on whether you like their style or even their music), but nobody is all things. McCartney isn't any different in that respect.

I happen to like his playing, before anyone asks.

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[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1449314734' post='2922462']


Haha. Would be amusing to see him Mark King it up though.
[/quote]

The comparison to me though is how comfortable he is playing and singing at the same time. If you look at the silly love songs clip in the thread you'll see what I mean. Totally at ease with both!
Although I don't sing and play the biggest compliment I ever got was when a guy spoke to me after a gig and said I was totally at one with the bass, so comfortable! To me that is how I see people like McCartney and King, totally different genres but the same level of comfort playing and singing! Love it!

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[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1449317077' post='2922505']
With respect, that's absolute rubbish. Nobody does everything well. If that's what you're saying, I think the possibility of seeing him try to solo like Stu Hamm or play in a progressive band like Tool, or slap like Mark King would be enough to dispel the thought that he can do everything well as I'd imagine it'd be a bit car crash.

He does several things in the terms of playing well like most of us. But nobody, does everything "well." Not McCartney, Pastorious, Clarke, Jamerson, Entwistle, King or any other iconic bass player you can name can do everything well. They have their niche areas in which they excel (or not dependent on whether you like their style or even their music), but nobody is all things. McCartney isn't any different in that respect.

I happen to like his playing, before anyone asks.
[/quote]

Calm down - I think Blue is a fan, that's all.

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[quote name='NickD' timestamp='1449273234' post='2922243']
Love his stuff. It was McCartney more than anyone else that taught me to pay more attention to note choice and note length than tone. After years of messing around with different basses, amps, effects, etc, I heard my first isolated Macca line... fat, dead, dull... and perfect! Jameson on is the same. It became clear to me at that point that what you're playing on and what you're playing through is almost irrelevant compared to what you're playing.
[/quote]
Not possible to state this more accurately!

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[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1449317077' post='2922505']
With respect, that's absolute rubbish. Nobody does everything well. If that's what you're saying, I think the possibility of seeing him try to solo like Stu Hamm or play in a progressive band like Tool, or slap like Mark King would be enough to dispel the thought that he can do everything well as I'd imagine it'd be a bit car crash.

He does several things in the terms of playing well like most of us. But nobody, does everything "well." Not McCartney, Pastorious, Clarke, Jamerson, Entwistle, King or any other iconic bass player you can name can do everything well. They have their niche areas in which they excel (or not dependent on whether you like their style or even their music), but nobody is all things. McCartney isn't any different in that respect.

I happen to like his playing, before anyone asks.
[/quote]

I think Blue meant that everything he did/does, he did/does well, not that he can do [i]everything, [/i]ever...

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[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1449274534' post='2922251']
The bass line on Paperback Writer - its a killer. Simple but oh so effective

A genius
[/quote]

Agree - I`ve never learned that line, but it`s what I zone into when I hear the song. Just awesome. It`s easy to knock PM as he`s a virtually a national treasure, but really, wrote all those songs, came up with all those great basslines, did all those great vocals/harmonies. Whether or not you like his stuff, think it`s only the daft that don`t understand what he`s done.

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[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1449317077' post='2922505']
With respect, that's absolute rubbish. Nobody does everything well. If that's what you're saying, I think the possibility of seeing him try to solo like Stu Hamm or play in a progressive band like Tool, or slap like Mark King would be enough to dispel the thought that he can do everything well as I'd imagine it'd be a bit car crash.

He does several things in the terms of playing well like most of us. But nobody, does everything "well." Not McCartney, Pastorious, Clarke, Jamerson, Entwistle, King or any other iconic bass player you can name can do everything well. They have their niche areas in which they excel (or not dependent on whether you like their style or even their music), but nobody is all things. McCartney isn't any different in that respect.

I happen to like his playing, before anyone asks.
[/quote]

I think it should be read as 'Everything he does, he does well'. Blue will correct if necessary (although Sir Paul may well be good at dry-stone walling and needlework, too; who knows..?)

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[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1449320236' post='2922554']
Indeed. :)...
[/quote]

I may be being a bit incredulous here, but I'm not entirely sure that that's Sir Paul himself. Maybe someone trying to fob us off with an imitation..? Hard to tell... :mellow:

Edited by Dad3353
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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1449321556' post='2922571']
I may be being a bit incredulous here, but I'm not entirely sure that that's Sir Paul himself. Maybe someone trying to fob us off with an imitation..? Hard to tell... :mellow:
[/quote]

Hmm, I reckon McCartney would use his left hand for lifting the kettle and stirring the tea. Perhaps this is the fake Paul that the tinfoil-hatters reckon replaced the real one after Abbey Road!

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1449318343' post='2922528']
Agree - I`ve never learned that line, but it`s what I zone into when I hear the song. Just awesome. It`s easy to knock PM as he`s a virtually a national treasure, but really, wrote all those songs, came up with all those great basslines, did all those great vocals/harmonies. Whether or not you like his stuff, think it`s only the daft that don`t understand what he`s done.
[/quote]

I loved the bass line so much i did learn it, but only for my own amusement. Our band only does one PM song, and its Wings BOTR. The bass line in that is pretty damn good too

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[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1449317077' post='2922505']


With respect, that's absolute rubbish. Nobody does everything well. If that's what you're saying, I think the possibility of seeing him try to solo like Stu Hamm or play in a progressive band like Tool, or slap like Mark King would be enough to dispel the thought that he can do everything well as I'd imagine it'd be a bit car crash.

He does several things in the terms of playing well like most of us. But nobody, does everything "well." Not McCartney, Pastorious, Clarke, Jamerson, Entwistle, King or any other iconic bass player you can name can do everything well. They have their niche areas in which they excel (or not dependent on whether you like their style or even their music), but nobody is all things. McCartney isn't any different in that respect.

I happen to like his playing, before anyone asks.
[/quote]

Macca is one of the few on my

"can do no wrong" list.

I don't want solos from Macca, nor do I expect them.

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1449317667' post='2922518']
The guy is amazing , makes everything look so easy, plays and sings contrasting things effortlessly, composes and writes original things, almost every Beatles release was different and inventive at the time.
[/quote]


I have followed his career since 1964. Is there a more creative or successful rock n roller?

Not in my book,

Blue

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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1449319765' post='2922548']


I think it should be read as 'Everything he does, he does well'. Blue will correct if necessary (although Sir Paul may well be good at dry-stone walling and needlework, too; who knows..?)
[/quote]

I'll go with that.

Blue

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[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1449261644' post='2922116']
British Jamerson. Many have followed him, all have learnt from his lines.

His lines still stand up to the test of time, just as Jamerson's do. In fact, one of my old bass lecturers claimed that 'If you learnt ALL of McCartney's, Jamerson's, and Jaco's lines, you could become the complete player.'
[/quote]

I just wish Jamerson had a small fraction of the career Macca has had. Even then I guess you had to have few more offerings other than playing bass a lone.

It's a fair comparison, however I not sure session guys set out to rule the world.

Blue

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The Beatles are one of those bands my folks used to listen to and claim were amazing but I never got into but my time on here makes me think I should sit down and learn some of his lines. What little I've heard, I've had a lot more respect for him as a player having previously identified with him as the guy who did The Frog Chorus.

Any suggestions as to songs to learn as a starting point?

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[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1449317077' post='2922505']


With respect, that's absolute rubbish. Nobody does everything well. If that's what you're saying, I think the possibility of seeing him try to solo like Stu Hamm or play in a progressive band like Tool, or slap like Mark King would be enough to dispel the thought that he can do everything well as I'd imagine it'd be a bit car crash.[/quote]

I love Stu, Clarke all those guys. If all 3 of us ran into Macca, we would have one thing in common. We would all be in awe of him at some level.

Blue

Edited by blue
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