Stub Mandrel Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 Very old setlist (1987) that I've shared before... it's in my albums. Spotted Strange Little Girl, which I remembered as being quite heavy sounding(!) perhaps that was how we played it back then? Anyway, listened to the original for the first time in ages and ages, it's ethereal and beautiful, and as you'd expect for the more sophisticated end of The Stranglers, JJ's bassline is exquisite. Between Ultimate Guitar (much of it totally crocked), BigBassTabs (structure right but some simplification and minor errors) and my own ear, I think I've got it down. What a corker of a song, and I can't imagine a greater contrast with Peaches, which I've been playing with the current band. Whatever happened to real rock bands (not progsters) who could put something heavy and something delicate on the same album (Sabbath, Uriah Heep...) Enough of my guff, wrap your ears around this... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBass Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 I'm learning 'I'm Still Standing' by Elton John. My band is on a summer hiatus as the two other members are Europeans and take their families back home for the school holidays. So, I've got time to learn all the stuff the BL wants to put in the setlist. This one is going to take a bit of time to nail as I have never learned how to slap and pop, which 'I'm Still Standing' is full of. I suppose knowing how to slap and pop is an essential tool for a bassist so I'm pleased I've got the summer break to hone my skills. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franticsmurf Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 (edited) On 12/02/2024 at 21:20, PaulHornBass said: I've been playing this in our band for a longer than I care to admit without learning the original line. Just doing that now and feel that I'm gaining a lot from going through it and in particular making sure I get the different rhythms right. I've just started working on the Bruce Springsteen/E Street band version for the Hulla band as a request for an up coming wedding gig. Our version is loose enough that I have free reign over the bassline I play so I'm currently swapping between the guitar riff and original bass part. As part of the same request list, we're also working on Texas Hold 'Em, 21 Summers, There's Your Trouble, Thinking of You and Rainy Night in Soho. Edited August 22 by Franticsmurf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulHornBass Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 Oh that's interesting - I'd not heard that version before. Will check it out! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franticsmurf Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 51 minutes ago, PaulHornBass said: Oh that's interesting - I'd not heard that version before. Will check it out! Our BL is a big Bruce fan, so a lot of our stuff leans towards his style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulHornBass Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 1 minute ago, Franticsmurf said: Our BL is a big Bruce fan, so a lot of our stuff leans towards his style. I watched it and think it's a great cover. There's a cameo from a certain guitarist 3 minutes in that I didn't see coming! 😆 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franticsmurf Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 It is good, isn't it. I started learning the original version for a funk/rock band a few years ago and liked it but I think I prefer this version. Great fun to play as well. I just need to persuade the BL to keep it in the set after the wedding. I had to Google the guitarist but yes, unexpected but a nice solo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 14 minutes ago, Franticsmurf said: I had to Google the guitarist but yes, unexpected but a nice solo. You didn’t recognise him? 😮 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munurmunuh Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 I've recently learnt Nowhere To Run and have been enjoying all Jamerson's tiny variations in the riff. A lot of bassists would happily play the same thing 32 times, but there's at least a dozen different versions of it. Lovely stuff 🥰 I copied down the notes from this transcription: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackroadkill Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 6 hours ago, Franticsmurf said: Rainy Night in Soho. That's a beautiful song. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie C Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 I heard Free's "Wishing Well" on the radio this morning and was taken with a sudden urge to learn it and multi-track it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike f Posted August 29 Share Posted August 29 Cardiacs - Bellyeye. Cracking bassline from Jon Poole. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted August 29 Share Posted August 29 Finally put a few minutes aside to learn 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick'. It's always been on my list but never had a reason to do so until joining a band that want to cover it! Got it nailed now, just have to make sure my fingers don't get tied in a knot on the C# riff...! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted August 29 Share Posted August 29 5 minutes ago, cetera said: Finally put a few minutes aside to learn 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick'. It's always been on my list but never had a reason to do so until joining a band that want to cover it! Got it nailed now, just have to make sure my fingers don't get tied in a knot on the C# riff...! Make sure you never play it with a drummer who counts it correctly but then speeds up by 40bpm in the first 2 bars. Been there, stopped playing, couldn’t play that fast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted August 29 Share Posted August 29 I'm learning Judith by A Perfect Circle, both the bass and some of the vocals. Slight complication in that the band tunes down to D standard and the song is played C# standard, and I'm not tuning any lower (there are limits, dammit ! ) but no real biggy, just some changes in note choice. Tried it at practice on Tuesday, sounded pretty good 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andruca Posted Friday at 10:42 Share Posted Friday at 10:42 (edited) After some 20 years without playing any serious slap (except for generic crappy licks) I spent the last week doing some slap fitness, both excercises and also "testing" progress with an intro from a '90s song I like. The song is upwards of 180BPM. I'm no slapper, at all. A week ago I could barely play it at 140BPM. This is 170BPM and was the best I could do yesterday afternoon (unedited), on my SBV-500 (best sounding and easiest Jazz Bass for slapping). The original song is called "Dr. Feel", from Argentinean band Zona Púrpura (Guillermo Vadalá -Mark Anthony, Alejandro Sanz, etc.- on bass). I took classes with him for some months back in '93. The man himself briefs us on this intro in a vid from his YT channel. Edited Friday at 10:48 by andruca 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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