EssentialTension Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 [quote name='benwhiteuk' post='397479' date='Feb 2 2009, 02:25 AM']I think you’ve got a non argument there – you’re effectively saying that if he had a 7/8/9/whatever string bass with the highest 4 strings tuned to his piccolo tuning and the rest tuned a lot lower, then that would be ok and he would be considered by you to be playing a “Bass” even if he didn’t use the lower strings but because the range potential is there it’s a “Bass”? Doesn’t really make a lot of sense. I see what you’re saying about the literal meaning of a “Bass” Guitar, but I don’t think you’re argument works. Maybe he’s invented the “Alto Bass Guitar”? or even the “Soprano Bass Guitar”? – I’m not sure what sort of range he’s covering.[/quote] Well I agree it is not an argument really, more just a description of what goes on in musical terminology. If you put enough strings on it - 7/8/9 or even 88 - and then instead of plucking them use keys to hit them with a hammer it's called a piano and it can do bass register and other registers across ... er... is it seven octaves? So if what you say about me is true, I must think piano is a 'bass' too. I don't think that but I do think the piano can play in the bass register. An extended range instrument may well be able to play across a wide range of registers. None of that stops 'bass' being a reference to the range of register covered by an instrument or voice. 'Guitar' like 'saxophone' refers to the style of instrument, e.g. 'bass guitar', 'baritone saxophone', etc. With 'ordinary guitar' we don't usually bother to name its register which at nearly four octaves is quite wide, like the piano. Sometimes one hears of sopranino guitar (octave + fifth higher?); soprano guitar (octave higher?); alto guitar (fifth higher?); I think that makes the ordinary guitar a tenor guitar (although that term is also used for a four string instrument tuned, I think, CGDA). I'd accept that the term piccolo bass is in common use use to describe a standard bass guitar (or double bass) tuned an octave (or at least a fifth) higher than usual - which I guess is what the guy in the OP is doing. And good luck to him. But like I said, people can and will call it what they like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 (edited) Anyone out there play a contrabass recorder? Big buggers aren't they. Don't worry I've a brilliant solution that overcomes the size problem. My contrabass recorder is tuned 3 octaves up and because of that will fit in my shirt pocket. Don't worry - its still a contrabass, just tuned up a bit. But seriously, I have no problem with what the bloke is playing. I have no problem with what anyone wants to play. It's just a case of whether it should be called bass or not. To me 'Bass' doesn't say anything about the size of the instrument, or the technique used to play it. It does say a lot about the pitch range you'd expect to it cover however. Edited February 3, 2009 by Clive Thorne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogli66 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I think it was fantastic and really well played. Wish I was that good. Impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 [quote name='Clive Thorne' post='398662' date='Feb 3 2009, 10:21 AM']Anyone out there play a contrabass recorder? Big buggers aren't they. Don't worry I've a brilliant solution that overcomes the size problem. My contrabass recorder is tuned 3 octaves up and because of that will fit in my shirt pocket. Don't worry - its still a contrabass, just tuned up a bit.[/quote] [quote name='Clive Thorne' post='398662' date='Feb 3 2009, 10:21 AM']But seriously, I have no problem with what the bloke is playing. I have no problem with what anyone wants to play. It's just a case of whether it should be called bass or not. To me 'Bass' doesn't say anything about the size of the instrument, or the technique used to play it. It does say a lot about the pitch range you'd expect to it cover however.[/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubs Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 (edited) I think this guy does a much better job of using piccolo strings on a bass, and even though the tuning range is all over the place I think it might actually comply with the "it's not a bass" crew - [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TF4sJHBIYEo"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TF4sJHBIYEo[/url] I think this video is great, and he gets some proper grooves going. EDIT - This is another good example of a piccolo bass being played like a bass - [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9nKLkIJlBoc"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9nKLkIJlBoc[/url] Edited February 3, 2009 by benwhiteuk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 (edited) Interesting thread this. I could not get the link to work so I have not viewed the guy on You Tube. But it seems that the original question of "Does anyone know who he is?" immediately got ignored and an indepth discussion ensued about whether the guy is a bassist or not as apparrently, he uses higher register tuning. Without having seen this, my opinion is, music is music no matter what you play it on. If you're also good at it as well, that makes you a musician. I trust some/most of you will have heard of Brian Bromberg. Love him or hate him, he is a well respected world class upright and electric bass player and composer. His album "You know that feeling" has no "guitars" on it whatsoever. All guitar parts are played on the bass or variations of such. ie, piccolos etc using effects. I don't know many guitarists who could play those parts on guitars as well as he can let alone on a bass. It's purely an extension of the musical instrument preconceived idea that we have in our heads as to who should play what, on what and what it should sound like. It's all relevent in the world of music as far as I'm concerned and is no different from a bass player using a distortion pedal because that's not what a bass sounds like really is it? I wonder if all the upright bass players of the 50's slagged off the first guy they saw with a Precision and said it's not really a bass but an electrified plank of wood. Probably not. If the guy is good, plays his stuff on a bass of some kind, then he's probably a good bass player. Edited February 3, 2009 by leschirons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 [quote name='leschirons' post='399344' date='Feb 3 2009, 07:57 PM']It's all relevent in the world of music as far as I'm concerned and is no different from a bass player using a distortion pedal because that's not what a bass sounds like really is it? I wonder if all the upright bass players of the 50's slagged off the first guy they saw with a Precision and said it's not really a bass but an electrified plank of wood. Probably not.[/quote] Probably yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 [quote name='leschirons' post='399344' date='Feb 3 2009, 07:57 PM']If the guy is good, plays his stuff on a bass of some kind, then he's probably a good bass player.[/quote] I don't think anybody's suggesting otherwise, they just think his "Richard Clayderman Of The Bass" routine is a bit tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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