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Walk on the wild side - how to play with only one bass?


jmstone
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As a side project I am playing bass in a covers band - they want to do walk on the wild side, which I thought is cool - has a good bassline etc. But now I listen to it, I hear it has 2 bass parts sliding in opposite directions. Any suggestions how to handle this (apart from getting another bassist!)?

James

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Will Lee had found a way to do this - I can´t remember exactly but he tapped the line with both hands, one on the E string and one on the G, starting with the double-stop (root/VII) and sliding down on the E and up on the G string to the respective target notes.

It does take some practice but it´s not too difficult really and sounds very nice. Hope this helps!

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[quote name='Soulfinger' post='421111' date='Feb 27 2009, 04:56 PM']Will Lee had found a way to do this - I can´t remember exactly but he tapped the line with both hands, one on the E string and one on the G, starting with the double-stop (root/VII) and sliding down on the E and up on the G string to the respective target notes.

It does take some practice but it´s not too difficult really and sounds very nice. Hope this helps![/quote]
This is how I do it. Yes it does take some practice, but it must be reasonably easy if I can do it ;) It's worth working at, as it is so much more effective than just doing one of the lines and more impressive than getting a (spit) [i]guitarist[/i] to do it.

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[quote name='6stringbassist' post='421172' date='Feb 27 2009, 05:49 PM']I used to play it a major 10 interval sliding up and down, that sounded pretty cool to everyone.[/quote]

Once you try it you'll find that it simply doesn't sound right without both parts, so either learn the way above or invest in a real good tracking pitch shift with 15 semitone range.

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Herbie flowers played the lower part on double bass and the higher notes on fender jazz,i dont think it would be possible to get the right sound any other way.Could you not get the guitarist to loop the c chord strum which goes on through the song and then help you out with the higher bass notes.Just a suggestion.

Edited by YouMa
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[quote name='Rich' post='421139' date='Feb 27 2009, 05:18 PM']This is how I do it. Yes it does take some practice, but it must be reasonably easy if I can do it :rolleyes: It's worth working at, as it is so much more effective than just doing one of the lines and more impressive than getting a (spit) [i]guitarist[/i] to do it.[/quote]


I can confirm that Rich's double handed technique suonds great and [i]looks[/i] very impressive.

Even his singer noticed and makes a feature of it...

:)

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I agree with Rich and Sixstring bassist, i play it as tenth chords on the E and G strings using my thumb and 1st finger sounds great and i use that trick a lot, i first heard Chuck Rainey do it, oh and Verdine white and Tony levin do it too, really nice if used tastefully, check out Abraham laboriel sliding into a 10th chord on Randy crawfords "trade winds" just gorgeous- lee

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However when I play it in our band I do it the [s]lazy[/s] minimalistic but effective way ...
G on the D string, B on the G string and slide up and down with a popped 12fret harmonic G on the 4th beat of the second bar whilst I get back down to the low end.
Seems to work and TBH the punters don't mind I'm not playing the low G+10th or the "two basses at once" thing ...

Edited by OldGit
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[quote name='Cantdosleepy' post='421273' date='Feb 27 2009, 07:40 PM']The (possibly apocryphal) story behind the bassline is that someone suggested they have the two parts, and the session bassist really pushed for it, because then he'd be paid double for the session.[/quote]

It's all true, bassist is Herbie Flowers, and a nicer fella I've never met. He's got about a gazillion tales from sessions and this is just one of them....

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+1 Met him when I was a sallow youth and had a go on his famous Jazz - the one on Walk ...
I believe he only got a session fee and not a percentage of the earnings from the recording .. Poor bu553r. Still "Granddad" probably keeps him in Horlicks ...

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[quote name='OldGit' post='425646' date='Mar 4 2009, 11:45 PM']+1 Met him when I was a sallow youth[/quote]

Yep - me too! Just when I was starting playing - Blue Mink at the Batley Variety Club!

[quote name='OldGit' post='425646' date='Mar 4 2009, 11:45 PM']Poor bu553r. Still "Granddad" probably keeps him in Horlicks ...[/quote]

Wasn't Herbie involved with the Tellytubbies too?

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