Playing a totally unnecessary bass in a totally unnecessary way.

[BassApprentice]

A few months ago, I watched a video of a guy designing and building a guitar/bass with a spinning round neck. He surprisingly got it to work!

 

Now Charles Berthoud has got his hands on it. Not everyone's cup of tea, but you have to admire his ability to play his style on almost any stringed instrument.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2024 by BassApprentice

[tubbybloke68]

Think that kid could make a scaffold pole or anything sound good…. X 

[Gasman]

Just my own opinion, but isn’t Mr Berthould, genius technician as he may be, a self-promoting PITA and the antithesis of what bands actually need in a bass player?

[BassApprentice]

Most likely - yes. But I think this is down to algorithms on YouTube/Social Media that he has to play like this to get likes and clicks. He is probably a rock solid bass player if you need him to be, but that's not going to wow the internet and make him money.

[Baloney Balderdash]

1 hour ago, Gasman said:

Just my own opinion, but isn’t Mr Berthould, genius technician as he may be, a self-promoting PITA and the antithesis of what bands actually need in a bass player?

 

 

Edited March 24, 2024 by Baloney Balderdash

[Burns-bass]

2 hours ago, Gasman said:

Just my own opinion, but isn’t Mr Berthould, genius technician as he may be, a self-promoting PITA and the antithesis of what bands actually need in a bass player?

He’s a new type of musician/artist that makes money with videos online. It baffles me that people would spend their time watching this stuff but people do - and it’s highly lucrative (apparently).

 

I think it supports his musical career, which is cool.

 

 

 

[Gasman]

Please tell me - apart from playing on Youtube - what is his musical career?

[Acebassmusic]

4 hours ago, Gasman said:

Just my own opinion, but isn’t Mr Berthould, genius technician as he may be, a self-promoting PITA and the antithesis of what bands actually need in a bass player?

 

I must have missed the memo but I'm not sure "what bands actually need in a bass player" means and can be quantified in such a generalised manner. Each band has different needs and I'm sure that swapping Stanley Clarke and Adam Clayton into each others bands wouldn't be what was needed. Horses for courses and all that.

 

Not sure what you mean by "self-promoting PITA" either? Any company or person making a sustainable career should promote themselves. That is how they build their market and get more work. What PITA bread has to do with this I don't know! 🤷‍♀️🤣

 

59 minutes ago, Gasman said:

Please tell me - apart from playing on Youtube - what is his musical career?

 

 5 secs on Google gave me THIS. I'm sure its a pretty abridged version of his musical career as his many appearances at the "Dog & Duck" probably don't make as good a selling point as "touring and recording as a sideman on a dozen records and tours" does for the reader. YMMV

Edited March 24, 2024 by Acebassmusic

[ahpook]

I quite enjoyed the piece of music. Reminded me of Squarepusher, but on a Sunday morning

 

Mad skills to boot.

 

[Belka]

I was at the Dog and Duck last night when I saw Charles Berthoud sitting in with a blues band. It was terrible - he kept playing so many notes and was slapping and tapping over everything. He was also playing a class D amplifier that had no heft. Nobody in the crowd was dancing due to the lack of groove. Eventually the band got sick of him and invited a Basschat greybeard onto the stage to sit in. From the moment he plugged his (modified) Harley Benton into his vintage '80s Trace Elliot everything changed. The power and heft of his whole notes and the tasteful use of minor pentatonic shapes (no matter whether over a major or minor tonality) had everybody up on the dancefloor grooving away. I later saw Charles outside pacing up and down nervously and chain smoking,  a bit like when Clapton saw Hendrix for the first time. 

 

True story. There's a lesson for us all there I think. 

 

Edited March 24, 2024 by Belka

[fretmeister]

7 hours ago, Gasman said:

Just my own opinion, but isn’t Mr Berthould, genius technician as he may be, a self-promoting PITA and the antithesis of what bands actually need in a bass player?

Man who earns money on youtube is a PITA for promoting the way he plays the bills?

 

What a weird complaint.

 

Like it or not, YouTube playing is an entirely different sport to band playing. YouTube playing is a different product to band playing.

 

Loads of YT people are honest about it. Like drummer El Estepario did an interview and explained he spends far more time learning drumming tricks for social media than actually playing songs because that is his primary source of income. Just playing four to the floor wouldn’t earn money on YouTube.

 

I don’t know why anyone would think either of them couldn’t play simply for a band though.

Edited March 24, 2024 by fretmeister
typo.

[lowdown]

1 hour ago, Gasman said:

Please tell me - apart from playing on Youtube - what is his musical career?

 

@CharlesBerthoud‧ 1.78M subscribers‧425 videos 

 

https://www.charlesberthoud.com/about.html

 

 

I think he probably does all right for himself and he strikes me as a very accomplished musician.

 

 

 

 

[Burns-bass]

5 hours ago, lowdown said:

 

@CharlesBerthoud‧ 1.78M subscribers‧425 videos 

 

https://www.charlesberthoud.com/about.html

 

 

I think he probably does all right for himself and he strikes me as a very accomplished musician.

 

 

 

 

He’s recently released an album of his own compositions.

 

Given its primarily bass-led it’s hardly going to be a big seller, is it?

 

The YouTube videos probably pay for him to go that. All power to him!

[lowdown]

1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

He’s recently released an album of his own compositions.

 

Given its primarily bass-led it’s hardly going to be a big seller, is it?

 

The YouTube videos probably pay for him to go that. All power to him!

 

 

With 1.78 million YouTube subscribers, he should offer them all a copy at £1 a go.

 

[Gasman]

Thread title says it all, but of course Your Marmite May Vary...

[fretmeister]

6 hours ago, Gasman said:

Thread title says it all, but of course Your Marmite May Vary...

 

"Unnecessary..."

 

iPads were deemed unnecessary. Laptops same.

Home computers - same.

Carbonated drinks - same.

 

Etc etc.

 

You never know what the next generation will think is a necessity.

 

 

[Baloney Balderdash]

7 hours ago, Gasman said:

Thread title says it all, but of course Your Marmite May Vary...

Very ironic title, yes.

[tauzero]

On 24/03/2024 at 13:10, lowdown said:

@CharlesBerthoud‧ 1.78M subscribers‧425 videos 

 

I bet that plummets when word gets out that he's been criticised by a couple of people on an internet bass forum.

[lowdown]

3 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

I bet that plummets when word gets out that he's been criticised by a couple of people on an internet bass forum.

 

Yeah, probably. But on the other hand, it might do wonders for his new T-Shirt merchandise sales...

" @Charles Berthoud, a self-promoting PITA" .

[Angel]

On 24/03/2024 at 07:54, Gasman said:

Just my own opinion, but isn’t Mr Berthould, genius technician as he may be, a self-promoting PITA and the antithesis of what bands actually need in a bass player?

 

I never understand why some bassists seem to have this narrow remit of what a bass player should be. Any 'musician' can do what they like with their instrument of choice, and if they make money from it and give enjoyment to others it's all good in my book. A bassist doesn't have to have a 'job' to do in a 'band' although many do choose that role.

 

On Mr Berthoud, personally I love his playing. Unlike most uber technical players he seems to keep musicality and groove at the heart. I can't listen to the likes of Victor Wooten myself, too widdly widdly for me, but Charles I find really inspiring.

Edited March 25, 2024 by Angel

[SteveXFR]

On 24/03/2024 at 07:54, Gasman said:

Just my own opinion, but isn’t Mr Berthould, genius technician as he may be, a self-promoting PITA and the antithesis of what bands actually need in a bass player?

 

He's a typical social media musician. Completely over plays and would sound better if he left out 90% of the notes he plays. No groove and always flashy playing over creating something good to listen to

[Geek99]

On 24/03/2024 at 07:54, Gasman said:

Just my own opinion, but isn’t Mr Berthould, genius technician as he may be, a self-promoting PITA and the antithesis of what bands actually need in a bass player?

You mean he is a guitard?

[tauzero]

18 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

He's a typical social media musician. Completely over plays and would sound better if he left out 90% of the notes he plays. No groove and always flashy playing over creating something good to listen to

 

That's OK, there's no shortage of bassists who stick to four (or eight) root notes to the bar.

[Gasman]

12 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

You mean he is a guitard?

Got it in one (or should that be six) strings...

[Geek99]

There is a parallel universe where I’m that good at inventing stuff and I’m that good at playing music (its not in-the-pocket bass but you cannot deny his musical talent)