What are your more bizarre inspirations/influences

[AlexL]

OK - I realize by posting this I may be setting myself up to receive some major sh*t from everyone, but I think it could be an interesting and educational thread.

I was wondering what some of your more bizarre influences are, and your inspirations for bass.

Oh sure, I love trying to work my way through Dream Theater tunes, and Rush tunes are great, but sometimes they are too technically challenging for me at this point in my playing. So, I need to find something that is...

a) challenging but attainable
b) educational
c) fun

The latest music to fit that criteria has been Stevie Wonder tunes (Signed Sealed, Delivered, Sir Duke) and (oh God, here come the flaming daggers...) Captain and Tennille (Love Will Keep Us Together, Shop Around).

Now before you start crucifying me, if you really listen to those songs, you will find great examples of chromatic walks, mixtures of various musical genres including swing, bebop, and much more. I love transcribing those songs and then bringing them to my bass instructor who helps me analyze the different styles and theory behind them. Plus, he appreciates a good bassline, no matter who the artist is. He thinks those songs are perfect for me because i can get exposed to so many styles within the span of a few minutes.

So, what off the wall, "guilty pleasures" make you grab your bass, while looking around and making sure no one is watching?


- E.

[Newc]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influences

YMCA has a good ascending line in it just before the chorus [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Other than that, between John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee, and Steve Harris, all the basic bass bases are covered [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Sometimes I'll do a classical-influenced guitar part on the bass (single lines and scalar type things) and build something from it.
Otherwise I just go with the groove in my head.

[Reverend Timmy]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influences

Your instructor has'nt turned you on to any Motown music yet? Bunches of great bass players.Alot of times, I just program a drum track on the drum machine,vary the tempo and as Newc said" Go with the groove in my head"........

[AlexL]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influences

[ QUOTE ]
Your instructor has'nt turned you on to any Motown music yet? Bunches of great bass players.Alot of times, I just program a drum track on the drum machine,vary the tempo and as Newc said" Go with the groove in my head"........

[/ QUOTE ]

We've discussed the greats like James Jamerson, etc. I have done a decent job on my own coming up with good songs to work on.

The funny thing is, often the songs I bring in to him he has already worked on. I even brought in "Queen of the Winter Night" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and a week later he said "Hey, guess what - we're going to do that at my church!". It's like this strange connection he and I have.


- E.

[Reverend Timmy]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influences

Sometimes I will play to all the commercials on TV.Helps train my ear and improvise at the same time.Drives everyone in the house crazy,but.............................

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influences

Not a guilty pleasure at all, but I think that the basslines in most Tupac songs are phenomenal.

[thor]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

guilty pleasures? When I start playing Ramones riffs or that Violent Femmes song ...stupidly simple bass beats but yet they work.

[Accept2]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

Dixieland......The Glenn Miller type stuff. Always has great bass in it...............

[horns666]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

James Jamerson is great..

Louis Johnson was awesome...I learned a lot from him..

Tony Levin and his Chapman stick in King Crimson...back in '82 on the Discipline tour...I didn't have money for a Chapman...so I just adapted that style and technique to the bass...and I have been doing that ever since...and kick ass at it! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

I soooo want a Chapman - just once I wanna see someone do some Iron Maiden on one - bass and guitar at the same time [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Superfly]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

Paul McCartney had some unreal progressions. Halfway through a tune he decided..." ahh forget that, im playing THIS way now" The Beatles had amazing bass lines

Try Noel Redding from Hendrix [img]/images/graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]
Or Jack Bruce from Cream [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[horns666]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

I always hated most of the Beatles music...but Paul did play some very creative and busy lines..

But I listened to all the classic dudes..Entwistle , Squire , Butler , Bruce , Jones ...etc..

but I went to jazz/fusion players like Jeff Berlin , Pattitucci , Egan , Manring , Hamm , Wooten of course because of the challenging format...but I got tired of just wanking and slapping the bejesus outta my bass...not for "music" sake...but just because I finally can..it became pretty silly and purely "acrobatic"...

I can play a bass like a freaking type writer (90 words a minute ) ....that is when it gets silly!!

But fun sometimes! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Superfly]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

Entwisle !!
+1, how could i forget the MAN.
RIP John...

[horns666]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

I had an Alembic "Exploiter" bass just like his...well except for the spider web inlay...

That bass used to belong to Eric Carmen...that old songwriter dude...I bought it off his parents about 15 years ago..

it was very "pretty" but horrible to play because it was sooooo uncomfortable!!!

[AlexL]

Re: What are your more bizarre inspirations/influe

[ QUOTE ]
but I went to jazz/fusion players like Jeff Berlin , Pattitucci , Egan , Manring , Hamm , Wooten of course because of the challenging format...but I got tired of just wanking and slapping the bejesus outta my bass...not for "music" sake...but just because I finally can..it became pretty silly and purely "acrobatic"...

[/ QUOTE ]

I must admit Victor Wooten does nothing for me. I am a huge Dream Theater fan, so I appreciate technical proficiency, but Victor's stuff just leaves me with a blank stare because I don't see the point.

- E.