Attn Kenny

[jordyonbass]

A little while ago you posted a video of Victor Wooten giving a commencement speech to Rubenstein students while playing bass guitar. The piece he was playing is one of his compositions known as 'The Lesson', here is a video if it played through without the speech.

I have had this on repeat for the last week or so, there is something about Victor's playing that soothes. And the nuances in his right hand technique are virtually invisible but add to his style, phenomenal.

https://youtu.be/Ve37F3Ee9Ow

 

[kenny]

Frigin WOW!
Holy Crapolie!

This guy is an amazing musician.
He busts all my stereotypes about what bass playing should be.
His style is a complete musical package from an unlikely solo instrument.

I suspect he played alone all his life but (not knowing any better or accepting that a bass 'can't do all that') wanted to produce the sound of multi-intrument music on his bass while sitting in his bedroom without the benefit of electronic gadgets/loopers/sampling/multi-track recording etc.

Often when musicians develop prodigious technical skill they turn into athletes showing off on their instrument, and musicality suffers.
It turns into competitive sport.
Not this guy.

He's not showing off.
All that is just what he's feeling.
Somehow he retains heartfelt emotion and tenderness ... while running 90 KPH.

When studying music one principle we learn early is that chords sound muddy in the bass, so don't do that.
Maybe a fifth might be okay, but definitely not thirds or sixths, ninths, etc.
His chords, even complex 'jazz' chords sound clear.
The notes are clearly articulated and not lost in each other; much like with a guitar or piano.
I'm curious how he achieves this on a BASS.
Is it the pick ups? the amp? the speakers? the lack of reverb? other signal processing? his technique?
How would he sound with a Fender Squire bass with nothing more than a cheapo amp?

Thanks so much for the link.

 

[jordyonbass]

Glad you enjoyed it Kenny!! He has this amazing thing where he plays chords behind the harmonies, it's like there is 4 hands playing. I've always admired Victor and what he can do and I have to admit that this is not a full display of his capabilities, I just feel like it was a great display of his understanding of how to compose a piece on just a single instrument. I think he would sound just as going on a cheap bass, the amp would make more of a difference than the bass IMO. More clarity with the big rig and punch for the slapped parts.
And I also use chords on bass occasionally, expecially at the end of a song to accentuate a long note that rings out. There's a particular chord I play along with an open E/D/whatever my 4th string is tuned to that basically lets all 4 strings on the bass ring out and it's crystal clear, no mud in the sound.

My favourite bassist of all time is Ryan Martinie, he came to fame by being the skinny guy painted up like a demon in a band called Mudvayne but it was his technique that really got people's attention. He was playing lead bass at a time in Heavy Metal when it was almost unheard of and his bass sound on their first album is something I had never heard before and still really haven't again to this day. But to be honest I don't think he has the same approach to composition as what Victor does, he plays in band settings (which is what I do as well)

 

[jordyonbass]

Another video of his magic on the bass, this time as a much younger man. He breaks his 1st string mid-way through his performance but he soldiers on with just 3 strings. While he is a phenomenal solo player, he can jam too

https://youtu.be/LpMeebtwXB4

 

[ksinger]

Holy crap!

ETA - lol! I just went down the bassist rabbit hole.

Went from Wooten, to Nathan East (I love him!) to Mark Porcaro (how did I manage to miss a brother??) etc etc....

I really love bass players. They, not the drummers (who always get more attention), are the heart of most modern music, IMO.

 

[jordyonbass]

So I have just discovered one of Victor's projects, it's called Octavision and it is a crossover into Progressive Metal. WOW WOW WOW!!!

I had always wanted to see Victor do something in heavy music and he fits perfectly. What I also love is the general musicianship is high in this track so he gets to rock out on this. There's no vocals so enjoy some highly skilled metal music!

https://youtu.be/_z-ZrQPfY5o