| Author | Message | ||
| oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 288 Registered: 7-2008 |
Solo Bass Night at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on June 5 featured David Grossman, Ariane Cap, Jean Baudin and Michael Manring. I had a front row seat and was able to get usable shots of all but Ariane, who teamed up with the incredible Paul Hanson on bassoon. A spectacular show. Check out these basses! Jean Beaudin and his 11-string "Joust" Kenneth Lawrence instrument with fanned frets. "Squid" fins on the headstock are a trademark of Kenneth's guitars and basses. This bass is a total monster in size and sound.  Michael Manring with a Zon Sonus fretless featuring a special deep cutaway and specialized detuning keys for each string.  Michael also had his infamous Zon Michael Manring Hyperbass! Deep cutaway with special detuning keys and detuning devices on the bridge. Constant tuning changes on the fly not just during a break in a tune, but often literally in the middle of a riff or line.  Dave Grossman and his 7-string Hanewinckel. You don't see many of these, either. Dave specializes in electric bass interpretations of Bach pieces.  | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 2313 Registered: 10-2003 |
Cool. I'd love to see a show like that. John | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 3033 Registered: 6-2002 |
What, no picture of Ariane Cap? | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1745 Registered: 6-2002 |
I believe I'm seeing some PJB cabs in the background... Mike | ||
| oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 289 Registered: 7-2008 |
Adrian, I was positioned perfectly to shoot everyone but Ariane, who set up on the far side of the stage to begin with. Then when Paul Hanson came out (they are a duo) he set up his music stand in the only spot that could have further interfered with my line of sight. I've enclosed pics of Ariane and Paul so you'll see what I mean. The second shot is of the stage area in front of me. | ||
| pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 992 Registered: 6-2006 |
Those are some cool pics. Thanks for sharing. Must have been a mighty show! | ||
| that_sustain
Intermediate Member Username: that_sustain Post Number: 169 Registered: 8-2012 |
How does the fanned fret system work..and are they in the same positions on a fretless fingerboard? The bridge looks to have a regular intonation setup.... | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1996 Registered: 9-2002 |
Daniel, supposedly the fanned frets idea is another attempt to tame the vagaries of (ill)tempered-tuning in that the 'fan' angles the frets from further apart to closer together from the low strings to the high strings: You're compensating the fret distances for string diameters. A second benefit is it also mimics the rotation of the wrist/hand as you draw the hand back towards the body from nut to the highest frets. The jury is 'sill out', but it's very interesting. Would take very sophisticated CAD/CAM for this combined into a compound radius fingerboard ! PLEK this, gringo ! J o e y | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1497 Registered: 10-2006 |
The way it works is - notice how the nut & bridge angle away from each other to the bass side? Each string is a different scale, and thus needs a different fret spread, just as the frets on your 30" bass are closer together than on your 35" one. The the fanned frets keep it a half-step for each scale. I've never seen a fretless multi-scale (and my head & hands hurt just thinking about the learning curve on that), but yes, the notes would be in the same place as the frets; a half-step on ebony is the same as a half-step on nickel-silver. Peter | ||
| oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 290 Registered: 7-2008 |
Thanks for the kind words, Paul. Except for Dave, everybody used a looper of some sort for a lot of their stuff and minimal pre-recorded backing tracks or percussion sounds. Lots of layered, lush atmospherics with blistering solos on top. Michael used his ebow to great effect with haunting drones, "whale calls", etc. Paul Hanson went from beautiful Oregon-inspired, Windam Hill-esque stuff to mind-blowing nods to Coltrane on top of Ariane's beautiful chordal work. Jean was extremely orchestral (easy to imagine with the huge range of that 11-string beast). But words do none of them justice and suggest going to their websites to hear for yourselves. Luthiers Ralph Novak and Sheldon Dingwall are two of the most high profile fanned fret proponents for bass. | ||
| that_sustain
Intermediate Member Username: that_sustain Post Number: 170 Registered: 8-2012 |
Oh..it's the scale. Thanks guys. Thanks for the pics oddmetersam. | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 756 Registered: 2-2005 |
Great stuff. Thanks for posting. | ||
| oddmetersam
Advanced Member Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 292 Registered: 7-2008 |
Thanks Daniel and Hugh. Hugh, as solo performers I'm sure you and Kimberly are among those here who would have been right at home on stage with these guys as far as presentation, chops and most importantly your artistry. Part of what made the night really cool was the total lack of competition or anyone trying to outdo the others. Everyone was simply comfortable in their own musical skin; as it should be. Good thing, too, cuz' if it had degenerated into a mere chops fest I'm not really certain who would have emerged from all the smoke.... | ||
| mario_farufyno
Senior Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 979 Registered: 9-2008 |
I would love to be there... | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2928 Registered: 5-2009 |
Sam , I would have seen you there___. Thank you so much for posting the pics ! I planned to go to this event mainly to see Michael Manring again . But I got really involved and lost in time in a technical pursuit with parts scattered all around me and did not get done in time. I went to a Bass clinic of his back in the 1990's and have been a follower ever since. I saw him recently at a local fundraiser at his kids school. I am bummed that I missed Solo Bass Night , I even had it noted on my calendar on the wall ! Here is Michael playing one of my favorites "The Enormous Room " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY4Ra2KOyas | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 757 Registered: 2-2005 |
Is that based on the book by e.e. cummings? ;) | ||
| hb3
Senior Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 758 Registered: 2-2005 |
The first thing I ever heard from Michael Manring was that Windham Hill sampler CD that came out in the 80s -- anyone ever hear that? I think it's actually a live concert w/ Michael Hedges/Michael Manring, William Ackerman, and George Winston. Incredible stuff. | ||
| eligilam
Senior Member Username: eligilam Post Number: 407 Registered: 2-2006 |
I can personally recommend everyone listen to Jean Baudin's relatively new album release "Mechanisms." Amazing musicianship on display there. The opening track "Crustacean" is my personal favorite. | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1499 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hugh; Yes, it is: just before the vid Wolf posted, he explains the Hyperbass and intros the song. That is also on YouTube. Peter |
