| Author | Message | ||
| effclef
Advanced Member Username: effclef Post Number: 352 Registered: 1-2004 |
One of my to-hit-weekly sites is http://musicthing.blogspot.com/ which has a story a couple of pages down about this amazing 2-string bass inspired by alien artwork... Imagine an Alembic variation of this as Custom of the Month! More photos and MP3s here: http://www.pouringrain.co.nz/music_2string.htm EffClef | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2083 Registered: 5-2002 |
Quote from the second link: "The E and the A string is all a bass player should need to do the job properly,If you want to play fancy stuff on the skinny strings then you should be playing lead guitar." | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 539 Registered: 7-2004 |
Here, here! (LOL) Bill, tgo | ||
| jagerphan84
Advanced Member Username: jagerphan84 Post Number: 206 Registered: 10-2003 |
This insteresting creation showed up on eBay a few months back at a pretty unrealistic starting price. IIRC, it was relisted time and time again at slightly lower prices, but never received a bid. I could be wrong, of course, but I don't see how one could justify several thousand for something of a novelty. Unless you need it for self-defense at rough joints, in which case it could save lots on medical bills <g>. Adam | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 779 Registered: 11-2003 |
Good quote Dave. A similar one from one of Molly Hatchett's former bassists, "If you use more than two strings for a bass line you're just showing off" Sam | ||
| j_gary
Member Username: j_gary Post Number: 64 Registered: 6-2005 |
Now see, this is what happens when we fool around with Darwinism. Help us Aliens! Thanks for the warning EffClef. | ||
| darkstar01
New Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 8 Registered: 6-2005 |
No offense to anyone, but that's the stupidest thing i've ever heard. And that thing is ugly. lol... guess its a bad day ;] Austin | ||
| blazer
Member Username: blazer Post Number: 62 Registered: 12-2003 |
Well that guy has a point with "the E and A strings are all you need" because let's be fair, if you're a bassplayer that plays a lot of root notes, that's bassically all you need. Take for example Stig Pederson from the Danish hard rock band D.A.D. he plays custom two string basses with a very narrow neck similar to the alien bass. Pictured there. And then there's the Late Mark Sandman of Morphine who played a very heavily battered Pawnshop bass strung with Two D strings with a glass slide. Producing a kind of "Mwah" that was different from playing a fretless bass but uniquely his own. And there's Chris Ballew from the Presidents of the United States of America who plays guitar strung up with Two bassguitar strings and is actually very good on them. And for those of you who are still offended by the "Less is more" approach of these gents let me remind you of Tony Levin who used a Custom made Musicman Stingray proving that he didn't need a G string to be as virtuosic as he is. | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 437 Registered: 9-2002 |
This is all KID STUFF. If you really want your bass imagination cleared out totally visit the Atlansia website www.cnet.ne.jp/atlansia and ascend into the elevated imagination of Hiyashi-san, 'H. Noble' to those of you who remember (and recently re-ssued) the SB1000 Arias of the 80s, and recently revived with John Taylor back out on the road with D-D. Amazing instruments! J o e y | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2086 Registered: 5-2002 |
Cool stuff Joey! | ||
| jetbass79
Member Username: jetbass79 Post Number: 67 Registered: 2-2005 |
I come from a jazz background and well, there is an entire fingerboard there so I figure I will use it. What's wrong with that? You pay for four strings or more and 24 or how many frets so why not use them all? | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 446 Registered: 10-2003 |
Mark Sandman did some neat stuff with Morphine on his 2-string. He was actually a very busy and melodic player... John | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2104 Registered: 5-2002 |
In case anyone got the wrong impression, I totally disagree with the quote I posted above. Read the quote again and think about the history of music, the bass players that played for Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, Parker, Davis and Coltrane, the Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa and the Allman Brothers, Stax, Muscel Shoals and Motown, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return To Forever and Weather Report, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and King Crimson, etc. etc. In my opinion, to say that "the E and the A string is all a bass player should need to do the job properly" is to ignore the history of music and the role that bass players have played in that history. Because the statement infers that the work of every great bassist from Mingus to Wooten has not been done "properly", the statement is on its face patently absurd. But that's just my opinion. Others will have different views on what constitutes "properly" played music. And yes, I use all the notes; and I use them often. | ||
| j_gary
Member Username: j_gary Post Number: 69 Registered: 6-2005 |
Oh oh Dave, you may have blown your chance to appear in Spinal Tap II. I'll be hog tied and drop kicked if I spend all this time and money on lessons and equipment, never mind dragging all this seed twisting hardware around, to play only two strings! Besides, those "skinny" strings come in handy when you have to slap down some pesky guitar player.(If they are old & tired with one lesson under their belt that is). | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 2061 Registered: 9-2002 |
Tony Levin plays a 3 string Musicman. When he talked about it in a Bassplayer interview he made me laugh when he quoted the answers he "ivented" when he was asked why. One of the best was "Oh ...my string endorsment contract only covers three strings". Paul TOBO | ||
| 88persuader
Intermediate Member Username: 88persuader Post Number: 137 Registered: 5-2004 |
I personally prefer 6 string basses because I play in a three piece band and fill in with a lot of chord work when the guitarist plays lead. So I like to play roots on the B and E strings way up on the neck so I can play less muddy chords and double stops using the G and c strings. ALSO bass isn't just root playing, it also can be lead playing. What about Stanley Clark's work with Return to forever? Jeff Berlin with the Bill Bruford band, Jaco? Thinking bass is just root playing brings the instrument back into the blues/rock based stone age. Heck even in todays blues and rock bass players are playing a more interesting role in creating music. .... Thank God! :-) ......... That's my 2 strings ... I mean two cents. | ||
| keith_h
Intermediate Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 134 Registered: 2-2005 |
I don't think it matters how many strings you have. I had all four intact on my bass at an audition a couple of weeks ago when the rythm guitarist said, "You like to play more than one note don't you" while I was warming up. I replied. "Yes". Fortunately nobody forced me into "root cellar" and the audition ended well. Keith | ||
| 88persuader
Intermediate Member Username: 88persuader Post Number: 138 Registered: 5-2004 |
Well my guitarist always refers to me as a "Lead bass player" So apparently I don't spend much time in the root cellar. One of the advantages of such a small band is room to play. But truth be known I'd play the same with two strings as 6, except for maybe chord work which kind of requires a few extra strings. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2106 Registered: 5-2002 |
Although Tony Levin's site doesn't talk much about his instruments, his main bass is a "peach colored Music Man Stingray 5 string". The three string bass appears to have perished in a fire. | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 447 Registered: 10-2003 |
I am blessed to be in a band with a keyboard player who is more than willing to give me as much sonic room as I can take. He laughs out loud when I play full chords at the low end of the neck and tells me it's great, whether on the Alembic or the 12-string. Of course, I get to play lots of notes and chords all over the neck. Nobody complains at all, because I only do it when it *needs* to be done. I would be lost with only 2 strings - even more so if they were tuned to the same note. Therefore I respect fully the people who can be musical and creative with such a limited palette. Mark Sandman really did some cool stuff that would be difficult to play with extra strings in the way, very reminiscent of blues guitar but played low on the bass. I find it inspirational. I find that anymore I tell people before I even agree to play that I am genetically incapable of playing anything exactly like the recording. I will nail the style to the best of my abilities and keep things in the pocket as best I can, but I think when I play and that usually results in a creative turn here and there even when I'm trying my best to be mind-numbingly simple. ;) John | ||
| richbass939
Advanced Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 328 Registered: 11-2004 |
88persuader, you talked about blues and rock bassists getting to play more interesting stuff. If you ever get a chance to see or hear anything of Greg Rzab playing with Buddy Guy it is really something to behold. I would love to see the video again of them outdoors at The Woodlands, TX. It was fantastic to see how well his slapping and popping on Jaco's J-bass fit with Guy's blues. Rich | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 2063 Registered: 9-2002 |
Brother Rich, as a bass player in a blues band (BLUE STUFF) I also tend to seek for alternatives for the straight root. I am in an exploring fase I mean ...not necessarily eager to change. I think David Bronze on the "From the Cradle" album proved that playing better blues bass is becoming better choosing the notes you don't play. But ...nevertheless ...altough ...I am in an exploring fase. So ...would you please be so kind to give some more info on that Woodlands/outdoor thing of Buddy Guy with Greg Rzab? Is it an american NTSC thing or also available in formats readable in this side of the pond???? Paul TOBO | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 2111 Registered: 5-2002 |
Paul, I ran a quick search and apparently the name of the video is "The Woodlands Blues Festival - 1993" and it appears to be extremely rare. Apparently it was originally taped for television broadcast, and VHS and DVD copies have been circulating among traders. A review is here. | ||
| richbass939
Advanced Member Username: richbass939 Post Number: 329 Registered: 11-2004 |
Bro Paul, I wish I knew more about it. I was flipping throught the channels about five or so years ago and caught the concert already in progress. I think it may have been on public TV. I had never heard of Rzab before. His playing is amazing. I think I read later that he owns Jaco's bass. I've heard many bassists playing fairly busy lines but never slapping and popping behind a blues artist. It fit so well. I would love to see it again. If I do I'll be sure and tape it. I didn't know it was so hard to find. Rich |
