Being able to play the bass, or any instrument well for the matter, has been a lifelong dream of mine. Not sure why it took me 50 years to act on that dream, but better late than never, right? Immersing myself into my favorite music also distances me from my not always great breathing.
As far as styles go, I like all types of music. Everything from Euro pop to Motown funk to Latin rhythms. But being bass oriented, I have a thing for jazz and swing, or anything with a good walking bass line to it. I also love anything written or performed by the Beatles, Eros Ramazzotti, Barry Manilow, Gordon Goodwin’s Phat bandand Kris Berg Jazz. As far as my Bass idols and influences, there are far too many to mention. But Nathan East, Rutger Gunnarsson ( ABBA) , Lee Skylar, Paul Mc Cartney, Marcus Miller,Victor Wooton, Paolo Costa, Tony Franklin, Kris Berg, Rick Shaw and Thomas Risell are definitely on that list.
Ive only been studying the electric bass now for about 2 years, but I think I’ve made a lot of progress in that time. Depending on my breathing, I put in anywhere from 2-6 hours of practice in per day. I think the hard work is paying off because my sight reading skills and dexterity are slowly improving. Rhythm and timing, which is extremely important for a bass player, has probably been the most difficult for me to master. It’s a lot harder than it looks, but Im slowly getting there.
For the past year or so I’ve been tinkering with SmartMusic, a music education software program by Make Music Inc. Used mostly in High Schools and Colleges as a way for students to practice at home, SmartMusic is a really cool learning system which allows you to play along with a virtual orchestra/back-up band or musical accompaniment of your choice. You do need to know how to read musical notation (at least a little bit) in order to use it, but it gives you the tools to improve your playing skills while at the same time making practice fun. Sure wish they had something like this when I was kid.
I track my progress by recording my practice sessions on video. Doing this provides me a way to analyze my playing technique (something I learned from my racewalking coach when I was learning to racewalk ).
Below are just a few of the over 200 clips Ive recorded so far of me playing the covers to some of my favorite artists and songs. Some of the tunes that I play I read either off digital sheet music on the computer monitor or on old fashion paper sheet music on a music stand. Some tunes I’ll transcribe myself and then play them from memory . For the best playback quality, it’s best to listen to them with a good sound system or Hifi Headphones. And remember… I’m just a beginner, I’m allowed to screw up :-]
For more background info on my interest in music, check out this post I wrote last year. . Actually, if it weren’t for music I doubt I would have never gotten into fitness walking. Of the more than 7,000 miles Ive walked in the past 8 years, I probably walked less than a hundred of those miles without my favorite music blasting in my ear. Music takes me to a different place and distracts me from my crappy breathing. I play the bass guitar simply for the love of the instrument.
Im OK, we’re OK (Kris Berg )
Feather Report ( Kris Berg)
For once in my life ( Stevie Wonder , James Jamerson) Cover.
R U Chicken ( Kris Berg Jazz)
Stars and Stripes ( John Phillip Sousa, Arr by Wycliffe Gordon)
Cresent City Stomp( Dave Brubeck, arr Kris Berg)
Pecking Order ( Kris Berg)
Pah Dah Pah Dah ( Kris Berg Jazz)
Green Dolphin Street( Gordon Goodwin, Rick Shaw, Oscar Peterson)
Go Rest Ye Merry Gentleman (arr,Gordon Goodwin, Big Phat Band)
Sing Sing Sing ( Louis Prima, arr. Gordon Goodwin)
Just in Time( Jule Stein, arr by Roy Phillippe)
Armando’s Big Band ( Alan Wittig, JR Erb on Bass )
Hit the Ground Running( Gordon Goodwin, Phat Band)
Yo Tennenbaum ( arr by Gordon Goodwin,Rick Shaw on Bass)
Ive got my love to keep me warm ( Barry Manilow)
High Maintenance (Gordon Goodwin, Rick Shaw on Bass)
Hunting Wabbits (3) Get off my Lawn ( Gordon Goodman, Rick Shaw)
El Macho Muchado(Gordon Goodwin, Rick Shaw on Bass)
Horn of Puente(Gordon Goodwin, Rick Shaw on Bass)
A Few Good Men ( Gordon Goodwin) ( finger style, not slap)
Dancing Queen( Abba, Rutger Gunnarsson bass)
I do I do I do ( Abba)
Knowing you knowing me ( Abba)
Dancin Fool ( Barry Manilow)
Jazz Police(Gordon Goodwin, Rick Shaw on Bass)
Take the A train ( Baylock version)
Naranja ( Victor Lopez)
Leech (Incubus)
Azul Sin Par ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Santa clause is coming to town ( Bruce Springsteen)
Let it Snow ( Carie and Wendy Wilson, Lee Skylar bass)
Jingle Bells( Barry Manilow duet with Expose)
The Phat Pack ( Gordon Goodwin, Phat Band)
Y en el Este Una Luz Cover ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Yardbird Suite (Charlie Parker, arr Dave Wolpe)
Sax to the Max ( Mike Lewis)
Drivin (Adrien Re)
Backrow Politics (Gordon Goodwin, Rick Shaw on Bass)
Horns of Puente (Gordon Goodwin, Rick Shaw on Bass)
Hitting the Bricks ( Gordon Goodwin, Rick Shaw on Bass)
American Patrol(FW Meacham, arr by Mike Lewis)
Goodbye My Heart (Mike Smuckal)
Funky Wheels (Les Hooper)
Amazing Grace ( arr, Dave Rivell)
El aguila y el condor ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Fuego en el Fuego ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Uragano Meri ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Nomadi d’ amore ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Falsa Partenza (Eros Ramazzotti)
Solarita (Eros Ramazzotti)
Beata Solitudine ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Tu Sei ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Buona Vita ( Eros Ramazzotti, Nathan East on Bass)
Lei Pero ( Eros Ramazzotti, Nathan East on Bass)
L’utimo Metro ( Eros Ramazzotti)
Bambino Nel Tempo (Eros Ramazzotti)
Yo Sin Ti (Eros Ramazzotti)
Martha My Dear ( The Beatles)
Trickle Trickle ( Manhattan Transfer)
Your Mother Should know ( The Beatles)
Penny Lane ( The Beatles)
Gotta get you into my life ( The Beatles)
What Goes On ( The Beatles)
All you need is love ( Beatles)
Questions 67&68 ( Chicago, Peter Cetera on Bass)
13 old days ( Chicago)
Out of the Doghouse ( Eric Morales)
Btw, Winston is no longer allowed in my Music room. Not because I’m trying to keep my practice space as hypoallergenic as possible, but because a carpet covered speaker cabinet makes the perfect scratching post for a cat. He’s torn the crap out of it.
