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Willis Takes on Your Questions
Hey Willis,
I know that you’re a proponent of the rest stroke to get that added “thump” to all the notes, but what happens when things speed up? At what point do you stop using the rest stroke? Is it some kind of tempo line that you cross?
Thanks,
Jerry
Hey Jerry,
I’m not conscious of when my hand uses the rest stroke or when it doesn’t. Of course tempo plays a part but I suppose the role of the bass also contributes. I mean, you don’t necessarily want that “thumpy” attack on every note of a solo. So your question got me to wondering what’s going on?
So . . . this is an almost creepy look at the technique that I use to play a typical solo at a tempo of 180 (Giant Steps changes):
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Mr. Willis,
Enjoyed the new Actual Fiction. Downloaded from iTunes. Can’t find CDs that easily anymore, especially Jazz.
My question is regarding your choice of MTB. Liked the pics on your site. Also an MTBer. Currently using a Giant Hardtail though. Interested in the switch to Carbon, and rear suspension. Also good for Cross Country or do you get alot of pedal bobbing?
Regards,
Paul
Hey Paul,
Thanks for the kind words and your support of legal downloading – (try shopping at my site for the actual CD 😉
Man, I can’t imagine riding the trails I ride now without full suspension. Unless you’re a super-elite-skinny-cross-country-gram-counting-professional-racer-wannabe, full suspension is the only way to go, especially if you’re gonna spend more than a couple of hours in the saddle. My C’dale Moto is my first carbon fiber bike (rear triangle is aluminum) and it’s been flawless. My biggest surprise is how well it pedals and climbs. Most of the problems involved in rear suspension design have been eliminated in recent years with the development of platform-based rear shocks. They have the sensitivity to distinguish between pedal input and bump forces so you and the bike can power up the hills without losing energy to bobbing. I noticed that if I keep my pedal strokes smooth, I get almost no bobbing, but the cool thing is that when there’s an obstacle or small bump, the shock does its job evening out the trail and allows you to have that extra traction on technical climbs. Let me know what ride you end up with.
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Hey Willis,
I notice you use, and Ibanez installs roundwound strings on your bass. I have always used flatwounds on my fretless (’81 Ibanez Musician) but like the brightness of roundwounds and use them on my fretted. Do you get a lot of wear on your fretboard from the roundwounds, and if so how do your deal with it?
Brian
Hey Brian,
I pretty much get no wear on my composite fingerboard from the roundwounds. One of the advantages of playing with less right hand intensity is that it allows me to have lower action. Lower action means less pressure is necessary to fret a note with the left hand. Less pressure on the string means less wear and tear on the fingerboard. For the 4-5 years I was using ebony, it wasn’t an issue then either, although you can expect the roundwounds to eventually do something to the ebony. One thing always to avoid is “pulling” on the string (bending it side-to-side) on a fretless. This is exactly not how to get vibrato and will for sure grind away the fingerboard. It’s a useful technique for fretted playing but something you should eliminate wen you’re playing fretless.
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Hey Mr Willis,
Do you have a set of rules as in when to use the open and close position or would it be up to what feels right?
Thanks alot!
rgds,
Michael
Hey Michael,
It mostly depends on what you’re going to play next – no? 😉 (check the video above)
In teaching my right hand technique, of course, we’ve come across gray areas where it’s possible to use either open or closed. The safest thing is when you encounter something like this – learn it both ways and eventually your suggestion of whatever “feels right” will be the solution.
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Gary,
Were you by chance ever in a band in Mannheim Germany in the 70,s with your brother.nce!
Obviously, the CIA hadn’t perfected their memory wiping hand-held devices back in ’76. Actually, it wasn’t even a hand-held, it was more like a breifcase. Anyway, by the time the rest of the world reads this, you will have been located via your IP adress and selected memory synapses will have been zapped so you won’t even remember asking this question about my non-existent brother and my non-existent trip abroad back in the 70’s.
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Hi mr. Willis
In what way has Mile Davis influenced your bassplaying if any?
Anybody that attempts to do anything instrumental – jazz-rock-fusion-funk-avant-garde-etc. had better spend a good part of their time worshiping at the church of Miles. I mean, there aren’t many styles or genres of instrumental music that he didn’t influence heavily or sometimes outright create. As far as a direct influence on how I play, probably not, but as a global influence on the important music of the last 50-60 years – undeniable.
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Hey Willis!
I have 2 Aguilar GS112 cabs with an Eden Traveler 550 amp. If i get another cab to make 3 x gs112’s
will my amp run too hot or is it bad to run at two ohms all the time?
manythanks
Rob
WHey Rob,
I doubt that the Traveler is rated to go down to 2 ohms. Very few bass amps are equipped to handle that load. Check the manual to make sure.
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Hey Willis,
I have a question. First of all I’m a HUGE fan of your music and your bass playing. I just notice though, looking through the book of transcriptions of yours as well as many that I’ve done on my own, that it seems like you play almost exclusively pentatonic scales in your improvisations.
On Dominant chords like C7(#9#5) I don’t hear much of the Altered Dominant Scale (C-Db-Eb-F#-Ab-Bb-C) or the
Symmetric Diminished ( C-Db-Eb-E-F#-G-A-Bb-C) for a chord like C13(b9) . Do you purposely avoid or not like the sound of those scales?
And I also don’t hear much chromaticism in your single note lines. Is that a conscious choice? I mean what you do play is killing, without doubt, I guess I’m just kind of surprised that you don’t use other scales more. Anyway, just thought I’d ask.
Thanks,
Lucas Pickford
Hey Lucas,
Thanks for the kind words and your observations. I will definitely plead guilty to pentatonics, no lo contendre (no contest) They provide a very open sound and a great way to create energy, obviously. As far as the diminished scales (or actually scale sequences in general) true, you’re not going to find me playing them in any obvious way because, they don’t readily lend themselves to an efficient way of visualizing harmony and communicating ideas. With those diminished groupings, no matter how I reorganize the notes – most of the time, they still sound like an insertion or intrusion when I try to use them. Finally, without taking offense, I’ll have to take exception to being characterized as not using much chromaticism. Maybe it’s a function of which solo is being scrutinized.
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Hi Gary, hope you’re well.
On the GWB 35 ramp, what do you use to raise it up, I need to prop it up about 2.5mm next to the pickup and 1mm at the neck. I’ve tried making a few wooden shims for it but they either move when they’re underneath, or just aren’t quite right. Just wondering if you had any tips or tricks for this one, thanks!
Joe
Hey Joe,
Do I know you? No, I didn’t think so. I’m well, though, thanks. OK so around here I’m called Willis (except for that guy above who had is memory wiped so that he doesn’t recognize me now anyway, just gets this funny look on his face ’cause he can’t remember where he knows me)
For the GWB35 ramp, just use some foam – I’ve found that a little 1″ by 1/2″ piece from those thin foam-rubber style yoga mats work great. Experiment – you might need a bigger piece or double thickness – but the foam will hold the ramp in position without slipping out like wood or plastic.
Bass Videos
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes…
It is always great to meet a super busy bassist who simply exudes a love for music and his instrument. Erick “Jesus” Coomes fits this description exactly. Hailing from Southern California, “Jesus” co-founded and plays bass for Lettuce and has found his groove playing with numerous other musicians.
Join us as we hear of his musical journey, how he gets his sound, his ongoing projects, and his plans for the future.
Photo, Bob Forte
Featured Videos
Visit Online
www.lettucefunk.com
IG @jesuscsuperstar
FB@jesuscoomes
FB @lettucefunk
Bass Videos
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
“These stories from the front are with real-life, day-to-day musicians who deal with work life and gigging and how they make it work out. Each month, topics may include… the kind of gigs you get, the money, dealing with less-than-ideal rooms, as well as the gear you need to get the job done… and the list goes on from there.” – Steve the Bass Guy and Shawn Cav
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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…
Click to follow Bass Musician on Instagram @bassmusicianmag
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Bass CDs
New Album: Jake Leckie, Planter of Seeds
Bassist Jake Leckie and The Guide Trio Unveil New Album Planter of Seeds,
to be released on June 7, 2024
Planter of Seeds is bassist/composer Jake Leckie’s third release as a bandleader and explores what beauty can come tomorrow from the seeds we plant today.
What are we putting in the ground? What are we building? What is the village we want to bring our children up in? At the core of the ensemble is The Guide Trio, his working band with guitarist Nadav Peled and drummer Beth Goodfellow, who played on Leckie’s second album, The Guide, a rootsy funky acoustic analog folk-jazz recording released on Ropeadope records in 2022. For Planter of Seeds, the ensemble is augmented by Cathlene Pineda (piano), Randal Fisher (tenor saxophone), and Darius Christian (trombone), who infuse freedom and soul into the already tightly established ensemble.
Eight original compositions were pristinely recorded live off the floor of Studio 3 at East West Studios in Hollywood CA, and mastered by A.T. Michael MacDonald. The cover art is by internationally acclaimed visual artist Wayne White. Whereas his previous work has been compared to Charles Mingus, and Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet with Charlie Haden, Leckie’s new collection sits comfortably between the funky odd time signatures of the Dave Holland Quintet and the modern folk-jazz of the Brian Blade Fellowship Band with a respectful nod towards the late 1950s classic recordings of Ahmad Jamal and Miles Davis.
The title track, “Planter of Seeds,” is dedicated to a close family friend, who was originally from Trinidad, and whenever she visited family or friends at their homes, without anyone knowing, she would plant seeds she kept in her pocket in their gardens, so the next season beautiful flowers would pop up. It was a small altruistic anonymous act of kindness that brought just a little more beauty into the world. The rhythm is a tribute to Ahmad Jamal, who we also lost around the same time, and whose theme song Poinciana is about a tree from the Caribbean.
“Big Sur Jade” was written on a trip Leckie took with his wife to Big Sur, CA, and is a celebration of his family and community. This swinging 5/4 blues opens with an unaccompanied bass solo, and gives an opportunity for each of the musicians to share their improvisational voices. “Clear Skies” is a cathartic up-tempo release of collective creative energies in fiery improvisational freedom. “The Aquatic Uncle” features Randal Fisher’s saxophone and is named after an Italo Calvino short story which contemplates if one can embrace the new ways while being in tune with tradition. In ancient times, before a rudder, the Starboard side of the ship was where it was steered from with a steering oar. In this meditative quartet performance, the bass is like the steering oar of the ensemble: it can control the direction of the music, and when things begin to unravel or become unhinged, a simple pedal note keeps everything grounded.
The two trio tunes on the album are proof that the establishment of his consistent working band The Guide Trio has been a fruitful collaboration. “Santa Teresa”, a bouncy samba-blues in ? time, embodies the winding streets and stairways of the bohemian neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro it is named for. The swampy drum feel on “String Song” pays homage to Levon Helm of The Band, a group where you can’t always tell who wrote the song or who the bandleader is, proving that the sum is greater than the individual parts. Early jazz reflected egalitarianism in collective improvisation, and this group dynamic is an expression of that kind of inclusivity and democracy.
“The Daughters of the Moon” rounds out the album, putting book ends on the naturalist themes. This composition is named after magical surrealist Italo Calvino’s short story about consumerism, in which a mythical modern society that values only buying shiny new things throws away the moon like it is a piece of garbage and the daughters of the moon save it and resurrect it. It’s an eco-feminist take on how women are going to save the world. Pineda’s piano outro is a hauntingly beautiful lunar voyage, blinding us with love. Leckie dedicates this song to his daughter: “My hope is that my daughter becomes a daughter of the moon, helping to make the world a more beautiful and verdant place to live.”
Bass CDs
Debut Album: Nate Sabat, Bass Fiddler
In a thrilling solo debut, bassist Nate Sabat combines instrumental virtuosity with a songwriter’s heart on Bass Fiddler…
The upright bass and the human voice. Two essential musical instruments, one with roots in 15th century Europe, the other as old as humanity itself.
On Bass Fiddler (Adhyâropa Records ÂR00057), the debut album from Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and bass virtuoso Nate Sabat, the scope is narrowed down a bit. Drawing from the rich and thriving tradition of American folk music, Sabat delivers expertly crafted original songs and choice covers with the upright bass as his lone tool for accompaniment.
The concept was born a decade ago when Sabat began studying with the legendary old-time fiddler Bruce Molsky at Berklee College of Music. “One of Bruce’s specialties is singing and playing fiddle at the same time. The second I heard it I was hooked,” recalls Sabat. “I thought, how can I do this on the bass?” From there, he was off to the races, arranging original and traditional material with Molsky as his guide. “Fast forward to 2020, and I — like so many other musicians — was thinking of how to best spend my time. I sat down with the goal of writing some new songs and arranging some new covers, and an entire record came out.” When the time came to make the album, it was evident that Molsky would be the ideal producer. Sabat asked him if he’d be interested, and luckily he was. “What an inspiration to work with an artist like Nate,” says Molsky. “Right at the beginning, he came to this project with a strong, personal and unique vision. Plus he had the guts to try for a complete and compelling cycle of music with nothing but a bass and a voice. You’ll hear right away that it’s engaging, sometimes serious, sometimes fun, and beautifully thought out from top to bottom.”
While this record is, at its core, a folk music album, Sabat uses the term broadly. Some tracks lean more rock (‘In the Shade’), some more pop (‘White Marble’, ‘Rabid Thoughts’), some more jazz (‘Fade Away’), but the setting ties them all together. “There’s something inherently folksy about a musician singing songs with their instrument, no matter the influences behind the compositions themselves,” Sabat notes. To be sure, there are plenty of folk songs (‘Louise’ ‘Sometimes’, ‘Eli’) and fiddling (‘Year of the Ox’) to be had here — the folk music fan won’t go hungry. There’s a healthy dose of bluegrass too (‘Orphan Annie’, ‘Lonesome Night’), clean and simple, the way Mr. Bill Monroe intended.
All in all, this album shines a light on an instrument that often goes overlooked in the folk music world, enveloping the listener in its myriad sounds, textures, and colors. “There’s nothing I love more than playing the upright bass,” exclaims Sabat. “My hope is that listeners take the time to sit with this album front to back — I want them to take in the full scope of the work. I have a feeling they’ll hear something they haven’t heard before.”
Available online at natesabat.bandcamp.com/album/walking-away
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
New Gear: Spector Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II
