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Let’s Talk About Erb’s : Applied Techniques With Igor Saavedra
Meet Igor Saavedra –
What is that on the sky…It’s a bird…it’s a plane…no it’s SUPERBASS.
An ERB or Extended Range Bass is an important member of the Electric Bass Family. There are numerous ways to define an ERB, and in my opinion an ERB is a bass that has a certain number of strings that goes beyond a standard 4 string. The electric bass is most certainly evolving. In 1976, Alembic came out with that amazing 5 string Bass for Jimmy Johnson…that was an ERB for that particular era. Then in the mid ’70s, luthier Carl Thompson built that 6 string Bass for Anthony Jackson, which was obviously an ERB as well.
As we approach 2010, 5 and 6 string basses are closing in on becoming standards as well, and on this sunny day in July 2009, as I find myself writing this article, I wonder what might happen in the next ten years as far as extended range is concerned.
One of the first really interesting ERB appearances was on a 1990 Jonas Hellborg album called the “Jonas Hellborg Group”. On that album there was a specially built 10 string bass with a super wide neck played by Anders Nord. For me, that was possibly the first official ERB in the world that received serious attention.
Is an ERB still a bass?
To answer this, we have to be able to define what is an Electric Bass is in the first place. Obviously, it has to be “electric”, and be able to reach the lower frequencies needed to be able to participate in the musical context intended. This register has to be at least the 41.2 HZ that we all love. The ERB is able to reach that register, and much lower in fact, so I think the ERB passes the test. We’ll have to see what the future of the 4 string is as time goes on.
What about the higher notes and the number of strings? Don’t those higher notes kind of disqualify the ERB as a bass?
I love use the example of a cell phone when people ask me about that issue in my Master Classes. A cell phone, these days is multi-functional. It’s a calendar, a clock, a video camera, a photo camera, a video game station, an mp3, an mp4, etc…oh yea; it’s a cell phone too. Essentially, it evolved from being just a cell phone by adding more and more capabilities to it….but it’s still a cell phone. I see the extended range bass in this same light.
Is there any question about an ERB player still being the “bass player”?
It depends on how you approach playing the instrument. This is very important, because in my opinion what defines a bass player is his concept, not the amount of strings on his instrument. I’ve seen many 4 string bass players that sound like guitar players when you compare them to some ERB players, so the concept of execution and not the instrument itself is the element that defines our role as an “Electric bass player”.
A good way to make this point is to pass your bass to the guitar player of your band and ask him to play a song. In almost every case you’ll notice the difference, because his approach to the instrument will be that of a guitar player, not a bass player, and you will easily hear that. If I pick up a guitar, you’ll hear the reverse of that.
Why should I consider getting an ERB?
This is a very important question to address. Times are changing, and there’s much less prejudice as far as this issue is concerned. I remember back in 1990 when I brought the first 6 string bass to my country (it was in fact one of the first ERB’S in Latin America) everybody laughed about this and all my colleagues said that I was no longer a bass player. There were many 6 string bass players in the USA back in 1990, and Latin America was trying to catch up to those standards. The same happened to me on 1999 when I got my 8 string bass and I was one of the few bassists in the world playing an 8 string. This is the instrument that works for me, and I’ve remained playing this bass for the last ten years. When you take on a decision like this, you must have a “musical” reason. It would be a huge mistake to get into this adventure for the wrong reasons, like impressing people with your “Monster Bass”, or thinking that if you play a multi-string you will automatically become a higher level player.
What are the advantages and the disadvantages of an ERB?
This is exactly what you have to consider in order to decide getting an ERB or not, because the advantages of an ERB are numerous and the disadvantages are even more.
Regarding the advantages:
– ERB’S are great for strong lower sounding bass lines.
– ERB’s provide a great soloing platform due to its extended tessitura. (More low and high notes)
– ERB’S allow the bassist to regroup in a closer vertical disposition as far as chords, scales, and arpeggios are concerned, which facilitates a tremendous amount of new possibilities.
Regarding the disadvantages:
– An ERB is usually a much heavier bass.
– It’s much more expensive than an equivalent standard bass.
– It’s a little more complicated as far as learning all of the available notes.
– It’s easier to get lost, and will demand a little more attention as far as right and left hand coordination is concerned.
– String muting is really one of the biggest problems to address and handle.
– Slapping is also a problem because the strings are usually less separated (around 17mm to 16mm approximately), so it gets harder to slap or pull the strings. (Bleeding cuticles are very common in the beginning).
– Respect from some of your colleagues being on a multi-string might be an issue as well.
As you can see, the disadvantages are much more numerous than the advantages, so the decision needs to be well thought out. There is no doubt that it was the right decision for me due to my right hand technique which I developed in 1990 called Symmetric Bass Finger Sweeping or SBFS. (I will release a book at the end of 2009 that will be completely dedicated to this). To be able to surf the strings with my right hand and have more vertical room was exactly what I needed. Regarding my left hand, due to the fact that I have really small hands, having the strings closer to each other and being able to play a 3 octave scale in the same position just going down and up and playing chords without hyper extending the fingers of my small hand has worked very well for me.
As you can see, it’s a very personal decision, and each of you has to decide if an ERB is what works for you “musically”.
That’s all for this issue my friends. In my next article I will talk about “The path for a proper bass sound”.
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
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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…
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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
