Meet Manuel Pino

Click on link below to download the transcription
Feb2010-Assassin_Bass_transcriptionv_pdf.mus

Being a big fan of laidback grooves that ooze with coolness, and slippery behind the beat phrasing, I couldn’t wait to check out the master of this approach, Pino Palladino, on John Mayer’s latest release Battle Studies.

Assasin (the sixth song of the album) features Pino engaging a conversation with the melody; sometimes listening, sometimes answering, and sometimes ending sentences reinforcing the mayer’s last words as different soundscapes weave into each other and the storyline unfolds. Much like Jamerson did on all the great Motown recordings, Pino manages to keep the line active and not get in anybodys way, a difficult, to say the least, art to master.

From my experience, the only way to play and record a track like this is to close your eyes and enter a zone where your instincts and musical backround react to whats going on. In order for this to happen one must spend lots of time absorbing music that emotionally moves you, and honing in on awareness skills. Having these aspects covered will bring you closer to your true musical voice.

So this transciption started out as one of my efforts to get some of Pino’s fills and his amazing time feel under my skin, but later began to evolve into a reflection on how important it is not only to analyze the notes that are being played, but also understanding where the notes come from, and what kind of mindframe the player you are connecting with has.

Hope you enjoy!