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Bass Transcription – Silly Love Songs from Wings Over America By Rob Collier

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Bassis-Rob-Collier-BioBass Transcription – Silly Love Songs from Wings Over America By Rob Collier… Click to dowload the bass transcription for Silly Love Songs

This summer Paul McCartney released a remastered edition of Wings’ classic live triple album, Wings Over America, which documents the American leg of the band’s monumental world tour of 1975-76. The album is available in various packages, including vinyl and an elaborate four-disc deluxe edition. Accompanying the album release is a DVD/Blu-ray release of Rock Show, the concert film from the same tour. This is Wings at the height of their popularity, and arguably their tightest, most impressive lineup on stage.

Much has been written about McCartney’s bass lines with the Beatles. His playing with Wings, however, is often overlooked. Wings tended to be a more straight-ahead, pop/rock band, far less experimental than the Beatles. By comparison, McCartney’s bass lines on Wings records are perhaps less innovative, but every album in their catalog has at least a couple of bass gems. (Check out “No Words,” “Mrs. Vandebilt,” “Big Barn Bed,” “Getting Closer,” “Rock Show,” and “Love is Strange” for starters.)

The Wings’ song most often singled out for its classic bass line is “Silly Love Songs,” from Wings at the Speed of Sound. This song was a hit single at the time of the 1976 world tour and was a crowd favorite night after night. Written in response to critics’ complaints of McCartney’s tendency towards sappy pop ditties, “Silly Love Songs” actually exhibits a fairly sophisticated formal structure. Though the song is roughly six minutes long, there are only two verses, which leaves approximately five minutes for horn breaks, a bridge, and multiple vocal melodies layered in various configurations.

Because there are so many sections, applying traditional labels like “chorus” and “bridge” becomes problematic. Thus, in the table below, I’ve labeled each section according to the lyrics of the particular section, with a couple of exceptions. The verse (“You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs…”) is easy to identify—it begins and ends the song, but occurs nowhere else. The horn riff happens three times with no vocals present. What could be considered the bridge (“Love doesn’t come in a minute…”) occurs only once, midway through the song.

“Silly Love Songs” Form

Meas. 1-5                   Percussion intro

Meas. 6-9                   Band intro

Meas. 10-21               Verse

Meas. 22-29               “What’s wrong with that?”

Meas. 30-33               “I love you”

Meas. 34-38               “I can’t explain”

Meas. 39-46               “What’s wrong with that?”

Meas. 47-54               “I love you”

Meas. 55-65               Bridge (“Love doesn’t come in a minute”)

Meas. 66-81               Horn riff

Meas. 82-89               “How can I tell”

Meas. 90-97               “How can I tell/I love you”

Meas. 98-113              Horn riff

Meas. 114-121          “I love you”

Meas. 122-129          “I love you/I can’t explain”

Meas. 130-145          “I love you/I can’t explain/How can I tell”

Meas. 146-149          Horn riff

Meas. 150-162          Verse

Notice that, though there is much repetition of material, the order of the sections is anything but regular. For instance, each time the horn riff occurs, it is preceded and succeeded by a different section.

Additionally, though there are so many melodic components, the band has only a few different “rhythmic accompaniments” that it plays throughout the song. Because of their similar chord progressions, the “I love you,” “I can’t explain,” and “How can I tell” sections may occur in various combinations over either the verse groove (mm. 30-38), or one of the more sparse accompaniments (mm. 113-145).

For much of the song, McCartney plays a very bouncy, energetic bass line. The verse groove, the most interesting part, consists largely of short, punchy notes, but with subtle and well-placed accents and occasional ghost notes. Getting the feel of the groove right is much more important than the actual notes. If you play through the line without any accents or staccatos, the straight eighth notes will sound lifeless and boring. Though McCartney varies the phrasing of the line throughout the song, thinking of the eighth notes as “bum-pah, bum-pah” (rather than “da-da-da-da” or “bum-bum-bum-bum”) will go a long way toward achieving the right feel.

This lively groove appears during multiple sections of the song: the verse, “I love you,” “I can’t explain,” as well as underneath the horn riff. During the more sparse sections, McCartney achieves great sustain and superb tone, particularly on notes in the upper register, which are given a subtle, singing vibrato.

The bass line is impressive enough on its own, but is even more remarkable considering it was played live while McCartney was singing the lead vocal. It’s an active little groove, and it can be difficult to get the feel exactly right, but he nailed it while also delivering a stellar vocal performance.

Though McCartney will forever be associated with the violin shaped Hofner 500/1, his primary studio instrument from late ’65 through the end of the Beatles recording career was a 1964 Rickenbacker 4001S. This bass became his studio and stage instrument throughout his tenure with Wings, being used on every album and every tour. It was to Wings what the Hofner was to the Beatles.

McCartney’s Rickenbacker always had a great tone, but on “Silly Love Songs” from the newly remastered Wings Over America, it has seldom sounded better.

Click to dowload the bass transcription for Silly Love Songs

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Interview With K3 Sisters Band

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Interview With K3 Sisters Band

K3 Sisters Band Interview…

It is very rare when I talk to a band where all the members play bass. The K3 Sisters Band is a perfect example of a group where Kaylen, Kelsey and Kristen Kassab are all multi-instrumentalists and take turns playing bass.

Hailing from Texas, these three sisters have been playing music since they were very young and have amassed an amazing amount of original music,  music videos, streaming concerts, podcasts, and content that has taken numerous social media platforms by storm. On TikTok alone, they have over 2.5 million followers and more than a billion views.

Join me as we hear the story of their musical journey, how they get their sound, and the fundamental principles behind these prolific musicians.

Here is the K3 Sisters Band!

Photo, Bruce Ray Productions

Follow Online:

k3sistersband.com/
TikTok
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook 

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Bass Player Health

What is a Pinched Nerve? with Dr. Randy Kertz

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Dr Randal Kertz - Bass Player Health - Oct 2022

What is a Pinched Nerve?

In this month’s video, we will cover how to tell if you have a pinched nerve and when to seek professional help.

Dr. Randall Kertz is the author of The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health. Click here to get your copy today!

The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention & Better Health

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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram

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TOP 10 Basses of the week

Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…

Click to follow Bass Musician on Instagram @bassmusicianmag

FEATURED @colibriguitars @adamovicbasses @brooksbassguitars @lecomptebass @mgbassguitars @mauriziouberbasses @jcrluthier @biarnel @officialibanezguitars @chris_seldon_guitars

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New Gear:  Ashdown ORIGINAL-EVO-C112T-300

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New Gear:  Ashdown ORIGINAL-EVO-C112T-300

Introducing the Original-EVO-C112T, a ground-breaking innovation in the realm of bass amplifiers. This exceptional amplifier redefines the standards of power, portability, and precision, offering musicians an unparalleled experience in amplification technology.
 
Weighing in at a mere 13.5kg, the Original-EVO-C112T packs an astonishing 300 watts of unadulterated Ashdown bass tone into a compact and lightweight package. Say goodbye to the days of lugging around heavy and cumbersome gear – this amplifier is designed for the modern musician on the move.

Introducing the Original-EVO-C112T, a ground-breaking innovation in the realm of bass amplifiers. This exceptional amplifier redefines the standards of power, portability, and precision, offering musicians an unparalleled experience in amplification technology.
 
Weighing in at a mere 13.5kg, the Original-EVO-C112T packs an astonishing 300 watts of unadulterated Ashdown bass tone into a compact and lightweight package. Say goodbye to the days of lugging around heavy and cumbersome gear – this amplifier is designed for the modern musician on the move.

Designed to accommodate global touring, the Original-EVO-C112T features auto-protect voltage support and an adaptive temperature-controlled fan for optimal performance in any environment.
 
In summary, the Original-EVO-C112T is a game-changing amplifier that combines power, portability, and precision. It’s a testament to innovation and quality in the world of bass amplification, deserving attention from musicians looking to take their music to the next level.

Product Specification-

Power Output: 300 Watts
Power Requirement: 115-230 Volts
Speaker Configuration: 1 x 12” + Horn
High Instrument Input: Impedance 3.9m Ohms, Input range 150mV – 20mV p-p
Low Instrument Input: Impedance -1M Ohms, Input range 150mV to 10V p-p
Line Input: Impedance 10k Ohms, Input range 300mV – 40V p-p
DI Output: 600 Ohm balance / Level -20dBu nominal
Minimum Impedance: 4 Ohm
Headphone Output: Yes and safe for silent practice
EQ: Bass +/-15dB @ 100Hz, Lo Mid +/-15dB @ 220Hz, Middle +/-15dB @ 660Hz, Hi Mid +/-15 dB @1.5kHz, Treble +/-15dB @ 7kHz
Effects Send: Impedance 22k Ohms / Level 0dBu nominal
Effects Return: Impedance 22k Ohms / Level 0dBu nominal
Dimensions (H x W x D in mm): 470 x 606 x 381
Weight: 13.5kg

For more info please visit www.ashdownmusic.com

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Gear News

Tech 21’s SansAmp Bass Driver DI Celebrates 30th Anniversary

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30th Anniversary Limited Edition SansAmp Bass Driver DI

Tech 21’s SansAmp Bass Driver DI Celebrates 30th Anniversary…

The SansAmp Bass Driver DI has been an arsenal staple for players and studios almost since the day it was introduced in 1994. To commemorate its 30th anniversary, Tech 21 is issuing a limited edition with an anodized precision-machined aluminum billet housing and all metal knobs.

This all-analog multi-function, multi-application pedal dials up big vintage tube tones, bright modern slap sounds, gnarly distortions, and all in between. There are three different outputs to drive power amps, recording desks, PA mixers, or simply enhance your current rig. Controls include Presence for definition and upper harmonic content; Blend to combine the ratio of direct signal and SansAmp circuitry; and active 3-band EQ with 12dB of cut or boost.

The 100% analog SansAmp Tube Amplifier Emulation technology encompasses the entire signal chain, from pre-amp to power amp to speaker simulation. An integral part of the circuitry, the individually-tailored SansAmp speaker simulation will complement any type of bass speaker cabinet system.

It is rare an electronic music-related product can withstand such a test of time. The SansAmp Bass Driver has been used for every kind of music style from death metal to commercial jingles, in countless studios, and on tours around the globe. In fact, many mammoth stage rigs you see are actually driven by a SansAmp nestled behind the backline. It has defied the odds and to this day, SansAmp remains the standard of the industry.

Anticipated Availability:  May/June 2024

For more information, visit online at tech21nyc.com/products/sansamp/bass-driver-30/

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