Go to http://www.BassPlayer.tv

Click "BP LIVE! '06 Clinics"

10th one down is "Janek Gwizdala"

Easily an hour's worth of videos. I'm still going through them. Nice stuff so far.

Stupid question...

Fretted with fretless articulations or fretless with incredible intonation?

fretted for sure


Dave

I thought so, but there are parts that sound semi-fretless.

actually if you listen to Janek's solo album there is a lot of that, im not quite sure how he does it, so how do you do it Janek?

my guess is its a combination of low action and possible very narrow frets and then applying vibrato like you would do on a fretless but i could be wrong.


Dave

I like his stuff a lot. I really didn't know about Janek until I saw the funny looking name and did a little research. Then I remembered seeing the BassPlayer.tv videos. It was inspirational. I stayed up until 2am playing my restrung EADGC bass. Thanks Janek!

Awesome videos, I was most fascinated by the Salsa and Reggae demonstration. Made me realize that I have some more diversification to do. Also made me realize that I'm lucky as hell to be studying with Oscar Stagnaro next semester so I can get my Latin chops happening.

If you listen closely in the second video you can hear Adam Nitti playing "Skitzo."

if you click on Adam's clinic link you can see him playing skitzo.........

if you click on Adam's clinic link you can see him playing skitzo.........

Well, yeah, I know, I just thought it was kind of interesting. :hmm:

Hey Janek gret stuff on the clinics! I watched the whole lot.. some really great playing and LOTS of great information. it's awesome how we can "attend" these virtual master classes through bassplayer tv! it's hugely inspiring seeing the masters share their knowledge and opinions through this format and i just wanted to say a big thanks for being a part of that.. We don't get too many guys coming through doing clinics over here in Perth, so i for one greatly appreciate it!

Also, I just wanted to ask if you could clarify what you talked about with regards to the Patitucci question. I found it interesting that you were critical of him playing a stock instrument, not dissagreeing with you or anything, it's just that a lot of players i've talked to about this have been on the other side of the fence. I was just wondering if you could elaborate on your thoughts on this matter?

cheers!

Andy

Hi Janek,

I really enjoyed your clinic on bassplayer.tv! You said some great things and your playing is awesome and so is the trombone guy! The things you talked about bringing a Fender bass to studio. Is there a reason you said P bass or is simply because you prefer a P bass in the studio?

Thanks

-Christian

Janek,

Great clinic.
Who played drums there?
Dug his feel on Giant Steps

Thanks
Matt

the drummers name is Jordan Perlson.

the drummers name is Jordan Perlson.

Jordan's great. He went to Berklee with a bunch of friends of mine. Cool guy and great drummer. Glad to see him doing some playing with Janek.

That's great. Ace drumming, and playing all round. Enjoyed it

That sounds cool, Janek.

Janek--

I've seen you play with Hiram before, so I already know you're phenomenal. (Just wanna put that out there.) But who's the 'bone player on this clinic with you? That cat is killer!

Elliot Mason, hes a great player.

Dave

I'm glad bassplayer got those clinics up. I had never heard of Adam Nitti before and after watching some of his clips I wished I still hadn't :D (Sorry to you Nitti fans)

But, I really dug Janek's videos. I actually sat through all 20 of them or whatever. That was like a personal lesson with Janek and it's definitely worth watching again. Janek is a huge inspiration, a monster player, and the fact that he's made himself accessible to us all is what I'm most impressed with. Keep it up Janek.

Although copying different parts of Marcus's lines are very appealing to me off the site, I truly found your playing to be top notch and very inspirational. Comletely my favorite of those vids.

you a sick sick man.....RAWK!!!!

videos are cool
Ruben is an awesome bass player
i really wish he had a rythm section he would blow your mind with the stuff he can do

Janek, as usual, sounds fantastic. Great groove playing, Giant Steps was killin', etc.
I've watched a number of videos, and I have to say it's really great that Bass Player would put those up for free, because it really is like having private lessons with all those guys.
The clinic with John Miller regarding Broadway shows is also excellent; a healthy dose of the real world.
One of the best quotes, I forget who it was, said this: if a guy asks you to play more on a gig, you're cool; if a guys asks you to play less, you've already lost the gig.
Worst video by far: Jeff Berlin and Steve Bailey "debating" the use of a metronome....horrible, and really immature, like, what is it either is trying to prove? Especially Jeff, who of course is a monster player, but is really just coming off as an ass in those videos.
Overall a real valuable resource to have.

something about those videos was driving me NUTS!!! the whole thing is slow and down a whole step!!!

my voice is not that freakin low.... was driving me crazy. some of them are randomly at pitch, but most of them aren't.

AAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!! DOH!


Janek

Yeah i noticed that too. All started when I was trippin' out on Jeff Berlin's voice...

Janek, I must tell you that watching your videos really made me feel that I need to get my basics down. I've been self-taught since i started, and I still hardly know my way around the fingerboard like you do. Watching you groove and solo your way through the changes, was to say the least - amazing. Thanks for the inspiration! :)

Those vids are really cool... can't believe that we have access to them for free.

I love the part when an audience member asked about 'playing over the p/ups'. Janek, your reply was very cool and to the point. There needs to be more cats out there, that don't sugar-coat their responses, just to keep PC.

these vids are great i cant help it but i have to say it coz seeing you is like looking at a next jaco pastorius...



i know alot of people might disagree but that is just purely based on my self opinion

very very nice and informative clinic. and the jam on vid #3 is SICK.. especially liked your use of 10ths there, i'll have to steal that from you hehehe ;)

I saw them all too. Great stuff.
Two points-
1.) I was depressed to hear that if I show up at a session with a $9,000 Fodera I would be sent packin'
2.) There was some smack talk about Yamaha/Petitucci! Awesome! Any backlash on that?

I saw them all too. Great stuff.
Two points-
1.) I was depressed to hear that if I show up at a session with a $9,000 Fodera I would be sent packin'
2.) There was some smack talk about Yamaha/Petitucci! Awesome! Any backlash on that?


its just because he still young thats why... anyway my 2 cents

K,

here we go with the bullsh*t it seems......

I wasn't talking smack about John. I was talking about factory basses. He plays one. From a personal opinion I prefer the sound of him playing the ken smith he was using before the Yamaha. I think there is something about factory made basses that is really standard and has little room for life to be breathed into them. who knows? it's my opinion.

But what really matters is this:

John is a true inovator of the instrument, of the sound, and of the entire genre. Some of his compositions are the most beautiful I've ever heard, and he continues to be an inspiration to me every time I hear him. Although I might not like the sound of his bass, I love him as a person and as a communicator. He pioneered iprovisation on the electric and upright bass, and I am in constant awe of his facitlity as a writer, player and improvisor. And P.S. I haven't had any backlash from that, but who knows? maybe it'll come. I really wasn't talking bad about John, I never would. it was just an answer to a question about gear. And I gave my honest, personal opinion about it.

back to being sent packing if you show up with a $9000 bass to a session.....

not always the case, but there are many sessions for pop/rock/R&B etc that really could use a P or J bass. And that's my preference when a producer is asking for a certain sound. And that sound might not come from a high end custom bass, but more so from a vintage fender bass. which may actually cost you as much as a custom bass.... so not too much of a price difference.

You just have to be really aware of your surroundings, of the people you're working with, and of the music you're playing. And you're job is to serve the music and the song to best of your ability.

Easy,

Janek

Hey Janek,

A compliment.
Just wanted to chip in as I had watched the BPTV vids a few days back.

You first came to my attention via the UK Bassworld forum and I checked out your various links to myspace etc where I thought I got an idea of your style (in hindsight, a snippet). I could hear the Metheny influence in your playing and admired it but left it at that (in a completely non-dismissive way)

I have since checked you out again with your podcasts which again I admire because I'm getting a clearer picture now that you really give a damn- you're seeing the (much) bigger picture, and I like that.
You're clinic was a real eye-opener because up until now I had heard a few of your original compositions in a live context- now I am much more switched on to you.

Can I just say how much I really enjoyed seeing and hearing you play- you are well on your way to being a truly complete player. Great tone, a wonderful sense of melody and a great groove. The chops are phenomenal too but the first 3 are the most important to me. It's a sign to me that those are the attributes which stand out- if it's chops 1st then it's all wrong IMO.
You've got so many great techniques down as well and it looks like you are the kind of guy who isn't going to sit still when it comes to developing.
Thanks for passing on some of your experience.
Keep learning, keep teaching and best of luck with everything.
(Hey, not that my endorsement means jack in the real world but just to say that in my world I rate you as a spectacular player.)

All the best
Richard

My last post sounds a bit pretentious like my opinion is to be revered. Not at all.
I make my living playing and teaching bass but in a much more 'closed' way- a bit of a whore I guess!
I haven't had my ears really opened for a long time- I went to music college in the late 80's when fusion was in it's heyday and since then have carried on with life and if I'm honest I haven't pushed myself enough.
My cd collection is rife with funk and my bass specialist cd collection is limited- Jaco and Marcus feature heavily and I have always enjoyed Laurence Cottle's playing as a UK player.
The looping, double thumbing, tapping kind of stuff that is out there I appreciate but it doesn't make me want to pick up my bass.
You are the first young (I'm presuming!) guy who has made me want to better myself as a musician for a long, long time and that, for me, is a big deal.
The reason behind that is the notes, and the way you play them. Simple.
Not the technique, not the extended range bass. It's the melodic approach and when you come down low it grooves nicely.

It does it for me and like I said, in my world that's a big deal.

My last post sounds a bit pretentious like my opinion is to be revered. Not at all.
I make my living playing and teaching bass but in a much more 'closed' way- a bit of a whore I guess!
I haven't had my ears really opened for a long time- I went to music college in the late 80's when fusion was in it's heyday and since then have carried on with life and if I'm honest I haven't pushed myself enough.
My cd collection is rife with funk and my bass specialist cd collection is limited- Jaco and Marcus feature heavily and I have always enjoyed Laurence Cottle's playing as a UK player.
The looping, double thumbing, tapping kind of stuff that is out there I appreciate but it doesn't make me want to pick up my bass.
You are the first young (I'm presuming!) guy who has made me want to better myself as a musician for a long, long time and that, for me, is a big deal.
The reason behind that is the notes, and the way you play them. Simple.
Not the technique, not the extended range bass. It's the melodic approach and when you come down low it grooves nicely.

It does it for me and like I said, in my world that's a big deal.


nice post! well said

Janek, I listened to just six of those clips last night, and I will check out some more later. You are a jaw dropping player! You and that drummer have an airtight groove. That's for sharing your gift.:cool:

I re-watched your clips, and I am still in awe. I will, however, mention the factory versus custom made instrument issue. The Yamaha JP is not exactly a mass produced instrument, even though it is made by a huge corporation. The JP sig is their flagship bass, and it is not made in large numbers for a mass produced bass. They also sell for around $3,000, which is at the very high end of factory bass prices. You seem to feel it is cheaper than the Fodera in quality, but I seriously doubt if Vinny Fodera and crew could produce that exact bass for anywhere near $3,000.

That is not to say that your Fodera is not superior. I have had only limited experience with Fodera, so I am not in a positionb to judge. I just don't think that the Yamaha JP Sig deserves to be seen as the equivalent of say an Ibanez Soundgear or MIM Fender Jazz.

it's really pretty irrelivant to me as I don't play, and will never play a Yamaha bass.

Vinnie and Joey could make a bass for $1000 that blows the yam out of the water, but that again, is beside the point.

And the yamaha flagship bass in the signature line is actually the Billy Sheehan model. They sell more of those, and the Mike Stern Pacifica guitar than any other signature instrument. At least that's what I'm told by people who work there.

And the main thing to remember throughout all of this, is that is john picked up my bass, and I picked up john's bass we would still sound like John and Janek. If we played the same ****** P bass, still the same. It's about character of sound and note selection that makes the music, not the instrument.

Easy,

Janek

Thanks for you quick reply. BTW, I love your palm mute technique. Seeing you do that made feel good because it is a technique I use sometimes. After hearing you, I will certainly use it more in my playing. It is a whole lot more useful for playing than something like double thumbing (which I have never been able to nail anyway:( .)

... And you're job is to serve the music and the song to best of your ability.

+1 to a great ending.

So i'm bringing this thread back to life.

I started watching the videos last night. I'm to number 10. I'm def. enjoying what i am hearing & seeing.

The image comment for commercial/pop music brings that back to the forefront for me. Even in my much smaller gigs-image matters. More motivation to get into shape instead of my current beer belly.

Factory bass vs. shop bass. I haven't played many shop basses & every one of them felt amazing. They're consistently the few instruments that make me go "WoW, this plays and feels even better than my Ray5."

Eventually-i want to get some nice boutiquey basses, however at the moment-my Ray5 is considered too modern sounding for some of my gigs let alone a Nordstrand, Fodera, Roscoe, et al. So i bring a Fender Jazz w/flats or a P-Bass w/rounds. Also-the finishes of those instruments fit the image that the guys are going for more. My Fenders are: black [4 jazz], wine red [5 jazz], and sunburst [p-bass] where as my Ray5 is a cherry burst-a bit too bright.

I dig what you said about being able to get any sound out of the bass. I feel that way with my Ray5 & my DB (New Standard Cleveland). However, to take care of the whole digging in thing-i adjust the setup on my basses to be more compatible. E.g. I'm starting to do more & more theater work where i double. The first theater gig i did-when i switched from DB to BG, i was playing waaaaay too hard. Getting all sorts of buzzing & clacks. I didn't realize that my right hand was still in DB mode. So-besides using focus & observation, i started setting up my BGs with heavier strings. That took care of it-it's a bonus that i like the sound better.

Great videos-i look forward to watching the rest over the course of the day.

new direct link to the bassplayer live clinics....


http://www.bassplayer.tv/?req=1&station=jgwizdala


Easy,

Janek

I've finally got my own online store happening!

you can find it at www.janekgwizdala.com


right now I'm posting live concerts that the band has played in the recent past. They were recorded on anything from an iPod all the way up to some serious high end gear, and I've "mastered" them and processed them to 256Kbps MP3's in a zip file for you to download. All tracks that are available have a 96kbps 30sec preview for you to check out before you buy.

Downloads are per set. $4.99 per set, $8.99 fro a bundle of two sets, and $11.99 for a bundle of three sets. Sets average about 60 mins of music, with some being around 70. Once you make a purchase you'll be sent a password that unlocks the zip files.

For everyone who couldn't make it out to a gig because you live in Tokyo, Sydney, London, Dayton, Seattle or capetown..... these are for you! Bringing you right inside the club to the gig.

All MP3's are tagged with metadata so they load straight into whatever media player you use.

Please give me any feedback you can as this is a brand new thing for me, and I'm sure there'll be things to work out along the way.

Easy,

Janek