That Wicked Bass on "Little Darlin', Pal Of Mine"

ShyRock · #1 03-29-2011, 07:01 AM

Hey hey TalkBassers,
This is the first non-introductory type post I've made on here, so please let me know if I make any etiquette no-nos, and I'll be happy to re-frame my question.

Some friends that I play bluegrass with on a regular basis want me to learn the bass part for "Little Darlin', Pal of Mine" from Flatt & Scruggs' Foggy Mountain Banjo record. Which is awesome, and I'm excited for it. BUT - having never had occasion to perform a bass solo in a bluegrass setting before, I just don't know how to even begin to figure this out.

Can anyone offer any wisdom as to how I could about figuring this out? I really want to learn it, and I think I can, but man, I'm really flailing right now!

tstone · #2 04-01-2011, 10:28 AM

If you're talking about this kind of playing:

YouTube - Little Darlin', Pal of Mine

It's not the notes that are tricky, but the 'slap' technique. Many Bluegrass players do it, but the real masters, in my opinion, are the contemporary Rockabilly players.

You might check out a place like homespuntapes.com for slap bass instructional materials. You can also just google "bluegrass slap bass" and you will get a lot of leads.

superman · #3 04-02-2011, 11:16 AM

Thats "Cousin "Jake Tullock,,one of the greatest bluegrass bass players ever,,he could push a song like no one eles,,really underated,and for the most part forgotten.

MR PC · #4 04-03-2011, 05:46 PM

Darn great player for sure. But that action with the facial gestures is pretty disturbing in retrospect.......it seems almost like watching someone with Tourrette's Syndrome. It isn't particularly playful, compared to the part he's playing on the bass.

salcott · #5 04-03-2011, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

Darn great player for sure. But that action with the facial gestures is pretty disturbing in retrospect.......it seems almost like watching someone with Tourrette's Syndrome. It isn't particularly playful, compared to the part he's playing on the bass.

It was very common in bluegrass and country bands for the bass player to provide a bit of comic relief, like making a face during a solo. This stood in contrast to the usually stony faces of the rest of the band.

MR PC · #6 04-03-2011, 09:36 PM

Yeah, I'm familiar with all of that old time comic relief ala Vaudeville, everybody having a character eg: Minnie Pearl, Stringbean, Grandpa Jones, all very smart entertainers, some educated in New York, ect. I love the on mic banter The Blue Sky Boys used to do. This clip is different than some of the other moves made by the bluegrass bass clowns I've watched. My favorite modern country bass clown was the guy with Red Knuckles, calling himself "Slade".

petesenkowski · #7 04-03-2011, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

... My favorite modern country bass clown was the guy with Red Knuckles, calling himself "Slade".

Ah yes, "Slade" ... who used to aimlessly wander the stage ... and sometimes beyond ... while wearing his trademark shades with Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers. Charles Sawtelle, who died in 1999, was the gifted guitarist with Hot Rize, the alter egos of the Trailblazers. He and Hot Rize bassist Nick Forster, aka "Wendell Mercantile", switched instruments between their Hot Rize and Trailblazers gigs.

Jake deVilliers · #8 04-04-2011, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petesenkowski

Ah yes, "Slade" ... who used to aimlessly wander the stage ... and sometimes beyond ... while wearing his trademark shades with Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers. Charles Sawtelle, who died in 1999, was the gifted guitarist with Hot Rize, the alter egos of the Trailblazers. He and Hot Rize bassist Nick Forster, aka "Wendell Mercantile", switched instruments between their Hot Rize and Trailblazers gigs.

Hot Rize and Red Knuckles are out playing again with Bryan Sutton playing guitar. When they played Wintergrass it was only Hot Rize but Sutton is now filling in for Charles as the bass player 'Suede'!

We saw them on their first tour in Targhee, Wyoming (only 40 miles over oil-surfaced highways from Montana, Wyoming

) and again recently in Seattle at Benaroya Hall.

The Trailblazers appeared in both sets and were fantastic. Keep an eye on their website and drive as far as you need to in order to catch their show!

kg4muc · #9 04-05-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superman

Thats "Cousin "Jake Tullock,,one of the greatest bluegrass bass players ever,,he could push a song like no one eles,,really underated,and for the most part forgotten.

AMEN Kent!!! Jake was a very under rated bassist!!!
You can tell he was influenced heavily by another great you and I both love his style...The Great Joe Zinkan!

superman · #10 04-05-2011, 07:32 PM

Yes sir Joe was one of Jakes influences,,as he was to most other bass players from that era,,including Junior Huskey,,Heres a song that features Joe,,check this out,,-
YouTube - Johnny & Jack , I never can come back too you,1958

kg4muc · #11 04-10-2011, 03:25 PM

Thanks for posting that one Kent! I have about burned a hole through my CD with that one on it

Amazing Ole Harold Morrison is playing the as they call it "Electric Steel Guitar"

I have you on Marty's show doing that intro...Excellent as well!

Hows the Innov's proving out for you??

superman · #12 04-10-2011, 09:15 PM

Hey thanks,,Martys show is always fun to do,,keep watching you might see "someone" again,,but you might not want too claim me after you see it..lol,,The Inov string is doing fair,,I just have the A string ,,it's flatwound so it's still a bit diff than what I'm uesdto,,also I found it went really dead really fast,,but I have still not given up on it.I just strung up one of my old Standards with one of my last G&D set of GoldenSpirals,,I used a Inov Super Silver on the A and it matched very good to the spirals,,but the Braided solo A does better with plain guts.

kg4muc · #13 04-10-2011, 10:42 PM

I had intended to use the Super Silvers on mine but for some reason..I'll blame it on my recent back surgery and pain meds

I used the 140SLP. They seem to work out ok so far and sound nice and mellow plugged in. Guess time will tell !!

I will be watching for the "special: you mentioned

KStewart · #14 04-12-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superman

Thats "Cousin "Jake Tullock,,one of the greatest bluegrass bass players ever,,he could push a song like no one eles,,really underated,and for the most part forgotten.

So true and sad. The 'underrated and forgotten' part that is.

Jake and Joe are my two favorite bluegrass bassists. So solid and can lay back and hold it down. But when it came time for a solo, they could really belt them out! Good energy and the solos still drove the song and melody.

kg4muc · #15 04-12-2011, 09:57 PM

So true!!!!!

kg4muc · #16 05-01-2011, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg4muc

I had intended to use the Super Silvers on mine but for some reason..I'll blame it on my recent back surgery and pain meds

I used the 140SLP. They seem to work out ok so far and sound nice and mellow plugged in. Guess time will tell !!

I will be watching for the "special: you mentioned

Hey Kent!!! I want a pair of those shoes you were wearing

I gotta have a pair !