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02-07-2011, 04:22 PM
|  | Registered User | | | | | Did Sir Paul intentionally "plonk" some notes in Nowhere Man?
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So I'm listening carefully to the bass line on nowhere man and several times he seems to hit a "plonk" note. Examples can be heard in this video around 1:28, 1:44, and 1:59 (there are others). (so-called backing track w/o vocals) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejT78KTuCOQ
I've searched around TB and can't find this ever being discussed (it may be here and I just can't find it). Is it just blatantly obvious that he played it that way intentionally? Or are they bum notes? A Hofner artifact?
Sorry if this seems like a dumb noob question but I'm kinda wondering what other bassists think since the "plonks" are so noticeable. Personally I think they add to the character of the bass line but hey, I may be an idiot. 
Last edited by OldDog52 : 02-08-2011 at 10:53 PM.
Reason: Fix typo
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02-07-2011, 04:25 PM
| | | | I don't know about this song but I always love when you can hear a completely wrong note in a song. |
02-07-2011, 04:25 PM
| | | | 1:44 sounds like a punch. |
02-08-2011, 07:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Buffalo, NY. USA | | | This is one of my favorite Sir Paul tunes. It stands out in 2011 but you HAVE to put into the context of 1965: Who else came even close to something like that???? AND Paul himself was only 23!! Stunning.
Recordings of this period were REAL... warts and all. The faux, sterile and perfect digital world of todays products set UNrealistic standards for those unitiated with live music.
Thanks for posting.
Last edited by So Low Bass : 02-09-2011 at 01:24 AM.
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02-08-2011, 08:43 PM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Maine/Vermont | | If it was recorded before 1980, a mistake "add character."
If it was recorded after 1980, a mistake "sound sloppy."  |
02-08-2011, 09:16 PM
| | | | The earthiness of their recordings is one of the main things that made the Beatles so great IMO.
I can't stand the modern obsession with perfection in recording. It removes the human element. |
02-08-2011, 09:45 PM
| | | | That was great! How cool to hear just the music. I also checked out "I Feel Fine." I didn't know these backing tracks were around.
Great stuff! |
02-08-2011, 10:39 PM
| | Registered User | | | | | I don't know what he was doing but I love it. He got a lot more than just the notes out of that wacky Hofner in this song.
Last edited by OldDog52 : 02-08-2011 at 10:44 PM.
Reason: Clarity
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02-08-2011, 10:43 PM
| | Registered User
Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cuernavaca 1 hr S Mexico City | | Quote:
Originally Posted by OldDog52  So I'm listening carefully to the bass line on nowhere man and several times he seems to hit a "plonk" note. Examples can be heard in this video around 1:28, 1:44, and 1:59 (there are others)...Is it just blantantly obvious that he played it that way intentionally? Or are they bum notes?... | What you call "a plonk" is a gliss . . . and yes, it is "blantantly obvious" that he usually did it on purpose . . .
the one at 1:44 sounds like an error to me . . .  . . . |
02-08-2011, 11:44 PM
|  | Total Hyper-Elite Member | | Join Date: May 2000 Location: Groom Lake, NV | | | Nowadays, I just go back, copy the correctly played note from elsewhere in the song and paste it over the clam.
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02-09-2011, 01:53 AM
| | Registered User
Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cuernavaca 1 hr S Mexico City | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Munjibunga Nowadays, I just go back, copy the correctly played note from elsewhere in the song and paste it over the clam. | Me too . . . . . . |
02-09-2011, 04:23 AM
|  | Forever in debt to your priceless advice | | Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Methuen, MA USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Munjibunga Nowadays, I just go back, copy the correctly played note from elsewhere in the song and paste it over the clam. | I just record one perfect pass of the verse and chorus and then just keep copying and pasting... |
02-09-2011, 01:25 PM
|  | The Lowdown Diggler | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA | | Everything I record is perfect.  |
02-09-2011, 01:32 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Princeton New Jersey | | Quote:
Originally Posted by EndlessNameless The earthiness of their recordings is one of the main things that made the Beatles so great IMO.
I can't stand the modern obsession with perfection in recording. It removes the human element. | Yep, agreed. Same for Led Zeppelin.
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02-09-2011, 01:34 PM
|  | Registered User | | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by honeyiscool I don't know about this song but I always love when you can hear a completely wrong note in a song. | You'll love my playing then 
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02-09-2011, 01:41 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Logan,W.V.(not up some holler) | | | Agree...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatortail1 1:44 sounds like a punch. |
Ditto |
02-09-2011, 01:43 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Harpers Ferry WV | | | That's a reason I liked Pearl Jam Ten so much, you can hear some mistakes. It's made it sound real to me and not some over contrived studio album. |
02-09-2011, 02:06 PM
| | | | To answer the OP's question about whether or not it was intentional, who knows. I like music that isn't perfect. And I heard that Paul sometimes was accused of messing up basslines or playing them too simply because it bored him?
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02-09-2011, 10:14 PM
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Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cuernavaca 1 hr S Mexico City | | Quote:
Originally Posted by KPJ I just record one perfect pass of the verse and chorus and then just keep copying and pasting... | How boring is that bass part when you're done with all the copying and pasting?
I think that the REAL stuff is in the variations that build the song up . . . |
02-10-2011, 07:47 AM
| | Forever in debt to your priceless advice | | Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Methuen, MA USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by deaf pea How boring is that bass part when you're done with all the copying and pasting?
I think that the REAL stuff is in the variations that build the song up . . . | Not boring at all. After done pasting, I go and randomly delete notes and will displace a measure or two off the beat. Keeps people guessing. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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