Some psychedelic rock bass jams that I'm working on...

Mark Olson · #1 09-03-2009, 01:34 PM

I've been compiling some material for a bass project, and I've got a few songs together (minus drums) for a demo, just rough recordings, but I thought some people here might appreciate them. I've got a lot more stuff I've been working on in a thread on the effects forum, but I figured I'd share some of the more complete ideas here too.

I'm not looking for criticism on my playing, which I know is rough (I'm not a good soloist, at all), or if you don't like the tones, but if you've got anything to say about the writing of the music, please share! I've still got more material to compile and I want a lot more so I'm always looking for different directions to look in!

So here's a number where, if you can tell, my idea is (like on some other tracks) to make the solos more like a Blue Cheer style noisemaking section than an actual solo. The bassline is a little too distorted, I may redo that bit with a cleaner tone I don't know. Check it out:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=8053057

Then here's a much less distorted bluesy number. The solo I'm going to redo decently when I square away a few things, and it'll be an octave higher I think on another bass tuned higher. Maybe, it does sound ok low as it is too, it's mostly the playing that's lacking. Check it out:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7949981

Here's a mediocre attempt at psychedelia, but my friends like it so you might too! Just a short glimpse of something that'll become possibly a cool jam live:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7938632

Here's another more ambient jam, more like a "mood" than a real song, but again it could be a cool jam live if expanded on. Check it out:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7899488

And here's a cool riff on the bassline, course the solo is lacking, but if there were a real tune to carry, the bassline might just do it! Another "I wish I was Blue Cheer on bass" style noisefest.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7916842

Anyways, the idea for this project is to have two bass players, one of us will be tuned to standard (except down half a step) and one of us will be tuned to the skinniest four strings of a bass VI, which, once I get my SG Bass back from being worked on, I'll have and have to do more material with that, of course. Only other thing in the band is of course a drummer to fill everything out. I think it's a cool idea, a bass power trio, I've always wanted to do something like this. But that's all for now

Yomo · #2 09-03-2009, 02:12 PM

I'm a big fan of psychedelic rock and I'm realy diggin these tunes, especially that moon one and b***2 one. Def lookin forward to when you get a drummer in the mix.

Edit:

Also, I love a constant repetitive bassline in psych rock (think Billy Cox in Band Of Gypsys), so I think that could go well, especially if your having several basses in it.

Mark Olson · #3 09-03-2009, 03:35 PM

Thanks for the tip! I do have some songs like that but I suppose you may also mean without the distorted amp, hahaha! But I've posted this on here before but in the vein of Hendrix I did a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7938628

Also, and this is just a work in progress it still needs leads, but I did Voodoo Chile (Slight Return):

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=7921000

No offense to Noel Redding but I do like Billy Cox more too. I'll have to work on a Machine Gun Cover on Bass VI!

Also, I haven't commited to picking a drummer but I was thinking of having a drummer friend do some drum tracks for this stuff just to get something down. I'll definitely have to update this if I do that.