Jack Bruce - Born Under a Bad Sign - Question

[Fajah]

I hope this is the correct forum for this question since it involves technique. For those you who are familiar with Cream's version of Born Under a Bad Sign, Jack Bruce plays the following riff below it's the Bb in the riff that I want to focus on.

CDFGBbG - CDFBbG

Here's a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RECUlpVPzN4

Here's the original tune:

http://www.box.net/shared/xvnymukij4

To my ear, the Bb sounds like it's being slightly bent, but it doesn't look like he's bending the note in the video. So here are the questions:

1) Is he bending the note? I find this to be very difficult when using my first finger on the 3rd fret.

2) Is he playing a fretless and if so, did he on the original tune? It would be much easier to create the "bend" effect on a fretless.

3) Are my ears just deceiving me and I'm being influenced by the guitar bending the note?

Thanks in advance.

[JTE]

The live Cream video is Jack playing his fretless Warwick, so yeah, it's fretless. The "original tune" wasn't done by Cream BTW, they're covering Albert King... But the studio recording by Cream of "Born Under A Bad Sign" from "Wheels of Fire" very probably has him bending notes. First of all, he was trained on upright bass which requires more finger and hand strength than electric. Second, by the time of "Wheels of Fire", I believe he was playing his Gibson EB-3 exclusively, which is a short scale (30") instrument which facilitates string bending. Plus, he's notorious for bending pitches.

John

[Fajah]

Originally Posted by JTE

The live Cream video is Jack playing his fretless Warwick, so yeah, it's fretless. The "original tune" wasn't done by Cream BTW, they're covering Albert King... But the studio recording by Cream of "Born Under A Bad Sign" from "Wheels of Fire" very probably has him bending notes. First of all, he was trained on upright bass which requires more finger and hand strength than electric. Second, by the time of "Wheels of Fire", I believe he was playing his Gibson EB-3 exclusively, which is a short scale (30") instrument which facilitates string bending. Plus, he's notorious for bending pitches.

John

Great info. I am aware that Cream just covered the tune and that Albert King first recorded it. It was actually written by someone else for Albert King.

I've never played a short scale bass and wasn't aware that they are conducive to string bending. Bending the strings isn't a problem generally for me on my 34" scale basses, but it's very difficult if when playing that Bb on the third fret. BTW, I was first trained on an upright as well so I know what you mean about finger strength.

I could play it in a higher position and get the bend, but the tonal effect is different. I may have to use my fretless on this tune to get the effect as he does with his Warwick. It seems clear to me in the video that he's not bending.

We just started playing the tune in our blues band and got into a bit if a "discussion" with our lead guitar player on the subject. He would like me to bend the note.

Thanks

[JTE]

Well, I've been playing it on fretless for so long, I don't even think about it. But I just grabbed a fretted one, and while I can get a little blur on the Bb at the third fret, it's not the same as what I do normally on the fretless (where I'm working to match the guitarist when he smears that Bb). So, you might try this... Play the F with your first finger, the slide up to the G. That puts your pinky on the Bb of the 2nd string, where I can use all four fingers to bend the note. That's easier for me than trying to get that smear with my first finger at the 3rd fret.

John

[Fajah]

Originally Posted by JTE

Well, I've been playing it on fretless for so long, I don't even think about it. But I just grabbed a fretted one, and while I can get a little blur on the Bb at the third fret, it's not the same as what I do normally on the fretless (where I'm working to match the guitarist when he smears that Bb). So, you might try this... Play the F with your first finger, the slide up to the G. That puts your pinky on the Bb of the 2nd string, where I can use all four fingers to bend the note. That's easier for me than trying to get that smear with my first finger at the 3rd fret.

John

Thanks John. That's one way of doing it. Much easier to bend the string higher up. However, I think I'm going to use my fretless on this tune like you are.

Much easier.