Methods and technique of famous bassists

[Damakun]

Hello !

I wonder if anyone has any knowledge of some of the methods that famous bassists use to practice. It is somewhat easy to find out (for instance) what gear Mark King used, or Flea's favorite eq settings, or whatever, but the magazines and web sites that I have found don't really go into the technique or routine that these guys use...

What made me think of this was an article in Bass Player (I think) where they interviewed Christopher Squire. Cool bassist, I grew up listening to Yes, so I was very familiar with him. Thing is, he spoke about his style of slapping the strings with his thumb, then picking it with a pick... the interviewer had asked a question about exactly how he got the tone (and lightning fast pace !) he did on "Roundabout" and I thought "Wow, don't hear too many people go there"....

So - where can I find out more things like that ? Not interested so much in the gear, but what they do with their hands when they play, how they practice, what their routine is, etc.

[Harper]

I've always wondered about that myself. When I was younger I would've given anything for that kind of info on Mike Watt. As I got older I realized that Watt's style is so singular that the information probably wouldn't have helped me much, nor do I think it's something he himself had given much thought. He is who he is and does what he does.

On the other hand, Billy Sheehan (while very copied) also has a unique style, but you can find loads of info on his technique.

I think it has as much to do with the mindset of the player then anything else.