tony grey... wow

cloren · #1 12-12-2008, 12:56 PM

I've heard the name before but finally decided to check him out on youtube- found this tasty morsel w/ the Hiromi trio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL4GDaulw1Q

check out 2:21 - now when Im playing finger style, I let my plucking finger follow through to the adjacent string. It looks like his technique is more of an upward pluck (added Im sure by the presence of the playing ramp). I play this way sometimes when I hit harmonic chords but I've never seen anyone play with as much precision or speed as he does! and of course he's getting a killer sound out of that fodera...

so was I just seeing things, or is he really doing that upward pluck?

dhemstra · #2 12-12-2008, 04:05 PM

Thanks for sharing, amazing solo!

ctufankjian · #3 12-12-2008, 04:10 PM

Yea, love his stuff, and his tone, and his basses, and he's got a pretty sweet hat as well

standupright · #4 12-12-2008, 04:44 PM

wow.....just.......wow

ninefingerbass · #5 12-12-2008, 05:30 PM

You should see the song XYZ, he has a sick bassline that last forever. It's in a weird time and very diminished sounding but can be picked out. But the amazinf part is that he can play with such stamina and not lose the groove. Now that's awesome.

ctufankjian · #6 12-12-2008, 08:37 PM

Yea, I checked out that song XYZ, and it IS a really tight bassline.

bassrique · #7 12-12-2008, 10:59 PM

Anyone ever notice Grey looks kinda looks like Quentin Tarantino with the right lighting?

Oh yeah, he plays lights out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6pgM...eature=related

**Mark Wilson** · #8 12-12-2008, 11:09 PM

Last year I did one of his solos for my Master Class Transcription.

He's on TB. SUPER nice guy.
I still have to send him the transcription!

BillytheBassist · #9 12-13-2008, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassrique

Anyone ever notice Grey looks kinda looks like Quentin Tarantino with the right lighting?

And what's it like playing in a band with a chick you're having a relationship with? Never been there. I can imagine difficulties.

Oh yeah, he plays lights out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6pgM...eature=related

I've worked with my wife on a few occasions. I guess it all depends on the situation, but it can be stressfull at times.

ctufankjian · #10 12-13-2008, 07:55 AM

Possibly a stupid question, but does anyone know how he acheives that tone. I mean, I know he's got really great basses, and that one garrison is E-C, but is there anything to it besides the bass and amp?

BillytheBassist · #11 12-13-2008, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctufankjian

Possibly a stupid question, but does anyone know how he acheives that tone. I mean, I know he's got really great basses, and that one garrison is E-C, but is there anything to it besides the bass and amp?

I think alot of the tone is in his hands.... yea, great basses and amps too,.

ctufankjian · #12 12-13-2008, 08:47 AM

I was waiting for that answer, and yes I do agree that a lot of the tone is from his hands. However, there's definitely something else going on there. I'm wondering if anyone knows if it has something to do with the dual coils. Also if there are any EQ suggestions out there?

Thanks

steverosati · #13 12-13-2008, 09:05 AM

Tony and Hiromi are not together. He has a wife and a son back home.

steverosati · #14 12-13-2008, 09:14 AM

We shared a amp at a festival a couple years ago and he sounded the same as he did when he was using the Walter woods head , the Epi. or the Agi. it is all in the hands because my amp that he used has no EQ at all.

cmewhinney · #15 12-13-2008, 09:15 AM

To address the OP, that's called a "free stroke" and I assume he plays that way because he's one of Garrison's disciples and that's more conducive to the four finger plucking technique Matt does.

spade2you · #16 12-13-2008, 12:41 PM

Is Grey using a strictly 2 finger or 3 finger technique. I was having trouble seeing during the faster parts.

Brad Maestas · #17 12-13-2008, 01:24 PM

I don't think he "strictly" uses any technique. But it looks like he's using two fingers for most of this.

+1 on free stroke

@ctufankjian
Besides the delay (which is sweetening it somewhat), it's obvious that he's rolling off some of the high end (onboard?). That's giving him that warmth. Rolling off the highs has been "in" for decades with the jazz guitarists but only recently has it become more widespread with bassists. Much of the tonal climate as of late has been determined by Berklee and its graduates such as Rosenwinkel/Monder for guitar and Garrison/Grey/Gwizdala for bass. Obviously tone is not a static thing and changes as the player changes but there are more than a few albums featuring those artists that feature "rolled off" sounds. Some off the top of my head are:

*Ben Monder, Steve Cardenas (g) and Anders Christensen (b) - Electric Bebop Band (EBBB) "Europe" and "Holiday for Strings"
*Matt Garrison - Joe Zawinul's "My People"
Kurt Rosenwinkel - many albums, esp. "Intuit"

ctufankjian · #18 12-13-2008, 06:25 PM

thanks so much for the advise on that, I was experimenting earlier by rolling off some of the high end, and it definitely does the trick, I have the same preamp in my bass, so i found it not that difficult to arrive at a similar tone, but your definitely right on as well in saying that delay helps quite a bit

spade2you · #19 12-14-2008, 10:16 AM

I also tend to cut the highs and add some low fundamental bass when I'm up in that area. I have a bass on order with a Pope 4 band, but different pickups. I'm interested to see what kind of soloing tone I'll get.

bassrique · #20 12-14-2008, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steverosati

Tony and Hiromi are not together. He has a wife and a son back home.

I stand corrected then. We they ever an item? I don't remember where I got my bad info. I apologize.