WHAT IS GOING ON????

MikeyFingers · #1 05-27-2010, 09:55 PM

I came across this guy on YouTube. Now I've been around the block as far as super-advanced bass techniques. I've seen Wooten live, I've seen Bill Dickens and other virtuosos, I've seen Michael Manring do things with a bass that I've never seen anyone else do. The list goes on and on, you get the idea. There are tons of super-talented bassists out there but this is the first time in a loong while that I've seen something that made me go

and left me utterly baffled as to how he's doing it.
His name is Gianni Serino, and he has a blank stare that hurts my soul:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w_-LHByZPM

The first section he plays, and the part that starts around 1:19, have me thoroughly confused. Not ALL of it is mindblowing, but there are a bunch of little things he does that leave me completely lost. What the hell is he doing with his right hand at about 0:14?? I can't understand how he gets that sound out of those movements.
Maybe it's just the way he makes it look with his hand, I don't know. I'm sure that I can understand it, but I need a better explanation than I get from just watching the video.

itsalljustaride · #2 05-27-2010, 10:02 PM

Crazy. Looks like he's using some super-low action and a spiced-up tapping technique. I think a lot of the wow factor is just the angles he's putting his hand at to hit the notes.

His thumb is creepy looking at times. Like it's crawling across the fretboard.

Amazing technique, but I could barely stand to listen to the sound coming from it.

Muaguana · #3 05-27-2010, 10:18 PM

That was really impressive from a technical standpoint. The first section was admittedly pretty cool. The second section was blazing fast, but at the expense of actually playing the notes. They all sounded way too short and stifled, and it was anything but pleasurable to listen to. The third section was 90% dead notes, 5% actual notes and 5% noise; again, not pleasurable to listen to, but his dexterity is impressive once more.

Fourth section, neat hand movements, but again mostly dead notes. Yawn. That's something that's bothered me about a lot of new slappers; they hit mostly dead notes in rapid succession and think that makes them awesome. But I digress.

Last section, like the second section, was so fast you could barely hear the individual notes. Ghost notes are good in moderation, but that was just too much. If his goal was to show of his technical skill, then he certainly succeeded and I commend him for that. But, musically, it was amateurish IMO. It just didn't speak to me like other bass soloists can. Personally I think Jeff Schmidt is light years ahead of this guy, even though he can't play as fast, even Victor Wooten said he never heard such beautiful music coming from a bass guitar until he heard Schmidt.

Jazzdogg · #4 05-27-2010, 10:21 PM

Looks like just another case of conspicuous self-gratification in front of a video camera to me.

metalinthenight · #5 05-27-2010, 10:24 PM

so cool! There are definitely times where he is using some super odd hand positions to get those sounds. Like when he is tapping with the point of his thumb in parts...wild.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muaguana

Fourth section, neat hand movements, but again mostly dead notes. Yawn. That's something that's bothered me about a lot of new slappers; they hit mostly dead notes in rapid succession and think that makes them awesome. But I digress.

+1 something i've never really like about slap in general

abngourmet · #6 05-27-2010, 10:48 PM

Um, wankery? I mean, would anyone buy a CD of this stuff? Not me. I'd rather listen to something that actually sounds melodic. But that's just me.

I respect the skill and technique, but not the end result. I guess taste is the class this guy missed at bass school.

The_NoBody · #7 05-27-2010, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muaguana

...

+1

But, i love what he are doing here.

Growly Lytes · #8 05-27-2010, 11:00 PM

Its real... though i cant stand it, every note is muted basically.Thats about all he do.I bet you any money that he would not be able to play an easy song like Wildthing or Knockin On Heavens Door.

tjmdetroit · #9 05-27-2010, 11:15 PM

This guy is kewl....I'd like to hear him whip on a 1-4-5 blues shuffle just to hear him do it. Ever see a new player how timid and unsure his fingering is? This guy and his bass are one....He was just hot dogging.... The dude is bad!!!!! Now boys....don't be jealous.
peace
tjm

fu22ba55 · #10 05-27-2010, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeyFingers

I can't understand how he gets that sound out of those movements.
Maybe it's just the way he makes it look with his hand, I don't know. I'm sure that I can understand it, but I need a better explanation than I get from just watching the video.

Something that's making it a bit more confusing is the lossy frame rate in the video. Due to compression, etc... some frames are being dropped by the video, so there are moments where his hands move too quickly to be captured by video. You often see this effect with drumming videos on youtube. The compressed video can be too lossy to capture what's actually happening.

Sideshow Aj · #11 05-27-2010, 11:48 PM

That cheesy drum-beat alone tells me this guy has no taste.

MikeyFingers · #12 05-28-2010, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_NoBody

+1

But, i love what he are doing here.

Yeah definitely. He's got a bunch of videos on YouTube. Some of them are just crazy-ass slap/tap over the top solos, but he can definitely play with some real feeling and soul when he wants to. But I'm not a fan of that tinny "modern" tone. It sounds too....metallic...I don't know.

MonetBass · #13 05-28-2010, 07:06 AM

I agree with others. While his technique is definitely there, what he's doing isn't musical. I'd rather listen to something else.

Jasonic · #14 05-28-2010, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsalljustaride

Crazy. Looks like he's using some super-low action and a spiced-up tapping technique. I think a lot of the wow factor is just the angles he's putting his hand at to hit the notes.

His thumb is creepy looking at times. Like it's crawling across the fretboard.

Amazing technique, but I could barely stand to listen to the sound coming from it.

I'm with you. Once the musicality is gone-so am I.
Nice tricks, but I'll stick with Ray Brown or Scott LaFaro.

fearceol · #15 05-28-2010, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abngourmet

Um, wankery? I mean, would anyone buy a CD of this stuff? Not me.

+1. Would you sit back with a glass of wine or a beer and put on a cd of this ? I certailly would not.

Technique is all very fine, and this guy has it to burn, but it is supposed to be a tool for making music that connects with and moves people.

It would probably move people alright.... out the door of a gig or concert.

HaVIC5 · #16 05-28-2010, 10:54 AM

Guys, seriously, are we questioning this guy's musical taste because of a "look what I can do!" video on YouTube? Of course it's tasteless. I don't think he or anybody else has any pretentions to the contrary.

Check out that video that No_Body posted earlier. He very clearly is capable of making music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAhhEj1dYhk

MisterV619 · #17 05-28-2010, 11:07 AM

Just watched the guys second video that HaVIC5 posted. Like that one better than the first.
What he is doing looks similar to how chapman stick users play except he also incorporated bass slapping techniques with his right hand. For those of you who have never seen a chapman stick in action, check it out:

Tony Levin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOUkl46wzHo

Youtube search of chapman stick
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...ories=10&uni=3

Funky Chapman Stick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huWju0Ntn5g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-7uwxgJSoA

Goodbye Porkpie Hat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeNhS...eature=related

tjmdetroit · #18 05-28-2010, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

Guys, seriously, are we questioning this guy's musical taste because of a "look what I can do!" video on YouTube? Of course it's tasteless. I don't think he or anybody else has any pretentions to the contrary.

Check out that video that No_Body posted earlier. He very clearly is capable of making music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAhhEj1dYhk

I'm with you HaVICS...Screw them guys ....he's kewl...he's got good feel too.

Muaguana · #19 05-28-2010, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

Guys, seriously, are we questioning this guy's musical taste because of a "look what I can do!" video on YouTube? Of course it's tasteless. I don't think he or anybody else has any pretentions to the contrary.

Check out that video that No_Body posted earlier. He very clearly is capable of making music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAhhEj1dYhk

Maybe I'm just picky because I'm a composer, but that didn't flow really well. He was movin' and groovin', but the whole thing just sounded awkward IMO. The chords seemed juxtaposed in a seemingly random order with little deliberate thought behind the direction of the music. It sounded like he was wandering in his own little world with no momentum or purpose, playing chords for the sake of providing a riffing framework rather than to drive an unspoken story, and actually connect to the listener on an emotional level. He's feeling it, but - as much as I want to - I'm not.

I'm sticking with my previous reference to Jeff Schmidt as an example of a truly great musician and composer.

HaVIC5 · #20 05-28-2010, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muaguana

Maybe I'm just picky because I'm a composer, but that didn't flow really well. He was movin' and groovin', but the whole thing just sounded awkward IMO. The chords seemed juxtaposed in a seemingly random order with little deliberate thought behind the direction of the music. It sounded like he was wandering in his own little world with no momentum or purpose, playing chords for the sake of providing a riffing framework rather than to drive an unspoken story, and actually connect to the listener on an emotional level. He's feeling it, but - as much as I want to - I'm not.

I'm sticking with my previous reference to Jeff Schmidt as an example of a truly great musician and composer.

I never said it was particularly inspiring - compositionally it's a jumble and there's not melody or anything of that nature to speak of. He's just grooving. It's clearly music, though, and he very clearly can play something listenable with a feel and a pulse.