Feelings on covering great bassists?

[GradyBass]

Hey all,

So I'm doing a show in a few weeks that's a cover-set. We're doing alot of old rock like the Stones, ZZ Top, Allman Brothers, etc. and one of our covers is "Thank You (Falletin Me Be Mice Elf)" by Sly and the Family Stone. It's a simple line, but it's some Larry Graham goodness. I play a 100% different style as Graham, and if I were to try to slap this song, I would make my soul (and guests) cry.

So my question is- how do you get comfortable covering a great bassist's work/a trademark bassline? Obviously I'm not gonna rewrite the line, but how do you balance it? How much of yourself to you add? What, if anything do you choose or HAVE to change about the original line? I'm very interested to see what process, if any, other bass players go through to get to show-readiness with a situation like this.

[BobaFret]

On bassplayer.tv look for the Bobby Vega lessons. He shows what he did to some of the Sly bass lines and they are quite different. You don't have to play it exactly like it's recorded.

[GradyBass]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear... a bit scatterbrained today, it seems.

My question is- how do you tackle ANY song that has such a definitive bass-line, or penned up by a HUGE player? Do you take it note for note and try to mimic the attack of each note? How much of yourself do you mix in? I'm not looking for actual answers, per se, but rather just have a discussion with everyone about what people's process is.

[dvh]

Originally Posted by GradyBass

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear... a bit scatterbrained today, it seems.

My question is- how do you tackle ANY song that has such a definitive bass-line, or penned up by a HUGE player? Do you take it note for note and try to mimic the attack of each note? How much of yourself do you mix in? I'm not looking for actual answers, per se, but rather just have a discussion with everyone about what people's process is.

No, at least I don't. I guess this is an old debate but I'd rather (along with the rest of the band) cop the melody, feel, and groove of a cover and let that stand. It depends on the musicianship of everyone, of course. May not be as big an audience getter but I'd rather play for myself and cats who 'get it'. YMMV

Note for note covers? A radio will do.

[ga_edwards]

Don't worry about it, play it like 'you' and get it ball park close. Chances are Joe Bloggs in the audience won't have a clue who Larry Graham is and just wants to dance and have a good time. As long as you lay down a good groove, no-one will care.

This goes the same for covering other famous basslines. Unless your in the business of making karaoke backing tracks, don't strive to sound like the record or the original player. Find your own voice. As long as you get the key licks, punters will be happy.

[michael_atw]

Originally Posted by dvh

No, at least I don't. I guess this is an old debate but I'd rather (along with the rest of the band) cop the melody, feel, and groove of a cover and let that stand. It depends on the musicianship of everyone, of course. May not be as big an audience getter but I'd rather play for myself and cats who 'get it'. YMMV

Note for note covers? A radio will do.

+1

I've done alot of covers from every genre. Still played them with the same Jaguar (not necessarily by choice though...more like out of necessity). I'd say, unless you're playing for the All-State Critic's Conference don't bother. If its just some bar-ish type deal, no need to worry. One of my guitarist friends has had issues with buzzed guys trying to tell him how to play "Little Wing" exactly like Hendrix...but they're one in a hundred. Bass is surely even less.

Nonetheless...one thing you might want to do if it bothers you to alter basslines note-wise and tonally is choose your covers carefully. When I've organized cover bands I've made sure the parts of the songs were completely in the range of the band. That meant for me no "Roundabout" or slap. Same went for the rest of the band. Some guys would insist on doing songs which were out of the realm of the ability of the instruments merely because the audience or the band liked it. But you gotta watch out for that.

EDIT: One thing that should be recognized though is playing some signature bass lines close to the original.

[BobaFret]

I'm always scatterbrained. I guess what I meant to show you was that Bobby took all the songs and completely redid them and they sound great. He did it with a bunch of Rocco Prestia stuff for TOP as well. It was just a sample to show that you don't have to play exactly like the record regardless of who played on it.

As was always posted I agree with needing to keep the basic feel of the song intact but feel free to add your flavor. You are the one playing it , no?

[GradyBass]

I sure am. I agree with everything everyone has posted. I don't like to cop it off 100% and mimic it (this song or any, for that matter). It's that little bit of ME in there that I have been working for 14 years to develop, and I don't like when people tell me it HAS to be the way as written or really trying to steal the vibe of the song. Fortunately, my band neither says this nor practices that way.

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by GradyBass

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear... a bit scatterbrained today, it seems.

My question is- how do you tackle ANY song that has such a definitive bass-line, or penned up by a HUGE player? Do you take it note for note and try to mimic the attack of each note? How much of yourself do you mix in? I'm not looking for actual answers, per se, but rather just have a discussion with everyone about what people's process is.

One of my bands in the gigging days did a lot of Yes covers (a good way to filter a room of chicks, leaving the gearheads and musicians). At the time I did everything I could to reproduce the sound and the lines identically to the studio versions as I could. We did their less challenging stuff so this wasn't too hard to do (Roundabout, Tempus Fugit, Yours Is No Disgrace).

Personally, I think it sounded awful. I was trying to clone Squire, just so happened my main bass at the time was my 70's 4001, and tho I had the songs almost perfect note for note it just sounded really sterile.

I've since played along with these same songs on my bunny FL and I muchly prefer how it sounds on my own bass with my personal tone. Tempus Fugit has a really neat sound played on the FL.... Anyway, the parts I can't play exactly the same I improvise my own bits and, well, I think it sounds better.

So if I had it do over again I'd break the law and stick to my own tone. I'd try to reproduce the parts as best I could but I'd improvise the parts I couldn't play .

LS

[JimmyM]

No matter how close you get to the original, there's always going to be a bit of yourself in there. But for learning exact basslines or not, I take it strictly on a case by case basis. If a song needs the exact bassline, it needs it and I'll do it. If not, I play something that sounds like it as best as I can but bringing my own individual style to it as well and not necessarily worrying about note for note but just copping the overall vibe. The best musicians I've seen in cover bands will play a song and make it their own.