Stevie Wonder / master blaster

[Yvon]

I've been larning this song for the last 2 days. Nathan Watts probably detune a half step on this song like on most SW song.

Do you think it would be important to detune my bass a half step and try to catch the exact sound and fingering?

Right now i'm playing it on a 5 string, so I can play the Eb on the 5th string...

Suggestions?

[lowerclef]

I'm listening to it now and don't hear any low Eb notes - you can do the whole thing on standard 4-string.

[VroomVroom]

My advice - play the tune on your axe. Unless it's impossible to play physically - I always adapt the actual music to my instrument. I've never detuned - that's what the low-B is for, right?

'Master Blaster' is a terrific tune. (Is the original in 'B' or 'Bb' - now you have me wondering?) Once you've got that, take a run at 'Sir Duke' - you'll love having the low-B for the interlude section.

[Yvon]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

My advice - play the tune on your axe. Unless it's impossible to play physically - I always adapt the actual music to my instrument. I've never detuned - that's what the low-B is for, right?

'Master Blaster' is a terrific tune. (Is the original in 'B' or 'Bb' - now you have me wondering?) Once you've got that, take a run at 'Sir Duke' - you'll love having the low-B for the interlude section.

I played sir duke many years ago on a 4 string...
I was cheating a little bit in the middle part. I was playing the 3 high notes an octave lower i think it was D-D#-E played at the 19-20-21 fret.

But you are right I think I will relearn it also.

[papajune]

yeah i just picked it up a day or so ago, its fine in standard tuning, the only trick comes at the end of the really long bridge run, The cool part, where the way i finger it i have to jump from a bflat on the e to a g on the e. its a little tricky to time it right so it sounds like everything else but i usually play a 5 anyway, theres other fingering choices as well so i wouldnt detune, it just take up time. a really fun tune though, try out some of the old stevie and jamerson tunes too, like i was made to love her and for once in my life, killer lines.

[Deacon_Blues]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

My advice - play the tune on your axe. Unless it's impossible to play physically - I always adapt the actual music to my instrument. I've never detuned - that's what the low-B is for, right?

'Master Blaster' is a terrific tune. (Is the original in 'B' or 'Bb' - now you have me wondering?) Once you've got that, take a run at 'Sir Duke' - you'll love having the low-B for the interlude section.

It's in Cm... I see no reason to tune down for this song neither.

I don't have a 5-string so I detune sometimes, Or, more often raise/lower the song ½ step if it's in Eb (I play Superstition in E to avoid detuning). I seldom tune down the whole bass, mostly just the E string but I need to tune it to a D not to confuse my muscle memory too much

Sir Duke is also a cool song to play, I was practicing that riff for a week until I got it right a couple of years back It's fully playable on a four string. But I start it on the lower B on the A string and jumps up after the first phrase. I had to learn it in G too later to be able to sing it also... which had me change the way I played it to be more like the original, only a maj 3rd down...