Jeff Schmidt (upside down bass)

blopazone · #1 10-02-2009, 03:53 PM

Saw this guy looking for piccolo basses on youtube, and found the way he played very very interesting, yet very nice.

Wanted to see what u guys think of this one, i read somewhere that he just turned a right handed bass and learned to play that way. The way Jimmi Hendrix did i think

Jeff Schmidt Live Solo Bass (piccolo fretless)

This way he gets this like arpeggios with the bass thats sound incredible.

What do you think?

Armbruster · #2 10-02-2009, 03:55 PM

He's using a left-handed bass with right-handed string order. God knows.

T-MOST · #3 10-02-2009, 04:04 PM

I met Jeff a few years back at one of gerald veasley's bass Bootcamps. He was a monster then too!

Dan H. · #4 10-02-2009, 04:29 PM

That guy's got some serious chops, and a real unique approach!

His tuning is pretty unconventional, too! It appears that it's strung (high to low) Eb - Bb - F - C - F (dropped down a whole step from G). I don't know if I would call it a 'piccolo' per say, but Jeff Schmidt definitely can use it to great effect!

jollygiantchris · #5 10-03-2009, 01:08 AM

He's on these forums. Personally thats my favorite song of his I particularly like what is essentially the "chorus" around 1:05ish. His technique is really impressive kinda wish he'd write an article or do a video. Or something because I'd like to hear thoughts on how to integrate those types of techniques together.

perfektspace6 · #6 10-03-2009, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan H.

That guy's got some serious chops, and a real unique approach!

His tuning is pretty unconventional, too! It appears that it's strung (high to low) Eb - Bb - F - C - F (dropped down a whole step from G). I don't know if I would call it a 'piccolo' per say, but Jeff Schmidt definitely can use it to great effect!

Chops absolutely.

Unique approach? No way. If I heard this track as audio only I would swear it was Micheal Manring. The track is impressive but being such a big Manring fan, it's kind of annoying how much of a rip off this is.

Ian the bassist · #7 10-04-2009, 05:51 PM

Also being left handed I find it very impressive how he can play bass this way. I think he is a very good bassist but it's not the kind of music I would normally listen to.

jeff schmidt · #8 10-14-2009, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perfektspace6

Chops absolutely.

Unique approach? No way. If I heard this track as audio only I would swear it was Micheal Manring. The track is impressive but being such a big Manring fan, it's kind of annoying how much of a rip off this is.

Considering Michael and I shared the stage that night - I believe the correct term is "Homage".

"Rip off" - would be more like the jazz bass, bridge pick-up burps we'd get from the thousands of players who routinely play "The Chicken".

You don't play The Chicken . . . . . do you?

moving on.

of course I'm flattered any time people respond favorably to my playing and music (who wouldn't be!) but the response to the Apotheosis video has surprised me.

As the artist - I feel that I have videos of far more musical, emotional and even technical pieces online that don't get nearly the response that one does. I always wonder why.

Apotheosis was written rather quickly for THAT show (as an homage to michael who headlined) I never recorded or released the piece. It was - in all honesty - a one off.

But it's the one that gets passed around the most.

I'm not sure what the lesson is. Maybe - no matter how hard you try - there's no way to tell what people will respond to.

Don't know. But it's cool nonetheless.

Thank you!

blopazone · #9 11-11-2009, 02:01 PM

I do believe that Jeff plays more aggresivly sometimes, for example apotheosis, plus i dont think is a clear rip off. I think Michael was one of Jeffs influences so its a bit obvious to take a bit or more then that of the techniques or sounds that Michael might do, however, he still aproaches his own technique in one or another way, wich I think is spectacular

Sahm · #10 11-11-2009, 02:12 PM

Keith Horne from Hot Apple Pie, and many other country artists, plays that way too.

Check out some amazing stuff here(don't worry, it ain't country!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYmf1LJg8V8

blopazone · #11 11-11-2009, 02:27 PM

Great bassist admit it i was amazed as well, but seems to have a different technique (no need to say that its not the piccolo, string upside down technique, even though i dont think its a technique) wouldnt know how to explain though

JazzBass Love · #12 11-11-2009, 02:35 PM

I gotta admit it took me awhile to notice anything weird about the stringing. My dad plays a left handed bass strung right handed, so growing up I got used to seeing it. I can see how it would be confusing though.