Not Impressed with wooten's tone

[scatman]

My take......

Victor pro:
1) Plays mostly Fodera 4, and doesn't, for the most part, need extra strings to get his point across.
2) Respect his amazing humility
3) Always suggesting that cats know role of the instrument

Victor con:
1) Yes, needs heavier tone
2) Superchops may have created a monster, with real bad superchop clones
3) Who has he backed other than Bela and the Wootens?

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by scatman

3) Who has he backed other than Bela and the Wootens?

Branford Marsalis
Mike Stern
Bruce Hornsby
Chick Corea
Dave Matthews
Gov’t Mule
Susan Tedeschi
Vital Tech Tones (with Scott Henderson and Steve Smith)
The Jaco Pastorius Word Of Mouth Big Band

[Phil Smith]

I don't think it's so much Victor's "tone", I think it's more of his delivery of the notes, or at least that's how I "hear" it. The SMV "Thunder" album is great I think for hearing these nuances in different players.

To me he doesn't have as "potent" a sound as Stanley or Marcus does.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

Branford Marsalis
Mike Stern
Bruce Hornsby
Chick Corea
Dave Matthews
Gov’t Mule
Susan Tedeschi
Vital Tech Tones (with Scott Henderson and Steve Smith)
The Jaco Pastorius Word Of Mouth Big Band

As far as I know Vic has never recorded with Dave Matthews or The Dave Matthews but has guested with DMB onstage on two songs "#41" and "The Maker" (both with bass solos) with Stephan Lessard playing bass as well.

I taked briefly with Wooten before a show in Sacramento and he actually said he would like to do more straight ahead studio bass work on pop tunes etc but that producers didn't think to call him for simple grooves/backing bass stuff. Which is a shame IMO. Yes, he's known for his otherworldly chops, but at the most basic level he's a tremendous musician who can lay back and serve the song if need be.

Wooten has joked that Nathan East has his own island while he still tours in a bus playing small clubs, but Wooten certainly could dial it back and be an amazing studio cat if he wanted to.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

As far as I know Vic has never recorded with Dave Matthews or The Dave Matthews but has guested with DMB onstage on two songs "#41" and "The Maker" (both with bass solos) with Stephan Lessard playing bass as well.

He's featured on the Cd "Dave Matthews Band Live In Chicago"

[MixBass]

Victor plays some great groove bass on Buckshot LeFonque's "No pain, no gain".

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

He's featured on the Cd "Dave Matthews Band Live In Chicago"

Yes, on the two songs I mentioned.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

Yes, on the two songs I mentioned.

Yes an actual cd recording.

[Jared Lash]

I see. A matter of semantics. I should have said, "Victor Wooten" has never recorded in the studio with DMB, but was a guest on two songs on one of their live albums".

[basspro]

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

I don't think it's so much Victor's "tone", I think it's more of his delivery of the notes, or at least that's how I "hear" it. The SMV "Thunder" album is great I think for hearing these nuances in different players.

To me he doesn't have as "potent" a sound as Stanley or Marcus does.

I gotta agree with you on this one, I've heard very talented bassist's play through small combo's and make them sing and sound just awesome IMP.
Victor's tone is his own, weather playing through his old Ampeg gear or now through Harke, it's just not the tone for me or probably most of us. Just take 3 bassist and put them on the same rig,ask them to play the same song, and your going to hear 3 differant results.

[T-MOST]

Originally Posted by Skywalker83

I think these kind of threads are really good, they allow people to discuss topics like this and give their opinion.

BUT, regardless of his tone, Victor is a Grammy Award winning bassist with fans all over the world....so, he is obviously doing something very right!

+1 To each his own. Vic isn't suffering over those who "don't like his tone".

[julo]

Originally Posted by Skywalker83

I think these kind of threads are really good, they allow people to discuss topics like this and give their opinion.

BUT, regardless of his tone, Victor is a Grammy Award winning bassist with fans all over the world....so, he is obviously doing something very right!

Playing very very fast!!!

[basskillah]

I'm sure Victor's not impressed with your tone either.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Skywalker83

...so, he is obviously doing something very right!

Victor was obviously doing something very right in the '70s, too...before the Grammys & with a Univox Beatle bass.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

...he actually said he would like to do more straight ahead studio bass work on pop tunes etc but that producers didn't think to call him for simple grooves/backing bass stuff. Which is a shame IMO. Yes, he's known for his otherworldly chops, but at the most basic level he's a tremendous musician who can lay back and serve the song if need be.

...but Wooten certainly could dial it back and be an amazing studio cat if he wanted to.

I agree. Wooten would excel.
Back in the day, The Wooten Brothers Band played R&B covers/originals w/ Victor playing the bass to serve the song.
He's plays some nice stuff on this overlooked album by Mark O'Connor-
http://www.amazon.com/New-Nashville-.../dp/B000002LOL

...Glenn Worf, IIRC, is also on some tracks.

The cut ("Beaver Patrol") he played on the Jaco Big Band tribute is also very, very cool.
Amazon.com: Beaver Patrol: Jaco Pastorius Big Band: MP3 Downloads

[Buxtehude]

Originally Posted by 7StringBassist

Great Bassist Horrible tone. It sounded as if there was no balls to his sound when I heard his live material Id hate to be a flamer but, I seriously had to get this off my chest.

Stated before, he is a amazing player not to be a nay sayer on his talent but just his tone and I'm very unimpressed coming from a 5K bass

You crazy. I bet you play a P with flats. That's a tone that don't impress me: hiding

[Gunnerhea86]

Originally Posted by ElMon

In general, I don't like the thin, quasi-trombone-like tone of a lot of soloing bassists. Copping this kind of tone facilitates this type of playing and better communicates its more melodic nature, but give me a fat supportive tone any day. Of course, with guys like Victor, I"m simply an admirer of his very original voice but have absolutely NO desire to play like him or sound like him.

THISSSSS!!!!

[TBAR Shane]

I like Victors tone, but I wouldn't use it myself. I can say that about most great bassists. It seems like some people tend to think, that if a tone isn't one that they would use, than it's not very good. It's subjective to the player. A lot of people also seem to be approaching it as if tone is purely an EQ issue, while the hands play a much bigger role.

[christle]

I am not sure what the big deal is....I can listen to Wooten for hours but his tone is not my tone. It is a simple as that for me. I enjoy him for what he is: a fantastic musician that creates great music. What he does works very well for him and I take that at face value. I never want to emulate his sound. However I want to learn from him about music. Those of you that have made it to his music camps are truly blessed.

Besides, I am amazed that someone as technical as him can sound musical and not mechanical. That just blows me away.

[hands5]

I got to see him twice the 1st was a clinic he did @ Bass Central a couple yes ago and just recently here in St. Petersburg, fl @ Jannus Landing ( both were free ) and honestly after a couple of tunes I left.......just wasn't moving me,but no doubt a great player