Paul McCartney on Letterman

[lowdownwalt]

Enjoyed Paul on David Letterman.

Real gentleman and straight ahead simple yet effective bass player. Very talented and a great personality.
Never noticed before that he plays with a pick.

[Exploiter8]

Yes, I watched, too. It was a rerun from last summer. Mesa/Boogie rig?

X8

You're kidding with the pick comment, right?

[lowdownwalt]

Originally Posted by Exploiter8

X8

You're kidding with the pick comment, right?

No not kidding. ;-)

[Exploiter8]

Okay, cool.

X8

[Hutzbordello]

what did he play?

[Exploiter8]

"Get Back" and a song from the "Fireman" album or something like that.

X8

[LowNoteRyan]

Paul is a great bassist. Everything he used to play back in the days of The Beatles was a little too easy, and I know he could of tore up that bass better than he did. and Yes, he did use a pick.

[Shakin-Slim]

I wouldn't call his Beatles stuff easy. Especially not on the later albums

[JimmyM]

even his early stuff isn't that easy. some of it is, but some of it's downright difficult. people who think beatles bass parts are easy are usually the million notes a second types who can't play eight to the bar or whole notes on the one to save their lives.

[Mudfuzz]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

even his early stuff isn't that easy. some of it is, but some of it's downright difficult.

And sing at the same time....

Now that's hard.

[Febs]

Originally Posted by LowNoteRyan

Everything he used to play back in the days of The Beatles was a little too easy,

and I know he could of tore up that bass better than he did.

And if he had, his bass lines would not have served the song the way they do. That is part of his genius.

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

even his early stuff isn't that easy. some of it is, but some of it's downright difficult. people who think beatles bass parts are easy are usually the million notes a second types who can't play eight to the bar or whole notes on the one to save their lives.

Not only that, many don't realize that most of the bass parts were written and recorded last. Instead of the notes being the root, he purposely wrote bass lines that harmonized with other instruments.

Most of his bass lines aren't difficult to play in that they are super fast or physically challenging but rather learning them is the hard part because they aren't what you first think they are or what you normally expect a bass line to be.

We all know his song writing talents, but Paul is a super creative, dare I say "genius", when it comes to bass line writing.

[jbl71004]

I still can't play that one little riff during the bridge in Taxman

[plangentmusic]

In the studio, Mac was a brilliant composer of bass lines. Nothing technically astounding, but clever and with more chops than he's been credited.

Live, he has to simplify because the name of the game is performance and the vocals. Still, one of the great innovators and influences on the instrument.

[plangentmusic]

Originally Posted by jbl71004

I still can't play that one little riff during the bridge in Taxman

A very cool riff. The secret is to use the open D.

[jbl71004]

A very cool riff. The secret is to use the open D.

Been a bit since I tried it but I don't think I used the open D. Nice . Homework .

[LowNoteRyan]

Well some of his stuff is easy, I never said all of it was easy. If you can just pick out what notes he is playing and in what kind of tuning, you wont have a problem playing it. The rhythm comes naturally when you hear him play. hes great, just I know he could of tore up that bass much more than he did. and yes, singing while playing, is VERY hard.

[pajrul]

i thought they switched instruments in this song. I know for sure paul did the guitars and the solo in taxman....didnt george played bass instead?

Originally Posted by jbl71004

I still can't play that one little riff during the bridge in Taxman

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by LowNoteRyan

Well some of his stuff is easy, I never said all of it was easy. If you can just pick out what notes he is playing and in what kind of tuning, you wont have a problem playing it. The rhythm comes naturally when you hear him play. hes great, just I know he could of tore up that bass much more than he did. and yes, singing while playing, is VERY hard.

paul played what was right for the music. if it was right to tear it up, he tore it up. if it was right to lay back, he laid back. not every song requires "tearing it up." even john entwistle would lay back if it was right for the music.

[Stumbo]

Here's a good song for learning a Mac bass lines: "A Little Help From My Friends".