So I was watching some video clips of Bass Extremes

quatre03 · #1 07-11-2005, 02:54 AM

Victor Wooten is great but i know what he's doing. Steve Bailey scares me because i dont know what he's doing and he's so good at it. His Harmonics are so freaking clean, how does he do it? Why is Steve Bailey so good, and where can i hear more of him?

any insited into technique, style, or more recordings would be great. I cant find anything from him.

James Hart · #2 07-11-2005, 05:46 AM

He played some cool stuff with thte Rippingtons

try the discs:

Tourist in Paradise
Welcome to the St. James' Club
Curves Ahead
Weekend in Monaco

and as to why.... practice, vision and desire would be my assumption. You could most likely ask him directly through his site http://www.stevebaileybass.com/

**Blackbird** · #3 07-11-2005, 06:17 PM

He also has a solo disc called Dichotomy, which is only available as an import.

You probably should look for his instructional books and videos. He has a series of them out that predates the bass extremes stuff.

Bruce Lindfield · #4 07-12-2005, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quatre03

Victor Wooten is great but i know what he's doing. Steve Bailey scares me because i dont know what he's doing and he's so good at it. His Harmonics are so freaking clean, how does he do it? Why is Steve Bailey so good, and where can i hear more of him?

any insited into technique, style, or more recordings would be great. I cant find anything from him.

I've got a video of Bass Extremes and my opinion is that he is really using guitar technique on 6-string bass - I feel he is more of a guitarist who happens to use bass; whereas Victor is a real bassist who follows a tradition of Funk and Jazz players like Stanley Clarke - whereas Steve Bailey's solos sound like rock guitar solos, to me....?

FAMILIAR CHILL · #5 07-12-2005, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

Victor is a real bassist who follows a tradition of Funk and Jazz players

Just because Bailey doesnt "FUNK" it up all the time doesnt mean he is any LESS of a bassist. There is a large world outside of funk and jazz. "REAL" or not in your opinion, Bailey is great at what he does.

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #6 07-12-2005, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I've got a video of Bass Extremes and my opinion is that he is really using guitar technique on 6-string bass - I feel he is more of a guitarist who happens to use bass; whereas Victor is a real bassist who follows a tradition of Funk and Jazz players like Stanley Clarke - whereas Steve Bailey's solos sound like rock guitar solos, to me....?

Well seeing as how he plays bass GUITAR...

How is it any better to play solos that sound like horn players, as many of the bassists who you hold in high regard do?

And how can someone be a guitarist who happens to play bass? If you're playing bass, then you're a bassist- if you don't play guitar, then you're not a guitarist.

Tash · #7 07-12-2005, 02:41 PM

This makes total sense! Its made everything clear for me! I am not a bassist, I am a Formula 1 driver who happens to play bass instead of driving a car...

Bruce Lindfield · #8 07-13-2005, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

How is it any better to play solos ....

I think you and the previous poster have read something that wasn't there...

I made no value judgement - I didn't say one was "better" than the other - I was just trying to answer the questions the original poster put about his "style and technique".

I was giving my take on it - if you like rock guitar solos, then obviously he's your man!

I was just pointing out the differences between the two. I definitely prefer Victor's playing - but that's just my personal preference - surely I'm allowed that - or are you saying I must like Steve Bailey - sounds a bit "fascistic" to me....?

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #9 07-13-2005, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I think you and the previous poster have read something that wasn't there...

No, we just read something that you wrote. Maybe you didn't realize you wrote it.

When you write "I feel he is more of a guitarist who happens to use bass; whereas Victor is a real bassist," you're obviously inferring that Bailey is less of a bassist- otherwise you wouldn't have said he was a guitarist that happens to play bass, and then go on to say that Victor is a "real" bassist when comparing the two.

And again, if you don't want everyone to think you feel Bailey's "rock guitar solos" are less valid than Wooten's, you shouldn't have included the comparison of Wooten being a "real bassist....whereas Steve Bailey's..."

No one said you have to like him, and the responses you received were far from "fascistic"- they just responded to the words you used. Now if someone started a thread asking what Jaco's technique was, and someone responded "My opinion is that he is really using guitar technique on a bass - I feel he is more of a guitarist who happens to use bass; whereas Dusty Hill from ZZ Top is a real bassist who follows a tradition of Country and R&B players like Carol Kaye - whereas Jaco's solos sound like rock guitar solos, to me....?", you would have flipped your girdle. We know this because we've seen you do it multiple times in the past when someone gives a critique of Jaco's playing with few facts to back up their claim as you have.

Bruce Lindfield · #10 07-13-2005, 06:06 AM

I think you're missing the point big time and writing in all kinds of stuff I never wrote - so the original poster was asking about insights into technique.

So - from watching the Bass Extreme videos, you can see that Victor uses techniques devleoped from opther Jazz/Funk bassists like Stanley Clarke - and he has said as much in interviews as well.

From what I saw, Steve Bailey was using techniques, which come from or were first used/developed by heavy rock guitarists - so for example, the way he plays artificial harmonics is the same way that several rock guitarist do it - his distorted , high register solos are also very reminiscent of rock guitar solos...

I think what I said was based on what you can see and are clearly demonstrable facts - it's only you who have applied value judgments to this - not me!!

James Hart · #11 07-13-2005, 06:06 AM

Calling another bassist real in compairison to Steve IS a value judgement... but as you said, you are allowed your opinion. For what it's worth, although I can respect the talent he has, I really don't like much of Vic's playing. Yes I own a bunch of discs solo and from Bela... and it's after hours and hours of listening that I formed MY opinion.