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07-20-2005, 09:22 PM
| | Upstanding Bassist | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wadhams! NY (Adirondacks) | | | Count me in!
Hi. My name is Steve and I play bluegrass. (HI STEVE!) I was a hotshot slabpicker in high school and college. Got an upright about 11 years ago and started playing bluegrass on it. Spent 8 years backing up the Dixie Pals' mandolinist Dick Staber and a couple of seasons with the 2003 national dobro champion. I've been to a lot of festivals, played in a lot of jams, met a lot of great folks. Glad to see this thread on TB.
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09-09-2005, 11:01 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: North Carolina | | | Bluegrass bass
Yeah, that would be me in a nutshell. I appreciate many forms of music, but feel my musical statements (or understatements, due to my instrument and what my role is) should be presented within the bluegrqass format.
I own 2 American Standards, #731 (1939-1940) and #2753 (1955-1958) and I also have a Gretch Tone King Bass (built in the Kay factory for Gretch) about the same as a C-1.
My early BG bass influence was Todd Phillips within the context of The Bluegrass Album Band recordings headed up by Tony Rice. Tom Gray of the Seldom Scene has been a favorite, though I don't do too much walking.
In early 1990, I met and very quickly became friends with a young BG bassist who has gone on to become a stylist. His name is Barry Bales and has held down the low end for Alison Krauss since about May of 1990.
Talking with and playing Barry's American Standard at Merlefest inspired me to seek one out for myself. He has now heard mine and I think he covets my basses.
I also have 2 children still in my home, both of which are fluent in BG bass.
For me, it boils down to staying in time, in tune, with good tone and out of the way, supporting the other musical efforts of players and singers.
There's a monster bassman here in NC named Zack McLamb who is one of my new favorite players. He owns a late 30's Kay with high action and can blow the house down.
Oh, BG Bassist, be ye not afraid to jack up thy action, in order to allow thy instrument to be heard.
That's me. |
10-30-2005, 05:23 PM
| | crosswind downwind bass | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tacoma WA | | | breaks
If I could stretch this thread a little longer...
Of the folks who go to bluegrass and oldtime jams, don't the players usually go around a circle and take turns with a break? How many of you take a break on your bass in a jam? 
Dwight |
10-30-2005, 05:29 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Boulder, CO | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by poptime If I could stretch this thread a little longer...
Of the folks who go to bluegrass and oldtime jams, don't the players usually go around a circle and take turns with a break? How many of you take a break on your bass in a jam?
Dwight | Always! |
10-30-2005, 05:32 PM
| | crosswind downwind bass | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tacoma WA | | | The reason I ask is, I started playing the upright less than a year ago, and have been to a few jams. I am still a little hesitant to stick my neck out and take a break. I have not seen other bassists at the jams taking breaks either. I don't know if it is bad form, or are they as reluctant as I have been. I hope to start lessons the beginning of the year to get me to the point where I could take a break if it is appropriate.
dm |
10-30-2005, 05:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: AL/GA | | | I generally don't...mainly because I don't usually run into too many people at bluegrass jams who recognize a tasty bass break when they hear it. Invariably, when a bass break comes around, most of them will yell "SLAP THAT THANG!". At that point, you could pull off the most melodic, unique solo of your life and nobody will even notice. If they see you ain't slappin', they stop paying attention. I just keep the groove going. |
10-30-2005, 06:31 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Shillington | | I love playing Bluegrass: : Been doing it for 30 yrs now. We have a weekly Mon nite jam going on 7yrs that weve just started taking out and people seem to genuinely enjoy it. But somehow playing in a line, amplified on a stage isnt as much fun as standin' around pickin' a circle. |
10-30-2005, 08:33 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by mchildree I generally don't...mainly because I don't usually run into too many people at bluegrass jams who recognize a tasty bass break when they hear it. Invariably, when a bass break comes around, most of them will yell "SLAP THAT THANG!". At that point, you could pull off the most melodic, unique solo of your life and nobody will even notice. If they see you ain't slappin', they stop paying attention. I just keep the groove going. | Hey Mike, I wonder if they yelled that at Dave Holland when he was playing with Vassar Clements.  |
10-31-2005, 05:58 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: AL/GA | | | Marcus, amazingly enough, I've heard more than one bluegrass "expert" claim that Vassar "can almost play the fiddle". I love the music, but the hyper-narrrow-minded attitude really bugs me much of the time. |
10-31-2005, 06:48 AM
|  | Supporting Member | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Asheville NC | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Jason Sypher Well, I've played with Vassar a number of times and I can tell you that he can certainly play the fiddle..... | +1 ! !
As far as breaks, I agree that alot of the real traditional guys don't expect or really want to hear bass breaks. Since they don't, most of the amateur guys who emulate the old timers don't want em either. And even if they did, they wouldn't know what to do with it if you gave it to them. If you're lucky enough to be around some enlightened pickers however, go for it. Every situation is different, learn to read it and do what's appropriate. I do some really traditional BG gigs and I just play the bass player role as well as I can. When I go do my younger audience type gigs, more newgrass and hippygrass, I can stretch. These people are more used to jamming and nontraditional roles. Have fun and be solid and everything will be fine. |
10-31-2005, 10:38 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: West Tennessee | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by mchildree Invariably, when a bass break comes around, most of them will yell "SLAP THAT THANG!". At that point, you could pull off the most melodic, unique solo of your life and nobody will even notice. | Yeah, but YOU notice.
Still, I really don't think bass breaks work very well in the semi-chaos of a bigger jam session. Sometimes there may be 10-15 people (invariably 3 heavy fingered banjo players and 6 guitarists who are all slightly out of time with each other). joining in. You just get lost in the shuffle. On three different occasions I have actually have people come up to me and begin talking to me WHILE I was taking a break!
I just see melodic solos as working much better in a small group setting than in a jam.
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10-31-2005, 10:51 AM
| | crosswind downwind bass | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tacoma WA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Steve Killingsworth Yeah, but YOU notice.
Still, I really don't think bass breaks work very well in the semi-chaos of a bigger jam session. Sometimes there may be 10-15 people (invariably 3 heavy fingered banjo players and 6 guitarists who are all slightly out of time with each other). joining in. You just get lost in the shuffle.. |
I understand what you are saying. Timing is hard enough without the bass (drum) in a jam. Quote: |
Originally Posted by Steve Killingsworth On three different occasions I have actually have people come up to me and begin talking to me WHILE I was taking a break! | 
Last edited by D McCartney : 10-31-2005 at 10:54 AM.
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