Interviewing Bassists Stories part 2

[WokenDeer]

And it's all happening now for us all to see. Pretty cool.

[Reaper Man]

Cool stuff

[Arthritic_Tom]

Anybody here have a home recording studio?

I have an MP3 of me playing the bass, using every technique I learned over twenty years. I recorded it in order to preserve my now-lost skills. I'm no songwriter, but I called this composition "Ode to Bill Laswell and Pino Palladino," because they're two of my favorites and the tune is an homage--meaning I copped a lot of their licks.

There's also an almost note-for-note "homage" (snicker) to the best fill that Ray Shulman ever played, off the live version of "Free Hand."

The MP3 is just unprocessed, raw bass and a drum machine. I want to put this recording on my future Web site, along with a list of all the techniques used:

1. Open-palmed slapping of all strings. (0:02-0:06)

2. Raking with all four fingers ending in a slide. (0:07)

3. Pizzicato and double stops with three fingers. (0:08-0:21)

4. Raking, harmonics, chords. (0:21- 0:35)

5. Octaves plucked with thumb and two fingers. (0:36-0:37)

6. Tapping high-register chord with fret hand. (0:44)

7. One-handed tapping with fret hand. (0:49-0:50)

8. Using a pick. (1:06-1:33)

9. Two-handed tapping. (1:34-1:46)

10. Double stops strummed with fingernails. (1:47-1:53)

11. Sitar-style, with droning open D-string and pull-offs on G-string. (1:53-2:09)

12. Thumb and fret-hand slapping. (2:10)

14. Raking all four strings with thumb. (2:13)

15. Flamenco strumming in both directions. (2:46-2:49)

16. Descending slide on all four strings using heel of fret hand. (2:54)

17. Ascending slide on all four strings using both fret and picking hands to form a chord. (3:15-3:17)

It was all done live, in one take, with no edits. The problem is that the volume of the recording is too low, and there's a tape hiss because I recorded it with a player in front of my amp.

If there's anyone who thinks he or she can make me a louder, cleaner recording to post on my Web site, please PM me and I'll send you the MP3 by Wetransfer. In exchange, I'll give you a signed copy of the book and credit you as the mixer on the Web site.

Thanks very much.

[Roadkill]

I'll run it through Audacity for yah - it's pretty good at removing tape hiss and normalizing the volume. No charge .

[Arthritic_Tom]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

I'll run it through Audacity for yah - it's pretty good at removing tape hiss and normalizing the volume. No charge .

MP3 on the way.

It's the volume that most concerns me. I have to turn my volume all the way up on my 'puter to hear it clearly.

By the way, anyone who offers to do this for me gets a free copy of the book, even if I go with a different version.

We're up to, what, ten copies of the book with you now?

[Roadkill]

Originally Posted by Arthritic_Tom

MP3 on the way.

Just finished up, email on its way.

It's the volume that most concerns me. I have to turn my volume all the way up on my 'puter to hear it clearly.

The hiss was pretty amazing, especially after normalizing the volume . I ended up low passing as noise reduction didn't work well, besides the hiss there is some tape bias noise or some such like on that "Wish You Were Here" Pink Floyd tune.

We're up to, what, ten copies of the book with you now?

LOL

[Arthritic_Tom]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

Just finished up, email on its way. The hiss was pretty amazing, especially after normalizing the volume . I ended up low passing as noise reduction didn't work well, besides the hiss there is some tape bias noise or some such like on that "Wish You Were Here" Pink Floyd tune.LOL

Thanks. I've got a couple people tinkering with it, so maybe we can do something about the hiss.

[Roadkill]

Originally Posted by Arthritic_Tom

Thanks. I've got a couple people tinkering with it, so maybe we can do something about the hiss.

Great! May the best mixologist win .

[Arthritic_Tom]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

Great! May the best mixologist win .

I was a mixologist, but of the alcohol type.

My employment as a mixologist lasted a total of exactly four hours. Got fired my first night for telling a customer he was an insane [insert verb for what you do to your finger with a needle].

The final corrections to the book go to the publisher tomorrow, and it's off to the printer by the middle of the week.

We got us a book here, ya'll!

[TinIndian]

Originally Posted by Arthritic_Tom

We got us a book here, ya'll!

[TBrett]

Originally Posted by Arthritic_Tom

I was a mixologist, but of the alcohol type.

My employment as a mixologist lasted a total of exactly four hours. Got fired my first night for telling a customer he was an insane [insert verb for what you do to your finger with a needle].

The final corrections to the book go to the publisher tomorrow, and it's off to the printer by the middle of the week.

We got us a book here, ya'll!

Woo-hoo!

[natw42]

Hi Tom.

Just wanted to post here to tell you I'm about 2/3s the way through the first thread and I'm hooked. You're writing is like music and I can truly feel your sometimes tortured but beautiful soul through the written word. And I'm eating it all up.

Based on your sig i can see you've been making progress on the memoir but I'm not there yet in the narrative in the first thread. Once I make it through all the posts in that thread and this one I'll be sure to check it out as well as your other work.

Much Love, strength, and admiration.

[Arthritic_Tom]

Originally Posted by natw42

Hi Tom.

Just wanted to post here to tell you I'm about 2/3s the way through the first thread and I'm hooked. You're writing is like music and I can truly feel your sometimes tortured but beautiful soul through the written word. And I'm eating it all up.

Based on your sig i can see you've been making progress on the memoir but I'm not there yet in the narrative in the first thread. Once I make it through all the posts in that thread and this one I'll be sure to check it out as well as your other work.

Much Love, strength, and admiration.

Thanks very much!

The book is going to the printer this week, so it's finally finished. The next step is creating a Web site and working out a marketing plan.

As for the latter, there may be something connected to Talkbass, so stay tuned.

And thanks again. I owe existence of the book to readers like you.

[natw42]

Originally Posted by Arthritic_Tom

Thanks very much!

The book is going to the printer this week, so it's finally finished. The next step is creating a Web site and working out a marketing plan.

As for the latter, there may be something connected to Talkbass, so stay tuned.

And thanks again. I owe existence of the book to readers like you.

Well you spoiled the ending! Lol. I just got to the post where you said the publisher agreed to the book deal.

I'm still youngish, turning 31 next year, but I have to say you've put so many life lessons that I've learned the hard way into succinct and perfect phrases that really resonate. Having a dream but keeping it rooted in reality and having the proper support network stick out to me the most.

And despite the fact that you've lost the ability to physically play, your music lives on through your written word. I hope you realize what a talent you have- the way you feel about Scott Thunes bass playing is the way I feel about your writing. I can't wait to pick up the book!

[Arthritic_Tom]

Originally Posted by natw42

Well you spoiled the ending! Lol. I just got to the post where you said the publisher agreed to the book deal.

I'm still youngish, turning 31 next year, but I have to say you've put so many life lessons that I've learned the hard way into succinct and perfect phrases that really resonate. Having a dream but keeping it rooted in reality and having the proper support network stick out to me the most.

And despite the fact that you've lost the ability to physically play, your music lives on through your written word. I hope you realize what a talent you have- the way you feel about Scott Thunes bass playing is the way I feel about your writing. I can't wait to pick up the book!

Thanks again. If you like the thread, I promise you'll like the book.

It's only recently that I can listen to tapes of myself playing without feeling angry and sad that I can't do it anymore. I have a bunch of Talkbass readers fiddling with a tape I made so I can put it on my Web site when it goes up. It's got a whole bunch of techniques I invented, such as playing notes with the heel of your fret hand on the E-String and tapping double stops on the D and G strings.

I was going to illustrate them with still photos and make a slide show to go along with the MP3, but I found out last night that I can't even do fingerings on the bass anymore. It just hurts too much.

But it's okay! I still have that MP3 to prove that I could once do it, and maybe someday I'll get a bassist to model the techniques for me.

Or maybe I'll describe them and see if someone can duplicate the whole song. Maybe I'll have another contest, the prize being books with both my and Scott Thunes's signatures.

As one door closes, others open. So even though I miss playing, I can still enjoy watching others play.

[WokenDeer]

So a book that transcends the spirit conceived, created, and published all in a few months? Not bad.

[Arthritic_Tom]

Originally Posted by WokenDeer

So a book that transcends the spirit conceived, created, and published all in a few months? Not bad.

Hey, it was you people who convinced me to do this. I just wanted to start a thread to tell a few little stories so that I could finally close the door on this (mostly) sad chapter of my life. The last thing I ever intended was to write about music again.

And then the book turned out to be the best piece of work I've ever done. No question. When I say it's a masterpiece, I don't mean objectively; I mean, it's my masterpiece. It's my creative apex.

I have tons more to write, so you ain't heard the last of me, but as of tonight, Ghosts is the best writing I've ever done.

You all inspired me to write it and my publisher to fast-track it, so you should all be very pleased with yourselves.

Tell you a little inside-baseball secret: My editor cautioned me in May that it might take as long as a year to get it into print--the usual lead time for a book--unless I could write the thing by the end of August.

So I boldly promised that I could do it by the end of August, and they sent me the contract, stipulating that I have a complete book manuscript and sixty photos in less than three months.

When I sent in the contract, I thought, "That's just about the stupidest thing you've ever done, now, isn't it?"

But I came here every day and took strength and inspiration, and not only finished it but made it my best work.

Just don't ask me to write a full book in three months again. That's a once-in-a-lifetime feat.

[WokenDeer]

Ha well given the driving force and inspiration you had behind ghosts it's no wonder. Kind of like this masterpiece was waiting a long time to burst out of you.
Once is enough and we won't ask it of you again, maybe, but I have no doubt that if another piece of work with so much soul in it needed to get out. You'd find a way.
As it is, I think you've done a great thing. Can't wait to read it in all it's glory. Thanks Tom.

[testing1two]

Let me know if you need another set of ears to work on that mp3 or if you want to talk audiobook possibilities. Cheers and can't wait to hold the printed version.

[natw42]

Originally Posted by Roadkill

Awesome!

BTW I have a YouTube Playlist of everything you've recommended in the thread (I think) :
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA0D1A4D1EF823676
62 videos and counting .

You're a good man for doing that. Thanks!