- Jan 12, 2011
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80's old school - Wayne Braithwaite
- Thread starter 20db pad
- Start date
Just came across this thread after looking the bassist for Kashifs Stone Love. One of funkiest lines around! True hidden gem.
Was sad to hear the guy passed away so young.
Question about that bassline -
I’ve been transcribing that bassline, is that played on a 5string bass or did he just tune the strings one tone lower (he hits a low root D there). Any other thoughts on the sound in that track? Jazz bass? DI + Amp or what do you think guys??
Was sad to hear the guy passed away so young.
Question about that bassline -
I’ve been transcribing that bassline, is that played on a 5string bass or did he just tune the strings one tone lower (he hits a low root D there). Any other thoughts on the sound in that track? Jazz bass? DI + Amp or what do you think guys??
I'm away from a musical instrument, but I remember this tune as being in a flat key, so there'd be a Eb below the E on an electric bass, but not a D as a normally occurring root note or chord. In any event, it would still need a 5 or a downtuned 4.
R+B and Funk studio players commonly downtuned four strings in the early 80's, and I'd bet this is what Wayne did as well. Marcus Miller was active in the NYC scene at the same time Wayne was and he mentions that everybody downtuned when needed in several interviews. Michael Jackson's "Rock with You" is an example of a monster hit with downtuned 4. Any sort of bass guitar with a low B string was still almost unheard of when "Stone Love" was cut. There are exceptions, but if you hear any R+B bass guitar track from 1983 out of NYC with bass notes below E that wasn't Anthony Jackson, it's probably downtuned four string. He was the only guy in town playing 6 string with a low B at the time and it wasn't entirely accepted back then.
Back in those days in this style of music, DI was common, with maybe a little miked Ampeg B-15 added in for flavor. Definitely a Jazz bass, maybe some palm muting. I'd argue that maybe there was a synth backing up the bass track, along with the idea that Wayne may have used a pick, which Anthony Jackson was doing a lot back then too.
R+B and Funk studio players commonly downtuned four strings in the early 80's, and I'd bet this is what Wayne did as well. Marcus Miller was active in the NYC scene at the same time Wayne was and he mentions that everybody downtuned when needed in several interviews. Michael Jackson's "Rock with You" is an example of a monster hit with downtuned 4. Any sort of bass guitar with a low B string was still almost unheard of when "Stone Love" was cut. There are exceptions, but if you hear any R+B bass guitar track from 1983 out of NYC with bass notes below E that wasn't Anthony Jackson, it's probably downtuned four string. He was the only guy in town playing 6 string with a low B at the time and it wasn't entirely accepted back then.
Back in those days in this style of music, DI was common, with maybe a little miked Ampeg B-15 added in for flavor. Definitely a Jazz bass, maybe some palm muting. I'd argue that maybe there was a synth backing up the bass track, along with the idea that Wayne may have used a pick, which Anthony Jackson was doing a lot back then too.
Inanimate_carb - that’s some serious insight man, thanks!
Let me hit you with another one since you know your stuff on these classic records - “There it is” (Shalamar on solar records from around 1982), Leon Sylvers III produced and (I think) plays the bass there - incredible line as well.
Sound is a bit more mid rangey and in your face (probably fair amount of this is due to mix choices after recording), but especially it has this nice grainy “growl” edge to it. Is that an Ampeg B15 driven a little hard? Any thoughts on this sound? I think the part of the sound I’m talking about is less guitar and more amp settings / eq .
Would love to get anywhere near this type of vibe!
Let me hit you with another one since you know your stuff on these classic records - “There it is” (Shalamar on solar records from around 1982), Leon Sylvers III produced and (I think) plays the bass there - incredible line as well.
Sound is a bit more mid rangey and in your face (probably fair amount of this is due to mix choices after recording), but especially it has this nice grainy “growl” edge to it. Is that an Ampeg B15 driven a little hard? Any thoughts on this sound? I think the part of the sound I’m talking about is less guitar and more amp settings / eq .
Would love to get anywhere near this type of vibe!
In those days, the OG guys always say that there was an Ampeg B-15 in every major studio. If there’s an “amp” sound happening on R+B/Soul records of that era, it’s likely a B-15. In addition, it wasn’t unheard of to drive the channels of the mixing board to get a little dirt, and there’s actually a few pedals out there now that are designed to sound like that.
In any case, it’s important to note that those guys played a little more forcefully that what is currently normal now, didn’t use a ton of high end, and the sound was helped along with studio-quality compression and/or peak limiting.
If I’m shooting for that sort of sound, I’ll almost always find it in a passive Fender, with a tone knob cut and either old or new roundwounds or flats to taste - great records were made with all of those string types.
Hi. Haven’t talked about my friend Wayne braithwaite in years. For those of you who don’t know,Wayne,myself another brother named victor and Alex all started playing together around the same time. The first band Wayne was in was with us four. We were known as BLACK GOLD. We were all just starting high school. I’m Perry the guitarist. All of us lived on Greene avenue in Brooklyn except victor who was the drummer. We spent many evenings in all of our basements practicing and making music together. We went to Bushwick high school on Irving ave. So if there’s anybody out there who wants to know anything about Wayne’s humble beginnings I’m sure the person to ask. He was exceptionally good and went on to levels I never imagined when we first started playing instruments. I haven’t seen or talked to Alex in years. He was the lead singer and percussionist. I believe he lives in North Carolina now. And sadly victor passed away along time ago as well. Before Wayne I believe. Anyway if anybody out there reading this would like to ask me anything please feel free to do so.
He played with Jonathan Butler, right? I loved his first album and also Deliverance. Is he also the bass player on Thomas dolby's aliens ate my Buick?
What other records did he play on that I should know about?
What other records did he play on that I should know about?
Not sure about all he played or recorded with. Our time together was early beginning years. Battle of the bands and talent shows in the mid 70’s type of stuff. We also backed up a 3 girl singing group around tha time.
He toured also with Herbie Hancock. I had a cassette with a complete show (a long time ago....).
Wow, thanks for posting that. What a weird time period that was, from the music, the grooves, to the crappy keyboard sounds to the body language and the fashion. Nothing that is really worth revisiting.Still cool to watch it (once) so see how far we have come.
Funny how that kind of slapping was impressive at one time. I still really like a lot of the Johnathan Butler stuff that Wayne played on. But boy how far the bass has come in just a few decades. What players are doing now is from another universe.
Sorry to spoil anything here about Wayne but,that is not Wayne slapping bass there. Doesn’t look like him at all. And he certainly wasn’t left handed unless I’m missing something here. I was there with him in the beginning. He was definitely right handed
Definitely not Wayne. That’s an insult to his name posting that as him. Somebody should have researched better. Like I said before we started together. I only wish I took the playing as serious as he did. I’m trying to find out if I can find some old pictures of us playing together back in high school. I’ll see if some of my family or sisters have any. There were lots of pictures back then of us. Just have to get lucky and connect with people from back then who has some.
Wayne Braithwaite,great player!!
I love his groove/tone/playing....really tight!
He plays some great grooves even on Kenny G’s “G Force”.
As mentioned by everybody,he was a J Bass guy,but I can hear clearly that he also played a Stingray from time to time,on tracks like Howard Johnson’s “jam” or “Let me be yours” by Lillo Thomas...I like so much this track and Wayne’s bassline that I covered it
I love his groove/tone/playing....really tight!
He plays some great grooves even on Kenny G’s “G Force”.
As mentioned by everybody,he was a J Bass guy,but I can hear clearly that he also played a Stingray from time to time,on tracks like Howard Johnson’s “jam” or “Let me be yours” by Lillo Thomas...I like so much this track and Wayne’s bassline that I covered it
Wayne Braithwaite was bassist who did a great job of adjusting to the world of drum machines and keyboard bass. I enjoyed his work.
Off topic: Herbie Hancock actually did a good job impersonating a pop star. He look very comfortable bouncing around and greeting the fans. He has had maybe the most varied career of a truly serious Jazz artist ever. He had the legitimate hit records that Miles Davis always wanted but never quite got (Miles had to “settle” for the best selling Jazz album of all time.
) Wayne Braithwaite did a great job as a sideman because he really stuck to that Bill Laswell bass line because Laswell’s feel was crucial as the glue of that song. It looked like he added a preamp to his Jazz, I wonder what it was?To me, the Eighties were a cool time because the role of bass guitar was diminished, but it was clear that there was a place for the creative player who was not afraid of the new technology.
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Oh. By the way most people back in the seventies when Wayne braithwIte and I were playing together called me by my middle name PERRY. From Greene ave in Brooklyn. Most people except for the ones I went to school with and family only knew who James Owens was. He was determined from day one. I lost contact with him in the early 80’s but was happy to see and hear of all his accomplishments. He has a younger brother Larry I believe his name was. If your seeing this Larry I just wanted to say hello. Perhaps you remember me Wayne and Alex from across the street from you when we spent many a nights in your basement practicing.I remember our beginnings like it was yesterday.
