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Bass Guitar in Classical Music

M

metallibass95

Apr 7, 2009
126
2
#1
Does anybody think an electric bass guitar can fit in with a classical setting? And not classical like Symphonies and Orchestral arrangements within the past 100 years, i'm talking more on the lines of really technical piano parts from the Baroque period and stuff like that. I have already recorded a classical song with the lead guitarist from my band and my drummer is also an extremely talented pianist and has been playing alot of classical music lately along with piano solos from Kieth Emerson and Rick Wakeman. Although I have recorded that song I am finding it extremely difficult to fit a bass part in with classical piano parts. So what is everyone's opinion on this matter? Do you think it can fit with classical piano?


I can give you the link of our recorded song and I can also attatch a Finale 2006 file of my bass part on here too if you guys wanna hear or see my part.
 
#3
Okay here is the link. The song is in the music player on the page and is divided into 2 parts because it was too long to upload the whole thing. When we wrote this song we weren't really serious, almost joking, but we were experimenting with applying bass and electric guitar into classical music and it came out sort of like that. This is a VERY busy song with numerous melodies and counter melodies playing all at once, along with I think 12 key changes and a few time changes. But anyway its piano, synth, organ, guitar, bass, drums, and some weird effects overdubbed into it but I guess just tell me what you think.

Link Removed

I was unable to load the Finale sheet music on here because Finale files cannot be put on here but if anyone is interested in seeing the sheet music for it and has Finale then you can pm me and I can send it to you through another way.
 
#4
Actually sounds really cool.
The neat thing about this kind of thing is that you can work out your own parts and since it's a "new" version of something, it's "yours" and you can do what you want with it to give it your sound. That's what you've done here and that's what the music experience is all about.

Personally, I think you did what needed to be done. You laid a foundation without being in the way of what else is going on. That's our job as bassists. (Except for the odd times that we're "featured".)

Nice work!
 
#5
gottawalk said:
Actually sounds really cool.
The neat thing about this kind of thing is that you can work out your own parts and since it's a "new" version of something, it's "yours" and you can do what you want with it to give it your sound. That's what you've done here and that's what the music experience is all about.

Personally, I think you did what needed to be done. You laid a foundation without being in the way of what else is going on. That's our job as bassists. (Except for the odd times that we're "featured".)

Nice work!
Click to expand...

Hey man thanks alot. we were just experimenting with that one, but theres still the trouble of me and a pianist sitting in a room and him playing all kinds of technical stuff and me on the spot trying to make up something pretty technical as opposed to just playing chord changes. But we still really have our doubts about the bass fitting in with the piano though. Piano seems to be the only instrument I truly believe that is not dependent on any other instruments to accompany it, thats why its hard to make up technical stuff with a classical style to go along with what he is playing.
 
#6
sounds good and I have actually seen it! utube. I typed in amazing bass player and clicked on a bunch of related videos and this one where this guy was playing a beastly piece that I would describe as classical.
 
#7
Very interesting - I just recently downloaded Wakeman's Live at Hammersmith live album (mid-1980s) from eMusic, which includes medleys from King Arthur and Six Wives (two of my favorite albums from the 70s). You guys had a nice take on both.

If you're looking for a more aggressive approach to this type of thing, try to get your hands on recordings of some of Jon Camp's stuff with Renaissance. If you can find it, their double-CD release of the Live at Carnegie Hall concert is an especially good example of classically-influenced rock with the bass providing a lot of counter-melodies and harmonic rhythms. That show also featured a full orchestra, so the "classical" feel is very prominent.
 
#8
I should also mention that in Renaissance, there was no "lead" or electric guitar, at least not on most songs. Camp's bass and John Tout's piano/keys were the lead instruments - the other two instrumentalists were percussion and acoustic guitar. Of course, they also had one of the greatest female vocalists of the era in Annie Haslam (supposedly a five-octave range). But, my larger point remains - it is possible to make awe-inspiring music with piano and bass as the two dominant instruments.
 
#10
fargobass said:
I should also mention that in Renaissance, there was no "lead" or electric guitar, at least not on most songs. Camp's bass and John Tout's piano/keys were the lead instruments - the other two instrumentalists were percussion and acoustic guitar. Of course, they also had one of the greatest female vocalists of the era in Annie Haslam (supposedly a five-octave range). But, my larger point remains - it is possible to make awe-inspiring music with piano and bass as the two dominant instruments.
Click to expand...

wow man that is awsome! i'll be sure to check that out, thanks for the information.
 

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