Doesn't happen much, I think. I did see Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather get totally lost in the middle of " Put It Where You Want It. " It was pretty bad, but everyone muddled through to the end.I was just thinking as I was wastching some live performances (on SNL, Late Night... etc) and listening to the bass lines closely and it all sounds pretty darn perfect to me.... it makes me wonder, is there some sort of magic potion out there that allows a player to play a song perfectly?
If so, I sure need some!Cause it's never happened to me before!!!
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Do "Pro-Bassists" Ever Mess Up?
- Thread starter organworthyplayer337
- Start date
What is a mistake? An obvious clam, or a failure to hit the exact line from the album?
I am not a professional. I barely qualify as an amateur. But when I'm practicing reading with a recording and a chart, if I can't manage the syncopated 16th line on the paper, I try to hit a couple chord tones with a decent groove and pick up the written part in the next measure.
Obviously that would get me sent home at a session, but not at a dive bar, or even at a nostalgia concert playing my (non-existent) band's classic #1 hits.
I am not a professional. I barely qualify as an amateur. But when I'm practicing reading with a recording and a chart, if I can't manage the syncopated 16th line on the paper, I try to hit a couple chord tones with a decent groove and pick up the written part in the next measure.
Obviously that would get me sent home at a session, but not at a dive bar, or even at a nostalgia concert playing my (non-existent) band's classic #1 hits.
Yeah, you might be onto something there. Maybe Jimmie Johnson, too.
John Entwistle at 4 seconds into Summertime Blues. If you listen to Live at Hull, in the solo breaks of My Generation he whiffs it a bit too, if you judge by other recorded examples from the same period (Leeds, Live at Fillmore East 4/6/69).
There's plenty of times when Jack Bruce hits what might be considered a sour note. It's a bit harder to judge there given the jazz improvisation style, and they work, but there's some instances where it seems a bit of a stretch. In an interview when asked about some odd notes in Sweet Wine from Live Cream, he said "quite often, some of the best things that happen in improvisation come from mistakes." In the final refrain of Tales on the studio version, he doesn't do the walk down the first time. Whether that was a choice or not idk, but he always does the full walk down in all live versions, so maybe it was studio mess up.
Point being, everyone messes up, and to think that it's unacceptable I think is more a product of modern production that everything has to be so perfect and glossy to the point of removing the human element. Personally I really like hearing these clams, it reminds me that these songs were being recorded on the fly by real people. It's the same reason I like improvisation in life music.
Going into the last chorus, that where you're talking about right? He keeps playing the bridge riff a little bit too long. I actually only noticed that a few weeks ago, and I'd been listening and playing that song for years.
There's plenty of times when Jack Bruce hits what might be considered a sour note. It's a bit harder to judge there given the jazz improvisation style, and they work, but there's some instances where it seems a bit of a stretch. In an interview when asked about some odd notes in Sweet Wine from Live Cream, he said "quite often, some of the best things that happen in improvisation come from mistakes." In the final refrain of Tales on the studio version, he doesn't do the walk down the first time. Whether that was a choice or not idk, but he always does the full walk down in all live versions, so maybe it was studio mess up.
Point being, everyone messes up, and to think that it's unacceptable I think is more a product of modern production that everything has to be so perfect and glossy to the point of removing the human element. Personally I really like hearing these clams, it reminds me that these songs were being recorded on the fly by real people. It's the same reason I like improvisation in life music.
Going into the last chorus, that where you're talking about right? He keeps playing the bridge riff a little bit too long. I actually only noticed that a few weeks ago, and I'd been listening and playing that song for years.
George Porter (Meters), I think, had the most embarrassing moment that I had ever came across. He was backing a local New Orleans legend, Snook Eaglin. Snooks had a huge songlist that he could instantly recall. Anyway, Snooks called the song and George nodded his head then they started. Within a couple of bars, George got lost and couldn't get back on track. So, Snooks started calling out the changes, between verses but George never get back into the groove. By the end of the song, George had completely given and was laughing about the situation then Snooks said, "You probably never want that damn song again!"
Somewheres, on Youtube, there is the video of whole event.
Somewheres, on Youtube, there is the video of whole event.
Of course pros mess up. If you do something day in and day out, you'll naturally become more proficient in nailing your lines, but mistakes happen. Some players are so good that they slip the mistakes by even the best sets of ears. Nobody is perfect. Not even the pros.
Many-a-drummer has "dropped a beat". The likely spot is after a fill--then the feel of the song gets lost because the 2 and 4 end up on the 1 and 3. White church version vs Black church version
Still impossible no matter how much you practice. We are all human.
What is the best mistake for metal?
okcrum
in your chest
It's all about the recovery. I love the 1 second stinkeye Oz gives Will, then they kill it.
That wasn't a mistake. I was playing a harmony part a fourth up from the bass line (off 1 string on my 5'er).
I forget which Zeppelin song it was but in the Hammer Of The Gods tribute DVD Dave LaRue plays one very botched note on a quite simple Zeppelin tune. And it really shows on his face! 
Mike Portnoy looks over at him and laughs!!!!! I found it absolutely hilarious.
Dave LaRue is an amazing bassist and I've seen him play live flawlessly with both The Dregs and The Steve Morse Band and he also toured with Planet X playing some of the most difficult material for bass ever written. So I've got unending respect for the guy as a player. It was just kind of humanizing to see him fumble a relatively simple Zeppelin bass line.
Mike Portnoy looks over at him and laughs!!!!! I found it absolutely hilarious.Dave LaRue is an amazing bassist and I've seen him play live flawlessly with both The Dregs and The Steve Morse Band and he also toured with Planet X playing some of the most difficult material for bass ever written. So I've got unending respect for the guy as a player. It was just kind of humanizing to see him fumble a relatively simple Zeppelin bass line.
^This.
I was in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra for years back in high school. The director was an awesome guy called Jere Flint (cellist in the ASO for decades). On the first rehearsal every year (and throughout the season) he always told us the three most important things in music:
- Rhythm
- Rhythm
- Rhythm
I saw one of my favorite metal bands absolutely flub a live show and I was shocked because they're technically very sound in their recordings. I think they restarted a song once or twice and everything. Mistakes happen. It just happens to me more often I think ha.
Agreed, plus he's my friend, although it's been quite a while since I've seen himI forget which Zeppelin song it was but in the Hammer Of The Gods tribute DVD Dave LaRue plays one very botched note on a quite simple Zeppelin tune. And it really shows on his face!
Dave LaRue is an amazing bassist and I've seen him play live flawlessly with both The Dregs and The Steve Morse Band and he also toured with Planet X playing some of the most difficult material for bass ever written. So I've got unending respect for the guy as a player. It was just kind of humanizing to see him fumble a relatively simple Zeppelin bass line.
But I saw him live with the Dregs once, and he made such a clam that he swore at himself! Only clam in the show, though.
Exactly. That's what defines a pro.
Everyone's human, everyone makes mistakes. My personal best was playing a wedding on piano where I totally blew the recessional, and it just kept getting worse and worse as I kept going. I really can play the piano, but you'd never have known it from that performance. I've seen Les Claypool fluff a few phrases, but like others have said, it's just part of the territory. How you handle it is what makes the difference.
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