especially touring bands, as the DB is such a betch to travel with
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Electric Bass in Bluegrass
- Thread starter Alden Vines
- Start date
especially touring bands, as the DB is such a betch to travel with
I love those Alcoa Aluminum DBs! I used one on the Titanic Reunion Tour. We had such a sinking feeling.......
I'm more into theater and jazz these days, but I toured some festivals and clubs with a bluegrass band on upright for a few years.
I echo the mute recommendations - foam, on the bridge. Or wrap the strings with a handkerchief. You'll figure out how fast the decay needs to be.
Couple of other thoughts: I've met many of the "purists" talked about in this thread and elsewhere, and sometimes it's not only the presentation that's the issue. In addition to the decay, percussiveness (when necessary) and acoustic body noise, upright strings carry different overtones - even steel strings (vs gut). I can plug my upright in or put a mic in front of it, but they still come through, even more than the fundamental sometimes. Something I've also noticed listening to Ubass players.
But the biggest problem I hear when listening to a bluegrass band with an EB player is that he or she often can't work the dynamics the way the other instrumentalists can. Individual mics or single mic. It's the same problem I have personally when I try to play EB with bluegrass pickers. The guys I played with were good, and the dynamics were a huge part of every song. This is, IME, just as important to the purists. An EB at a consistent volume can ruin the vibe, even if it keeps the groove.
Guys like Jason Moore from Mountain Heart or Wayne Taylor from Blue Highway can pick up an EUB or EB and make it sound like an upright. But they work hard on every aspect of the sound.
I think many audiences don't care. Some even appreciate the electric. I, for myself, am tired of hauling the upright around, and it's only been about 11 years, all told.
Serve the music however you best can.
+++
P bass, though. Not a jazz.
I echo the mute recommendations - foam, on the bridge. Or wrap the strings with a handkerchief. You'll figure out how fast the decay needs to be.
Couple of other thoughts: I've met many of the "purists" talked about in this thread and elsewhere, and sometimes it's not only the presentation that's the issue. In addition to the decay, percussiveness (when necessary) and acoustic body noise, upright strings carry different overtones - even steel strings (vs gut). I can plug my upright in or put a mic in front of it, but they still come through, even more than the fundamental sometimes. Something I've also noticed listening to Ubass players.
But the biggest problem I hear when listening to a bluegrass band with an EB player is that he or she often can't work the dynamics the way the other instrumentalists can. Individual mics or single mic. It's the same problem I have personally when I try to play EB with bluegrass pickers. The guys I played with were good, and the dynamics were a huge part of every song. This is, IME, just as important to the purists. An EB at a consistent volume can ruin the vibe, even if it keeps the groove.
Guys like Jason Moore from Mountain Heart or Wayne Taylor from Blue Highway can pick up an EUB or EB and make it sound like an upright. But they work hard on every aspect of the sound.
I think many audiences don't care. Some even appreciate the electric. I, for myself, am tired of hauling the upright around, and it's only been about 11 years, all told.
Serve the music however you best can.
+++
P bass, though. Not a jazz.
normally, i'd say something like "use what ya got" .. but for bluegrass, i'd recommend using what the rest of the band expects you to use. If they are OK with an electric, well, there you go.. but if they are like the folks i've worked with over the years, you're gonna be looking for an upright, or a different genre / gig.
If you as an unknown newb want to play bluegrass and you want to play on your electric bass, accept that you just self eliminated yourself from 97% of the potential gigs that are available.
Do you wanna be a rebel or do you wanna be the person who gets a lot of gigs?
Playing a nice old upright bass in a good bluegrass band kicks a$$; why would you want to deprive yourself of that pleasure?????? Stay at home and be the electric player who gets occasional gigs or play the upright and learn to sing and be in demand every week of the year; the choice is easy for me...
Do you wanna be a rebel or do you wanna be the person who gets a lot of gigs?
Playing a nice old upright bass in a good bluegrass band kicks a$$; why would you want to deprive yourself of that pleasure?????? Stay at home and be the electric player who gets occasional gigs or play the upright and learn to sing and be in demand every week of the year; the choice is easy for me...
Yup, I can tell you from personal experience that Alcoa DBs are pretty fun on cruises. And just add a set of oars or a kayak paddle and you've got a life-boat.
I played in a bluegrass band for a few years with a P Bass w flats and always used a Bag End 15 with an Eden WT550. Always played up near the neck and EQ’ed the amp. Sounded great.
For the purest, NO!
But if the guys you're playing with don't care, and you're having fun - then yes.
But if the guys you're playing with don't care, and you're having fun - then yes.
okcrum
in your chest
Yeah, those symphony orchestra people are real PITAs, too.
And don't get me started about the jazzers....
All the aspects of an upright’s sound are significant!I'm more into theater and jazz these days, but I toured some festivals and clubs with a bluegrass band on upright for a few years.
I echo the mute recommendations - foam, on the bridge. Or wrap the strings with a handkerchief. You'll figure out how fast the decay needs to be.
Couple of other thoughts: I've met many of the "purists" talked about in this thread and elsewhere, and sometimes it's not only the presentation that's the issue. In addition to the decay, percussiveness (when necessary) and acoustic body noise, upright strings carry different overtones - even steel strings (vs gut). I can plug my upright in or put a mic in front of it, but they still come through, even more than the fundamental sometimes. Something I've also noticed listening to Ubass players.
But the biggest problem I hear when listening to a bluegrass band with an EB player is that he or she often can't work the dynamics the way the other instrumentalists can. Individual mics or single mic. It's the same problem I have personally when I try to play EB with bluegrass pickers. The guys I played with were good, and the dynamics were a huge part of every song. This is, IME, just as important to the purists. An EB at a consistent volume can ruin the vibe, even if it keeps the groove.
Guys like Jason Moore from Mountain Heart or Wayne Taylor from Blue Highway can pick up an EUB or EB and make it sound like an upright. But they work hard on every aspect of the sound.
I think many audiences don't care. Some even appreciate the electric. I, for myself, am tired of hauling the upright around, and it's only been about 11 years, all told.
Serve the music however you best can.
+++
P bass, though. Not a jazz.
“Working the dynamics” a huge point!
Thanks for saying this.
This is an interesting take away. Where we might feel left out and good enough what appears as a disgust with the image may for many be a respect for aspects they deem crucial to the music.
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Bluegrass Music Requirements:
Martin D28 Guitar
Gibson F-style Mandolin
Gibson Mastertone Banjo
Kay Upright Bass
Fiddle (no brand required, but prefer Strad copy)
Other:
Black string tie
Black polyester pants
White dress shirt, tucked in
No exceptions
Martin D28 Guitar
Gibson F-style Mandolin
Gibson Mastertone Banjo
Kay Upright Bass
Fiddle (no brand required, but prefer Strad copy)
Other:
Black string tie
Black polyester pants
White dress shirt, tucked in
No exceptions
I've jammed with local Bluegrass bands for about two years. I'm from southern Ohio so a lot of the players are from Kentucky -- many traditionalists. When I showed up at first, I got a few stares because I was playing an EB. After they heard me play, they just started giving me the chords, and began to treat me like one of them. When I asked them about the EB/UB controversy, they told me that they would prefer me playing an upright, but because I had the feel of the music on my EB, they didn't have any strong objections. Eventually I brought my upright, but only after I'd sat in a number of times on EB and learned a lot of their tunes. I'm a far better EB player than a UB player so I was able to catch on to their tunes much quicker on EB. Even the older players accepted me without any issues, but one of them leaned over to me one night before we started to play and said "don't get too loud with that thing."
Sorry, I know I have one but I can't seem to find it at the moment...maybe later.
Attachments
I always love these kinds of threads, someone asks about doing something out of the box, against the rules, against tradition, against what is thought of as right, and many chime in and agree, that no, it shouldn't be done.
Then, inevitably, about a bazillion examples are provided that shows about a bazillion others doing exactly that.
Music is always evolving, and there will always be those to explore new boundaries within a genre using the latest technology.
Then, inevitably, about a bazillion examples are provided that shows about a bazillion others doing exactly that.
Music is always evolving, and there will always be those to explore new boundaries within a genre using the latest technology.
I'm seeing an attached file of a V bass in my previous post. That isn't mine and was accidental while I was searching for the image of my washtub, I didn't know it was there until I just looked. Sorry for any confusion. The search for the washtub image will continue when I get a chance to setup my old desktop. Unfortunately I disassembled the washtub bass so I can't take another picture.
I was in a BG combo once on banjo. We went through bass players like Pavarotti as a pasta bar. We found a nice guy once and he was very good. He showed up for rehearsal with an acoustic bass guitar and they ran him out. He said he just uses it for rehearsals because he doesn't want to lug the dble-bass everywhere.
I was playing my 1941 Kay O100B when we won this. I was recruited specifically for the job, and we officially "practiced" twice. (I'm not really a "grasser" but I was familiar with the music.) We split the money, but since it's the only competition I've ever played in the guys let me keep the ribbon. Doesn't have much to do with this thread, but I thought I'd post it anyway.
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