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"Get Lucky" original bass score

Carlo Vanoni

Carlo Vanoni

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May 20, 2014
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#1
Hi, everyone!

Several months ago, Nathan East posted on facebook some photos of the bass score of "Get Lucky". There where just a couple of pages, if I well remember. But I don't remember if it was just a "social photo" (I suppose so...) or if he actually posted the full score somewhere.
Does anyone have any info about it?
 
#4
The pics on Nate's FB are shots of the score that they played at the 2014 Grammy Awards. Apparently the arranger/MD Chris Caswell provided that part for Nathan to play as part of a larger arrangement within the show. It might not be an exact transcription. The written score for award shows generally isn't available for retail sale, as that's not the reason it's created for.

I'd be very surprised if there was written sheet music at the original Daft Punk session for "Get Lucky". Aside from Nathan himself, the principals involved in that production aren't really heavy readers, and Nathan was brought in for his style and approach, not to read music down.
 
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#6
Well, of course I don't need the score to play it. No problem jamming on the chords with the right rhythm.
I was just curious to look at the score (if any):
- to read the score while listening to the track and check if the arranger gave Nathan just some ideas about what to play or if he asked to play the exact notes
- to "visually" analyze the score, that can be quite interesting
- to satisfy my curiosity
Given what 20db pad said, it looks like the score is not available. Furthermore, there probably wasn't any bass score for the recording session.
To tell the truth, I found it quite strange that someone wrote down a bass score such a song.
 
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#7
Carlo Vanoni said:
To tell the truth, I found it quite strange that someone wrote down a bass score such a song.
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Fot the Grammys, that material has to be orchestrated and arranged properly, right down to the last second, in order to keep the show going as planned, and at the right time. This is important when it's a live broadcast and and hundreds of thousands of dollars in union wages have to be paid. There's no room for improvisation or dead air, so everything is written out. Yeah, Nathan East played on "Get Lucky" , but if he falls ill or can't make it to the job, someone else has to play that arrangement as written. It's just a safeguard to ensure a clean, professional, and planned performance.
 
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#10
J Posega said:
It's four chords ad naseum, and you can play the D an octave down sometimes if you've got a 5. You don't need a score.
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Whaaaaaaaaaaaat???? I think maybe you're thinking about the crappy weekend warrior hack-job version.

Sorry, but there's way way more to it than that. Listen to it closely with headphones and you can lots of subtlety Nate injects into the track. Just about every 4th bar he throws in a different lick, each better than the last. I'd love to see a note-fo-note transcription of this bass masterpiece!
 
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#12
J Posega said:
Sure he plays some good fills, but I prefer to play my own fills on a track that's only got 4 chords. Otherwise it just gets boring to me.
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Yes...that's exactly what Nathan East did. He played his own fills over the same four chords and BAM! the song became a worldwide smash hit. I like to think the bassline had more to to with that than anything else.
 
#13
I've got to disagree, nobody but us gives a fk about the bass part besides the fact that it's pulsing and danceable.

What made it huge is that Daft Punk are already international Giants and then they added in Pharrell for a good dose of pop flashiness.
 
#14
This is a song that MUST be played with your own licks, feel, whatever.
To PLAY the Nathan East line note-by-note is useless and will probably sound wrong (you don't have his hands and his mind).
By the way, to STUDY his line can be indeed quite useful. Of course one can use his own ears to learn the part, with all the benefits of this approach (strenghten your ears skills; listen carefully to the sound and the feel, not only the notes; ...). As said, looking to a score can be still useful (visually undertand the rhythm; strengthen reading skills; ...).
Also, curiosity.

@EarnestTBass: what kind of transcription do you have? Something official? (answer -> nope)

@TheEmptyCell: aw, come on... don't be the rude guy :)
 
#15
In response to Carlo Vanoni,

Although your question is rhetorical, I will still provide an answer.

I have four different versions of "Get Lucky" One version is the Guitar World April 2014 tab. I believe that GW does a pretty good job with bass and guitar tab. The other three, from reliable internet sites, are notated transcriptions for those who can read music or might want to learn how to read music. One includes tab. Another includes tab for slap. Such transcriptions and tab are unavoidably an interpretation- but still useful if approached with an open mind. I appreciate the effort expended to create these tabs and transcriptions. I have a day job and I enjoy playing bass somewhere pretty much every weekend. I have to learn many new songs from one weekend to the next and my prep for a weekend gig is certainly made easier by the efforts of others who created the tab. I hope I can always show proper respect for their efforts. Admittedly, some of the tabs posted out there may not reflect much talent in the drafter, but then I remember that I was once an angry ugly zit faced teen (way too long ago) just sneering and banging on a out of tune guitar. I am thankful that others, then, tolerated me and encouraged me anyway. I am thankful to those who, today, tolerate and encourage me.

I have collected transcriptions for my personal use and I am glad to share them with anyone who might have an interest. I only have the transcriptions because of someone else's work and kindness. Maybe I can pass it on. Maybe I'm supposed to.

I have learned the hard way that when I approach music like a competitive sport, I always lose. I haven't had much success at music by trying to beat up other musicians. (Be careful, I think that Karma has big sharp nasty teeth). But when I try to cooperate and encourage fellow musicians, things do go a little more smoothly.
 
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#17
J Posega said:
I've got to disagree, nobody but us gives a fk about the bass part besides the fact that it's pulsing and danceable.
Click to expand...

Well if that's the case than Daft Punk would have hired some no-name amateur to play on the session. Throw a set of headphones on and go to school son.
 
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#19
I've played the song with a band before. His lines great, certainly, but that has little to do with why the song got famous. If you took out the catchy lyrical hook, the song wouldn't have been a hit.
 
#20
J Posega said:
I've played the song with a band before. His lines great, certainly, but that has little to do with why the song got famous. If you took out the catchy lyrical hook, the song wouldn't have been a hit.
Click to expand...
Got to give some respect to nile rodgers for that guitar riff too. I agree that Pharrells hook is great pop (seems meaningless and just fun, but has strange depth and sadness), but that nile rodgers guitar riff is just so great and yes, nathan east, being the awesome pro that he is (watch him on the Casion Lights with George Duke doing Watermelon Man - one of the best things I have ever seen him (or any other bassist for that matter) do!) also make that simple song the fantastic funky dance hit that it is.
 
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