I hosted Richard Bona!!

[TSbR Bass]

Greetings all!
It was such a great honor and privilege to not only host the legendary Bassist Richard Bona, but also for my band to open for him. What a cool cat! He's got jokes for days!!!

My new (and third) Status Graphite S2 Classic 5 Strings Headless Bass arrived a day before the show, and the great Bona gave it a try too!

Here's pictures ...

 

[kobass]

Wow! Very cool! He's an amazing talent!

 

[kobass]

Oh yeah-congrats on the new bass too! Killer!

 

[TSbR Bass]

Thank you!!

 

[Charlie Tuna]

Just saw this, @TSbR Bass , how cool! Did Bona give you any tips that you incorporated into your playing?

I’ve been watching a concert of him with Manu Katche quite a bit to get a feel of his ghost notes.

 

[kesslari]

Just saw this, @TSbR Bass , how cool! Did Bona give you any tips that you incorporated into your playing?

I’ve been watching a concert of him with Manu Katche quite a bit to get a feel of his ghost notes.

Link please? I recently started playing "Orient Express" and his ghost notes are amazing.

 

[Charlie Tuna]

@kesslari please share any suggestions you have to capturing Bona’s sound Or technique. All I’ve got is practice a lot and try to get drumming in your fingers.

 

[ErikP.Bass]

Just went looking and found that video....WOW!!! I figured it had to be the one. Awesome story BTW.

 

[kesslari]

@kesslari please share any suggestions you have to capturing Bona’s sound Or technique. All I’ve got is practice a lot and try to get drumming in your fingers.

Just the obvious - that he uses pull-offs and hammer-ons for some of those amazing legato fills.
And seeing him (this video) for the first time I see that he uses a technique that's common in Africa - using thumb and index finger like the up and down strokes of a plectrum. He seems to ghost both in the "normal" (index/middle fingers) and using his thumb and index finger on adjacent strings. It can all be done with "normal" technique, but that's what I'm seeing.
And that the camera tends to go to him just *after* he plays one of those amazing fills...

Anyone else have any "Bona-fied" tips on how he plays?

 

[Charlie Tuna]

Thanks for the reply, some useful info there, especially for a repeat viewing.

I believe we have to say that his singing has helped elevate his musicality beyond most. He stated somewhere that he was surprised when he came to the US because so many musicians didn’t sing whereas in Africa all musicians sing. He went on to say he could tell if a bass player sings by how they play. Some food for thought for those of us that don’t sing much or at all.

 

[India_Sierra]

I don't sing for performance but I do sing for practice. I find that being able to sing what you play really reinforces the musicality of the notes you play, rather than just letting your fingers fly and seeing what comes out. I also sing to myself to work out parts when in transcribing. I can easily identify up and down motion that way.

Great to see Bona with that lovely Status. I would have loved to hear him play that live.

 

[kesslari]

Just ran across this. Beautiful.
The man manages to both make me very aware of my limits and to inspire me to improve.

 

[India_Sierra]

I have watched that video a few times. We're lucky to see it as I know Pat Metheny does not like his shows to be taped.

 

[kesslari]

I'm still working my way through that Manu Katché concert. And feeling more and more impressed and inspired.