Is the bass playing really that bad?

[dalahorse]

I agree with the people that mentioned timing issues with the whole band. However, when I listen to the bass playing, my opinion is that the tune and tone fit the song extremely well.

 

[HardNHeavy]

simple song and he's in time and in-tune..sounds good to me

.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I give it a re-listen, just now and I think I heard some timing issues/flubbed notes.

If that was really the bass player on the YT comments and if he's continued with his bass playing (and improved, ostensibly), he may be looking/listening back through his current mind set and critiquing his own "inadequacies".

I get it. I've got two songs (recorded live in the early 80s) which I listen to and think: "What the hell was I doing?" The answer, of course, is: "It was the 80s and we were trying to 'live the lifestyle' to the best of our abilities." (I won't go into any more detail than that)

In the studio, we always used a click track and we were usually not as indulgent as we were live (or any time we weren't on someone else's clock).

 

[KevInDaBassment]

From the first listen-through, yeah there are some timing issues that are pretty obvious in the later half of the song. Not a bad bassline though, and the imperfections give it character. At least they're playing it themselves, which isn't always the case with studio recordings.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

If Jamerson played on that, it'd probably have a better vibe, but in the context of the band, the bass playing seems about on par with everything else going on - if you started replacing parts, the whole band would have ended up being studio musicians (a la Motown, the Beach Boys, etc).

As it is, it sounds like a band from the 60's, and that's OK

I agree.

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

The band sounds rough for sure but it all comes together for a strange vibe and I could see how it would fit certain video/movie scenarios. Why the guy chose to knock his own playing is another issue. You do your best at the time.

I can look back at everything I’ve recorded and always find myself saying “I could have done better”. And these are home recordings where I could play it until I got it right.

 

[walksupright]

Execution is sloppy, but everything else is cool.I wanna cover this!

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I can look back at everything I’ve recorded and always find myself saying “I could have done better”. And these are home recordings where I could play it until I got it right.

That's what I was trying to say, but I think I did a poor job. Thank you for "fixing it" for me.

 

[ELG60]

Nothing wrong with it. Nothing special. Does the job, only one "timing error." Fairly forgettable . . . Just like most pop music from just about any period of the modern era. That's not a knock, just an observation.

 

[_Some Dude]

Cool song. Dig the vibe.

 

[Lo-E]

It’s all about context. I think he sounds fine. Not everything has to sound perfect and polished.

 

[GretschWretch]

Typical high school garage band fare for the time, with a local hit. I would not be surprised if a lot of these guys were still learning their instruments.

 

[Grinderman]

First and foremost I always listen to the song, or the recording of the song, I'm not focusing attention on only the bass track. (and who doesn't, right?) It has a point of view. It has a feeling. It sounds raw and real. It sounds cool to me.

Secondarily listening closer to the bass, in situation, it sounds to me about what that recorded version (meaning hypothetically that song could be performed or rendered in more than one way) of that song needs, as the song was performed, as a whole, in that moment.

It's akin to a Polaroid snapshot image of something interesting or enigmatic.

 

[MJ_Sotti]

What would Fieldy say?

 

[Ric5]

This post relates to "Black Winds" by Little John and the Monks (from ?1965).

I heard this track on "Bordertown" last night. It is the closing track for Season 3, Episode 3 and I found the music on YouTube.

On YT, there is a comment by Rixster, who claims to be the co-author and bass player on the track. I take the comment at face value as being legitimate. Inter alia, Rixster said, ". . . I played bass; if you listen close, I really sucked at playing bass."

I rather like the bass. What do you think?

none of the musicians there will ever be considered virtuosos

 

[Chrisk-K]

The vocals and rhythm guitar suck more than the bass.

 

[pbass2]

Totally works. I dig the vibe of the song, and I love old and retro stuff and all the quirkiness, lo-fi production values, questionable intonation, you name it, that often comes with some of this music. As someone who also does music supervision, I guarantee you those qualities are probably 90% of why it got placed.

 

[SoulReflection]

Thanks to all of you who thought that was good. It means there is still hope for me and yes, I did play back then as well !

 

[Ostie]

The playing is fine. Not crazy about the tone. Wonder what the rig was?

 

[Baloo Pasquariello]

A guy once told me, "It's what you don't play that matter most, so you should play nothing."