Most Difficult Music You Ever Learned

[biobass]

I've played some shows that were pretty tough. Mainly because you get 6 hours of rehearsal during the day (for a 3 hour show), then you have to play the show that night.

Wicked was, well...wicked. Five string, fretless, and upright. Completely written out, non-idiomatic fills that span 2 and a half octaves, exposed Jaco-istic parts on fretless, arco upright, odd meters, there's a tune that alternates between 5/8, 2/4, 6/8, and 4/4...

West Side Story some gnarly parts, and odd phrases. I don't think Bernstein played the bass.

Les Miserables hard (for me) because it's very operatic, tempos constantly change. If you take your eye off the conductor, you're toast.

When I was in college, I was in a small group that consistently pushed me. We also played Zappa's "Echidna's Arf", as well as "Joe Frazier" and Return to Forever's "After the Cosmic Rain" & "Majestic Dance".

I assume that you played Wicked when the national tour rolled into town. I'm surprised,given the complexity of the score, that they use local players and not a dedicated bassist on the tour.

I know what you mean about those six hour rehearsals then the show. While not a national tour, I played a show of Jason Robert Brown music last week, that featured Solea Pffiefer (I saw her in the 20th anniversary production of Songs For a New World at City Center a few years back- Jason Robert Brown sat in and played the second act) with a group of very talented college students. Due to a mix-up by the MD, I only got the 237 pages of piano/conductor score on Monday. Tuesday was the rehearsal, Wednesday was the show. I had copies of the bass books of the shows that I had played before - Songs For A New World, Last Five Years and Parade - but didn't have time to compare most of them measure by measure to the p/c scores. Then there were songs from Bridges of Madison County, Honeymooning Las Vegas, and Mr. Saturday Night. The orchestra parts for the last two are not commercially available yet. I ended up having to read from the p/c scores. I hate having to transpose up an octave while also trying to pick out what parts are mine on the fly! The concert did go very well, and Solea was amazing!

 

[Holdsg]

I'll admit it, I'm lazy.
there. I said it.
wherever I encounter a difficult (technically) bass line, I nearly always try to simplify it.
perfect example,
I'm subbing next Saturday for a horns' band concert in the park. One of the songs I had to learn quickly was "For Once in My Life" a Jamerson special.
Now, I was given a note-for-note transcription of Jamerson's line by the band director. swell guy.
But I don't play it. I get most of it, but not note-for-note. I make sure to keep true to the chord changes, but leave out some of the tasty or tricky bits.
No one in the audience, unless they are a Jamerson freak, will know the difference.

there, I've admitted and confessed to my crimes. throw the book at me if you must.

 

[Tritone]

Encounters II for Unaccompanied Tuba- William Kraft
William Kraft - Encounters II For Unaccompained Tuba [ROGER BOBO] - YouTube

 

[Carl Hillman]

I'm surprised,given the complexity of the score, that they use local players and not a dedicated bassist on the tour.

Yeah. In fact, after it left town (in 2005, I think) I got a call from the contractor in the next city asking if I could come play the show.
I don't know this, but I have a feeling that show producers probably cited Wicked as an example of why they wanted to reduce local minimums when the next Pamphlet B negotiation came up.

I ended up having to read from the p/c scores. I hate having to transpose up an octave while also trying to pick out what parts are mine on the fly! The concert did go very well, and Solea was amazing!

Yikes. You deserve hazard pay. I've had to do that a few times, and you're right, it's a huge pain.

 

[lordradish]

A transcription of the (audience)noise heard during a performance of 4:33 was not easy. Not sure if it was the hardest.

Am I really the only person here who got this?

 

[biobass]

Am I really the only person here who got this?

John Cage's music can be a bear! I haven't been able to find the exact quote, but I think that it was a famous conductor (Toscanini, perhaps?) who quipped, after hearing 4:33, that he looks forward to this young composers works of far greater length.

 

[cnltb]

Am I really the only person here who got this?

I am unsure if there's anything 'to get'
As I said;

It was NOT '4'33' I played, but a transcription into musical notation of the noise that still goes on during a performance thereof.

 

[Phaidrus]

Strawberry Fields Forever by the Beatles.

Timing is crazy, I suppose due to all the drugs - and the genius, no less - involved. As I'm trying to play it sober, it's slightly difficult to keep up.

 

[bholder]

Yeah, Grade 6 competition piece - my HS band won a silver medal in a national competition in DC based on our performance of it. Later did it again with NY All State, but my HS band's version was way tighter.

This version's pretty darned good. I love it when the low winds get "bubbling" leading up the dizzying fast run parts up top... I've always wanted to do a metal version with guitars... \m/

Just to add - as far as a "most difficult" and transformative experience, I have to put that tune right up there with this one (which I still can't play completely):



Both had about the same effect on my young, impressionable brain.

Headbangin' to the Classics!!!! \m/ hehe

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Almost a cliche', but Jaco's Teen Town is brutally difficult. I've long since resigned myself that it's unplayable, for me at least.

 

[Timothy Brosnan]

Almost a cliche', but Jaco's Teen Town is brutally difficult. I've long since resigned myself that it's unplayable, for me at least.

Don't feel bad, I don't know it either! It never would have fit in with what I like to play anyway.

Almost a cliche', but Jaco's Teen Town is brutally difficult. I've long since resigned myself that it's unplayable, for me at least.

 

[Hyoga]

Spread your fire, by Angra.
Still working on it after a year...

 

[Passinwind]

My own, because the arrangements seem to change constantly!

 

[Low End Scum]

At the moment it's originals for a metalcore-ish band. I come from a rock, punk, and prog background and these weird djenty rhythms are completely foreing to me. As far as stuff I've successfully learned in the past, the hardest have to be

Stubb (a Dub) - Mr Bungle


The amount of rhythm changes, feeling changes, and memorization was a daunting task. Other notable songs would have to be:

Close to the Edge - Yes
2112 - Rush
Marathon - Rush
The whole Zeppelin II album note for note for our cover set

 

[Lance Bunyon]

"What Is Hip?" Tower Of Power.
Took 6 months and I believe my version was barely at C+ levels.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

At the moment it's originals for a metalcore-ish band. I come from a rock, punk, and prog background and these weird djenty rhythms are completely foreing to me. As far as stuff I've successfully learned in the past, the hardest have to be

Stubb (a Dub) - Mr Bungle


The amount of rhythm changes, feeling changes, and memorization was a daunting task. Other notable songs would have to be:

Close to the Edge - Yes
2112 - Rush
Marathon - Rush
The whole Zeppelin II album note for note for our cover set

Does your band play Zeppelin II straight through? I'd pay a hefty cover charge to see that!

 

[Low End Scum]

Does your band play Zeppelin II straight through? I'd pay a hefty cover charge to see that!

We used to for sure. I have since left Texas, but when I was in The Gypsy Bravado we did Zeppelin II straight through for a set and had 2 other 1 hour sets flanking it just in case we needed to (we did have to for a few hours entertainment at Harley Davidson in Bedford). We performed it at a benefit at the Perot Museum back in 2016 that was live streamed on the ol book of faces

 

[Gorilla Monsoon]

Teen Town. Got to the point where i felt i was about 75% proficient. A recent ad here for a Fodera bass had the seller playing it to a tee. Saw what id been missing, but i doubt if i could improve much on my 75%.

 

[zon5string]

Probably "Tarkus" ELP, David Sancious & Tone ","Transformation (The Speed of Love)",
and "The Ikon" Todd/Utopia ! just because of their sheer lengths.
And "Hello Jeff" Stanley because of sheer speed; fortunately had a turntable that had 16rpm on it.

And yes, Zappa isn't an easy feat either!

One of my frequent, sarcastic comments is, when asked for setlist suggestions, I throw out "How about Side 2 of Tarkus?"

 

[bigdaddybass12]

This may not be labeled as difficult. But one of the guys I play for is a capo junkie. 1 song will be capo 2, next song capo 4, then no capo, back to 3!! I have learned to adjust!!