Over the top bass playing or tastefully done?

[bearhart74]

What yall think of this cover of a MG classic?

 

[bdplaid]

I like it. It's a band putting their fingerprint on a classic song. The band left a lot of space for the bass. Good for them and good for the bass player.

 

[FilterFunk]

For most of the song, it's clear (to me, anyway) that the bass is meant to be the main focus of the music.

I might consider it overplaying in the context of a fuller mix, but for this arrangement it sounds just right.

 

[JRA]

nice part! nice playing!

 

[Jeff Scott]

Sounds great to me, and I might have played something similar given the sparse arrangement.

 

[mambo4]

"I'll never be you, you'll never be me, just be yourself and play what your feel"
- James Jamerson

I think the bassist did exactly that, to good effect
Alvin Quinn ( according to the YT credits)

 

[Reedt2000]

Yeah, I agree the space left for the bass makes the busier playing ok in this example.

 

[Aussie Player]

Not many can play like that.
He took ownership of the song and did it well.

 

[SLO Surfer]

Tastefully done

 

[roccobass]

I love this player's take on this song. I thought he rather "updated" a classic. He added some spice to it at just the right moments and I really dug his tone. Whoever mixed this did a great job too. Thumbs up from me.

 

[HowieD72]

I like it!

 

[_Some Dude]

I'm with the others. The arraignment was obviously meant to have the bass take the spotlight. He dialed it up, he dialled it back. Wasn't always on 10.

 

[thehindteet]

willie weeks take on this is my top 5 lines of all time, so being busy is cool and I like this line a lot. I think the only note I'd have has nothing to do with the performance but would consider revising the bass compression in the final mix, busy sounds better without transients.

 

[monsterthompson]

Not my style music, so as an outsider…
I liked the band leaving space for the bassist who clearly knew their way around the fretboard. I’d agree that it seemed intentional to let the bass do a lot in the song. However, it didn’t feel like the bass was giving the vocals space in the verse. As someone unfamiliar with the song it felt distracting.

 

[Erithon]

As others have noted, it's a very active bass line but this cover is clearly arranged around that--or, more precisely, arranged to highlight it. To my ears, this works for three reasons:

• The bass isn't going wild with fills, but playing the same groove over and over. Sure, there is the odd variation (some pops here, some squiggles there, and, yes, the very occasional turn-around fill), but it mostly provides a steady foundation for the song.
• The bass isn't fighting with the other instruments for attention, but ceded space so its activity can anchor everything. The keys are doing nothing more than fleshing out the mix with sustained chords and a Hammond-B3 organ sound. The electric guitar really sits back, playing only the odd sting and accent. The horns are mostly resting, but come in to build dynamics as appropriate. The drums are present throughout--as you'd expect--and seamlessly interact with the bass.
• The bassist is extremely sensitive to dynamics. Notice how he diminuendos from mezzo forte to piano at 0:31 as the vocals first enter so the vocals--and lyrics--can have center stage. Another great example of this is 3:40–3:47.

 

[MuseChaser]

The bass playing was, by far, the best part of that performance. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

It's good

 

[Jeff Scott]

Not my style music, so as an outsider…
I liked the band leaving space for the bassist who clearly knew their way around the fretboard. I’d agree that it seemed intentional to let the bass do a lot in the song. However, it didn’t feel like the bass was giving the vocals space in the verse. As someone unfamiliar with the song it felt distracting.

This song (below) has a great interplay between the vocals and the bass.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I'm not trying to be the odd man out here, but I really don't like it. I think the bass player is being over indulgent; he's overplaying and I don't like the tone- it's way too bright. I also don't like where the drummer is putting his kick drum, hitting those upbeats- beat three should be a solid downbeat, or just left open, not anticipated. If you want to hear a great interpretation of this tune check out how Willie Weeks does it here (plus the drummer leaves lots of space):

 

[Five or Six]

I might consider it overplaying in the context of a fuller mix, but for this arrangement it sounds just right

We as bass players tend to focus on bass no matter if it's on the radio or any place else. I agree with the "fuller mix" statement. I think that would have been the ticket or, bring the bass down a touch? All in all, I liked it.