Recently joined a Prince tribute band....

[songwriter21]

I'm a metalhead, have been in arena-rock and pop bands, college bands, and also, was recently in a country band for 5 years (left in Jan), and now am playing funktastic music from The Purple One. I, like many others, only knew a few of his songs (the radio hits), and had noooooo idea he had so much good music...my God could this man write (and play) some amazing grooves. I didn't realize how deep, intricate, and ahead-of-it's-time his lyrics were and still are. The Morning Papers just is like, "Ohhh, hell yeah", and so far, my favorite is Let's Work. I've rarely played slap-funk in my 20 years, but this forced me to get better. That tune, alone, kicks some serious butt.

Then there's Purple Rain. Prince had a really open mind, and could just slam on tons of instruments.

I honestly don't think the man was human.

**P.S. If you're curious as to why no clips, his music is still a challenge to find online.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Have fun, if you can accurately learn most of his basslines, you become a better player by few orders of magnitude from that alone.

 

[JRA]

i've been into the guy for 3 decades. you're right: he is (was) amazing. good for you and your new gig. hope you have loads of good times and lots of great musical moments playing his stuff!

what ax will you be playing? if it's a tribute: what will the band 'look' like? who will be doing the prince part, or, how will his vocals and guitar stuff be handled?

sounds like a lot of fun...good luck!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I say a Jazz Bass is best for playing Prince music, especially the first 10-12 years.

 

[slamsinger]

He was and will always be my favorite artist ever
We also do purple rain
It's our most popular song we do
People LOVE IT
Maybe I can find a clip to post

 

[superheavyfunk]

I say a Jazz Bass is best for playing Prince music, especially the first 10-12 years.

Prince did use a jazz a whole lot but he also said that his "Eye" Thumb was the best bass in the world and he used it extensively throughout the 90's. His bassist in the NPG also used warwicks exclusively. Rhonda used active basses (jazz and a stingray) during the Musicology tour, and Ida used her Sandberg for 3rdEyeGirl and the HitNRun tours. I think, in the end, theres just a few key points to playing Prince basslines:

1) 4 string only (Prince called 5 strings wierd mutants. Lol.)

2) punchy, active preamp

3) no overplaying, or ghost notes. He was very deliberate with note choice.

Listening to and learning Prince literally my whole life is the biggest reason why im even in this game today. I'm so glad that so many new folks have learned to love his music! I only wish that it could have happened before he died.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Prince did use a jazz a whole lot but he also said that his "Eye" Thumb was the best bass in the world and he used it extensively throughout the 90's. His bassist in the NPG also used warwicks exclusively. Rhonda used active basses (jazz and a stingray) during the Musicology tour, and Ida used her Sandberg for 3rdEyeGirl and the HitNRun tours. I think, in the end, theres just a few key points to playing Prince basslines:

1) 4 string only (Prince called 5 strings wierd mutants. Lol.)

2) punchy, active preamp

3) no overplaying, or ghost notes. He was very deliberate with note choice.

Listening to and learning Prince literally my whole life is the biggest reason why im even in this game today. I'm so glad that so many new folks have learned to love his music! I only wish that it could have happened before he died.

Andrew Gouche played his MTD 635 with Prince, but he IS Andrew Gouche.

 

[superheavyfunk]

Andrew Gouche played his MTD 635 with Prince, but he IS Andrew Gouche.

Yeah, that was a wierd moment... Didn't last long though. I can only assume that Prince met him and was like, "Hey, why don't you come tour with us for a bit." And since nobody says no to Prince, off he went! Lol

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Yeah, that was a wierd moment... Didn't last long though. I can only assume that Prince met him and was like, "Hey, why don't you come tour with us for a bit." And since nobody says no to Prince, off he went! Lol

I kind think Prince having Gouche was a power trip because of the fact that Gouche ignored Prince when the Purple One tried to him how to play at a BET Awards show. It was honoring Chaka Khan and Gouche was Chana's MD at the time, and already had worked out his arrangements for her music.

 

[hs123]

I'm doin a similar thing, some of the songs seem so simple at first...

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I'm doin a similar thing, some of the songs seem so simple at first...
View attachment 1173156

Your singer has the look. Can he do any Prince dance moves?

 

[jerry]

The latest re-release of the Purple Rain album also comes with a live DVD from the 1985 tour if you want to cop some Brownmark basslines and moves.

 

[superheavyfunk]

The latest re-release of the Purple Rain album also comes with a live DVD from the 1985 tour if you want to cop some Brownmark basslines and moves.

Is that in the regular deluxe edition too? I bought the extended one.

 

[jerry]

Is that in the regular deluxe edition too? I bought the extended one.

I bought the multi CD/DVD one with the unreleased stuff, worth the cash!

 

[superheavyfunk]

I bought the multi CD/DVD one with the unreleased stuff, worth the cash!

Yeah, that's the extended edition with all the singles, b-sides, and unreleased tracks. 1000% worth it. I had much of this stuff before from bootlegs (don't tell the lawyers) but to have it in one official package, and in good quality is a blessing.

 

[hs123]

Your singer has the look. Can he do any Prince dance moves?

Yea, he can command an audience, he gets into it!

 

[Rev J]

You really need this:



C/S,
Rev J

 

[songwriter21]

You really need this:



C/S,
Rev J

I watched that vid a few weeks ago. I simply can't get past the gold...um...phallic pleasure-maker-looking horns.

@JRA

We're aiming for the Purple Rain era, due to that one being Prince's most famous period (I think). We don't have two key players, but one, along with a drummer with an electronic Roland kit, and they have just about every exact sound downloaded to sound almost spot-on. Our singer has all of the range, which is impressive enough. He doesn't play guitar, and so we have a guitar player who's coming along great, and a female back-up singer that is also playing guitar.

I may get a purple some-sort-of-bass in the future, but don't have the funds at all to do that now. It'd either be something like Dr. Cheese was mentioning...a J-Bass or similar. I have no interest in pursuing a white Alembic, as my custom '06 Cirrus, which is the bass in my avatar, is doing just fine for now (noooooo plans of letting that one go).

Regarding a J-Bass route, I'd only go new with something as selective as the purple color, so it'd possibly be from Kiesel. But, they are taking FOREVER on my VB5, ordered before I joined this band, and I'm now on week 19. That's a different story....

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

A jazz bass with maple fretboard and 70' spacing really nails the Prince tone.
I favor Precision basses with flats. But Im a funk, Old School hip hop, r&b, neo soul player. I knew I wasn't going to get that 777-9311 tone out of my Precision. I bought my Sire V7 Vintage just to be able to hear those Prince bass tones.
enjoy that tribute band. Sounds like big fun.

 

[songwriter21]

I say a Jazz Bass is best for playing Prince music, especially the first 10-12 years.

Prince did use a jazz a whole lot but he also said that his "Eye" Thumb was the best bass in the world and he used it extensively throughout the 90's. His bassist in the NPG also used warwicks exclusively. Rhonda used active basses (jazz and a stingray) during the Musicology tour, and Ida used her Sandberg for 3rdEyeGirl and the HitNRun tours. I think, in the end, theres just a few key points to playing Prince basslines:

1) 4 string only (Prince called 5 strings wierd mutants. Lol.)

2) punchy, active preamp

3) no overplaying, or ghost notes. He was very deliberate with note choice.

Listening to and learning Prince literally my whole life is the biggest reason why im even in this game today. I'm so glad that so many new folks have learned to love his music! I only wish that it could have happened before he died.

A jazz bass with maple fretboard and 70' spacing really nails the Prince tone.
I favor Precision basses with flats. But Im a funk, Old School hip hop, r&b, neo soul player. I knew I wasn't going to get that 777-9311 tone out of my Precision. I bought my Sire V7 Vintage just to be able to hear those Prince bass tones.
enjoy that tribute band. Sounds like big fun.

Since I don't have a wantingness to buy a Jazz, I just snagged a mint US Peavey Millennium 5...in dark purple. Heehee!

Regarding no 4-strings, and Prince's "mutant" comment (hahahaha), that had to have been before tunes like Get Off and The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. Those two, were clearly done with at least a 5.