Agreed about "Spirits.." - That tune is ****ing TRICKY to sing and play. I dunno how he does it.
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Stings Police Arsenal
- Thread starter pontz
- Start date
Fake Jazzer? He was playing Upright Bass in a straight ahead jazz standards outfit for years in Newcastle before Police.
He's also played bass on a couple songs on Andy Summers' serious jazz records over the years, quite well I must add. His vocals on their "'Round Midnight" cover are also very good.
If you watch the live version of "Spirits" on the Synchronicity concert, Sting actually simplifies the bass part and doesn't do those little galloping 16ths in the verses.
But that is in no way to say anything negative - I am and have always been in awe of the guy. At an old movie theater where I used to go for midnight movies in the early '90s, they used to play Nothing Like the Sun for atmosphere before every film. I think sometimes I used to go (and show up early) just so I could sit there and enjoy listening to the album in that big, cavernous space with no one else around.
But that is in no way to say anything negative - I am and have always been in awe of the guy. At an old movie theater where I used to go for midnight movies in the early '90s, they used to play Nothing Like the Sun for atmosphere before every film. I think sometimes I used to go (and show up early) just so I could sit there and enjoy listening to the album in that big, cavernous space with no one else around.
The were loads made, I remember seeing an advert for Londons bass centre in a guitar magazine, in about 1982/3 they were selling them.
I also have in a similar magazine an article on his rig for the Synchronicity tour, it lists the full rig.
I'll have to dig it out, I've got hundreds of magazines going back to 1982, I used to spend all my pocket money on them.
a couple of years ago, Hugh Padgeham, who produced Syncronicity and Ghost in the machine produced a session for my old band and i grillled him for police stories at every opportunity.. He said that they recorded all the bass on those albums straight to the board, no amps used anywhere, sometimes a chorus pedal.. Not sure whar channel strip they used but i Hugh used some really old Neve strips on me.. They did it on ghost with the intention of re-amping the parts and ended up not bothering because they never quite got the results they wanted with that method..
After that they just recorded it straight in with no intention of re-amping.. I ended up just plugged into the neve for my session and it sounded righteous!
After that they just recorded it straight in with no intention of re-amping.. I ended up just plugged into the neve for my session and it sounded righteous!
As far as spirits in the material world goes, I've seen live tapes where he plays a "watered down" version of the bass line. I can play and sing the one from the recording no problem, but I will admit that it took me a few tries.
Here are Sting`s basses with The Police, starting from just pre-Police:
1962 Jazz Bass, stripped and finished clear. This is likely the used bass he bought in Barratt`s store in Newcastle in the early 1970s, although in his book he claims this was a Precision. This bass was used on all the early recordings, pre-Outlandos, Outlandos and probably some of Regatta. It can be seen in photos of Last Exit, and many early tour photos.
late 1970s fretless Precision bass, natural. This can be seen in many of the early Police tour photos, after Outlandos. He used this one a lot until he got the Ibanez basses.
late 1970s fretless Precision bass, red with black pickguard. This can be seen on and off over 1979 and 1980.
1979 Ibanez Musician bass fretted MC824; he had acquired this just around Regatta. he tended not to use the Fenders after getting the Ibanez basses
1979 Ibanez Musician bass fretless MC940.
1980 Ibanez Musician MC980 8 string, this is likely the fretless model.
1979 Ibanez Musician fretless bass, natural colour with maple fingerboard.
Hamer Standard bass, 8 string fretless. He had acquired this one by the time they did Zenyatta. Used sparingly
Hamer Cruisebass; used sparingly.
The electric upright bass, used a lot on tour.
An acoustic upright, seen in the cover photos for Zenyatta.
A Steinberger 4 string.
Then on to the Spector basses, the white one for sure, and probably a fretless model as well.
There may be others, but they have not been easy to spot on photos and video.
The bass he used on stage for the 2007-2008 tour is a 1957 Precision, made just previous to the alteration Fender made to the design, and that has become the industry standard. It was purchased by Danny at Sting`s request, "go find the ugliest, worst looking Fender bass for me......" sometime in the last 10 years.
I have based my info on lots of looking, searching, watching videos and checking books. I am a huge Police fan, circa 1977 to 1983.
1962 Jazz Bass, stripped and finished clear. This is likely the used bass he bought in Barratt`s store in Newcastle in the early 1970s, although in his book he claims this was a Precision. This bass was used on all the early recordings, pre-Outlandos, Outlandos and probably some of Regatta. It can be seen in photos of Last Exit, and many early tour photos.
late 1970s fretless Precision bass, natural. This can be seen in many of the early Police tour photos, after Outlandos. He used this one a lot until he got the Ibanez basses.
late 1970s fretless Precision bass, red with black pickguard. This can be seen on and off over 1979 and 1980.
1979 Ibanez Musician bass fretted MC824; he had acquired this just around Regatta. he tended not to use the Fenders after getting the Ibanez basses
1979 Ibanez Musician bass fretless MC940.
1980 Ibanez Musician MC980 8 string, this is likely the fretless model.
1979 Ibanez Musician fretless bass, natural colour with maple fingerboard.
Hamer Standard bass, 8 string fretless. He had acquired this one by the time they did Zenyatta. Used sparingly
Hamer Cruisebass; used sparingly.
The electric upright bass, used a lot on tour.
An acoustic upright, seen in the cover photos for Zenyatta.
A Steinberger 4 string.
Then on to the Spector basses, the white one for sure, and probably a fretless model as well.
There may be others, but they have not been easy to spot on photos and video.
The bass he used on stage for the 2007-2008 tour is a 1957 Precision, made just previous to the alteration Fender made to the design, and that has become the industry standard. It was purchased by Danny at Sting`s request, "go find the ugliest, worst looking Fender bass for me......" sometime in the last 10 years.
I have based my info on lots of looking, searching, watching videos and checking books. I am a huge Police fan, circa 1977 to 1983.
Have you ever tried singing and playing "Spirits in the Material World"? It's insane. It's almost impossible to concieve of anything more difficult to deal with rhythmically.
Yes, I have done the live version of it with my Police tribute. It is tricky, but with any of this material, the drummer is the key. If it is not played as Stewart did, it becomes almost impossible.
And the fretted natural Jazz Bass can be seen in the same pic, which tends to suggest it was used for this album, too. By the way, the first album ever that I'd bought with my own pocket money (along with AC/DC's 'Hell's Bells' and Adam & the Ants' 'Ant Rap' singles)!
Yes, it seems he liked the old Jazz for most of the albums, although I am not sure if it was used on the Monserrat recordings.
I did forget one other bass, a mid 1960's Precision, which was used on Ghost and probably on Synchronicity. It can be seen in Stewart's movie. This might have been the bass he tool to Monserrat instead of the Jazz; can anyone confirm this?
Zenyatta is my favourite of the Police albums, a very heavy bass guitar album.
I did forget one other bass, a mid 1960's Precision, which was used on Ghost and probably on Synchronicity. It can be seen in Stewart's movie. This might have been the bass he tool to Monserrat instead of the Jazz; can anyone confirm this?
Zenyatta is my favourite of the Police albums, a very heavy bass guitar album.
Ah yes, you mean that slow-motion bit in the movie where Sting's like full-on headbanging while recording, right? That same sunburst Preci can be seen in the video clips to the 'Ghost In The Machine' album ('Spirits...', 'One World', 'Demolition Man'), and since they all were filmed in the Montsserat studio, this is most likely the bass he's playing on the actual recordings...But I think I'd already mentioned this early on in this thread?! Probably already years ago by now
And I agree, there's heaps of cool bass lines on 'Zenyatta...' - Fun to play along
I had also learnt to play the drums while listening to it, and its guitar sound's been a big, big influence on my tastes, too. However my favourite 'Police' album's got to be 'Reggatta De Blanc' - Will probably never get tired of it By the way, I often read on here that Sting's not that good a bass player (technically) - I recommend having a watch and a listen to 'When The World Is Running Down...' on the 'Certified' DVD from the reunion tour!
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Nope, not quite! Sorry about having to correct you Rich, but that actually was an MC900! The MC940 looks very similar, but it's got more frets, different electronics, etc. I've got the exact same bass, but the fretted version...oh, and I love it!
The small black fretless mentioned earlier that he played on his soul cages tour was an Ibanez "bean" bass. I don't know the actual model but they were very small.
Apparently an Ibanez RB888, RoadstarII series, modified to fretless; Also according to this thread: http://www.talkbass.com/threads/whats-fretless-bass-sting-use-in-soul-cages-concert-video.379565/
Thanks for the correction on the Ibanez, it is hard to find info on these, and Sting and Danny Q are not to forthcoming with info on his older gear. It would be great to have a page dedicated to the gear of The Police, for all 3 members, for gear geeks. I guess Sting was just experimenting with new gear as it came out, and decided to go with the Ibanez basses and retire the Fenders. Wonder if he still has all these basses?
Yes, Volker, I love all 3 of the first albums; all different in many ways, you can really see the time restraints and stresses they had or did not have on these. Outlandos is simply a recording of what they had been doing for a couple of years. Regatta was an upgrade in their sound, finally finding their niche. Zenyatta was a further evolution of this. By the time of Zenyatta, they had more stresses; they only had 3 weeks to record, they did not have enough songs, they played 2 big gigs during the recording, and you can see that Sting was starting to really become the major mover in the band. Maybe see the cracks starting. However, I find it be be a strong album. I find several of the songs on Regatta to be weak, almost afterthoughts. Like "Its alright for You", "Contact", and "Does Everyone Stare (Copeland)" Seems like if they had more time to refine these songs, they would have been better. It is all personal taste, I still love all these songs.
I find I have more trouble with Ghost. A real change in direction, this is Sting and the sidemen starting here. Andy and Stewart's influence is strong, but it is a Sting album.
Anyway, I love the music of The Police. Happy listening !!!
I find I have more trouble with Ghost. A real change in direction, this is Sting and the sidemen starting here. Andy and Stewart's influence is strong, but it is a Sting album.
Anyway, I love the music of The Police. Happy listening !!!
