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Talent show solo?

Should I do the talent show? if so, drummer or no drummer?

  • Dont do it.

    Votes: 4 11.1%
  • Do it, with drummer.

    Votes: 22 61.1%
  • Do it without drummer.

    Votes: 10 27.8%

  • Total voters
    36
hey guys, the school newspaper staff is holding a talent show in january open to all students that wanna show off a talent. its gonna be kinda big and all, and i was thinkin bout doing it, but i dunno. if i do it i think i will do my version of amazing grace (based on Victor Wootens version, harmonics etc) thats about 6 mins long. also, i know a really cool drummer that mentioned we should get together and do something in it, so you guys think it would be cool to have him up there too? so far the only people s igned up are a few dance groups, a couple of singlers, and some little rock band (if its the guys im thinking of they wont be much competition, they have no bass player :p). i think i could do well in it if i do it, but what do you guys think?

thanks
 
I voted for you to go it alone.

I hope you get a great response! Perhaps you will, but lay people probabably won't get it, no matter how amazing your are.

Thinking back to my high school days, a friend of mine played the Yes song Mood For A Day on guitar, perfectly note for note. I knew just how good he was, but the crowd grossly underreacted.. I felt so bad for him because musical performance wise, no one else in the show even came close.

To get a great crowd response, you have to be really entertaining, physically and sonically. If you just stand there and play the most amazing bass solo anyone there has ever heard, too many people won't even be paying attention.

But, I could be wrong...and for your sake I hope that I am.

Good luck and GO FOR IT!!!!
 
YOU READ MY MIND!!~!! in january, we have a thing called "mudaco". its the school talent show. MY band played there last year, and this year we are going to also. But i was also thinking of amazing grace with harmonics while funking it up with some cool effects while keeping it soild. I think it will be great, becuase people will be like "amazing grace great....holy crap!!~!! how does he do it like that!!~!!" do it with no drums man. If you have drums, it will cut through some of the bass, and rather then have peoples hairs sticking up on there arms, they will be like "that drummer is outta place"

- w00t
 
yeah, i talked to the drummer and keys player and they both said they'd like to do it, but now its up to me. my only worry is getting the audience involved in the fast section. if i could get them clapping their hands i know the rest will go well, but how can i do that alone? thats where i know the drummer would help greatly. also, where vic usually does his fast slap stuff i worked in a tapping and/or slap solo and we could throw in a drum solo. i dunno, we have plenty of time till it to work out everything. again, thanks for the well wishes guys. any criticism of the clip?
 
The clip sounds AWESOME!!! To me it felt like it should be played a little faster...but it's up to you.

You might want to play something a little louder as an into to get people's attention before you start playing Amazing Grace. AG is so soft that much of it will be gone before the audience is paying attention to you.

As for the clapping part...you could slap your hands on the strings and ask the audience to help you out...or place some friends around the audience that will get the crowd clapping at the correct time. You should start the rhythm though...

And, off topic a bit...more power to you with AP classes!!!! My daughter has AP Biology and AP Photo right now and they are intense classes to say the least.
 
Originally posted by BillyB_from_LZ
The clip sounds AWESOME!!! To me it felt like it should be played a little faster...but it's up to you.

You might want to play something a little louder as an into to get people's attention before you start playing Amazing Grace. AG is so soft that much of it will be gone before the audience is paying attention to you.

As for the clapping part...you could slap your hands on the strings and ask the audience to help you out...or place some friends around the audience that will get the crowd clapping at the correct time. You should start the rhythm though...

And, off topic a bit...more power to you with AP classes!!!! My daughter has AP Biology and AP Photo right now and they are intense classes to say the least.


yeah i thought about getting friends to start the clapping. as for how ill start thats not how ill do it. ill start with some harmonic chords and about the time the audience is wondering "what the heck?" ill go into amazing grace. and at the end of the first slow melody ill go into the fast part and do the root/harmonic chords just like victor wootens version (16th 8th 16th 8th rest 8th and percussive slap on beat four) ill try to record the whole thing later today and get it up here. and i hear you bout the AP classes. i had ap bio and history last year (bio is tough!) and i have ap eng and calculus this year. it makes for some boring nights (homework =\) but its more than worth it when we get to college. good luck to her!
 
You know, you have to ask yourself this- "If I were a non musician, would I really get enjoyment out of watching somebody do a somber bass solo?"

I understand there are upbeat parts to it- I've seen Vic do it twice, live, at my high school. The drummer he's on tour with right now, Derico Watson, was the percussion instructor at my school.

However, Amazing Grace is a somber song. The average person doesn't want to see this in a talent show. They want to see something entertaining, not be floored by technique.

Just my two cents....
 
Originally posted by Eric Cioe
You know, you have to ask yourself this- "If I were a non musician, would I really get enjoyment out of watching somebody do a somber bass solo?"

I understand there are upbeat parts to it- I've seen Vic do it twice, live, at my high school. The drummer he's on tour with right now, Derico Watson, was the percussion instructor at my school.

However, Amazing Grace is a somber song. The average person doesn't want to see this in a talent show. They want to see something entertaining, not be floored by technique.

Just my two cents....

well, to put it in perspective the winner from last year was a girl who did a mime/interprative dance thing dedicated to both of her deceased parents. talk about somber :(
 
Originally posted by BillyB_from_LZ
Yep, that's somber (and a shame too). But as a dancer, she was visually entertaining and the audience was already emotionally involved due to the dedication.

Unfortunately, much of the audience might dig a mindless slap solo more than a expertly played rendition of Amazing Grace.

Good luck!!!!

yeah, she really deserved to win. it was pretty touching


about the second part of your post, who says i cant throw in a mindless slap solo in the middle of it :p
 

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