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The BOOOOSH

stubborne

stubborne

Oct 22, 2009
454
1,235
Rock Hill, SC
#1
Ah, the BOOOOSH - a bass player’s most versatile and effective tool. What is the BOOOOSH you ask? No, it’s not that ex-Flyer goalie who couldn’t quite get us to the ultimate prize. The BOOOOSH is the big slide starting (close) to the upper octave of the key you are playing in; usually on the E/B string if you’re lucky. Employed correctly and it’s the gig saver. Guitards don’t have the luxury of the BOOOOSH. They have the “scratch” but it sounds like dog **** typically, while the BOOOSH can sound GIANT. Don’t confuse the BOOOOSH with the WOOOM-WOOOM. The WOOOM-WOOOM is a well thought out, quick “double” slide up to the high octave and back down again. Very effective and cool but not deployed as a gig-saver. How often should you rely on the BOOOOSH? Well, that is directly proportional to the level of Cranial Flatulence; or, how far into the 3rd set you are; or, how much beer has been consumed. But typically, it’s a combination of all 3 of those.
So, how do you employ the BOOOOSH? What kinds of scenarios does the BOOOOSH become a gig-saver? Let’s look at a few examples:

1) That song you’ve only rehearsed twice and up comes the tricky bridge after the long guitard solo while you’re thinking about how much drywall it’s going to take to fix the walls around the bathtub – BOOOOSH!!! Saved.

2) In the middle of the super chorus at the end of the song right before the outro and in walks a smoking hot blonde in a tight, white dress silhouetted by the bar’s neon lights outside. Double chorus, ****!!! BOOOOSH!!! Saved. (Bass face should be deployed in conjunction with the BOOOOSH in this situation. I mean, she’s probably, uh, checking you out…)

3) The Drummer. Dippoopie never can get the turnaround coming out of the intro of Whipping Post. C’mon dude, it’s only 11/4 timing!! BOOOOSH!!! Saved, the drummer. Again.

These are just a few of the common examples of proper BOOOOSH technique. I’m typically good for a couple a night, just try not to wear it out or anything. Any other examples of the BOOOOSH gig-saver could be posted in this thread too, you know, to help the new guys or something. Peace!

Stu-
 
#7
Gene $immons is "THE KING" of the woosh-woosh. I'm gonna have to count how many times he used it on ALIVE 1 & 2. At least 20 times, I'd have to say.
I'll admit, IT IS one of the techniques I use in rock music. And, I was influenced by Gene $immons. It comes pretty natural to me. Have you ever heard someone use it when it's outta time? Wow. I'd rather play the wrong friggin' note.
 
#10
And then don't forget the BOOOOOSH-BUCKETAFISH....

That's when you and the drummer are in the groove at the big vamp-it-out ending, and he puts the exclamation point on your BOOOOSH with the floor tom BUCKETAFISH roll. Guaranteed crowd-goes-nuts moment there.

BnB
 
#13
stubborne said:
Planning a BOOOOSH is awesome, pretty much guaranteed to get you above the mix. Plus, you get to use the Bass Face. Only drawback I can see is the limiting affect on the gig-saver version of the BOOOOSH. Can't wear it out!

Stu-
Click to expand...

Hah, yeah, definitely don't want to wear it out. I do it twice though in that one song and not at all in any of the others. At least not for the way they were written so that might limit my effectiveness of using the BOOOOSH as a gig saver. Crowd would say "didn't he do that twice in that one song already?" haha, I guess we'll see.
 
#14
BelleNoireBass said:
Hah, yeah, definitely don't want to wear it out. I do it twice though in that one song and not at all in any of the others. At least not for the way they were written so that might limit my effectiveness of using the BOOOOSH as a gig saver. Crowd would say "didn't he do that twice in that one song already?" haha, I guess we'll see.
Click to expand...

Hmm, interesting. I'm thinking in this case, where a gig-saver BOOOOSH must be used after already BOOOOSH'ing twice on purpose, that immediately after the Bass Face, turn to the drummer, flash a big sh!t-eating grin, turn back to the crowd, flash the devil horns, and mouth "F*CK YEAH". That would add a bit of awesomeness to it.

Stu-
 

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