"THE BUDDHA" Bill Dickens

[JAUQO III-X]

I use a very lite Gauge(my E is an .85),and my action is so low that the strings lay on the frets.most Bass players that play my Bass are shocked at the super low action and lite gauges and all they get is a bunch of fret buzz when they play it.Woodchuck has heard me play and I'm sure he can tell you that I had all the Tone one could want.I rarely use someone elses Bass for performance but two Bass players that have their Bass set up where I could get on it and play it as if it were mine are Bill(Dickens(and Matt(Garrison).

 

[demolition]

I too agree he "overkills" but he does so many different slap techniques that its not a "smokeshow" like I like to call slap,but thats just my opinion.
I guess his overall personality and humility that got my attention as well,yes there were also no melodies but the dvd was about funk bass and how to slap it,not playing melodies.
I never heard any of his actual music or other peices of work but I am sure he can hold a melody,if M.Hoppus can play one I'm sure he can to.(no dis to M.Hoppus),melodies were not my point but I can see how his solo's can get "old".

 

[Mike Flynn]

I use a very lite Gauge(my E is an .85),and my action is so low that the strings lay on the frets.most Bass players that play my Bass are shocked at the super low action and lite gauges and all they get is a bunch of fret buzz when they play it.Woodchuck has heard me play and I'm sure he can tell you that I had all the Tone one could want.I rarely use someone elses Bass for performance but two Bass players that have their Bass set up where I could get on it and play it as if it were mine are Bill(Dickens(and Matt(Garrison).

Now that is light there bro - I've been a 30 - 90 Warwick man for so long now - I do find other basses hard to play which for me begs the question - why make life hard for yourself? Whatever suits you, providing you get results, is cool - personally I'd love to play Matt Garrison's bass whatever the strings!

 

[JAUQO III-X]

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I always hear about Bill Dickens, but it is always in the context of a clinic or NAMM type of program. What are some non-instructional recordings that Bill Dickens has made where he puts his technique within a wider musical context?

 

[Planet Boulder]

Having worked with Mr. Dickens, I would say that we must be talking about a different guy. He played a beautiful duet with Mike Manring on God Bless the Child and an amazing version of Spain with Roy Vogt. The guys has a wonderful tone (you should have heard him on my 4 string MTD), great musical sense. He can be a bit shy and I hope that people don't assume that he is being "standoffish".

Mike

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
left to right: Dave Pomery,Michael Manring, Bill Dickens, Trip Wamsly and Me. We're playing Chameleon (which, BTW, has 2 Chords )

Hey - I remember seeing a similar pic in Bass Player!

 

[CoryBelcher]

Just a joke on your one chord vamp line - hope you were not offended.

I have also seen/heard him grooving over some R&B on, beleive it or not, the Oprah show.

Getting to know him, play with him and teach with him gave me a whole new view of him and respect for his playing outside of his machine gun slap technique. Perhaps I have been lucky enough to see him in a light that few get

Mike

I believe youll find this with every player. If you know the person and understand their views and mannersims, and just their vibe- I think their playing 'makes more sense'. Ive just always felt that. Some peoples music that I just dont like- I meet them- and I suddenly look at it from a different angle. Just the way of the world... OPEN MIND NOW!

 

[Dave Grossman]

Adrian,
You are right on about that. There is just not enough people who have heard him play fingerstyle. I did a clinic with Bill after the "official" bassquake ended back in Sept. He was playing my four string MTD, all finger style, it was some really beautiful, melodic stuff. It was an honor to be able to play with him. He is a soft spoken humble gentleman who can flat out play the instrument.

And here's the proof!

He was a very friendly guy. He played a lot of tasteful fingerstyle stuff that night. Playing that double-thumping pthwappy stuff is just fun though. I can see why people do it. It does get tedious to listen to sometimes though.

- Dave

 

[MKS]

He was a very friendly guy. He played a lot of tasteful fingerstyle stuff that night. Playing that double-thumping pthwappy stuff is just fun though. I can see why people do it. It does get tedious to listen to sometimes though.
- Dave

Now that's a nice summary of the rest of this thread. Thanks to comments on this thread I may go back and have another listen to Bill's stuff...

 

[scatman]

And here's the proof!

He was a very friendly guy. He played a lot of tasteful fingerstyle stuff that night. Playing that double-thumping pthwappy stuff is just fun though. I can see why people do it. It does get tedious to listen to sometimes though.

- Dave

We interrupt this program for a CNN News Special Report! Bill Dickens is playing 4 string!

 

[Mike Dimin]

We interrupt this program for a CNN News Special Report! Bill Dickens is playing 4 string!

MY 4 string. I'll never polish it again

 

[PasdaBeer]

on the conklin web site, check out his small solo peice "left of center"

its actually a really cool peice

 

[oversoul]

So when is that album of his coming out anyway??

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

So when is that album of his coming out anyway??

According to his website, it's due out mid-2004. I remember it originally was due out in January of this year.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

p.s.
Bill has been busy working on his Debut CD that includes a hip hop version of the Chicken played on a 7 string Fretless.

That should be interesting to hear. I have Bill's four videos as well as the "Day the Bass Players..." one, and I never heard him mention fretless once, and always wondered if he played one.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

That should be interesting to hear. I never heard him mention fretless once, and always wondered if he played one.

Fretless Bass is an Instrument that he rarely touches(but loves the sound of)he's been woodshedding.the Fretless that he's using Is a 7 string Hollow body Conklin.