Tutorial for My Forbidden Lover (Chic; Bernard Edwards)

[Dr. Cheese]

This is a very detailed instruction and explanation of one of Bernard Edwards best lines.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

This is a very detailed instruction and explanation of one of Bernard Edwards best lines.

That "instructor" is way too "cold" for me even to listen to his "paraphrases" about Bernard Edwards - a bass player who seriously shook my "bass world" in the 70's.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

That "instructor" is way too "cold" for me even to listen to his "paraphrases" about Bernard Edwards - a bass player who seriously shook my "bass world" in the 70's.

I can see that. For years, there were folks at TB who thought my Bernard Edwards avatar was me. Except for not wanting to be dead, I wish I were Bernard Edwards. The man knew how to construct a bassline!

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I can see that. For years, there were folks at TB who thought my Bernard Edwards avatar was me. Except for not wanting to be dead, I wish I were Bernard Edwards. The man knew how to construct a bassline!

I distinctly remember, listening to Chic in the late 70's on a reel-to-reel tape recorder. And I was amazed by the bass TONE, it's articulation on that tape. Bernard Edwards was able to keep that constant Groove (like a heart rhythm) gushing by constantly (slightly) changing it, embellishing it, variating, etc..., but always keeping that Breathing Groove intact as the song's "spine". He was able to play Pop music and truly enjoy it. Bernard Edwards was able to find BEAUTY in "easy-listening" songs and integrally and NATURALLY craft bass-lines establishing the song's MOOD, Character, etc...
Each Bernard's bass line's measure was ALIVE, full of minute nuances.
He was a Master of note's length, its Volume.
Another interesting and important thing about Bernard Edward's bass line is that they were very BASS-oriented without any distraction/sliding into that "Hey, are you are a guitar player" ornaments somewhere high in the register.

Bernard Edward's bass lines used to be my first example for any (so called) serious but complaining JAZZ-Y musicians,
"If you are so GOOD (Jazz Musician), let's write, play something like Bernard did, become famous, and, then, you'll have enough money to play all that "heavy sophisticated Jazz stuff" for Free."

It's impossible to talk about Bernard Edward's bass lines without mentioning the "one and only" Rhythm Guitar - Nile Rodgers.
What an amazing team-play!