Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Unfunky......
- Thread starter DWBass
- Start date
You hit the nail on the head. When the BL hit me up, he told me he'd have the best cats in the area. Problem is they don't play this stuff and don't know it. Knowledge and feel and experience is key for me. This is going to take some work and time. I'll hang as long as I can. But I get frustrated pretty easily. We'll see.I always find it pecuilar when some bands are gathered together even as a project to do a certain genre, and they are not even close to it, any time, regardless fo rehearsal or woodshedding. If they don't hear the gnarls yet, they never will. Microrythms, syncopations, breaks, stops, pauses are what ticks and kicks in this kind of music. I was in a band too, jazz band, that was all cool members, except for the drummer who was the BL and gathered us all up. He couldn't cope playing a simple swing beat, with ride, until he got cramped up and tired, and then all of sudden, on a whim, shifted over to samba in the middle of a tune, in a middle of a bar, and at no point telling us when. He didn't hear that it throw it all off. He chose the numbers, and I said to him after first rehearsal "why do you choose songs that you haven't got the chops to play yourself in the first place?" we weren't friends before, not even aqcuaintances, and not afterwards either. The others blushed embarrasingly, while he went silent, and stumped. It lasted 2 more rehearsals with another bass player who said exactly the same thing. The worst of it all, that the drummer worked as a drum teacher too
.... chills sends down my spine.
I liked it! I think that is worth fixing! There is low hanging funk-fruit hanging from the tree Keemo Sabi. You must show initiative and pluck the berry from da vine!
A drink of the super soy sauce and there will be funk chirren evuh-ri-where!
Hey, I liked it.
Too bad about the flat sax(es). I think I heard some straight rhythm guitar that maybe didn't fit? Or maybe it was right but the other stuff was too lose timing-wise for it to work. Vocals sounded pretty good.
And yes, the bass was sweet!
Too bad about the flat sax(es). I think I heard some straight rhythm guitar that maybe didn't fit? Or maybe it was right but the other stuff was too lose timing-wise for it to work. Vocals sounded pretty good.
And yes, the bass was sweet!
jive1
Commercial User
IMO, the biggest reason why the song doesn't sound funky because the song isn't funky. Although it has a fun bass line and some cool syncopation and changes, I wouldn't consider it a funky tune. The one isn't in the song whether it's Chicago or your band, and as we all know you can't bring the funk if you don't have the one. I've done that song before, and I don't approach it as a funk song. If anything, I approach it as a prog pop tune with some swing in the middle section.
By the way I never played that song before but I do my homework. There's several TOP tunes I've never played either and Rocco is not easy to cover but I'm on it. I'll post more clips. As I mentioned, these are like first time run throughs so given that, I do think we will tighten up.
Last edited:
Not all that bad! The horn players aren't getting it yet and while the drummer has yet to get his funk shoes on, he isn't bad at all. This might actually get a little rougher if he starts to groove before the horn players do, who are playing completely stiffly for now. Sounds to me like they are reading.
I would be willing to bet this project comes together nicely with some more practice and coaching, they just need more saddle time.
I would be willing to bet this project comes together nicely with some more practice and coaching, they just need more saddle time.
Agreed. That particular song and most Chicago isn't funk. The TOP stuff is a different story.
Just as a question are the musicians reading? I’ve found that when a lot of folk read a chart instead of learning the stuff, the life goes out of the result. This is just an observation over years of playing. Full disclosure: I do not read. When I bought my first bass in 1962 there were few actual charts. There were some “piano” charts available but the left hand was far from what was on the record.
Last edited:
I like what I'm hearing so far. A tight horn section don't happen over-nite.
I have to ask. Why would the band allow that kind of behavior to go unchecked?
They are on the list. Talked about In The Stone last night.
Other folks have mentioned something along this line, above--but listening to the Chicago track, I got the sense the pocket wasn't locked because the horns and drums were working so hard to make their parts (reading charts, you say?) they couldn't relax enough to groove. Sometimes a little ahead of the beat, sometimes on top, sometimes a little behind--and def not synched in how they were feeling the time.
If I'm right about that, it's good news, since once they can play from memory there's a good chance it'll come together.
IME (and it definitely is true both of me and most folks I've seen perform), when a player is at the frontier of his/her abilities, it's unlikely to groove. But often, that same player will have a great feel when playing comfortably within technical limits.
If I'm right about that, it's good news, since once they can play from memory there's a good chance it'll come together.
IME (and it definitely is true both of me and most folks I've seen perform), when a player is at the frontier of his/her abilities, it's unlikely to groove. But often, that same player will have a great feel when playing comfortably within technical limits.
Yes, they are all reading except for me. I can read charts/sheet music, but I prefer to learn a song by ear and get a feel for the songs.
Not sure what happened last night horn wise. We were missing several horn players due to the holiday so it was just the 2. There are 6 all together. It sounded better with all of them last week. This was the third rehearsal. Guitarist is killing me though. Horrible timing for funk and r&b. He's a rock guy. I heard zero r&b chops.
I can dig it. I'm just not a fan of folks trying to play a genre they are unfamiliar with and don't have the chops for it. Makes for a really lengthy prep and it may not even work out. I'm also not a fan of folks relying on charts to get by. Zero feel. You have to feel the music you're playing.
I think that this is the main problem ! They need to listen to the records - and then memorize the parts ! I played in a horn band once that included 3 band directors who insisted on having the charts in front of them. I commented that that was "fine and dandy", but the were playing it like they had never heard the songs before. I pestered them to lose the music stands, and open their ears. Guess what - the band sounded MUCH better ! Your sound clip shows potential - your bass sounds good, the vocalist is more than adequate ! Everyone else sounds stiff - that should improve once they are familiar with the feel of the songs !
Last edited:
Latest posts
-
Adding J pup to P bass, should I go 60’s or 70’s spacing?- Latest: Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati
-
-
-
