Unusual Playing Technique (link to movie)

The videos are all blurry, so it's kind of hard to see anything in detail. But the sheer concept of what he's doing is... well... unorthodox, at least.

But he knows his chops well.

 

Well it <b>looks</b> kinda cool, but <b>sounds</b> pretty normal to me.

I don't think it's worth adapting, and I guess it's much a dead end.
But that's just me.

 

...he's been playin' in a variety of bar bands around here for awhile.
The first time I stumbled into a beach bar & saw him(w/ The Mike Latham Band), I just assumed he was bored & jokin' around(they were playing a Sponge tune). They then played "What Would You Say" by DMB...some tricky, syncopated figures & Q kept on a-playing "underhanded". This was 5 years ago?
Anyway, he did make it into an issue of a Bass Frontiers mag a couple years ago.
He's a big Larry Graham fan(I think).

 

Mayben he's a lapsed violinist. I can see how the underhanded thing might be useful if he played a bass like Jimmy Haslip (big strings on the bottom), but the Spectors he's playing seem to be strung normally.

 

How very, very odd.

 

I agree with JMX, sure it looks weird when you see him playing, but it sounds the same as playing it normally.


Don't get me wrong, I think he is a really great bass player, but his technique isnt that impressive.

 

What's he doing, playing with the hand over the top of the neck?

I remember seeing a guy called Healy who plays a Strat on his lap, a bit like a pedal steel with no steel. He's blind as well.

 

Interesting - playing from underneath like a violinist... he has every right to do it like that, but the question is why? What advantage does it have? It must cause wrist problems... why not learn to play the "usual" way?

But in the end, how he wants to play the bass is up to him...

 

(Sigh).
He also plays "the traditional way".
I think he plays "underhanded" 'cause he was very young when he started & that was the easiest way to hold up such an instrument(no strap?).

Anyway, I'll try to dig up that issue of Bass Frontiers...

 

I thought it was pretty cool. I'm sure he has considered the possible wrist/hand problems involved in what he's doing. To me, it wasn't so much the technique I was impressed with, but the muscality of what he was playing WITH that technique; a lot of times, when you see someone demonstrating their "monster chops", they might as well be playing the electric typewriter. But this guy was playing some really nice stuff. I say, good for him!

 

Does anybody know what the name of that jaco song that he plays? I saw Jaco play it on his instructional video, but I dont know what song it is.

thanks

 

Wasn't he in some Patrick Swayze movie? Road Dog? Something like that...

Like Dave Siff, I say good for him! I just think it's pretty interesting, and I wonder how his left hand could handle all that strain! But it's cool to see him be able to play so well both "traditionally" and his way. Innovation and unconventionality, even if impractical to others, is still a good thing.

 

this is what he said on an interview on his page....dont see how thats comfortable, hey he makes it work.

if you wanna check out his page the address is:
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~qqbear1/

 

anyone??

 

it doesnt matter how he plays!hes awesome!im gonna go try to play like that....

 

isnt it amazing? i just made a thread like this one

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34421

 

I just read another thread about this guy w/ a link to spector.com He is no slouch!

 

Angus its called "Road House".

 

I just saw a live concert whith Chuck Berry where he played his guitar like that during one of his innovative() solos!