bennythebassman

If (Tony Grey bass solo) - Backstage Pass

Let's step through the whole solo! My thoughts and observations.

If - Hiromi Uehara (Tony Grey Bass Solo!)

Here's a crazy bass solo coming atcha, by way of Ken's Priority request. 

This solo is nuts. It's so melodic (helps when you have a tenor bass!) and interesting, and gets extremely technical towards the end. A really well-crafted solo with constantly building energy and themes/variations - a cool study on a very professional-grade improv. 

I've always really loved Hiromi's playing too - she's so playful and creative and extremely musical; she also wears all her emotions on her sleeve while she's performing. Check out this live performance in its entirety, including her own mind-blowing solo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfVvZNjcKkI

Enjoy all! And happy practicing..

Summer Days - Backstage Pass

A bit about where some of these funky patterns came from, and how to play them!

Little delayed this week!

Hey Patrons! Little delayed for the uploads this week - I've been practicing until my wrists are about to fall off but I don't quite have this week's video (special killer request by a fellow Patron, Ken) ready for you all. Will get it done likely tomorrow! And for those of you $4+ patrons, the backstage pass from last week will follow as well)

Have a great weekend.

Ben

Summer Days - Martin Garrix ft. Macklemore + Patrick Stump

Some pop for your Friday! I must say I love the recent trend of really funky bass loops over modern pop tunes. Makes for some fun learning :)

Also, been a fan of Macklemore forever so that made this one extra fun to do. 

Enjoy all!

Livin' On A Prayer - Backstage Pass

An interesting Bon Jovi history lesson, as well as a style that his bass player drew a lot of inspiration from, and of course, how to play the riff and the chorus.

Livin On A Prayer - Bon Jovi

Time to tease that hair and break out the headbands - we're going back to the mid eighties for this rock classic.   

The bass part in this tune is for sure well known, and the tune is arguably still overplayed, but when you actually study the lines, they're pretty cool. You can hear the James Jamerson influence peaking out and some of the variations especially in the chorus are pretty virtuosic and imaginative.   

Enjoy!

Spain pt 2 - Backstage Pass

Let's practice the solo! I play through it at several slower speeds.

Spain - Chick Corea and Return To Forever (Part 2!)

Here's part 2, complete with the bass solo!! 

If you missed, it Part 1 is here: Here's part 2, complete with the bass solo!! If you missed, it Part 1 is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDddj...  

Again thanks to Patreon.com supporter Sam for putting me through the ringer with this request. This one really challenged me, and I really hope you all enjoy the result!   

Have a great weekend everyone. 

Spain pt 1 - Backstage Pass

Let's step through the first half of Spain! My thoughts and observations, and of course we get in depth into how to play that cool riff! 

Spain - Chick Corea and Return To Forever (Part 1!)

Okaaayyyy well here's part one of the masterpiece that is Spain by Chick Corea and Return to Forever. Thank you to Patreon.com supporter Sam for putting me through the ringer with this request.   

I honestly don't think I've ever heard Stanley Clarke sound better than he does on this record. I absolutely love his playing. Acoustic bass chops through the roof, but also groove, tone, invention; all the guys on this track are really pushing their personal boundaries here and the raw energy practically breaks free of my headphones every time I listen to it.  

A superclassic in the Jazz world and one of my absolute favourites from the genre.   

Hope you all enjoy! And good luck ;)

The Girl From Ipanema - Backstage Pass

We get into a short history of Brazilian music! The Bossa and the Samba and how they came to North America - also how they are kind of watered down in modern "latin jazz", and a few things we can do to help spice them up again.

The Girl From Ipanema - Antonio Carlos Jobim

Thank you to Patreon.com member Helio for continuing to class up this channel with old jazz requests!

This one comes by way of Brazil. When Stan Getz travelled down to South America and returned with the Getz/Gilberto albums, it really helped to cement "Latin Jazz" as a a beautiful and influential mix of the two styles. Before these records, "Bossa" was not a term heard in Jazz circles, but once people got their hands on these records, it was everywhere. 

Now, latin standards like The Girl From Ipanema are inseparable from "normal" jazz tunes. We have Stan Getz in large part to thank for that, as well as the beautiful compositions of Antonio Carlos Jobim, and the embodiment of Brazilian singing Joao Gilberto and his then wife, Astrud Gilberto, who had never sung professionally before this session (!!!!!)

This week's tune is definitely a simpler one, but extremely historic.

Enjoy!

Giants - Backstage Pass

I talk about my approach when playing this type of music, and about why it's a lot more difficult to perform properly than people think...

Giants - Now, Now

Thank you Jeremy for this Patreon request! 

I had never heard of this band before but after hearing them, and doing a bit of research, I'm now a fan. Really cool, pretty, musical rock. This track hits hard, but it's also extremely interesting in its arrangement - almost through-composed on the bass (ie no two parts are exactly the same) - a really good showcase on how to play original basslines in this genre.

Enjoy, everyone!

Josie - Backstage Pass

Let's take a walk through the tune! I break down all the parts and talk about fingering/tone choices, how to play some of the harder parts, and how some of these lines have become really influential/copied by other bands and tunes through the decades...

Josie - Steely Dan

Some more Steely Dan for the channel. This tune is so cool. This band just has a way with these kind of smooth tunes - so unmistakably Steely Dan.  

Not the most challenging bass part, but that doesn't always have to be the point.. Chuck Rainey's lines here are so original and groovy. Exactly what the tune needs - no more no less - the mark of a master of the Bass.  

Enjoy!

Imperial Strut - Backstage pass

Everything I can think of to help you all play that line! It's hard!

Imperial Strut - Yellowjackets

It's Fusion Friday for you! 

Here's my first Yellowjackets tune for the channel. And it's definitely a finger-twister... A really cool riff to work on though for both the right and left hand :) And, I guess just a cool tune overall if you're not only thinking about the bass part...   

The keys solo is just keys for the whole thing, but I got bored! Who can blame me? It's such a cool riff and while the keys player is awesome for being able to play that bassline with one hand and solo with the other, well...I think it still needed bass ;)   

Enjoy everyone!

A Little More Work - Backstage Pass

In this video, I talk about the most important things you'll need to be good at in order to have a career in pop music. The list might surprise you... 

A Little More Work - Kira Isabella

Kira is an incredible country singer and artist. She's great on the stage and off and I'm lucky to be able to call her a friend. I've absolutely loved playing bass for her for the last almost 7 years!  

I've had an impossibly busy week with the musical and then putting this and another Kira show together, and also being suuuuper sick, so I had absolutely no time to learn a new tune for you all this week :(  I really didn't want to leave you with nothing though, so here's one of the tunes we played at the Sens vs Blues game last Thursday. 

Headphones are encouraged! It's raw goPro audio.  

Enjoy everyone!

King Of Swing - Backstage Pass

A very under-the-weather talk about how to use an "un-anchored" thumb to help with muting the other strings on a bass. I had to do this alot for King Of Swing, so I figured this was as good a time as any to show you Backstage Passers what that's all about! 

Enjoy

King Of Swing - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Love this band. 

They were part of the late 90s/early 2000s swing revival thing. Really fun grooves and the singer sounds kind of almost punky to me and it makes for a really infectious groove and vibe. 

The bassline isn't improvised on the spot like most walking lines are - their tunes are highly orchestrated so it's more of a "bass part" than a true walking line, but it's so cool and so fun to play. Good practice for all of you starting out on your reading! Also, a fun exercise for your left hand if you try to stay in first position for almost the whole tune and work those "one-finger-one-fret" chops.  

Enjoy everyone!

Another One Bites The Dust - Backstage Pass

I'm playing a musical! So here's your backstage pass into what being a pit musician is like.

Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

I'm away from home for the next few weeks doing the We Will Rock You musical! So in that spirit, here's one of the most epic, most quoted Queen songs of all time.

Special thanks to the show's guitar players, Dave Barns and Dave Kirby, for their assistance in this vid ;)

Enjoy all!

Shining Star - Backstage Pass

Strategies for playing the verse, chorus, and bridge, and also how to groove harder with "simple" basslines like this one.

Shining Star - Earth Wind and Fire

My first Earth Wind and Fire tune on the channel! I love this band so much and this tune ranks up there with my favourites - so funky! All the little variations that Verdine White plays during the verses...  Enjoy all!

Route 66 - Backstage Pass

We discuss the blues form and how it's changed over the years, and then break down Ray Brown's legendary walking lines over top of this form. Also how to play that cool little lick at the end of the tune.

Route 66 - Natalie Cole

More jazz!!
Special thanks again to Patreon member Helio for helping me to fill this channel with a few magical jazz tunes. I really mean that - both the Nina Simone tune from a few weeks ago, and this one, have such magic to them. Of course I understand the need to drive and explore and reach with more modern or aggressive types of jazz, but I really love these types of tunes where everything is kept so simple, humble, and elegant. Truly a masterful recording, and Ray Brown adds his patented bluesy walking bass lines as the cherry on top.  

Enjoy everyone!

Reach Out I'll Be There - Backstage Pass

I talk about the power bass players have to move the roots of chords around and completely change their texture! Certain slash chords in this tune really make it recognizable and it's all in the bass. I break this down.