Posts Tagged ‘Bass Guitar’
When you listen to a song what do you hear? When you listen to a song you like, what is it that you like about it?
I have asked musicians and people who do not play any musical instruments at all these very questions, the answers I got were pretty consistently the same. When someone tells me they like a song I ask them in return, What do you like about it? If it is a song that I like also I will ask if they like lets say the bass guitar line, or the sound of the electric guitar solo, or even the acoustic guitar playing on the song?
Most of the time someone that does not play guitar will not even take notice of the instruments on the song, they recognize the singing, or the singer but are oblivious to the music behind them. When someone that does play and is proficient at it they hear that great bass guitar riff that makes the song great, or the guitar solo whether played acoustically or on an electric guitar. Someone familiar with music can also tell you what pedals are used to make the electric guitar sound the way it does.
Through the years there has been many terrific songs. Some songs are responsible for launching the careers of the musicians that played them.
One such song was done by a rock band out of Detroit, Michigan named The Amboy Dukes. They had a hit song “Journey To The Center Of The Mind” that had an electric guitar solo played by Ted Nugent. That song is responsible for launching his career.
Next song up is a song recorded by a Scottish Band in the late 60’s. The name of the band is Marmalade, and the song is “Reflections of My Life”. Junior Campbell who wrote the song also has a guitar solo played on a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar that will make you want to learn guitar. The song also features the vocals of Dean Ford along with some outstanding vocal harmonies. The bass guitar line is played by Graham Knight. For me it is the bass line of this song that attracted me along its’ great guitar solo.
The last blog was a lot of fun, digging up and remembering supergoups from the past that I thought I would continue that theme in this blog. Hopefully these names will stimulate your thoughts if you are as old as I am, or stir your curiosity if your new to some of the names.
First up is the Traveling Wilburys, shot started as a simple jam session among friends turned into something very special for us all. Armed with electric guitars as well as acoustic guitars these individuals were all highly respected and well known artists. The Traveling Wilburys were made up of equal parts of George Harrison (The Beatles), (ELO otherwise known as Electric Light Orchestra), Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. The name “Wilburys” referred to the studio equipment that was able to cover up their mistakes in the final mix.
For me a band that deserves to be on this list is Fleetwood Mac. While each of its’ members were known before combining their efforts, none were as successful as after joining Fleetwood Mac. While founding member Peter Green left the band the five members everyone remembers most are, Mick Fleetwood on drums and also one of the founding members of the band, my personal favorite Christine McVie on keyboards, vocals, and songwriter of some of the bands biggest hits like “You Make Loving Fun”, Over My Head”, and “say That You Love Me”, all that can still be heard on the radio today. Stevie Nicks whose vocals can be heard on “Rhianna” and “Dreams” can also still be heard on the radio. Bass guitar was played by John McVie who contributed with some fantastic bass riffs. Rounding out the band is Lindsey Buckingham playing electric guitar. On stage you never saw him use a fingerpick, he always used his fingers and fingernails to give us some of the most brilliant guitar solos ever.
A supergroup is defined as a group with band members already known from when they were in other bands. In my 57 years I have seen and heard my share of supergroups.
In my estimation Cream should be considered as the first supergroup. With Eric Clapton formerly of The Yardbirds playing electric guitar how can you lose. other notable members of the band were Ginger Baker on drums who came out of Graham Bond Organization, along with Jack Bruce playing bass guitar, he was with Manfred Mann. I’m sure you recognize some of their songs such as “White Room”, and Sunshine Of Your Love” which can still be heard on the radio.
With songs like “Rock and Roll Fantasy” and “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love” in their resume Bad Company a band started in 1973 is next on the supergroup list. Paul Rodgers formerly of Free, his vocals can be in 2004 with Queen + Paul Rodgers. His voice is ranked 55 of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”. Playing Electric guitar is Mick Ralphs once with Mott the Hoople, with bass guitar being played by Boz Burrell from King Crimson, and drums being played by Simon Kirke of Free.
The 80’s was a great time for rock, with some of the greatest bands ever how cold it not be? Most of these bands are still playing today to new audiences as well as their old faithful followers.
One of the best bands of the 80’s has to be Van Halen, with Eddie Van Halen playing his hand made electric guitar how can they lose. AC/DC without a doubt is one of the greatest bands of all time. By now who isn’t familiar with Angus Young strutting his stuff all around the stage while playing his Gibson SG electric guitar.
As three piece bands go Rush is one of the best. On bass guitar they have Geddy Lee who is one the best around as well as a great guitar provided by Alex Lifeson.
When talking about the 80’s you have to give notice to one of the best glam rock bands of all time Def Leppard. As musicians they might not have been the best but putting them all together was like a magnet. They had one of the best songs of the 80’s with “Pour Some Sugar On Me”.
Have you ever been driving in your car or truck when a song came on the radio that you never heard before? As soon as you get home you start looking for the song, when you find it you find it had an outstanding bass guitar line that was invisible on the radio, you start to ask yourself why.
How about those songs you hear over and over on the radio that you just don’t like. As with the first example you find the songs done live by what ever band it is, and you hear electric guitar licks you never heard on the radio, and are now a big fan of that particular band.
That has happened quite a bit to me, one such band for me is The Doobie Brothers. There music has been on the radio for decades and to me it was alright, but nothing great. If you have never heard The Doobies try it. Electric guitars are used for most of their songs, featuring great guitar solos, along with some snappy rhythm guitar work, and if you are an acoustic guitar lover listen to “Snake Man” a song which the play entirely with acoustic guitars along with a steel guitar.
I am 57 years old, other parents like me are at a greater advantage of our parents. When I was a teenager rock and roll was just beginning and my parents didn’t understand it, being from an era of the 1930’s.
Rock and roll has lasted for more than 50 years, that puts us on the same, or better level of music with our sons and daughters then our parents had with us. It’s a great time to communicate with your children through music.
It’s a great time for everyone in the family to learn music and have one big jam. It doesn’t matter if you play bass guitar, electric guitar, of even acoustic guitar music is something the whole family can share, (who knows you might even impress your child with your musical talents). The experience with your child will also bring you closer to the music
Just a few simple steps can keep your electric guitar looking new and playing new. The same thing applies if you purchased an acoustic guitar, or a bass guitar.
From the time you made your purchase you should have picked up some guitar polish and some soft rages, or maybe you purchased an electric guitar package that has guitar polish and special rags in it. These two guitar accessories when used often can preserve the finish on your guitar, cleaning the strings can result in making them last longer also.
You should get into the habit of keeping your hands clean when playing your guitar along with wiping the guitar and strings down after every use. The oil given off by your fingertips can be one of the biggest reasons your strings would have to be changed often.
With the right playing habits and just a few simple steps mentioned above there is no reason your electric guitar can’t have an outstanding appearance like it did when it was new.
Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s there was no shortage of great bands. With rock and roll emerging from the late 50’s and with the British Invasion in the 60’s we were also privy to some pretty great music from Motown.
Speaking of Motown do you what Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Temptations, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and Stevie Wonder just to name a few have in common? They all had hit songs that were backed up by The Funk Brothers.
The Funk Brothers made their home in Detroit, Michigan and were probably the best session musicians of the time. One of the greatest electric guitar riffs came from Robert White one of the original guitarists for the band, it is his familiar playing on The Temptations “My Girl” that makes that song catch yor attention as soon as it’s played.
Playing bass guitarfor the band originally was James Jamerson. If you are looking for one bass guitarist for inspiration look no further. It’s his bass playing you are listening to when you hear songs such as “Shotgun” by Jr. Walker and the Allstars, “My Girl”, and the sensational bass line for Stevie Wonders “For Once in My Life”.
Give me a guitar and I’m a happy guy. It doesn’t matter if it’s an electric guitar, acoustic guitar, or bass guitar, to me it meant rock and roll.
There has been several failed attempts at expanding the formula for rock and roll, disco was one of them, thank goodness that’s over with. That brings me to Rap, can someone please point out another way of making millions of dollars with absolutely no musical talent.
You don’t have to play a guitar or even have a good singing voice to be a Rap star. You can hook up with a talented singer like Rhianna with Kanye West, or Alicia Keys with Jay Z but to me that just masks the fact that they have no musical talent.
Disco gave life to quite a number of bands and singers in the 70’s, they even had a porn star with a hit song, “More More More” by the Andrea True Connection. While many of these acts were at least pleasing to hear they didn’t hang around much as Disco faded away. Maybe it’s my age showing but I hope the same thing happens to rap, it needs to go away and never be heard of again.