Post your covers! (2019-2022)

Cheers @terb. The bass is a Serek Midwestern 2 short scale.

6 Likes

That’s an interesting bass you have there :+1: Googled it and they are very impressive

5 Likes

Thanks @Mac. Yes, the guys at Serek just had a “spring clean” sale where they cleared some stock. This was one of two lefties they had, and I snaffled it.

I am still getting used to the short scale. Funny (and counter-intuitive) thing is that the tones seem a little darker and muddier than a standard 34" scale, so I’m beginning to use the bridge pickup a lot more than I do on my other bass.

5 Likes

not so counter intuitive in fact, as the strings are shorter it’s pretty normal ! anyway, I love the shape and color scheme, very nice bass :+1:

6 Likes

Yep in general shorties are darker and less defined sounding, not uncommon at all.

You lose the higher harmonics with shorter strings, not the low end :slight_smile:

5 Likes

well well well … I’ve already posted this video on Josh’s request post, but it’s still a bass cover so I think it belongs here too :grin:

Doc Watson & David Holt - Ready For The Times To Get Better

… and also it will be a better place to talk about it. so, this song is incredible, as a lot of Doc Watson songs. and, like a big part of the country songs, it doesn’t have any bass track or anything else than guitar and voice. that’s great for me as I’m trying to find all the secrets of a good dark country bass line :cowboy_hat_face:

so the bass line is my own composition, it’s a bit unusual I think, at least it’s not really the kind of bass line I do. but I wanted to play somewhat in a upright way (speaking about the notes that I play, for exemple the fifth at one octave down on the main part) without searching to sound like an upright (I’m not trying to mimic another instrument ; however this could be cool but it’s not what I wanted to do).

the record / video / mix has been made in no time, I believe I made only two takes within a 10 minute interval. and I recorded the video and the audio track at the same time.

I used my “new” Ibanez just for fun, even if the Precision might have been a better choice, but this kind of mix gives a lot of room on a lot of frequencies so I think the Ibanez works well. would have been even more cool with flatwounds, no doubt !
The Ibanez is plugged directly into the Line6 TonePort : no pedal or preamp this time (all those things were still packed when I recorded the song :sweat_smile: ). software Ampeg B15 model on Pod Farm, and that’s it.

I’m very curious to know what you think about my bass line, so please don’t hesitate for constructive criticism ! thanks ! :kissing_heart:

17 Likes

@sfadams

Nice job, I like the tone as well. Looks like you are doing some combination down stroke and up stroke picking as well? I have tried that a bit without much success so far- so have just stayed with down strokes only. (but I like the fact that it gives you a different sound and also that you can do things quicker as well with the more efficient motion. ) And as a player of only short scales, let me add to the other comments- that is a pretty cool bass ya got!

4 Likes

@ terb

I like this a lot- will have to definitely check this Doc Watson you speak of. Country is by far my least favorite genre. However, I love a lot of the old style stuff: Bob Wills, etc.

That is a great example of one of the things I am really loving about learning the bass- I listen to this cover you created, and my level of knowledge is far below what you are doing. But if I were to try and learn this same song, I could pick out some of those basic root notes, play something a lot more basic and minimal, but as long as the notes are correct, it would actually sound OK. Does that make sense? (maybe you can do that with all instruments, I have no idea since prior to 2 and half years ago of starting this course, I had no background in it at all?)

For the covers I am learning with my band, I think I am basically doing the same thing. I will work with a tab, and as I am learning it, I often find a way to simplify it in places- and end up playing a version that works and is fun to play- but does not match the original artist at all. (but if I can play it loud in a room with other musicians and musically it sounds alright I am happy!) I realize I am setting the bar low- but for me, time is somewhat limited and I probably spend more of my available time creating riffs, rather than proper practicing.

7 Likes

this guy made some insanely cool songs, I’m very glad you want to discover more of his work ! really worth the time you will invest, I garantee !

absolutly. it would work great and sound more than OK. there’s nothing wrong with playing root notes in a minimal way ! actually you can just try, as the album track has no bass it’s really straigtforward to play a bass line over it !

I don’t think so. I find that the bass is very very “tolerent”. you can play a line that really works with only the “root on 1” rule and then you can compose a more complex and refined line when your level increases. but it’s a very affordable instrument, I’d say, it’s not the case of all instruments. for example you can’t really play guitar if you don’t master a few chords, and the gesture is way more complicated than playing only one big string at a time. still you have a lot of room when your level increases, of courses, there is no limit.

in my opinion it’s not a problem. I never try to replicate exactly the existing line. sometimes I do play the same line but it’s not in the idea to play exactly like what’s on the album. I think you approach is perfectly OK.

I will confess something … I NEVER practice. I just play :grin: what could be wrong with this ?

7 Likes

My dirty little secret too :slight_smile:

I will do some warmups (scales or something twisty like Billie Jean - less that lately though as I don’t really like the song at all.) But mostly I just play.

Tonight (er, this morning - holy crap its 5:30 am :slight_smile:) it was all “Here Comes Your Man” (Pixies) and “Hysteria” (Muse).

7 Likes

@terb
Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it, especially the musical background stuff! (but just to clarify, those first two: downstroke/upstroke and short scale comments were directed at @sfadams) :crazy_face:

3 Likes

oh sorry ! will edit to avoid unneeded confusion

2 Likes

Great job @sfadams!! Great tone!! Keep ‘em comin’!

Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny

4 Likes

Most excellent @terb! Beautiful tone from the Ibanez, and your bass line fits well into the song. I love that you decided to finger pluck instead of using the pick - really enhances the rhythmic tone and creates a feeling of relaxed solitude. So different from many of your past covers. I really LOVE this one Laurent… One of my favorites from your arsenal of bass covers! KUDOS my friend!

Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny

5 Likes

thank you very much @Lanny !

yeah, that’s pretty well said. I like how my playing and feeling change depending on the technique I use. at some point when I play a bass line, it’s obvious : one technique (alternating fingers or pick) is the one to use, there’s not much choice really. and I’m really happy I did the B2B course because it’s what learnt me the finger plucking technique, it’s really a big thing. even if I will probably ever be mostly a pick player. (which is cool in my opinion)

so …

I play more and more with alternating fingers but I keep the pick for all my violent things :grin: I’m somewhat lost between the dark country and the sludgecore zone, I think I must be the only one in this case :joy:

… anyway … the pick will be back … really soon … :grin:

4 Likes

Hi @terb,
Nice smooth bass line with plenty of space.
I don’t now the song or the artist but your bass fill worked really nice with the song.
Cheers Brian

4 Likes

Many thanks @lee_editorial. Yes, you are right. There are some occasional 16th note upstrokes. In fact that is one of the main reasons I chose this song as my “learn to play with a pick” song. The other main attraction is the little run where you have to pick all four strings in quick succession at the same time as covering four frets with the other hand.

I should probably find out through the “show us your basses” thread, but which short scale bass(es) have you got?

1 Like

Very nice @terb! I missed this on the other thread. You may have given me a new project: find songs by this artist, and try to add a bass line to them …

3 Likes

Thanks @Lanny.

2 Likes

That’s a really cool bass line you’ve put together @terb ! Fits in with the song so well and yet not just a standard country bass line . Certainly good for thought.
Loving the Ibanez too

3 Likes