I am really not happy with this, but its late and my wife wont listen to any more 1-5 notes. For some reason the B on the g-string is really out of tune. I don’t know why. I checked the tuning using both a tuner and harmonics with the D string and its fine…so either something is funky with my bass or Mr. Cash was a little out of tune when he recorded this. I continue to have issues with timing–especially here where there are no drums. I am mostly on, but I tend to wander a bit…not sure how to fix this. This issue has come up in some of my other covers, so I am looking for suggestions. And before someone says “well, why did you post this if you are not happy with it”–I am not posting these so people can be impressed by my musical prowess, but to get help learning. I feel like I hit a wall on this one—which really pisses me off because it should be easy. Anyhoo…I’ve done enough bass for tonight. I really do appreciate everyone’s feedback and suggestions. --Cheers.
You are putting rests between the notes, the notes should go one into the next, more fluidly. Tell your wife to cover her ears for a sec and give it a try and see how the feel changes in the song this way.
You are rushing the beat a bit. This is not all your fault, I found this song to speed up a bit from beginning to end, almost like a ‘train a comin’", which makes you want to play faster as well. Not sure if this was on purpose or some weird tape recording thing on the orginal, but it does speed up a bit. I noticed when I would go back to the beginning and it felts so much slower than the end of the song.
BTW< the next song (AC/DC) is recorded way out of tune, check the discord server for the corrected backing track, otherwise you will go nuts trying to play in tune.
That’s pretty much the point. We’re all beginners - the goal here is to give people something to work on and get constructive criticism so we can all improve.
Anyway, that said, very nice job… You mentioned the timing issues - my comment here would be that there is a percussive element to the song, so even though there are “no drums” per se, there is something that is keeping a beat, so maybe get more familiar with picking up other song elements to help you out in that manner?
And I kinda (respectfully) disagree with @John_E’s comment about the song notes being more legato. When I listen to it, it’s a very thuddy bass line. I’m considering trying something like a sponge under my strings to get that effect. So, I think you were fine in that regard.
Good job - look forward to the next one (you’re really pumping out the covers!)…
Just going by @JoshFossgreen’s score…
I generally look at the challange songs as how they are played vs. the score provided, as that is how I interpret the challange. But, of course you can do them any way you like or interpret, many do this. Depends on what you are trying to get out of it.
You can certainly take anything said by all with a grain of salt and apply it or ignore it if it doesn’t apply, no harm no foul.
I don’t think its the bass that is the percussive sound that is heard on this track, but might well be.
I tried doing it more legato on an earlier take, but it didnt feel right and i felt ‘behind.’ I Interpreted the song as calling for a more separated ‘chuff’ ‘chuff’ sound like a steam engine.
At least I figured out the walkups on my own, so I am not completely tone deaf.
Totally agree - there’s something else clacking out some kind of beat…
Understood, and agree with what you’re saying… They’re written as straight quarter notes. My point simply was that listening to the track, the notes are not legato. I don’t think it was played differently than the provided score - it was just played more staccato than legato, which to me, fits with the track… That’s all I was commenting on…
Thats the great thing about music, no two people play something exactly alike. Heck, i remember from my clarinet days playing Von Webers’s ‘concertina,’ being criticized for not taking enough liberties with the score.
That said, i wasnt trying to put rests between the notes here, maybe I just overdid it. I was really trying to avoid the amp reverberating.
The producer was Sam Phillips, and the musicians were Cash (vocals, guitar), Luther Perkins (guitar), and Marshall Grant (bass).[6] Like other songs recorded during his early Sun Records sessions, Cash had no drummer in the studio, but replicated the snare drumsound by inserting a piece of paper (like a dollar bill) under the guitar strings and strumming the snare rhythm on his guitar.
Nice job @Old_WannaBe ,
Couple little things others have mentioned and you spoke about already, finger plucking is good, only thing that I would suggest that you can work on as you improve is try and get one finger per fret, this will provide more economy on quicker songs, this song is good practice for it due to the tempo, my thoughts only,
Keep up the good work,
Cheers Brian
Quite the contrary @Old_WannaBe,…. Most times it’s those “Simple Songs” that give us the biggest headaches…
First off, this song was recorded in a studio using a double bass…. That deep resonating sound is one that is difficult to replicate on an electric bass, but there are things you can try like sponge under the strings at the bridge - which works fine, but what I noticed more was where you were plucking the strings on your bass.
This might sound a bit weird, but try anchoring your thumb at the end of the neck where it meets the body of the bass and pluck your strings there instead of so close to the bridge. You’ll be surprised at how different the tones will be. They will actually have the same if not better result than a sponge. I use this technique quite a bit on certain songs.
Chances are (for this song) by changing your string plucking position which will result in the tone of the notes having a more deeper double bass tone with more resonance, your ears will be more in tune with how the song progress’s, and could even possible help with the timing issue you mentioned. You obviously know the notes to play (simple riffs) so just close your eyes and play…. Oh, and when you get frustrated,…. remember, we’re all in this to have fun. When things quit being fun, then it’s time to take a break and do something else…
I don’t know where you are in the course, but Josh teaches this one in module 11, so don’t worry about it. Sometimes it’s also a matter of taste and others found this song quite cumbersome, too.
