Influences & favorites

[andrewknight]

Wilfred,
 
With King Crimson as an influence, do you play the Ferguson Stick as well as the bass, or guitar? If so, how long did it take you on the Stick to get to where you were playing well?
 
Andrew

[the_mule]

Andrew, although I think they're very cool instruments, I'm not playing the Stick (yet), as at first I've got to learn to play the bass properly... ;-) Do you play the Stick?
 
Wilfred

[andrewknight]

Wifred,
 
Nope I do not, but I saw it played with King Crimson and Fergus Marsh played the Stick at two Bruce Cockburn shows that I saw. I have been interested ever since, but have not made the plunge yet. From reading about it on their website it is not too difficult of a transition. I was fairly amazed by what Fergus Marsh could do with the thing and he also stated to me after the gig that it was pretty easy to learn how to play it. Then again, he is one of those people that might just be good at anything he picks up. During the show he also played the bass, a trumpet and a conch shell.
 
Andrew

[beelee]

Hi Wilfred & Andrew
 The Chapman Stick is an awesome instrument, I saw one for the first time on American Bandstand when Mathiew Wilder performed in the late 70's I believe, as for how easy it is to play, some guitar and bass techniques don't  really apply the same way.
its keyboard like as well, and there are many different tunings ( you can choose from many)
Standard ( classic ) Stick tuning at the 7th fret is (bass strings)  ( high to low strings) B, E, A, D, G and ( chord/melody strings) ( low to high strings)  C#, F#, B, E, A  on a 10 string Stick.
Its like playing a bass backwords while playing a guitar fowards, tapping everything, no picking, you should see Emmet Chapman play, get the Hands Across the Board  video, He makes it look effortless, I was blown away when I saw it, like any instrument you have to really dedicate time to it, I play Stick a little, and some keys, and a little gtr but more bass than anything, I wish someday I could play the Stick as good as Emmet or one of the other players I've seen, I don't think I'd ever play any other instrument ever again but the Stick.........
 
B.

[811952]

I played a Chapman stick for a bit in the 1980s and have to say that it was definitely a mind-opening experience.  It is fairly easy to get things going on the bass side with a little practice.  The first tune I played onstage with it was I Want a New Drug by Huey Lewis, which had a nice ostinato I could get my brain and fingers around.  Before too long I was playing masses with it and taking it to jam sessions, but I never did have much luck using the treble side for anything.  I simply don't think fast or well enough to not have sounded very distracted.  As it turns out, I think my first wife pawned it (and a few basses) to buy acid, but that's another story.  Funny thing though, a year or so ago I went to a jam session at a friend's house and a guy was there with an old G&L bass that still had all my stickers on the case from before the ex pawned it out from under me in another state all those years ago.  I wish it had been the stick.  Go figger...
John

[andrewknight]

wow! I guess finding an old friend like that would be a trip...she got her acid too...two trips for one lousy thing to do. If someone saw one of my guitars and could show that it was previously his (without having sold it to me) and had a story like yours, I'd probably hand it over. Not a big follower of kharmic stuff, but some things are just right.

[alembic76407]

Paul McCartney is the reason I started playing Bass, I wanted to be a Beatle, I never cared much for his taste in basses, but his playing is outstanding

[811952]

David,
You'll appreciate this.  The very first thing I ever learned to play was the melody to Yesterday and I spent all day sounding it out on my first bass, a mid-60's Hofner I bought from my older brother for $200.  McCartney is a genius.  Or some would argue that he at least was at one time.  His playing IS outstanding..
 
Andrew,
It's in good hands.  The new owner is relatively young (early 20's) and only beginning to learn how to play music.  He knows the history of the instrument now, and is very into becoming a listenable musician.  It's all good.
 
John

[richbass939]

John,
As far as Paul's playing, what a musical imagination he has.  Back in the days when most bass parts were just thumping the root note along with the bass drum, Paul was really innovating.  He broke open what a bass could do.
I wish I still had all those Beatle cards I got when I was 8.  If I had only known.
Rich

[senmen]

Guys,
my influences?
JE - who else!
 
Oliver (Spyderman)

[bigredbass]

After a long argument about players with a good friend who was a total Geddy Lee disciple, I told him I'd LOVE to be as 'simplistic' as Paul McCartney, and name me anyone who played those lines, that style, on a toy bass like his Hofners, before Paul . . . he couldn't.
 
Of course, the Dan is a great influence, and it's really mindbending that Walter plays very good bass AND terrific guitar on a lot of their records, especially their latter day releases.
 
J o e y

[gare]

McCartney was also the main reason I learned bass. I religiously learned every album from Revolver on,wor e out several Srgt.Pepper albums. Even had to have a Hofner and a Vox T-60.  
Another combination that always amazed me was Terry Kath and Pete Cetera..Kath live was mesmerizing.
Someone else I havent seen mentioned is James Jamerson,who seems to have influenced a great deal of players.