4001CS and The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices

[LeftyRickBass]

Miguel,

I have already seen a couple of your videos, and I am MOST impressed!!!!
I was blown away by your incredibly precise and inspiring performance of "Hold Out Your Hand".
That 4001CS sounds SO fantastic!!!!!

You play Chris Squire the way I can only dream of playing him!!!!!!

I will gladly check out this new video of yours...it sounds exciting.


LeftyRickBass

[ajish4]

Simply awesome

VERY, VERY COOL INDEED.....

PM to follow shortly!

[jingle_jangle]

Excellent, Miguel.

I mean this as a total compliment: There are brief passages that bring to mind Mike Oldfield. Love the way the CS sounds, too.

Felicidades!

[clankchris]

Miguel,

I have already seen a couple of your videos, and I am MOST impressed!!!!
I was blown away by your incredibly precise and inspiring performance of "Hold Out Your Hand".
That 4001CS sounds SO fantastic!!!!!

+1

I just made the connection from that video to this one, and realized they were both you. Along with Squire, I'm watching your hand technique too now, haha.

I totally love that part where you drop an octave at :49 on your new song. Very nice!


I discovered Chris Squire in a "roundabout" way, of sorts - I was a huge fan of Paul D'Amour from early Tool, and discovered he played a 4001CS on the "Undertow" album.

So I looked up the 4001CS because I loved its sound, and discovered Chris Squire.

[miguelbass]

Dear friends,

here is the link for my second arrangement of a Bulgarian choir, using the Rickenbacker 4001CS, among other instruments.

Thank you very much in advance for your visit

Miguel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-pjFbV3ksM

Notes:

Sometimes an idea is just an idea... the idea of making this arrangement has been haunting me for the last 8 months and for 8 whole months I worked on it. This is the second effort of my BEBE, following the test experience of "Svatba". My dear channel viewers sent me an incredible loving feedback by then, including some very own native Bulgarian friends. I thank you all for your encouragement and I really hope that this time it will please you too.

Having in mind, once again, that the Bulgarian female choir voices *are* irreplaceable, I tried again to absorb the inspiration of those wondrous sounds and, somehow, to speak my soul through my playing.

The original BEBE concept had to be extended. To achieve the expression of the sustained pairs of voices, I used effects on some basses, namely, the Malekko b:assmaster (second appearence after "Amazing Grace") and a Sansamp TRI O.D.. My BEBE (Bulgarian Electric Bass Ensemble) had a very special non "electric" guest - one of my doublebasses had an important contribution for the final texture of the sound. BEBE's veteran members Rickenbacker 4001CS and Fender VI also welcomed the Zon Sonus 8-string and the Warwick Thumb Bass.

The notes were taken all by ear and, later, checked with the help of a friend of mine. Then many changes were (as in Svatba) made, as to adapt the song to my own taste and style of playing, hopefully without spoiling it too much. On the outro I did took some more freedom, harmonically, and in general drifted away from the original Krassimir Kiurktchiiski's arrangement.

Pilence Pee (sounds like "Pilentse Peh") is a Bulgarian folk song and it means something like "Little bird sings". I just know a little Bulgarian and I searched for the meaning of this song, with the generous contribution of some friends. For 20 years, since I heard this song released on the album by 4AD, I sang it without understanding a word, just sounds. But, having understood the lyrics this year, I honestly had the sensation that I already had gotten the message. The message is beautifully composed and yet extremely tragic. And if there is a sign of hope for the years to come, the beauty of the Bulgarian Music that blossomed from its people, in spite of five centuries of slavery couldn't be a better example. Love now - because it may be too late and you will regrat it. Hear what the little bird speaks.

Voice order
high (main) - Rickenbacker 4001CS + b:assmaster
high (pedal) - Warwick ThumBass + TRI-O.D.
mid (main & pedal) - Fender VI and doublebass
low (main) - Rickenbacker 4001CS + b:assmaster
low (pedal) - Zon Sonus 8

[weemac]

Excellent, Miguel.

I mean this as a total compliment: There are brief passages that bring to mind Mike Oldfield. Love the way the CS sounds, too.

Felicidades!

Mike Oldfield is my fave muso so this piece caught my eye (and ears)

Very well done Miguel!

Eden.

[ivan]

Miguel,

Muito bom! Há muito não escutava uma peça tão interessante somente com baixos.

Ivan

[cassius987]

I discovered Chris Squire in a "roundabout" way, of sorts - I was a huge fan of Paul D'Amour from early Tool, and discovered he played a 4001CS on the "Undertow" album.

Same here!

[kiramdear]

Simply astounding, Miguel!

I'm not expert but I am a big fan of the music from Bulgaria, Greece, former Yugoslavia, and other countries in that part of the world. What you have done here is astonishingly beautiful. It brings tears to my eyes, in the best way.

[Prowl]

Miguel I've been a subscriber of yours for a long time now and you never cease to amaze me. Absolutely brilliant work.