Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello All Good People,

My latest video is not a another Chris Squire bassline cover, yet it features the 4001CS, and after consulting Jim Boyle, I'm announcing it both on the Chris Squire/Yes section, where I usually post, and on the Rickenbacker Bass section, hoping the more general "bass" subject will interest some you.

It is what I called "Bulgarian electric Bass Ensemble", based on the incredible bulgarian choral vocal harmonies, only in my version the voices are bass guitar timbres. The 4001CS was used on the lowest part section of the choir, and on the second half of the video was doubled an octave lower, which brought out an 8-string like result.

I tried to keep the sound of the basses, their voice after all, with no added effects (I just plugged them to my sansamp DI) and that's the idea... to let them sing with their natural voices and to create a choir of basses. Then making an arrangement of the piece, respecting much of the original version (dynamics included) - that I transcribed by ear - and adapt it to each bass guitar playability, so the will still sound like basses being played as I usually like to play them.

Finally, for those who are into vocal harmonies or just discovering different stuff, I really recommend you to discover the real thing, the wonderful bulgarian folkloric music. If you are into odd-meter stuff and rich harmonies this can be something interesting for you. I have some examples on my youtube favourites and you can guide yourselves from then on.

the video link is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdVXl8SUiKw

the general links are

http://www.youtube.com/miguelbass
http://www.myspace.com/miguelfalcao

Thanks for reading and wish you a nice weekend

Miguel

Absolutely fabulous!

Awesome, thanks for sharing this!

Peace.

rsm wrote:Absolutely fabulous!

Awesome, thanks for sharing this!

Peace.

Looks like a dual post here. I'll go to the other one to line them up.

If another word were better suited, I would use it, just to be different, but the truth is, Miguel, that was simply Fabulous! You certainly have a gift for music on many levels. Thanks for posting this. I do enjoy good choral music and so will follow your direction and find some examples of the real thing to listen to as well. Keep up the good work and continue posting.

Thank you very much for your comments, it was a warm surprise to read from you all such positive feedback.

In reply to Ron O'Keefe, I'd like to add that I used the Fender VI re-issue (japanese), correct. The fretless is a cheap jazz bass copy that I transformed into a fretless after I bought it second-hand. The brand of this bass is "vester" and it even has a serial number which is still smaller than the number of dead spots on the neck... otherwise it feels really good (the neck). The body is pure aglomerate and I replaced the pickups with some seymour duncan active model... it's not really the best fretless but there you go... looks like the Jaco Pastorious model

Miguel

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

Miguel, Cool! thanks!!