'America' - bass cover video

[johnallg]

The toaster has the recessed magnets, and last I remember checking, both pickups were pretty close to 7.5k.

Appreciated.

[johnallg]

Not sure how my Hiwatt is wired - I've just assumed that it's an 8. I think that's what the speakers are rated at.

Just rewatched the video AGAIN watching you fretting hand almost exclusively. Sigh.

With 4 drivers, if they are rated at 8 ohms each, the cab would be 8 ohm (8+8//8+8) or (8//8+8//8). Putting them all in series would make 32 ohms (HIGHLY doubtful) or all in parallel and be 2 ohms (also unlikely). I suppose there could be 2 in parallel and 2 in series for 3.2 ohms. Nah.....

[bartyclue]

An 'America' related collaboration with my friend Clint of The Reply - he also wrote a song called America, (no relation to the Simon & Garfunkel song) and I added the basslines to his mix. I discovered that part of Chris Squire's bassline from Yes' version of 'America' actually fit over Clint's music, ironically, so I played a paraphrase of that.

The Reply - 'America'

Couple of things:

1st: I have another new fave bassist to add to my list.

Squire
Lee
Entwistle
Walker. Awesome player with awesome tone.

2nd. On this particular America track, is the vocal down intentionally? I would like to hear the lyric better

[walker]

Y'alls is too kind! You know I'm not the big bearded guy in the red suit, right? Thanks, seriously! But the credit lies with the big three for innovating the stuff they did. I'm glad you brought up The Ox, too. I don't think Entwistle gets enough mention in conversations about great bass-players. Squire even lists him as an influence. One of my little pipe-dreams - wouldn't it have been awesome if Squire subbed for Entwistle when the latter passed away at the beginning of The Who's intended tour in 2002? Can you imagine Squire tearing it up on 5:15 and the like? And Geddy - he was definitely one of my go-to guys when learning to play. (That was back in his Rickenbacker days, of course.) Not bad for a guy with only one finger on his right hand.

I wish I knew the wiring configuration for the speakers in that Hiwatt, but unfortunately there's no back-access for a good photo-opp.

About that 'America' mix - I totally agree with what you said about the vocals. I would have definitely bumped them up substantially in the mix, were it mine to do. But the music came to me "as-is." All I had control over was the volume of the bass, and you KNOW I would have mixed it louder were it not in danger of drowning out the vocals! Clint does some amazing stuff, and he wrote another song on the theme of 'America' and sent it my way to mess with - again, the vocals were a little low in the mix for my taste, but just the same the production & arrangement was more of a conjoined effort on this version. In addition to the bass, (fretted & fretless) I also contributed additional percussion, synth, guitars, and backing vocals. I used the '79 'Harley Bass' and my '76 4001FL for this tune:

'America pt 2'

And, as evidence that I actually write my own stuff from time-to-time, here's another song featuring the '68:

'Throwaway'

(from the 'Tea Party' album)

[bartyclue]

Y'alls is too kind! You know I'm not the big bearded guy in the red suit, right? Thanks, seriously! But the credit lies with the big three for innovating the stuff they did. I'm glad you brought up The Ox, too. I don't think Entwistle gets enough mention in conversations about great bass-players. Squire even lists him as an influence. One of my little pipe-dreams - wouldn't it have been awesome if Squire subbed for Entwistle when the latter passed away at the beginning of The Who's intended tour in 2002? Can you imagine Squire tearing it up on 5:15 and the like? And Geddy - he was definitely one of my go-to guys when learning to play. (That was back in his Rickenbacker days, of course.) Not bad for a guy with only one finger on his right hand.

I wish I knew the wiring configuration for the speakers in that Hiwatt, but unfortunately there's no back-access for a good photo-opp.

About that 'America' mix - I totally agree with what you said about the vocals. I would have definitely bumped them up substantially in the mix, were it mine to do. But the music came to me "as-is." All I had control over was the volume of the bass, and you KNOW I would have mixed it louder were it not in danger of drowning out the vocals! Clint does some amazing stuff, and he wrote another song on the theme of 'America' and sent it my way to mess with - again, the vocals were a little low in the mix for my taste, but just the same the production & arrangement was more of a conjoined effort on this version. In addition to the bass, (fretted & fretless) I also contributed additional percussion, synth, guitars, and backing vocals. I used the '79 'Harley Bass' and my '76 4001FL for this tune:

'America pt 2'

And, as evidence that I actually write my own stuff from time-to-time, here's another song featuring the '68:

'Throwaway'

(from the 'Tea Party' album)

Yeah Brother.. I dig throwaway! Is that you singing? Nice Job if it is? Now this I would like to see you playing a you tube video of. Why arent you famous already? Or maybe you are....

[walker]

Oh yes! I'm famous, alright - huge! A legend in my own mind! Beyond that, I don't think my stuff is in anyone's HR list. But the fact that someone comes along and says "hey that's cool" or whatever serves as a good reminder that I should be doing something other than making lame jokes about my place in the musical world. It's good to get those nudges. But I am working with a drummer buddy of mine so we can playing out - we just had our first rehearsal last week as a matter of fact. Now the search for a guitarist who likes to play songs more than he/she likes to play leads - hard to come by! I think I should try to recruit singers who happen to play guitar or whatever. (That is me singing on my tracks, but I'd like to get more singers in the band to handle the harmonies.)

Doing a vid of 'Throwaway' is a good idea - I was just mulling that one over, actually. I'd definitely like to do an "acoustic version" w/ just bass & vocs, and maybe a more formal artsy hoo-hah edit for the album version, too.

[bartyclue]

Oh yes! I'm famous, alright - huge! A legend in my own mind! Beyond that, I don't think my stuff is in anyone's HR list. But the fact that someone comes along and says "hey that's cool" or whatever serves as a good reminder that I should be doing something other than making lame jokes about my place in the musical world. It's good to get those nudges. But I am working with a drummer buddy of mine so we can playing out - we just had our first rehearsal last week as a matter of fact. Now the search for a guitarist who likes to play songs more than he/she likes to play leads - hard to come by! I think I should try to recruit singers who happen to play guitar or whatever. (That is me singing on my tracks, but I'd like to get more singers in the band to handle the harmonies.)

Doing a vid of 'Throwaway' is a good idea - I was just mulling that one over, actually. I'd definitely like to do an "acoustic version" w/ just bass & vocs, and maybe a more formal artsy hoo-hah edit for the album version, too.

I'd personally like to watch you play along with the version you posted earlier. The bass is Killer!

[johnallg]

Oh yes! I'm famous, alright - huge! A legend in my own mind! Beyond that, I don't think my stuff is in anyone's HR list. But the fact that someone comes along and says "hey that's cool" or whatever serves as a good reminder that I should be doing something other than making lame jokes about my place in the musical world. It's good to get those nudges. But I am working with a drummer buddy of mine so we can playing out - we just had our first rehearsal last week as a matter of fact. Now the search for a guitarist who likes to play songs more than he/she likes to play leads - hard to come by! I think I should try to recruit singers who happen to play guitar or whatever. (That is me singing on my tracks, but I'd like to get more singers in the band to handle the harmonies.)

Doing a vid of 'Throwaway' is a good idea - I was just mulling that one over, actually. I'd definitely like to do an "acoustic version" w/ just bass & vocs, and maybe a more formal artsy hoo-hah edit for the album version, too.

I'd personally like to watch you play along with the version you posted earlier. The bass is Killer!

What Brian said.

And don't sell yourself short, Mark.

[opticnerve]

1st: I have another new fave bassist to add to my list.

Squire
Lee
Entwistle
Walker. Awesome player with awesome tone.

+1&1

You should take a listen to his original material.

Oh...one of my fave Yes songs.

[walker]

Hey guys - a heads-up on one of my new tunes. I just mixed it down earlier this eve & posted it on the 'Rick Recordings...' thread:

'Eulogy'

[johnallg]

Oh...one of my fave Yes songs.

Yuppers!

[BobHyde]

Mark, your tone and technique are outstanding! Do you mind sharing your eq settings and the type of strings you use?

[walker]

Thanks, Bob. Nothing too crazy with the EQ - just have the treble cranked quite a bit.

I've been using DR strings for a good while now, either the Sun Beams (Nickel roundwounds) or High Beams (Steel roundwounds). When I did these sessions of the 4 Yes covers, I tried a brand new set of both, and to my ear, I couldn't tell the difference. So I usually opt for the Nickels since they're generally kinder to the frets. DR boasts that their steels are easy on the frets - I haven't been able to prove or discredit that claim either way.

For what it's worth, I used steels on 'America' and the Nickels on 'Heart...'

[walker]

(here's the direct link to the vid buried on page 2)

'America'

[BobHyde]

Thanks, Bob. Nothing too crazy with the EQ - just have the treble cranked quite a bit.

I've been using DR strings for a good while now, either the Sun Beams (Nickel roundwounds) or High Beams (Steel roundwounds). When I did these sessions of the 4 Yes covers, I tried a brand new set of both, and to my ear, I couldn't tell the difference. So I usually opt for the Nickels since they're generally kinder to the frets. DR boasts that their steels are easy on the frets - I haven't been able to prove or discredit that claim either way.

For what it's worth, I used steels on 'America' and the Nickels on 'Heart...'

Very nice! Thanks