Greetings!
Happy Friday everyone!
When someone is commissioning us to build them a double
bass...it's pretty often that someone will say "I want to sound
like X on Y album" (you insert the player of your choice!).
Recently someone wanted to sound like Scott LaFaro on Sunday at the Village
Vanguard. And so began my week long deluge into the
album...trying to suck the marrow out of the entire recording. I
get what the player is after...I truly do...but this week long
audio trip into one CD kept me asking, "would Scott LaFaro sound
like Scott LaFaro no matter what bass he was playing?". To me, the
answer is YES. For example, Gary Upton Birkhamshaw, my partner
here and the founder of Upton Bass, has a distinct sound...and a
very, very good one at that! I could pick him out of a lineup
blindfolded. I can hear HIM through any bass he picks up with any
strings or other tone changing considerations. His hands, his
fingers, his body...the way in which he approaches the
instrument...all of these things make him sound like him. I cannot
make a bass sound like him, only he can make the bass sound like
him. I can only make the best possible instrument I can for him.
I can steer the instrument ergonomically to how the player uses the
instrument. I can steer the instrument to a tonal color. But I
cannot make you sound like Gary, or Scott, Ray, Charlie, Ron,
Mingus, Karr, etc.
The list is short this week. Actually it's the largest collection
of links I have offered to date...but it's concentrated into one
post. I ran across it trying to find videos of Scott playing, and
while it is not Scott...I found myself watching the entire series
as another example of someone who has "a sound". Scott's short
life and the era of his performances did not allow for a lot of
video to be shot of him doing his thing. Such a shame...
So...without further ado, I bring you some Friday night double bass
entertainment!
And remember...if you have ANY links, news, videos, etc. you want
to share, eMail it to me at eroy@uptonbass.com and I'll be sure to
share it. Oh...and if you just want to say "Hi" you can do that
too!
Have a nice weekend!
Eric
Roy
Upton Bass String Instrument Co
860-535-9399
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That
"Ray Brown" Sound
YouTube
 This 9 part series on YouTube by member
"bass443" is great. I wont make you hunt for them...here is all
9.
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