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Ever since hearing Paul McCartney's fingers dance around on that Höfner of his, I have always been fascinated by this instrument. It provides so much "depth" in the song and if you're lucky enough to have a bassist in your band who can also sing, you have half the band already! In my own opinion, of course!

So I have some questions of those of you who play this instrument:

1. Will you stay with 4 strings? Does it bother you to go to as many as EIGHT (a la Greg Palmer)? Do you NEED more than four strings?

Zurf: 4 strings.  5 strings are handy, because sometimes being able to reach over one string would be a lot easier than stretching way up the fretboard.  I mostly played "in the box" and so the fifth string wasn't necessary.  I've heard some absolutely amazing funk played by people with six stringed basses.  I don't much see the point of going up to six or eight strings, but as long as they don't ask me to pay for them I don't care what other bassists choose to play.

2. Did you begin with bass or did you come from the six-string?

Zurf: I began with trumpet.  Then moved to baritone.  Then added slide trombone, bass trombone, and tuba.  Then began with an upright bass playing classical music with a bow.  Then moved into playing doghouse bass in a big band.  (Same style of instrument but different percussive plucking playing style)  After that, I was back to trombone for a year at a playhouse orchestra, then came back for the next season playing doghouse bass and a little bass trombone as needed.  Then I stepped away from music for a long while.  Then I started with a wooden flute, which didn't work out.  Then harmonicas, which worked out a little better because I could riff against a record or the radio.  It worked well to play in traffic and raised some eyebrows when I had the windows open and sunroof open.  Then I had a couple drinks with the guys after work, realized I too drunk to drive and walked it off by doing a little shopping, walked into a pawn shop and fell in love with an Ovation Magnum 3 hanging on the wall.  I talked the guy down to $125 from $450 and walked out with it.  I played that a lot with friends, then fell in with a worship and praise band and played every week for churches.  When that broke up, I got bored with playing with CDs in the basement after being part of a band with a real tight rhythm section and finally moved to guitar.  There were also aborted attempts at percussion, fiddle and autoharp in there somewhere.  I'd like my next instrument to be congas with bongos.  I've never given up on that percussion desire. 

3. Is it more/less/ or the same amount of difficulty singing with playing bass as opposed to a rhythm guitarist playing and singing his part?

Zurf: I find it much, much harder to play bass and sing than to play guitar and sing.  When playing guitar as self-accompaniment, my fingers more or less go on rote and roll through the chords.  Rhythm came pretty easily to me after all my years of playing various whatnot.  So I can concentrate on the next words to come, and try to concentrate on keeping my throat open, etc.  I usually still have to read the lyrics to allow me to concentrate on the other stuff.  With bass, trying to listen to the drums and the rhythm guitar and pick up the pieces of the groove that they haven't or can't get, and stay tight, and still keep my low groove groovy, trying to add singing into that is just too much for me.  I can usually sing backup, but trying to lead vocals while playing bass is super difficult for me.

4. Giving advice to a novice about playing bass guitar, how important is the instrument you would recommend and why? A good "starter" bass is _______ and here's why:_____________

Zurf: A good starter electric bass is an Ibanez GX10 or G10 or something like that.  The Squire versions of Fender P-basses are also nice. I like these because they have good tone without the need for pedals and pre-amps and all sort of nonsense.  You just play them and they sound good.  I like MusicMan basses too, but wouldn't consider them to be beginner instruments because of the price. There are a million really good basses out there for sub-$200.  But I like the Ibanez and Squires.  Personal preference.  As for lessons, in my opinion scales, arpeggios, and inversions are critical for bass far more than even for guitar (except maybe lead guitar).  You're rarely ever going to get a good tab for a bass line, so the bassist has got to know how to string his own line together just from the chord chart.  Scales, arpeggios, and inversions are what makes that work.  Also, listen to Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot, and all the Motown and Chicago blues you can find. 

5. If you are an instructor, do you teach the importance of drums playing tightly with the bass and how successful (given today's "Hurry up, teach me!!" attitude) have you been?

Zurf: I don't instruct, except to the degree I'm playing with other folks and we're all helping one another.  In my opinion, the drummer keeps the beat but the bassist is keeper of the groove.  When a drummer or percussionist, rhythm guitarist, and bassist are all tight there's nothing better. 

6. Where are you on Chordie? You play a stringed instrument, and you are a VERY integral part of the overall sound of the band, so please share with us your expertise.

Zurf: I'm right here. 

Thanks,

Bill

Try these. John Pearse PB 80/20

John Pearse Strings by unclejoesband, on Flickr

Something about a Metal Christmas just kind of gets lost with me.