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View Full Version : What's this guy doing?



TroyJames
03-02-2012, 11:54 AM
Took the day off and, after doing some warm-ups, thought I'd bang out a couple easy songs. Figured out Louie Louie pretty quick, I IV V repeat. Then I moved on to House of the Rising Son. Got the progression down quick but then I see the bassist in the video and I'm at a loss as to what the heck he is doing. Help?
http://youtu.be/mmdPQp6Jcdk

Elmeaux
03-02-2012, 12:06 PM
I see the bassist in the video and I'm at a loss as to what the heck he is doing.

Getting jiggy with it...?

Do you mean his playing style? Looks like he's wearing a banjo pick on his thumb.

TroyJames
03-02-2012, 12:29 PM
Yea, he's really going to town with the picking. Looks like he's playing a guitar. Is he picking chords?

Bassic Bill
03-02-2012, 12:30 PM
Seems to me he has a lot more right-hand action going on than he does string plucking. Perhaps it's for the video production (I don't see any cables from the guitars and this was recorded long before wireless stuff appeared (and, I believe, before I began shaving :rolleyes:) so I think it's safe to assume that this is all dubbed).

Bassix
03-02-2012, 01:21 PM
Like Bill said, he's pretty much just playing to the song, but it appears that he's using downward and upward strokes to sound the notes (in addition to playing a few chords). Probably recorded the song by playing it just like that. I like how these guys make it look so easy!

photogdude
03-02-2012, 03:19 PM
he's just picking fast, cause he's so excited. He's excited cause he just found out he gets to keep the outfit

TobiasMan
03-02-2012, 03:46 PM
Just looks like he's basically playing every 1/4 note in the 6/8 time signature - with a pick. Down Up, Down Up, Down Up, Down Up"

TroyJames
03-02-2012, 04:50 PM
I had noticed they weren't plugged in. They must have turned on and dropped out heheh. Sorry. Can't tell, apart from his crazy picking, if he's playing the roots (A-C-D-F A-C-E ect.) or if he's playing it more like a guitar and playing chords/scales. I should go back and listen better instead of trying to play over the top of it.
I agree Bassix, they sure do make it look easy.

DaveB
03-02-2012, 07:40 PM
Well, judging by the fact that Eric has no microphone and neither of the guitars are plugged in, I would say that they are pulling a Milli Vanilli. The bassist was probably playing it straight for the first few takes whereupon the director probably told him "Hey you with the bass, strum the guitar or something so you look like your playing something. This is TELEVISION, son. You have to make BIG gestures with your hands so the folks at home can see them on their itty-bitty TV screens. Otherwise they'll think you're faking it." So like a lot of other things on TV; he had to fake it to make it look real.

Elmeaux
03-02-2012, 08:24 PM
LOL...he plays the same way in this live version...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xtTP3dk4EY

Dos Miguel
03-04-2012, 09:53 PM
I need one more post to look at the links.

line6bassman
03-05-2012, 11:12 AM
There's for sure lip sinking going on here. And the the bass to the sound trak is nothing what he is playing to that song.
Plus the song is one of the easiest songs to learn. Again that's the song I played so much on guitar that I new the AM chord
so well I didn't need a tuner to tune my guitar anymore.

Line6bassman

TobyBass55
03-05-2012, 04:54 PM
Yeah, I think that first clip is from a theatrical release from 1965 called "Pop Gear" that was supposed to "be top hits of 1964". I guess it was kind of the precursor to music videos or something. I can't get over how young Eric Burdon looks in it. A lot of that Pop Gear show is like that clip (wandering around in a circle while they sing (lip sync); instruments not plugged in) The show also has Herman's Hermits doing "I'm into Something Good" .