Jump to content

For Studio Recording Folks - Question On Bass Playing


Ljblanken

Recommended Posts

My friend sent me this great video of the Beach Boys recording the song good vibrations. 

 

my question refers to section 2:00-2:10 where they show BOTH an upright bassist AND an electric Fender bass guitar being used. was this technique common (or ever used?) in soul recordings? 

 

  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
Social source share

That's a fantastic clip!...Brian at his peak - just before it all went a little awry.

 

Brian Wilson threw out the rulebook when recording in the mid 60s (Pet Sounds and Smile) and became a massive innovator - he pretty much ditched the band as studio musicians and used top session guys (The Wrecking Crew - Hal Blaine on drums, Carol Kay etc..)

 

He used bass harmonicas, theremins, harpsichords ,cellos, you name it - all to get the 'texture' right. Electric and upright bass played together would have been purely for texture and a 'different' sound. With Smile, given free reign by Capitol, he pretty much went mad (literally!) writing and recording small sections of exquisite music....just gave up in the end as stitching all the little bits together proved too much. I'd recommend getting the Smile sessions box set if you want to hear more of that - stunning!

 

I wouldn't say two basses used like that was a common technique - however, I'm certain Phil Spector will have done that. By the mid 60s electric bass ruled the roost in pop and soul. Some soul records that used big orchestras still had upright basses, and certainly some of the earlier doo woo inspired tracks.

 

Hopefully someone will give us some good examples of upright bass tracks...and even dual bass?

Link to comment
Social source share


  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Carl Dixon

I believe 'Love is like an itching in my heart'/The Supremes has an upright and electric on it. Also on eof those wind instruments that kids used to play with - is it a yazoo or something?

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest MBarrett

BOTH an upright bassist AND an electric Fender bass guitar being used. was this technique common (or ever used?) in soul recordings? 

 

 

 

Totally unrelated to this post I happened to be watching a documentary thing on You Tube about Carol Kaye.

 

She started playing the bass riff from River Deep, Mountain High and she said "of course on that one we had an upright bass and the Fender bass." So might be more out there than people imagine.

 

That's my contribution anyway! :)

Link to comment
Social source share

Get involved with Soul Source

Add your comments now

Join Soul Source

A free & easy soul music affair!

Join Soul Source now!

Log in to Soul Source

Jump right back in!

Log in now!


×
×
  • Create New...