Bluegrass Bass Discussions

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 11/23/2007 02:16:15

First off, hello

I have a qustion with requard to a bass run that Missy Rains performed on Sunny Side of the Mountain for Bluegrass College. The run leads the banjo into the solo. The run sounds like a standard run from the five chord to the one chord except it sounds like she flats the seveth (Mixolydian?). To my ear the run really gives the banjo a jump start out of the shute. Also seems to lift the tune and give the banjo solo more energy. I guess I'm asking if I'm hearing this correctly.

Rob

Hi Rob

I just had a listen... and I'm not sure if you're right... so I'm going to pull out the raw material and see. It crossed my mind that since the bass doesn't get the 'backup' performance mix that everyone else does, it might be helpful if I ran off a mix of bass with just guitar and mandolin rhythm. I'll do one of Sunny Side and post it on the Lesson page for you (and everyone else!) to download; let me know if it's a good idea, and I'll gradually add the rest... though that might take a few weeks!!

Andy (mix chief at BGC)

Thanks Andy

What I did is loop it on my guitar trainner and slow it down. The trainer I down-loaded makes the low end a little muddy so I could be wrong. As far as I know she only does that run in the performance mix. I know it seems like a small item, but I just wanted to know if I heard it correctly. It's amazing how one note can make such a huge difference.

I think it's great that BBC started this forum to allow us to ask these kinds of questions and get replys back from folks like you. Nice meeting you.

Rob

Rob

The new mix is there. It's clear from that that she's plying a regular run up from V to I with the usual sharp 7. It struck me while I was doing the mix that I was loosing track of where I was (it may be a particular fault of this song since it has a lot of stretched out phrases), so do let me know if the new mix is helpful before I start on the rest!

Andy

Yep,

Man, in that mix it's clear as a bell that it's not what I thought. Must be another instrument or combination of that gives me the imppression of what I thought I was hearing. I think I better check my coffee, my wife is the one who makes it you know. Thanks again for taking the time to put the additional mix up.

Rob