When did you start playing the electric bass?
I first started playing guitar at the age of 10. I began playing the electric bass a year or two later because the other kids in the neighborhood were all playing guitars and I wanted to do something different. I can still remember going into the local music store and asking the sales guy why this one instrument had only four big fat strings on it. He said, "cause it's an electric bass", and I thought, "man that's for me, nobody else has one of those".
Who do you consider to be some of your greatest influences?
One of my greatest influences at the time I began playing bass was the group Steppinwolf. Their bass player was a guy named Nick St. Nicholas. I figured out from watching TV what kind of gear he used and that's what I eventually got so I could get his sound. I remember faithfully learning every lick from every song on all of their records. Later on, it was Grand Funk Railroad, although by then, I was more into just learning the tunes and less into copying the bass player specifically. That's pretty much the way it's been ever since. I steal licks I need or like but I don't concentrate on copying anyone's exact style. If I hear something I can use, I absorb it and make it mine. You've got to have your own recognizable thing going to get anywhere. Besides, aren't there enough Jaco clones out there already?
Are you a self-taught player?
For the most part, I'm a self-taught player. While I was growing up, there just weren't any electric bass teachers around that I could take lessons from. You had to learn what you could from watching other players, from books, listening to records, etc. Things are a lot different today. Now there are actually a pretty fair number of schools you can attend and major in the study of electric bass. Of course South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, where I teach is one of them. Even so, the electric bass is still not completely accepted as being a legitimate instrument everywhere. It's still only 40 some years old and people are still figuring out what it can do and how to teach it.
Do you use any particular tuning?
I use only the standard tuning of course, although there are some guys like Michael Manring who are doing a lot with other tunings. It makes sense when you are doing your own music to tune it how ever you want. It probably wouldn't work to experiment with tunings when you're working for someone else.
Do you feel it is necessary to read music to become a great player?
I am a strong believer in reading music, not necessarily because it's made me a great player, but because it has helped me to get gigs that I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise. I think the time is coming when you won't be able to work as much in the larger markets if you can't read. It's already happening in places like Nashville. Not being able to read limits the kind of gigs you can do, even in smaller markets. Besides, what's the big deal? Reading is not that tough, you just have to make up your mind that you are going to do it. Most of the reading gigs I get don't require me to read those impossible charts anyway. The material Is never all that hard. Several of my drummer friends have begun having some real problems because they can't read and they must now either learn how or face not working as much as they'd like to. Another point in favor of reading is that there is now this great wealth of material available for reading and learning the instrument that wasn't there years ago. Do you want to learn some John Pattitucci licks? No problem, you can buy the book, but you have to be able to read because you won't find any tablature here. You won't ever see tablature on a gig. Also, forget all the arguments about not being as creative a musician if you read, etc. It's all garbage. When you're a baby, do you learn how to talk because you're this incredibly creative person? No! You learn how to talk because you heard someone else doing it. In music, you can learn by listening and you can learn by reading. Both work and both make sense. One is not better than the other or conclusive.
What was the most difficult thing for you?
For me, the mechanics of playing came quite easy and for that, I'm very thankful. Being self-taught had a disadvantage though in that I've had to spend a lot of time filling in the blanks. I mean that a time came when I had to know what notes were in a particular chord, not just where to put my fingers. I had to learn a lot of things later on about music theory and scales, etc. that a good teacher would have made me aware of from the beginning. No matter what, find a good teacher and listen to what he or she tells you. You can always learn something from someone else no matter who you are.
Describe the techniques that you feel are essential.
Although this is not exactly a technique, I think it's essential that a bass player try to play what's right for a particular musical situation and nothing more. More often than not, we end up playing a supporting roll or being a team player. Those who work the most are usually those who hot-dog the least. Jeff Berlin once said that bass players need to be able to play grooves and read charts. He's right and that's pretty much it. Supporting the vocalist means supporting the vocalist, not competing with him/her. Sure there are times to solo and that's cool, but you have to know the difference. That's an essential technique.
How does the equipment you now use compare with what you have used in the past?
Of course technology continues to advance the state of the art in basses, amps, and other associated equipment. The biggest difference technology has made for me over the years is that now I can carry less gear physically and still get a bigger and better sound than I used to be able to. I try to stay up with advances in technology as much as my finances allow. This is especially true when something comes along that will benefit my overall package and/or presentation. I've always tried to get a sound that made me comfortable enough to play as close to my absolute potential as possible. I've always believed that you are only as good as the last time someone heard you. With that in mind, I leave no variables to chance, or at least not the ones that I have some level of control over. I always use what I think are the best instrument cables. I try to keep all my instruments correctly adjusted and with good strings on them (brand depends on the instrument). I always try to avoid situations where I might have to use someone else's rig. If I'm familiar with a particular venue or gig, I take only what I know I'll need. If not, I'll take more than what I think I'll need just to be sure I can cover the gig. I have gone through a lot of different basses over the past 5 or 6 years. All of them were good instruments, but not all of them equally suited to my style and taste. I can only say that I stick to one as long as it serves my needs concerning sound and feel and I move on when something else proves to serve my need better.
What do you consider your greatest experience as a musician?
My greatest experience as a musician came when the church where I play brought in Phil Driscoll as a guest artist and several of the church musicians were asked to stay on stage during his performance to assist him. He usually doesn't do that but apparently he was impressed with what we were doing prior to his coming on. It was totally a Spirit led improv, no rehearsal at all, and it went great.
What do you consider to be some of the greatest highlights of your career to date?
Some of the greatest highlights of my career have been seeing my videos listed in so many important music catalogs. I'm speaking of course about the many electric bass and acoustic guitar instructional videos that I have put out through Texas Music and Video and also Mel Bay Publishing. Other highlights include getting to know and hang out with some of my heroes like Gary Willis, Victor Wooten, and Alphonso Johnson. Also performing at The Roxy in Los Angeles and opening shows for groups like Little Feat. Another, more recent highlight came when I got to hear a CD put out by a country artist on which one of my students, and SPC graduate, played bass. Also, another highlight was when another of my students graduated and was accepted to study electric bass at the University of Texas.
Describe your first professional playing jobs? Where were they? How did they go?
My first gigs included playing for dances at my junior high school. We thought we were big stars and that all the girls would love us. The fact that the whole band was getting paid $25.00 didn't sway our enthusiasm at all. It seems like there were a lot of dances to play for in those days. We were always busy playing some community center or school dance although I'll bet we weren't too good.
What sort of projects are keeping you busy at this time?
I continue to play pretty much whatever gigs come along. I've been playing with the Plainview Symphony orchestra lately, which has been really good for my string bass chops. I've also played quite a few musicals over the past couple of years which have been a lot of fun and great experiences also (good thing I can read). Steve Wohlrab, another SPC instructor, and I have been working on getting our jazz group together. We've got about 6 rhythm tracks recorded that need to be finished . Several of the other SPC faculty members and I are planning to put a R & B group together to perform locally also. I'm going to be helping to produce an instructional video for jazz/fusion drummer Kirk Covington of Tribal Tech very soon and I'm working on my own bass book for Mel Bay publishing.
Does your studio equipment differ from your live gear?
My studio gear usually consists of my SWR Redhead amplifier and what ever bass or basses seem to best suite the situation. We've gotten great results taking a direct line from the Redhead and also miking it. The direct line takes advantage of the tube in the pre-amp and essentially acts as a tube direct box. The mike signal is there because that amp just plain sounds good. Many live situations call for more sound than what the Redhead puts out although I do generally prefer the SWR sound. For live, I just need more of it so I take bigger SWR gear.
What players do you enjoy listening to these days?
I listen to a lot of different players in a lot of different styles. My favorites would include Gary Willis (Tribal Tech), Jimmy Johnson (w/Flim and the BB's), Victor Wooten, Alphonso Johnson, Jimmy Lee Sloas, and Dean Peer.
Do you have particular opinions about good back-up playing when working with a vocalist?
Especially when working with a vocalist, the name of the game is don't over play. People are generally not there to hear the bass player, they are there to hear whoever it is sing. You must be comfortable in the roll of the supportive player. If not, you should maybe think about some other type of gig. You must always thing "supportive, not competitive".
Do you have any inspiring words for new musicians that might get them through the potentially frustrating times of practicing?
Don't practice what you already know how to do. Get on a regular daily practice schedule and stick to it. Have specific goals in mind each time you begin to practice. An example would be today, I'm going to get the major scales down in two octaves, etc. Always practice the hardest stuff first. Don't ever stop stealing as many things as you can off your favorite records.
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