Rare and Unique Video // Billy Sheehan Solo

[aNdYmAtTeR]

The thing att 7:11 could be some of the amzing gizmos from electro-harmonix?go to their website or use youtube, then drop your jaw!!! Leave your wallet elsewhere though, unless you are prepared to buy one of each haha ...

[aNdYmAtTeR]

I remember what Billy wrote of his future plans n'stuff when he was featured in Mike Varney's Spotlight column in Guitar Player Magazine in the early eighties.

He deserves it all!!! :)

[yuenyen92]

i see GOD

[driekkus1]

6:00-6:40 I can"t believe!!!!  that"s modern bass playing!!!!

[johncuda]

Ha, flea sucks, you got to be shitting me.

[OddMusicality]

wow does anyone know what kind of pedal he is using at 7:41?

[technoguyx]

@OddMusicality Sounds like some kind of octaver.

[BlackMaidenTallica]

@OddMusicality probably some kind of octaver filter. Maybe a POG?

[al3k0]

How can someone dislike a phenomenon like this?!

[Ulysses447]

@al3k0 They probably didn't like the ending to his solo. :/

[Grabben91]

He have got god's fingers!

[Uunster]

I just blew the hottest load in my pants...

[RriverJJ]

A professional of the fingers, a acrobat, the yoda ...

[nycfunk]

Did anyone catch that little King's X melody he plays at 5:10?

[och70]

Just has a "Bass-gasm"... Gotta go get some tissues to wipe it up.

[bassplaya137]

PLZ someone for the love of god tell me what effect he's using, i want one....

[XaviOrtega1]

When Billy's wife says

"Honey I want to have sex"

Billy answers:

"No darling i had it already with my bass"

YEEEEEEAAAAAAH lol

[Uunster]

@XaviOrtega1 I bet he can get his wife off better with his fingers then his weinner. haha :P

[WoWintosh]

Billy sheehan is hat you get when you cross Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai and add a bass into the equation

[The54th]

I forgot how much I sucked... 

[vospy]

@The54th I hear ya... ;-(

[hype236]

his hands look funny at 7.26

[brando18guitarplyr]

you know what part was epic? 0:00 to 10:01

[ILOVEAYANAMI]

@brando18guitarplyr no dude the epic par its 3:59 - 4:20

[brando18guitarplyr]

@ILOVEAYANAMI haha not rly

[scorpsowns]

5.02  go the chin tempo

[sandworm78]

UNREAL!

[syvyvai]

that was filmed in north america, right ? the audience was so boring, maybe they dont know what the hell billy is doing.

[yosoysahidleon]

Those notes went straight to the heart of evil Xenu

[scorpsowns]

i wonder how many notes he's played in his career.. is there such a number?

[DL345]

what are the bands that he has been in if any?

[Sanson101]

he is the greatest loco bassman aside of Jaco.....

[sikkinixx75]

his sound is just the greatest

[vdzgh]

great slapping

[therickshow1]

this guy couldn't carry nikki sixx's case. JK! ok, we all have our opinions but why say one guy's the best while the other guy sux? in my humble opinion, billy sheehan's simply unmatched...but i haven't heard every bass player in the world. stop your arguing and enjoy the friggin solo!

[nicklinnik]

5:10

Goldilox!

[Sebixxx90]

get a guitar!

[bassentence]

@Sebixxx90

hahahahaha a guitar player wiil never play the bass like that

[sunnyjim98]

wouldnt even think of wearin spandex!

lookin at the groupies, take a boner, career fucked! xD!!!!!!!!!

[David2341000]

it's amazing. Maybe the best bass solo ever

[disconnect100]

this man is GOD

victor wooten is Jesus

[widepass]

@disconnect100 victor wooten is gay

[musicmaster555]

those pants are completely unnecessary lol not that i'm gay or anything, it was just disgusting to see some of the below views looking upward haha

BILLY SHEEHAN PWNS!

[franmarder]

EPIC upload!!!

[BECKOTHEKING]

@franmarder tx...enjoy!

[vzsozs]

06:24 did you see the melted pickups on the bass????

[dwilmer7]

Technically, Im a litlle better. But this guy has some great potential though.

[andre5500]

@dwilmer7 unsuccessful troll is unsuccessful

[PINGPONGDYNASTY]

hes good for playing insane stuff, but thts all i ever see him play. I wanna see him play something undistorted, slower, and with some deep emotion. Just my thoughts on his playing, if u dont like it then thts ur problem

[wooglewooglewoogle]

@PINGPONGDYNASTY than why don't you go listen to all the sappy 80's tunes he did in mr. big. he doesn't shred to often in there. you just always see him shred, because you type in "bnilly Sheehan" not actually listen to his band. your listening to billy sheehan as a SOLO artist.

[PINGPONGDYNASTY]

@wooglewooglewoogle in a band im sure hes great, id just like to see him do some of those things i listed earlier as a solo artist is all.

[wakomaniac45]

@PINGPONGDYNASTY

there is a video that adresses that same exact question, i believe if you search billy sheehan 'proof that sheehan isnt just a shredder' you will see him doing an interview about that exact same thing

[baxuqa6161]

he is using a yamaha bsb ltd (billy sheehan bass )

[vampir222777]

beautiful solo!!!!!!!!!

[MrGallaghers]

@bozz21000 Wat the fuck r u talkin bout...??

[bassentence]

what is bass playing ?!

[thehiatusprt]

@bassentence

it's an yamaha

[bassentence]

@thehiatusprt

thanks man but i know that.

my question was for another person

[thehiatusprt]

@bassentence

oh... my bad :p

[boongg]

Overdrive certainly makes it easier to play the bass in **certain styles**. For instance, it's easier to play a fast tapping passage on the bass with overdrive engaged because you can only lightly tap the strings to make notes. It's harder to execute such a technique with a clean tone.

[bigcoco13]

dang this is amazing

[x29498787]

holy crap.... i see god

[maddermofo]

Holy fuck is this real???????????????????????

[shanesperling]

fuck me.....

[dannydanzig666]

your a douche

[bigcoco13]

your a douche lol its cody dan lmao

[sikkinixx75]

i came...

[1982799]

Best of the best!

Amazing bassist!

[1982799]

Best of the best!

Amazing bassist!

[michaeltruhl]

The harmonizer is super cool, but the tracking on it isn't so good. But then again, neither man nor machine can keep up with Billy Sheehan. :)

[bakerlol6]

omg the best in the worldddd

[MusicHero62]

Thx u so much for puting this up!

[BECKOTHEKING]

you are welcome!

[maximvint]

Flea sucks)))

[jamietrhcp17]

I'm pretty disappointed, not only that someone would say that, but that is has so much approval. Although Flea obviously isn't comparable technique-wise to bassists like Billy Sheehan, he clearly plays with feeling, a lot more than most people do. And his playing sounds good. I find that this is impressive but not as musically satisfying as a lot of things that people like Flea do. That's just my opinion, and I see no reason to go around saying that people suck, especially professionals.

[wakomaniac45]

@maximvint

after all the music and bass lines that hes come up with and inspired millions with,

you sir can eat a ....

[ClassicRockMan95]

@maximvint Flea's a good bass player, he's just overrated and isnt that versatile.

[maximvint]

@ClassicRockMan95 I know man) Just they play in totaly different styles...btw Sheehan sucks in slappin&poppin))

[ClassicRockMan95]

@maximvint xD he's a shredder at heart

[Groove2It]

All that on just just 4 strings!!!! The three best bassists to ever grace the bass did it and do it on 4's...Jaco, Billy and Vic Wooten!!!!

[joeyg629]

u forget Cliff Burton, Geezer Butler, and JPJ

[DUSTYBASS]

Joey!!! Those guys couldn't touch Sheehan. Come on dude, really!!!! My favorite bassist is the Ox and this guy is from another planet...untouchable. Did you watch that technique?????????????? STUNNED!!!!

[DUSTYBASS]

I WATCHED THIS AGAIN..........SORRY JOEY....NOBODY CAN TOUCH THIS GUY. CLIFF BURTON??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Burton died at 24, so the comparison is kinda unfair.There's no way Cliff was even close to this when he took his last bus ride in Sweden. I feel like burning all my fucking basses.

[joeyg629]

i never said they could touch sheehan. i meant of influential bassists. Those 3 gotta get credit BEFORE sheehan

[codyhansonbass]

@Groove2It The number of strings is irrelevant

[abc123xyz51]

It,s not what you use,but how you use it.

[Groove2It]

How can you say the number of strings is irrelevant??? What a purely uneducated and ignorant statement that is...You need to hit the books son...

[chinchowpowpook]

flea, or him, who rock?

[saulovieira]

toca muito! desgraçado! hehehe

[BECKOTHEKING]

e´um músico fantástico

[audiorush666]

is there anything that this guy can't do?

[mkklmann]

He can't play over intellectual and self indulgent jazz figures, which is kind of a shame. Heh, well I've never seen him with an upright bass

Hiss work with the jazz FUSION trio Niacin is amazing, though! Go get their Cd's!!

[Kubolski]

Billy, thank you for this awesome solo. Now please, would you play some BASS for us now...?

[thetawaves90]

sure, listen to "Take Cover" and, infact, any of the Mr Big songs and you'll hear a very musically minded group doing what they do best. Solos are a person's chance to flaunt their skills, you'd never find him doing this flamboyant stuff in a regular song if he thought it were out of place. If we were truly going to stick to the fundamental ideas of what an instrument can do, you'd never have any growth of ideas or musical concepts. Thanks for posting this video up, absolutely love this guy :)

[BECKOTHEKING]

Nice video..isn't it?

[MoisilAndreea]

Flame fight with a sheehan solo for atmosphere..Thanks for the entertainment you guys.

[XianXiuHong]

Holy shit, he can tremolo on bass

[NapoleanXV]

vibrato, tremolo is a variance in volume, not pitch

[XianXiuHong]

Correct but the technique of tremolo on plucked stringed instruments is correct. In musical terms describing dynamics, this is true.

I was not referring to vibrato either, vibrato is the wavering in an out of a note subtly to make it sound "sweeter".

"Tremolo" is a classical guitar technique (While not limited to guitar, it's the name of the technique)

[NapoleanXV]

huh, didnt know that, I myself am not a guitar player, but a bass player, upright bass player to be exact, although I do take to the bass guitar as well.

but when I saw the tremolo comment I thought the neck bending was being referred to. I see now.

thank you for the little lesson! its nice to learn stuff everyday

[XianXiuHong]

Not a problem!

[CursedOne27]

he should stick to guitar.

[basshred]

in total contrast to sdrawkcabdaeri, i'd like to say that, on this solo, the overdrive sounds deadly sweet and makes his playing sound even better

any bass player who is not jealous (or at least appreciative) of sheehan is surely deaf

[sdrawkcabdaeri]

Bassshred, I can see Sheehan as a master bass player, his right hand movements clearly prove that he is quite gifted, talented and trained. However, I believe that too many effects on a bass take away from the essence of the instrument, I suppose my taste for bass is just more traditional. But I can respect what you're saying, some effects just make you crap your pants and say, "what the hell did he just do?!"

[sdrawkcabdaeri]

I'm not saying that Sheehan is not a well practiced, talented and hard working bass player, but it is much easier to look "cool" and sound "rad" with that much overdrive on your instrument...

[holybird1]

he uses overdrive so that it boosts the harmonics when he uses them. (moderately common in this)

it actually works really well. i suggest trying it.

[StolenBasses]

For Christ sake sdrawkcabdaeri, he's not playing a double bass. Why would any player limit themselves to not playing with any effects? If you'd listened to the entire solo you would have heard that he plays just as "cool" and sounds just as "rad" when he turns the distortion off entirely. Don't be so jealous of him. The only person you tarnish is yourself.

[sdrawkcabdaeri]

StolenBasses, did I say that bass players should ALWAYS play without effects? Also if I were jealous of a bass player it wouldn't be Billy, but Mr. Sheehan does have a pretty sweet bulge going on in the video... I don't believe that I was tarnished by the comment that I posted, I was just stating a fact and for nearly the entire solo he uses effects. Sheehan is a great bass player, a top notch bass player. I was just providing the forum with some conversation. Thank you for your reply.

[StolenBasses]

Your 1st comment implied that the reason he sounded great was because he uses overdrive. It's just not the case. He is a great player who's style takes advantage of the effects. VanHalen's effects did not make him a better guitar player, but his style took advantage of overdrive. There are desirable and undesirable qualities which occur as a result of overdrive and the truly gifted players understand how to take advantage of the good qualities and minimize the bad qualities.

[sdrawkcabdaeri]

I don't believe that I was impliying that at all, I apologize if you were confused. I don't really like effects too much for bass, call me old fashioned. Some of the effects on this jam make the bass sound just like a distorted electric guitar, and I don't really care for the tones he was getting. The bottom line I was trying to get at was that distortion makes everything easier, but I'm not saying that Sheehan is hiding behind his effects. The section from about 6:20-7:00 shows otherwise.

[StolenBasses]

If anyone is confused it is you, sdrawkcabdaeri. You DID imply the reason he sounds great is because he uses overdrive when you typed. "but it is much easier to ... sound "rad" with that much overdrive" I am sorry you don't know how to better communicate your thoughts. In your most recent comment you state that distortion makes everything easier, and again, that is just wrong, distortion is a sound condition, &, like any other, it requires skill to manipulate it to sound desirable.

[sdrawkcabdaeri]

Man, you are the confused one. Go back and read all of my comments, in every one of them I say one way or another that I think Sheehan is a talented and skilled bass player. In my initial post I said that the effects HELP him to sound more "rad", which is very common for effects (duh). Furthermore, anyone who has ever played a bass with heavy overdrive knows that it's much easier to play, you don't have to press, pluck, pop, slap, sweep or pick as hard as when there is a clean setting.

[StolenBasses]

sdrawkcabdaeri, you typed "It's much easier to SOUND rad with that much overdrive". I stand by my statement that you are wrong. Billy uses overdrive to attain characteristics which aren't available by playing clean. A poor musician will still sound poor with overdrive if he doesn't know how to harness it. Billy uses overdrive brilliantly to expand his sonic spectrum. He sounds brilliant clean or with overdrive. Effects do not make musicians better. They expand their sonic possibilities.

[sdrawkcabdaeri]

You're misunderstanding my comments StolenBasses, I never said effects make musicians better, I simply said that they act as an aid, which you have just pointed out as well. Good effects give both instrument & player extra spice to their repertoire, I never condemned effects. I happen to prefer clean instruments, I enjoy the purity of the instrument better that way. All this time I've just been expressing my opinion in hopes to make for a lively discussion board, thank you for helping in that.

[StolenBasses]

sdrawkcabdaeri, You may have meant that effects act as an aid, but you did not communicate that. What you typed was "It's much easier to SOUND rad with that much overdrive". I still stand by my statement that you were incorrect.

Something in your life made it very difficult for you to accept defeat. You might want to explore that.

[sdrawkcabdaeri]

StolenBasses, do you realize that what you just said was quite redundant? Aid: "assistant or helper". Ease (to make easier): Abate, AID, assist. Effects boost tones & open new horizons in sound, they AID player & instrument, they EASE some difficult maneuvers (taps, slaps, sweeps, pops, hammers), & effects assist players with the presentation of musical notes/chords. Billy uses effects for the above reasons, he takes a great piece of music & adds effects to boost it. Why are you so hostile?

[StolenBasses]

sdrawkcabdaeri, 1. "aid" and "ease" are not synonyms and do not have redundancy in there meanings. 2. Effects do not ease any hand motions. 3. Billy uses effects because they give characteristics to the notes he is playing not because they make it easy for him to play. 4. If a person challenges your incorrect statements you consider their action to be hostile.

[sdrawkcabdaeri]

StolenBasses, effects do in fact help players achieve feats that would otherwise be difficult (harmonics & tapping for example, I think this fact was mentioned previously by another party). High levels of overdrive allow players to hit notes without using as much energy/strength, whether or not they try to do so, this does occur even if you don't believe so. Sheehan is very big on economy of motion & bi-amping, the 2 concepts are both tools that great players use while showing off talent.

[StolenBasses]

sdrawkcabdaeri, An effect does not make the physical aspects of playing a bass guitar any easier. The effects do not impact the player's fingers or impact the strings in any way. Effects don't change the characteristics of the bass or the bass players hands in any way, therefore it does not make playing any easier. Effects don't even enter the equation until after the signal/sound source has exited the instrument and has traveled down the guitar chord.

[stonedparyah]

@StolenBasses, i think what he was getting at was the fact that some effects/processes can be used to make certain elements of playing easier. For example if you use overdrive/distortion, this tends to distort and therefore make the higher frequencies stand out more, resulting in less attack required for harmonics to sound. Also, some players use compression in order to help keep all their played notes at a similar volume level.. at the cost of dynamic playing.

jesus i really rambled sorry lol

[volcomscooter29]

@StolenBasses well i do know this one effect that makes you a god. its called pracatice alot

[CursedOne27]

i totally agree

[DUFFENDAALEN]

Billy uses two amps. first one gives his sound the deep low end and another is distorted.

[davidsk8ing]

Hahahaha. I like the fact that billy can totally sweep on a bass. At 4:35 in the vid.

[myspacceer]

is his bass slightly distorted?

[BECKOTHEKING]

I think Billy always plays with some kind of distortion or overdrive

[KindalAteChuckNorris]

I bet he's EXCELLENT in bed.

[BECKOTHEKING]

how you can deduce that?...because of the way he taps harmonics???

[TheOllieB]

Yeh. Whenever I see a girl I think is cute and I am interested in, I give her a bass (HAS to be a bass guitar!) and say, do some tap harmonics. If she's good she passes.

[BECKOTHEKING]

interesting filter...lol

[KindalAteChuckNorris]

Among other things, yes ;]

[BECKOTHEKING]

LOL

[tomwilliams1983]

What im wondering is how to tap harmonics like he does

[treyzzer]

guys indeed its like a guitar and thats a good thing he went forward the whole bass playing thing by emplementing thing caommonliy used by guitar players in the bass guitar... but his slapping indeed needs tons of work,, + the secret is speed.... he can play anyting non musical with enough speed to make sound ok in his solos... thats a fact... but i aknowledge his speed

[BOnEhEAdD]

Dude U're one of the guys who should certainly listen to more of his playing in order to change their opinion.... but i acknowledge that apart from those people, U have brain and use it

[treyzzer]

really thanks dude,,,, i do appreciate his playing,,, his one of those guys that pussed the whole playing forward and thats what i do in my playing,,,, its just that billy sheehan is not my kinda player though i admit hes truly a a big influence for me ,,,, just thing hes a bit overestimated,,, though still one of the greatest musical inovator out there,,,

[ecarromeana]

plays bass like an electric guitar....

[TheBassicBassist]

he could probably work on the pop technique in his slap/pop part at the beginning, but i'd never fucking tell him that, man's a legend and has more talent in 1 finger than I have in both hands times 4...goddamn

[ransisua]

fastest bass player ever. he only needs 4 strings. hihi, nice.

[fenderbender92]

I hate when a good bassist like Bill;y plays an amazing solo. Then someone says its like guitar because hes not playing only the fucking root note! piss off!

[BECKOTHEKING]

Personally I think Billy is a great bass player...but not everybody think that; is just a matter of opinion

[fenderbender92]

How can you say hes not? Hes Billy Sheehan!

[krungski]

that was the most strange slap i ever heard..

[Raffael900me]

fuck off fuckethead

[rautibo]

does he has scallopped neck from 12 to 22 fret?

[BECKOTHEKING]

I think so!

[castleshade13]

no 17th to 22

[ScipioProsper]

He's my uncle ((:

Amazing, absolutely amazing. I'd do such illegal things to play this well. :|

[xXAngel0fBloodXx]

Who´s is your uncle?

[ScipioProsper]

Billy Sheehan.

[diamonddust22]

Incredible on all levels.

[BECKOTHEKING]

Yes...tremendous technique, fat sound; good expresivity, feeling, musical knowledge, creativity and a parade of all the styles from hammering and pulloffs to sweepfingerpicking, finger tremolo etc.

Tremendous musician!

[diamonddust22]

That, and more.

[BECKOTHEKING]

I agree! Sheehan Rules!

[ShaShaLamb]

He is an alien whos UFO crash landed on Earth, eventually saw a Paul McCartney video fell in the and began to rule the world with his bass skills that could make a grown man poo poo, and pee pee in their pants. Sheehan Rules.

[NEPAXplorer]

Yes Becko he is I ahve been a fan since the 80's with UFO/Talas. What concert is this from?

[BECKOTHEKING]

with Mr Big (Paul Gilbert on guitar)in San Francisco

[NEPAXplorer]

I've seen a million Sheehan solos...this is one of his best in my opinion.

[BECKOTHEKING]

Tremendous bass player isn't he?

I'm gonna upload another one, i hope you like it too.

Regards