Bass Tremolo from Present Darkness bassist Steffan Zarakas

[hellkidgreenday]

is that classical thump?

[DaAshMonSter]

Woah!!!

That was just awesome!! :)

[CmajAmin88]

the sinister minister very nice!

[sethofmonrovia]

Hey I was wondering If you could post another video of your right hand to better show the plucking used to achieve the sound.

[XxxxSandmaNxxxX]

tremolo? That was just Sinister...

[chubbeebubba]

lol, nice choice of words considering that this is from The Sinister Minister.. ;)

BTW.. great sound.

[KeithUrban2008]

steffan is my cuz!!

[kage1974]

Somebody sent me the link. That's why I posted. I barely have enough time to check my email much less take the time to video myself between gigging 6-10 times a week, studio sessions, and spending time with my wife and kids during my off time. My only point was that you work on YOUR OWN MUSIC... No need for the juvenile negativity.

[rushrocks88]

I do work on my own music, I just hate that people always have to find something wrong with any single thing that anyone posts. Everyone starts off playing other peoples music, and this was taken a while ago, before I started writing music. I may have miss-judged you, but there are people who just sit on here all day trying to tear down other peoples posts. So sorry for any false accusation...

[kage1974]

All I would have to say is, what is the point of posting a video of yourself playing someone else's material? It's all well and good to practice technique but to what end?

[rushrocks88]

I think there is much more use in posting a video playing someone else's stuff than sitting on youtube all day finding things wrong with other peoples videos. When are people just going to accept music as music and stop trying to tear it down in some sort of way? If you don't like it don't watch it.

[rushrocks88]

To clear up any confusion...I am actually the one playing this. I am NOT using a pick, but just my good old thumb and fingers. It is a form of slapping and I also play regular fingerstyle. Yes this whole video was taken from wooten, that was the point. However, it is from sinister minister (with bela fleck)...not classical thump. This whole pick thing actually cracked me up. Only on youtube I guess.

[scarred2112]

From one bassist to another, screw all the "Picking is heresy"/"Picking is simply another technique"/"That's ripping Wooten off!"/"It's a cover and clearly cited as such" crap and simply say very nicely done! If I can ask, what exactly are you using for muting at the nut? I've tried a variety of items (including the typical hair Scrunchy) but nothing seems to do the correct job.

[rushrocks88]

Thanks, I just thought it was funny that there was a big argument on pick usage because someone though I was using one and I really wasn't. I am personally not big on the tone you get from pick, but everyone has a right to play like they want. It is not how you play that makes the musician, it is what you play. I was using a velcro wrap off of an xlr cable to mute the strings but it barely did anything. I could never find anything either, I just kept trying different things.

[godsinarms]

Way to rip off Wooten at the end.

[KongoXIIV]

Indeed. That's not original!!!

[sethofmonrovia]

WHAT ABOUT LES CLAYPOOL?!?!?! He does not use a pick!!! I was under the impression that Geezer Butler did not use a pick and I have never seen Geddy Lee use a pick either.

[Elswalbe]

He's not using a pick here?

[sethofmonrovia]

Nope

[glassbull]

I didn't make myself clear, the guy in the vid rock, but the shit comment about "Thats why they call him thunderfingers" is a bunch of crap. My generation...DONE WITH A PICK DUMBASS!

[peterbassist88]

FUCK YOU

Look for the solo in the royal albert hall, and shut up

And sometimes I use a pick

[glassbull]

look for the video of "a quick one while he's away". NO, thats not his fingernail, thats a pick.Love you to dickbassist88.

[peterbassist88]

enga a tomar un whiskey

conmigo si keres...

jjsjahah

[bassnpete22]

Thats Victor Wooten's bass solo in the Sinister Minister

[KongoXIIV]

Also in it's own form, it's Classical Thump by Victor Wooten.

[BassPlayerRene9]

nice!!

[glassbull]

and I'm not talking about exegesisman. He fuckin rocks.

[glassbull]

John entwistle, geezer butler, chris squire, jason newsted, some of the best bass players of all time. They used picks. they ARE better than you.

[peterbassist88]

u're wrong, silly. look for john entwistle bass solo. the peoplecalled him "thunderfingers"

if you don't know what are you talking about shut up

[burronia]

OK. but, what about the f. zappa bass player? he used a pick. p. hook (joy division\new order) p. simonon (clash). Generally, using a pick, make the sound a little more "dry" and powered. J. Pastorus too used a pick sometimes. If you like a complete sound, you better go both the ways.... you dont' need a pick if you play funky, anyway.

[qubed55]

This is double-thumping, hard to learn and VERY hard to master. I respect picking on bass, Roger Waters did it, he sounded okay. Nothing wrong with that, however, I do feel it has a more hollow sound than fingers and I don't pick myself.

[fralgiemo]

he's not even using a pick! its that double thumb wooten technique nd its a lot harder to use fluently than a pick.

[carnavas69]

pick that shit

[HailMetal12]

NO!!!! DUDE! you don't fucking pick a fucking bass! It's horrible! It demeans us bassists! We have something on the guitarists; we can play with our hands! Plus, picking takes NO technique what-so-ever

[LnG9]

dude:

1. I'm a guitarist and I play with pick and fingers.

2. picking does require technique, ever heard of advanced picking? I plays bass 2 without a pick but man are u f***ing wrong when u say picking takes no technique. lol:p

[HailMetal12]

Ok, not AS MUCH technique, it's just better without.

[AkaPie88]

Dude, I do all of the techniques on bass, I even us a double bass bow, which is a very under looked technique now a days. Using a pick does take some skill just like any kind of playing, they are great for sweeping and string skipping. Learn all of the techniques you can, because it really opens up your own style, and you can jam to anything. And classical guitar requires just fingers, just youtube it.

[GreetingsFromFinland]

I agree with Hailmetal12, that bass players should not play with picks, but i dont think that picking is a useless technique, many skilled guitarists have even evolved the pick technique to incredible levels. but for bass i really think you should slap or use your fingers:). And AkaPie88, we dont really need you to tell us what techniques you play with. there are thousands of people that never mention their skills but play like gods.

[AkaPie88]

I was just giving people some incite that it is a very over looked technique on bass. And the technique that one uses is kind of important when you are talking about opinions and preferences.

[HailMetal12]

True say

[HailMetal12]

Double bow is amazing.

[mechajabo]

nice wooten arpeggios

[K33P3R56]

Isn't this part of classical thump?

[rushrocks88]

Nope, sinister minister. However, he does playthe last part in a different key in classical thump.

[lio311]

sweet playing bro

[pequeniodralam]

this guy have skill, bravo *clap

[1nazchan]

Victor Wooten :D

Nice playin =]

[rushrocks88]

I do play it with a metronome, but i didnt want to post it with a click cause its annoying. Ill try to put some more grove stuff up rather than slap. You shouldnt need a metonome to determine if i groove. If you know how to grove you should be able to tell.

[DavcomBass]

It looks like your developing a good technique. I would like to see you put that to a drum machine or click to see where your groove is.

[chooch187]

i dont rlly get bass shredding... i gues cuz im a guitar shredder. but that looked hard, and souned cool, so good job.

[PIMPbroadcaster]

cool shit. wats ur gear?

[rushrocks88]

Hey, the guitar player in my band actually posted this video, but the gear im using in this video is a ibanez sr406, a galien krueger 1001rb, a home made mcm loaded 15 enclosure and a cheap steel sound 210 loaded w/ eminence that u can get off ebay for like 200 bucks. However i currently use an eden 18 instead of the 15 and it blows about every low end speaker away.

[jake84mich]

beautiful bass playing my friend.