Jeff Schmidt Live Solo Bass

[SuperFunk211]

his bass has the tone at 11!!

very peaceful :D

[dundermuffin90]

i really love his playing

[inspiredguitar101]

well thats not a normal bass at all

[cesarromo1]

DAMN! I have a boner now...

[HeyItsRez]

Words really cant describe how perfect that was

[halfjaw77]

I'm really digging t his guy's style. I'm guessing he's self-taught in this technique? Never seen anything like this, very unconventionally tasteful.

[Poonard]

2:36 World War 3 averted...whew, thanks Mr. Schmidt, that was close.

[Savantrick]

Left handed bass strung upside down? pretty trippy shit haha

[HeyItsRez]

Yeah so now ive got a smile on my face :] the things that can be done with bass are mind blowing

[TheMonkeydick]

Broken Lizard?!?!?!?! Broken dreams, broken heart, broken cock...

[Cocorikot]

That's... beautiful.

[et7waage1]

Marvelous!

[Leotheleprachaun]

2:30-the end i need to know how to play! so beautiful!.... man i'm just commenting like it's goin out of style..... oh well, there's not enough remaining characters to really put into words how this piece made me feel, i kno that sounds weird

[Leotheleprachaun]

i love how every awesome solo 5 string bass players make their musical pieces! they just have so much more soul than if they had more than just them putting them together. and i love the chicken plucker stringing! i tried it with my oldest bass and it actually works for a few of my faster riffs. i'm still getting used to trying to tap/slap tho, it got way too confusing for me

[kineticx]

21 people are still playing guitar hero

[iliachulsky]

this is preety fing amazing... you all should also check out Stan Sargeant,

he also plays the bass like this, but he also slaps in a unique way... just search for him on youtube, youll thank me later :P

[Leotheleprachaun]

@iliachulsky well no wonder I knew his name before checking him out! he's from the tonight show!

[Carlos15ag]

YES! Lefties own 

[Pilbromatic]

Eeek lefties freak me out!!!

[Israfel93]

haha that's a strange form of holding a bass :D

[sangsaratrip]

Miller, Wooten, Manring, got nothin on this guy. Great songs.

[gtu734]

that neck on that bass looks amazingly fun

[Hiimwut]

2:35 to 2: 50 always makes me cream.

[AcuariusCamus]

Maestro!!!



[metalsmyname]

never fails to amaze me

[xtrplpqtl]

Heh a friend of mine's a lefty and he also started playing his friend's right-hand stringed guitars with this inverted lefty grip. He said he was too lazy to restring and he found it easier to learn all chords and fingering upside down. Lefties never cease to amaze me.

[Avantaxxxia]

Does he have inverted strings???

[balogie]

@Avantaxxxia Its seems that way :-)

[teachingfeller]

@Avantaxxxia It is literally a right-handed bass that he has flipped over. So, from his perspective, yes, the strings are inverted: bottom string to top, B, E, A, D, G. i've seen a handful of other guitarists do so. Neat, huh?

[Avantaxxxia]

@teachingfeller Thanks man!! It's so... weird to me!!!!

[khartian]

@Avantaxxxia Interestingly enough, most guitarist who do this do it because right handed guitars are cheaper. If you learn how to play the guitar upside down like that, it is no more difficult than playing it normally (although you could get some interesting voicings from it.).

[ZMugg1]

@teachingfeller "It is literally a right-handed bass that he has flipped over"

Um, no. It's a left handed bass strung up upside-down (chicken plucker style). Look at the horns, cutaways and controls. Jimi Hendrix played a right handed guitar "flipped over" as the horns, cutaways and controls show.

[ZMugg1]

@ZMugg1 Addendum to previous post: Sir Paul McCartney played a Right handed bass flipped over (the Hofner "violin " bass because it was symmetrical), but the controls gave it away (located at the "top").

[frontmann7]

Ok, bass is a different thing, and it's not my personal way to play, and get a guitar and so on... but when i listen to something really beautiful i appreciate and enjoy it. It's music, everything else is chatter. Thx Mr Schmidt!!

[Rumpelstilsky]

get a banjo

[Erikz04]

MTD all the way! :)

[cuteface114]

Is this dude playing a right hand bass left-handed? Oh my god.

[cuteface114]

@cuteface114  I think I'm wrong, I think his strings are just backwards o.O

[Tyranous17]

@cuteface114 He is playing a left handed bass with the strings backwards so he has the feel of when he probably first started out playing a right handed bass upside down.

[CoachG1000]

This dude is the best thing smokin' right now....really don't care what style of music you like..He's got that thing Manring doesn't.....a heartbeat

[myusernameissocool]

@CoachG1000 What do you mean by a heartbeat?

[CoachG1000]

@myusernameissocool

Soul.

[HarmPoy]

@CoachG1000 Wow, someone just said Manring doesn't have soul. Have you ever watched him or met him?

[ToolahTheGreat]

@HarmPoy Manring Is BADASS. In music and in person.

[myusernameissocool]

@CoachG1000

man

I think you don't understand Manring's playing, truly understand it.

[CoachG1000]

@myusernameissocool

I'm not saying he isn't good. Manring is outstanding...I just don't feel it as much as this dude.

[ToolahTheGreat]

@CoachG1000 Manring Is A BADASS.

[cruzdrum]

is that strung backwards?

[ineedyourclothes]

@cruzdrum Yessir it it. Actually makes so much sense for his playing style, saves his fingers TONS of work

[MrStrangeSensation]

Totally looks like the guy from Super Troopers.

[TheMonkeydick]

@MrStrangeSensation I was just going to say that!!! twin??

[ghitaciprian]

Banjo ;)

[BedroomBassist]

I love the sound of piccolo bass.

[artguedes1]

6 strings... É de facto outro instrumento!Ele parece-me um canhoto absoluto,isto é alem de canhoto a corda mais grave é a de baixo (como o nosso Zé Nabo).Excelente!

[Whizzblitz]

Awesome! I would love to hear him together with Tommy Emmanuel.

[fratboy3001]

why doesn't he just buy a guitar? it would make everyhting he is trying to do so much easier.

[bluesilverworks]

@fratboy3001 you try getting that tone and low end outta guitar

[maxf130]

@fratboy3001

it wouldnt

if youve played bass for ages and then you try to do the same thing on guitar its REALLY hard

[remainthesame]

@fratboy3001 kuz bass is the shit

[idshanks]

@fratboy3001 It wouldn't be easier - the two instruments have a completely different feel to play, and his technique is developed for the feel of a bass. Also, a guitar simply wouldn't serve as it has completely different tonal qualities to a bass.

[RONYSLA]

this is a banjo??

[mokeanL]

@RONYSLA no this is a (piccolo?) fretless bass strung upside down with very thin looking strings

[bassicallybass]

can he play in a band?

[sweederlander]

@bassicallybass

Why would he need a band when he basically is a band by himself.

[bassicallybass]

@sweederlander

Mmm, He doesn' need to, but I just wonder if he can..

[sweederlander]

@bassicallybass

Well, he had to start somewhere, and my bet is that he started out as any other bassist would, in a band.

[bassicallybass]

that is a weird bass.. what is it that makes his sound so not like bass?

[Tutmarc]

@bassicallybass I am pretty sure it is a piccolo bass. It tuned higher in pitch than a normal bass.

[bluesilverworks]

@bassicallybass its the strings there called piccolo strings lighter gauge than a bass but a bit heavier than a guitar and bright as hell

[TheRealMatrixx]

He looks like Paul Soter, from super troopers and beerfest

[DistortionUser]

He is the Andy Mckee of the bass guitar.

[thekidjam]

are those piccolo strings?

[pecoyamada]

@thekidjam Probably

[bluesilverworks]

@thekidjam yes sir

[thekidjam]

are those piccolo strings?

[deepislandboy]

Sounds a lot like some of the contemporary fingerstyle guitar player, only this is on bass. lol

[Gangstafather]

the first time i listened him on last.fm

but i thought it was a guitar!

[Lassebb]

Now there are documented 17 idiots in the world. You cant dislike this.

[CorvetteCoonass]

michael tobias makes some wonderful sounding basses. Bolt-on? yeah but it sounds better than most neck-thru basses i hear.

[organeu]

Great musician, but the instrument... it's not a bass Fender !

[69orzechy69]

he plays the same way as pARTyzant. check him out on youtube ; )

[AFIEBHC]

yeah ive seen a few left handed bass players playing what appear to be literally upturned basses, whats with that? are they self taught so havent known any different?

[Tiagparma]

No is best ZUzoJeff<ZuzoZUZO felling very

[NikAndrea88]

Man you are crazy!!! O.O

[ghitaciprian]

polyphonic !!!!!  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[alphaskin666]

this guy is awesome :D

[ghitaciprian]

ahhh, funky banjo !!! love that sound....groovye babyeeeeee

[CocolinoTarabana]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm  i love that funky-groove sound from the theme...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[ghitaciprian]

oh God ! he is great, just listen...and look at his string disposal, it-s a reverse one, no one has something like that !!!

[MrGul]

@ghitaciprian Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets) has the exact same thing, actually.

[TheYaroslav1988]

it seems to me he plays bass like banjo .... it s cool

[theeviltwig]

YEAH!

[NightmareMichigan]

His strings are inverted so while he is strumming and tapping he can mute the low B so it doesn't become muddy.

[scarsymmetry1989]

I gave up the guitar and took up bass so that I could stay away from chord like patterns :(

[Sindwiller]

@scarsymmetry1989 You are a pussy then. :P I, as a bassist, like to utilize all possible styles of playing ;)

[DominoDylan]

Holy crap, and its not that confusing you guys, he just has the string inverted cause thats probably how he started to learn how to play, he probably didn't think to turn the strings over, but by the time he got really good, it was to awkward for him.

That my guess atleast?

[TheReaperToast]

can't imagine the price of these bass

[darkmagnifico]

this guy is amazinngg!

[Khatch1989]

is this an mtd bass?

[spynae]

Yeah. American MTD, though, not an MTD Kingston.

[BaserOnee]

No, it's definitely a lefty bass. The strings are just inverted.

[TheLpfan123]

Erm im not to sure but i think its a righty bass turned upside down, as for the pitch its tuned with picollo strings these are one octave higher than the standard tuning i believe, dont hold me to it though. still its a pretty awesome sound

[Rofflens]

It's not a righty. If it were, the tone knobs would be over the mics, not under. It's a lefty.

[TheLpfan123]

@Rofflens Awesome, you dont seem to see many left handed guitar players, let alone left handed bass players, thanks for pointing it out aswell

[JauserJubJub]

Thats a left handed bass with the strings set up the otherway and tuned lighter

[luckydog2oo7]

Ah, wait i see it now. Thank you for the clarification.

[Uraegos]

1) he's a lefty, awesome. 2) does he has his strings strung on backwards? That's a beautiful sound he's got going there.

[Bodom2293]

answer your second question yeah he does have it strung reversed some people think it simplifies things.

[basstrom88]

@Uraegos My guess is that he's learnt bass on a 'normal' right-handed bass played upside down. Then when he's actually moved on to a left-handed bass he's changed the strings because of the configuration he had in the first place

[Beninc88]

good stuff..

[myhouseisyourpants]

looks kind of like bobby flay :p awesome job

[0utopian0]

New favourite bassist...

Got some really nice sounds..

awesome.

[metallica2014]

Is his bass strung with Piccolo strings?

[huginandmunin]

yup

[boongg]

Why not play a guitar? I don't like this kind of bass-as-guitar solos.

[aarongtr180]

Then get off of this video anjd stop insulting good bassists.

[cygnuxman]

cause its a bass. you can play any instrument anyway you want to.

[BedroomBassist]

Am I going nuts or are his strings on backwards?

[crashedcan]

seems your totally sane

[metallica2014]

Lol nice that you noticed.

[misanthroposy]

It says live at Berkeley Ca. hats can't be right. Berkeley CA as in California isn't the same as the Berklee College music school in Boston. I think someone has the schools mixed up. Unless they have a crazy music program at the california Berkeley. But they are two different places. The Berklee spelled with two E's is the one that is one of the most prestigious contemporary rock and jazz schools in North America. The one in Boston.

[Flemmingdoerken]

It doesn't say that it's at a college you know...

In the video which is called "Jeff Schmidt Live Solo Bass (piccolo fretless)" it says that it is at a place called Freight and Salvage which is in CA.

[Flemmingdoerken]

Oh it says so in the video as well, actually.. didn't even notice that.

[misanthroposy]

I was wrong. It is in Berkeley California. But the Berklee in Boston is the Music College. I know some people get them mixed up and I thought that was the case here.

[carabata64]

un sonido mas feo no habia no ?

[cachubiza]

jeffs playing is outstanding as a soloist, but I seriously doubt its effectiveness in a band situation... argumenting comments welcome

[strongbadian4747]

He probably wouldn't play using those same techniques in a band situation. He seems like he knows what's going on, so he's probably aware enough to realize what it takes to sound good with a group. Just saying.

[golflover08]

he has done a lot of work with Andy Mckee. look up the song A Sphere or Dependant Arising. They dnt sing but they are fantastic instrumentalists. they sound great together too.

[apc467]

hmmm interesting... "Jeff Schmidt Live Solo Bass," might just be the reason why he is playing this way.... but I guess you never know right? I'm sure he isn't going to play a solo piece in a band situation...

[undeadpresident]

I think that given the difference of the playing style, the style (and choice) of other instruments would also be different in order to mix and match well. He covers a pretty broad frequency range with his bass here, what is usually covered with both a bass and guitar. So if you had another guitar going over it, the sounds might muddle eachother. He has more complexity with just his bass than many groups have. I could imagine him playing like this to some percussion more than anything.

[scarsymmetry1989]

how the hell can you be so good playing a restrung bass?

[LOTMAMB]

woow!! that's soo cool!

[JauserJubJub]

Awesoooooome, jeff rules

[CicadaKillerMan]

Wow his tone almost sounds like an acoustic instrument on this one! Amazing playing.

[Eric1396]

Like that guy!

[Shreddojo]

great composition! and i love his tone, especially when he´s tapping!!!! i never saw a left-handed player, playing a lefty-bass with a right-hand-stringsetup before......

[fasteez]

jimmy haslip plays like this too

[Libanass]

am I dreaming or his strings are the opposite way???

great playing, he looks like wojtek :D by face I mean, not playing, they are both freakin different

[badmanners411]

Left handed player, on a right handed five string bass.

[ged1a]

Very cool..

[BlackMetalAkaz]

That's Berkley for you.

[Jimmytuba08]

The guys left handed obviously, but is that still a right handed string set up? The strings look thicker at the bottom...

[bobulibobium]

thats right, (lol pun) he is like the hendrix of bass!

[ArcticaDream]

Its seams so.. Thats why this bass sounds so diferent... and if you notice at 2 :40 you can hear the the sound is being played at the top of the bass, but you hear the strings that should be in the bottom..

And you can see it clearly at 3:45..

[Rudreax]

He's essentially playing it as if he took a right-handed model and flipped it to play lefty, without changing the strings. It's probably how he learned when he first started playing.

[epicmenio]

yeah, so he can play with every bass. - ey men can i borrow ur bass? but u r left handed, dont worry - JK

[chrisrusty99]

he has the strings strung in reverse

[martinrgm]

Jeff is simply amazing gives bass a new meaning, his an innovator

[00Dakka]

sounds like a banjo sorta

[superkorsar]

No sabia que el Barticciotto tocaba bajo jajaja.

[eidosdarca]

grande Barticciotto ! !

[Kenti59400]

What the... awesome playing, just for that I wanna play bass thanks for this vid ;)

[Vongola007]

Holy &%$£!!!!!

[demofactory]

Awsome playing!!! Hard to tell in the video, but it looks like a left handed bass strung backwards. Treble strings closest to your face. Is it so? I'm impressed either way. Thanks for the vid.

[Tyranous17]

yes thats correct and i believe hes using some alternate tuning but idk what it is

[Sortsylic]

Reversed open g I think but this is mistake...

[awfulguitarplucker]

@Sortsylic no..it is not a mistake...only is open F# for what ive heard

[Sortsylic]

@awfulguitarplucker Hmmm...

[bullfiddlejay]

@demofactory yeah he did

[GarretsShadow]

@demofactory its because hes left handed, so he probably learnt by turning right handed basses upside down

[MightyGoldenBoy]

@demofactory  He probably learned the bass on an upside down right hander and when he got his hands on a lefty he was allready accustomed to the strings being upside down. Nice to have a lefthander anyway so the shape of the body and the knobs are right.

[PhatLarkin]

I would die if I got to play at Berkeley

[bassman959]

suscribe now!

[ENIGMATICentity]

is that a warwick? im not that familiar with bass guitars : /

[BossBassist]

haha oh dear lord not a warwick...

he uses a fine mtd. very nice mtd with that burl maple top and birdseye maple neck...it has that high light tone you are hearing...while a warwick has a dark very warm tone...

[ENIGMATICentity]

like i said, im not very familiar with bass guitars

[BossBassist]

i've always loved his music...thats an mtd is it not? i swear the body and the neck look just like an mtd

[Lasdferret]

It is an MTD 535.

[BossBassist]

ah yes i figured right...i'm looking to get an mtd 635 so i know the bass quite well

beautiful bass might i say

[gebass6]

If you close your eyes and listen you would swear that he was playing an acoustic guitar.

[bigoj3]

I thought it sounded almost like a banjo tbh :O

[CorkBass]

no way, too much Bass on the low notes

[jwbass60]

Am I trippin', or does he have a left handed bass strung up as if it were a right handed instrument? That low string is where the high string should be me thinks?.... "very cool bye the way"

[jackyboy007111]

yeh your right, hes either done it because he might have started bass when he was young and had to play upside down, or, it is easier for him to do what he does with is bass

[78shovlehead]

good eye.........

[6ADAM6BAUM6]

you aint trippin. how can people play like that?

[Enfusory]

AA MM AA ZZ II NN GG

[girlbassist]

I'm going to have to reverse string one of my basses and *try* to figure out this song. I've listened to this 100 times today! I can't get it out of my head!

[pineapleweed]

god this is the best music ever when im stoned