Edgar Meyer Double bass solo, live in 1988

[BarbecueBobFan]

Why are you idiots talking about the faces he's making? The guy is owning the double bass.

[MaBelleMichelle2012]

NOBODY plays the bass like Edgar. I sat mesmerized at Northwestern University in Evanston several years ago and had NEVER witnessed anyone making love to their instrument like Edgar. Bravissimo and I have forever been a huge fan~! Having him and Bela Fleck in concert with Chris Thile is the icing on the cake!~

[trollydodger]

haha this sounds & looks stupid lmao. The cello absolutely rapes the double bass paha

[mabyehaveajam145TCE]

double bass really is the sexiest instrument around

[deimosvega]

Multi orgasmico""

[Harimakum]

he's making love with it lol XD

[joshuapickenpaugh]

Wow I remember seeing this original broadcast back in the day thanks for posting!

[fosskbass]

Solo tuning on the G (A), D (E), and A (B), with orchestra tuning on the E....

[juketheuke]

*instant inspiration

[throwduncan]

Seductive bass playing

[fatfatat444]

Slappa da bass man!

[Recnik223]

@timmytot for half a million dollars, he will!

[trichomepanther]

lol he is so good



[CornyGirl101]

You know, i can play Twinkle twinkle, Dreidel, and Ode To Joy on my bass.....still losing.

[timmytot]

Loving the funny faces, he should perform at childrens parties :L

[jackpot777apparel]

Is he drunk or does he have to take a leak

[TristenNashMusic]

@jackpot777apparel stoned, i honestly think.

[SkunkNugget420]

@TristenNashMusic Do you know of any great musicians who doesn't get stoned? Cause I don't.

[jonboy700]

I saw him and Thiele together - they were the most accomplished musicians I've ever seen.

[coldchicken92]

He seems like the Jim Morrison of the double bass world.

[edthewave]

@coldchicken92 ....except he didn't die @ age 27 (and is still alive) and become revered, even grossly overrated, after death.

[rootsradicals87]

LCD is a hell of a drug...

[TheMrFunktastic2]

@rootsradicals87 LCD? hahaha

[qwertyabc619]

It's so Funky that even HE can't contain himself!

[christopher2step]

I think its great when double bass players get REALLY into and look like they are just making the most passionate love to their instruments...

its drity and beautiful at the same time. =]

[McPhersonBassMaster]

Is that a Viola da Gamba shaped Bass he's using? Doesn't look like the standard Violin shape.

[Fresienduft]

@McPhersonBassMaster

Actually, the shape of his instruments looks more like what you refer to as "the standard violin shape" than most double basses! For example: the tips at the end of the waists are more prominent than those of most double bass instruments.

The double bass is (in contrary to all other strings of the symphony orchestra) indeed a descendant of the da Gamba family. Compare the way the upper bout is merging into the neck on violins and viole da gambe (also: the tuning in fourths)!

[Warboy675]

he kicks gary cars butt

[24234avatarluver]

I, along with 50 other people, are going to meet the guy in person sometime this year! This is going to be so exciting! :D

[freddo27]

Well, now the jazz snobs have picked the bones out of the performance we're left with what a friggin nice bit of bass this was. When they're all gone home we'll get another beer in and stick some more good music on the jukey.

[MindSweep43]

So Tranquillumgrooves, .... after you have educated yourself more as to EM's ability by listening to the pieces I mentioned in my previous message, maybe you will realize how wrong you are. Please don't belittle this extraordinary soloist by this one video. I have heard many many SC solos. I would say that SC typically plays pizz faster than EM, but SC is "Not in the same ball park" with EM with the bow at all. Think before u speak!!!

[MindSweep43]

Tranquillumgrooves,

Continuing from my last message..

I have not heard SC demonstrate the capability of EM with the bow on such

Pieces as "Whoolly Mammoth", Fast movement of the Eccles Sonata ( at Edgar's tempo!), "please don't feed the bear", EM's Concerto, Bottesini Concerto, "limerock", just to name a few.. Go listen to all the things EM has done since this video..or listen to his work with Bela Fleck, Mike Marshall, Mark O'conner, Yo Yo Ma, to name few...then see what think..

[MindSweep43]

Tranquillumgrooves,

You obviously have not listened to at least a sample of the voluminous work of EM. I have listened to both artists extensively. Although the styles are generally different, EM has done just as much as SC. I am also a double bassist myself & I carefully analyze the playing of both. I'll let you slide a bit if you are only talking about the pizzicato ability of the two, however the two pizz styles are just a matter of preference. But you haven't said a word about Edgar's Arco

[Tranquillumgrooves]

Ok - not impressed at all . SC is all over this guy.

How can he honestly sit there and keep bangin out the the same riff variation....

If thats the case - "got meself an international career"

[marinazaini]

how did he mic this bass? not from pick up right? or is it just the acoustic of the room? anyone?

[tomorocko]

@marinazaini

It has a pick up to amplifie it :) you can tell from both the sound (you can really feel the bassey "dub" "dub" sounds) and that at the beginning you can see the jack going into the pick up input

[marinazaini]

@tomorocko oh.. thank you. the clarity of double bass is so clear, that I could not even know that it was amplified.

[dshiz16]

@chocolateboxedfrogs lol this guys face is Priceless, you haven't seen nothing yet tho try Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Charles Mingus the list goes on.......

[MindSweep43]

Egomouse, you say that compared to Stanley Clarke Edgar looks like a "FOOL".???!

I don't know you can honestly say that..

I think both are incredibly talented musicians, neither of which are "fools".

And Before you make such statements, I respectfully ask that you listen to all that Edgar has recorded and composed (he is very diverse in style...more so than Stanley) With all due respect to Stanley, I have not seen him display the extraordinary level of virtuosity with the bow that Edgar has. O

[ishta]

@MindSweep43 Agree Edgar is bad ass and no one can touch his bowing in the jazz and non classical world and even there he is top and his intonation is top notch. Stanley can't really compare in technique. I play and I know what it takes to play a 2 second Edgar Meyer lick.

[Tranquillumgrooves]

@MindSweep43 - Lete talk diversity shall we .. what about the countless scores that SC has written for film and TV as well as the solo recored compositions. I can appreciate Edgars ability but sorry just not in the same ball park as SC - but thats just my opinion and thats what this forum is for ...opinions

[spoofzilla]

I love those fast licks he does up the neck, it sound Stanley Clarke-esque. Fantastic altogether!!

[peatslicer]

this guys wicked*

[brynlaaful]

it doesnt sound good :L

[BDBveggiegirl]

he's not just making music, he's dancing with the bass

[Owlstriker]

ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ubernerd35]

Funniest video ever. The William Shatner of bass.

[12345652180]

plz help me!

i've seen a band on tv recently. consists of a rhythm guitarist, double bass and a lead guitarist.3 members. i don't know what year was that show. well the lead guitarist was silver haired, old. and the double bass player had mustache and wore glasses.

plz help me! what is the name of that band???!

[jorgeniscool]

1988 that was before 911 why not do it in the world trade center before its destroyed!

[schimmelpenninq]

it's all fake blues, too sticky and slimy,

wonder what kinda drugs he uses,

and he must be gay, that horny dude...

imagine him bending over for you hehehe!

[CowsayMuh]

@schimmelpenninq and somehow he ends up being the gay one. you have to be such a fag



[MrJas1991]

niiiice

[AAPS7]

hahaha his face looks like one of the characters in mighty morphin power rangers :D

[ClaytonHarder]

wow, i wish the upright bass i play in school band actually gave good tone on the g string, its got a warped neck so i get really crappy sound out of it. XD

[nerfkid221]

im learning to play this ive been playing for three years

[CowsayMuh]

@nerfkid221 me to, i mostly figured it out but it has some realy hard parts, my teacher took lessons with mr. meyer himself so that helps atleast

[simonhwang4]

@CowsayMuh Who's your teacher?

[MsCellobass]

taleeeeeented then and now

[winehear]

?????Y NO BOW...

[Lookdownhereiam]

I love how he's having fun with it haha

[DB1815]

You've got is, sir!

[JoeyNaeger]

That was tasty.

[haydenisace]

im not a wide spanned musicia, i play electric guitar and drums and shy away from this style of music and play rock n roll, i was just curious as to what these instruments sounded like. bur im sorry to say that sounds just awful

[TrialSizeDoveBar]

@haydenisace Stick to something in your skill level, like some nice Blink 182.

[haydenisace]

@TrialSizeDoveBar you know nothing of my skill level please dont give me that shit, musically i hate blink 182, you dont know meand so you have no knowledge of the music i play and the skill level required and i was only stating my opinion why would you turn to insulting me

[andreasswarfeld]

@haydenisace He insulted you because you insulted Edgar Mayer !! now go put on your Blink 182 Album . HA HA

[lufy79]

boring....

[1dogsrock]

basses r the coolest insrument in the orchestra!

[greenysfleetwoodmac]

haha sorry i was supposed to give you a thumb up but i pushed the thumb down saoorry man

[35171julie]

@1dogsrock only when Edgar Meyer is playing one ;-)

[MrSillybilly22]

good

[Muzikman127]

I like the way he isn't bothered about his facial expression etc. when playing, he's just in the zone... Sometimes it's good for music to be purely about sound, not showmanship, smoke and mirrors and good looks.

[egomouse]

Edgar Meyer is good. But Stanley Clarke makes him look like a FOOL.

search for Clarke's solo, you won't be disappointed

[JerkinJokers101]

@egomouse you couldnt say which one is better....they both have very different styles...so you couldnt reely say anything

[egomouse]

@JerkinJokers101 they do have very different styles, but they were both playing bass solos. i believe a bass solo should be as entertaining as possible, and i personally was MUCH more entertained by Stanly Clarke's dynamic solo than Edgar Meyer's. therefore, i feel compelled to say Edgar Meyer's was so much less entertaining that it made him appear to be a fool.

[crumikins]

Edgar never fails to impress me. Even 22 years ago.

[wallaceX2jc]

it seems like he got 8 fingers to pluck them strings.....nice

[zenmachinefilms]

Wow! Thanks for posting this.

Met him a few years ago. Easy to talk to. Very forward thinking guy.

[TOPCAT3443]

crazy pinch harmonics. i've never seen someone do that on a double bass

[PeaceVibe]

VIBE!

[MrGigibo]

porca vacca!

[fodera6]

Gotta love 1988 pickup technology. Arguably, we probably wouldn't be able to enjoy all the crazy things he did without it though. Nice post! Never thought I'd see Edgar on Austin City Limits solo!

[cduff624]

its makes me mad that he is so good

[sliverhandsonbasses]

Is the first time i see those Jaco-Style Artificial Harmonics on Upright!

[amuri1990]

DELICIOUS

[zach100590]

did he come up with this on the spot?

[nukes27]

I doubt it- there is a lot of structure to what he is soloing off of- the I V IV thing at the beginning that he keeps coming back to sounds to me like its something he plays around with from time to time...

[JOS404]

I feel like taking my upright bass and lighting it on fire now

[BelaFleckPhan]

So lazy. That was awsome!

[imdascrub]

intense tremelo pizz.

[Lewlable]

thats awsome

especially at about 1:30

[Obeusz]

Edgar 20 kg ago... :-)

[divinexbrutality]

@Obeusz yet that shirt looks like it would fit him ..now...haha. 

[Nodybass]

@Obeusz i think.. actually about 45

[Milky111wtf]

I love the way he looks when he plays... so expressive and almost comical, but it doesn't take away from the performance.

[Nick4764]

great

[mcnaire2004]

Amazing!

[EdgarMeyerFan]

You got the Moderato from his Amalgations for Solo Bass. Live. Congrats! You are now officially the man