Primus "Tommy the Cat" Bass Lesson, Pt. 1

[giunny96]

@SgtZagg yepp they are great for slapping cuz the strings are really close to the bridge so it's really comfortable for you're hand and it just makes the movement easier... although for normal playing it's not that great... =P that's me anyhow i personally prefer other basses..

[GingieMalmsteen]

thank you, now my fingers are bleeding :L

[BSMindProducions]

So just started playing bass about a week ago... friend told me the best way was to pick it... then I learned Take the power back and havnt touched a pick since... now I am dedicating my time to learning to slap... this is probably to advanced for me but it sounds way to cool to give up on! thanks for the lesson!

[SgtZaqq]

It is Squier P-Bass?

[bakersman12]

@SgtZaqq

Sure is. I borrowed it from a friend. It was the easiest bass to play this song on.

[SgtZaqq]

@bakersman12 and it is really ok for slapping?

[bakersman12]

@SgtZaqq

Uhm, yeah I think so. It's been a while since I last used it, but the action was really low so the strings were pretty close to the neck. I had no problem slapping. It was so easy I would sometimes slap just when I played with my fingers. Although, that was never on purpose.

[UnstoppableChaos]

I just wanted 2 say this lesson wont help u if u suck at bass or r willing 2 practice it so that being said great lesson man.

[Vizillar2505]

doesnt look like how les plays it but it sounds badass enough, dont take no shit from "that's wronggg" ppl, they probably cant play half a song. This sounds good enough, BASSON

[bakersman12]

@Vizillar2505

Yeah, maybe not, but most of the time he has a 6 string. But hey, if it sounds right to you, and if it helps at all, that's good enough for me. Thanks, and BASSON

[monsterdemon25]

nice man

[taxIN7]

this was not helpful at all

[ohgr919]

dude your good as fuck. and your beard is cool. thanks for this vid

[Fendgib83]

Thanks man il try it and see how it works

[Fendgib83]

Do u lower ir heighten the strings to make them loser to slap

[bakersman12]

@Fendgib83

You would lower them. Just don't lower them too much or you may get fret buzz. And you'll have to retune after.

[geengeklooi]

@bakersman12

Thanks alot for this video, I've been practising this for a while now and im getting there. It's pretty hard but enjoying it very much. Good job!

[geengeklooi]

@bakersman12

Thanks alot for this video, I've been practising this for a while now and im getting there. It's pretty hard but enjoying it very much. Good job!

[bakersman12]

@geengeklooi

Thanks man!

[bassplr4l4d]

you dont need to lower strings to slap them.

[bakersman12]

@bassplr4l4d

I know. But the higher the action the higher it is to press down with your left hand. It may not make a difference for some, but for others lower strings can help. It's whatever is most comfortable to you.

[Fendgib83]

I just started playing bass so how do u get the strings so lose on your bass because my bass has tight strings

[bakersman12]

@Fendgib83

It might be your action. If your strings go through the bridge of your bass (metal piece on the bottom) then when they come out of the holes they go over a metal piece which is called a saddle. Each saddle has two tiny screws on top of both sides. Turn them one way to raise/lower the strings. You'll want to detune your strings first making it easier to get to the saddle screws. But don't lower it too much because then you might get fret buzz.

[bakersman12]

@Fendgib83

Or go down to your local guitar shop and see if they'll do it for you. Then just watch and learn. It could also possibly just be your strings. They might just be tight. But try to lower your action first and see what happens;)

[effectkid]

whats the song called that playing in the background ?????

[barni767]

it was good but very patronising, its not like the people who will be learning this song don't know what a mute is or x fret on x string is x note.

[bakersman12]

@barni767

I'm sorry if you feel that way. I did that because when I was trying to learn this song, I didn't know much about muting and the like. So there may be others who aren't sure about it. I would watch videos of this song, and nobody explained how to play the song like that. And if they did, they played some notes or a rhythm wrong. Or they played it too fast. That's why I play it slow for a while.

Also, not everybody knows the notes on a guitar.

They ought to, but that's the way it is.

[barni767]

@bakersman12

Is there a way of playing the solo without using a 6string bass?

[bakersman12]

@barni767

Sure. You don't "really" need the 6th string if you don't have it. Just when you do the slides, slide up to some high notes on the G string. The notes right there dn't have to be perfect. Because when he does it live, because he plays different things every time, if he even does play that part he probably doesn't play the exact notes.

[rello829]

@bakersman12 thanks for the thourough explanation! i play better bass than all my bass player friends and i just started! so i appreciate the info because i had no idea!

[bakersman12]

@rello829

thank you! That's why I gave the info. If you don't know what it means, now you know. If you already knew what certain things meant, then just be patient and wait.

[DoesLifeSuck]

you deserve better than a squire. 

[bakersman12]

@DoesLifeSuck

Oh, thank you, but it's not mine. First off, i have plenty more basses. Second, it's actually my youth pastor's. I asked him if I could borrow it because it's real easy to play, and it makes the main riff in this song smooth as cheese.

[csxtrainwreck]

Thanks for speaking in notes and not "third string, x fret".

[bakersman12]

@csxtrainwreck

You're welcome. I hate that too. I like when people actually know the notes, and when they talk to me as if I know the notes too. I tried to put both for both people. Those who do know notes, and those who don't know notes, only tabs.

[volcomscooter29]

u muting the lower g and then popping the octave right?

[bakersman12]

@volcomscooter29

Yes.

[JestBass]

You got some nice slap technique man

[bakersman12]

@JestBass

Thank you

[bakersman12]

Oh gosh i'm dumb please everybody forgive me for this terrible video. I talk wayy too much sometimes.

[donallydoover]

Yeah and I think he recorded the song on a fretless but he's played concerts on a fretted bass. Thank you by the way, this was really helpful!

[bakersman12]

@donallydoover

He's insane! On bass, not in the mind. I hope not anyway...

[cajica1221]

dude, your video is very good, but you need a 5-string bass to play this song

[bakersman12]

I have another Primus Lesson video with my 6 string. Les Claypool has live videos playing this song on a 4 string. 5 strings aren't a necessity. But I do have both a 5 and a 6 just in case.

Oh, and thank you by the way.

[ragglefraggle09]

3:41

about Les's finger goin' down, if you listen to his bassline closely (preferably the official tommy the cat vid on youtube) you can hear a subtle

"G-F#-F-E" (in that order), which to me sound like bass notes

[bakersman12]

Oh, thank you. I'll definitely check that out to listen to it. I think I've seen a video where he would do that, and I wondered if I really heard it or not. I mean, if his finger's going down it's obviously playing something different, but I just never really heard it. Thank you again though!

[mjukostenoust]

good lesson, rly helped :)

[bakersman12]

@mjukostenoust

Thank you.

[phunkymonk131]

its not too dark, the bass can be seen, and thats what really matters. and ur moms pretty good on piano :-)

[bakersman12]

Thank you. I kept thinking my shadow was in the way. And thank you again. She's been playing for a longg time.