This performance was my first solo performance in front of my classmates and I performed the bassline to 'Can't Stop' By the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I performed just before we all broke up for the Christmas break, in the performance I was quite nervous beforehand and during the performance as it may have shown my mistakes.
My overall evaluation on performance will be structured below, as well as my next steps for my next solo performance and how I compare the two songs.
My decision to choose the Red Hot Chilli Peppers would be the fact that I have always loved their music and style of playing. As the bassist, I've always seen Flea as an icon with charisma, and the song 'Can't Stop' has a catchy funk bassline that is catchy to play. As for its clear popularity being a 90s anthem, the RHCP songs are not the easiest to play and are a challenge, which is why I wanted to set myself that challenge to push myself. The RHCP took the 90s, with their alternative rock genre with an emphasis on funk, this was one of the reasons why I wanted to play one of their songs because of the funk impact, combined with hip-hop and psychedelic rock. Flea is iconic for his slap basslines, and even though I am not confident with slapping bass just yet, my goal is to practice to become confident with different styles of playing. I think that was a big part that was missing from me playing, was the slap bass technique that I have not mastered yet, that's why I felt like the song did not have a true wow factor.
My overall thoughts on my performance are a mixture, as I was able to finish the whole song there were faults that I rightly made in my first performance. The first one was that my bass was not correctly tuned and I felt like it knocked me back a bit when I started again. This would be a clear lesson to myself, to be prepared before performing. A second fault would be my technique, I think because I was nervous I went back to my old habits, and instead of finger plucking, I was plucking with my thumb. This isn't a bad way of playing, but it's a target for me to get out of playing that way and to be more confident with finger plucking and stretching my ring finger, instead of just playing my index and middle finger. Overall I do not think it was a bad performance, but I am hoping I can push myself further with the song choice for my next performance.
Stage presence is really important, mainly for the frontperson as they are the ones engaging to talk to the audience with the lyrics, but it's mainly the drummer who doesn't need to worry about stage presence because they are sat down behind the kit. Stage presence for guitarists and bassists makes the whole performance more entertaining and enjoyable to watch. Most of the time I forget about stage presence as I am focusing so much on what I am doing on the instrument. Raising your eye-line could be a simple gesture, so you're not truly fixed on your instrument and it takes practice, because if you're more confident with what you are playing the more you will relax. While performing my legs were a bit shaky because of the nerves, therefore I do move around a little bit to relax more with my playing.
Keeping to the tempo of the song is a main part of my role in the band. The bassist and drummer should be tight with one another and keep in time with the bass drum so I do not speed up or fall behind. Because I was following a backing track, where the bass was cut out and the rest of the instruments played normally, I relied on following the drum beat over anything else. I found my tempo pretty good in this song, even though there were moments where I did speed up a bit and needed to slow down and listen to what the drums and guitar were doing.
For my next performance which will take place in the new year, the aim is to choose a different style and genre to the previous song I chose. I originally wanted to do a punk-style song or something down the lines of The Stranglers or The Clash, but I did not find it too challenging. Therefore I wanted to choose a 1970s disco song called 'Boogie Oogie Oogie'. I already know the chorus to this song and a part of the verses. I like the song and grooviness that it would have brought to the disco era of the 1970s into the early 1980s. For me to achieve the whole song I will be using tutorials online and using a backing track without the bass so I can hear the tempo for myself and practice. 'Can't Stop' should be a good comparison to my next solo performance which will showcase some slightly different skills of mine as well as see the improvement in my physical skills and stage presence.
The comparison between the two songs would be that they share consistency, as with bass it's important to carry out the rhythm throughout. 'Boogie Oogie Oogie' is much more of a challenge because its quick and I will be moving my fingers on the fretboard much quicker, but I miss a beat I will quickly stop to find myself again.
Overall, I am excited to see what happens next and I hope there is an improvement in my playing.
This is my second solo performance, where I played a 1970s disco classic called Boogie Oogie Oogie by A Taste of Honey. This song was definitely a big challeneg as the song focused on keeping the tempo consistent, and I find that for a bassist really important, to keep the rhythm going. I will be breaking down my process and journey to my actual performance, as well as why I chose this song for my second performance.
I chose this song because of groovy bassline that I found really catchy and well of its time in the 1970s. The track came out in 1978, which was the height of disco music and the fasnination of the Studio 54 night club. Disco and funk are two of my favourite genres because how tight the basslines are as well as funky which makes people wanting to dance along too. My process to learning this song, started with my already knowing the chore verse beforehand, the verse is fairly quick as the hand placement includes octaves. Originally I chose a different song for my solo performance, but I decided to change quite last minute because I found that this song would be more challenging then my previous choice. This arguably might of not been a wise choice, but I found during my last solo performannce that I did not push myself as much as I should of , so I knew that was something I had to aim for. I found a backing track of the song which did not have the bass on, as well as learning the other parts of the song that I did not know, but I was still nervous that I did not know the struture as well as I should. I found it helpful too film myslef, like I was performing in front of an audience and then I could look back to hear if I made any mistakes. I found the most challenging was keeping the consistency going as your wrists start to ache a bit, but needing to keep going.
My overall opinion on my own is very mixed, I was able to finish the whole song which was an achievement in itself because it was a 5 minute 45 second upbeat track. I found starting the song I was keeping on beat well an hearing if I need to speed up or slow down, but I found I was keeping it tight. I found the mistakes started to happen when the choruses came in because that was the part that I was least confident with because in my own rehearsal I was finding it difficult to go at the original fast pace. But I was impressed with myself that I kept he momentum up with my playing, even though my hand started to get tired, I was able to push through to the end of the song. A positve that came out of my peformance would be my plaing technqiue has changed from last solo performance. Ths includes my finger playing, as I prefer using my fingers instead of a pick because I find it more comfortable, but I was always caught up in a habit and playing with my thumb, I have been trying to pluck more and be more confident. I've been looking online and talking to my music tutor about exercises that I could do that I become comfortable.
My stage presence has changed partially from my last solo performance, as I look more confident then the last time I performed on my own which is an improvement. As see in the video I do try and move as much as I can or else I will be side tracked and I will mess about the rhythm if I move out of time, I have never though too much about stage presence as I've primarily focused on getting the song right beforehand. I previously spoke about me keeping in time with the song and after hearing myself I did go out of time very quickly in the beginning after I did the intro, but I was to recover myself well and carry on with the rest of the song. The tempo of the song as follows 124 BPM. I use the vocals and the drums to guide me through the song, and listen out for cues to when to move on to the next section of the track.
I think I gave this song my best shot, as I was thinking about doing a second go but I found that I wouldn't do as well as I did, and I found my wrist was a bit strained from all the movement that I had done. My overall view of my performance was that I did a lot better then I thought I would do, as there were areas where I was consistent and hitting the tempo correctly and in other parts I starting loosing the thread when the verses came up in the song, as I mentioned this was weakest playing part throughout the song, but I recovered well after the mistakes.
The comparison between the two songs would be the consistency is key in both of them. What I mean by this, is as a bass player you need to hold the timing and tempo of the rhythmic section in a band, as well as the drums. This means even though the bassline might not be creative or adventurous, it might involve only root notes, but its powerful to keep the beat going. These two songs are creative, which makes it more of a challenge. TRHC were inspired by funk and especially old funk, in an interview they are watching some of their influences on TV and they mention The Sly Family Stone and Bootsy Collin's who are all legends of the 1970s and making an impact of a new generation of musicians who use the same techniques that were used two decades before them. That is why picking these two songs shows that divide between the old rendition of funk and disco and then the new generation of funk which is combined with rock/alternative techniques such as the chugging of the guitar in the opening.
My next solo performance I would like to do something far different, as originally I was going to play 'Rock the Casbah' by The Clash and I had begun to learn it but felt it wouldn't of been as challenging as 'Boogie Oogie Oogie'. But it would of been a different genre and with different playing techniques that I would explore. Even though funk and soul music is more my comfort zone, its vital that I take the chance to go out of my comfort zone to explore different styles and ways of playing. Therefore I would next time choose 'Rock the Casbah' or a Stranglers song such as Peaches which is a personal favourite. Or trying something out that is more contemporary such as Silk Sonic or an early Arctic Monkey's track, which is high in energy and quick finger movements.