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paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 6:49 pm
by Greenfuz
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RIkY-wI5s[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ6C3NerD0s[/youtube]
like,
goddamn
some of the most melodic and inspiring stuff
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 7:30 pm
by cheesecats
one of the best ever
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5ZaR2RkYhg[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PxVrOuMxy0[/youtube]
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:13 pm
by bigchiefbc
I've always loved his bass playing, his piano playing, his singing. Fucking everything. Paul is just so goddamned talented.
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:05 pm
by greyscales
bigchiefbc wrote:I've always loved his bass playing, his piano playing, his singing. Fucking everything. Paul is just so goddamned talented.
+1
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:24 pm
by zRobertez
Did he use a pick? Cause some of it sounds like it. But I'm under the impression that picks on bass didn't happen until 90's grunge lol
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:25 pm
by rustywire
Probably one of the best pick techniques ever.
Listening to Come Together, it's difficult to tell that he isn't plucking with fingers.
He was the most skilled musician in the Beatles...but Lennon's my guy as far as style and songwriting goes.
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:30 pm
by bigchiefbc
zRobertez wrote:Did he use a pick? Cause some of it sounds like it. But I'm under the impression that picks on bass didn't happen until 90's grunge lol
Chris Squire was picking bass back in the late 60s/early 70s, so it's been around at least that long. And Lemmy was using picks back in the early 70s when he was in Hawkwind.
Oh and John Paul Jones used picks all the time on the Zep albums.
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:05 am
by rustywire
IDK about all the time, but for the vast majority of his time with the Beatles...Paul used a pick.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlRGleqYJBk[/youtube]
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:49 am
by zRobertez
Thanks for the info duders!
I gotta say that the Beatles have one of my favorite drum/bass sections I've heard. And I'm not even really a Beatles fan.
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:54 am
by D.o.S.
rustywire wrote:Probably one of the best pick techniques ever.
Listening to Come Together, it's difficult to tell that he isn't plucking with fingers.
He was the most skilled musician in the Beatles...but Lennon's my guy as far as style and songwriting goes.
I've literally never thought about McCartney using a pick before.

I dig the Beatles. I had a phase where I was certain that Revolver was my #1 "if the aliens need to hear one record, this is it" album.
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:16 am
by magiclawnchair
zRobertez wrote:Did he use a pick? Cause some of it sounds like it. But I'm under the impression that picks on bass didn't happen until 90's grunge lol
Entwistle used a pick during the Ivor the engine driver part of Quick One at the rock and roll circus...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkxTaMiE_QM[/youtube]
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 4:19 am
by Greenfuz
cheesecats wrote:one of the best ever
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5ZaR2RkYhg[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PxVrOuMxy0[/youtube]
helter skelter was actually john on a bass vi!
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:02 am
by cheesecats
Greenfuz wrote:helter skelter was actually john on a bass vi!
i didn't know that! funny how it sounds so much like paul. it fits perfectly.
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 7:37 pm
by dubkitty
Phil Lesh from the Grateful Dead is a really obvious pick user on bass. so is Peter Hook, though i'd say Phil was more influenced by Paul.
Re: paul mccartney's bass playing
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:34 pm
by coldbrightsunlight
This is some cool bass playing, and I love the slightly dirty tone and the left-in small mistakes that are so terribly rare these days. I'd never really appreciated his playing before because I find it hard to listen to the Beatles, so thanks for this. It's funny that I play in a similar way but totally unconsciously of it until now. Probably me appropriating from those who were influenced by McCartney!