G&L CLF Research L-1000 keeps me Motivated. "What is Hip"

[Shug]

I purchased my G&L CLF Research L-1000 from Sweetwater April 5, 2023. My bass journey started on December 5, 2022. Once I saw Low End Lobster review this bass I knew I needed to feel and play it. It is a keeper.

I joined the TalkingBass site end of February last year 2023.

Signed up for the Groove Trainer course and it has really been helpful. Complete Part 1 but still on part 2 as I then ventured into the Cyborg Bassist Course. All etudes and I love learning and playing them. They are making sense. As Mark says…”just play them.”

Since I am retired I have time available to play and do daily. I had found Mark on You Tube as I was bouncing around learning. A video of his came up “What is Hip” The Fingerstyle Funk of Rocco Prestia.

He had me at the word Funk as that was what I was truly enjoying on the bass. Growing up me and my friends had listened to a lot of Tower of Power as one friend had the 8 track or cassette tape. We listened to it in our tawdry youth sitting in the woods having a little party. Those horns! But the bass is what was moving me and I did not even know it.

Watched Marks video and set out to learn “What is Hip” as I was and still am focusing on getting good 16th notes and thinking about the right hand more and more. The video gave me the Intro line and the Verse line to work on…and I did. I had seen a video earlier of Juna Serita playing this song from several years ago. Looks like she is in her bedroom. I did not see and hear it as being as difficult as it is. A real and true challenge to to learn. Searched You Tube for a complete tutorial of the whole song to guide me through. I found one with tabs by Benny the Bassman.

As I watched it I was excited and over-whelmed. I began by slowing it down to 50% the 75% as you can do on You Tube videos. Then as I learned from Mark, just started biting off little chunks at a time. You can set a Clip on You Tube and get a short part over and over.

My realization was that this song was way more about timing that it was left hand. I had been looking at a lot of random Talking Bass videos to work on my slap bass technique and had come upon one called “Awesome Mark King Slap Riff:43 Level 42”

Still working on that slap riff but I used the Practice Tracks on that lesson to work on “What is Hip". They are set at 80,90,100,110 and 120 BPM., Mainly have used 80,90,100 and 110. 110 is where I fall apart for now. Running that Intro line into the Verse over and over and over. Eventually I started feeling results.

Ok I’m getting a bit long winded here……so….I have worked on this for the past four months diligently and it has been enjoyable throughout.

I had not recorded or watched myself for the whole four months. Did the take in one take (OK..two bad starts but then all the way through.) All in all I am pretty happy with it. And this is from a guy who is a bit hard on himself. A couple of little biffs here and there for sure but not a disaster.

Now I am really excited to keep working on it and I have a drummer friend who is willing to learn the drum part so we can get together and work on the groove for fun.

Needless to say I have been on a mighty big Tower of Power kick and working on “Soul with a Capital S” and “Diggin’ on James Brown.” Rocco Prestia was truly amazing and if you start learning his lines it is made so clear how cool and funky he was.

Let me just say that this L-1000 has kept me motivated as I just want to play it everyday.
I am 13 months in and feeling and hearing improvements. Makes me believe that a quality instrument that plays so nicely and feels like butter makes a difference. I tried flat wounds and half-rounds but really like Elixir 14052 Nanoweb Coated Long Scale 4-String Bass Strings Light.

Thanks for you patience,
Glad my friends are tolerant.

Shug

[sam]

Howdy Shug!

What’s hip? Yer hip!!

Tower of Power is a high mark for sure but yer definitely on the path. Keep the video rolling.

[Shug]

Howdy Shug!

What’s hip? Yer hip!!

Tower of Power is a high mark for sure but yer definitely on the path. Keep the video rolling.

My nostalgia has me loving the lyrics of TOP songs. Challenging songs are a fun quest. Got our whole life to learn them and keep working. Funny how one can learn a song then not play it for a while and it fades away. At this point I have about 6 songs that I play over and over just to keep finding wee spots to dissect and work on.
Thanks for commenting.