The Disquiet Junto this week asked we:
Interpret a New Yorker cover as a graphically notated score.
The image is by Saul Steinberg and I decided to interpret it as the barebones of a funk track because the skeleton rat would probably smell funky and at first I thought it was holding a drumstick.
The drums were recorded earlier this year and I'd wanted to record a single-take bassline to accompany them, so this Junto was the incentive.
I used a Rode VideoMic into a Nikon D5100 and recorded it to see myself drumming so I might observe my technique. Can't remember what I played along with but I did think that my effort practicing each day was starting to pay off.
Today I recorded my Tony Levin Signature 5-String Bass using my Mackie mixer. Unfortnately my bass playing isn't so hot at present and my fingers don't have callouses. I've got angry pulsing bumps on my digits that I'll need to piss on to harden up over the next few days.
The bass riff was the first thing that came from my hands when I sat down with a guitar on Friday afternoon and started thinking what I might record for the Junto this week.
When I recorded on Saturday I thought it could use more variation, so I added the bit where it moves to A from G, as well as the chord progression. Then during my second take I added the bit where it goes down to D. The final part was the third take recorded with no edits.
I spent a bit of time getting everything sounding nice, using compression and EQ and a little reverb too. The track really is bare bones and it'd be great if anyone wants to add another instrument on top. Please send me your take.
