Dear friends, here is my cover for part ii of Fly From Here – Sad Night at the Airfield.
For this track I had to use my 5 string Warwick.
Interesting fact that Chris’ Tobias has an extended range not only low-wise but also high. That repetitive high F sharp that Chris plays on his first (D) string corresponds to a 27th fret! Even my Warwick has “only” 26 so I played it on the G string.
I really like this bassline. Many details and slight nuances are hidden because of the kind of mixing that was made on this track. I hope that I didn’t miss too many… and that you will hear better how Chris thought of the different passages on an apparently simple chord progression.
Then there is that middle bass solo with a Chorus effect , almost sounding like a “detuned” vibrato.
Other interesting aspect that I found was the amount of editing that was made possibly by Trevor Horn. I tried to illustrate with the video what I perceived from that post-editing. Not like common “rock” productions – It seems that bass notes are chopped and used elsewhere without necessarily wanting to “disguise” so nobody notices it. In other styles this is very common to do… Trevor Horn maybe was here responsible for this editing. I think it suits very well the album concept… it’s not too different of what they did with Close to the Edge, only with new technology and musical context.
Well I hope you enjoy the clip. Happy Easter to all.
Pilence Pee (Пиленце пее) is my latest musical adventure. This song features a traditional Bulgarian choir arrangement, adapted by me to an ensemble of bass instruments.
Sometimes an idea is just an idea… the idea of making this arrangement has been haunting me for the last 8 months and for 8 whole months I worked on it. This is the second effort of my BEBE, following the test experience of “Svatba”. My dear channel viewers sent me an incredible loving feedback by then, including some very own native Bulgarian friends. I thank you all for your encouragement and I really hope that this time it will please you too.
Having in mind, once again, that the Bulgarian female choir voices *are* irreplaceable, I tried again to absorb the inspiration of those wondrous sounds and, somehow, to speak my soul through my playing.
The original BEBE concept had to be extended. To achieve the expression of the sustained pairs of voices, I used effects on some basses, namely, the Malekko b:assmaster (second appearence after “Amazing Grace“) and a Sansamp TRI O.D.. My BEBE (Bulgarian Electric Bass Ensemble) had a very special non “electric” guest – one of my doublebasses had an important contribution for the final texture of the sound. BEBE’s veteran members Rickenbacker 4001CS and Fender VI also welcomed the Zon Sonus 8-string and the Warwick Thumb Bass.
The notes were taken all by ear and, later, checked with the help of a friend of mine. Then many changes were (as in Svatba) made, as to adapt the song to my own taste and style of playing, hopefully without spoiling it too much. On the outro I did take some more freedom, harmonically, and in general drifted away from the original Krassimir Kiurktchiiski’s arrangement.
Pilence Pee (sounds like “Pilentse Peh”) is a Bulgarian folk song and it means something like “Little bird sings”. I just know a little Bulgarian and I searched for the meaning of this song, with the generous contribution of some friends. For 20 years, since I heard this song released on the album by 4AD, I sang it without understanding a word, just sounds. But, having understood the lyrics this year, I honestly had the sensation that I already had got the message. The message is beautifully composed and yet extremely tragic. And if there is a sign of hope for the years to come, the beauty of the Bulgarian Music that blossomed from its people, in spite of five centuries of slavery couldn’t be a better example. Love now – because it may be too late and you will regret it. Hear what the little bird speaks.
Voice order
high (main):Rickenbacker 4001CS + b:assmaster
high (pedal):Warwick ThumBass + TRI-O.D.
mid (main & pedal):Fender VI and doublebass
low (main):Rickenbacker 4001CS + b:assmaster
low (pedal): Zon Sonus 8
