New Instrumentation

I’m not one of these cats who collect bass guitars. Well, I suppose there’s just a small part of me that once in a while ponders the sonic possibilities had I a plethora of instruments, but on the whole, I’m perfectly happy with a somewhat more limited palette. Mostly happy, that is.

I picked up an NS Design Bass Cello last week, and my palette just got a few hues richer. (Or, I should say its getting a few hues richer… I’ve got to learn how to play it properly first!)

The Bass Cello is the same scale as a regular bass, but has an arched fingerboard like a traditional stand-up bass. It also has five strings as opposed to four, which is all I’ve ever played… so there are quite a few things to which I’ll need to get accustomed. I’m particularly excited about playing arco fashion (you know… with a bow). My feeble screechings and scratchings in my attempts so far have shown me I have quite a long road in front of me.

I couldn’t let a little unfamiliarity get in the way of trying out my new bass in church, though… I laid low, kept it slow and simple, and came out relatively unscathed (or at least no one noticed I was perhaps just slightly scathed).

I got a second chance for a real-world trial last night, recording some tracks for Chris Cooper up at Blue Seven. He just happened to have a last-minute session come up and needed some help on an electronic/medatative/ambient version of Knock Knock Knocking on Heaven’s Door. Right up my alley.