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Topic: West Side Story “Something’s Coming”, bass, steel, voc |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 6 Dec 2023 9:41 am |
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Maybe some of you will appreciate this. I am willing to bare my soul in this clip. Lol
West Side Story is the most important work of art in my life since I was 5-y/o, so I am coming from that perspective. The music has been so impactful and yet I have really never tried to play any of it. Maybe I held it too sacred.
I was listening to this song and really wanted to learn the bass line, so I broke out the score and learned it. Then I challenged myself to sing it too. I’m not a very good singer, at least anymore, and I am not really a bassist, though I am functional. Bass lines in Classical music are some of the most important things you can study, though.
I added lap steel playing some of the little orchestral parts to fill it out. Putting it out there because I generally don’t do anything like this. I used to sing and play guitar—I think doing that became pretty comfortable for me. I think it’s like cracking a code. But playing intricate bass stuff is a whole other ball game. Of course, I’m thinking McCartney, Geddy Lee, Thundercat. Props of the highest order for them.
Now singing and playing intricate steel parts is impossible for me! Steel is an attention hog.
https://youtu.be/jUXiYq_E7b8
_________________
http://www.steelinstruction.com/
http://mikeneer.com |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 6 Dec 2023 10:35 am
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I think the thing that captivates me most about this particular piece of music is that in the soundtrack it builds such incredible excitement. I sit and listen and try to hear which parts are filling which roles and how they are used to build that excitement. The violins add a real nervous excitedness to the music, so of course that’s the first thing I go for.
Fortunately having the full score let’s you zero in on each voice and work it into the lap steel’s cameo. For playing background parts, I like to think of the steel as a section of an orchestra. When I played tricone, it was a more aggressive, kind of rhythm guitar approach. I think that is one of the big differences in how my playing changed.
_________________
http://www.steelinstruction.com/
http://mikeneer.com |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 6 Dec 2023 2:47 pm
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That is wonderful !
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Tim Toberer
From:
Nebraska, USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2023 6:40 am Re: West Side Story “Something’s Coming”, bass,...
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| Mike Neer wrote: |
Maybe some of you will appreciate this. I am willing to bare my soul in this clip. Lol
West Side Story is the most important work of art in my life since I was 5-y/o, so I am coming from that perspective. The music has been so impactful and yet I have really never tried to play any of it. Maybe I held it too sacred.
https://youtu.be/jUXiYq_E7b8 |
I really enjoyed that Mike. Your passion for the music is so obvious. Play what makes you happy! |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 7 Dec 2023 7:42 am
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Your trajectory in music over the past year or so has been amazing, Mike. Thanks for sharing this.
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2023 8:10 am
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| Nice!!! |
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Tony Oresteen
From:
Georgia, USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2023 2:56 pm
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Well I too hold WSS in high regards. Maybe some day I will get the nerve to do a song from it as well.
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Tony
Newnan, GA
Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139, '71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster T8 black
PedalMaster D8 |
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Ethan Shaw
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2023 8:11 pm
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| I loved that, Mike! I dig your singing, it was great to hear! |
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