Following the Beat of the Bass Guitar
By Deven Bourquin
Gregory London, a 21-year-old resident of Bucks County, has a skill that is not distinguishable by looking at him, unless you looked at his callused finger tips from the electric bass guitar he plays.
The California University of Pennsylvania senior said his relationship with the bass began when he first started listening to music because the bass lines were the first part he was drawn to. It was from that interest that he decided to pursue the bass, he said.
London, a Cal U electrical engineering technology student, recalls a woman, Carol Densen, who was a part of his church in Bucks County --
the Church of the Open Bible. Densen would give him lessons occasionally after church hours.
His lessons lasted a year before he started learning by ear. He practiced from 20 to 30 hours a week.
He’s owned three bass guitars, and he still has the one that Densen gifted him, he said.
“It has a lot of sentimental value, which is why this will never get sold,” London said.
He wants to start collecting basses when he can afford to.
He said it was challenging for him at first to play the bass guitar because he used his thumb as a pick, whereas playing the bass usually involves finger-picking, which involves the entire hand.
London elaborated on finger-picking.
“Learning how to finger-pick was very hard because I’m not that great with multitasking,” London said.
As for proper technique when playing the bass, he mentioned there is a debate among bassists about whether finger-picking or using a pick is better for playing. Most bassists would say that finger-picking is the proper technique, but there are strong arguments for why picking would be used, he said.
“There are a lot of bassists who learn how to play with a pick because it offers a specific sound,” London said. “For instance, rock -- like punk rock -- the bass sounds a lot better when it is picked. The same with metal. The bass sounds a lot better when it is picked, unless you have a bass that can make that sound while finger-picking.”
London said he admires bassists Cliff Burton, Victor Wooten, John Myung, and Geddy Lee. According to London, Burton was able to finger-pick a bass and make it sound as if he were using an actual pick.
Wooten, who has won five Grammy Awards, is someone London says he “always looked up to because he never had anyone teach him how to play. Yet, he’s that good.”
As for Myung, “I picked him up because I used to listen to a progressive metal band called Dream Theater,” London said. “They’re a band that plays like 10-minute songs, and it is the most technical music you will ever hear coming out of metal bands.”
Lee is a Canadian bassist and singer for the rock group Rush.
“I’ve always admired him because I’m jealous,” London said. “He can play the most technical bass lines people have heard, up to par with John Myung, and sing at the same time. There are not too many bassists who can do that because it’s a lot harder to play a bass and sing than it is to strum a guitar and sing because the rhythm, just the rhythm … is a lot different.”
Burton is the bassist of Metallica. Metallica was one of the first bands London started listening to and practicing. He says he can play many songs by Burton.
Ryan Taylor, 19, a sophomore political science major at Cal U and friend of London, expressed awe with London’s ability to play the bass.
“I think it’s crazy. It shows that there’s something inside of you beside just yourself. There’s something else going on there,” Taylor said.
Taylor also spoke about London’s ability to learn by ear.
“I don’t think there’s a person out there in the universe who isn’t jealous of someone who can just teach themselves an instrument,” Taylor said.
London likes to listen to metal, but he enjoys playing relaxing alternative indie style music and making it more technical than usual. One such band that plays the style of music London enjoys is called Between the Buried and Me.
On average, it takes him about a week to learn a song, depending on how complicated a song is, London said.
Although the bass is the only instrument he plays for now, London said he hopes to learn the electric guitar and piano and how to read music one day.
He finds an easy part of playing the bass is that he carries the rhythm of the song. In contrast, he finds keeping the rhythm and trying to add in musical flairs that show his musicianship to be difficult.
“There’s no point in having a bassist who can solo but can’t keep the rhythm,” London said.
Deven Bourquin is a California University of Pennsylvania English major. See his website here.
Gregory London, a 21-year-old resident of Bucks County, has a skill that is not distinguishable by looking at him, unless you looked at his callused finger tips from the electric bass guitar he plays.
The California University of Pennsylvania senior said his relationship with the bass began when he first started listening to music because the bass lines were the first part he was drawn to. It was from that interest that he decided to pursue the bass, he said.
London, a Cal U electrical engineering technology student, recalls a woman, Carol Densen, who was a part of his church in Bucks County --
the Church of the Open Bible. Densen would give him lessons occasionally after church hours.
His lessons lasted a year before he started learning by ear. He practiced from 20 to 30 hours a week.
He’s owned three bass guitars, and he still has the one that Densen gifted him, he said.
“It has a lot of sentimental value, which is why this will never get sold,” London said.
He wants to start collecting basses when he can afford to.
He said it was challenging for him at first to play the bass guitar because he used his thumb as a pick, whereas playing the bass usually involves finger-picking, which involves the entire hand.
London elaborated on finger-picking.
“Learning how to finger-pick was very hard because I’m not that great with multitasking,” London said.
As for proper technique when playing the bass, he mentioned there is a debate among bassists about whether finger-picking or using a pick is better for playing. Most bassists would say that finger-picking is the proper technique, but there are strong arguments for why picking would be used, he said.
“There are a lot of bassists who learn how to play with a pick because it offers a specific sound,” London said. “For instance, rock -- like punk rock -- the bass sounds a lot better when it is picked. The same with metal. The bass sounds a lot better when it is picked, unless you have a bass that can make that sound while finger-picking.”
London said he admires bassists Cliff Burton, Victor Wooten, John Myung, and Geddy Lee. According to London, Burton was able to finger-pick a bass and make it sound as if he were using an actual pick.
Wooten, who has won five Grammy Awards, is someone London says he “always looked up to because he never had anyone teach him how to play. Yet, he’s that good.”
As for Myung, “I picked him up because I used to listen to a progressive metal band called Dream Theater,” London said. “They’re a band that plays like 10-minute songs, and it is the most technical music you will ever hear coming out of metal bands.”
Lee is a Canadian bassist and singer for the rock group Rush.
“I’ve always admired him because I’m jealous,” London said. “He can play the most technical bass lines people have heard, up to par with John Myung, and sing at the same time. There are not too many bassists who can do that because it’s a lot harder to play a bass and sing than it is to strum a guitar and sing because the rhythm, just the rhythm … is a lot different.”
Burton is the bassist of Metallica. Metallica was one of the first bands London started listening to and practicing. He says he can play many songs by Burton.
Ryan Taylor, 19, a sophomore political science major at Cal U and friend of London, expressed awe with London’s ability to play the bass.
“I think it’s crazy. It shows that there’s something inside of you beside just yourself. There’s something else going on there,” Taylor said.
Taylor also spoke about London’s ability to learn by ear.
“I don’t think there’s a person out there in the universe who isn’t jealous of someone who can just teach themselves an instrument,” Taylor said.
London likes to listen to metal, but he enjoys playing relaxing alternative indie style music and making it more technical than usual. One such band that plays the style of music London enjoys is called Between the Buried and Me.
On average, it takes him about a week to learn a song, depending on how complicated a song is, London said.
Although the bass is the only instrument he plays for now, London said he hopes to learn the electric guitar and piano and how to read music one day.
He finds an easy part of playing the bass is that he carries the rhythm of the song. In contrast, he finds keeping the rhythm and trying to add in musical flairs that show his musicianship to be difficult.
“There’s no point in having a bassist who can solo but can’t keep the rhythm,” London said.
Deven Bourquin is a California University of Pennsylvania English major. See his website here.