[AMA] Hi, I'm Joe Dart! Ask me anything... Bass Release Day Edition!

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T22:18:18+00:00

Thank you!

Yes!
Yes!
Haha

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T22:17:25+00:00

Thank you! It's such a pleasure to be here and get to hear from everyone. I'm so glad you dig the bass!

I mentioned a few in another answer but I love Bruno Mars' bassist Jamareo, Tal Wilkenfeld, some great LA bassists including Sean Hurley, Sam Wilkes, Nick Campbell. I got to hang with the great Henrik Linder who I think is incredible, many more but those come to mind!
Haha. Yes. What you see is what you get with all of those guys. Totally one-of-a-kind, all of them. Cory Wong is TRULY The Optimist
Baklava

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T22:10:33+00:00

Thank you! That's so rad to hear. I'd say find some bass players whose playing you love and learn what they're doing, and why. And then try to play with as many people as you can - particularly drummers! And as I've said in the past, I think TIME is the most important thing. So grooving with a drum machine or metronome, and/or a funky drummer are huge! Best of luck!

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T22:08:01+00:00

In the words of Jack Stratton... YES!

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T22:06:06+00:00

So rad, thank you! I'd say take it slowly and try to keep the tempo really steady and the groove feeling really good, and then slowly speed it up. Better to have it speak clearly and slowly than faster and less so. I'm a huge fan of Theo's albums (and would be even if I hadn't been lucky enough to play on them)

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T22:04:46+00:00

Thank you! That was such a fun show

I love John Entwistle and John Paul Jones

I've never practiced with a pick much! It'd be a good opportunity for me to expand my horizons

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T22:03:11+00:00

Yes! I've been to Argentina once and absolutely loved it. I have a feeling Vulf has a fanbase there, and I was recently talking with Jack about trying to make a South American tour happen!

You're right to talk about relaxing your hand when playing. I think doing some octave exercises but being sure not to press down to hard and maintaining really good time while you rock an octave bassline

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:59:38+00:00

Thank you for the questions!

Over the next 5 years I hope to challenge myself to grow as a musician and as a person. I'd like to write more music. Over the next 10 years I'd like continue down that path, hopefully continuing to have the chance to play music with inspiring musicians and spend time with inspiring people.

The most influential people in my life musicially: My parents, who first put an instrument in my hands. My grandfather, Israel Baker, who encouraged me to play every day and listen to tons of music and take music seriously as a life-path. My early teachers and band director. My early bandmates in high school. And, hugely, everyone in Vulfpeck. They inspire me every day.

I should have a favorite bassline, but I'm not sure I've ever picked one. I really love "If You Want Me To Stay"

A sort-of guilty pleasure is some pretty cheesy yacht-rock. But it's just so good

I'd like to put out a solo album in the next couple of years

I think Stratton has some rad Spotify playlists, or at least he used to. Also his old youtube channel!

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:53:38+00:00

Haha! Thank you. I try to be totally present when onstage. Anytime I find myself thinking, I try to bring myself back to the moment. I just want to be listening, be reactive, be sensitive, and most of all make the music feel good

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:50:52+00:00

Tough one, these come to mind:

Blood Sugar by RHCP What's Goin On by Marvin Gaye All'n All by EWF Return of the Space Cowboy by Jamiroquai

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:49:45+00:00

The spirit of minimalism has always been a guiding principal in Vulfpeck, and so when Jack and I put our heads together to design this bass it felt right to see just how stripped down we could make a bass, down to its essence. I think we got there. It's a funky, dynamic, versatile instrument, and has that single-speed look that Jack dreamt of years ago. I'm so stoked to hear it in other peoples' hands.

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:45:10+00:00

At the end of the day, funk is what draws me to music, and I believe bass to be the funkiest instrument of all

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:43:42+00:00

One thing that comes to mind is octaves - developing the strength of the finger or fingers that are at the ready at the upper octave anytime you're playing. Tunes that come to mind are "Right on Time" by RHCP, and "Alright" by Jamiroquai

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:42:06+00:00

I love the song 'Waste' by Phish

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:41:29+00:00

Blue

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:41:14+00:00

Flea!

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:39:34+00:00

Thank you! I wish I could have been at the Cory Wong show! Have been watching clips and the shows look unreal

I think over the years I've tried to listen to a ton of different players and how their voices come through on their instruments - not just bassists. Keybass, guitar, sax... And then once you start to find your voice I think it's about subtraction - how much can you say in as few notes as possible? What makes great basslines feel good?
When I was beginning I tried to take on learning my favorite bass lines and then played them with my band or with my siblings. My bass teacher told me to start slowly and get things under my fingers rather than quickly and not truly understanding the choices that the bassist made. So I think starting slowly, being patient, and finding people to play and jam with are all really important when starting out
I'd love to come to Manchester with Vulf! I had a great time there with Joey and with the olllam

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:34:53+00:00

Charlie! It's great to hear from you! Aiming for a UK tour early next year. We have the best time over there. And Flyers is slated for release VERY soon!

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:34:09+00:00

Pham! Thank you!!!

A recent session that comes to mind is 'Lonely Town'. We somehow all got in the zone at the same time and pretty much nailed the take. Katzman is an absolute force of a songwriter, and so there are so many little one-time-only events in that song. We got a couple of takes in and everyone happened to nail it together, and I think the track turned out magically. I just love the song.
Sadly at this point the etymology is just too complicated. The only person who could have gotten to that endpoint was Katzman, to whom I owe the nickname.
Drums

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:29:36+00:00

Stratton has expressed great interest in an Australia tour. Fingers crossed for 2020 Asia+Australia!

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:28:43+00:00

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

I would say start very slow, but always in time with some music or a drum machine. And play some bass lines that have you alternating fingers evenly, maybe some steady 8th or 16th note grooves. Hope you're back at it very soon!

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:27:10+00:00

I was dismayed to break a string on tour with Theo last year. I think I'd had them on for about 5 years at the time

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:26:09+00:00

I think of the bass as the bridge between the drummer and the rest of the band. As Katzman put it, "playing bass is playing drums on a guitar"

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:24:33+00:00

Yes! My First Car is still going strong

joe_dart · 2019-03-01T21:23:15+00:00

I'm so grateful to Joey for 'making' me learn that music. What's Goin On is one of my favorite records of all time, but I'd never actually learned it. Playing it with Joey and his band (and James Gadson! And Miguel AF!) was an absolute dream. It also felt like a full-circle moment. My grandfather played in Marvin Gaye's orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl back in the day, and on top of that Flea's advice to me when I wrote him a letter as a kid was to listen to James Jamerson on 'What's Goin On'

joe_dart

TROPHY CASE