Huw Foster

UK bass player

Usher – Yeah! (funk cover)

OKAAAAY

Everyone’s been doing those live at home videos during the Covid crisis. Goodfoot have finally got in on the act.

This cover of ‘Yeah!’ features 11 musicians, took ages to put together – I did the audio and the video edit – and features a rap about yoga.

Enjoy!

Posted on by huwfoster in Goodfoot, Video

@samsonjatto x @huwfoster low volume remix

Samson put this clip on Instagram yesterday, so naturally I went mad and made a 1-minute low-volume remix.

If you’ve read this far, I’m gonna assume you’re interested in how I made it!

Drums: I put Vulf Compressor on this, and put an auto-panned delay on the snare, using Soundtoys plug-ins for the panning and the delay. Seeing as the drums were a single, mono track taken from the Instagram video, I had to use a gate set to open on the frequency of the snare to actually isolate it. I’m glad it worked!

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Posted on by huwfoster in Audio, Instagram, Video

Chaka Khan – ‘Move Me No Mountain’ bass playalong

I’m really enjoying having the time to transcribe and record some classic basslines. I’d been meaning to work out some of Anthony Jackson’s lines for ages, but I knew it would be tough, and (spoiler alert) it was! Those 16th-note fills are relentless.

This is from Chaka Khan’s album Naughty, released in 1980. I only got into this record relatively recently, although I’m really familiar with the follow-up What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me, which boasts many of the same session musicians. So many iconic players – Anthony Jackson, Marcus Miller, Hamish Stuart, Michael & Randy Brecker… It’s worth a listen if you don’t already know it!

My unofficial new year’s resolution is to transcribe every one of these videos, and this one’s no exception. Click here to download the dots.

Recording notes: I used my Anaconda UJ5-E bass for this, tone only slightly rolled off, both pick-ups on with the 3-way bridge pickup set to the 70s jazz bass position. As always, I ran the signal through my Cali76 compressor and Noble Preamp, and added a bit of Vulf Compressor in Ableton.

Video notes: The film effect is an iPhone app called 8mm. It’s a bit much, but I like it. It makes sterile GoPro footage a bit more interesting!

As always, let me know if you have any thoughts or questions in the comments below.

Posted on by huwfoster in Audio, Playalongs, Transcriptions, Video

Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Subway To Venus’ bass playalong

I don’t know what it was that gave me the urge to revisit my teenage years – maybe it was the recent news that John Frusciante is re-joining the Chili Peppers for the third time – whatever it was, I found myself literally dusting off my Stingray bass and thinking about a song I recall learning for the first time at around 17-years old. I think it was around 2005 – Myspace was at its peak, I was in sixth form and my RHCP-fandom was out of control. I was on a mission to learn every Flea bassline I could.

I have barely given the band a thought in about 14 years now, but Flea’s influence on my bass playing can’t be ignored. When I listen to the 1989 album Mother’s Milk now, what stands out to me is the great musicianship. The production is horrendously dated, and the songwriting quality is patchy, but Flea’s skill and energy is always there.

Bass nerd stuff: I recorded this with my mid-90s Musicman Stingray, running into my Cali76 compressor and Noble preamp. In Ableton I put a touch of Vulf Compressor on the bass track too. It seems to be my standard recording chain these days!

Video nerd stuff: I shot this with my GoPro, edited in Final Cut and then ruined my hard work by putting a VHS filter on it. I used an iPhone app called RarevisionVHS and it’s completely OTT. I had to make it look like 1989 somehow, right?

I’m trying to get into the habit of transcribing every cover I put on YouTube. This one is no exception! You can find the transcription here.

Enjoy! Let me know if you have any thoughts or requests in the comments section below.

Huw

Posted on by huwfoster in Audio, Playalongs, Transcriptions, Video

Aretha Franklin – ‘Until You Come Back To Me’ bass playalong

My friend Rob requested that we do this at our New Year’s Eve gig the other night. I’ve always been aware of some of the great playing on Aretha’s records from the 70s, but never actually taken down any of the lines (apart from the obvious ones). With that in mind, obviously I had to go totally overboard and do a note-for-note transcription!

This is such a great song (co-written by Stevie Wonder – those parallel major 7ths are a giveaway!), and the all-star session line-up makes it even better. Chuck Rainey on bass, the one-and-only Bernard Purdie on drums, Donny Hathaway on keys… all supporting Aretha, delivering yet another killer vocal and piano performance.

Some recording info for the bass nerds: I used my trusty Fender Classic 50s Precision (made in Mexico and completely stock), strung with some ageing Labella flats, and with a little bit of foam under the bridge, of course. On the way in I used my Cali76 compressor and Noble preamp, which really come into their own for this style of music. On the mix I used a bit of Vulf Compressor (I’m in danger of that becoming a catchphrase), and gently rolled off the bass below 100Hz. Not much else needed!

Last and not least, you can download the transcription here.

Huw

Posted on by huwfoster in Playalongs, Transcriptions, Video

The Christmas Song

Here’s a short bass duet I put together last night, inspired by the phrasing of Nat King Cole in particular. Is there a better version of this tune? I don’t think so!

For those interested in how I mixed the audio: I used a few really nice Goodhertz plugins (a bit of Vulf Compressor and Megaverb on everything, and Wow Control on the drums to create a doubling and tape wobble effect) and PrimalTap by Soundtoys for the delay.

Merry Bassmas everyone!

Posted on by huwfoster in Audio, Solo bass, Video