See this interesting documentary/interview with many musical fragments, also of lesser known songs by Malavasi/bassist Davide Romani... th-cam.com/video/_UBtaEkjlrE/w-d-xo.html (Italian spoken but English translation written in video)D.Romani has tremendous time and groove and sound. Would very much get more in-depth information on how he played several songs, what playing style&technique, what bass type, see him play close up. Most of his bass lines are simply superb and un-playalong-able with respect to time, e.g. Paradise. (according to the interview this has been played with drum sticks - presumably the intro - and fingers - the body of the song ?)
Yes I am quite sure but am always open to proof of the contrary. If you hear the bassline in th-cam.com/video/d16E7cAgzR0/w-d-xo.html, it confirms that D.Romani can go even way further than this one non-obvious choice of notes. Harmonywise it is totally off, a mysterious bass line but one that I will fathom completely one day :). Interesting that you've looked him up on facebook and contacted him... I am quite reticent of contacting famous bass players that are still alive and active, I always imagine that many of them do not like to be bothered with things from the past. But the more I hear songs by Change and spin-offs, the more I would like some insights by D.Romani himself about how he played certain bass lines, on what bass, with what technique, because they always stand out in some way, with a particular approach, feel and sound of their own.
Drum sticks: should not be too difficult (but will requires a lot of practice of course). You hold the stick in your right hand, with the tip pointing upward, and just make the same movement like when slapping, but instead of hitting the strings with the tip of your thumb, you hit it with the stick (tip or further down the tip). It will probably take many recording takes to get it right of course, but that's what recording studios are for.
Hm, I just played that passage at 0,25 speed in YT... it's even more off than I thought ! :) Instead of what I thought: C-A-C-A-C, they actually play C-A-C#-A-C !
Change was an Italian-American post-disco group formed in Bologna, Italy, in 1979 by businessman and executive producer Jacques Fred Petrus (1949-1986) and Mauro Malavasi (1957). They were heavily influenced by legendary disco band Chic. Heaven of My Life" is a 1981 album cut by Change from the LP Miracles, which featured vocals by Diva Gray, Jocelyn Shaw, Tanyayette Willoughby and James Robinson on leads, and Luther Vandross, Crystal Davis, Ullanda McCullough, Benny Diggs, Dennis Collins and Fonzi Thornton providing the backups. The song also featured a unique guitar breakdown performed by Doc Powell. Along with "Paradise" and "Hold Tight", it became a number one single on the US dance chart for five weeks.[1] It was released as a promotional single in October 1981.[2]
An interesting interview/docu with many musical fragments, also of lesser known songs by Malavasi/bassist Davide Romani... th-cam.com/video/_UBtaEkjlrE/w-d-xo.html (Italian spoken but English translation written in video)D.Romani has tremendous time and groove and sound. Would very much get more in-depth information on how he played several songs, what playing style&technique, what bass type, see him play close up. Most of his bass lines are simply superb and un-playalong-able with respect to time, e.g. Paradise. (according to the interview this has been played with drum sticks - presumably the intro - and fingers - the body of the song ?)
I always thought Change was a part of Chic. I just picked up the bass guitar due to Bernard Edwards(Chic), Marc Adams(Slave) and this group Change. Great bass work.
It's totally understandable to hear Chic when listening to Change. They were heavily influenced by Bernard and Nile. Change even used many of the singers that were already performing with Chic. Case in point, if you listen to "Rebels Are We" by Chic, you can hear the way Change adopts a similar style in the way the bass and guitar are synchronized. But with some slight variations throughout the song, it's not quite as tight as Bernard and Nile.
You did an outstanding job on this one of my favorite songs on CHANGE " Miracles" album. When I first heard this back then This was a few crossbreeds of CHANGE " A LOVERS HOLIDAY" & CHIC "REBELS ARE WE". YOU nailed it to a T. 👋👋👋👋👋🎸🎵✅
You're right, there is a touch of Rebels in it... I guess all musicians during thoses magical years '78-'82 were listening and looking at each other, and cross-influencing... the rest is history.
I hear this song for the first time in this year and then dicided search in the bass cover version and bingo !!!! It's amazing music, shake my hands, my legs, my feet, everything...
Great job !! - Everything is perfect and lovely in this track, the melody, the bass, the keyboard, the female lead choirs (Diva Gray ?) and male lead and choirs (Luther Vandross ? James Robinson ?) choirs, the association of all the instruments, etc.. The bassline (Davide Romani) is very similar to the style of Bernard Edwards of Chic
i have always wondered if they were playing a bass or a bass mini moog for this song , now i know it can be played by the bass . damm good job once again !!!
Otis Thick Not sure... really ? The bass is mostly dubbed by a guitar with a pick, and the bass player (no idea who this is) clearly has a perfect timing, but even the smallest glitch in synchronization between bass and guitar, if both are played with a pick, would be very disturbing... so I wonder if the bass is not just played fingerstyle to have a bit less sharp attack ? I never understood this "Change" band, probably was a collective of (Italian?) musicians with varying personnel, so it might well be that guitar and bass where played by the same guy - guitarist maybe ?
BelgaBass a pick ....when you use a pick the sound is different , at first i thought it might be a slapping motion cause there are lots of "Ghost notes " in there but watching you play this it does seem that it was done finger style. The Group group "Change " was Italy's version of Parliament funkidelic , just a collection of musicians who got together and made albums. it was the producers who really had the controls of the group and they just interchanged singers and players.
Excellent work! This brings me back to when I was a kid during the late 70's/early 80's! I think the original tune uses an "octavizer" on the bass. You can hear the original note and one one-octave higher.
Hm... interesting. I never thought of it as a octaver. Guitar and bass are strikingly in sync, but an octaver... ? Not sure, the guitar has reverb on it, the bass doesn't. Don't see how they could split this into 2 separate channels ?
It is just an effects box, much like a chorus/flanger effect, except all it does is takes the original bass note, and then changes the pitch to another note. So all you'd do is split the output into two channels when recording: Channel 1 is as normal, and Channel 2 has the octave higher.
Very impressive... (as always) fantastic job. I wonder if (in the same style and by the same musicians) you perhaps would try to cover BB&Q Band 'Time For Love' one of the best lines ever by Davide Romani. I have always loved when there's slap and finger style mixed within the same song... (like on Mystic Merlin 'Mr Magician' another good example). Anyway keep up the great work!
@@donh5794 Yes indeed... The producers were the same, the composers-writers were the same and the musicians too... The main names were Mauro Malavasi (keyboards, compser producer) and Davide Romani (bass, composer) who were the core of the creativity. You can add to those two bands another one named High Fashion (2 LPs) with the same base, and another one called Zinc (1 LP)... But if you look up on the net the productions of JF Petrus (whose name appears all over those productions because he was the financial and driving force behind those projects) you'll find out that there were many more to listen to. One of the first projects they did before Change, was the Peter Jacques Band and they had a minor disco hit (Walking On Music) but it's impossible to list all the stuff they did back then! hahaha
@@wonderb4017 Wow, thanks! All the cross connections were amazing and even though the music was similar, it had enough distinction to not sound redundant. It all happened during the right period in time. I am so happy I was enjoying it while it was happening. I will be looking more into it as you suggested.
This is fascinating; I always loved the bass on that track; great job! Also, the bass-line for "My Forbidden Lover" by Chic is INCREDIBLE, check that one out!
@@warrenhill1617 I totally agree with you! Change is one of my favorite bands of all time, too. And like you said, definitely behind Chic, which is the best band of all time.
Bernard Edwards and Luther Vandross produced this track don't be fooled. The first 2 Change albums were Chic productions. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced the 3rd Change album. Also FYI Luther Vandross did the vocal arrangements on all Chic productions until 1983.
You're wrong.Change was an Italo-american group.All the instrumental parts, or the most part of it ,were recorded in Bologna ,Italy and then the tapes were completed in NY with vocal parts.The producer was Mauro Malavasi but Davide Romani ,bass player and Paolo Gianolio ,guitars, had an important role in the creative process.Change were never produced by Chic,as they took some inspiration from them but from Kleer and Aurra too,creating at the same time a unique,sleek and personal style.Indeed it can be said that the some of the late Chic works like Soup for one or some song from Tongue in Chic and Believer took inspiration from Change
@@brunellodeluxe That is what the album credits say in that regard you are correct....But it was chic produced that is a fact...Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced the 3rd album.
@@gregharris5278 If You like,You're free to think that Chic produced the Change albums ,but it's just your fantasy.Luther Vandross sang two songs on the first album and made backing vocals on the second one.That's all.Actually the first four Change albums were produced by Mauro Malavasi(The Glow of Love 1980,Miracles 1981,Sharing your love 1982,This is your time 1983).Jam e Lewis produced part of the fifth album "Change of heart"in 1984 while the rest was produced by Timmy Allen.The album was recorded at Umbi studios Bologna Italy and in Minneapolis.Back in the day Jam & Lewis were brilliant and emerging producers but not yet at the peak of their career and Fred Petrus executive producer of Change and great talent scout,once Malavasi and Romani leaved the creative team, decided to hire these two guys from Minneapolis to keep the typical funk but sleek style of the band but with a new and fresh sound,and he was right
I don't see how to even play this one. Great job playing it. I need a lot more help - looks complicated. I remember that bass line from years ago and always admired it. It is great!
See this interesting documentary/interview with many musical fragments, also of lesser known songs by Malavasi/bassist Davide Romani... th-cam.com/video/_UBtaEkjlrE/w-d-xo.html (Italian spoken but English translation written in video)D.Romani has tremendous time and groove and sound. Would very much get more in-depth information on how he played several songs, what playing style&technique, what bass type, see him play close up. Most of his bass lines are simply superb and un-playalong-able with respect to time, e.g. Paradise. (according to the interview this has been played with drum sticks - presumably the intro - and fingers - the body of the song ?)
Yes I am quite sure but am always open to proof of the contrary. If you hear the bassline in th-cam.com/video/d16E7cAgzR0/w-d-xo.html, it confirms that D.Romani can go even way further than this one non-obvious choice of notes. Harmonywise it is totally off, a mysterious bass line but one that I will fathom completely one day :).
Interesting that you've looked him up on facebook and contacted him... I am quite reticent of contacting famous bass players that are still alive and active, I always imagine that many of them do not like to be bothered with things from the past. But the more I hear songs by Change and spin-offs, the more I would like some insights by D.Romani himself about how he played certain bass lines, on what bass, with what technique, because they always stand out in some way, with a particular approach, feel and sound of their own.
Drum sticks: should not be too difficult (but will requires a lot of practice of course). You hold the stick in your right hand, with the tip pointing upward, and just make the same movement like when slapping, but instead of hitting the strings with the tip of your thumb, you hit it with the stick (tip or further down the tip). It will probably take many recording takes to get it right of course, but that's what recording studios are for.
Hm, I just played that passage at 0,25 speed in YT... it's even more off than I thought ! :)
Instead of what I thought: C-A-C-A-C, they actually play C-A-C#-A-C !
I was 10 years old when this came out. Now I’m 52 this chooon is always in my head. 81 great era for soul/ funk music 😮
Change was an Italian-American post-disco group formed in Bologna, Italy, in 1979 by businessman and executive producer Jacques Fred Petrus (1949-1986) and Mauro Malavasi (1957). They were heavily influenced by legendary disco band Chic.
Heaven of My Life" is a 1981 album cut by Change from the LP Miracles, which featured vocals by Diva Gray, Jocelyn Shaw, Tanyayette Willoughby and James Robinson on leads, and Luther Vandross, Crystal Davis, Ullanda McCullough, Benny Diggs, Dennis Collins and Fonzi Thornton providing the backups. The song also featured a unique guitar breakdown performed by Doc Powell. Along with "Paradise" and "Hold Tight", it became a number one single on the US dance chart for five weeks.[1] It was released as a promotional single in October 1981.[2]
Nothing ever sounded this Good! The Best!!!
leus lews
An interesting interview/docu with many musical fragments, also of lesser known songs by Malavasi/bassist Davide Romani... th-cam.com/video/_UBtaEkjlrE/w-d-xo.html (Italian spoken but English translation written in video)D.Romani has tremendous time and groove and sound. Would very much get more in-depth information on how he played several songs, what playing style&technique, what bass type, see him play close up. Most of his bass lines are simply superb and un-playalong-able with respect to time, e.g. Paradise. (according to the interview this has been played with drum sticks - presumably the intro - and fingers - the body of the song ?)
Great STEVEN ‼️‼️‼️👌
best than chic so far
Who ever wrote this bassline is a genius!!
Davide Romani
Loved it since high school
Bassline sounds right out of the funk book of South Jamaica Queens NYC
One of my favorite Bass Lines of all time. Thank you for this. You nailed it!
I always thought Change was a part of Chic. I just picked up the bass guitar due to Bernard Edwards(Chic), Marc Adams(Slave) and this group Change. Great bass work.
It's totally understandable to hear Chic when listening to Change. They were heavily influenced by Bernard and Nile. Change even used many of the singers that were already performing with Chic.
Case in point, if you listen to "Rebels Are We" by Chic, you can hear the way Change adopts a similar style in the way the bass and guitar are synchronized.
But with some slight variations throughout the song, it's not quite as tight as Bernard and Nile.
Dude.... you nailed it!!!!!!!!!!
Belga, you destroyed this man, right on beat, notes, etc. I'm gonna learn this
Best Songs ever Change and Chic
Chic !?
oh man! why did I watched it, now I can t sleep. :)) KILLER!!!
DUDE you Crushed this bass line...Great Work!!!!
My favorite cut from a fantastic lp 😄
Change is the best music group on the planet love you have followed you all my life can't get enough of you
I am sending this to Davide Romani! keep it up!
Yesterday at 3:18pm Davide Romani wrote: "haha kk but not me...!."
Excellente rhythmique bass bravo 🎸🎸🎸🎸👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
You did an outstanding job on this one of my favorite songs on CHANGE " Miracles" album. When I first heard this back then This was a few crossbreeds of CHANGE " A LOVERS HOLIDAY" & CHIC "REBELS ARE WE". YOU nailed it to a T. 👋👋👋👋👋🎸🎵✅
You're right, there is a touch of Rebels in it... I guess all musicians during thoses magical years '78-'82 were listening and looking at each other, and cross-influencing... the rest is history.
one of the most beautiful bass lines ever. and you played it like a god.
Bravissimo
You worked the heck outta of one of my favorite Change Tunes buddy!! I do so appreciate this release!
Man you KILT that baseline!!!!😃 You got me snapping out all over the floor in my living room 💃
Oh wow, amazing...I wish, I could play like you
I learned a lot from this guy,don't stop playing bro.
Superb ! Great fret-work, excellent track.
You killed it! My Man!
Thanks!
Exactly done my friend. It looks like a difficult base line to perform. 👍
It's indeed not evident to keep it steady during the whole song...
Damn it’s damn near identical!!! Good sh!t my guy keep jamming my guy🤘🏾💯
Man you played this perfectly.
One of my old favs...well done👏
Slick! I like the extra flow you added, too... I wish it was in the original.
I hear this song for the first time in this year and then dicided search in the bass cover version and bingo !!!! It's amazing music, shake my hands, my legs, my feet, everything...
I always found this a strange song, with the jumpy jerky bassline. But it's OK to enjoy in one way or another :).
Great job !! - Everything is perfect and lovely in this track, the melody, the bass, the keyboard, the female lead choirs (Diva Gray ?) and male lead and choirs (Luther Vandross ? James Robinson ?) choirs, the association of all the instruments, etc.. The bassline (Davide Romani) is very similar to the style of Bernard Edwards of Chic
Excellent job!
Man... very good job. I listen to this through my Monster DNA headphones and ur addition of ur ghost notes... man... is all I can say. X O lent.
Nice cover man , I've heard a lot this Is nice right on man
Talented and a season made musicians, that what you are.
Syabas dan Terima Kasih .
i have always wondered if they were playing a bass or a bass mini moog for this song , now i know it can be played by the bass . damm good job once again !!!
And played with a pick!
Otis Thick Not sure... really ? The bass is mostly dubbed by a guitar with a pick, and the bass player (no idea who this is) clearly has a perfect timing, but even the smallest glitch in synchronization between bass and guitar, if both are played with a pick, would be very disturbing... so I wonder if the bass is not just played fingerstyle to have a bit less sharp attack ? I never understood this "Change" band, probably was a collective of (Italian?) musicians with varying personnel, so it might well be that guitar and bass where played by the same guy - guitarist maybe ?
BelgaBass a pick ....when you use a pick the sound is different , at first i thought it might be a slapping motion cause there are lots of "Ghost notes " in there but watching you play this it does seem that it was done finger style. The Group group "Change " was Italy's version of Parliament funkidelic , just a collection of musicians who got together and made albums. it was the producers who really had the controls of the group and they just interchanged singers and players.
BelgaBass Davide Romani is credited as being the bass player on this album. Fantastic song it's like chic with vandross on vocals
Very Very Nice!! Especially love how you use those ghost notes...
Georgus song !! The bass talk !!!
BRAVO ‼️
Excellent work! This brings me back to when I was a kid during the late 70's/early 80's!
I think the original tune uses an "octavizer" on the bass. You can hear the original note and one one-octave higher.
Hm... interesting. I never thought of it as a octaver. Guitar and bass are strikingly in sync, but an octaver... ? Not sure, the guitar has reverb on it, the bass doesn't. Don't see how they could split this into 2 separate channels ?
It is just an effects box, much like a chorus/flanger effect, except all it does is takes the original bass note, and then changes the pitch to another note. So all you'd do is split the output into two channels when recording: Channel 1 is as normal, and Channel 2 has the octave higher.
I love both the Ba$$ & rhythm guitar 🎸.
Bro you rock that! That Sabre is a Beast... An I like how you add the Ghost Notes while playing.... Awesome
such a sick bassline
Great stuff!!
Very impressive... (as always) fantastic job.
I wonder if (in the same style and by the same musicians) you perhaps would try to cover BB&Q Band 'Time For Love' one of the best lines ever by Davide Romani. I have always loved when there's slap and finger style mixed within the same song... (like on Mystic Merlin 'Mr Magician' another good example). Anyway keep up the great work!
Was there a connection between the BBQ (Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens) band and the Change band? Both had similar sounds and really good songs.
@@donh5794 Yes indeed... The producers were the same, the composers-writers were the same and the musicians too... The main names were Mauro Malavasi (keyboards, compser producer) and Davide Romani (bass, composer) who were the core of the creativity. You can add to those two bands another one named High Fashion (2 LPs) with the same base, and another one called Zinc (1 LP)... But if you look up on the net the productions of JF Petrus (whose name appears all over those productions because he was the financial and driving force behind those projects) you'll find out that there were many more to listen to. One of the first projects they did before Change, was the Peter Jacques Band and they had a minor disco hit (Walking On Music) but it's impossible to list all the stuff they did back then! hahaha
@@wonderb4017 Wow, thanks! All the cross connections were amazing and even though the music was similar, it had enough distinction to not sound redundant. It all happened during the right period in time. I am so happy I was enjoying it while it was happening. I will be looking more into it as you suggested.
Sick and tight to def, bro!
Excellent
Thank you BelgaBass Great
This is fascinating; I always loved the bass on that track; great job! Also, the bass-line for "My Forbidden Lover" by Chic is INCREDIBLE, check that one out!
Awsome played! Respect. Was the base play not performed by Jaques Fred Petrus with Change. After Chic one of the best bands ever.
+Warren Hill , sorry Davide! I meant produced and thanks for the bass tune that kept playing in my head for so many years already.
@@warrenhill1617 I totally agree with you! Change is one of my favorite bands of all time, too. And like you said, definitely behind Chic, which is the best band of all time.
That bassline by Davide Romani is sicker than COVID-19!
Perfect man !!!!
Bernard Edwards and Luther Vandross produced this track don't be fooled. The first 2 Change albums were Chic productions. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced the 3rd Change album. Also FYI Luther Vandross did the vocal arrangements on all Chic productions until 1983.
Proof??
You're wrong.Change was an Italo-american group.All the instrumental parts, or the most part of it ,were recorded in Bologna ,Italy and then the tapes were completed in NY with vocal parts.The producer was Mauro Malavasi but Davide Romani ,bass player and Paolo Gianolio ,guitars, had an important role in the creative process.Change were never produced by Chic,as they took some inspiration from them but from Kleer and Aurra too,creating at the same time a unique,sleek and personal style.Indeed it can be said that the some of the late Chic works like Soup for one or some song from Tongue in Chic and Believer took inspiration from Change
@@brunellodeluxe That is what the album credits say in that regard you are correct....But it was chic produced that is a fact...Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced the 3rd album.
@@gregharris5278 If You like,You're free to think that Chic produced the Change albums ,but it's just your fantasy.Luther Vandross sang two songs on the first album and made backing vocals on the second one.That's all.Actually the first four Change albums were produced by Mauro Malavasi(The Glow of Love 1980,Miracles 1981,Sharing your love 1982,This is your time 1983).Jam e Lewis produced part of the fifth album "Change of heart"in 1984 while the rest was produced by Timmy Allen.The album was recorded at Umbi studios Bologna Italy and in Minneapolis.Back in the day Jam & Lewis were brilliant and emerging producers but not yet at the peak of their career and Fred Petrus executive producer of Change and great talent scout,once Malavasi and Romani leaved the creative team, decided to hire these two guys from Minneapolis to keep the typical funk but sleek style of the band but with a new and fresh sound,and he was right
@@brunellodeluxe bro be proud i am not mad at you...Just giving you the facts
Wow. That is pretty good!! All you need is someone to play the guitar with you!
Growing this was my feel good song, think I was 13
Excelent awesome
awesome!
Killin!!
Toujours excellent 👍🇨🇵🌙
🙏
@@BelgaBass from us ?
Syncopation... 💥
GREAT
Epic funkiness
I NEED THESE TABS... someone please help me
I don't see how to even play this one. Great job playing it. I need a lot more help - looks complicated. I remember that bass line from years ago and always admired it. It is great!
bassline like a fly
:o jawdropping!
You're Funky As Hell Brotha........JUST MEAN!!!!!!!!!
do you have the tabs for this😊☀️?
The funkiest bass ever
🔥
Gooooood!
Fire
Nice Werk !
THE BIG BAND ITALY-USA!
yessssssssssssss
filthyyyy
Excellent