Got to see Japan at Manchester Apollo long time ago. I played bass because of him and Derek Forbes, Eventually got a 1985 Wal fretless too. Try and read Mick’s book - great read.
I'm very envious you got to see them live! I've read Japan and Self Existence a couple of times, yes. Great to have it now hes gone, and have his side of that story
Mick Karn was a great bass player - definitely not the best there has ever been, but he played with a style like no one else which to me matters more. He was a great composer too.
Yes. It depends how we use "best", what it means to us. The current crop of technically brilliant and proficient players are enviable but do not wow me with their inventiveness, originality or musicality like M8ck did and still does.
great tutorial!, i learned by ear this song a month ago, after studying most of your karn tutorials. thanks to them now i understand his style better and its easier to me to decipher what he was doing. his right hand rhythms were really the core of his playing and sound, i noticed that he repeats some of those in different tracks but changing the notes
Back with a vengeance mate! Perfect timing I needed a spot of inspiration. Cracking stuff. Have you checked the ‘early version’ of ‘We Take Mystery to bed’, uncredited to MK (Pino played on the final version) very similar vibe.
Cheers Mick. This one had slipped by me. Its like christmas morning (new karn). Im a bit frazzled (since you kindly but foolishly ask. Lol). Trying to fit a Roland GK - 3B to my Ibanez SRH505F. Trying to get more versitility out of it and poss. something vaguely Karn. 😂. Not sure its gonna fit well so it may be off to adverts with it and a fresh look at fretless plan b. Great to see you back Karning here and look forward to the next installment. 👍
Hi Pete. Thanks for the encouragement as always!! If the Ibanez isn’t doing it for you, move it on, I’d say. I’m not a fan of the piezo pick-up thing myself so maybe I’d be too quick to do that?
@@mindhead2005 i was thinking of that. I was even considering taking a plyers to something cheap off adverts. Probably wouldn't save a whole lot that way. I was originally looking for a 5 as me and me mates have a few no's. that use the b but if i just got a hipshot tuner theres always cheap 4's going? I'm over complicating, aren't I. 🤔 I do that a lot. 😂
@@mindhead2005 sorry to disturbe. Do you have any experience with the sire jazz style bass? I think it can be be got in a fretless 5'er. I just fear its brite biased?
To begin with, MH, it’s a sweet change seeing you playing a fretless bass. I’ve dug your demos of headless basses, as you know, but this is killer. “A Subway Called You” is a new Gary Neuman song for me. As an American (and New York City resident), I’m curious. Have there been any “sub-markets” where it’s re-titled “An Underground Called You”?
Keep uploading these videos,@@mindhead2005 . If I spot them and watch them, it may only be a matter of time before you wish you’d never read any of my comments.
Hi Damien I did cover it but I don’t think I did a lesson. I’ll get to that! Here’s the cover in the meantime, you might get what you need from it? Halloween- Mick Karn/ Japan bass cover by Mindhead th-cam.com/video/0c_L1EPsF9Q/w-d-xo.html
Just a comment on Wal(not even fretless), I was watching Roxy Music live from Manifesto tour and the bass player plays the title track on Wal and the rest of the show on probably P-bass, WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Sorry.
Probably a P bass? Going from an active bass with two large humbuckers to a passive bass with a single split coil WILL be a difference, yes. A Precision has a single split coil pickup in the traditional position, giving a very specific sound, heavy in fundamental. You won’t get the sound of a bridge pickup from it alone, which provides more punch and mid, harmonic content The truth is that most people these days won’t or couldn’t stretch to the cost of a Wal. Any bass with a bridge and neck pick-up will allow you the midrange content to get a punchy focussed sound, if you have the right hand technique down. Obviously with the microscope on, only a Wal will sound just the exact same as a Wal but that’s not the point I was making.
It's been mentioned before but I think Karn was at his best 'tone wise ' on his Travis Bean? The Wal is a fine instrument, but I guess the funk is in the fingers?
@@Toby_the_Glen I prefer the later tone but nobody ever mentions the Klein or the five string he played on RTC I think people attribute all tracks to the Wal
@@Toby_the_Glen I like the tone on GTP, but no bass punches through the mix like Wal. It's good at being heard(if that's what you want). That Travis bass sounds fine to me, it did look like it was made by Rob Dean's dad, I think Mick being a fine sculptor would have done a better job :)
Mick's problem with the TB, from what I've read, was the fact the aluminium neck reacted to temperature changes and was hard to keep in tune. The Klein is aother formidable instrument nobody really mentions.
Got to see Japan at Manchester Apollo long time ago.
I played bass because of him and Derek Forbes,
Eventually got a 1985 Wal fretless too.
Try and read Mick’s book - great read.
I'm very envious you got to see them live!
I've read Japan and Self Existence a couple of times, yes. Great to have it now hes gone, and have his side of that story
Karn and Numan?! Never knew. Peavey sounds great
Check out She’s Got Claws! Unreal
Mick Karn was a great bass player - definitely not the best there has ever been, but he played with a style like no one else which to me matters more. He was a great composer too.
Yes. It depends how we use "best", what it means to us.
The current crop of technically brilliant and proficient players are enviable but do not wow me with their inventiveness, originality or musicality like M8ck did and still does.
Mick was a VERY gifted man.
Miss him dearly.
A true one-off
Thanks for this. Wonderful.
Thanks a mill
great tutorial!, i learned by ear this song a month ago, after studying most of your karn tutorials.
thanks to them now i understand his style better and its easier to me to decipher what he was doing.
his right hand rhythms were really the core of his playing and sound, i noticed that he repeats some of those in different tracks but changing the notes
Absolutely spot on, yes! Thank you
Great video.
Thanks Chris
Another great bass line that you've helped us all work out. Fantastic
Thanks mate
Back with a vengeance mate! Perfect timing I needed a spot of inspiration. Cracking stuff. Have you checked the ‘early version’ of ‘We Take Mystery to bed’, uncredited to MK (Pino played on the final version) very similar vibe.
No!! I’ll look that up! Deadly
Cheers Mick. This one had slipped by me. Its like christmas morning (new karn).
Im a bit frazzled (since you kindly but foolishly ask. Lol). Trying to fit a Roland GK - 3B to my Ibanez SRH505F. Trying to get more versitility out of it and poss. something vaguely Karn. 😂.
Not sure its gonna fit well so it may be off to adverts with it and a fresh look at fretless plan b.
Great to see you back Karning here and look forward to the next installment. 👍
Hi Pete. Thanks for the encouragement as always!!
If the Ibanez isn’t doing it for you, move it on, I’d say. I’m not a fan of the piezo pick-up thing myself so maybe I’d be too quick to do that?
The bridge pickup seems to me to be a key part of getting a focussed punchy tone. Maybe even one of the Harley Benton cheap jazzes would do the job?
@@mindhead2005 i was thinking of that. I was even considering taking a plyers to something cheap off adverts. Probably wouldn't save a whole lot that way. I was originally looking for a 5 as me and me mates have a few no's. that use the b but if i just got a hipshot tuner theres always cheap 4's going?
I'm over complicating, aren't I. 🤔 I do that a lot. 😂
A hipshot is probably dearer than the Harvey bentoni! 😀
@@mindhead2005 sorry to disturbe. Do you have any experience with the sire jazz style bass? I think it can be be got in a fretless 5'er. I just fear its brite biased?
To begin with, MH, it’s a sweet change seeing you playing a fretless bass. I’ve dug your demos of headless basses, as you know, but this is killer.
“A Subway Called You” is a new Gary Neuman song for me. As an American (and New York City resident), I’m curious. Have there been any “sub-markets” where it’s re-titled “An Underground Called You”?
Ha! Thanks mate!
I don’t think so but that’s a fun thought!
😀
Keep uploading these videos,@@mindhead2005 . If I spot them and watch them, it may only be a matter of time before you wish you’d never read any of my comments.
@@Shred_The_Weapon I don’t know what you mean exactly but I really appreciate the encouragement
Thanks for this great tutorial! Can you do the tutorial for Japan's song "Halloween" next?
Hi Damien
I did cover it but I don’t think I did a lesson. I’ll get to that!
Here’s the cover in the meantime, you might get what you need from it?
Halloween- Mick Karn/ Japan bass cover by Mindhead
th-cam.com/video/0c_L1EPsF9Q/w-d-xo.html
Noice!
Cheers
Thx for the tutorial❤️🔥
Cheers!!
Good one!
Thank you! Cheers!
I wonder what Mick would have done with Chameleon's?
Something less structued and more wild, maybe? Who knows! But Chameleons IS pretty amazing as it us! :)
Just a comment on Wal(not even fretless), I was watching Roxy Music live from Manifesto tour and the bass player plays the title track on Wal and the rest of the show on probably P-bass, WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Sorry.
Probably a P bass?
Going from an active bass with two large humbuckers to a passive bass with a single split coil WILL be a difference, yes.
A Precision has a single split coil pickup in the traditional position, giving a very specific sound, heavy in fundamental.
You won’t get the sound of a bridge pickup from it alone, which provides more punch and mid, harmonic content
The truth is that most people these days won’t or couldn’t stretch to the cost of a Wal. Any bass with a bridge and neck pick-up will allow you the midrange content to get a punchy focussed sound, if you have the right hand technique down.
Obviously with the microscope on, only a Wal will sound just the exact same as a Wal but that’s not the point I was making.
It's been mentioned before but I think Karn was at his best 'tone wise ' on his Travis Bean? The Wal is a fine instrument, but I guess the funk is in the fingers?
@@Toby_the_Glen I prefer the later tone but nobody ever mentions the Klein or the five string he played on RTC
I think people attribute all tracks to the Wal
@@Toby_the_Glen I like the tone on GTP, but no bass punches through the mix like Wal. It's good at being heard(if that's what you want). That Travis bass sounds fine to me, it did look like it was made by Rob Dean's dad, I think Mick being a fine sculptor would have done a better job :)
Mick's problem with the TB, from what I've read, was the fact the aluminium neck reacted to temperature changes and was hard to keep in tune.
The Klein is aother formidable instrument nobody really mentions.