Bongo in action

[Alvabass]

Pics from two gigs with a Salsa band last week.

From the second gig, taken at 3:00 A.M.. I was so sleepy!

 

[maddog]

Nice!

 

[jongitarz]

Great pics!

 

[bovinehost]

Do you have any idea how badly I want to be able to play salsa?

 

[Alvabass]

Do you have any idea how badly I want to be able to play salsa?

Hey Jack! If you want, I can send you a full transcription I did of a cool Salsa tune (standard notation plus tab) and the original recording for you to follow. Let me know!

 

[bovinehost]

Alvaro, while tab would do me no good and "real" transcription would require more work than I have time for right now, I would absolutely LOVE to hear what you're doing.

When I get bored with the Beatles and western swing, I put on some salsa and remind myself that 4/4 isn't the pinnacle of playing bass.

I LOVE the challenge of salsa. The Puerto Rican stuff drives me nuts.

Jack

 

[Beth]

all about the clave, Jackie!

SWEET PICS, Alvabass! Thank you so much for sharing!

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

CYN


Just kidding...cool pics!

 

[Big Poppa]

Alva is it salsa when the bass is bovine high? Salsa=bass high Salso= bass in normal big poppa position...

 

[Samingo]

You get to play in a salsa band? You are a lucky man Alva, plus your pics are great!

 

[Alvabass]

Alva is it salsa when the bass is bovine high? Salsa=bass high Salso= bass in normal big poppa position...

Well, just make sure that the middle of your 22nd fret matches the end of your sternum and you'll get the Bovine high position, Big Poppa.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

Alva is it salsa when the bass is bovine high? Salsa=bass high Salso= bass in normal big poppa position...

Slasocyn

 

[strummer]

Alva: nice pics!
Do you use the piezo a lot?

 

[Alvabass]

Alva: nice pics!
Do you use the piezo a lot?

Yes, man. This is my first piezo equipped bass and I really fell in love with that tone, although it really shines to me for slap lines and solo stuff. Doesn't hurt for regular fingerstyle lines, anyway. After getting to know this beauty's tonal possibilities, I basically settled in two settings, one for band situations and another for solo stuff. For the first case, everything in my Bongo is at maximum with the exception of low mids, which are around 60% (and volume, of course. Haven't found an amp or PA system that can handle this beast's full output properly). For the second, all the EQ settings are around 60% and have 65% bridge pickup - 35% neck. Being like this, volume can be turned all the way up if needed. Piezos are full in both cases, anyway.

 

[adouglas]

Do you have any idea how badly I want to be able to play salsa?

Easily done:

+

 

[Alvabass]

BTW, now sometimes these guys say that I'm the band's bass player and also the Bongo player, but the bongo player is supposed to play cowbell also (bongo and cowbell never go at the same time), so I have to do something about it.

 

[sir funkytown]

What kind of strings are you using on Yer Bongo?I like steel strings but I've been having a really hard time finding a set that don't choke the E string.The rest of the strings sound great, just not the big fat one.great pics by the way.I've been poking away at the Latin Bass Book for a few years now, I would love to play in a salsa band.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Great pics

 

[Alvabass]

Alvaro, while tab would do me no good and "real" transcription would require more work than I have time for right now, I would absolutely LOVE to hear what you're doing.

Jack

Jack: If you go to my modest website, you can click on the link named "La Ciudad Bonita" and give a listen to a mp3 recorded like two years ago with the same band. But let me tell you that in my opinion, as a Salsa tune, that song is AWFUL. It was written by the band leader, but it's the typical case of the person who's learning about composing and arranging and thinks that throwing complicated harmonies and weird chord progressions into a song will make a great one. WRONG! This tune has some good moments, but as a whole is terrible (to me). I put it in my website because I created the bassline and I really liked the way it sounds on the recording. Unfortunately, I didn't have my Bongo at the time.

(Another warning: That's a free Geocities website. Data transfer sucks, so please be patient)

 

[Alvabass]

What kind of strings are you using on Yer Bongo?I like steel strings but I've been having a really hard time finding a set that don't choke the E string.The rest of the strings sound great, just not the big fat one.great pics by the way.I've been poking away at the Latin Bass Book for a few years now, I would love to play in a salsa band.

Thank you for the comments about the pictures (thanks to ALL of you)! I have my Bongo loaded with LaBella Hard Rockin' Steels. Haven't had any problems with them, sir funkytown.