How Sledgehammer Changed the History of Bass FOREVER
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- Опубликовано: 22 май 2024
- Tony Levin is arguably the greatest studio bassist of all time - but how well do you really know his work with Peter Gabriel?
In today’s video we take an in-depth look into his slick fretless fills, his ‘funk fingers’, and other well-guarded secrets from Peter Gabriel’s groundbreaking hit single, Sledgehammer - complete with note-for-note transcriptions and a free PDF workbook.
🔥 Download your FREE PDF Workbook - sbl.link/4bxMDju
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Video Breakdown:
00:00 - Introduction to Tony Levin's Bass Line in 'Sledgehammer'
00:39 - The Unique Elements of Tony Levin's Bass Line
01:09 - Breaking Down the Sound and Technique
02:23 - Playing the Bass Line with the Right Feel
03:00 - Swung 16th Note Pick Technique
03:54 - The Phrasing and Notes of the Bass Line
05:12 - Exploring the Verse and Intro Sections
06:05 - Playing in the Low Register with an Octave Pedal
06:56 - Analyzing the Chorus and the Use of Space
09:04 - The Story of Funk Fingers
10:26 - Tony Levin's Use of Funk Fingers
11:24 - Summary and Additional Resources
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Видеоклипы
Back in 2000 about i think i was studio bassist playing only hitsong covers and soundalikes. Sledgehammer came along and I then emailed Tony Levin through his management to ask about exactly this. Can you imagine the thrill i got when he personally wrote me back? Giving me all these secrets.. So nice of him
Seriously, there’s not much in this world cooler than Tony Levin.
For learning how to swing with a pick Carol Kaye is a master!
Saw an interview with Carol where she said that a felt pick was her weapon of choice…
@@johnnieswift6581 Odd then that her signature picks are heavy gauge plastic.
Carol played a lot of 6-string as well…but when asked how did she get “her” sound (on bass) she said a felt pick and some foam under the strings...
I also recall back in the early ’70s she marketed a tutoring kit that included songbooks, felt picks, and a phone call…
also bobby vega!
Tony's work with King Crimson changed my life.
Absolutely a genius musician.
💯💯💯
Ah, Funk fingers, Jazz hands' lesser known cousin.
Hey that's funny.
Seeing Gabriel at Earls Court on the ‘So’ tour as a teenager was life changing for me. So good.
I was a drummer in my high school jazz band in 1980, and our band would actually tour and do gigs, so when we needed to fill some time I’d have this huge drum solo. During the drum solo our bass player came over with his Precision, out of nowhere, leaned it at. 30 degree angle towards me and I did a funk bass solo with my drum sticks on the bass!!! He actually did the left hand, including intermittent muting, and I just played with my sticks. It sounded awesome!!!!
Needless to say, for the rest of that year, the bass became part of my drum solos.
And yes, now I am a bass player, I have 2 Warwick GPS Corvette basses, a 4 string, a 5, and a fretless, all $$. Also play Fender Precisions
Late 82 I had a guitar player who would grab a drumstick and play the intro for Judas Priest's version of Diamonds and Rust. It all started because he didn't have a delay pedal and the drum stick would give him a bounce and in effect a delay.
There was a Floyd cover band I used to see whose lead guitar player would do a large section of the end of Comfortably Numb using a drumstick in his right hand. The gimmick was fun live but I've never gone back to any recordings I made of them where they did it to hear if it actually sounded all that good. It definitely took me back when I first saw it and the crowd loved it.
The Ventures did the drumming-on-the-bass-strings thing back in the early '60s. It was also featured on Mel Taylor's drum solo from their 1965 Live In Japan version of "Caravan" ruclips.net/video/jTY-xsDzTxo/видео.html
Great story.. totally unnecessary to brag about the price of your basses tho. No pro is interested in that, all due respect. But still a great story!
Jas bataille, ust so you know, I wasn’t bragging about how much my basses cost, they have 2-humbuckers on them, and the nickname Warwick calls them are “double bucks,” and even their website and the owner’s manual uses the $$ to show that they’re “double bucks.” Saying that they cost a lot wouldn’t matter to me. I do love the basses though
OMG, Scott this has to be one of the most entertaining videos you've done on SBL. Sledgehammer is one of my all time favorite songs, and it drives my wife absolutely crazy. I've never attempted to learn to play this but now I will. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she walks in and sees and hears me playing Sledgehammer!!! It's going to be EPIC!!!!
A million thank yous for this one Scott!!!
It's wicked fun to play! You're in for a treat!
Great to hear you are still trying to impress your wife!! Well done.
Funk fingers...I never knew that. Whenever I played along with "Big Time," I just used to thumbslap that passage on a largely open E-string...😄
Funk isn't a game !.
it's a joke
If I recall correctly reading this in the past, even Big Time was not with funk fingers - instead, Jerry Marotta playing Tony's strings with drumsticks while Tony fretted the notes.
@@fractalistthat’s correct. He developed the funk fingers in order to play big time live.
You can even see him starting to use Funk Fingers on the tune "Red Rain" which can be seen in his "Growing Up" live DVD from 20 years ago or so. Which wasn't used either on studio recording. The company Expandin Hands LLC has now gone off the market, and no more avaiable, at least so I've heard.
While I've used Funk Fingers too, one cannot think that it is a parlor trick or show off, to the audience amusement. It requires some serious training, and be wary because you'll need higher string action. Otherwise the fret buzz becomes too annoying. While the red ones is a betterment, and development, all in all after a while they all end up just like some kind of novelty. One can do drum rolls on the bass on one string only but one can't "shred" with them and finger different notes and strings at the same time. What they really do - too - is producing a considerably amount of volume decrease, because the added energy of up and down of the string motion. You'll need a compressor to tame the large volume increase.
On another note, I always appreciate Peter Gabriel's showmanship.
He's fun to watch😄
When I first heard Sledgehammer, the unusually funky bass line instantly made my neck snap my head around! And those horns and Peter’s screams. Truly a groundbreaking song.
During ABWH tour in 89 we were backstage and Tony just literally just had sawed-off drumsticks taped to his fingers. He said that he had to play Chris Squires parts on the classic Yes jams and he wasn't able to get an attack that was as sharp and percussive as Squires with his normal technique. Cool to see that this evolved into a finished piece of gear!
Y'all, this format of video, where we get to see both of you play the lines and the nuances in how you are each approaching it -- these are GOLD. Please make as many of these as travel and other considerations permit. Also, fretless F fiver? Sweeeeeeet. 😍
The attack from the pick with a bit of palm mute. Stopping the note makes your ear look for the decay but its all gone and the next note blends so well.
Levin is top three for me.
I saw Peter Gabriel's first tour ever with Levin on bass back in the early 80's. Also first time I saw a chapmanstick. I also saw him with Crimson playing the LP Discipline. I've seen them many times.
That is such a great King Crimson album, my first exposure to the chapman stick. Sheltering Sky soooo goood
This is one of my absolute favorite bass sounds ever. It's got the punch and attack of a bass, but then this polyphonic depth of a synth bass thanks to that octave and chorus. It's just so good.
Ooh, Ian flexing with that signature bass! Very nice 👌 …wait, AND a signature pick!!
Scott is way more deserving
@@sebg2086 they're both pretty deserving in my opinion
My favorite part of this is the Mike Lull bass. He was a super nice guy who helped me a lot back in the day
It sounds very synthy to my ears. Who knew? Great breakdown. I am absolutely loving your recent videos. The great chemistry between you guys makes it really fun to watch.
This has always been one of my favourite songs to play on bass, such an absolute jam and definitely one of Levin's coolest riffs
These videos absolutely make my day. The instruction is top notch. The PDF is amazing. What I love the most is the celebration of some of my favorite basslines of all time - the basslines that really drew me to the instrument. I love that your joy for this music shines through the video so much.
The Peter Gabriel Secret World tour is fantastic, must watch . Manu Katche is amazing.
This
Just the fucking best drummer.
I listen to In Your Eyes from Secret World about once a month for my health.
Manu Katche & Paula Cole are incredible on that tour! One of my all time favorites!
Nearly 40 years passed since Sledgehammer came out, but still such a great piece! And.. yeah, I still love to play it on my bass from time to time. The bass is a real challenge to play with all this tiny little fills and alterations in between the main line. I never get it right and there is always something new to discover in there. So much fun!
Great video, dudes!
Did anyone read Tony's book Beyond the Bass Clef? It is very informative and so hilarious! A must-read for every bass player. Although I'm not, I still totally enjoyed it and got it signed by the man himself when he was in our town with Larry and Jerry
Came here because I love Tony Levin’s bassline on this song. Did not realize I’d be treated to Ian Allison, the man who’s band Down and Above is the reason I started listening to Peter Gabriel in the first place. What a great video/collab/lesson!
I've loved this song since forever and it's so cool to see you guys enjoying and explaining the intricacies of Mr Levin's bass playing. Thanks for that.
Fantastic video, guys! I had the good fortune to see Tony Levin with King Crimson using the "funk fingers" while playing the song "Sleepless". I had no idea how he got that sound until I got to experience it first hand.
I love watching you guys nerd out on the specifics! The small things make the music great!!
Levin was from the universe with sausage fingers.
Loved everything about this! Papa Bear, Tony Levin is an absolute bass god. He possesses so much awareness of where the bass sits in the arrangement. It's always a treat. Thank you for sharing this with us.
When I went to buy my funk fingers (many years ago) they weren’t available due to production issues - so I started making my own. I’ll send you guys a couple pairs if you’re interested. I found that adding plastic-dip helps the attack and bounce, while the finger collars have a little padding making it comfy and slip-free.
You guys enthusiasm is just FANTASTIC. Very enjoyable!
This is the first time I’ve ever really enjoyed the whole of one of your videos. Certainly very informative and such a lot of fun.. 👍👍👍
Yep, got ‘em. Utterly frustrating at first, but once I learned to find my way around without looking at every thump they were alright. It’s easy to hit too hard and always will be, though. The sound is so enticing, I forget to hold back.
I think King Crimson's "Sleepless" is the best known use of Tony Levin's funk finges. However I'm not sure whether Tony plays sixteenths or eights (and then sixteenths are played by Bill Brufford's bass drum).
Anyway, it was a great pleasure to listen to this video :)
Hey, so glad you brought up "Sleepless"! That's actually not done with funk fingers, he's just doing regular thumb slap and pull funk technique but with a single added sixteenth-note delay (or 32nd note, depending on how you count the bars) - you can see him doing it on a Three Of A Perfect Pair live video (filmed in Japan I think, easy to find here on YT). Cheers!
Sleepless was thumped…you may be thinking of ‘Big Time’?
Indeed, I've got the feeling I saw him with these fingers on this footage, but I've just checked it and I must have messed it up totally. Sorry!
Anyway he didn't use them when he played "Big Time" during Peter Gabriel's 2023 I/O tour.
When I was younger, in late 90ies, I was trying to play "Sleepless" slapping but I didn't know there's delay used so every time after couple of bars I just couldn't catch the tempo.
This is the first time I’ve seen your videos, and I really love this. Subscribed instantly!
Tony Levin used the funk fingers on Sleepless (King Crimson's "3 of a Perfect Pair) in 1984
One of my happier and prouder moments as a beginner bassist was when I learned this one. Still a challenge to play cleanly with the right feel. Such a cool line and killer tone, and of course an iconic 80's tune/music video!
Dudes, that super-casual unison mind melter was ridiculous! Now, back to the show.😃
Tony Levin is so disturbingly freaking sick... I don't care what anybody says, the intro baseline to 'Big Time' is some of the funkiest s**t on tape... add to that Stewart Copeland was on drums, massively hot!!
Awesome video as always!!
Saw Them at the Ziggoo last JUNE The coolest SHOW to date!!
Thanks for taking the time to share the GROOVE of TL & PG while having so much fun!
just started getting into bass. its a lot of fun and this channel is awesome. thanks for the lessons man
When we covered this song when it was on thr charts, that's what I used, octave box, fretless and pick. Tony is amazing!
I Just love this channel. You manager to highlight such awesome features and songs, it's unbelievable.
"Ya gotta think of the space between the notes as notes themselves." Bass player combination zen/coping technique, love it (and this video).
Tony also used the Funk Fingers with Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe on Heart of the Sunrise. That was my only time seeing Tony live and I still remember how musical he was with everything he played.
Saw Mr. Levin play with Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe in '89, and to this day, it is one of the finest musical performances I've ever seen. Tony and drummer Bill Bruford did a duet/duel that was mind blowing and the funk fingers were at the forefront, it was plainly and simply amazing.
You guys are like two little boys having lots and lots of fun playing around, making nonsense and you both harmonize perfectly!
And for me and many others its so much fun to just watch you playing and making nonsense!
Thanks for all your efforts to be not too serious in this business!
I'm a drummer (insert joke here), but some of my best friends happen to be bass players.
And let's face it, even though I'm not a bass player, I wish I was.
Love your videos. Always so good to see you both disect these amazing pieces.
Love and respect!
I had to learn this for an audition. I didn't use a fretless, but I did figure out the other three tricks on my own before the days of RUclips . It sounded great, if I do say so myself!
It was Ian's video about So that led me to SBL where I've happily been hanging out for almost 2 years now.
🙏🏼🙏🏼
That was fun - thanks! I'm a big fan of the song (and the MV) but you've motivated me to circle back and focus on the bass.
Always loved Tony Levins Style!!!!~
I can't stop re visiting this video!
His use of the Funk Fingers found its way onto songs like "Sleepless" by King Crimson as well!
My friend Jeff has a Fender Jazz bass from the custom shop - it has those awesome thunder-buckers! His is a metallic hot pink/magenta color. I have the opportunity to buy - If only it were a five string, lol
Buy it now or regret it later
@@geraldfriend256 I would totally buy it if it were a five string but I just know that it wouldn’t get played. I’m too set in my ways having been playing a five string for over 30 years - kind of want to stay there
I have the same exact expression as Ian in the opening everytime I play this song…such an amazing bass line!! Thanks for this video guys 🤘🏻
Sledgehammer is such an awesome song. The mix is brilliant - the snare makes my eyes pop. Brilliant, brilliant track!
No lie, I only really listened to Sledgehammer for the first time about a month ago and I’ve become obsessed. Then listening to the isolated tracks I realized how amazing the bass work was, so your video came at the perfect time for me. I don’t even play bass (at least not yet lol)!
I love these session deep dives so much
One of my all-time favorite bass lines!
It's amusing to see how much the song was swing in the video, when he's singing on stage with the old Jazz Hands movements.. swing but taking it back to being as badass as in early days of swing
I have no musical ability, but I loved this video - bloody great and Tony Levin is one of my all time favorite musicians too.
great video - have always loved this song - so much guts !! and the funk fingers have brought me enormous joy 🎸🎤
Loveee the intro, so funny Tony is one legend out there to keep seeing.
Great Tutorial. Thank you so much. Stay that way!
IN the early 80s, I used to play one song using a drumstick, just one, but the whole stick. I loved the way it sounded, but I was using a Peavey T40 at the time and one day I realized that I was denting the chrome pick up covers on it, so I stopped doing it. I still have that bass, and it still has dented pick ups. On another note, I once wrote to Tony Levin via Myspace (this was years ago) and asked a question about his equipment, and not only did he write back to me, he gave me a detailed explanation of exactly what he was using, how it worked and advice on using it all live. Amazing and very nice guy.
The bass line has such a punch to it, I always wondered if it was synth bass. Now I know, thanks!
Awesome guys, thanks 👍🏻
you guys are awesome ;) I'm a guitarist but appreciate all other instruments as well.
keep the channel going on. I enjoy watching your reels and videos
I learned this bass line without effects, and it was near-impossible, haha! Once I played this stuff 'right', I learned a LOT.
What a fantastic bass line. Good job guys.
Great installment, guys! In my endless pursuit of different sounds, I purchased a pair of Funk Fingers. had a difficult time keeping them on my fingers because they'd slip off unless I really tightened the velcro, which then cut off the blood flow to my fingertips and made them numb, LOL. I also found that they work far better with basses that have wider string spacing like a Stingray (which Tony plays).
Just heard this, and thought..what an unusual, straight up and down bass line. Bad ass.
Tony Levin's lines in King Crimson are truly awesome! All the tricks he used there: funk fingers, octave/chorus, bass tapping, Chapman stick tapping. And singing sometimes. )
Splendid video guys! Thanks for 11.35 minutes of Hi-octane egeukashun
Definitely one of my all-time favorite bass parts!
I really enjoyed this video. Nice bass sound explanation. I am crazy about the 80s 90s effects.
Craziest life moment - took a lunchbreak on a random Weds in 2016 in central NJ. Got some coffee. Looked around and who did I see? Drummer Pat Matellotto in line behind me and outside....Tony Levin stretching next to my old jalopy. I thought I died or was undergoing some intense medical situation, but it was real lol with very shaking hands, I said hello and talked to them for a few minutes. Absolutely amazing, super nice, they even offered me free tix to their Iridium show that night, but could not go lol much love y'all
I actually play this song in a cover band, from time to time. Octaver is my most used effect, aside from compression. One thing to note is that the song begins on Ebm, then the rest of the intro is a Cb (or B, right?), Bb, and Abm. Then the verses use an Eb7 dominant chord and that quick little turnaround goes to a Cm. It's been tricky on occasion to remember the B (Cb) vs. the Cm. Tony played a masterful line on this song with yet another of his distinctive tones.
What a great tip, great playing as well 👏
I don't even play bass, but you do so well drawing me in to watch and learn.
This is so good! I love Sledgehammer, I love Tony Levin, I love you guys. Now I need some Ian Allison signature picks!
I love Tony Levins style, love his playing on King Crimsons 'Waiting Man'
When I was a youngster (mid 70’s) I would noodle around with a drumstick on my bass and also electric guitar. Never actually used this in a band but would occasionally break out the drumstick when jamming with friends. Honestly I struggled to get much that was musical, but loved the tone and had some fun.
I used to use an OC-2 live ans I was nowhere near as melodic as this but to get a huge sound to let the guitarist cut loose and do his thang...... Bloody fabulous bit of kit.
Next episode is on the Tony's Chapman Stick...
In the late 90s a guy used to regularly play Chapman stick outside Rose Morris on Denmark Street in London, he was amazing!
Cool line
Sleepless showcases the funk finger thingys
Signature Picks?!! Cool. Where can I buy them? Thanks for this PDF. Love the song and love Tony Levin.
This is bass education at its finest! Nice show for a bassist. I need more bass friends lol.
Note duration. Note duration! Tony varies his note duration in unique and incredibly musical ways. It rarely gets much mention - but a key ingredient in TLev's vibe.
Feeeeeels so gooooood. Thank you guys also bless Tony
I saw Tony using those live at Macnichols arena in 90 in Denver.
Thank you for an entertaining and informative video, guys! 🙏🏻
I learned a lot about ‘space’ in bass playing by listening to Andy Fraser of Free.
The notes that he left out were just as important as the ones he played.
When approaching any new bassline, I always ask myself "what would Andy Fraser do?" 😎
Great stuff 👏
Huge Geddy, Chris Squire and Entwistle fan from way back. Also loved the the early Gabriel albums too but my mind (and ears) were blown when I saw Tony play with King Crimson on the Discipline tour. Three of a Perfect Pair was a full 3 years before Sledgehammer and I already thought nobody can touch this guy. Then BANG...Gabriel ('86), BANG... Pink Floyd - Momentary Lapse ('87), and BANG...Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe ('89) and it was so clear to me that this guy is the f'ing GOAT. The true god of thunder! As Peter says in every concert...Mister Tony Levin on bass!!
Thanks for featuring the great Tony Levin (and Peter Gabriel)!
Wow, I grew up on this song but never really "heard" the bassline. Groovy.
Levin is a genius - but DAMN MAN those funk fingers sound KILLER. I'd totally play with those live.
One of my favorite songs ever!