Bass Teacher REACTS | "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel | Tony Levin

[@EtoDemerzelSpaceBurial]

Tony said in an interview that he doesn’t even play well with a pick but here he is playing one of the most iconic bass lines of all time using a pick….and on a fretless to boot lol.

[@LowEndUniversity]

😅

[@aaronb4043]

PG is one of my heroes and Tony was perfection in everything he's ever been involved with. Tone, attack, effects, the weird things he does and instruments he uses, it's just always insane even if it's a simple lick. Love these man, keep it up

[@LowEndUniversity]

Nice! And, you bet! TL is a legend.

[@eskilseter]

Fretless bass with an octave pedal, chorus and played with a pick. Tony broke all the rules on this track. Definitely fretless in this performance too; the most obvious tells being in the fills before the second verse

[@LowEndUniversity]

Good point - yeah, he’s just so unpredictable, it could be anything. If there’s a guy who could make a fretted bass sound fretless, it’s probably him 😅 - and GREAT way to put that about his tone. Essentially what I was trying to say - it cuts through because it’s so different, and not a basic, boring tone. He breaks all the rules and it adds so much character to the song. 💥

[@andrewarnott6106]

And a metric buttload of compression.

[@stefanodegerome5586]

If Tony wanted to break all the rules, he'd need to add some slapping in there too.

[@JohnGunn]

The whole Growing Up Live show is absolutely a masterclass in performance...the stage changes constantly throughout the songs, and you can just tell that every member of the band is 100% on board, on the same vibe. It's so good.

[@JoneyJefe]

First time I’ve ever heard the word “nasally” used when describing bass tones. And you’re right. It sounds very cool. Great way to differentiate the pickups.

[@kristofwynants]

Since you (and me) are huge Les Claypool fans: Tony is a big big influence on Claypool's bass playing. And the drumsticks are called Funk Fingers. Sledge Hammer is definitely played with a pick. Excellent video!!

[@careyvinzant]

Tony used a pick on the studio recording, plus heavy compression, octave, and (I think) chorus. He is the "whatever gets the job done" guy.

[@markmilner842]

Tony’s one of the best. Just saw Stick Men last week. Great show. Saw him with PG on the rock paper scissors tour.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

Tony is the reason I play Stingray basses, along with Tim commerford! Tony is my Hero!!! I would love to shake his hand!! He’s definitely playin Fretless, it’s a musicman Sabre fretless

[@LowEndUniversity]

He's a legend! Love Tim, too.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

@@LowEndUniversity yayaya!🤘😎 he sure is!! He needs more luv! I’d love to own one of his signature stingrays! But I really only play 5 string nowadays

[@go-nogo1475]

I'd heard that Timmy C. is really battling the Big C-word currently. Keep Bro in your heart when you groove, my friends.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

@@go-nogo1475 oh no! Damnit, 😔

[@go-nogo1475]

@@bassimprovjams3772 Yep. I dealt with a thankfully very minor bout myself. It's almost like we're all getting older somehow... damn entropy!

[@afox9600]

Man Peter sounds amazing

[@AnalogKensho]

Great analysis and fun video. Tony’s work with Peter, and Tony’s music in general, is some of my favorite “nostalgia” music. I’m very excited to see you back on KZbin and making these long form education videos!

[@LowEndUniversity]

Thank you so much! Appreciate the kind words 🙏🏼💥

[@Need4Needle]

the idea of a fretless chapman stick always strikes me as my favourite instrument ever. Why isn't that a thing?

[@michaelrobertson8910]

Hard to play in tune

[@porgy29]

As you said, there is so much great Tony to look at with many different bands. If you want to check out his King Crimson stuff, now might be the perfect time because he and Adrien Belew just went on tour with Steve Vai and Danny Carey as "Beat" playing Crimson's 80's stuff.

[@bassjarvis11]

This breakdown rules bro 🤘🏻❤

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

Eddie Van Halen loved the production on this song so much that he used it to tune his studio monitors until the end.

[@georgiche5969]

I’ve been subscribed for a while, but didn’t actually watch any videos. Now I’m in and wow! It’s pure gold man! Thanks!

[@LowEndUniversity]

Welcome back! Appreciate that, thank you for the kind words.

[@georgiche5969]

@@LowEndUniversity thank you, man! Keep on uploading! Would be great to see your reaction on Anton Davidyants playing! He is the master, yet not know well.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Nice! I’ll check him out!!

[@brianeharmonjr]

If you're a Tony Levin fan and aren't familiar with his era of King Crimson, please do yourself a favor and check it out. Him with Fripp, Adrian Belew, and Bill Bruford is an incredible grouping. Discipline is an incredible album.

[@LowEndUniversity]

I really am not! I know a few Crimson tunes, but never really dove in. I'd love to do some KC here - any suggestions?

[@fabioriato]

@@LowEndUniversity If we're talking '80s KC, you can't go anywhere else than _Sleepless_ to start. That song SCREAMS Tony Levin. I believe he originally plays it using the slap technique, but I've seen him play this song with his Funky Fingers instead and even with a Chapman Stick in place of a bass on occasion. (go with _Elephant Talk_ if you want to go straight to a Stick written tune, though)

[@chadhoward07]

I pulled up the video, & at 2:30 there's a direct shot of the bass, & Tony. The bass he's using looked fretted, but it also sounds HEAVILY compressed through the mix.

[@chrisramirez7442]

“Suddenly it’s more…” just makes nasty face 😂

[@yellavonjella2893]

Pure Stud!!!

[@LowEndUniversity]

YOU’RE the stud!

[@andrewarnott6106]

Pick, bridge pickup, pre-compression, octave, chorus, post compression, pick by the neck on a fretless. Just add awesome talent and you're there.

[@BenCDaugherty]

Thats the original bass used on the recording btw. It's an 80s Music Man Cutlass ii Fretless!

[@LowEndUniversity]

Nice! I played a fretless EBMM Bongo in a guitar store a few years ago, thought it was pure butter.

[@michaelrobertson8910]

Funky. Tony is a beast.

[@michaelrobertson8910]

To my knowledge, Tony does not use a lined fretless. I've seen him use a regular MM fretless many times, but never with lines. Those finger things you were talking about are called "funk fingers". He used to sell them. I inherited a pair.

[@kimhebert9905]

Great Video 🎶👍

[@mcasualjacques]

i was reading earlier that Tony played Bass on JP Ferland's Album "Jaune" in 1970, so when Tony moved to NYC. recorded at Studio Perry but i dont think i could say if it was him by just hearing him play kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3zcp4GJbcSbfrc&

[@jamesmarkham7489]

Great analysis and breakdown. Gear question I’ve been using the emg hz’s for a few years. Do you believe the upgrade to active emg’s is worth it?

[@LowEndUniversity]

I haven’t tried those, and started playing their actives from day one. I can assure you they make superior, quality pickups that have been rock solid 100% of the time. I can’t imagine liking anything more than my EMGs! Also, their solderless preamp system is life-changing.

[@l.-._.-._.-._.-._.-.l]

Something about the bass line give me a honky tonk vibe.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Oddly enough, I can kind of see that. Mid tempo, kind of walking it a bit with the notes. Just has a great cadence to it.

[@bernardhusbands544]

I think he was using a Music man Cutlass. Fretless, with lines.

[@LowEndUniversity]

I figured as much - just hard to tell. But some of those fills sounded way too smooth to be a fretted neck, haha. Thanks for the info!

[@dundas9222]

It sounds like a picked frettless to me.