How to be a Session Bass Player with Victor Wooten

Being hired for a recording session can be stressful, especially if you are new to it. You may not know the song or have played with the other musicians before, and there is always a time crunch to get the recording done. We asked Victor Wooten to give us some advice on how to approach a session. Victor walks us through how to go through a chart, how to make subtle changes to add depth to a track, how to build rapport and find a groove with the other musicians. Along with Tim Clement on guitar and Walker Adams on drums, watch as they go from rehearsal to recording.
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[@rafaelramos8642]

I like Victor’s approach to explore and still being respectful to the composer and the composition. Amazing professionalism!

[@annihilation777]

bass players are always the happiest musicians :)

[@edesbalazs]

I think everyone can take away something from this who is inspired to do session work. Props to the songwriter too, it's a cool groove.

[@stevepethel6843]

Don't practice it too much...record it. You are almost always RIGHT. RESPECT for my Victor ...

[@marian9445]

Victor has always been a great teacher. I’m so glad that, after all these years, he continues to share his knowledge… and killer tone!

[@hedekbass]

Victor doesn’t play the wrong notes. The composer meant to write the notes he played.

[@InvictusBananman]

What a crazy and wholesome man. There is always something to learn from Victor

[@briankeenan4901]

I have been a fan of Victor forever. It's so great to see him. I am so completely mesmerized by his presence that I lose my breath watching him. Fantastic writer as well. Read his books. He is the Musicians Musician. Thank you Victor, God Bless You.

[@panchoverde5078]

Why? Dude is a terrible bassist. He's going to tell you to hit the wrong note and how not to play in key. You probably suck still because you're looking up to him. Have you ever played bass? You're not a music person? So you don't know basic music theory. He's talking about notes going lower and then says he doesn't have a 5 string. Which is higher. Dude does not know how to play music. So sorry for your session you got Victor. It's so hard to watch and get dumber. Now that we have groove, we don't need to hit the right notes Time is money in the studio Wait while I hit the wrong notes. No one will know the bassist is playing out of key Let's just cycle As a bassist, this man offends me.

[@gratefulpipeandcigar3239]

I loved this short video. I play guitar at church weekly, so there are often new songs. All this advice is so applicable over all phases of musicianship. Also, isn’t Victor Wooten such an amazingly sweet and gentle GIANT musician?!?

[@alrob9301]

Ironically Victor Wooten is quite a ſhort perſon.

[@TylerVance-km4ub]

​@@alrob9301what do those Last two words mean? Lol I can't even type those letters to Google it

[@lt_johnmcclane]

@@TylerVance-km4ubI think it’s supposed to say Short Person lol I don’t know why they wrote their S like that

[@erivers71]

What an absolute genius music lesson by the GOAT himself. Wow, Victors perspective is absolutely genius.

[@billymcguiremusic]

Such a great, insightful video! Victor's such an amazing teacher and educator!

[@bassyey]

Great video. Always inspiring to watch how pros work things out. I'm not exactly new to reading sheet but I'm not good at it.

[@scottheffel3928]

Hey practice makes perfect and there are plenty of tricks you can use when reading sheet music to make your life easier and open yourself up for improvisation that will come in handy for when you do play a wrong note while sight reading Music Theory is just a foundation that is used as a support structure for when you need it You’ll get there if a high school kid that has a learning disability and got told by his teachers that they are worried that I’m going to fail music theory because it is the hardest class our school has before I even finished my fundamentals of music class and had to receive a grade of 90% or higher to even qualify for music theory the next year and was told that it is the music directors decision but you need to get his decision now or you won’t be allowed to sign up for music theory even if you somehow do manage to get the qualifying grade I was only halfway through the class when I went to the music director and told him that I would like to register for music theory next year but my guidance counselors and my teachers need me to know if I’m going to be eligible now because they won’t let me register for your class without your approval you know what he told me, register for the class I’ll deal with those who doubted you. And he did that day and when they tried getting the superintendent involved because if I was to fail music theory I would not be able recover my gpa and would be forced to repeat my junior year I was a sophomore at the time The same situation happened when I was in music theory the next year and wanted to register for jazz improv but I was told again that he needs to make the final decision because if I was to fail two elective classes I can kiss college goodbye Once again I told my music director this time he said you gotta be kidding me Scott register for the class I have your back and now I’m pissed this time ,register for the class and don’t worry no one holds you back and I’m going to make sure of that right now. Slight backstory my music teacher/music director was and still is even after he retired completely untouchable he was my high school’s biggest money maker and the school district biggest asset because of his ability to win championships in every high school music based competition there 20 straight national marching band titles had more but not in a row there was never a year during him being the director that our school didn’t win at least 2 national titles in any of the different types of competitions for different music genres he was completely untouchable and the school board new he new that his influence and dominance has ensured that the school music program will be granted $70,000 annually all the way into the distant future and that was put into action by him as a retirement gift to the school and to ensure that every student who wishes to play any instrument of any kind will be given their instrument of choice and lessons from world class instructors free of charge Anyway sorry for the crazy long reply But after the school did that again to me He gave the school an ultimatum He said that if you keep holding this kid back from doing what he loves without knowing how hard he tries in my class and never gives up even when he’s done it and not succeeded at something a hundred times he still doesn’t quit because he will accomplish it I’ve seen him do it when he was unable to sing a note that was out of his range but not impossible He never gave up and now he can sight sing with only hearing the root note. If you keep underestimating him then I will walk and take my staff ,sponsors and trustees with me. I found out that he did that for me the next year from one of the teachers who didn’t believe in me when I was the first to be accepted into college in my class Okay that’s it but never give up you get knocked down you get up again, I’ve been knocked down more times than rocky balboa but I never stayed down because this ginger has the eye of the tiger 🐅

[@johncook9983]

Fun stuff and VW’s guidance/instruction is an art in itself.

[@gillucas5305]

Comprei um amplificador hartke 800 em 1994 vendi para um amigo . Até hoje ele usa no som dele. Super aparelho. Muito bom. 30 anos prestando um bom serviço.❤

[@raikeyzofficial]

Super insightful stuff! thanks for this!

[@KeithCopeland778]

This is a very cool video!!! I really like Victor's approach to making sure the groove is solid first. Also, respecting the composer's idea while trying to make it better. As great as he is he is humble in admitting that he's going to make mistakes while the band works through the song! Reading and not sounding like you're reading while keeping your ears open is awesome advice.

[@paulkempkes8292]

Sweet. Seeing the chart would be valuable. Cheers, Vic!

[@jeremythornton433]

This is a brilliant lesson!

[@AlexW.-of6si]

Wowowowowow. So helpful to learn how they work. And also: „we dont have much time“ and then he starts a video to explain anything XD

[@michaelanderson4265]

Great video..!!!!!💯

[@mixc8]

Nice groove!

[@BARTFUNKBASS]

Incredible

[@ronwood7029]

Love victor such a cool guy and great player 😊

[@animulovers3881]

Awesome😍

[@rogerdat7807]

NOTE: No click track. Journeyman studio cats create the click within the groove, while recording one-take wonders. LOVE IT!

[@user-rk1ic9pq7r]

You have never been in a recording session.

[@rogerdat7807]

@user-rk1ic9pq7r Yes. Neither have I built, or operated recording studios for the past 20 years either.

[@joannalewis5279]

Just great

[@GrimFowler]

Victor's tone tho 🤯♥️♥️♥️

[@andreaszircher]

I love to get this insight in a real process in the studio. Thanks a lot! Would love to see more like that. What did they get from the composer as a lead sheet?

[@TheScepticalThinker]

This is so cool to see the pros rehearsing a song like that. What´s the name of it?

[@RonCarterBassist]

👍🏾👍🏾

[@christianboutot]

Even on only one string , Victor can groove ❤❤

[@scottheffel3928]

Hell give him one fret and I know you’re going to hear something special

[@andrewprather4559]

Yes He can groove on one swing!!

[@joaniepeters2565]

That makes me feel better that Vic makes mistakes with drop D. I’ve been playing in and out of that tuning for about 2 years now on a weekly basis and when I think I have a good hold on it I space it

[@bije9155]

Can i see the music sheet?

[@averypalmer9333]

Are they reading sheet music?

[@user-rk1ic9pq7r]

I never had this much time or freedom to digest anything in a Nashville studio. This is only afforded to guys like Vic who are hired because of their presence and reputation for more elite level cuts. You come into a pop, country or rock recording session and that shit is play the paper and do exactly what the producer and session leader expects in as few takes as possible.

[@jdb123ize]

Vic, you mentioned time is money in the studio. Ever since I’ve been a musician, it’s always been a rush job. Hurry up and get it done and get out, why is that. Let’s move away from the time is money thingy, let’s elaborate

[@scottheffel3928]

Think of it as waiting for a table at a restaurant the longer the wait the higher chance of potential customers leaving and spending money at another location

[@champ6436]

i honestly think that we will get away from that time is money thing. before you had to rent a studio, pay your ingineer etc but now so many people have home studio or at least some kind of home setup, and most younger musician now know of to use a daw and mix, it may not be a good pro mix but a lot of time it is. one advantage of a "true" studio is to use some big cab and mic, thing that you maybe couldn't do in a home setting, but nowaday a lot of musician don't use amp and baffle at all in the recording and would go DI with amp and cab sim.

[@jdb123ize]

@@scottheffel3928 I understand that

[@jdb123ize]

@@champ6436 sadly

[@davedave8608]

pRAISE God baby

[@68Goldfish]

Dang, Victor is one cool cat.

[@bornfuct]

step 1 be a top 5 in the world bass player and you will get work..

[@tonylee1794]

Is being a session bass player still a thing?

[@angrycarebear8631]

Mostly freelance these days

[@jeffgutierrez8796]

Is it just me or is KZbin deliberately ruining the video? It keeps interrupting the grove with ads. You tube's deliberately ruining the feel and flow of the video.

[@ludovicdhonow3398]

The trick about tune the E string a step down,i used to do it some years ago for the same reason. But it ia really very stricky,but once you get used to it,it can be quite amazing and some can be like wtf is going on before they notice.. 😂😂😂

[@mark-stefaniw]

Just think of the drop-D string as a mirror image of the 2nd D-string. Now you know where the notes are.

[@eriklunden5218]

I know I'm being dumb here, but I can't help but think of people tasked for doing the music to a porno taking it way too seriously.

[@chestermaton4830]

Amazing video! But the guitar is a little bit too loud...

[@hedekbass]

Step 1 be Victor Wooten Step 2 profit?

[@HDproducer1]

Love ya Victor but just bring a 5er to the session man! Lol.

[@greedygringoprospecting6941]

dont know anything about theory or sight reading.

[@pinkrocko5040]

Man… I never heard soooo many WRONG notes.. “Just turrible”(Charles Barkley voice) 😂😂😂 #funkygrooves

[@scottheffel3928]

Vic responds back with Larry bird voice im going to use these wrong notes to embarrass you and there’s nothing you can do about it 😂

[@jacqueslegault5593]

You should show the videos that matches the sound if you wanna keep the listeners (bassists) attentive for the whole video. It always drags my focus out of the lesson when the vid take is not the audio take. It feels like i'm not experiencing the real thing. Thanks