How Michael Manring Changes Tuning While Playing

00:00 Sneak Preview
00:12 Anthony Intro
02:21 Michael Manring Hyperbass Bridge
09:28 Tetrahedron Performance
10:00 Hipshot Headstock Tuners
12:55 Ending
Here is a very in-depth video about ‪@michaelmanring1‬'s custom signature Hyperbass model by Zon Guitars. It has Hipshot Bass XTenders on each string and a custom, mechanical bridge. The instrument was built specifically for Michael's use of dynamic tuning.
Learn more about the Hyperbass: www.zonguitars.com/zonguitars/...
Learn more about the Hipshot Bass Extenders: hipshotproducts.com/collectio...
Learn more about Michael and his music: manthing.com
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[@ManCaveStudio]

The Bridge alone is an engineering master piece. They took the Steinberger Trans-Trem idea to a entirely new level. Thank you for making this video. This is the most detailed video I have seen on the mechanics of this bass. A while ago I was at NAMM and was at the Zon booth. I saw the Hyberbass on the wall and picked it up to play it. I was playing with the levers trying to understand how the system worked. To my surprise Michael was right behind me. What I did not realize is that he was just about to play and I took his bass to play with it. I apologized but Michael was so kind. He said no worries go ahead and continue to check it out. What a gentleman!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

What a great story, and what a representation of Michael's generosity. He is a greater human than he is a bassist, and that says a lot!

[@TonyG111]

In the 50 years I’ve been listening to music and playing acoustic guitar and bass, I have NEVER seen anything like this! Astonishing!!!

[@BrokenWingman]

Check out his song Selene. (there's a performance on KZbin) It is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard.

[@johncaccioppo1142]

Thonk with Alex Skolnick, Steve Morse, Steve Smith and Tim Alexander is one of my all time favorite albums. It's funny I've never heard anyone talk about it, it's incredible! Even worse it's out of print... but it's on YT, gratefully.

[@bentrolley4316]

It just recently got added to streaming services as well, if that's of any use to you

[@TavisAllen]

Thanks for mentioning Thonk. I listened to it today (on Amazon Music) for - maybe - the first time, despite long knowing of its existence. It is good! I mentioned Jon Gomm elsewhere in this comment section; Yvette Young's style, guitarist for Covet, also comes to mind as reminiscent of what Michael Manring did 28 years ago!

[@UrinationNation]

Some of the stuff from Attention Deficit was excellent, also with Skolnik and Alexander, some Crimsonish stuff. The songs Scapula and Unclear, Inarticulate Things come to mind.

[@TavisAllen]

@@UrinationNation Will give this a go, thanks!

[@alexsf4248]

I like to say: “Paganini, Bottesini, Hendrix, Manring”, for Michael has created a new language for the Bass. The combination of the Hyperbass possibilities, Michael’s virtuosity and vision has given the new generations of Bassist endless inspiration. 🙏

[@gonetoearth2588]

I met Manring in 1986 jamming with the late great M. Hedges. Guy is the nicest dude ever...followed his career since the Unusual Weather days....brilliant stuff...thanks for this!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

You’re welcome

[@bikershark9]

I love this dude so much

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

He loves you too, DR.

[@darrenmichaels]

Thanks for the detail of this bridge! The engineering behind it seems to be a mix of a Floyd Rose, harp sharpening tuners, Steinberger drop D bridge, and a C extension for upright bass. It's neat to see the amalgamation and evolution of ideas. That's exactly how Music evolves. It may just be how we humans are wired. I also dig how chill Manring is about the use of this bridge and Hipshot Xtenders. Every bassist I've heard using detuners in a performance capacity takes a page from his book. When it comes to the Xtenders, we're all stacking upon the path he pioneered. That's a pretty dang cool thing.

[@TavisAllen]

I dig what you wrote, but as Mr. Manring said "cams", wouldn't a Kahler, and not a Floyd Rose, be more accurate?

[@cletusbeauregard1972]

@@TavisAllen or the old Washburn Wonderbar

[@TavisAllen]

@@cletusbeauregard1972 I had to look this up. Do you have any experience with one?Seems most people hated it. The things companies come up with to avoid infringing on patents, or paying a licensing fee!

[@cletusbeauregard1972]

@@TavisAllen Very little; a musician friend of mine back in the day had a Washburn guitar that came equipped with one. He loved it, but on the occasions where he let me play it, I didn't use it much. His stayed in tune very well, but that dude was a master at tweaking his guitars to do exactly what he wanted.

[@alexanderkatashov8824]

He is an astonidhably creative performer.I simply can not express what I feel about him and the music behind this bizarre world.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Agreed!

[@BrianLottermann]

One of my absolute fav solo bassists! He's got some amazing records out, very soothing stuff

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Some soothing, some disturbing. hahaha. Thanks, Brian

[@AlexandrMisko]

Just amazing, thank you so very much for such a detailed explanation! Michael is a legend and a huge inspiration for me.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

You're very welcome!

[@angusorvid8840]

Reminds me a lot of the great Adrian Legg, a guitarist who will change tunings several times in the middle of a song. Very cool.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I grew up on Adrian's instructional vid with those banjo tuners. I should do a piece on that. Maybe he'll come back to Arizona sometime. Thanks, Angus.

[@MikeKobb]

Incidentally, there's at least one piece where Michael gets *yet another* pitch out of the Hipshot, by grabbing the tuner and pulling it to a sharper pitch than its standard pitch. That's a "by ear" thing. Oh, and during The Enormous Room, he also needed another note, so he cranks the tuning key at the appropriate moment while ALSO flipping the Hipshot lever. I don't know if he still has to do that now that the Double Shot exists.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

He still does this!

[@MikeKobb]

@@MakeWeirdMusic I wonder why. Maybe it's outside the range of the DoubleShot or something. I know he used to do on-the-fly retuning manually before he got the Hyperbass, so I guess he has plenty of practice!

[@ayyohwinning]

@@MikeKobb yeah i'd guess that it's more that he's more used to doing it the old fashioned way haha

[@nothingmuch8865]

Thank you for taking so much time to professionally document this level of detail for a true artist!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

So glad you appreciate it. I can't believe no one has gotten into that level of detail with him before. It's so helpful to understand how it works.

[@aussiecoastie72]

Fantastic video !

[@cd0u50c9]

Making that bridge, learning to operate it and then making unique unrepeatable music out of that bass are all art forms, and Michael Manring is one of the rare names that fits the terms innovator, unique and virtuoso.

[@paulsimmons5726]

That bridge unit is insane! And I thought setting up the intonation was a few little adjustments... Well, my theory goes out the window with his bass. Amazing piece of kit for an incredible bassist. Great video, thanks for posting!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Absolutely. I've been fascinated with it for years.

[@eightfifty2309]

thanks for sharin this with us! Never thought such technology can exist on a bass bridge like that before. Mustve been a nightmare to maintain tho.

[@bassbass9175]

Thank you so much for uploading this video. It's great that we have a go-to video how tuning-change works.

[@falschnehmung]

this is where tech and talent meet - not just another "gadget" - but made to measure for someone who knows what and how to do, to explore, to investigate, to develop - soooo inspiring ... !

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

And he makes it look so easy

[@leograndovic5171]

Absolutely amazing!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Thanks Leo!

[@leograndovic5171]

@@MakeWeirdMusic I'm a "night owl" and a lot of nights, I use Michael's music as a background

[@ericsanders5357]

..no longer a teenager,...but still fasinated by this man's Music.💜💛🎵

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Same here. Thanks, Eric.

[@soundcanvas1450]

wow CoOL tuning control set up / Small moments 💯👋

[@laura.sefchik]

Thank you for this most joyful "instructional" video. Michael Manring -humble LEGEND who brings so much joy into the world :) Making beautiful "weird" music :) 🥰MWM

[@crieverytim]

Definitely would have led with a performance - think you would have gotten more views and more appreciation for this guy - incredible piece of hardware. And impressive playing and engineering

[@EddieG1888]

That bass is absolutely insane! I would be completely lost trying to get back to normal tuning!

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I know! I can't even imagine operating in a paradigm where that's your "normal." Michael is a monster. Thanks, Eddie

[@EddieG1888]

@@MakeWeirdMusic He is indeed, mad skills on that bass, not least of all remembering where you've got all the levers set at any given time! And, a lot of people would apply random lever flicking to make the music for them, MIchael's composition are all well considered, and harmonically make perfect sense. He knows what he's doing at all times.

[@mileguitar]

Thank you on such a great video, do you mind to talk a little bit about a strings that he uses?

[@tranquilitybase6417]

This bass inspired me to work with a builder to design a similar approach on a guitar.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Wow, keep us apprised

[@aussiecoastie72]

Incredible bass - but Michael could make any bass sound amazing 🤩

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Very true

[@anomymouse5043]

Michael M. and Michael Hedges (RIP, respect) should have had a composition, where MM would slide with levers and MH would slide to notes with Steinberger Trans-Trem. Sadly this won't happen :-( Maybe Michael M. could collaborate with another Trans-Trem user? Or with pedal steel player?

[@cletusbeauregard1972]

I shouldn't have watched this so early in the morning. Now I'm gonna be dizzy all day.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Yeah, you should hear the rest of our discussion. I literally had to stop the interview because my head hurt. No, I'm not joking.

[@MikeKobb]

@@MakeWeirdMusic Where/how can we hear that?

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Coming later.

[@MikeKobb]

@@MakeWeirdMusic Well, I guess I'll just have to subscribe so I don't miss it! :-)

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

That’s the spirit! Haha. Thanks Mike

[@crushingthevector5837]

Thonk!!

[@anomymouse5043]

I have a perverted idea, and I apologize it beforehand! Michael should get in contact with French musician/producer Igorrr. IMO Michael's bass playing, especially with ebow, would fit perfectly into Igorrr's crazy world.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

That is quite perverted hahaha

[@wormbass6747]

10:50

[@ralphhenderson7270]

Looks like he uses guitar strings on his Zon bass?

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

I asked him about that and it's not the case. I think he called them "piccolo bass strings"

[@ralphhenderson7270]

@@MakeWeirdMusic Do you know what the string gages are?....I remember that Mark King had a special guage made for him,....30-50-70-90's.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Try reaching out to Michael on social media. I don’t have the answer.

[@MichiganNS]

@@MakeWeirdMusic Last I heard in 2020 he uses the standard Piccolo Bass Strings by D'Addario. D'Addario EXL280 Nickel Wound Piccolo Bass 52-42-32-20. I also own a Hyperbass and had emailed him about this. Not sure if he has changed since 2020 as one can get custom gages from D'Addario, I have a few odd singles from them, but use the stock Zon strings instead as the Low E is slightly heavier than the EXL280.

[@dfinedigital]

One or two question ....he creates the instrument ..? ...

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

He co-designed the instrument with Joe Zon.

[@mikymetalbassist9543]

Non capisco come fa... Io lo avevo ma quando lo usavo l accordatura non era mai giusta...☹️☹️

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

You need a PhD to play this bass haha

[@mainsblanches8793]

That's what happens when you played with Hedges for so many years!!...

[@TavisAllen]

I'd consider Jon Gomm to be a communal spirt to Michael Manring with regards to manipulating tuning machines in the service of musical expression.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Care to share a link to show what you're talking about?

[@TavisAllen]

@@MakeWeirdMusic Certainly! "Passionflower" essentially launched his career, which Gomm gratefully acknowledges in a 10-year anniversary video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIqaeKF3ppuNpNk Gomm uses banjo pegs to manipulate the strings. (Update) Yup, he still be doing his thang! kzbin.infovideos

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Ohhh yeah, I remember this guy! Adrian Legg also used this technique back starting in the 80s or so. I had his instructional video and watched it incessantly.