How to Piccolo Bass - Episode 2: Tone & Improvisation Lesson

[@ScottWhitley]

💥 Comment below and include #piccolobass to win a brand new set of GHS Piccolo Bass strings & more!!! 💥 Download the free PDF worksheet: www.scott-whitley.com/learn-piccolo-bass-lesson-2-improvising-worksheet/ Download the free backing track: www.scott-whitley.com/how-to-piccolo-bass-lesson-2-backing-track/

[@mikeedwards1959]

I been playing my regular bass for quite a while now and always thought of the piccalo bass as bit of a gimmick a bit like headless basses from the 80s but having watched your videos and seeing you play i think I need one now.

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks Mike. You do - definitely lol!! 😂

[@congerscott6064]

Love piccolo bass, it has become my favorite 👍🏆.

[@ScottWhitley]

I love it too!! :)

[@ChrisHardyWorld]

I've been playing acoustic solo gigs on piccolo bass since 2011 and have written & recorded many albums since then with my 4-stringed little friends. People at my gigs usually ask if it's a big ukulele and I usually try not to be insulted, haha.

[@howardparks6478]

I know the contest is over now, but I started getting into piccolo bass. My regular bass is a Squier Affinity Jaguar Bass, but I bought a Squier Bronco Bass recently, and I had the latter bass, the Bronco, converted to a piccolo bass. I used the D'Addario strings for my conversion. When I had the strings installed, I didn't have to get a new nut, but the truss rod did get some adjusting. I love playing on it and I've been learning some stuff on it, as well. #piccolobass

[@daveboehle6027]

Wow! I have never heard of piccolo bass....what a great concept.....thanks scott stay safe.

[@ScottWhitley]

Cheers, Dave! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@anthonysmith-uw2lo]

piccolo bass has a wonderful sound, more bass players should try it. Your piccolo bass sounds great, all the best.

[@stevepethel6843]

Good music and good instructional scales...

[@samcockrell]

I love it must add it to my thing.

[@jdubbs9655]

Scottmeister!, I just had my old 5-string Vester bass converted over to a Piccolo Bass. I'm going in! I had a brass nut installed and cut to fit my Curt Mangan 5-string Piccolo Bass strings. I look forward to this new journey! Thank You For That Voodoo That You Do!

[@ScottWhitley]

You're welcome and that sounds awesome!! Cheers, Scott.

[@nicolasmith1460]

This is a huge area that few are teaching or are interested in presently. I love this music range on the bass and I think it has huge potential in bands. Well done Scott. You’re a genius teacher. Bring us more on this please. 😁

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks very much, Nicola - very much appreciated!!

[@shaunpbass8351]

Thats a well funky track...love it🎸👍 #piccolobass Love what you're doing here Scott using the bass as a lead guitar(kinda) & the sounds it creates. Also like the way you introduce a bit of theory in there as well. Keep up the work👍

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks for the comments - much appreciated!! :) Cheers, @Shaun P Bass. Scott.

[@billwilkie4874]

Am new to bass playing, but #piccolobass just sounds so good. Have to look out for a cheaper second bass to give it a try. Thanks Scott.

[@ScottWhitley]

Cheers, Bill - glad you like the idea of it. Thanks for the hashtag competition entry too! Scott.

[@moomingchichi]

#piccolobass I have never played a piccolo bass before but am thinking to convert one of my short scale basses into one and try it by myself.

[@ScottWhitley]

I highly recommend it - thanks for the comment and the competition entry! :)

[@bassistamalato]

Scott, great stuff as always! Straight to the point

[@ScottWhitley]

Thank you - much appreciated!! 🌝

[@raphaeldukhan]

Long time subscribed to the channel but I must say that this new format is fantastic. Literally rediscovering it. Missed some of the past live series, but going through them this weekend and I absolutely love it. Your wife presence is a lovely refreshing addition. Makes these sessions really intimate as if we were part of your close friends. Bravo! 👏🏽 And as for the Piccolo series, it has been said already, first time I've seen this topic addressed with such thoroughness and fun. You might even be, In my opinion, the only one who did it actually. Ordering three sets from the "link in the description below" Now!! 😃 Really love the channel #piccolobass

[@ScottWhitley]

Hi Raphael - thanks SOOO much for taking the time to write! Very much appreciated. This is great feedback - especially coming from a long time subscriber. It's great to know that in pushing forward I'm not losing interest from existing subscribers - in fact from what you've said it's improving things all round which is (of course) what I'm aiming to do. Basically I want to add as much value to the channel as possible. Thanks re Janet - I'll pass on your comments. I agree and I think I'm so lucky to have her as my "secret weapon" in the live streams. It allows me to concentrate on the content and not worry about trying not keep up with the comments and questions. Also glad the Piccolo Bass stuff is of interest. I have a few more of those vids to do so keep your eyes peeled. Thanks again - keep in touch, Scott.

[@mjmorgan-maloosefingers9135]

I need to learn piccolo bass

[@rayboyle7611]

#piccolobass that was so good to watch scott i'm gonna give that a go at the weekend . I'd be so happy to win the strings to see how different the sound is compared to the used rotosound strings as off mark kings bass that i bought in 2018 cos that was the last concert before all the covid started.Hope you and jan are ok keep the content coming mate good job as always.👍🎸👍

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks Ray - much appreciated! We're doing ok thanks. Thanks for the hashtag competition entry - best of luck for the draw! :)

[@peterbarratt2415]

#piccalobass. I am enjoying your videos in general and Piccolo bass sessions in particular. I am a beginner bassist and am particularly attracted to the tonality of the Piccolo bass. Like you just cannot get on with the guitar except simple fingerstyle arrangements. I have got a couple of basses which I am going to try out setup with Piccalo strings . At the moment I have been happy to continue to develop my skills on bass but the time is coming for me to put those strings on and go for it. I listen to Karl and Alex others and a pale imitation of those kinds of arrangements will suit me just fine!

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks for your comments, Peter - much appreciated. I think you'll enjoy having a dabble immensely. Keep in touch and let me know how you get on when you put those strings on... :) Also - hashtag noted which means I'll enter you into the draw. Thanks again, Peter, Scott.

[@ScottWhitley]

You won the strings, Peter! Check it out in the video below (sincere apologies for the missing 't'). Just drop me an email on [e-mail] with your address and I'll get them out to you!! Scott. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHPWhZerobWnr8k

[@lucodin8353]

hello scott great video. can I have the settings of the fx? the link does not work . Thanks a lot

[@bahiodj5566]

Please, Walking bass thumb finger while chords or arpegios with other fingers at same time technique explain. 🙏🏻

[@kellnola]

a 5 (or 6) string would open up all kinds of voicing possibilities with chords ... is there such a thing as a short scale 5-6 string? the short scale also makes chords a lot easier in 1st position, huh? Never tried one. Love the sound in general, but especially the strumming

[@markbass354]

SOUNDS REAL GOOD SCOTT, MUCH THANKS, YOU PLAY IT WELL, I WANNA LEARN THIS PICCOLO THING #PICCOLOBASS

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks, Mark - It's a lot of fun.

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks for the competition entry too, Mark!

[@markbass354]

@@ScottWhitley COOL

[@ScottWhitley]

You won a signed copy of my coloured vinyl single, Mark! :-) Drop me an email on [e-mail] with your address and I'll get that off to you... Scott. P.S. I can send the CD if you'd rather - just let me know in the email. :-)

[@bassistamalato]

Scott I have a fretless which would love to use woth piccolo strings Do you know what set I spuld use for a 5 string tuned e to c? I love MManring and he is a genius of piccolo bass #piccolobass

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks for the competition entry! :) Not sure off the top of my head - will look into it. Yeah - Manring is off the scale!!

[@alainbrasseur7083]

#piccolobass I never think about it until now but I began playing bass with a piccolo bass... Well, to tell the truth, it was on an old acoustic spanish guitar without high b and e strings, which belung to my elder brother.

[@ScottWhitley]

Cheers, Alain - hope you're well. I guess that's essentially playing piccolo bass - nice 1! Hope you're well.

[@tea2920]

can I tune a bass with piccolo strings like a regular bass? I don't really play bass lines on my bass, I mostly play chords and tapping so I might change the strings to piccolo but even if I don't play bass lines I think it's important to be able to do it

[@wheattoast1971]

Yes you can! In fact in number 1 he said it’s tuned E A D G like a standard bass just an octave higher. When I had mine though, mind you it’s been years, I could not actually hit that high. I actually didn’t want to. For me, I love Zander Zon’s tuning. For me, I play some guitar too, among other things but bass is my primary. Therefore, as cool as playing guitar lines is, I want it to be different from just a bass tuned like a guitar. I don’t want to tune it in 4ths like the bottom strings of a guitar. And I don’t want to tune it like DGCF, like the top four strings of a seven string bass. So I like the tunings C#F#BE. Still bright compared to a bass, but at its bottom notes a C#2 is still pretty bassy. Especially with the dissonance of the other notes, and the proper tone giving it that bass punch you just don’t get on guitar. Listen to Zander Zons duets with his electric cello and you’ll see what I mean!

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks for stepping in, Simon. Like you say - exactly same as a regular bass but an octave higher.

[@waltermitty5883]

Yay!

[@ScottWhitley]

I guess you caught the shout-out?! ;)

[@waltermitty5883]

@@ScottWhitley yes! Haha… love the tonality of piccolo bass, very jazzy. Thanky!

[@mikeedwards1959]

#piccalobass I thought I'd enter the competition just on the off chance I might win something even though ive never won anything in my life, not even an argument 😁

[@ScottWhitley]

Hey Mike - nice 1. You have as good a chance as any. Mind you - I totally relate lol.

[@daviddesmond2143]

Piccalo bass is an oxymoron. It is not in the register of a bass-it is in the register of a guitar. Just play a guitar and enjoy the 2 extra strings. This is a waste of time.

[@ScottWhitley]

Thanks for these wonderful enlightening words, David. The world needs more like you.

[@foljs5858]

Yes, and synths will kill music, rock and roll is the devil's music, disco sucks, swing is too improper dance, and other BS from people who can't understand or support anything not conventional. Doesn't matter if it's an oxymoron, it's just a name, and it's not about the register, but because it uses the body of a bass guitar. Simple as that. And "just play a guitar" is useless advice, because guitars don't give that tone. Only picollo bass has that tone. Instruments aren't defined by number of strings, but by their use and tone. A picollo bass has different tone, use, and role than a bass or a guitar. And even if David Desmond doesn't like it, Miles Davis liked it enough to have a picollo bass in his band. But what does he know, right?