Linda Bracamonte CD Lance Davis

What were your contributions on the new CD (instruments played, vocals)?

I played bass and tried to stay out of the way.

How did you prepare or what was your approach for the new CD?

Studio time is expensive and I didn’t want to be responsible for too many takes. I attempted to play more conservatively than I do in a regular performance. You never know — even Linda might turn all “James Brown” on you and hand you an invoice for every wrong note you played.

Do you have a special hat for recording in or a hat that is perfect for one of the new originals and why?

I believe I wore my “West Sacramento” ball cap in the studio, although I considered wearing my “Zorro” hat (with mask) or a Roman Centurion helmet (with breast plate). I think my hairline may be receding, so I try to protect my scalp, even from harsh, studio lighting.

Does the fretless bass allow you more options for bass lines and is it more difficult to play?

The fretless bass just has a character that is a little different from a standard, electric bass guitar. It can be more expressive. The attack, the swells and the glissando effect can be very pleasing to my ear and it seems especially appropriate on some songs. The

photo by linda bracamonte

challenge on the fretless is intonation. I could be in the same boat as a cellist or acoustic bassist in that regard if I didn’t cheat by having fret “lines” put on the neck to help me stay in tune. Heck, I still have intonation problems now and then but I try to cover it up by playing louder.

There is some great bass on the new CD. What special techniques do you use in your playing?

I don’t believe there’s much “special” about my technique. The lines I play are, for the most part, the bass lines Ema intended for me to play. I’m glad you enjoyed them.

How does your practicing ethic change for the studio versus live performances?

I can get away with a lot more sloppy playing at a live performance than I can in the studio, so I spent some time practicing to play the way I’m suppose to play: with a bit more precision. That also resulted in me playing a bit simpler and more to the point.

What was your current set up "from strings to amps" for the studio?

I brought my Fender Precision 4-string fretless and my Yamaha 5-string and Willy [Seltzer] handed me a cord which was connected to a box which was connected to another cord. From there the studio pixies do their magic. No bass amps were harmed in the making of this cd.

What is the greatest advice you could offer a kid just starting out on bass?

Take lessons. Learn to read music. Don’t limit

photo by nancy stegemann

yourself to just one style of music. Be willing to try different genres. Be cautious of drummers and don’t accept “candy” from trumpet players.

Are there any set routines that you go through to get ready for a recording session or do you prepare differently for each song (like slamming tequila or stroking a lucky rabbit’s foot)?

During this particular recording session I was fighting the onset of a cold, so I huffed a lot of Zicam and Vicks lozenges between takes.

What were the biggest challenges and the most enjoyable moments of the recording sessions?

The most enjoyable moments were those when everyone agreed that we didn’t hear any mistakes in the last take. The biggest challenges were getting used to hearing the band through headphones, not tripping over all the wires, and remembering to take those headphones off before walking to the bathroom.

BO ELY CD INTERVIEWS
linda bracamonte | ema roberts | lance davis | john swanson | matt kaiser

BO ELY 2006/07 INTERVIEWS
linda bracamonte | ema roberts | lance davis | john swanson | matt kaiser

bo ely cd interview: with lance davis, bass guitarist
linda bracamonte — i know the difference between a sad song and the blues