stuart hamm

highlights from just outside of normal

Example 1
This is the opening bass motif from the album’s opener, ‘The Obligatory Boogie’. This quick-paced line is slapped
throughout and contains several Stu Hamm trademarks, including the slapped and popped unison notes (open G
and the G at the fifth fret of the D-string) and chordal doublestops. The chordal doublestop in the second bar is an
open G-string against a Bb, which is bent upwards in pitch to a B natural, making a chord of G. This is something
that Stu uses often in his slap lines and can also be heard on tracks such as ‘Sexually Active’, from his 1988 debut
album Radio Free Albemuth.

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Example 2
Example 2 is the opening melody from ‘The Clarinet Polka’. This traditional Polish clarinet piece has been adapted
here for the bass guitar as a ‘sequel’ to the classic Stu Hamm track ‘Country Music’ from his debut album. The
intro crowd skit was also featured on the earlier track.
Example 3
Example 3 is the bass solo break from the album’s most unusual track, ’Big Roller’. This uptempo swing number
showcases a completely different side to Stu’s playing and writing and this quick solo features a wealth of ideas
that will keep most bassists busy for months. Watch out for the ascending C minor arpeggio in the fifth bar: Stu
uses an open string as a jump point to the second octave, an upright bass technique that Stu often employs in his
melodic lines.