Chris Bonner on SoundBetter

Chris Bonner, a multi-instrumentalist with a background in jazz, is a largely experienced bassist, producer, composer and educator.

Chris is a bassist, producer, composer and educator based in New York. At one with the bass, he’ll deliver exactly what you need for your track, whatever the genre.

A professional session bassist with over 20 years experience, Chris Bonner has performed and recorded with the likes of The Lone Bellow, Grace McClean and John Scofield. His playing can be heard on major motion picture soundtracks such as The Clovehitch Killer (Dylan McDermott, Charlie Plummer), Clown (Eli Roth) and Robot and Frank (Jake Schreier).

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Credits

10 Reviews - 2 Repeat Clients

Endorse Chris Bonner

by Brian W.
Verified
Chris is the best. Very tasteful and always is additive to the tracks we work on together.
by Mark T.
Verified
Tremendous playing again, the exact balance of drive, tone and openness I was looking for on the track. Always provides a range of excellent takes to choose from, and a quick turnaround as well. Always a great experience working with Chris.
by Mark T.
Verified
Chris is a delight to work with, always delivers a maximum result. Can't wait to work with him again.
by Mark T.
Verified
Always great to work with Chris, an inspiring and creative bassist who delivers every time.
by Mark T.
Verified
A great pleasure to work with such an outstanding bass player. Chris has a wonderfully fluid style that allows his playing to sit firmly within the song but still have its own seamless character. Always fantastic work.
by Mark T.
Verified
Tremendous bassist! A pleasure to be working with Chris again.
by Mark T.
Verified
Chris is a wonderful bass player, adds great movement and harmonic texture, while still fitting effortlessly with the overall song direction and tone. Highly recommended
by Emmanuel T.
Verified
Awesome working with Chris. He is the go to guy.
by Emmanuel T.
Verified
Awesome working with Chris
by Tim Rose
I worked with Chris on several tracks with my band, The Sun Sawed in 1/2 as well as on some blues and soul songs I was producing. Chris has the groove in his soul. His playing is flawless and his passion for getting a stellar performance kept me coming back to him again and again. I couldn't be happier with his musical skills. A+

Interview with Chris Bonner

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Matt Chamberlain, Steve Jordan, St. Vincent . . .too many!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Rock, R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Funk
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I provide a high level of consideration for each track, and am particularly good at taking direction and adjust my approach based on clients' vision.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring a wide knowledge of genres that allows me to hone in on a bass approach that supports and enhances the track.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I frequently work collaboratively with clients in real time. Clients join via Zoom, and I provide a high quality audio stream of the session via AudioMovers. I generally like to have material one day in advance, but can turn around a recording more quickly if necessary. I also can provide remote sessions, where I receive materials and record tracks by the following day.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My interface is an Apollo Twin X (2 channels), expandable to 10 channels via adat. I record electric bass through an all-tube direct input (Retrospec Juicebox), and can provide amp tracks as well. For upright, I generally provide two different mic tracks, most often with a ribbon mic (Royer R10) and a dynamic mic (EV RE20). I also have a large diaphragm condensor (AKG 414), as well as several other microphones.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: The bassist that has inspired me most is James Jamerson. The artists that inspire me most are Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Aretha Franklin. More recently I've been a fan of Phoenix, Dua Lipa, and Phoebe Bridgers, to name a few.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I record tracks on electric bass for songwriters and composers in film and television.