Session bassist and multi instrumentalist with 25 years experience. Live TV experience on BBC1, sessions for BBC Radio and various singer songwriters. International experience in Europe and Asia, performances at O2 Wireless Festival London and other UK festivals. Qualified musician and sight reader with a professional home recording setup.
I can record electric bass on your tracks on my 1977 MusicMan StingRay or 98 Fender Jazz direct via a Focusrite interface into Protools Artist and via an amp interface to give you at least two tracks. I can work from wav stems or mp3 and can record to a click track or over an existing drum track, whatever you have.
I also play guitar, piano and drums, however, offering remote electric bass recording only for now but can do lead and rhythm guitar parts if needed as an extra on a Fender Strat USA Deluxe using Amplitube amp sims to get a range of guitar tones. I love creating and collaborating on new music. I can sight read, read charts/Nashville numbering. I've uploaded some simple bass grooves here as samples. I play fingerstyle primarily, however, can do pick or slap if required; whatever serves the song best. I can create bass lines from scratch, record a specific piece, retrack an existing midi line or if you just want a different tone or feel on something you already have.
My influences are Lee Sklar, Dee Murray, Yolanda Charles, Gail Ann Dorsey, Tony Levin, John Deacon, Pino Palladino, Guy Pratt, James Jamerson (I learnt to sight read from "Standing in the shadows of Motown"), Nate Watts, Stefan Redtenbacher and Ryan Madora.
Let me know more about your project by getting in touch via the 'Contact' button.
Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.
Languages
- English
Interview with Simeon Hassall
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Very versatile, I've studied lots of different players and having spent many years playing in function bands it exposed me to a wide variety of different playing styles which inevitably seeps into your own style which is kind of a morph of your own uniqueness with all of these other approaches coming through. Typically though it's keeping a bass line as simple as possible and focussing on the tone and clarity of each note.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started playing at 15, then studied music from 1998 to 2001 and immediately following that I went straight into recording and playing in function bands. I then setup a private teaching business before starting to work as a session player with singer songwriters which is where I gained my studio experience.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: For bass players, it's so important not to have unwanted string noise such as a string other than the one you're playing ringing through when you're recording. Focus on your right and left hand muting to avoid this. Rick Beato has a great video on this.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Singer songwriter stuff so usually Americana, country, folk, pop rock, indie.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I have a good ear and can work out a part quickly.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I'm really inspired by so much of Rick Rubin's work and his whole approach to getting the best out of the artist by coaching them to push themselves to be the best they can be. Rick Beato is an inspirational producer just in terms of his musical ability and the great content that he produces. When it comes to bass players there are so many but the ones that really stick out for me are Leland Sklar, for his whole approach to working with artists and creating music, Yolanda Charles is really inspirational for how she's branched out and created her own band around her bass playing.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: 1977 StingRay bass, Focusrite interface, laptop, headphones and a cable!
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I really try to lift a song to the next level with a great bass part and tone that supports the essence of what the artist has created. If I think I can contribute beyond a bass line, for example an arrangement or new part then I will suggest it but take no offence if it's not used! Ultimately, I want to create a great line that moves people to really connect with a song or, just dance to it!
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Typically, I get a piece of recorded music and spend time listening to it and work out a part by ear. I'm equally comfortable if someone wants me to play a specific line or part and has something transcribed out.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: It's really simple. I plug my basses straight into my Focusrite Scarlett interface which goes straight into my laptop tracking into Protools. It's a very similar setup to what session legend Leland Sklar, and I figure if that's good enough for him it's certainly good enough for me! It keeps things really simple, I prefer to focus on a great bass part and not having too many devices between my fingers (the instrument) and the recorded part.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Creating a great bass part from scratch that complements the song.
I was the Bass player in this production
- Bass ElectricAverage price - $25 per song
I'll send an mp3 of your bass track, if you're happy and want to use it then I'll send the WAV. Please allow 2 - 3 days turnaround and I can do up to 2 revisions.
- 1977 MusicMan Stingray
- 1998 Fender Jazz
- Focusrite Scarlett 414
- Markbass cmd 102p
- 2011 USA Fender Stratocaster
- Orange Tiny Terror
- Kawai CN29 digital piano
- Alesis electric drums
- Protools with Ampeg SVT Suite plugin
