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Thursday, April 03, 2008

Obsolete, Gestation & Bass Player Magazine

It's been amazing being off the road. I don't even know where to begin. A lot has happen and I have a lot to share:

First and most important, I think it's about time that I announced to the world that Wendy and I will be having our first baby this late July! The world will soon feel the force who is to be Rocco Mateo Mitchell-Rivera. I've already started reading to him, playing music for him (nothing too crazy yet - just a lot of Francois Rabbath and Debussy). While on this last tour, I got a lot of advice from musician dads, namely Alanis' drummer Victor Indrizzo (father of three, one of the best drummers around and a real gentle spirit), and he told me to "get some sleep because you're going to need it." I'm encouraged by all these guys to see that they are out there working and making their family life happen. It's no picnic sometimes, but overall, I get a lot of the same sayings:

"I know a lot dads who live and work at 'home' and they never see their kids.'"

"At least when I'm home, I'm home."


Etc. Etc.

Only time will allow me the opportunity to work out a balance, and I'm up for the challenge and all the beauty that will come from it.

Second, I was recently in Bass Player Magazine. I must admit that I'm pretty stoked about that because I learned a lot from this mag and still check it from time to time. Below is the article (which is also on the web):

Mute Math's Roy Mitchell-Cardenas


By Brian Fox | March, 2008

Mute Math’s heady brew of rock, jazz, and pop has hit the spot among the musician set, and Roy Mitchell-Cardenas deserves some credit: His tuneful electric and upright chops are crisp as pilsner and ballsy as stout. Currently touring with Matchbox Twenty and Alanis Morissette, Roy and the boys create post-rock soundscapes that combine the raw intensity of the Police with Oingo Boingo’s brainy bounce.

How did you get your start in music?
I started out playing drums when I was a kid, and I thought of myself as a drummer for many years, playing in local punk bands and high school jazz band. After a friend gave me an old P-Bass for high-school graduation, I started playing whenever anyone needed a bass. Later, I had some formal training at University of North Texas and at Loyola University in New Orleans.

What carries over from your background as a drummer?
I think all bass players—all musicians, really—should learn drums. It helps you lock in, because you can better understand what a drummer is doing; you can speak the language and use those ideas on bass. All of us in Mute Math were drummers at one point, so we switch instruments onstage.

How did you start playing upright?
I’d always been into jazz and wanted an upright, but they were way too expensive. I grew up on the Texas border, and when I’d walk across to Mexico, I’d see these cheap old uprights. I bought one and took it to North Texas, but people wouldn’t stop laughing! I finally mustered up enough money and bought a ’50s Kay about ten years ago.

What’s your favorite amp for recording?
I’ve used Ampeg SVTs, but we got the best bass sounds using guitar amps. I used an old ’60s Maverick guitar amp, and for my own home recordings, I use a Fender Concert combo with four 10s. The grit and energy you can get from guitar amps seems to translate well on record. Live, I use a Mesa/Boogie 400+ head with a 4x12 cabinet. It’s somewhat like a guitar amp—I can turn up the gain to get some grit, and the 12s break up in a nice way.

What about basses?
I play mainly a ’78 P-Bass, and I also tour and record with the Kay. A New Orleans luthier named Sal helped me rig a P-Bass pickup at the end of the upright’s fingerboard, which really helps me get my live upright sound.

On the band’s live DVD, you play a fretless ’70s P-Bass with a maple fingerboard.
That’s a cool bass, but it was really just a substitute for the upright, which we couldn’t take on that tour. The Kay is the sound on the record, and live, it’s also more interesting visually.

You sometimes play with delay, which isn’t a very common effect for bass. How do you use it?
When you’re playing a kind of modal groove, the bass can start to sound chordal as notes start layering on top of one another. The trick is to not set the feedback too long.

What are you doing besides touring and recording?
On tour I get a lot of questions about bass, so I started my own blog [roymitchellcardenas.blogspot.com] with videos and lessons. That’s been fun, and it’s gotten a good response. Most of the posts come from fans asking questions. One guy asked me if our song “Obsolete” was in Dorian mode, so I made a video explaining how it was.
CAN BE HEARD ON

Mute Math, Mute Math [Teleprompt/Warner Bros., 2006]
Mute Math, Flesh & Bone Electric Fun (DVD), [Warner Bros., 2007]
CURRENTLY SPINNING

Radiohead, In Rainbows [ATO, 2008]
“I love the tastefulness of Colin Greenwood’s bass playing—his note selection, and where he chooses to play. It’s very inventive.”
GEAR

Basses ’78 Fender Precision Bass; ’50s Kay upright with D’Addario Helicore strings; fretless ’70s Fender Precision Bass

Rig Mesa/Boogie 400+ head with Mesa 4x12 cabinets; vintage Maverick and Fender Concert guitar amps

Effects Boss DD-5 Digital Delay pedal

“On the record I used a ’73 Fender Telecaster Bass, which is really woofy and boomy. The sound is so sub-y it’s almost synth-like. But it sounds too muddy to play live.”

Okay, there is a bit in here that may be construed as me having made a video for "Obsolete," which was not true until now. Check out the videos below:





Finally, I would like to pay my respects to the late, great Israel "Cachao" López (a monumental bassist/composer/musician/icon) who has greatly influenced me and countless others beyond comprehension.

Gracias Maestro Cachao por todas las inspiraciones que me haz dado. ¡Vivirás por siempre en mi corazón!


15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Congratulations on the baby stuff plus the interview.

Thanks for sharing! Have a great one.

Bertman316 said...

Ahhh. The cat's out of the bag. Since Carina and I found out about the baby at the MSG show we've been excited for you guys -- very hard not to talk about it, but we wanted to respect your privacy. So now that it's public, a great big CONGRATULATIONS to you and Wendy! Treasure these days.
God bless - Bert

Jessica said...

roy, you look very happy in these videos. congratulations!

Anonymous said...

congrats man!!! it seems everyone is having little boys here lately!... mine is 16 months old now.... and I must say he is a huge fan of mute math, he nods his head like a G when you guys are on in the car and if he is standing, he boogies down.... all of you guy's songs, and 15 step by radiohead, those are his dancing songs... beside yo gabba gabba of course...

I am very happy for you

Anonymous said...

Rocco cool name :)
congrats to you and Wendy!!
you'll be a great dad.
enjoy your time at home.
great advice to get lots of sleep.

hope you get to bring Rocco & Wendy on tour in the Fall. You should request your own tour bus :)

Check this one out...
http://www.winnebagoind.com/products/winnebago/view/index.php

It's the one I want because it runs on Diesel you get great fuel economy. Look into renting one so you can take the Fam on the road with you. If I can manage to buy one for my business we'll be touring around to lots of MM shows :)

Anonymous said...

the link didn't work.
Look for The View!

Melanie said...

I will say congrats to you and Wendy once again. I am very excited about both of you. Besides getting sleep when you can, the other thing to remember is that part of it doesn't last forever. Just when you think you can do it anymore, things change, and then you will look back and think it went by too fast. :) My favorite parental advice is that the best thing you can do for a hcild is to love your baby's mother. I don't think you have a problem there. :) I think I learned more about God from having kids than just about anything else in life.

As a non-bass player, I always enjoy the videos. I especially love how you make it look so effortless and easy. Your hard work and passion for the bass shows through. I was enjoying that second one so much I almost burnt the oatmeal cookies. LOL

Enjoy your summer! :)

God's blessings, Melanie

Melanie said...

I hope you can decipher my 15 mistakes in that last message. I'm excited FOR you and Wendy. LOL

(Just when you think you can't do it anymore, not can...)

hcild, should be child, of course... etc. etc. oops!

Unknown said...

I really enjoy being able to hear the songs with just the bass cause I can concentrate on it much better. And Man, that improv was hot kid! NE chance it'll be on the next album??? HAHA! Keep killing it, peace.

Anonymous said...

Roy, what a fantastic announcement you are becoming parents! Congrats. Wise idea about getting some extra sleep before the birth. Although those moments at night with the little one were always very special to me. Good luck!

Z

Anonymous said...

Cool! Congrats, Roy! I actually had a feeling she might be pregnant a bit ago (not sure why - maybe God put it on my heart) & added it (all that goes with a little one) to my prayers "just in case."

May God's blessing be on you, Wendy and little Rocco. (Sweet name, btw. I actually recently heard that name in a movie and liked it. I like Rocco, too. I think it fits.)

: )

Nathan RK said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nathan RK said...

Thanks for the upright instruction. I got mine on Thursday and everyone in the band smiled big when I busted out "Obsolete." Now I'm off to work on my modes some more... man my fingers are bruised.

Tash McGill said...

Woohoo.. blessings from Aotearoa, my friend. Congratulations to you and your beautiful wife! My deep and sincere prayers for you!

x arohanui tash

Anonymous said...

I am reading this article second time today, you have to be more careful with content leakers. If I will fount it again I will send you a link


Vintage cab used on MM debut (two 15" Jensen speakers).