FIRST BASS

ALEX RYAN

HOZIER

What was your way into bass?

My father taught me some basics when I was 11 or so. My older brother had taken up the guitar around that time, so it seemed natural to opt for the complementary instrument. From there, I just started learning bass-lines from the songs I was into. My first bass was a red P/J Yamaha four-string. A good starter, for sure.

What bass gear do you currently use?

I unofficially endorse Skjold basses. I play their Firedrake and Skjoldslayer, which are masterfully custom-made in the US by Pete Skjold. My custom Firedrake has a gorgeously-figured marblewood top and a bloodwood board and ramp, with a couple of custom touches. I tend to favor five-strings—the added depth can really contribute a lot in certain circumstances. I also officially endorse Gallien-Krueger MB Fusion 800 amps, and in addition I use a Darkglass B7K Ultra and Duality fuzz, plus a TC Electronic Polytuner.

What’s the best advice you can give us about playing bass?

Never play your instrument; always play music. I think it tends to be overlooked that a bass-player’s primary role is a harmonic one. We have the final say on what the nature of any given vertical sonority might be, and we can imply function and structure accordingly. Of course, rhythm is a huge factor in almost all styles and instances of music, but this is not exclusive to our instrument. Rhythm is everywhere. Functional pitch must be rendered correctly if it is to be understood, and our harmony is always defined from the ground up.

Who is, or was, the greatest bass player ever?

Tough one. It’s very hard to judge a player based purely on accessible examples; I feel the best way to truly gauge