Chris Tarry: Hi Adam
and thanks for taking the time to
chat with us here
at
Active Bass. You and I have known each other for quite
some time now and it's great to get a chance to talk
with you for
Active Bass. Can you start out by telling us a bit about
yourself and how
you got started playing bass.
Adam Nitti: My mother's side of the
family
was
the more
arts-oriented side. My
grandfather was a very accomplished violinist, pianist,
and composer, and my
grandmother was a very talented artist. Most of their 6
children were
artistic in one way or another. I showed an interest in
music at a very
young age, and I can remember tinkering with my toy
guitar and drumset
constantly, always pretending as if I was playing in a
band. My mother also
played piano, and when I was around 8 years old she
and my father started me
on classical piano lessons.
I continued studying until I
was around 13, and
a year later I decided to take up electric bass so I could
join my friends'
rock band. At that time I was doubling on keys and
bass, trying to emulate
players like Geddy Lee of Rush who was one of my first
bass heroes. I liked
playing the bass so much that I eventually stopped
playing keyboards in the
band. Since then, I haven't turned back, although I still
compose mostly on
the keyboard.
CT: You use some very
advanced technique on tracks
throughout both your
albums. What are some of the extended techniques
you have developed over
the years?
AN: When I was 16 I started to experiment with
a sweep
arpeggio technique that I
eventually incorporated into my soloing. Some have
identified it as a
trademark of my 'style', but I don't know that I would ever
say that,
myself. It's just a neat-sounding approach that I worked
to make more
musical over the years.
I have also spent a lot of time
working on a slap
bass/classical fingering hybrid approach that will be
featured in many
tracks on my new record. It is kind of in the spirit of the
'open-hammer-pluck' sound that Victor Wooten has
made famous, but taken in a
different direction. My approach is not quite as
aggressive; it combines
slap thumb technique with traditional fingerstyle playing
you might identify
with a classical guitarist.
Beyond that, I've written
several two-handed
pieces that cover both harmony and melody on the 6
string bass. I'm still
searching, though...
Adam Layin It Down!
Adam Nitti
Live. |
CT: Tell us a bit about
how you approach composition.
Do you compose on
the
bass or mostly use the piano/keyboard?
AN: Most of my writing is on the keyboard, but
there are
instances where I'll
write around a previously composed bassline. It's really
never the same
approach for each song. I really like composing on
keyboards, because it
forces me to be inspired away from the bass. So often
our hands get into
ruts of muscle-memory, and we find ourselves
re-hashing the same things over
and over again. I really enjoy 'stabbing away' at the
keyboard without
necessarily thinking too much about the theory of
composition. However,
there are times when I'll hear the complete song in my
head, and from then
on it's just a matter of getting the parts recorded, piece
by piece.
CT: With the succesfull
release of two bass fronted
albums is there any
advice you can give bass player's out there wanting to
release their own
solo albums?
AN: I would say to keep your expectations low,
and then
enjoy the progress
and/or success that follows. I don't mean that in a
cynical way; Instead, I
am saying to release the record that you really want to
share, regardless of
what you think might 'sell'.
Make a solo record that is
true to your calling
as a musician. It is very challenging to try and make
your mark in the music
industry as a bass player/frontman, but it can be done.
People like Victor
Wooten and Marcus Miller have helped to bring the
bass more into the
mainstream, and their music is enjoyed by many more
listeners than just the
bass community. I'm one of those people that will
record and release just
about everything I write. Of course, you have that luxury if
you are
recording records independently. It's different when you
are working with a
label. Usually they have a considerable say in what
gets released if they
are providing funding.
CT: Who are some of
the players out there today that
continue to inspire
you?
AN: There are so many! As far as electric bass
goes, I've
been a fan of John
Patitucci's since I first heard him with Chick Corea. I
admire his
compositional style as much as I do his bass playing.
There is an incredible
player named Dominique di Piazza that I have followed
for quite some time.
He is a huge inspiration to me; I was fortunate enough
to cultivate a close
friendship with him a couple of years ago. We have
similar backgrounds both
musically and spiritually. He is the most melodic
electric bassist I have
heard, and he is also an incredible person.
I feel a
special connection to
Jaco... He was my first 'bass idol.' When I was in my
late teens I didn't
listen to much else. He died on my birthday, and it was
quite heavy at the
time. I also love Gary Willis, Me-Shell, Oteil Burbridge,
and the list goes
on...
CT: You have also been
playing quite a bit in a more
mainstream pop
setting
while touring with Angie Aparo. What are the
differences in your approach
to the bass when playing this more standard sideman
role?
AN: My role in Angie's gig is a more supportive
one. The
bass lines in his music
are much more conservative, as compared to what
someone might hear me play
on any of my solo records. My job is to play what
supports the song in the
most effective manner. To be honest with you, though,
playing Angie's gig is
just as enjoyable as any other gig I have played, only for
different
reasons; I am drawing enjoyment from elements of
bass playing that are more
foundational, which is really what the bass is meant to
be. With Angie
Aparo, my approach is one that is more concerned with
rhythm section unity
and complementary tones that it is with interaction or
adventurous playing.
It's great knowing that what you are playing on stage
creates an even
stronger delivery of the artist's message to the
listeners.
CT: Any advice for
some of our Active Bass members
on things to work on
when
wanting to become a pro player?
AN: As strange as it may sound, attitude takes
higher
precedence than your
talent when it comes to establishing yourself as a
professional player. A
good friend of mine once said, "It's all about being a
dude." As you work
your way up the ladder, you'll find that people in circles
of musical
influence will already assume you can play. What a lot
of players sometimes
forget is that your personality and disposition play a key
part in your
getting called back.
If people enjoy your company, they
will want you on the gig, even if you aren't necessarily
the most 'skilled' player they could have called. By all
means, don't stop trying to improve your playing. But
when you interact with other players, writers, and
producers, keep in mind that your positive attitude may
give you the extra edge amongst your peers.
CT: What kind of
equipment are you using these days?
Adam's Main Bass
6 string
Curbow International
Exotic |
AN: My main bass over the last several years
has been a 6 string Curbow International Exotic.
However, when I'm on the road with
Angie, I use a
Music Man Stingray 5 and a Mike Lull Modern 5. I plug
my basses into a TL
Audio/HHB Fatman tube compressor, and I go out of
that into an SWR
Interstellar Overdrive preamp. I don't use the Fatman for
compression,
though. I use it for slight coloration of my signal: I
slightly overdrive
the input stage to get an extra bit of tube 'growl.' For
power, I am using
2 SWR SM-900 heads, and I run those into 2 SWR
Goliath III cabinets. In the
rare instance when I am using effects, I'll use an
Ensoniq DP/4.
CT: How has features
in Bass Player magazine, and on
the SWR disc helped
your career?
AN: They have helped immensely by allowing
me to share
my music and experiences
on an international level. I am so appreciative of my
sponsors: SWR,
D'Addario, and the Atlanta Institute of Music, and also
the publications and
websites that have featured my music, lessons, or
articles. If it wasn't for
them, I probably wouldn't be selling my CD's to anyone
else but my family
and friends!
I also want to thank you, Chris Tarry, and
Active Bass for
showing an interest in doing this interview.
Organizations like yours have
helped to stimulate more interest in my music, and I
really depend on the
support.
CT: Man cannot live on
bass alone. What are some of
your other interests.
AN: I really enjoy martial arts, and try to
integrate its philosophies into other aspects of my life. It
helps my focus, and keeps me in shape. I also
am really into working on cars-a hobby my father got
me into. I'm not a mechanic, but I like to tinker.
CT: What's can we
expect in the near future for Adam
Nitti?
AN: I'm just about finished with my third CD. My
target
release is February,
2001. I have just become a columnist for Bass Player
magazine, and I'll be
authoring a column on technique each month. I have
also completed the
outline for my first instructional video which I am hoping
to begin
recording immediately after my new CD is
completed.
CT: Thanks again for
hangin out with us here at AB. It's
great chatting
with you and good luck with everything!
AN: Thanks so much for having me! I'm really
excited about sharing with the Active Bass community.
