Reader Spotlight: Andrew Reyes

Meet Andrew Reyes, a bassist with as diverse background as any we’ve seen here in the reader spotlight series. Starting out as a low brass player, he later found the bass and said it “outperformed the other instruments” and that was that.

Andrew is the No Treble reader in the spotlight for the week of July 6, 2015. Here’s his story.

Bio:

Starting very early in life, Andrew has always been interested in music. Banging away at a small keyboard and trying to play the melody lines he was hearing on the radio, provided ear training that he would not completely appreciate until later in life. He often sang in chorus groups in elementary school, as well as in high-school; it wasn’t until a vocal solo audition, in which he was propositioned to join the band in which he accepted and picked up his first instrument, the trombone.

Low brass instruments quickly became part of his arsenal, beginning with trombone, then Baritone horn, then tuba/sousaphone. After years of playing brass in concert bands and jazz bands, he picked up the electric bass, and to this day has not put it down. It quickly outperformed the other instruments and became his primary instrument.

Over the course of his 12+ years of bass playing, he has played with groups in almost all genres of music, from jazz to hip hop, metal to indie, punk to pop, and everything in between, often providing backing and harmony vocals as well.

In addition to working with many touring/gigging bands, Andrew has also served in the pit orchestra for various musical productions, and as a musical director for various productions as well.

Location:

Bogota/New Jersey

Day gig:

By day I am a MAD SCIENTIST! I work for a children’s enrichment company performing science shows and coordinator events and programs all about science! I also do some voice acting, providing the voice for telephone systems, and other similar areas.

Years experience:

12 years+

Bands & Gigs:

I’m currently in two groups:

Winds & Walls – an indie, hard rock, alternative band based in Queens NY

Always On Time – an alternative pop band based in Northern NJ

Gear:

• Fender Custom Jaguar Bass (Heavily Modified, changed to Active +)
• Fender Custom Built Precision Bass
• 1979 Carvin HB50 Fretless Bass
• AMPEG SVT7 PRO 1000W Head
• Genz-Benz 4×10 Cab
• Tech 21 SansAmp Bass DI/PreAmp
• Planet Waves Chromatic Tuner Pedal

Why I play the bass:

Everyone knew how to play guitar, and I wanted to be a little different. I saw this thing with 4 strings and decided to give it a try, and I’ve never been more thankful I did

My bass superpower/claim to fame:

Habit of building and deconstruction basses from parts, and taking chances! Combining a melodic/vocal approach to bass lines coming from a singers perspective, while still maintaining the bottom end.

My influences:

Paul McCartney, Mike Dirnt, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller

General genre influences: punk, rock, fusion, jazz, R&B, pop, alternative

More on the web:

• Website
• YouTube
• Vine