Reader Spotlight: Sean Carey
Meet Sean Carey, a bassist who credits both metal and jazz bassists as his influences, and studies and plays both genres (among other things).
Sean is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story…
Bio:
Sean is a highly-motivated musician with experience performing in various bands and ensembles. Sean has been learning the bass guitar for the past ten years and is always developing and progressing as a musician. Having completed the BA (Hons) music degree in Waterford Institute of Technology, achieving a first class honours grade in jazz performance, he is currently studying online with world renowned UK-based Jazz bass guru, Joe Hubbard. He has high hopes to further his musical endeavour by following on with a Master’s programme.
Location:
Waterford, Ireland
Day gig:
Music – Studying and playing!
Years experience:
10 years
Bands & Gigs:
I play regularly with a local cover band called No Hot Ashes, performing pop and rock classics both old and new. I also play with an original 4-piece Rock/Indie/Grunge group named Anna-Liese. Of course, participating in jazz jam sessions and filling in with various bands when the opportunity presents itself is enjoyable for me too.
Gear:
- Mexican Fender Jazz bass (Left-handed)
- Ampeg PF-500 Amp
- Ampeg PF-410HLF
Why I play the bass:
I was always drawn to the low end of my favourite rock records! However, it was when I was introduced to heavy metal, specifically Metallica, I knew I had to start learning the bass guitar. Hearing all those melodic lines of Cliff Burton in such an extreme art form was definitely life changing! Of course, over time I began to appreciate many other types of music too such as jazz and funk.
My bass superpower/claim to fame:
I think I have a really good sense of melody. Learning music academically (especially jazz-based musical content) has and is continuing to help me to play the ideas that I hear in my head onto the instrument and this is really useful when it comes to writing my own music and lines in my original band or when learning someone else’s music.
My influences:
Oh so many influences! But I will list the main guys – Geddy Lee, Steve DiGiorgio, Cliff Burton, David Ellefson, James Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, Jeff Berlin, Joe Hubbard, Avishai Cohen.
Other instrumentalists – Neil Peart, Steven Wilson, Kiko Loureiro, Charlie Parker, Jordan Ruddess.
More on the web:
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