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Melissa Branson, can you
remember the first piece you ever learned on bass?
The first proper piece for me was called
Bon Voyage - it was a duet for bass and drums.
What was your very first band?
My very first band was the school band in primary school! :)
What other bands were you a member
of? Well, I was only in primary
school...there wasn't anything else I could do, I was too young!
What’s your current band?
At the moment I am in the concert and jazz bands at the high school I go
to. I'm also in a little group called Max Factor - we did some fusion
stuff. There was a little jazz quartet my friends and I had going for a
while as well...
What’s your main bass?
I use a Warwick Streamer LX 6 string bass (also have an Ibanez Soundgear
SR400 but that's my old bass)
Body colour/wood?
Flamed Maple - natural finish
Neck/fingerboard?
Ovangkol - frets made out of German church bells!
Do you think that the wood effects
the tone/sound/sustain of your bass?
Sure does...good wood makes a difference to the tone for sure!
Have you a preference for active or
passive electronics? Active is way
better than passive - it sounds better on my bass!
What strings to you like best?
At the moment I'm using Warwick
roundwound strings...but I'm thinking about changing to flatwound after my
teacher's advice...
How often would you change your
strings? I change them once a year -
once I get more money I'll change them more often!
What is your backline bass amp
setup? At the moment I'm using this
Hughes & Kettner - I don't know how many watts (I'm no good with
electrical things like that!)
Fingers, plectrum or both?
Fingers, I can't stand plectrums!
Have you played double (upright) or
acoustic bass? Oh I sure did - for
about 4 months, but then my wrist got hurt and so I had to stop.
What type of music do you play?
Mainly jazz, funk, Latin and fusion. I can't stand playing rock, punk and
all that sort of thing (sorry to everyone who plays that style! :) {We
have many different styles here at BassGirls - that's good! - Ed.}
Who do you listen to when you’re not
playing? Marcus Miller, Jaco
Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Victor Wooten, John Patitucci - all AWESOME
bass players. Umm...I like to listen to James Morrison as well just to mix
things up a bit!
Have you recorded/released any CDs?
Only a demo CD which was for the Bass Extremes International Solo
Contemporary Bass Competition.
What was your best gig/venue ever?
I went and played with a jazz group
at a cafe one night for a few songs - just for a jam with them...it was
awesome! :)
What was your worst moment onstage?
The day that my guitar lead fell out of my guitar just as the band started
to play - Luckily there wasn't any bass line for the first few bars!
Were you ever on a TV show or a magazine cover?
I WISH!
What’s your favourite album/CD?
James Morrison - On The Edge
Do you have any other instruments?
I play and own a classical guitar,
flute and keyboard. I can play the drums, sax and clarinet a little bit -
just enough to get me by!
What other instrument would you most
like to play? I'd love to play the
sax properly!
What was the best concert you were ever at?
Definitey the concert at jazz camp -
listening to this band called Spur playing. Those guys were awesome!
Do you sing Melissa? Ha! This bass
player sings for no one!
Have you ever performed onstage
without your bass? I feel that
performing with a bass other than my own is wrong - I’ve never done it and
never will!
Have you played outside your own
country? I wish I could.
What’s your opinion on basses with
more than 4 strings? LOVE THEM
HEAPS! The low B string is awesome in bossa nova and samba style songs and
the high C string makes soloing way more melodic. It's much easier to play
on a 6-string than on a 4 for me. When it comes to scales and playing
chords it's way better with a 6. Don't get me wrong, 4 string basses are
cool, they're great for rock and stuff, but if you're playing jazz, I feel
that you need a 6!
What do you feel is the bass-players
function in a band? To keep time and
provide a strong foundation for the other members.
Did you ever have a famous person in
your audience? No but one day I will
though!
What are your ambitions?
To funkify the world with my bass playing!! Seriously though, I'd like to
finish high school; go to and finish university with a bachelor of jazz;
join and form bands and get gigs; make it overseas, and most of all, to be
happy!
Thanks Melissa and good luck in the future - Ed.
thanks to Melissa for being part of BassGirls.Com
text and images are copyright
of Melissa Branson and
BassGirls.Com
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