# Jeff Berlin: Solo bass version of 'Tears in Heaven'



## distressed_romeo (May 21, 2007)

YouTube - jeff berlin - tears in heaven

Pure awesomeness! What a tone! 

As a bonus, here's a vid of him with Frank Gambale and Vinnie Collaiuta...

YouTube - jeff berlin, frank gambale, vinnie colaiuta


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## RgAscendant (May 22, 2007)

That's fucking great!


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## monkeybassguru (May 25, 2007)

Amazing bassist, but tone sounds as if its coming from a fretless bass.


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## distressed_romeo (May 26, 2007)

Not necessarily a bad thing...

That's one of the little wierdnesses about Jeff Berlin's style...he manages to get that sound out of his fingers on a fretted bass (one that's about as stripped down as you can get IIRC; 21 frets, four strings and very basic passive electronics)...


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## angus (Jul 18, 2007)

And a huge amount of signal modification. The man runs like 4 effects at ALL times, which really bothers me.

Great player, though, but about the most difficult man on earth to deal with.


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## amonb (Jul 18, 2007)

I must admit I really don't like that Pino palladino type tone...I mean kudos on getting the sound on a fretted bass....but still the tone ain't my cup of tea.


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## distressed_romeo (Jul 18, 2007)

angus said:


> Great player, though, but about the most difficult man on earth to deal with.



Totally true. He comes across as being a real jerk. He frequently has some good points to make, but can never seem to avoid expressing them in a way that's calculated to annoy as many people as possible, and makes other points that are totally totally nonsensical, and seem to be nothing more than an attempt to insult other musicians. I've actually seen and read some interviews with him where he makes remarks that are actually extremely insulting to a lot of other premier-league musicians.


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## debo85 (Jul 12, 2008)

Hi guys, I'm new here, I'd like to say that, I tabbed Tears In Heaven! The WHOLE song.
I know many people were looking for it.
My website is www.AlbertoDeBortoli.it and my myspace page is www.myspace.com/albertodebortoli
and you can find the tab here http://www.albertodebortoli.it/music/tabs/tears_in_heaven.txt
in this page.
I'd like some feedback... also visit my website 

Enjoy


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## Esp Griffyn (Jul 12, 2008)

Fantastic player, but the music he writes is so bland.

His tone comes from playing his bass with super low action, and a really light touch. A few people have tried playing his personal bass and they couldnt get anything out of it but a buzzing noise.


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## debo85 (Jul 12, 2008)

Esp Griffyn said:


> Fantastic player, but the music he writes is so bland.
> 
> His tone comes from playing his bass with super low action, and a really light touch. A few people have tried playing his personal bass and they couldnt get anything out of it but a buzzing noise.


Ehm... not me . Have you already tried my transcription?


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## angus (Jul 13, 2008)

Great song- been playing that one for close on 8 years now. Some of his best work, imo.

Your transcription has a bunch of errors, though. I only scoped it out for the first couple lines and there are some wrong notes here and there, including a few that change the chord type. I have it transcribed on sheet music if you want to compare notes. 

EDIT: I actually played through the first 25 seconds or so of what you've done, and it's pretty far off. Single notes that are actually double stops, double stops that are actually seventh chords, wrong notes here and there, etc. It's a really good basis and rough draft, but now's your chance to go fill it in! Go back through the song and the piece inch by inch and see what you can find to revise. It's a tough piece, so treat it like a good bit of writing- no matter what your first draft is like, the most important bit is to get something down on paper. Then you have to go through it line by line and really correct, revise, etc until it's line by line perfect. It's the hard part, but it's also the most fun. Keep it up!

A pretty tough song to transcribe though, so definitely a good bit of work!!


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## debo85 (Jul 13, 2008)

angus said:


> I have it transcribed on sheet music if you want to compare notes.


*And why I am the first in the world that have place this wanted tab on the web in all theese years?*
Half the world was looking for this tab, and everyone admits that Jeff Berlin is incredible complex to tab out, just check here tears in heaven by jeff berlin tab - TalkBass Forums
I was pretty sure that as I said "_I tabbed Tears In Heaven!_" someone would reply "_...i've got a my own version... i played TIH since I was 4 years old... there's an error here... and here...". _All masters and teachers at the right moment!

Well... i don't know what to say, but, seriously and honestly... no!
If "there are errors" they are not "here and there" or "many errors". I'd like to see your transcription, and I'd like you send me a copy with the corrections... indeed...
There's a lot of friends, musicians, important musicians and great musicians that say that the tab is nearly perfect! I'm sorry but... that's not what I expected to read...
By the way, I don't think it's a good way to reply my post about a transcription that has never seen on the web for years. Don't criticise, say what's wrong, if there's something wrong. Maybe sevenstrings.org is only for guitar player and I've made a mistake to post here. The web is full of unaccurate tabs of the simplest songs, and I am enormously proud of my work.


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## angus (Jul 13, 2008)

Wait, what? I never said you shouldn't be proud- I said you SHOULD. I'm not telling you you're an idiot or something. I'm just saying that it isn't complete yet and to keep at it. Just because there aren't any other tabs out there doesn't mean you can't hear any comments about your own. It's great you put the effort into it, but there's still a bit more work to do, that's all. 

I never said I'm a master or whatever- I posted that comment now because you were talking about it now, so I'm not sure what you expect after far as me saying it now! I just have a transcription of it (in sheet music) that I never put into tab because _I don't believe in the use of tab_, and most people who listen to this music don't either. It's the same reason why most of this kind of music doesn't show up in tab, that's all. 

I had Jeff Berlin read over my transcription about 4-5 years ago and played it for him in a lesson, whereupon he told me I had some changes, problems, etc with it. There are bunches of people who can play this song out there...the reason I transcribed it was a challenge from my teacher, who began figuring it out the day he bought the CD (Berlin is his fav bass player). It's an amazing song, so you're not the only one who thinks so! 

Anyway, I was slagging off what you were doing, so please don't get so defensive. I told you did a really good job because it's a pretty involved piece, but there's no reason to get upset just because I said that it isn't perfect yet. I was trying to be encouraging so you'd keep working at it!

It has nothing to do with this person being better or worse or telling you you suck or anything like that. There's none of that going on here, at all. This isn't Harmony Central and nobody thinks you suck.


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## Suho (Jul 14, 2008)

As a third party, I read both of your posts, and I can't see anything in Angus's comments that was said in any malicious fashion. Debo85 was practically begging for people to look at his transcription, and apparently didn't want to hear anything but absolute praise. 

Angus told you encouraging things, but if you can't accept that you might not be perfect or that someone else may have a more accurate transcription, you shouldn't seek others' opinions. I have no idea whether he is right or not, and I haven't looked at your transcription. 

Personally, I think Jeff Berlin took what was a fairly emotional song and killed it. It sounds like a muzak/wanker running through as many notes as he can. The lone exception was just before and around the 3 minute mark where he actually lets it breathe a little bit. 

And yes, his sound is like ...yuck. with burps escaping every few bars. Of course he is technically awesome, but kind of lifeless. Give me the unplugged EC version anyday, as overplayed as it is.


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## debo85 (Jul 14, 2008)

Ok guys, maybe you're right. But the fact that someone says "I have a my own transcription and there are errors here and there" let us thinks nothing good.... Maybe I am wrong.

*But I can't agree with this:*


angus said:


> Your transcription has a bunch of errors, though. I only scoped it out for the first couple lines and there are some wrong notes here and there...


There are some videos on YouTube with guys playing at least the first part. So... NO DOUBT that it's correct! No way.

Ah yeah, I'm still waiting for your transcription Angus.


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## debo85 (Jul 15, 2008)

... and waiting ...



angus said:


> I have it transcribed on sheet music if you want to compare notes.


Seriously, i'm waiting


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## debo85 (Jul 19, 2008)

Ok, there's nothing more to say. Angus you admit you're a liar.
You have no transcription, or maybe you're making the transcription right now with my tab. I bet you will answer to this...


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## distressed_romeo (Jul 19, 2008)

debo85 said:


> Ok, there's nothing more to say. Angus you admit you're a liar.
> You have no transcription, or maybe you're making the transcription right now with my tab. I bet you will answer to this...



His original post sounded pretty supportive to me, and yet you decided to treat it like a personal attack.

If you're incapable of taking any sort of criticism, then maybe posting your work online isn't a good idea?


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## debo85 (Jul 19, 2008)

distressed_romeo said:


> His original post sounded pretty supportive to me, and yet you decided to treat it like a personal attack.
> 
> If you're incapable of taking any sort of criticism, then maybe posting your work online isn't a good idea?


Maybe I'm the only one who got the point of the post.
Yes, I'll never do that again. I mean... I'll never post my works here again.


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## angus (Jul 19, 2008)

debo85 said:


> Ok, there's nothing more to say. Angus you admit you're a liar.
> You have no transcription, or maybe you're making the transcription right now with my tab. I bet you will answer to this...



No, you're completely right- I've never heard the song before, I can't read music let alone transcribe in it, I've never met Jeff Berlin, you are the first and only person to ever learn this song, I'm mostly deaf in both ears, I don't actually think tablature is the most absolutely detrimental thing to happen to music education for guitar and bass (and in reality, I live solely on tab) and I actually only exist here to steal your thunder. I also have a thing for midgets and farm animals.

That's probably it.


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## F1Filter (Jul 19, 2008)

angus said:


> No, you're completely right- I've never heard the song before, I can't read music let alone transcribe in it, I've never met Jeff Berlin, you are the first and only person to ever learn this song, I'm mostly deaf in both ears, I don't actually think tablature is the most absolutely detrimental thing to happen to music education for guitar and bass (and in reality, I live solely on tab) and I actually only exist here to steal your thunder. I also have a thing for midgets and farm animals.
> 
> That's probably it.



 repped.


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## Shawn (Jul 21, 2008)

That was amazing! I've seen a few vids of him, he's a phenomenal bassist. Cool vid!


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