Following his recent video performance of “Heartless” by The Weeknd, New Jersey bassist Mike Hall is taking solo bass playing to new heights.
Creating a sound that’s all his own, Hall uses the bass in multiple ways to bring the most out of the instrument. Without needing a loop pedal, Hall simultaneously uses taps, slaps, and harmonics to rival that of a full band. He also uses piccolo bass strings, which provide a high end similar to a guitar while still keeping the lows of a standard bass.
In his performance of “Heartless”, Hall matches The Weeknd’s vocals with a flurry of taps and slides that are almost perfectly aligned to the melody. Adding some of his signature flair, Hall morphs the song into his own and leaves listeners with a very different interpretation than what’s originally expected.
Hall released his debut EP earlier this year titled “The Next Step”, while also dropping a series of other covers and demos online. A follow-up EP is in production but currently has no set release date.
For more of his bass playing, you can follow Hall on Instagram: @mikehall.bass Twitter: @MikeHallBass Facebook: @MikeHallBass and YouTube.
