Jean Baudin

You might know Jean Baudin from his 11 string bass version of Super Mario Brothers, Jean is a multi-stringed extraordinaire and I asked him to answer some questions for your reading pleasure.

Me: How did you start and what inspired you to make music?


Jean Baudin: At first, I tried to play guitar but I had broken a finger that had set wrong, so I couldn't do chords. A friend suggested I try bass because I wouldn't have to play chords. I was inspired to play music because I liked the covers of Iron Maiden albums.

Who are your major influences?


When I was younger, Steve Harris, Fishbone, Bad Brains and Bach. Nowadays, I like listening to music that has just solo music... stuff like Art Tatum or Joe Pass.




What advice do you have for people who want to be a bassist?


I think you just need an instrument to be a bassist. If you want to be a GOOD bassist, you need to put some time in and practice.

What can you tell me about your instruments?


I mainly basses with 9 or more strings. I have custom instruments from Ken Lawrence, Conklin Guitars and JP Basses.


When I first started playing a 4-string bass my immediate reaction was "Where are all the notes?" - I've always felt the instrument was comfortable to play, wide string spacing, longer scale length, bigger frets but I never liked the fact that it had such a limited "speaking" range. It's kinda like the bottom notes of a piano.... I always wanted the range of the piano but on a fretted instrument.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing?


When I started adding more strings, I started to incorporate more tapping into my playing. I still like to play fingerstyle (and slap) but I feel I can take advantage of the range more with two-handed tapping.


How can people gain access to your music?

I have lots of recordings available at  www.jeanbaudin.com My album of solo pieces "Solace" is also available from iTunes and Amazon. I also have an instructional book on tapping called, "The Mechanics of Tapping" available from my website as well.




Any last words?


Thanks for the interview and good luck with your blog!




Photos from jeanbaudin.com