Mick Karn is one of my all-time favorite bass players, and I’ve always felt his playing couldn’t be imitated, at least not by a mere mortal such as I. Plus, I don’t play fretless bass, and the whole fretless aspect of his playing is such a big part of the appeal. But over the last couple of years, I’ve started to think about what some of his ideas might sound like if adapted to the Stick.
Here’s a brief little piece that I worked up one day in February of 2024 where I give it a go. I worked out the part by improvising along with the other tracks, but I recorded it quickly in one take.
The other instruments involved were sheng (the ambient background pad), guzheng (two parts), and Addictive Drums 2.