@MarkMichell

Mark Michell

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Any plans for a custom Warwick any time soon? Or a 7 string Warwick for Tetrafusion?

Yes, I'm actually just about done spec'ing out my custom Warwick and will be getting the ball rolling on it shortly! Incredibly excited about it!
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Liked by: Robert Percy

Who are your favorite jazz musicians/groups?

Coltrane, Hancock, Davis, Count Basie, Gordon Goodwin, Weather Report. Jazz is also one of those genres where the musicians and composers were much more hidden behind the popularity of their music, so there are a ton of instances like this where I am not really sure who is playing or who wrote what song. The STS guys turned me onto a group called "Front Page" recently, killer contemporary jazz. As far as bassists, John Pattitucci, Ray Brown, Jaco, and Victor Wooten.
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Liked by: Robert Percy

Do you have experience with warwick rockbasses? I'm referring to the newer ones that have the warwick 2 piece bridges like the higher quality german-made ones

I've played them a few times, and was really impressed! Honestly, these were the basses I was most familiar with playing when it came to Warwick, as it was way harder to locate a Thumb bass just sitting in a music store. For Warwick's entry-line of basses, these still echo the standard Warwick basses in a lot of ways.

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What does it mean to have 'perfect pitch'?

Mat Sarsfield
Hard to really give a specific definition, as there is absolute pitch, relative pitch, perfect pitch, etc. All I know is that I can hear any note and instantly know what it is in a split second. Meaning, you could sit behind a piano and play any note and I am able to tell you what it is with my eyes closed. So, whatever that is, haha.

Why have you stopped using your Acacia bass? Was it not good enough?

I'm now an exclusive Warwick endorsee so will be only using their basses from here on out!

When you see colors when listening to notes, do you see multiple colors with cords?

Yeah, I do actually. Mainly the root and third only. Hard to really say, there are no real "absolutes" to how I perceive it, I just know that each note comes with the connotation of a color. It's even to the point where I gravitate toward certain notes or keys when writing based on how much I like the color.
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Liked by: Bijan Hazrat

I see on Instagram you're a beer guy! What's you favorite brew?

Oh geez. I could name tons, but some top favorites: Fat Tire, Sam Adams Hazel Brown, Young's Double Chocolate Stout, anything by North Coast Brewing, Guinness (on tap exclusively), Founder's Breakfast Stout, and anything by Shiner and Abita are more common favorites.

How would you describe your relationship with your fans?

I always enjoy interacting and talking with fans. After all, they're the reason why I'm able to do what I do, and the reason I enjoy doing it.

do you know any DT tunes? if so, which songs?

I know bits and pieces of dozens of them. Easy to forget over the years, but think I can still play most of Dance of Eternity in its entirety. That was my "goal song" for years, ha!
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Liked by: J Garrett Miller

In general, do you bend up to notes or slide to them? Obviously you do both, but if you are improving, which does your mind go to first?

I don't really ever use bends when playing, but maybe on rare occasion. I'm more comfortable using slides for sure, so that's what I'd do if I were improvising.

If you ever do a full bass album like Evan Brewer, will you try to add anyone to the line up as far as other bassists? I have seen some pretty talented bands using only a drummer and like three bassists. Or will it just be you?

I'm likely going to make it a full-band effort, just with the bass as the obvious forefront melodic figure and instrument. However, I'm open to the idea of not having the same approach for all songs, so I'm thinking about having a few bass-only songs, some full-band ones, and just different combinations of it all on the record, and especially different genres. I want the record to represent me and my influences as a bass player, not necessarily the style of music I'm known to normally play.

Favorite coffees???

Not too picky on coffee, anything that's quality and tastes great. I drink it black too, so the actual coffee taste is obviously a factor.

How often do you change strings? And if you weren't endorsed and would have to pay tons of money for strings how often would you change them?

I change them once every two weeks or so on tour (weekly if I can) and maybe monthly at home.

What sorts of DIs (besides an AxeFX) would you recommend someone who's just starting out on the digital front of music. I play bass as well if it reflects at all in the options available.

Mat Sarsfield
The only DI unit I use is the SansAmp BDDI. I use it for patch changes in our set primarily and my "main tone" has it off completely. Our music doesn't require too many effects so this single unit is suitable for being the only thing I really use in my signal chain. It has 2 banks, 3 patches each. I have "slap", "clean/soft parts" and "solo boost" patches for both my main and backup bass in each bank. It's best used for driven/dirty tones (and works excellently for that), but I use it in a more simple fashion.

Which bassists inspire your playing style?

Cliff Burton inspired me as far as his approach to the instrument, and really used the bass as a melodic figure in the music, not just a frequency. Geddy Lee inspired me to write basslines that had a great balance of groove and melody, but also had their own place in the music. His basslines always weave their own path in Rush songs, and it's really cool. John Myung inspired my use for extended-range basses and just being a really solid, technical player. His use of harmonics, tapping, and upper-register bass solos really made me want to play bass. Victor Wooten just made me love the role of the instrument in music all around, really inspiring to listen to him just talk about "bass philosophy".
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Liked by: Yaresh-Bartholomeus Soekhlal Timothy Recio Robert Percy Garrett Miller

Hey man, I just wanted to let you know that one of the biggest tips you have given me in regards to playin bass was to incorporate various techniques for everytime when writing. Since then, I have strived to incorporate every technique I can into every bass part I write. It has helped a lot.

Hey, great to hear! I think what I may have said is to always try multiple techniques for certain parts when writing if you're looking to spark creativity. However, that approach works great too. Glad it's helped!

What compressors do you use/like?

Haven't used many, but DBX rack-series compressors are great live (haven't owned, but used). Used a Humphrey's Mod BOSS CS-3 for bass for years, I personally liked the way it responded to the more technical parts in the music, but found over time I didn't really need it anymore as my technique consistency improved. I used the BBE Optp-Stomp for awhile too, another great, seamless compressor. Used the BOSS Limiter/Enhancer too for a bit, I found this added a nice gnarl to the tone when digging in. I don't have much experience with compressors but these are the ones I've used.
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Liked by: Yaresh-Bartholomeus Soekhlal

Any updates about your solo project?

This is still in pure idea form, but it's a start! It's really just a matter of getting to it on the list of dozens of long-term goals I'm working on. I have a lot of bits and pieces written, demo'd, and a general of idea of how I want to approach it, so I'd say that's half the battle! Eventually it will come to fruition for sure, sooner than later I'd say.
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Liked by: Robert Percy

how many hours a day do you practice? and how many when you were "getting good"?

Maybe one on average, and several hours on specific days when preparing for an upcoming tour or something. There was a particular summer I think in 2005 where I had two surgeries done so I pretty much had to sit inside in my room for the summer and this was when I definitely had a noticeable progression, I was practicing about 8-9 hours solid mostly every day.
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Liked by: Garrett Miller

What is your preferred amp setup/amp rig? Like brand and configuration

Been using my faithful Gallien-Krueger rig for over 5 years now and have been more than satisfied with the sound regardless of the many basses I've used through it. It's been able to make them all sound great. Specifically, it's the Gallien-Krueger 1001 RB-II with the NEO series cabs. They also recently sent me a MB800 head to try out and I fell in love with it; more wattage than my 1001 (which weighs about 30 pounds) and this one weighs 8 lbs. and fits in my backpack.
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Liked by: Garrett Miller

have you ever suffered tendinitis or some similar issue?

Not yet and hopefully never! I work really hard to focus on my technique when playing and always try to remain relaxed. Being relaxed while playing is essential in avoiding this.
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Liked by: Garrett Miller

Are you a guitarist turned bassist, or have you always been primarily focused on bass?

Always a bass player. I can play a little guitar too, and ultimately played acoustic guitar first as a kid, but so has everyone. When I began to take it seriously it was bass from the start.
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Liked by: Garrett Miller

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