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“A friend of the band had gone on a date,” explains singerguitarist Jake Snider, “and one of us asked him afterwards how the date went. Our friend said, ‘You know that TV show from the ‘70s B.J. and The Bear? I was like that minus the bear.’ That’s the straight truth.” (Spin, 2010) WHO ARE THEIR INFLUENCES? Both guitar players admit to being big Metallica fans early on. Punk rock Progressive rock (King Crimson, and YES) Saxophonist Joe McGlohon David Gilmore (Pink Floyd) Dance Music and EDM (heavy use of sampling) “The Fix” Listen for heavy sampling at the beginning. Observe that one of the guitar players isn’t even touching his instrument during the intro and instead is using a sampling pedal controlled by his feet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpE0pLIxfAM WHAT DID THEY DO BEFORE THIS BAND? Jake Snider was previously in a group called “Sharks Keep Moving” based out of Seattle. Its easy to hear the heavy jazz influence in Snider’s playing, often using 7th (blue) notes and chords while playing along to a groovy “walking bass line” and a busy drum section. Also a heavy use of effects pedals to change the sound of the instrument. Dave Knudson was formerly the guitarist for Washington based “Botch.” It was in this mathcore band that Dave picked up a lot of the two-handed tapping that would go on to be used in Minus the Bear. Tapping is a technique used by guitar players to play melodies and notes on the instruments that are too far for the hand to stretch, or require more fingers than are available on the fretting hand. This heavier style of music also shows its influence in the form of alternate time signatures and complex polyrhythms. WHAT DO THEY SOUND LIKE? Sound has changed rather significantly over the years. Discography spans math-rock, progressive rock, pop, jazz, and hard rock. Commonly referred to as indie rock. Lyrics are oftentimes about the “things you’re not supposed to talk about” and coming to terms that those things are a part of becoming an adult. As with most rock (and popular music), the band tends to emphasize the backbeat. EARLY YEARS First album: Highly Refined Pirates Heavy use of two handed tapping. Straightforward rhythms and time signatures. Very jazz influenced by using interesting chord voicings Song titles from Starship Troopers. “Let’s Play Guitar in a Five Guitar Band” Listen for tapping that makes it sound like there’s more than two guitars playing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfCmKUtAASM Menos el Oso Means “Minus the Bear” in Spanish. Introduction of sampling into the songs. (Coincides with the release of the DL4) More complicated rhythms than the first album. Guitar is more effected than first album. PROGRESSIVE ERA The third album, Planet of Ice, saw the band turn towards a more progressive feel. Heaviest effects use of any of their albums. Marked use of alternate time signatures. (Easy to identify because you can’t bob your head to it.) New keyboardist brought keyboards to the forefront of the album’s sound. “Knights” Listen for use of moody melody and effected guitar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjSN_jEORfk#t=120 CONTEMPORARY SOUND OMNI saw a pretty aggressive shift in the band’s sound, incorporating elements of modern pop (sing-able lyrics, simple harmonies, and a more straight forward rhythm). Less effected guitar sound, but more distortion. Album is slower in tempo and more approachable overall. Keyboards remain at the forefront of the song. “Into the Mirror” Listen for straightforward rhythm emphasizing the backbeat, harmonies, and a more laid-back feel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3QvSoqQid8 Infinity Overhead showed a return to guitars being the main instruments. Tapping returns and shares time with the more melodic laid-back feel of OMNI. Melodies increase in complexity with the pop-influenced vocals remaining simple and approachable. Album has a heavier sound, but remains digestible by the general public (read as: head-bobbable). EFFECTS PEDALS From sampling, to echoing creepy babble, Minus the Bear is known for making creative use of guitar effects and achieving sounds beyond the range of the instrument itself. Most effects are in the form of a foot-controlled “pedal.” One of the fantastic things about the band is that they cross over so many genre lines. Former Botch listeners who otherwise would have never been exposed to this softer style of music find themselves fans after following Dave across bands. Those who are into soft rock and “adult contemporary” music who stumble onto Minus the Bear may find themselves enjoying some of the complexities and nuances that make the band so interesting, eventually even getting into progressive music or metal as a result. HOW’D YOU MAKE THIS POWERPOINT, BOY? http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/17024-rig-rundown---minus-the-bears-daveknudson-jake-snider-and-cory-murchy http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/invsn-and-minus-the-bear-interview-eachother-20131031 http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Interview_Minus_the_Bears_Dave_Knudson http://minusthebear.com/