Blaine Martin is a multi-instrumentalist who studies at Friends University in Wichita. He plays bass with Old News. The band’s latest EP is Hands Like Glaciers.
“I like to think about every part of the band, if we’re talking about that specifically, as equal. Every part should be as interesting without stepping on each other’s toes. Coming from a diverse instrumental background where I play multiple things, I just like to make things interesting. I feel like playing bass in that way allows me to really add something to the music rather than just some sonic layer underneath that you have to really listen to hear. Mostly an obsession with melody.
Bass and melody are extremely intertwined, though a lot of people wouldn’t like to think so or just don’t notice it. There’s a thing in music where every single bass note can work with every single melody note, it’s just the notes you choose in between. If you don’t have that foundation on the bottom of the song ,you don’t necessarily know what the harmony is going to be and one bass note can decide the vibe of an entire chord.”
