QRD – What was your first bass & what happened to it?

Darin – Freshwater large mouth….. I released it.

QRD – What’s your typical set-up from bass to effects to amplifier?

Darin – Bass to amp, no effects.

QRD – What’s the most important part of your rig – bass, amplifier, or effects?

Darin – Bass… amp & effects don’t work without it.

QRD – What’s your main amplifier & why?

Darin – Always been a fan of Gallien Krueger.  It’s fun to say… “Gallien Krueger.”

QRD – Do you prefer upright or electric bass?

Darin – Electric bass.

QRD – Do you prefer to use a pick, fingers, or a bow?

Darin – Finger… pick only for fast playing.

QRD – How many strings do you think a bass should have?

Darin – SIX.

QRD – Why do you play bass instead of guitar?

Darin – That is a trick question, a bass can be a guitar.

QRD – How is a bass different than a guitar other than being lower in pitch?

Darin – Thicker strings.

QRD – What’s your main bass & what are the features that make it such?

Darin – Left-handed, Carvin, 5 string, fretless, it looks cool.

QRD – What do you think of the thumb rests on some basses?

Darin – I like it, I play a five string just so I can rest my thumb on the top string because it doesn’t have a real thumb rest.

QRD – If you had a signature bass, what would it look like & what would some of its features be?

Darin – It would be exclusively left-handed & have built in wireless.

QRD – If you had a signature pedal, what would it be & what would some of its features be?

Darin – I would call it a gas pedal & it would be a sustain &/or whammy bar effect.

QRD – How many basses do you own?

Darin – Three.

QRD – How & where do you store your basses?

Darin – Two in cases & one as décor.

QRD – What features do you look for when buying a bass?

Darin – Left-handed.

QRD – How much do you think a good bass should cost?

Darin – $1,000.

QRD – Do you upgrade & customize your bass or just stick with what you get?

Darin – Do better quality strings count as an upgrade?

QRD – Are you after one particular bass tone & locking into it, or do you like to change your tone around a lot?

Darin – I am only worried about one tone at the moment.

QRD – What are some basses, amps, & pedals you particularly lust after?

Darin – I do not lust after any material possessions.

QRD – What do you think are some important features to be on a person’s first bass that aren’t always there?

Darin – Autopilot.

QRD – What have been the best & worst bass related purchases you’ve made?

Darin – I bought a beverage holder to attach to my mic stand.

QRD – What are some effect, amp, & bass brands you particularly like or dis-like & why?

Darin – I simultaneously like & hate all brands.

QRD – What’s the first thing you play when you pick up a bass?

Darin – “Smoke on the Water.”

QRD – How old were you when you started playing bass?

Darin – Twenty-eight.

QRD – At what age do you think you leveled up to your best bass playing?

Darin – Still waiting after 12 years.

QRD – Do you feel bass lines should echo & emphasize guitar & drum parts or be their own distinct elements?

Darin – Depends on the song.

QRD – Would you rather people hear or feel your bass?

Darin – Depends on the people, I would like some people to feel my bass up along the side of their head.

QRD – Why do you think a bass fits you more so than other instruments?

Darin – I look gay playing the triangle.

QRD – Do you see your bass as your ally or adversary in making music?

Darin – Both.

QRD – Who are the bassists that most influenced your playing & sound?

Darin – I don’t like to insult my influences by mentioning them.

QRD – Do you think people anthropomorphizing their bass is natural or silly (e.g. naming their bass)?

Darin – I say “natural,” but my bass says “silly.”

QRD – What’s the most physical damage you’ve done to a bass & how did you do it?

Darin – Ripped its lip when removing the hook.

QRD – What do you do to practice other than simply playing?

Darin – Guitar Hero.

QRD – How many hours a week do you play bass & how many hours would you like to?

Darin – SIX & FIVE.

QRD – What gauge strings do you use & why?

Darin – I forgot.

QRD – How often do you change strings?

Darin – Not often enough.

QRD – How often do you break strings?

Darin – Never.

QRD – Which do you feel is more proficient, your strumming/bowing hand or fretting hand & how does that effect your style?

Darin – Fret, makes me not sound so bad.

QRD – What tunings do you use & why?

Darin – Normal, don’t know any different.

QRD – Do you prefer tablature, sheet music, or some other notation system for writing down your own ideas?

Darin – Etch-a-sketch.

QRD – What’s a bad habit in your playing you wish you could break?

Darin – Playing bad.

QRD – Playing what other instrument do you think can most help someone’s bass playing?

Darin – Drumming.

QRD – What’s a type of bass playing you wish you could do that you can’t?

Darin – Upright bass playing.

QRD – What’s a bass goal you’ve never accomplished?

Darin – Playing good.

QRD – What’s the last bass trick you learned?

Darin – I don’t do tricks, I do illusions.

QRD – Did you ever take bass lessons & if so, what did you learn from them?

Darin – NO.

QRD – What would you teach someone in a bass lesson that you don’t think they would generally get from a bass teacher?

Darin – How to use your bass as a makeshift parachute.

QRD – What’s something someone would have to do to emulate your style?

Darin – Bash there hands with a hammer.

QRD – If a band has good bass work, can you ignore the rest of the band not being good?

Darin – My lawyer advised me not to answer this question.

QRD – What famous musician’s bass would you like to own & why?

Darin – Cliff Burton…. I like cliché answers.

QRD – Who do you think is currently the most innovative bass player & why?

Darin – I don’t pay attention to current musicians.

QRD – Where can people hear your best bass work?

Darin – In my dreams.