This piece focuses on speed, and (through speed) your physical relationship with your instrument.

I THE piece requires two bass players (or two instruments taking the role of the basses), and a number of soloists.

II THE bass players have a set line that they play throughout the piece, so start by showing them the line:

III BOTH players must play as fast as they can they must both be physically stretched to their limits. They are aiming to provide a continual driving pulse; any drummers can join them in this role, or act as soloists.

IV ONCE the bass players have learned their lines, arrange the soloists in a circle. Select who is going to be the first soloist, and then which way to go around the circle,

V EXPLAIN to the soloists that they must play as fast as possible. There is no time to think of the cliches and melodies they are familiar with. They should be playing so fast that they lose the control normally aimed for in playing. This may result in a soloist playing in an unconventional way leg guitarists are not expected to fret every note - there's no time to think about these things!).

VI THE piece starts with two counts of two. The first bass enters on the third 'I', the second bass enters on the third '2', and the first soloist enters on what would be the fourth '1'.

VII THE count in should be fast enough to really challenge the bass players. The effect created by the bass lines is that of a really fast walking bass (faster than one player alone could do).

VIII THE second soloist enters the instant the first soloist finishes the third soloist, the ins tan t the second soloist finishes and so on, thus giving the impression of one continuous, uninterrupted solo. It is very important that the first soloist comes straight in after the basses, and that there are no gaps between any of the following solos. Everyone should be poised, ready to go all the time .

IX AFTER the last solo (which must be prearranged) everyone enters the instant that it finishes, and plays at speed collectively. This section features the bass players in duet - the collective becomes an accompaniment to the duet, exposing the two bass players. As soon as one of the bass players finishes (through exhaustion, probably!) the whole group must immediately stop. Everyone should be concentrating on listening to the bass players during the collective accompaniment so that they know when to stop.

CHECK

Once the bass players are in they are both going for their individual limits. Since they are likely to have different limits, the bass lines won't necessarily be in 'synch' - in fact, they probably won't be. Speed is the essence, and the rhythm section should aim above all to provide intensity.

If there are more than two bass players, they can either join the rhythm section or function as individual soloists. If they join the rhythm section, the third bass should start one beat later than the second bass, and a fourth bass would start one beat later than the third and so on.

If the soloists are really playing to the maximum of their physical capabilities, a relatively short solo will be all they can manage - if someone takes a two minute solo, they cannot really be going for it!