Bass Musician Magazine - SPECIAL August 2013 Latin Issue | Page 115

I grew up musically in a church

to bring me an “Ibanez SDGR,”

where my parents used to go

because I had the catalogue and

every Sunday. The church had

I liked that one. I put the open

every instrument, except bass

catalogue into his luggage. He

guitar, so I use to play drums

brought me a 5-string “XTG.”

for hours when I was 9 years

I had never heard about that

old. When I was 12, a guy

brand, ever.

played bass guitar at church
and I just listened... it made the

BMM Tell us about that very

music different, bigger, I liked it

first day you had a bass in your

better, and I just got caught by

hands.

the instrument... that was the
beginning.

RP My father came back from
his travel on a Sunday morning.

BMM What was your first bass,

We picked him up at the airport

and how did you come by it?

and went directly to the church; I
played the whole service, it was

RP My first bass was really the

amazing.

family acoustic guitar. I found
out that the bass was the four

BMM As a bassist born in Latin

lower strings of the guitar, came

America, do you find this to be an

back home and just dropped off

advantage or disadvantage?

the two higher strings (B-E), and
started to listen to records trying

RP Definitely an advantage.

to find the notes of the songs. A

Talking about the music issue,

couple of years later, my father

there is such a richness in the

went to Denver, Colorado on

music of our people, many

business travel, and I ask him

traditional rhythms and melodies,
AUG 2013 : BASSMUSICIANMAGAZINE.COM