Laura Lee has developed a distinct, melody-driven bass sound that clearly defines the Khruangbin sonic palette. Aside from her SX J-bass tone, a big part of her sound is her technique, which she developed without any technical training.
“I don’t play with all four of my fingers, because I attach two of my fingers together,” Lee remarks in a recent interview with Premier Guitar.
“I didn’t grow up ever thinking I’d play bass. I’m not technically trained. Because of that, I think I play differently, and it changes the feel of the whole thing. Like James Jamerson playing with one finger, if you lose the fourth finger thing, it creates a limitation, but for me it’s fun and bouncy.”
Lee’s technique, which combines her left hand’s ring and pinky fingers, may be rooted in the Simandl bass technique. Developed by Franz Simandl, the technique is typically used on a double bass to stop the strings in the instrument’s lower register.
In a 2022 interview with Bass Player, Lee also revealed that the SX J-Bass she uses on stage is the first-ever bass she got in college, bought for her by guitarist Mark Speer: “Mark got it for me and changed the pickups to DiMarzio humbuckers. It’s a pretty standard knock-off Jazz and the headstock still looks like a Fender headstock.
“My back-up bass is a knock-off Hofner Beatles bass, a hollow-body short scale. If my main bass fails me for whatever reason, the backup is actually easier to play than my main one.”
Khruangbin will embark on an extensive tour to support their latest album, A LA SALA, starting on May 21 in Philadelphia. A LA SALA is out now via Dead Oceans and Night Time Stories.
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