Igor Saavedra


Igor Saavedra is a player and pioneer of the extended-range bass guitar., he has dedicated his musical career to the study and performing of the eight string extended-range bass guitar and is considered a pioneer on that field by the world's most prestigious bass publications. As collected from many interviews worldwide, Saavedra was the first ERB player in South America and is also credited as being the creator of the Mic Ramp in 1995, which is a height adjustable wooden ramp that contains the bass pickups which are derived from the Willi's Ramp. At the same time, in 1993, he started developing a technique for the electric bass named Vectorial Synthesis Technique, about which he's been writing a book.

Early life

In 1988, at 22 years old, Igor Saavedra was a Kung Fu instructor with almost ten years of experience who was preparing to move to China to continue with his Martial Arts studies. He had not seen music as being a part of his life at that point. He was also in 4th year at the University, studying to become a physical education teacher until the day he assisted with a Jazz concert at the University Campus that made him realize he was a musician and specifically that he wanted to dedicate his life to the performing of the Electric Bass.

Highlights

, Saavedra has been featured, interviewed, and published in more than seventy specialized magazine editions worldwide. He has also been cover featured on issue 7 of the European magazine , on issue 12 of the Brazilian Magazine Linha de Frente. and the August 2013 6th Anniversary Special Edition of the American Magazine Bass Musician Magazine.
In 1997, Saavedra was the first bass player in the world to record the full original version of "The Flight of the Bumblebee" with no pick and at the real speed. Saavedra was also the head teacher of the Bass department at California Music Studio in Los Angeles, USA for four years.
After touring in South America with expert keyboardist David Garfield in the year 2011, and due to his special recommendation to Chris Jisi, Saavedra was formally invited to perform a Master Class and to be part of the All-Star Jam at the prestigious Bass Player Live 2011, along with bass experts such as Marcus Miller, Anthony Jackson, Darryl Jones, Abraham Laboriel, Larry Graham, Brian Bromberg, Verdine White and Lee Sklar. Because of that, Saavedra was specially featured on Latin American CNN. A following October 2011 issue of Bass Player Magazine called his BPL performance, "A fascinating Solo Seminar by South American 8 String Bassist Igor Saavedra".
In 2012, he was officially invited for second time in a row to be one of the guests at the Bass Player Live 2012 along with bass legends like Gary Grainger, Chris Squire, Hadrien Feraud, Dave Ellefson, and Robert Trujillo. He again was invited to join the All-Star Jam. In March 2013, Saavedra was one of the 10 featured artists at The London Bass Guitar Show along with Pink Floyd's Guy Prat and Stevie Wonder's Nate Watts.
He has performed many concerts and Master Classes in several countries and places such as these: University of British Columbia at The Cush in Kelowna, Canada; Long & McQuade in Vancouver, Canada; Bass Player Live 2011 at NAMM Show 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2012 in Los Angeles, USA; Musikmesse 2012 in Frankfurt, Germany; Master Class at The New York Bass Collective 2013 in New York City; Master Class at Todobajos in concert at El Barco in Madrid, Spain; jazz and pop concert at EMBA in Buenos Aires, Argentina; in concert at AECID Theater in Zerú Club, Zeppelín Club, and Central Square in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; Master Class at Franco Boliviano in La Paz, Bolivia; in concert and Master Class in Cochabamba, Bolivia; in concert at Cavas Club in Posadas, Argentina; in concert at the Central Square in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay; in concert at the Central Square in Villarrica, Paraguay; in concert at the Central Square in Encarnación, Paraguay.

Collaborators

Igor Saavedra uses exclusively Ramsay Basses, Phil Jones Amplifiers, La Bella Strings, Analysis Plus Cables, Wittner Metronomes, Nordstrand Pickups and Mey Chair Systems.

Discography

Solo