Pedro didn't panic at Hugo's challenge. Instead, with an almost childlike excitement, he rushed toward the open space behind the bar.
Hugo, curious, followed with his beer in hand.
That area served as the stage for Rock Night. From a distance earlier, Hugo had noticed a jukebox, a pinball machine, and a pool table occupying the space, but up close, he realized there was still a large empty section — scattered with various instruments.
At once, Hugo's eyes lit up. Now this was something special a true hidden gem.
He turned back toward the bar. Green was still chatting animatedly with the woman from earlier, making her laugh with ease. Their chemistry was unmistakable — things were clearly going well.
When Green sensed Hugo's glance, he looked over, recognized Hugo's approving expression, and raised an eyebrow proudly before turning his attention back to the lady.
Meanwhile, Pedro was selecting from several bass guitars. Hugo noticed that he chose a six-string electric bass, which surprised him but after a second thought, it made perfect sense.
Generally, basses fall into two main types: acoustic and electric. The acoustic bass is more suited to traditional jazz, while the electric bass has a sharper, more modern tone — perfectly fitting for Pedro's age and musical style. Clearly, he was a bassist heavily influenced by contemporary music.
Most bassists use a four-string bass the standard instrument for rock bands. There are also five-string and six-string versions.
A five-string adds a low B string, often used in pop and modern rock, while a six-string adds a high C string, extending the range upward. Six-strings are common in solo performances and in jazz, where more melodic freedom is required. There are even seven-, eleven-, or multi-course basses, but those are rare and mostly experimental.
By choosing a six-string, Pedro was clearly aiming to show off both his technical mastery and the full expressive range of the instrument. It was a challenge to Hugo, but also a display of raw confidence.
As soon as Hugo approached, Pedro didn't bother with formalities. He lifted the bass and began playing immediately — starting with a slap bass technique, one of the most recognizable electric bass openings.
He struck the third string the most frequently used one producing a deep, resonant tone. Though the string itself wasn't particularly distinctive, it formed the rhythmic foundation for the entire performance.
Pedro's opening style was slap bass, one of the most fundamental yet technically demanding bass techniques. Instead of plucking with the fingertips, he struck and popped the strings using his thumb and forefinger, creating that bright, percussive sound distinctive to funk and modern rock.
Hugo quickly noticed Pedro's solid fundamentals. Despite his youth — probably younger than Hugo — his technique was precise and confident, proof of long hours devoted to practice.
Both his fingerstyle and slap techniques, the two most commonly used foundational styles, were executed flawlessly. To show off, he even incorporated tapping and harmonics, advanced techniques that demanded great skill. Hugo, however, wasn't familiar enough with such high-level methods to analyze them deeply — so instead, he simply closed his eyes and listened.
Pedro had chosen to perform "Money" by Pink Floyd, one of the band's most iconic tracks.
Pink Floyd — the legendary British rock band that rose to fame in the 1960s were known for their groundbreaking creativity and technical mastery, forever shaping the evolution of rock.
Their bassist, Roger Waters, was not just a musician but an artist of immense influence.
And performing a Pink Floyd song especially live was never easy. Their performances were famous for complexity, atmosphere, and precision. Pedro's choice was, without a doubt, an ambitious one.
"Money" was released on the 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon, one of the most successful rock albums in history.
It spent an astonishing 741 consecutive weeks nearly 14 years on the Billboard 200 chart, a record that stood unbroken until 2014.
The track itself was built around its bass riff, supported by psychedelic synths and sound effects a true masterpiece of rhythm and tone.
Now, Pedro was attempting to play the song entirely on bass, without drums, synth, or vocals a serious disadvantage.
Hugo had expected him to choose a jazz piece to showcase his technical flair, so this selection was surprising. Yet as Pedro played, Hugo had to admit it was impressive.
Pedro's rhythm control was dynamic — alternating between fast and slow — fully capturing the rich, deep tone of the bass. He demonstrated not only a superb sense of rhythm but also infused the performance with a smooth jazz-like elegance.
Hugo could almost picture a 1930s ballroom chandeliers glowing above, elegantly dressed couples gliding across the floor to the sound of Pedro's bass.
As the song built toward its climax, Pedro's playing grew more intricate, layering techniques and tones until a single bass produced a tapestry of complex sound. It was mesmerizing.
Before long, a small crowd began to gather, drawn by the performance.
This was part of Al's Bar's charm impromptu performances were common. Sometimes amateurs, sometimes semi-professionals, they'd play purely for fun or to challenge each other, and it often drew the whole bar's attention.
Seeing the growing audience, Pedro grew even more excited. His fingers moved faster, his techniques flashier until he began to lose the beat.
Without a drummer keeping time, the rhythm started to fall apart. Hugo chuckled quietly to himself. Pedro's enthusiasm was admirable, but it was clear — he was still young.
"Planning to challenge him on bass this time?" a familiar voice asked beside him.
Hugo turned and to his delight, it was Neil Anderson.
He hadn't expected to run into him again tonight.
"No," Hugo said with a smile, shaking his head. "I can't play bass. I'm just here to enjoy the show."
He gestured toward Pedro, who was still lost in his energetic solo.
"So that's what this was — he was actually challenging you," Neil said suddenly, realization dawning on his face. He raised his beer and added, "His fundamentals are solid, but he's still lacking in stage experience."
Hugo remembered their last encounter — when he and Neil had gone head-to-head on guitar. Neil wasn't just technically gifted; he also had a wealth of live performance experience, making him something of a veteran. But then again, in the underground rock scene, talented musicians were everywhere — it wasn't surprising.
"Technique can be practiced, and experience can be built," Hugo said with a smile, taking a sip of his beer. "What really matters is whether you have the drive for it."
In the world of rock music, there were no shortcuts. Every successful band earned its fame through countless performances, sharpening their craft show by show. Every world-renowned rock legend had once been a nameless band grinding through endless tours.
As they talked, applause broke out around them.
Hugo and Neil looked toward the stage, where Pedro was bowing with a bright smile, thanking the audience. Both men raised their beers in salute, offering silent respect.
"Hey, Neil!" Pedro came over, grinning from ear to ear, clearly proud of himself. He greeted them cheerfully before turning his confident gaze on Hugo. "So? What did you think?"
"Impressive," Hugo said simply, giving him a thumbs-up. The compliment made Pedro beam with satisfaction.
"But," Hugo added with a teasing smile, "it seems like you haven't practiced much with a full band."
Pedro blinked, puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"
Neil, sensing something interesting, leaned in to listen.
"I don't mean anything bad," Hugo said with a shrug. "I just think your control over the melody isn't quite there yet."
Pedro nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I did hit a few wrong notes and I messed up two chord changes." He didn't deny it, even while they began walking together toward the bar. "But how can you tell I haven't played much with a band?"
Hugo glanced at Neil with a light laugh. "Looks like I said too much."
Neil raised a helpless hand, smiling. "Well, it's not just about missing a few notes. Everyone makes mistakes on stage — no one's perfect."
Pedro's technical skill was undeniable, and his rhythm sense was mature for his age. But Hugo could feel that his sense of melody was still slightly rough around the edges. It wasn't just about wrong notes or misplayed chords — it was about how he connected rhythm and melody. The transitions between them lacked smoothness, making the performance sound slightly disjointed.
Put simply: Pedro was an excellent solo bassist — confident, expressive, and technically sound.
But within a band setting, his playing would blend well with the drums but might clash slightly with the guitars and keyboards. That imbalance could make the overall sound feel disconnected.
Such issues might be fixed in studio recordings, but during live performances, they would stand out clearly and in a band, live shows are everything.
"You mean my rhythm and melody were out of sync?" Pedro asked, his expression now serious, the earlier pride replaced by genuine reflection.
Hugo nodded. "Especially toward the end."
In the final section, when Pedro lost control of the tempo, the melody fragmented slightly. It wasn't obvious in a solo bass performance, but with a full band, that disjointedness would become much more noticeable.
Although Hugo wasn't a professional bassist, his natural sense of music his ear caught such things instinctively.
Neil looked at Hugo with growing admiration.
He had sensed something off during Pedro's performance too, but not with Hugo's precision.
Thinking back on Hugo's songwriting talent, Neil realized it made perfect sense a strong melodic instinct was vital for any composer, and Hugo clearly possessed that in abundance.
....
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