Whynot Jansveld

Creative & in the pocket bass

starstarstarstarstar
9 Reviews (4 Verified)
Whynot Jansveld on SoundBetter

Recording credits include The Wallflowers, Richard Marx, Linda Perry ft. Bono, Butch Walker, Sara Bareilles, The Weepies and many more. I'll find the bassline that lifts up your song.

I have performed, recorded and/or toured around the world with The Wallflowers, Richard Marx, Matchbox Twenty, Butch Walker, Linda Perry ft. Bono, Natasha Bedingfield, Sara Bareilles, The Weepies, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Brett Dennen, Gavin DeGraw, Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, Jonatha Brooke, Wayne Krantz, Vertical Horizon, Crash Test Dummies and many others, and worked with legendary producers like David Kahne, Neil Dorfsman, John O’Mahony and Butch Walker, for whom I've become a first-call bassist.

I have a knack for finding that bass part that anchors and supports the tune, but simultaneously lifts it up and turns your ear. I love finding the spots where I can be melodic and surprising, but do it in a way that makes you feel like that bass line always belonged there.

I have a wide-ranging collection of basses, but my faves are my vintage Fender P and Jazz basses and Hofners. Look forward to digging into your tune and crafting the perfect bass part.

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

Credits

Discogs verified credits for Whynot Jansveld
  • Annie Minogue
  • Greg Tannen
  • The Dana Fuchs Band
  • NiNi Camps
  • David Mead
  • Sonya Heller
  • The Weepies
  • Blueberry (2)
  • Dana Fuchs
  • 蔡健雅*
  • The Weepies
  • Tanya Chua
  • Ingrid Schnell
  • Dana Fuchs
  • David Mead
  • Dave Feusi & Friends*
  • Sara Bareilles
  • Alex Dezen
  • The Weepies
  • Joseph Trapanese
  • Alex Dezen
  • Katie Toupin
  • Fee Waybill
  • Butch Walker
  • Elizabeth Cook (2)
  • Egg Drop Soup / Broken Baby
  • Anthony Da Costa, Will Honaker
  • Anthony Da Costa
  • The Wallflowers
  • Richard Marx
  • Ted Sablay
  • The Brothers Comatose
  • Matt Nathanson
  • Broken Baby
  • Richard Marx
  • Matt Nathanson
  • Butch Walker
  • Dave Matthews Band
  • NiNi Camps
  • Richard Marx
  • Dave Matthews Band

9 Reviews - 2 Repeat Clients

Endorse Whynot Jansveld
  1. Review by Mattias L.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Whynot did a great job for me, more than I expected.
    A real pro, can highly recommend whynot.

  2. Review by KYZR
    starstarstarstarstar
    by KYZR
    check_circleVerified

    In Whynot we found the bass player we were really looking for, after our former great one passed away. Playing, adjusting and communication is excellent and a real fit for our music. We found ourselves a friend and great bass player at the other side of the ocean. Cooperation will not end here. We love you Whynot.

    Stefan & Marcel

  3. Review by Stefan K.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    We worked with Whynot before and asked him again for another two songs. Whynot is really easy to talk to and a friendly guy. On top of that his bass work is top notch and just the right sound for us. Highly recommended.

  4. Review by Stefan K.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Whynot is a super friendly guy and delivered a perfect and very melodic bassline to our song. Just what it needed! We will be happy to be working with him again on a few other songs. Whynot is highly recommended!

  5. Review by Johnny Marfa
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Johnny Marfa

    Fuck five stars. More like a gazillion. Why is the baddest mofo I know. He’s a killer on the bass, sings like an angel and ain’t too bad on the eyes. He’s handsome, y’all, is what I’m trying to say. Sweetest, most pro good time hang around. Find me a better one. I dare you. Scratch it off your list and hire him.

  6. Review by Alex Dezen
    starstarstarstarstar

    Whynot is an absolute beast of a bass player. Incredible musical instincts that always elevate any song or project. I’ve worked with him on countless projects over the last decade, and I can say without hesitation that he is worth every penny. An absolute pro. A real artist of the highest order.

  7. Review by Aurelien Rubod
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Aurelien Rubod

    As a composer, I had the good fortune of working with Whynot on a commercial for one of my clients recently. Whynot understood what I was after immediately, and delivered a flawless performance, exceeding my expectations.

  8. Review by Aaron Lee Tasjan
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Aaron Lee Tasjan

    Whynot is one of my favorite musicians on the planet. He finds the most creative ways to elevate every project we work on together.

  9. Review by Brian Griffin
    starstarstarstarstar

    Whynot Jansveld is one of the most brilliant producer-minded musicians in Los Angeles. He’s a deeply creative and musically versatile bass player and arranger/composer - as well as a world class mastering engineer with a growing list of top-level credits to his name. One of my top five favorite musicians to work with.

Interview with Whynot Jansveld

  1. Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

  2. A: Not many people know The Weepies, but they are who got me into remote recording way back in 2004. I'm so proud of that music and my role in it -- check out their albums 'Say I Am You' and 'Hideaway'. Those songs are perfect little gems.

  3. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  4. A: Touring with The Wallflowers, Richard Marx and Butch Walker (it's a scheduling puzzle!), mastering tracks (most recently Dave Matthews Band's new album, which comes out May '23).

  5. Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

  6. A: Brian Griffin is one of my favorite drummers, period. You can't find someone more focused on the song and the arrangement, and looking to lift up the music -- his approach is based on the entirety of the song, not just a spiffy drum part. Alex Dezen is another fave -- a super creative mind who will produce and mix the hell out of your song.

  7. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  8. A: In the recording realm, I'm all digital -- you can't beat the flexibility, and these days I feel like you're no longer paying a price in terms of sound quality. Recording gear and software have just gotten that good. That said, I love combining my digital signal chain with my very analog vintage instruments and amps.

  9. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  10. A: I love the variety. Touring and recording as a bass player is an inherently social activity, and mastering tracks is inherently solitary. Whenever I've done one for a while, I'm ready for the other. Together, they keep me excited and motivated yet sane.

  11. Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

  12. A: To anyone working on a song or an album, I'd say resist the urge to keep tweaking things forever without a deadline. At some point, trust yourself enough to say, "this is done," and put it out. There's always a new song to start.

  13. Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

  14. A: After finishing Berklee in '96, I moved to New York City and spent the next 16 years there. Being immersed in music there, playing a million gigs, I'd say it was where I formed my identity as a musician. I ultimately ended up in Los Angeles, and have been here for over a decade, dividing my time fairly equally between touring, recording, and mastering.

  15. Q: How would you describe your style?

  16. A: I'd like to think I ride the line between being supportive and adventurous, between playing for the song and finding a melodic gem, between laying the foundation and stepping out. I love surprising a listener, but never at the expense of the song as a whole.

  17. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  18. A: Giving your ears a break until the next morning, whatever it is you're working on. Fresh ears hear all the stuff you missed when you were inside of it. Also: invite a friend to come listen to what you're working on, and listen together. You'll find that it's as if you're listening 'through their ears', and you'll get a different perspective, just by their presence, even if they don't say anything.

  19. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  20. A: Rock, alternative, singer-songwriter, Americana, funk, soul.

  21. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  22. A: An tasty blend of groove and melodicism.

  23. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  24. A: A bass part that you can build a house on. Not just knowing what to play and how to play it, but WHEN to play and when not to.

  25. Q: What's your typical work process?

  26. A: Here's what I've found works the best for me: I chart out the tune, and then, without overthinking, I'll do three complete takes all the way through. Then I'll put it away until the next morning, and listen with fresh ears. At that point, it's usually completely clear to me what works and what doesn't, and I'll build the bass part from there.

  27. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  28. A: I like to pair my best instruments -- '66 Fender P Bass, '67 Hofner, '93 MIJ Fender Jazz Bass, '63 Ampeg B-15, Rob Allen fretless -- with a simple yet pristine recording setup centered around an Apogee Symphony Desktop interface.

  29. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  30. A: Pino Palladino is my hero -- because he's managed to make his mark in so many different genres, sounding completely fluent in each, always supporting the music and yet never taking the obvious route, always completely himself.

loading
play_arrowpause
skip_previous
skip_next
Linda Perry ft. Bono, Eden (To Find Love)

I was the bassist in this production

Terms Of Service

I'll try to make it work within your budget, and happy to do a package deal for an EP or album.

Gear Highlights
  • 1966 Fender P Bass
  • 1967 Hofner Beatle bass
  • 1963 Ampeg B-15N
  • Rob Allen Fretless
  • 1993 MIJ Fender Jazz Bass
  • Apogee Symphony Desktop
More Photos