We’ve all heard Polyphia’s Playing God. The band’s 2022 comeback track that ushered in a new era of Tim Henson signature guitars by debuting the Ibanez TOD10N, the song was a virtuosic clinic of the highest order, and one of last year’s finest guitar tracks.
Learning the song on the instrument it was intended to be played on is hard enough, but YouTuber Charles Berthoud has taken things one step further: not only has he learned Playing God, he's completely transformed it into a six-string fretless bass masterclass.
Berthoud’s low-end pedigree is unquestionable, having built himself one of the most visible bass empires on social media. In the past, he's covered Slipknot’s Duality, and has also recreated John Petrucci, Guthrie Govan, and (other) Tim Henson solos on the bass, with spectacular results.
His latest effort, though, raises the bar even further. With his custom-made Le Fay model in tow, Berthoud navigates his fretless fingerboard with exquisite ease, making light work of the percussive slap opening exchanges and harmonic chimes.
The lack of frets gives the cover a distinctly smoother vibe, but that doesn’t take away from the devastating effect of Berthoud’s arrangement: those pounding fingerstyle runs are executed immaculately.
But that’s not the end of it – not only does Berthoud tackle the main riff, he nails that opening solo, complete with a ricochet of hammering lead licks and colorful two-hand tapping sequences.
Is it better than the original? Well, as guitarists, we’re slightly biased, but as a feat of bass playing there’s no denying it’s something special. We imagine playing that on a fretted bass is hard enough, but take frets out the equation? Berthoud is a braver soul than most.
Even those who don’t play bass will appreciate the sheer level of skill involved in Berthoud’s playing, and may even enjoy his version of Playing God as much as the original. Such observations will no doubt please Berthoud, who once told Bass Player he wanted his “music to appeal to people who don’t know anything about bass.”
In an earlier conversation with Bass Player, Berthoud commented, “It’s definitely a balancing act. I don’t want my music to only appeal to people who play bass.
“I love those people, and I do want them to enjoy my music, but I also want my music to appeal to people who know nothing about bass, which is why I try to get some humor in there.”
It’s not the first time Berthoud’s bass antics have drawn attention. Last November, he led 200 bass players in a magical cover of Queen’s Under Pressure.
