Aris Sairattanyu

“I am from Chiang Mai, Thailand but I was born in the United States. My parents started me off really young; I started piano when I was four years old and I continued with it until I left Thailand for Berklee College of Music. I started learning bass at the Yamaha Music School in Thailand when I was about 12 years old. I fell in love with the bass as soon as I started playing and from then onwards I felt like it was what I really wanted to do. I am currently endorsed by a brand in Thailand called MN Custom Bass. They provide me with custom basses and custom strings.”

“I played piano and guitar before picking up the bass. Why I started playing bass is actually a really funny story. It started one day at school when there was a student concert and I was watching this girl in my school band playing bass. I honestly had a crush on that girl who was playing bass and, because I wanted to impress her, I decided to ask my dad to take me to Yamaha Music School to take bass lessons. Then what happens next? The girl became a celebrity in Thailand, but even so I didn’t quit taking bass lessons even after I failed miserably with my puppy love.”

“The person who first introduced me to Berklee was my bass instructor in Thailand. He was an amazing teacher and he kept telling me that his dream was to one day see one of his bass students attend Berklee. While I’m studying here at Berklee, the thing that I want to get most out of my time is the ability to perform and play at an exceptional level that would be beyond normal. I believe that everyone in this world can play bass and can play with a band but how many people in this world could actually have such a unique talent that as soon as they hit one note on the bass people can realize who they are? The thing that I find most rewarding about my Berklee experience is that we have a chance to be surrounded by people just like us and to get mentored by the most incredible bass players this world has to offer. The Berklee Bass Department, especially, is growing so much; sometimes it feels like I’m at a NAAM show or something.”

“Down the road, I see myself performing as a backup bass player and a studio session player, but I know that since times have changed, it may be really hard to make a living by just playing like that. I would also like to open up a bass academy in Thailand that can change the whole music scene and level of musicianship in Thailand. Charity work is also a goal of my life; I really want to be able to provide music lessons for people in Thailand who can’t afford them without having to charge them any money.”

Watch Aris Sairattanyu play bass in this video.