Artist Spotlight :: Mark Flint

Bio

Mark Flint is an upright bassist, vocalist, and lifelong musician whose playing bridges the worlds of Americana, jazz, acoustic pop, and roots music. With decades of experience on stage and in the studio, he has built a reputation for tasteful musicianship, solid groove, and a deep respect for serving the song above all else.

As one half of the Arizona-based duo He Said She Said, Mark uses the upright bass as both foundation and voice, creating rich musical landscapes with little more than two vocals and a single instrument. This minimalist approach places every note under a microscope, making tone, dynamics, and reliability essential parts of every performance.

Whether performing live, recording in the studio, or sharing his passion for music and gear with fellow musicians, Mark values authenticity, craftsmanship, and tools that inspire creativity. He is proud to be a member of the Rattlesnake Cables artist family.

What/Who inspired you to pick up your instrument?

My original bass inspiration was Gene Simmons. I was 11 years old. I played saxophone in the school band at that time. In eighth grade, my band director, Mr. Genteline, knew that I wanted to play electric bass. I was uninspired on the saxophone. He told me that if I wanted to play the electric bass, I had to start on the upright/string bass and play in the orchestra. That's all it took. I put the saxophone away and never touched it again. From the upright bass, I moved to the electric bass, but never left the upright behind. Upright bass is my heart; I was later inspired by Geddy Lee, Stanley Clark, and Christ Squire, along with Rick Danko and Michael Been. Moving on, my upright teacher was the late great H. Stevens Brewster, principal bassist for the National Symphony.

What piece of musical advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time to the beginning of your musical journey?

Never stop dreaming and never give your dreams away. Don't worry about fame, fortune, trends, or styles. Just play...and play well.

What keeps you excited about playing?

I love to play. I love to perform and entertain. My bass is just one tool for that. But I love playing it. Playing with Lyndsee in He Said She Said is probably the hardest gig I have ever done, because the only instrument in the group is the upright bass. Learning to play the song and finding ways to make the bass support the singer that I have never tried before is quite a challenge. Cool licks or chops won't do it. Scales and arpeggios won't do it. It's all about the feel and the emotion that the song is putting out. It's like a painting. The bass is just one color in the painting. That challenge keeps me very excited.

Desert Island 3 pedal pedalboard (not including tuner)

By far, my favorite pedals at the moment are the TC BodyRez, TC Infinite Sustain, and the Source Audio Collider. The BodyRez really adds the "wood" to the sound. It's so cool. The Infinite Sustain is just fun atmospheres and drones. I love it. I discovered it after a conversation I had through DMs on Instagram with David Hartley, bassist for War on Drugs. I had seen him on Rig Rundown, and he was talking about the Gamechanger Audio Plus sustain pedal, and I reached out to him about it. After some research, I landed on the Infinite Sustain, simply because it was more affordable at the time. It's a great pedal. And you can't go wrong with anything from Source Audio. The Collider is such a complete Delay/Reverb tool. So good.

When you find yourself in a musical rut, what techniques do you use to break out of it?

I pour a martini...

Who is your favorite artist/band today? And who was your favorite artist/band 10 years ago?

I used to love anything with cool licks, cool time signatures, etc. Now I am far more into the emotion of it all. Something that tells a story or takes me somewhere. I still love what I loved before. Nothing has changed, it has just been added to...

When you find yourself in a music store, what is your go-to riff when test-driving gear?

If I'm playing electric bass, it's Chris Squire's opening lick from It Can Happen. It's just cool.

What is your most prized/cherished piece of gear? And why?

My most cherished piece of gear is, far and away, my upright bass. It was my mother-in-law's. I found it in a family storage shed where it had been forgotten for over 20 years. It's a workhorse.

What is the next big musical purchase you're hoping to save for?

I will purchase a new upright at some point. I'm always looking. I also shop amps. I'd love a cool combo amp. I need something with just the right amount of power, not too heavy, and a ton of style.

Gear Breakdown

Mark's rig is a never-ending rework. Currently, Mark plays a 1954 Kay C1 upright bass. Amps consist of a TC Electronic BG250 2x8 combo for the upright and main pedalboard and a powered Behringer 1x12 monitor for ambient pads. Mark's pedalboard chain starts with a TC Sub-Up to a TC Infinite Sustain to a TC BodyRez to a Source Audio Collider and finally a TC mini Ditto. The icing on the cake is the Aerospace Audio Atmosphere pedal that runs solely to the Behringer-powered monitor. Mark also uses the Atmosphere app. Same pads as the Atmosphere pedal, just different accessibility. All is powered with a Joyo Power Supply 2. Mark has a collection of cables, including Rattlesnake Cables Ultra Flex Patch cables in various lengths, perfect for all the tight spots on his board. Mark's board itself is currently a handmade design made specifically for this situation. Mark also uses 2 Holeyboard Module C's for any extensions or add-ons that inevitably happen.

Bands / Projects

He Said She Said

Listen on Spotify

Social Links

Want to be featured as an Artist Spotlight?

Do you have to be a famous musician to be featured? No. Do you have to be a professional musician to be featured? No. Do you have passion about playing and gear -- oh and a verified Rattlesnake Cable Company cable user. Yes!

All you need to do is contact us and we'll direct you to our submission form. If your submission is approved, it will be in the queue to be showcased!