visog

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb_Mab6PRNY&list=UUd6Y__-1Yjb-89Euc0KAJCA&index=2&feature=plpp_video"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb_Mab6PRNY&list=UUd6Y__-1Yjb-89Euc0KAJCA&index=2&feature=plpp_video[/url] They were at the London Bass Show last year... Looked a bit odd but I understand the experience is in playing one. (As always....) Seem to recall the rep lamenting the fact that they'd be pricey because of the exchange rate.

I quite like them too. Sort of a funky take on a Rickie. A 'Frickie'? (Reminds me a little of JE's Fenderbird mash-ups.) Anyone tried one? What do they sound like?

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1330941123' post='1564903'] It has a Star Wars cantina band vibe about it. [/quote] I've always thought that about 'Night Passage' too especially 'Rockin' in Rhythm'. Also on that record is the awesome 'Port of Entry' - a Jaco classic.

[quote name='fluffo' timestamp='1330944643' post='1564975'] A good day out although that Nigel Clutterbuck was nothing short of a pain <snip> Has anyone ever seen him play in a band or with anyone else, No well that says something!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [/quote] Yes - Forever Endeavour. He plays great in a band context and still manages to do all his 'thupity-thupity'. Seem to recall him and his band doing a smoking version of 'Sweet Georgia Brown'...

Nigel Clutterbuck - Rotosound rep and monster player...(if a little light on actual pitched notes...)

[quote name='blackmn90' timestamp='1330806660' post='1563353'] Bass wise, Dingwall super P was amazing! loved the low B! Also the blue Ritter Roya at BassGear had bags of character. [/quote] I went last year... Dingwalls were in my highlights too along with GB, Overwater and Status. Was Nigel C there doing his usual 64th deadened note slap-a-thon?

Didn't make it this year as I was doing my hair. How was the 'E'-centric slap aura? Did any of the special guests appear on records you own or would be prepared to buy? Let me know your highlights... What gear floated your boat? visog

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1330781467' post='1562909'] No matter how many times I try,I just can't get into Pink Floyd-I just find it really boring. The only album of theirs that I can tolerate is 'Wish You Were Here'. [/quote] I was the same for years... Prog-wise, Yes by comparison had so many more chords, melodies and mood changes and no blues lines. Much more exciting; as Squire is the better singer and player. But then I was driving listening to R2 one time and Jeremy Vine said, "and now for something really special" and he played all of "Us and Them" and it blew me away. Kind of got them after this point.

Dood, It was your purple Predator bass ramp that I tried at the NW Bass Day '10 at the RNCM that inspired me to get mine. Nice bass BTW... Visog

'Parallels' - Yes - first became aware of the bass listening to this... I remember thinking that something really interesting was going on down there... then again for every Yes track I heard. Took me a while to find anything else that really interested me. All other bass parts seemed so dull in comparison...

I think what you're saying is that you've found a method that works for you. It may work for other people but before you charge for it, whatever the price, you need to test it with other people to ensure that it works, it's correct and differentiated from all the other products currently available. In short, some market research and testing is needed. Also, I'd demonstrate your results on YouTube so that people understand clearly what your approach will give them. Regarding theory, you can understand it if you wish... which is important if you're composing. But I know great performers who are Grade 8+ who just aren't interested and accept the theory simply as 'how it is' and concentrate on playing great. It better be good because there's a whole world of free education on YT and the Internet generally. Good luck and if it's good, I'll use it too!

The 'elephant in the room' in this thread is the musical copyright. This costs a lot of money and that's where you get the proper music when you've paid for it. Clearly you've been asked to do a production which probably isn't paying for that copyright. Likewise the poster previously with the piano scores is breaching copyright. I'm not the copyright police so my take would be to buy the record and transcribe. Typically in a show there's a basic 10 or so songs with the rest of the parts variations on those themes. Shouldn't take you too long. You can scuff by with roots for the background parts and just transcribe the prominent bass lines. Timings, queues and stops are the things that probably matter most. P.S. Good luck with the poster who suggested asking for a midi version of the score from the director!? Why not ask for a bass tab version too while you're at it. It'll be just as likely to be forthcoming.

Just as Gary Willis has his custom model and cheaper version (GWB1005 vs. GWB35) for some time, GV now has the same two lines: [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/eb_series12.php?series_id=25&area_id=3&year=2012&cat_id=2"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/eb_series12.php?series_id=25&area_id=3&year=2012&cat_id=2[/url]

The ramp I think originated with Gary Willis although the raised pick-up thing works the same too which is one of Billy Sheehan's 'secrets' which he happy to tell everyone in a clinic. A lot of people working on their right-hand finger-style technique, particularly using the Gary Willis approach, use them to govern their attack to ensure a light touch. The common element between Billy and Gary being that they both use three fingers to pluck, using the ramp/raised pick-up to provide a resistant surface to govern the slight uneven length and strength of the three fingers. More broadly, you make the amp do the work in terms of volume, keeping your right-hand agile and tension-free. If you look at Gary's videos on YouTube, he certainly gets great dynamics. Over-playing, particularly to compensate for poor volume or monitoring is potentially very damaging to your hands. That said, in reply to an earlier post, I wouldn't stick a ramp on a vintage Rick or Fender either.

5 EMGs! Will the strings move at all in that magnetic field denser than a black hole? Does anyone in Warwick do consumer product testing? Between the Bootsy, Zender and Streamer single-cut, I think they've a global market of about 5 people. (... but only 2 people can afford them.)

Are clogs supplied?

@Chris2112, "Mark used them for about 5 minutes and then went onto those GB basses, which sounded crap in fairness." I wonder why Mark chose a crap-sounding bass? (As at this point he'd only used Jaydee, Pangborn, Zon, Alembic, Status, Gibson, Musicman and Moon. And as you say Fender.)

"The Advent of Punk - Good or Bad Thing?" I'll go 'good' with heaps of hindsight and a broad definition of Punk to include New Wave. Prog had its faults (elitism, aloofness and being out of touch in some pretty tough times) but Punk had masses of hypocracy.... The Stranglers and Killing Joke both had their proggy moments and consider: Jon Anderson, son of a milkman; Joe Strummer, son of a diplomat....

I'm firmly in the Rick/Jazz camp - the Steinberger was OK but the Wal lost me with it's flappy thin sound which he didn't overdrive as much. Those earlier basses got much more of the sonic spectrum in what was then essentially a trio line-up. From Signals onwards, they were arguably a four piece with the keyboards on a level sonic spectrum, taking the space from the bass and guitar. On PW, the keyboards went nuclear with a different patch on almost every note. The bass definitely suffered in terms of space and frequency spectrum.

I used to buy them all - Bass Player and the UK Bassist. Did virtually nothing for my playing. Made me more aware of gear I suppose and also how much artists just use these as vehicles of promotion. My advice: save the money and spend the time you'd go into town for the mag on practising. Boring I know but you can find all the interviews and demonstrations you need on the internet. Also you'd be surprised how much these mags are influenced by advertisers... Steer clear and trust your ears and fingers.

Just to be controversial.... I don't think you need many tonal variations.... just a few good options: a pick-up selector, and a 2-band probably does it.... (I've a mid-range too that I rarely use.) A 2-band gives you a good finger-style tone (bridge + bass boost) and a good treble sound (both pick-ups + treble boost) for a slap/pick-style rock tone). As an example, check out this Enfield Bass demonstration: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcWbVd36Y0I"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcWbVd36Y0I[/url] It looks and sounds like a gorgeous bass but here's the thing: I would settle on any one of those slap options... I simply don't need that many choices? I'm talking myself into a Fender Jazz aren't I? Wide tonal variations are achievable but simply not usable - discuss.... visog

Wow! Great looking bass but we can't really hear what it sounds like from the vid with all the background noise. Having seen MG with Gary Husband's band and heard his (previous) Fodera live I can say that it sounds wonderful but then you've got to factor into it his amazing technique. The price is an issue though... It is ridiculous: for a third of this price, you could have a UK custom-made uber-bass to your own specs including the string spacing, mid-scale, ramp and high-C stringing!

Just in case you've not seen, Ed Friedland's review: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e1xXQUOIig"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e1xXQUOIig[/url] Looks like a nice bass if the features and narrow spacing work for you. And you get over the £5.5k (which seems a very long way from my £135 Ibanez Blazer)

He's pretty intense! Check this out... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2XnB5G6oSc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2XnB5G6oSc[/url]

Looks like a major project... Is it for advanced players or is applicable to mere mortals? I've done scales to death but phrasing is a bit of a black-art. (Realised how far I had to go when I heard Nigel Price [guitar - sorry] just setting up to support Stanley & Hiromi at Ronnie Scotts. Every line swung so well.) Be interested to hear how you're getting on with the book?