dmccombe7

And that's what its all about so who cares how you get there.

With my broadband in our area down yesterday i decided to go and play some bass. As i was playing i noticed that i was actually doing the one finger per fret thing (as i was taught at the beginning in 1976. only 12-18mths lessons) I was laying around 5th fret upwards tho but as i started moving down the neck i found myself doing it far more than i originally thought. I am a bit lazy with my 3rd (ring) finger tho and i think i might work on that. I just realised when practicing without background music i play using mainly 1st, 2nd and 4th fingers. So maybe that original training or lessons has rubbed off more than i ever realy thought. I'm nowhere near Mr Malaman's technique but i have a life outside of bass these days Dave

At the beginning they were a very cult following band as their kind of rock had seen its day just as they were coming into it but they persisted and have quite a few albums now. While other bands went down the route of Iron Maiden heavy metal style they stuck with the prog based style of rock. Some fantastic songs to play. Met them in their early days and quite an odd band. Keys player Mark Stanway was fantastic and thoroughly enjoyed talking with him. Original bassist was the one i preferred. He had a nice sound with his Jazz bass before moving on to his Aria basses. Think it will be a very interesting project. Keep us posted on how you get on with them and any gigs up Scotland would be nice. Dave

I remember doing "In The Beginning" in my first proper band and it was great fun to play. Sounds like a great idea for a tribute band too. I'd go see that. Dave

Where you playing Lee ?

Would like to try that one too...........some day .........so many great songs out there. If i learned them all i would be a master of my bass

Yep agree with this. Its probably the only time i use it too.

Or "Never trust your lover to bring the paddle when canoeing"

With him coming from a drumming background he has a more rhythmic approach to playing. I struggle with his style to be honest. Enough so i don't even try nowadays

Got that last year and its a great book. Enjoy and have fun with it. Might even dig it out again just as a wee refresher

Its much the same as when you learned drums. You started slowly with what i believe were called para diddles or something like that and gradually learn to speed things up. I took lessons for about 12-18mths to get the basic techniques right but at 16yrs old full stretch at the 1st to 4th frets was too much for me but i tried to use the one finger one fret technique when i could and as i bettered myself i could do it but i do have small hands and have adapted my own styles over the 40yrs i've been playing. I would say that i do envy the guys that have perfect technique and wish i had simply stuck with it. Think it will definitely allow you more freedom across the neck if you can manage it. The VID clip with Rufus Philpot above is a great teaching aid and i might even go back and try this again just for the sheer heck of it. Dave

Main thing is that you enjoy it. Sometimes i enjoy playing really simple bass lines as i can relax and enjoy the set a bit more. Especially true in a new band or gigging with a new set for the first time. I like to get to a point where i don't need to think too much about what i'm playing and it comes naturally. Pretty sure you'll nail this song and have a blast. Let us all know how you get on. Dave

Bit simpler for me with Rocky Horror Time Warp. Not so much difficult to play rather than trying to remember all the bass runs and what comes next. Dave

Keys player decided it was too much hard work for him and left. We will be meeting up with a new keys player early January tho. He used to play with the band Racey in the 90's. Hopefully that works out and if he's a fast learner we can get gigging within couple of months. Dave

Happy Jack has a great VID clip on Youtube on exercises he has been doing before gigs. I've been doing some of the finger exercises before reherasals and works a treat.

Yep sounds like you are simply over-doing it a little. Try playing for just an hour max at any one time. I'm retired now so i'll play throughout the day maybe an hour at a time. with couple of hours in between or an hour in morning, hour in afternoon and an hour in evening. Other days i'll play for half an hour then go have a coffee or a break and then go back to learning whatever song i have on my list for that day. Currently working on Time Warp from Rocky orror Picture Show for next rehearsal in January along with 4 other songs but this one has a lot of bass runs to remember. Nothing hard but just a lot of movement. Loving it tho. Dave

Someone got me a book on Guitar Family Trees but its more about guitars. Got some new stagegear for our Glam Rock covers band from the guy who made The Glitter Band outfits. Our drummer was in the band during the 90's and managed to get us a great deal, enough so that i ended up with one full matching purple jacket and trousers and one blue jacket. I'll see about getting the trousers to match after the festive period has settled down. Lots of satin and sequins Dave

If its only on the day after playing it is more than likely strain on the fingers. Do you play hard ? Could be your technique ? How long have you been playing bass ? How long are you playing the bass for the day before ? Arthritis i'm sure usually affects either both hands or both sets of joints wherever it occurs so doesn't sound like that. My main advice is go see your GP if its happening too often and its worrying you. Very unlikely that anyone on BC is qualified to diagnose the cause. Dave

Had that if my bass volume is too low

Bringing some lifeson to his geddyolas i'll peart

I also like a bass to come as a package. I wouldn't buy a bass that feels good but doesn't have the sound i'm looking for. On that subject i've bought basses that at the time of buying sounded great but my taste in tone has changed over time and i might then look at changing pick ups or / and preamp like my Overwater J4 i love the bass overall feel, good neck and well built (mine was a one off made by the guys from various parts before they went with Tanglewood) but my love for that particular tone has changed and i'm looking at changing the pick-ups and preamp to something more passive like a Jazz with switchable pre-amp. Might discuss with Chris from McIntyre guitars who did a fantastic job on my Warwick Thumb few yrs ago. That's a job for 2019 tho PS Those Sandberg basses are simply unbelievable basses for the money IMO. Now tried a couple of them and they both just felt right. Dave

By-Tor and the Snow Dog obviously their best track. I first got into them when 2112 was released and first saw them with Farewel to Kings tour and have enjoyed their albums ever since. Yes all slightly different with some better than others but that's what keeps Rush interesting. Think Moving Pictures is probably my preferred album and the one i play most. Dave

Originally i thought of him mainly as a bassist but once i got more and more into Genesis i realised he was far more than a bassist. His writing with Genesis and Mike & the Mechanics is 2nd to none in my book. Met him a few times and he was a genuine nice guy to talk with. Dave

They'll maybe end up in a museum dedicated to Canada's most famous band. Now that would be neat. Dave

That's true enough as sometimes i get a notion for something on a fretless or if i need to work something out and just need to spend a few minutes with a bass. It would be more a nuisance for me to open up cases or where you have several cases find the one you're looking for before opening. I guess its each to their own and what you're used too If the room was bigger i might have gone down the route of floor stands. When i just had the 2 or 3 basses i used floor stands but they kept getting in the way or i kept knocking basses together if sitting down as room is a small bass cave