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[quote name='AM1' post='486191' date='May 12 2009, 05:49 PM']This stuff really needs to see the light of day, there isn't enough of this around![/quote] Yeah well us bass players may think so, and the band that did Flute Beast is now kind of "Baby Charles" (guitarist is the bassist now) - who you might have heard of (Craig Charles digs them a lot on his funk show) When we were gigging as One Major Close we never did a bad gig, always rammed places, punters dancing on tables etc. That was with an entirely originals set! But I honestly wouldnt know how to get this stuff out there, you know, ideas I'm having. I just do it for a laugh these days. Dont know where I'd find a band to play this in Brighton...

[quote name='AM1' post='486183' date='May 12 2009, 05:42 PM']It sounds like you're as much of a perfectionist as me, but if you really want me to try and pick it out, I will. But what sounds glaring to you, is probably imperceptible to the majority of listeners! I'm exactly the same though, ultra picky. It's a mixed blessing and a curse but overall not a bad thing! Most of the time![/quote] Oh yeah, hence all the time mulling over technique at a 'Zen' level If I had my time again I'd have worked more on reading and walking, you get paid for that! Feel free to try and pick it out, I dont mind, Its enough that you haven't said - that one there - straight away and been right!

[quote name='alexclaber' post='486174' date='May 12 2009, 05:37 PM']I think in the petite genre of multi-tracked solo bass funk it stacks up pretty well - could certainly teach the esteemed Mr Wooten a thing or two about tone too. Alex P.S. So who else really plays funk bass in this town? We need to get a proper scene happening![/quote] Hold on, you reckon it could teach VW about tone - I read that the other way around first time - clearly I'm far too English! Cripes matey, well thank you! Bl00dy hell.....

[quote name='alexclaber' post='486174' date='May 12 2009, 05:37 PM']I think in the petite genre of multi-tracked solo bass funk it stacks up pretty well - could certainly teach the esteemed Mr Wooten a thing or two about tone too. Alex P.S. So who else really plays funk bass in this town? We need to get a proper scene happening![/quote] Jeez, I need to find a bleedin band who'll have me. I'm so out of touch with the Brighton scene that I have no idea where to look for a band or people interested in doing funk locally (especially not with an old b@stard like meself!) I've been happily trucking over to Chi to record with old mates and do the very occasional gig that I've not even really thought about getting a local band going... Really want to see your lot live though Alex, bit you seem slightly tied up with some new fangled cabs mate

[quote name='AM1' post='486170' date='May 12 2009, 05:32 PM']Haha, is it the pop at the start of the section? I'm not going to be evil enough to try and pick it out, even though you have constructed some hideous DarkLord exercises which have devastated my evenings for the foreseeable! As for sending it off as a potential demo - no, I don't see it as brash, not at all. You clearly really love this instrument (and I can totally see why!) - so share your enthusiasm! What have you got to lose? You've obviously put a lot of work into it and it's a really, really effective demonstration of the sheer amount of tonal possibilities with this instrument. It would be criminal not to do something with this piece of work![/quote] Nope not the one at the beginning. Jeez I must be overreacting - it sounds really glaring to me - it only happens once as they whole section is not copied and pasted fortunately. Its a pig to play which is why after an evening of mucking about with that bit, when I got that take with all the nice little melodic runs just how I was aiming for I just went with that one, didnt really notice the wayward pop for a few days, and really dont want another evening to et it as good everywhere else but sans late pop.... Especially now you cant hear it!!!! Maybe I'll PM Gard over at Talkbass about it as a possible demo - if he's interested then....

[quote name='alexclaber' post='486159' date='May 12 2009, 05:23 PM']How very English of you! Alex[/quote] How true! Hmmmm, should I though? Is it that good? Not looking for trumpet blowing, but its kind of just me letting go and enjoying writing something, so not the best it could be, you know.... What if they tell me its poo! How could I face the rejection

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='486143' date='May 12 2009, 05:14 PM']I was quite enjoying the slanging match this morning - From a spectator's point of view it was more entertaining than TV. But then again, there's never anything worth watching on the TV![/quote] ROFL - yeah it was cracking that wasnt it! Reminds me of my youngest - although more often than not his arguments end in a big fat wet raspberry being blown at you - we need more raspberries on the forum!

[quote name='AM1' post='486128' date='May 12 2009, 05:05 PM']That is one seriously versatile bass!! Ha, you just answered my next question before I even asked it! In the verse...the main groove line lies under what sounds like a 2 octave bass part above it..how did you get that almost wah effect? Purely with compression?! Sounds good! Is the late click around 2.27? Tasty fills in the verse! I actually thought initially that the higher register parts in the first track were possibly guitar too, had to listen really closely! You've constructed an excellent demonstration of the versatility of this bass - I think you should send it to Roscoe![/quote] Its a ridiculous instrument. I love it! The Verse (ie the first groove) is just a single track of slapped bass with no pops. The strings were new (when I started, I killed them doing this track over the course of several evenings). Part of why it sounds like it does is that its mainly a slapped B string, which is huuuuuge sounding, and the compression kind of 'glues in' the deep bass and the nice bright string sound. Also the fact that its 100% neck pup has a lot to do with that timbre. Not a lot of people really try all neck pup for a slap tone, I think people are so used to both pups 50/50 when slapping that they never get away from that sound. This bass has classic bartolini soap bars and preamp in it, which must be something to do with the sound. It does have a really great 'grind' to it in that section doesn't it! Realy though, no other fx there at all..... The late pop is not at 2.27, keep guessing If only I can hear it then thats brilliant! I'm not going to tell you exactly where it is though - I'm too vain Don't know if I'd have the audacity to send it to Roscoe as a potential demo, thats kind of brash isn't it?

[quote name='AM1' post='486105' date='May 12 2009, 04:44 PM']I knew it! You, of course, are entirely innocent. Where have you been anyway, you're late to the party! You missed all the funny parts where we hurled childish insults at each other![/quote] Yes, you manged to call nearly everyone a knob didnt you? Masterful, I thought

[quote name='AM1' post='486071' date='May 12 2009, 04:17 PM']Thanks for the link, I'll take a look. Did you use that same bass to record all the bass parts? What's the effect on the higher register parts, it's a bit synthy and an almost wah effect? I'm really surprised that there's flat EQ in the middle 8! No effects at all?? The part that comes in 2.08 is insanely funky! Seriously, that's pure FUNK! I am a slave to the funk - no matter how hard I try to resist and branch into other styles, it lures me back! Sounds like a great bass - but technique is king, as you've demonstrated so well.[/quote] One bass for all the parts - its got a huge number of tones in it - all good it appears! Chorus high register there are two tracks, LHS is a slapped part with the preamp sucking all bass out ans rolled onto bridge pup, sounds like a clav a bit. RHS is 50/50 mix of pups slapped with an envelope filter on it (only effect I used other than the compressor - honest!!) - its a freeware VSTi envelope filteer (Classic Envelope I think its called, part of a large collection). Its an excellent filter effect for the money Chorus Low register is fingerstyle neck pup 100% Verse id slapped, no pops, neck pup 100% Middle 8 has no effects other than a bit of compression (which is on the whole bass group in fact). No eq. Its slapped, the only pops are the little offbeats clicks, they're all muted (one is a bit late actually - damned annoying!). Really glad you like it. It took a lot of work to get that take I'm afraid, I'm really interested in trying to write more melodic slap lines when I can get away with it. In terms of what you can do with bass, and if you want a real laugh, listen to Skatabug, the 'guitar' part is the same bass, right up top register of the neck on the D & G strings, preamp used to remove all bass and mid, put through a comp set just so, added a touch of chorus, no pitch shifting at all. Completely convinced my guitarist that I'd found another guitar player. ROFL!

I would just reiterate - its got NO EQ. Its not just cos its a great instrument. All basses sound better to my ears the less you eq them. No one has said yet anything other than what a great bass tone is in 'What It Is', most people assume its this amp, that cab, loads of eq, clever effects - its not. Its just a nice compressor and flat eq. Try it on your bass. Just be sure to have fairly new strings.

[quote name='AM1' post='486015' date='May 12 2009, 03:12 PM']OK yeah I can see it now. Very free form! Great grooves - this is the stuff I absolutely love! That track "What It Is" - IMMENSE bass sound!!! That's one filthy groove too! How did you get that sound? That sound at 2.08 - yeah! That's what I'm talking about! The sound up to 2.08 is very old style Ampeg-ish but I'm sensing it was not an Ampeg head! Very clever rhythmic syncopation. That's outrageously funky![/quote] Now you're making me blush :blush: Thank you. 'What It Is' is neat isnt it! Right little pant swinger IMO. A little thread on that track - goes into where the inspiration came from (guitarist rock nonsense), and how I got all the bass sounds in some detail:- [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=46803"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=46803[/url] To cut a long story short, thats my Roscoe Century Standard 5 string direct (every part). No mic'ing of amps at all. That middle 8 bit is with all eq flat, and just favouring the bridge pickup a hint. There is no EQ post production, but for the top parts in the chorus I scooped out the bass with the onboard preamp. So I guess you get what you pay for - its the most expensive bass I've ever played (unfortunately replacing it would cost significantly more now the exchange rate has gone bonkers). I got it from Mark at [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk"]http://www.bassdirect.co.uk[/url], and it is an amazing instrument. Cant recommend Mark enough.

Tune up a fifth and be ready to hear a clankkkkkk sound as the E snaps!

[quote name='AM1' post='485998' date='May 12 2009, 03:01 PM']Haha, no way, that's cool! I can't wait to hear the music! Will definitely be interesting coming from a games developer! I found a CPC 464 emulator recently - now my basslines sound even more like 80's computer games![/quote] Being a confirmed ABC Warriors nut, if they get this wrong I will go Joe Pineapples on their collective butts, except for the transvestite thing; I'd look ridiculous, I mean really!

Dont know why you cant see my sig.... [url="http://www.myspace.com/simonnaishbass"]My MySpace Page[/url] Flutebeast is very much a freeformed funk groove, if you know what I mean, none of the fills are worked out at all really. In fact the whole song dynamic came from playing and jamming it a lot....

[quote name='AM1' post='485959' date='May 12 2009, 02:27 PM']I sense a fellow purist! [/quote] Then this will interest you I think:- [url="http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=24705"]http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/viewtopi...=21&t=24705[/url]

[quote name='AM1' post='485942' date='May 12 2009, 02:10 PM']Yes I've done quite a bit of work on dynamic control on the right hand, that element is passable, it was the other issues really impeding progress. I can actually see it in my left hand that there's too much movement, this is why I was trying to compensate with my right hand, by damping with my ring finger. A question - when you spent that 4 yrs working on technique..when you now play a piece of music, do you have to individually work out for each note, which fingers you use to damp the other strings, or have you practiced that left hand damping in so many scale positions that it is now automatic no matter which fret/string you're playing on?[/quote] When I play now, 95% of the time its entirely instinctive - has been for a very long time. Dampening is generally just not an issue at all. But every now and the you find a piece that requires a bit more concentration. A good example is Freak Out by Chic. Its not very hard really, but to play it plucking every note to speed it can really matter which finger you lead with (esp if you use two fingers to pluck with) so that the first C on the A string is played with your RH middle finger. Why? Because its longer than your index so makes ascending a tiny bit easier. That kind of thing does require a moments thought, but it shows itself up when you start bringing things up to speed - for me anyway. The you figure out your strategy and carry on. If you are grooving away and free forming a funk line then you never ever think about it. If you go to my myspace page (see sig below) and listen to the track Flute Beast (sorry for the poor recording, it was live off a single mic) that groove is the kind of thing I mean. There is masses of string skipping, muting (the verses are effectively the chorus groove but more staccato) etc going on, no unwanted ringing of strings (promise) and no thought at all for dampening strings with either hand. It just happens... Obviously practicing getting that index finger working better is the real answer, but any little edge you can get helps.

[quote name='AM1' post='485952' date='May 12 2009, 02:19 PM']Hahaha! "When he was ready, it was Nemesis himself who came for him.." [/quote] Wow. A lady who knows her 2000AD. Much much respect

[quote name='AM1' post='485931' date='May 12 2009, 02:02 PM']Oh I will! Thanks for zapping my Tuesday evening, uh and probably every other evening, you evil DarkLord of the bass! [/quote] Deadlock: "You'll learn to deal with Khaos, or Khaos will deal with you..." 'Nuff said!

Not problem, let me know how you get on

I think my first bought new bass was a white fretted one of those (£~£250 IIRC in ~1991) Ridiculously tight string spacing, but very very low action. I'd may be offer him £100 tops for a mint one except there are way better solutions around now.....

[quote name='AM1' post='485864' date='May 12 2009, 01:03 PM']I think you are right!!!! I just watched a video of my playing and there is no way my fingers are all half a cm away from the strings. I do find it quite difficult to keep the other fingers close to the fretboard. So, quite clearly, because I am using that floating thumb technique, I have got away with not cultivating proper left hand technique and this is what is hindering me when I try and do anchor on the pickup playing. Actually, this explains a lot - [b]I am seriously amazed that you could work this out from a forum![/b] I am so, so, SOOO not looking forward to the practice session that awaits me tonight!![/quote] I spent 4 years of my life working on technique first and everything else waaaaay after. I could physically play almost anything i had ever heard at one point (before weird Garrison techniques and double thumping came along). Certainly cant make the same claim now, and I didnt understand everything I could play by any means, but my technique was super solid. I taught people basic to advanced technique and basic to midle-ing theory for 15 years on and off. LH cr@pness is easy to spot and hard to fix (fingers wiggle about miles off the fretboard is a dead giveaway) RH cr@pness is harder to spot (often) and easier to fix (its physically easier to do it right IMO for most people, its quite tricky to work out exactly where its going wrong) One other point, most people play too hard with their RH. You dont have to play pianissimo all the time, but if you play hard to begin with you cant dig in as far when you need to, it wont have the same huge effect when you do, and you will tend to fret to hard, be more tense and play less well as a result.

[quote name='tombboy' post='485846' date='May 12 2009, 12:50 PM']Reading all of this about LH damping and RH doobrie-ing has made me realise how crap I am and that I need to practice more!! Thanks for that Ann-Marie... you patient, fastidious, determined bugger, you! [/quote] No mate, I'm just here to torture you all with promises of cleaner playing if and only if you subscribe to my sick twisted devious torturous practice techniques. Sorry!!!!

damn I'm pants at typing fast - soz

Its will be tortuorous I'm afraid. I used to practice standing in a doorway with my left hand a cm away from the wall where the door would be if it closed. That way I couldnt keep opening my left hand all the time. Eventually you realise how much energy you are wasting by opening you hand except for the fretting finger. Then you realise how this is what has slowed you down all this time. Then you realise that what you need to do is relax you left hand completely Then you realise that this has all been caused by squeezing your left hand too tightly to fret a note. Task: With your index finger fret a note as normal. Then, play crotchets, and slowly relax you finger until the string buzzes, then apply more pressure as gradually as you can until it stops buzzing. Is this significantly less pressure than you normally use to fret a note? Repeat with each LH finger. How much energy have you been wasting? Now relax you LH over the strings like a mute. Place you hand such that you have the tip of you index finger in place to fret a note on the A string, you middle and ring will probably reach the E string. Apply pressure with the index fuinger until the note sounds. Experiment with all other fingers on all strings. You are trying to recondition yourself to use as littel motion and strength as possible with your LH, whilst muting all strings. Now promise me something, [b]every time[/b] you pick up your bass to play in the next year, start with this simple exercise. Really. Then go on to the staccato exercise I mentioned before. Your playing will be 100 times cleaner in 6 weeks.