51m0n

Last night, went to see Dredd (dayummmm thats a good film), then changed my strings for the freshly cleaned set that have been in 'the tube' for 24 hours ready for the SE Bass Bash on Saturday. My word they sound bright! Also gone over the stuff I intend to talk about for recording ensembles in rooms and the quick "how to train your compressor" recap. Today, listened to the album I'll be gigging later in the year (bit of a one off gig) a couple of times, then this evening it'll be getting everything ready for the Bass Bash tomorrow (woot!). Busy busy busy!

I dont think an instrument needs to be heavy to sound good. My ROscoe is one of the lightest basses I've ever played, and one of the best sounding (to my ears)...

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1348828086' post='1818738'] Sorry but you can. After checking (I never look at my left hand), on my 5 string, apparently I anchor on the pickup for the B string, the B for the E string and the E string (where it is also resting on the B string) for all the others. My plucking finger comes to rest on the string below the one I played and I also use left hand muting for the higher strings. These three things in combination cover all eventualities. My version of thumb anchoring is comfortable, effective and easy to manoeuvre. Ticks all the boxes and stops all sympathetic ringing. [/quote] Ah yes, sorry, I see what you mean, you can if you dont move your anchor when you play on the D string, and rely on the plucking finger coming to rest on the A string to mute it. But this defeats the object of moving the anchor in the first place - which is to keep the plucking hand as close to its curved fingered relaxed shape as possible at all times, rather than opening you hand up further and creating a sharper bend in the wrist at the same time in order to reach for the strings that are now further away from the plucking hand thumb (which is what your relaxed hand's fingers want to rest next to). So you have compromised on plucking hand ergonomics in order to keep that muting going on. Of course if it works for you then tip top, and carry on and all that. I cant do that because I have tendencies towards RSI due to the code monkey elements of my day job

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1348793988' post='1818484'] It's not sloppy playing to need mute the strings. It's not uncommon to get sympathetic vibrations from the lower strings,and if you are playing on the upper strings how are you going to mute them with the left hand? You need to use the right hand to do this. Muting of the strings should come from both hands, depending on what and where you are playing. But the need to mute the strings you aren't playing isn't due to sloppy playing....I certainly wouldn't call Jaco or Patitucci sloppy and they mute with the right hand all the time. [/quote] Massive +1 , well put Doddy. With a 4 string bass you can pretty much get away with all the muting you need with moving anchor, and I played that way for a long time, since you can mute the A string with the tip of your thumb resting on it, and the E string from further up your thumb. The left hand takes care of the D and G in this case (you play on one and mute the other witn spare fingers. If you add a B string though the RH thumb can't stop sympathetic ringing (unless its a damned weird shape). That allows energy in the resonating bass body and neck to drive the B string to ring in sympathy. And [i]that[/i] sounds really sloppy. Adam Nitti definitely describes it better than me (or the video I chose)!

The compressor 'workshop' really ought to be renamed "51m0n's quick and dirty way to set up a compressor you scoundrels"..... We'll be attempting a world record of maybe a brief description of what it is you need to know and do and then an atttempt to set up two or three compressors, all in 15 minutes tops After which if anyone can remember what was said they will be able to set a compressor up for themselves (one would hope)

Thanks for the heads up! My satnav has always suggested the 3rd exit off junction 11 up the A317, then 3rd exit off the next roundabout onto the A318 (Chertsey Rd) - if you get that far your SatNav should have "recalculated" its little heart out if it wanted you to go via the A320....

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1348761132' post='1817868'] My first teacher taught me to float (if you mean on the pickup when on the E, on the E when playing the A, on the A when playing the D and so on) and I've stuck with it ever since. I've tried anchoring my thumb to the pickup and couldn't, nor could I work out a good reason why I'd want to. [/quote] No thats moving but anchored - floating is where the thumb never hits an anchor point but remains lightly (very lightly) resting on the strings:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1348754597' post='1817771'] Such a shame I can't make it this year [/quote] Wont be the same without you galavanting about thats for sure!

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1348750470' post='1817703'] Does anyone have a Jazz or Precision (or both!) that they're bored of and fancy sending to a new home? Think I need some more normal basses for demoing Barefaced cabs on t'interweb, don't need anything new/shiny and quite happy to have a Squier or suchlike. As long as it sounds good unplugged I'll be happy, electronics can be changed. And I'm ok with stupidly high actions and fat necks. Anyway, if you do, bring it along! I'll be interested to hear what everyone makes of the wee prototype I'm bringing along... [/quote] Ooooh is that the weee prototype I think it is???

Thats been my stipulation every year, whatever you do don't expect much

Muting is totally where its at....

Floating mainly since I started playing a 5 string

Omnomnomnomnom.....

I'll bear that in mind - ta!

Hope so Eude dude!

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1348639855' post='1816204'] Damn, I was looking forward to trying the ead :-( [/quote] +1

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1348565443' post='1815152'] Knock it off 51m0n!! You know that have serious GAS for a Berg HD410!! This is not helping [/quote] You've probably still got time to nip up to Bass Direct and get your HD410 in time the SE Bass Bash you know:- http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Berg_HD_112_210_410_212.html I'm just here to help, what can I say

You may just have a fetish for heavy things??

I'm only interested in getting the right instrument for me, which means it must play incredibly well, have a tone that makes me find it irresistable to pick up and play whenever I walk past it (acoustically and amplified), it needs to be light because I have a dodgy back, and look great (to me). I ended up with the Roscoe, because it ticks all my criteria, and I love the thing, I really do. But the minute you step away from the Fender basses (at least in look) you are exposed to a frankly bizarre fact. If you are trying to get into a band and you don't play a Fender, you are walking on think ice. I've not got into a band before now because, although I was alledgedly a perfect fit (according to them) I didnt play the 'right' bass. They even asked if I was going to be buying a proper bass soon - oh how we chuckled - which made them not a perfect fit for me anyway, but never mind eh! Its not like the Rosoce actually looks like a fancy bass, it doesn't have an outlandish shape at all, doesn't have a really fancy top, just a plain bit of Swamp Ash with the grain slightly enhanced. Yet it simply wasn't a Fender and that didn't 'work' for them. Weird. I wouldnt play a Fender because it doesnt fulfill my criteria. Not for any other reason, they can sound lovely (except for the B strings on the 5ers), I've never found one even close to the Roscoe's playability, and they just look a bit naff to me, and are waaayyyy too heavy as a rule. Find the right instrumetn for you, and play what you want on it.

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1348565443' post='1815152'] Knock it off 51m0n!! You know that have serious GAS for a Berg HD410!! This is not helping [/quote] Mwahahahahahaaaaaaaahhhhh....... Oh, err sorry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DyC02BM_P4&feature=related

If I had the space and the roadies......... I didnt go for the ae410 for anything but tone and fit into the car though, the weight is only just a bonus as its still a struggle as a one man lift (esp compared to BF cabs for instance). I really need to hear the magic missing thing (I havent noticed anything I'm missing yet), but to do so I think you really have to compare two versions of the same cab from the same manufacturer one loaded and tuned for ceramic and the other for neo. So that would mean if someone can bring along an HS410 or HD410 to the SE Bass Bash we could do a meaningful comparison Anything else and you aren't really comparing like with like, and there are too many other variables clouding any judgement you make IMO.