Evil Undead

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1169972' date='Mar 20 2011, 08:30 PM']Are you in a band? If not join one. If you are, and you have no motivation then it's probably the wrong one for you. Join one that makes you want to play.[/quote] Yep, in a gigging band and I absolutely love it. Classic rock covers, great band members. Maybe I don't feel terribly challenged by the material, but I on the other hand am too easily frustrated when I attempt to challenge myself.

[quote name='BottomE' post='1169963' date='Mar 20 2011, 08:21 PM']Just sitting down to practice now. What has really helped over the last few years is using software like Cubase and a USB audio interface. This means i can get a midi file | import it into the software | remove the bass and fill in the bass parts myself! Ok some of the midis are naff but i strip them down to just drums and piano and then play over that. Of course it helps that i am learning some jazz tunes at the moment so theres a shed load of music around (Real Books) to help and piano and drums is all you need a lot of the time. I think its natural to hit brick walls - the fun starts when/if you manage to overcome them. Another thing that might re-inspire you is to get a teacher. Careful though as anyone can call themselves a teacher. Maybe post on the teaching thread to see if there is someone in your area who might be able to help. Set yourself some goals. I wasted about 10 years practicing without a plan and wish i had been more disciplined. Never too late though. One thing to bear in mind is that there are a lot of people i meet who say "it must be great being in a band. i used to play bass and gave up. wish i hadn't". Do you want to be saying that?[/quote] What is this cubase & midi file you speak of? I have a USB audio interface (Pod GX with Pod Farm) but definitely would be cool to be able to remove bass tracks from my favourite songs and add my own line in! I already feel like I started this too late... didn't start playing bass until I was 27

is a bit of a problem lately I think I've just decided that I suck at bass and will never really be any good, but that's never bothered me before I've always known that! So how do you guys deal with crisis in confidence, lack of motivation, generic laziness etc?

I've just checked my action - 2mm at the 12th fret. Is this high, low, average? I'm not sure as it's not something I've paid much attention to before!

[quote name='KiOgon' post='1168819' date='Mar 19 2011, 08:55 PM']Yes - well almost & you'll find the lighter you play (with both hands), the lower the action you can have - which makes it even easier to play lighter Edit: Do you do your own setup?[/quote] I do. The Warwick has pretty low action (I think, anyway ). It's the lowest of all my basses I believe. Not sure if I could get it any lower without creating some buzz...

So, is it possible to play with a really light touch? I mean barely touching the strings? My hands aren't tiny, quite big for a girl, but definitely not man-size

[quote name='dlloyd' post='1168750' date='Mar 19 2011, 08:16 PM']Where's the pain? One of the most common technique issues is gripping too hard, which causes pain to the flexor pollicis brevis (muscle at the fleshy part of the palm attached to the thumb). If it's that, make sure your bass is at the right height, and practice scales without touching your thumb to the back of the neck. It'll feel weird for a while, but is worth it.[/quote] It is in that area, yeah. Maybe it's that then... also seems to be kinda in between my knuckles on the palm side - if that makes sense?

I'm currently playing a Warwick Corvette $$ - 2008 model with the baseball bat neck. When I first bought the bass I thought it was my dream bass and perfect for me in every way but lately I've been wondering if the neck profile is just way too thick for my hand, as after a short amount of time my left hand starts to ache. I'm a girl, so my hands are smaller than the average bassist. I've recently been also playing my Kramer which has a much thinner neck profile, and I can't decide whether it's more comfortable or not... even after spending hours playing them both and switching between the two. I can't see any noticeable issues with my technique, so is it possible that the neck of the Warwick is simply too large for me? It would tear me up to sell this bass but don't want to be causing myself problems further down the line.

Mmmm I love the Fortress One. Been GAS-sing for one for ages but they're out of my price range...

Welcome! Enjoy

I saw a gig last night where the guy used a fender P (very new looking) through both sets. Nice tone, but he totally drowned out everyone else including the singer. His bass was pretty much all I could hear. Not sure whether it was to do with the bass' presence or just a really half assed sound check, but was just overpowering IMHO

I'm not really worried about it staying in perfect nick, don't mind a few dings here and there as it add character. More concerned about a broken neck/headstock, something like that. Or it being stolen or having a drink spilled on it

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated. I guess my problem is that I'm pretty skint (always!) and could do with selling off the other two and just keeping this one bass. And I totally agree with the people who say what's the point in having it if I don't use it. That's why I nearly sold it a month or so ago, but just couldn't bring myself to part with it. Insurance, for me anyway, is purely for financial protection... as if anything happened to this bass and I bought an identical one with the payout, it wouldn't be the same... wouldn't have my dings, wear, sweat, soul etc. I'm very attached to this instrument. I guess I'm just paranoid because I only play bar gigs in a fairly rough city

Weird question I know, but this is something that has been causing minor trouble to my brain for a while. I have 3 basses and my favourite by far is my Warwick $$. But I like it too much to gig with it, which is silly as it's the best looking, playing, sounding... Well, you name it. So I bought a kramer for £100 from a pawn shop just to use as a beater for gigs. But it's not the same The Warwick is insured of course, as is all my gear, but I can't stand the thought of it being stolen, broken, molested by some teenager from another band etc. It's the only material possession of mine that I just couldn't be without. Has anyone else every felt too protective of their favourite gear to gig with it, or am I just being paranoid?

I think it could be the string spacing that throws me off. I've noticed that the only songs that I really struggle to play on a 5-er are ones with arpeggios, as my fingers kinda trip over each other, where they wouldn't on a 4. Just clumsy perhaps?