6stringbassist

[quote name='thumbo' post='108139' date='Dec 22 2007, 02:07 PM']I personally don't find this forum half as friendly as it was back in the bassworld days.[/quote] I totally agree, I hardly ever check out this site anymore, today was the first time in ages. If someone dislikes something then that's fair enough, but I don't see the point in stating so like a petulant 14 year old, the opening phrase to the 'I hate jazz' thread for example was so stupid. And being openly being abusive on a forum like this, (see the ERB thread where someone slagged off Steve Lawson). There are far too many narrow minded people who have extremely high opinions of themselves, but who've probably done anything new or creative in their lives, and just seem to take pleasure in being rude, and critical of people who do try to be 'different', or play music that isn't mainstream on an instrument that hasn't got only 4 strings. This is SUPPOSED to be a community, and just like any other community, there are people with different opinions and outlooks, this should be welcomed, and not a point for supposed discussion, the so called discussion usually just ends up in people slagging off others and totally ignoring their expressed opinions.

[quote name='David Nimrod' post='97838' date='Dec 2 2007, 10:40 PM']So if I don't agree with you I'm small minded? I think that says it all really... [/quote] No, you are not small minded by not agreeing with me, everyone has the right to their opinion, and to listen to what they want, do a search on my posting on this site and you'll not find that I've said anything to the contrary. The things that have been said on here about solo bass are small minded, solo bass exists as an art form, like it or loathe it, it's not going to go away, there are more people doing it every year, maybe not enough to fill Madison square garden, but they probably get more people watching them than you do. If you don't like it then fair enough, but to ridicule it, and pick only on small points is stupid. So Dave Grossman is going to play Bach sonata in G minor, what's wrong with that, you don't want to hear it then fair enough, stay home and listen to Dr feelgood, but don't make fun of the bloke, he wants to play it, and there will be people there to watch him and appreciate what he's doing. Making fun of it just makes you look stupid, LOL indeed, I'm just laughing at you.

I don't really know why people bother posting threads like this, it's pointless, you just get the same stupid small minded people saying the same things. Like the thread the other week about ERB's, what was the point in that in the end ?. It's like I've said before, it's the punk rock ethos, they openly bragged about the fact that they couldn't play their instruments. People on this forum when presented with something outside of the realm of 4 strings and 'standard' playing, always start behaving the same way, they have to dismiss it as circus tricks, or something that has to be ridiculed, instead of just accepting it for what it is....ie. other players expressing their desire to make music the way that they choose, be that soloing, tapping, slapping etc, on whatever instrument they desire, with however many strings. It is like bassbloke says "I can't therefore I dismiss'.

It's a good job we don't all think like you. Jaco would never have torn the frets from his jazz bass, Larry graham might never have put thumb to string, John Entwistle would have left his treble control set flat etc. Most people probably don't, that's personal taste, but an awful lot of people do, there wouldn't be this sort of thing going on otherwise [url="http://www.unpronounceable.com/solobassnight/"]http://www.unpronounceable.com/solobassnight/[/url] As for embarrasing and uncool, how can being a talented musician be embarrasing and uncool, I'd rather listen to someone talented trying something different, than a mediocre bass player playing something that's been done by thousands of other people thousands of times, now that is boring. Just my opinion of course.

[quote name='guitarnbass' post='97710' date='Dec 2 2007, 06:24 PM']I think, if you want to play solos, play a guitar, or another suitable instrument. These bass guys, the only people that buys their music are bassists, and I don't believe that's cause it's a 'refined' taste, I think it's cause it's sh*t LOL. I mean, there are some great players around who make you go wow, but for me, it's become tiring, and I crave for simplicity.[/quote] Personal taste isn't it. But I'd say that most solo things have a niche market, how many non-musicians have heard of Alan Holdsworth for example or Eberhardt Weber. Why should I buy a guitar if I want to solo, and seeing how there are many fine bass players who make a living, and sell albums by playing bass, I don't see how bass can be considered as an unsuitable instrument, especially if it's an extended range instrument .

I love seeing all the solo bass stuff, it can be done so why shouldn't it. Who says that bass should only have 4 strings, and play just a supporting role. I know that it's traditional for it to do that, but if we'd always stuck rigidly to what was traditional then where would we have got. The electric bass is only 50 years old, a young instrument, we should be pushing for it to fulfill what ever role it can, and trying to implement many colours and ideas, not one articulation. Just my opinion of course.

I play a 6 string because it makes stuff so much easier, playing across the neck instead of having to make shifts up and down while folowing a chord chart. The extra range is also great, a lot of jazz stuff is in Bb or Eb, the lowest Eb on a 'normal' bass is only a semitone lower than the E string on a guitar. I'd like to get a 7 and have a low F sharp, I'm also tempted to get a 9 string, it's great being able to play chords and bass notes at the same time when the guitarist is soloing.

[quote name='elros' post='96583' date='Nov 30 2007, 11:42 AM']I didn't bother to read the entire load of discussion in this thread, I only read the first and last pages...... anyway. When I play my 9-string with the gospel choir, I mostly stay on the bottom 6 strings. That low F# string is very useful for gospel, mainly because so many songs are in the key of Bb. And the gospel style loves the sub-low notes! But when I play it at home, I mostly experiment with chords and melodies in the upper register. Sweet sound, perhaps guitar-like but that's all right, and I'm still learning how to apply the added range to various musical situations... [/quote] I was actually listening to your soundclips on the Yves Carbonne site the other night, they sound really good. It's a great looking bass by the way.

[quote name='ped' post='96419' date='Nov 29 2007, 11:09 PM']bass_ferret wants a 7 string deep inside[/quote] It's denial isn't it. He protests too much, there's an inner battle going on inside his mind, a bit like Gollum and Smeagal in te lord of the rings......."go on buy a 7 string bass, you know you want to, they are the future"............ "No, no, no !, ERBs are the work of the devil, leave me in peace, a 4 string is all anyone needs" .

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='96264' date='Nov 29 2007, 05:51 PM']You just cant get it can you. Joe public is not gonna go looking on myspace for this sh*t - they are gonna buy their sh*t from Amazon and that is the only reason for my Amazon test. Thats what is meant by music that is accessible to people that are not musicians. And FWIW I dont consider a 6 to be an ERB.[/quote] Erm......what, that's not how it comes across to me.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='96360' date='Nov 29 2007, 09:32 PM']Including me and I'm still waiting to hear something I think is good. Its not a given that what's played is going to be good. I dont dig ambient and I dont dig death metal so I'm still waiting.[/quote] I gave you examples earlier, none of which were ambient or death metal, you dismissed them as being sh*t. And who's actually said "just look at all the strings its got" ?.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='96264' date='Nov 29 2007, 05:51 PM']You just cant get it can you. Joe public is not gonna go looking on myspace for this sh*t - they are gonna buy their sh*t from Amazon and that is the only reason for my Amazon test. Thats what is meant by music that is accessible to people that are not musicians. And FWIW I dont consider a 6 to be an ERB.[/quote] Everyone I mentioned has albums available on Amazon, do a check and you'll see for yourself. Do you call yourself a musician ?. I certainly wouldn't call music created by any of the players I mentioned s**t, YOU may not like it, I probably wouldn't like what you play, but I class myself as a musician, and therefore have the utmost respect for what other musicians create, regardless of their choice of instrument. 6 is to me, and probably 99% of the bass playing world an ERB, it's an extended range bass.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='95970' date='Nov 29 2007, 09:01 AM']Music that is accessible to people who are not musicians.[/quote] Jeff Ament plays/played ERBs with Pearl Jam Yves Carbonne plays ERBs as we know, checkout the songs from his album here [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=62225202"]http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendid=62225202[/url] Classing a 6 string as an ERB we have John Patitucci playing on numerous CDs, he also has albums for sale on Amazon (you judge an artists success from whether they have albums for sale on there don't you, if I remember correctly) This album is full of "real music", even my Dad likes some of it [url="http://cdbaby.com/found?allsearch=yves+carbonne&submit=search"]http://cdbaby.com/found?allsearch=yves+car...p;submit=search[/url] Trip Wamsley - [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=34065701"]http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=34065701[/url] Jauqo - [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=72149805"]http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=72149805[/url] Michael manring - 4 string usually yes, but definately 'extended range' [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=16409297"]http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=16409297[/url] I could go on, but I'm probably just wasting my time, your mind is totally closed and you have on opinion that you are not going to give up, as do lots of people on this forum. If there was a seperate section for players of extended range instruments, as there is for upright and EUB players, you'd have none of this nonsense from self opinionated fosils, ERB players could post threads about their choice of instrument without attracting unwanted nonsense.

[quote name='SJA' post='95299' date='Nov 27 2007, 08:55 PM']as for me being rude, well, i've seen Steve himself be pretty rude himself about other peoples' music in his blogs- eg. calling Velvet revolver "sh*t on a stick". I've got a bit tired of his attitude of smug superiority, sorry if I've put a spanner in the works of his self-promotion scheme.[/quote] Can't imagine why anyone would say that about Velvet revolver, it's a bit like taking out a full page advert in the Sunday times, to inform people that the world is round and not flat.

This thread seems to have lost its way a bit, its gone from discussing ERB's (rather pointlessly IMO, seeing as they do exist, and they aren't going to go away, and if anything the popularity of them is increasing), to openly and rudely criticising someones music and ability to compose. If you like someones music then great, spread the word about it so we can have a listen ourselves, if you don't then fair enough, everyones taste is different, but the comments made earlier are just downright rude and unnecessary. Anyway, if anyone is interested Yves Carbonne is doing some masterclasses in London early next year. [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=62225202"]<a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=62225202" target="_blank">http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=62225202[/url]</a> Should be really interesting.

[quote name='SJA' post='95216' date='Nov 27 2007, 06:01 PM']sorry, I'm going to be brutally honest here, and if I get flamed for it, fine. I saw Steve play alongside Michael Manring (at the Troubadour in 2004), and sorry, Steve, Michael made far more memorable, stirring music, and happened to be using 4 string basses. maybe it's just that he's a far better composer, regardless of how many strings he uses. full marks for using the web for self-promotion though Steve [/quote] I wish I'd seen that gig, two of my top 5 favourite players together. His hyperbass is a bass like no other, it's definately not just 'a 4 string bass'. I really like both players compositions, I think that they both create stirring and memorable music, but as with all art, what's stirring and beautiful for one person, isn't for another.

You can't really go wrong with them, they offered to go half with the shipping costs on my new fretless Q6 a couple of months ago.

I just got a Bodyglove hybrid gigbag for my Modulus Q6, it's quite a big bag, and very well designed, but still quite easy to carry, probably the best bag I've actually seen. If you want, give me the dimensions of your bass and I'll measure the inside of my bag. They're an excellent price too, only about £60.

That's the only downside, just make sure that the instrument is in a proper case, and is insured. Getting an instrument on a flight from the US is nigh on impossible, the hold is the only place, even then they'll want to see inside the case. They even confiscated a can of deoderant from me at JFK, it was in my habd luggage. The guy took it out and held it at arms length as if it was something terrible..........I made the mistake of informing him that I thought he'd been watching too many James Bond films.

I recently changed the valve in my Alembic pre to a telefunken that I got from Dougs tubes in the US. If anyones interested in some cheap valves, I have the Sovtek that it came with, and a Jan Phillips 12AX7WA that I originally put in it.