CrackerJackLee

With that attitude, you'll have it down in no time. Most BP's won't mention it, but pizzicato is one of the most difficult techniques to learn and master. Honestly. I can barely remember but it took a lot of effort. Very frustrating, so you better hide those plectrums well. But in a few months, it became natural. No matter what you think, that is the truth. It comes in it's own time. I started bass with just the thumb. After hearing Motown, I knew that wasn't going to work out. But I enjoy plectrum bass. Like that BP that plays for Bert Kaempfert (Ladi Geisler). The tone and definition, especially while muting, is worth the price of admission. Cheers!

[quote]...it lacks the taste and maturity of the best players...a bit too much of everything and not enough restraint...[/quote] You know, when I hear people say things like "not enough restraint", it reminds me of "Teacher Leave The Kids Alone"... where poor British schoolchildren are beaten and cajoled by their masters into not moving their hands and not speaking - until told to speak... upon fear of having to bend over and get a damn good paddling. Outside of Britain, this "restraint" mantra does not exist. Remember that this bulletin board receives international membership. Perhaps the comment should have been paraphrased with a disclaimer? And I don't hear where it lacks in taste... or maturity. This is a gospel service where emotional expression is part of the belief. Some cultures are very repressive, and members of such regimes should be aware that perhaps they are projecting a troubled upbringing onto normal people, that is, non-members of their sub-group. I don't understand the pre-occupation with restraint. We don't live in China, do we? This is the Western World. One must not forget that the country from which this video was taken worships self-expression. Even though one has the freedom of artistic criticism, it doesn't mean that everyone else has to accept it. Perhaps discretion is a lost art. And for the record, I'd like the video musician to know that most people find his playing to be tasteful, mature... and totally unrestrained.

[font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]I look at it from the viewpoint of the classical guitarists, as there is merit in using the other fingers alone and in combination to add to the techniques of pizzicato, plectrum and bow. They use the mnemonic PIMAC, for Thumb (Pulgar), Index, Middle, Ring (Annular) and Pinky (Cuatro). They use all five digits in a number of combinations as per the following:[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]P: soft attack, strumming double-stops[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]PI: wide intervals such as rapid octaves, double-stops, pinch and artificial harmonics[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]PM: wide intervals such as tenths, double-stops[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]PIM: speed, triple-stops, tenths with added 7/7b/6[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]PIMA: speed, pumping quavers[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]I: consistency in timing and tone for certain passages, the walking bass hook[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]IM: pizzicato walking, both together for support[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]IMA: pizzicato walking[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]M: consistency in timing and tone for certain passages.[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]There's also appoyando and tirando. [/size][/font][font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]And of course, Thump/Slap and one or two fingered Pop.[/size][/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace][size=5]The above matrix is a more wholistic way of looking at technique. There must be more...[/size][/font]

I've been a BP for 50 years. I never expected any fame and I was not disappointed. Last year I played some guitar with a lady accordionist at a simple concert. They never left me alone...! As I was not used to the attention, I was dumbfounded by it all. So, I hate to bust any egos here or burst anyone's balloon... but if you aspire to be a BP, do not expect to get the attention that your guitarist gets. You will be as respected as a tuba player, with almost the same amount of attention. But when they come up to chat with the guitarist, simply go and have a coffee or a drink and chat with the locals about anything but music. And it's great, because they won't recognize you as part of the band, anyway. I can't explain it. Learn guitar...! It ain't that hard, honest. A little persistence learning the grips, then add some notes around the chord. I also play plectrum banjo. I found that easier to play than guitar. Now, that will get you lots of attention. In comparison to a banjoist, guitar is commonplace...

[font=courier new,courier,monospace]I think of all the great chords that could be played on EADGB! Just starting with the major triad in root, first and second inversion: | | | | 5 | | | 3 | | | 1 | | | | | 5 | | | | | 1 | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 1 3[/font]

Don't forget the Sensitivity of the speaker... Two small vids. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaDO9aTFDdk"]https://www.youtube....h?v=QaDO9aTFDdk[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9rur78FE1k"]https://www.youtube....h?v=Y9rur78FE1k[/url] A police siren may be limited in the power it can handle (wattage) but be a very loud siren (decibels). Power is the product of voltage applied and current. Too much power will burn out the speaker coil. Speakers are rated by the manufacturer in the amount of power you can apply to it. The voice coil has resistance. Apply voltage across it and current will flow through it. The speaker moves. But it can only handle so much power. Power = current x voltage. The unit for loudness is the decibel, named after Alexander Graham Bell (dB). 1 dB is the smallest amount of loudness increase/decrease that humans can perceive. As our hearing is logarithmic, in order to make the siren twice as loud, you will need to apply 10 times as much power. BOOM! And if you double the power, you will increase the loudness by 3 dB as per the formula: y=10logx y=10log(2) y=3 And be aware of this sales gimmick:

Michael & Paul Ronald & Margaret Thatcher Ringo & Barbara Vernon & Irene Castle The Duke & Duchess

[size=5]I like folk music very much and play folk songs, but of the thousands that were popular in past generations, few would be hits in 2016. These folk songs were hits at one time, but most became nursery songs over the years and eventually disappeared. Now they are "teaching" songs or lullabyes. Or part of a medley of relaxation music. The early Beatle hits are passe. I like them, but they are dated. And I now prefer to listen to the R&B originals that they copied, but those records were largely unavailable in the Western World due to state manipulation. The early Beatle hits, like fashion, were depended largely on dance fads, discotheques, dating customs and repressed sexuality. Today, those customs are largely juvenile. We are also less enthusiastic as a people. Perhaps less naive. Look at the low birth rates. Soon, teenagers will be chatting about how lucky they are to be an accident. And each decade seems to put the music of the previous decade on an ignore list. The Hippie Era deleted the Surf Era. The Rock Era deleted the Rock and Roll Era. Prog Rock deleted Psychedelica, while Rockabilly and Country got run over by New Country which is anything but Country... it is really Rural Pop. R&B got blasted out by RAP. Classical music is still popular to some, but not popular enough to still be considered hit music. New customs demands new music. The past and the present never meet; the people dance to a different beat. A list of those songs that were hits 3 to 5 decades ago and would still be hits in 2016 (if it were possible for all of us to hear them for the very first time) would be highly opinionated. Probably default to a list of favorite tunes. Music seems to be a parade. The latter depend a lot on the former. To answer the OP's question truthfully would demand temporary amnesia. Realise that most young people today do not listen much to Big Band music or Jazz or the Beach Boys, except for rare exceptions. I would think Greensleeves would be a smash hit, still. The Sultans of Swing and All Along the Watchtower, maybe. But when I listen to the radio, now, it is mostly belly button girl-groups singing poppy dance tunes to highly percussive music. I don't think that audience would be highly interested in Friday on My Mind by the Easy Beats. Leo's bass changed all music. So inventions/technology route the parade down a new avenue. Powerful amps. Transistors. Wireless. Pedalboards. Multi-Track Boards. This puts old music and new music into different worlds that are light years apart. My hunch is that melody is finite. Eventually you run out of original possibilities. Hence, the Retro-Music effect. Old is New again, by necessity. Perhaps the basket of music is full and the late additions are tepid. In fact, RAP has left music altogether to become a form of percussive poetry, with a limited topic. Are most like me, delving into the past to play Old Man's Records? I've learned to be a musician from thousands of dead musicians. Popular music hits, in my limited opinion, are generated in and by the current era and live a very short life. Music of the Moment. Themes of the Times. Encapsulated Social Norms. Grist for Musicologists and Historians. But I'll always have time to listen to Petula Clark sing Downtown. My grandchildren may never hear it in the same way. As I listen to Sweet Rosie O'Grady, a quaint little tune that my Father liked quite a bit, I hear it but I don't feel it.[/size]

I'm currently researching re-wiring possibilities and there's a lot on the net about this. I thought I'd forward some info. Good luck! Ground Wire If there's no bonding wire present in the loom for the bridge, there's not much else to do but solder one to the back of the tone pot, remove the bridge and run the wire. Be very careful of the solder tip temperature, as the resistive strip in the pot can be damaged. You require a clean surface and a good glob of flux. Flux is the real secret to this. Keep solder tip at temperature, clean and tinned. Add this to your Favourites. Seymour Duncan Web Site: [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?246969-Solder-won-t-stick-to-back-of-pot"]http://www.seymourdu...-to-back-of-pot[/url] Have a read about the possible values for the treble bleed cap: [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/the-tone-garage/bass-tone-caps-from-the-top"]http://www.seymourdu...ps-from-the-top[/url]

As long as it sounds good. Play with or against some part of the drum kit. Be conscious of the notes you play... footballs, quarters, quavers... play the rests, too... introduce the dots and ties... Don't listen intently to the drummer and try to mimic... do what you do, but listen to the interplay of your line with Ringo. In fact, listen to John McVie and Mick Fleetwood.

[quote post='3169184']Don't forget that there is actually NO LAW against being in more than one band at the same time![/quote] This is legally true, but it's painfully obvious that jobbers are temporary people who simply use others for their sole benefit. They don't even call their bands "bands". They refer to them as "projects". How impersonal is that? Why should honest people waste their time with someone who's in other bands? Why should you live with schedule conflicts? And when you get opportunities, will they move along with you? And when he finds a gig, which of his bands will he hire? And all that studio rent goes down the drain when they depart with the best band for them. And you're left struggling to replace them. A musician who is in multiple bands is like a pariah. Like non-cowboys who wear cowboy boots. Cross the street when they walk towards you. On a personal level, most of us have to work jobs for a boss and with people who probably don't really like us. When I join a band, I expect loyalty and camaraderie (the mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together) f[url="https://www.google.ca/search?newwindow=1&q=define+friendship&forcedict=friendship&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP17rZyObQAhVB-2MKHSwxBiMQ_SoIHzAA"][color="#1a0dab"]riendship[/color][/url], [url="https://www.google.ca/search?newwindow=1&q=define+comradeship&forcedict=comradeship&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP17rZyObQAhVB-2MKHSwxBiMQ_SoIIDAA"][color="#1a0dab"]comradeship[/color][/url], [url="https://www.google.ca/search?newwindow=1&q=define+fellowship&forcedict=fellowship&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP17rZyObQAhVB-2MKHSwxBiMQ_SoIITAA"][color="#1a0dab"]fellowship[/color][/url], [url="https://www.google.ca/search?newwindow=1&q=define+fraternity&forcedict=fraternity&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP17rZyObQAhVB-2MKHSwxBiMQ_SoIIzAA"][color="#1a0dab"]fraternity[/color][/url], [url="https://www.google.ca/search?newwindow=1&q=define+conviviality&forcedict=conviviality&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP17rZyObQAhVB-2MKHSwxBiMQ_SoIJDAA"][color="#1a0dab"]conviviality[/color][/url] [url="https://www.google.ca/search?newwindow=1&q=define+team+spirit&forcedict=team+spirit&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP17rZyObQAhVB-2MKHSwxBiMQ_SoIJjAA"][color="#1a0dab"]team spirit[/color][/url], [url="https://www.google.ca/search?newwindow=1&q=define+esprit+de+corps&forcedict=esprit+de+corps&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP17rZyObQAhVB-2MKHSwxBiMQ_SoIJzAA"][color="#1a0dab"]esprit de corps[/color][/url]; I expect to go to their funerals and they come to mine. Otherwise, forget it. Why waste your life with jobbers? Replace them with a real band member...

[quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1478457865' post='3169164']...it took me months before I felt able to...playing with others again...I joined a newly started band...They are all [i]really[/i] inexperienced...I am head and shoulders above the others...they are all relatively new to their instruments...some of the songs are not to my liking...I feel that I am not going to be developing much...I could use this as an opportunity to take my fretless out and work on that...Look for another band which is a bit more skilled, or stay in this one and see how it develops?[/quote] Thankfully, you escaped the tyranny of the guitards without too much burnout. But you must seek your equals or at least be challenged by the project you're in. The songs you dislike, now? You will truly hate them later. You are contemplating a sideline project on your fretless as if reading the Wall Street Journal in a rural bus terminal. If you hang out with them until you find skilled musicians, is it fair to them? They could be working on a venture with someone of their caliber who will remain with them and they will be much further ahead than when you cast them aside for a project that is more suited to your experience. Take the time off to wood-shed, decide upon your goals, network and meet/find musicians that are in first class, like you. Let the people in steerage do what they do. They need a BP who feels lucky and privileged to be a part of their band. You are not a villain, but you have been damaged by users. Don't fall into their trap. The sooner you leave these fellows, the better it will be for all. You will leave, anyway. Dr. Phil

John McVie... (Werewolves of London, eh?) His superb and tasteful playing peaked my interest in major pentatonic lines. He weaves the black-key notes into melodic, yet supportive bass lines that never seem repetitive, in spite of the real need to be concise in a band with a big sound. The lock-in between John McVie and Mick Fleetwood is phenomenal. Notice that the bass is so well played that the drums are free to explore polyrhythms.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1473090832' post='3126815']...it's his problem as far as the insurers will be concerned...[/quote] If there is any... Is this customary with other bands, too...? Could they make a wax impression of the key and sell it to crooks?

So...! You are a follower of Carol Kaye...? You must be the reason for Bass Chat falling silent...!!!

[quote name='Cestrian' timestamp='1480970352' post='3188614']...My band was offered a residency as the house band..."Let's maybe leave it for Jan and will have a think -its such a small stage and think would prob work better if more acoustic setup"...Keep you posted if anything else comes up...see you on new year!"[/quote] Doesn't sound like a residency to me. But he did say he'd see you in the NY. Be hopeful, but look around. Your presence depends on his show. If I were him, I'd just hire a trio. A guitar/banjo with a drummer, and maybe an upright bass. Or a piano instead o guitar. A comedy club does not need a rock band, large group or dancing. His neighbor problem sounds real to me. In the old days, the BL would re-design the band instrumentation to match the club's requirements, because musicians didn't take well to starvation. Either tone down, muffle the drums, reduce volume, or decide who has to go for the sake of all. A gig is not a steady job anyway, even with a contract, but rather a separate opportunity because establishments do not want musician employees or attachments. There's no reason to beg as they won't hire a band just because of that. Business is not complicated. Supply & Demand. A press kit, photos/videos, is needed to start knocking on doors. Find out what they want and supply it. Although I'm just an amateur BP, (unless they start paying musicians again) I bought an upright and learned to bow and walk and ballad. I picked up guitar and plectrum banjo, because I love it, but also to be versatile. Too bad my area of the world has little in the way of live music, but at least I wouldn't be the first to be let go if a band had to downsize to pick up a gig. In the old days, all the tunes were standardized and the music was printed out. The musos read music and knew the tunes. They just got hired on recommendation, auditioned and fell into place. This week with band A and next week with band B. Memorizing tunes was not part of the deal. It was all very mutable. And the BL would not hesitate to hire an ace bass player and let the current one go. And musicians doubled on other instruments. Upright Bass/Tuba, Guitar/Banjo, Piano/Organ, Reeds, Woodwinds, Saxophones of all ranges... or even Piano/Vocals... Also, people danced (no TV) and theatres and movie houses needed musicians. There were many bars (6 or 8 per block in Montreal) for dancing or just to relax after work before going home (happy hour). Just as the computer replaced secretaries, robots replaced welders, waitresses got fired from hamburger joints and theatres fired all their ushers, the professional musician has been replaced by Disc Jockeys and kids who play for free. At least musicians can still play along with old recordings, by themselves and with friends. There's better ways to make money than playing music in bars. At least you get paid with a real job and if you educate yourself you can make good cash. Consider tailoring your act to fit the bill. Good luck with the gig.

You have all fallen into the trap of the False Dichotomy. This is why the uneducated argue so much. Lack of letters, lack of understanding. This is a divisive thread by design, as there exists no sharp division when navigating a bass fingerboard. The proposal of ear and theory as contrary is devious. This is a fallacy without the support of reason, as music is not a zero sum game. You have been presented with the false dilemma of X or Y. The either-or fallacy is that either claim X is true OR claim Y is true. Actually X and Y could both be true or both be false. Some amongst us claim that Y is false, therefore claim X must be true. This is black-and-white thinking applied to a false choice. For myself, I cannot determine, when improvising, whether I am following my ear or applying a rule of musical harmony. When improvising, I sense the change from dominant to tonic... I hear it coming like a train approaching. For example in the key of C Major, G7 resolves to C Major. I can hear within my mind the possibility of the descending bass line G F E D C. F is the seventh of G7. F leads to E by proximity. E is the third of the C Major triad. G7 (GBDF) resolves to C Major (CEG) because the G7 tritone of BF exchanges with the CM tritone of CE. These two chords swap tritones! Resolution! So, I play the descending bass line which takes the band home. This applies to Dixieland as well as to Ska. Did I do this by ear or by reason? Who knows? Who cares? Improvisation can be accomplished by ear or by reason. Let the detectives figure out the modus operandi. Musical notation is another matter, altogether. Written music is freeze dried brain juice. You or Beethoven read and play it exactly alike, but he composed it. You, my friend are merely repeating it like a musical parrot. You are covering Mr. L.V.B. Your ear and reasoning are not required. Like a secretary typing a letter based on the boss's scribbling, you only read and play. Your only contribution is how well you can type... or play Copying/covering a Classic Rock or Reggae tune from a record does not demand that you can read. It does not demand that you can play by ear. It does not demand that you know any rules of music harmony or melody. You simply copy, by trial and error, someone else's bass line. Monkee see! Monkee do! Then you simply repeat the bass line until you inculcate it into your memory. After learning a hundred such songs, you gain a talent for predicting where your fingers should go, without ever knowing why. There are many ways to play bass. Read. Improvise. Memorise. Only improvisation and composition can benefit from a knowledge of musical theory. If you are a musical parrot, copying other people's bass lines off a CD, then you can laugh and piss on theory to your heart's contentment. These musicians rave on about just being reeeeaaal, maaaan! Just play for fun, and the sun comes up and the sun goes down... only geeks study musical harmony and melodic theory, eh? So, the construction worker laughs at mathematics and performs his bit... does as he is told, thinking that he has great skills... but somewhere, in a dim loft, in the middle of the night, an unknown architect is calculating loads... and creating buildings. Don't get me wrong. Tinkering is fine. It is fun... thrilling even.... like going to a casino. You never know, eh...? Music is all things considered. You may remain here, or you may continue. Blue or Red...? There are many ways to perform gymnastics. One may follow instructions or improvise movements on the fly or memorise a routine. As the gymnast progresses in their trade, they see commonalities and natural sequences that fit together. Intelligence recognizes patterns. From patterns rules are formed and tested. When some one, out of shame, claims that your study of music is useless and that they have some "born with a magical talent" gift, that is superlative to any musical study, (either you have it or you don't, eh...?) realise that they are merely playing bass as a clever monkey would copy Jane Goodall writing in her notebook, and never understanding what they are doing or be able to read their scribble. Yet, they want to discourage you from going forward. To manipulate you by shame into not progressing so that they may feel comfortable or superior. Personally, I want to hear that flatted seventh interval before it arrives so that I am the one who plays it. I want to hear with my ear and my mind. I want to understand why my ear hears that triton-swap that resolves a dominant-tonic resolution. I want to read the experiences of others who intelligently examine the laws of nature as set by God. Perhaps, to even explain it in language to communicate the phenomenon that I am immersed in when playing music. To intelligently discuss all aspects of music and not bow to the tyranny of some monkey who can never see what I am capable of seeing. Believe it! Achieve it! Talent plus Theory: Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney, Jaco Pastorius, Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, [ print your name here ]... Music is not a zero sum game. It is a personal journey. It is an Art and a Science...Music is all things to all people. Play like a boss.

[quote name='interpol52' timestamp='1480709746' post='3186683'] Anyone else have a song that makes them feel like this? And no answers like 'the entire Rush back catalogue' please! Or Carol Kaye. [/quote] Of course. Carol's timing was impeccable. It had to be.

BP's here, who play pizzicato and plectrum must notice some tonal difference between a Fender Bolt-On and a Set Neck. To me, a SN sucks up the plectrum attack, while BO's display a distinct "snap", especially when using a medium gauge plectrum towards the bridge. A BP who uses a plectrum would keep this in mind when acquiring an instrument. Of course, a tube amp set for low pass would provide all the warmth and pillowed attack required, but the BP would still have the option of trebling up to a snappier sound. A source of G.A.S... it never ends.

It doesn't matter how old you are. If I were to walk into a bar, and see any of you people stiffly jiggling your decrepit, abused American and British fat-boy bodies, I'd get sick and leave the building. Who do you think you are...? Have you never been to Broadway or London...? Those hoofers don't even eat... They look like skeletons... and the reason is that NO ONE looks good cavorting on-stage in front of decent people, unless they are very thin... If you are shaking your body in front of people, and stuff is moving... and jiggling... then STOP immediately... Don't Do That! Some one over 50, you may be fit and trim... And if you are 24, you may be too gross to move anything in public... Age has nothing to do with it. It's all about how you look. But in most cases, forget about it. And what's with the running around and jumping and leaning on the monitors...? If the music is good, why run about looking goofy...? Did some one tell you that this was required? Orchestras in the Big Band Swing Era stayed behind wide music stands, even when they stood up to solo. And they were dressed in a suit with a haircut... Not sandals, short-shorts, Tee shirts, ball caps, rotting sneakers and goofy hair. You have to wash and clean your clothes... Once you start humping that body of yours, the front row gets a blast of your B.O. and sneaker odours, they'll walk out. I don't know who ever told you that people wanted to see you gyrate like an army of frumpy, dumpy strippers. You need to sit down and just play your instrument. Simply supply the music and leave the dancing to the paying customers. Whenever I get the "urge" to shake some bacon. I remember the Dancing Bass Player... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvaiwQh7zBk"]https://www.youtube....h?v=RvaiwQh7zBk[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2wrqnZiugA"]https://www.youtube....h?v=n2wrqnZiugA[/url] Here's the extent of what any band should be doing : [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVrVuOzk3z8"]https://www.youtube....h?v=lVrVuOzk3z8[/url] Simple guitar movements are enough. They aren't shakin' the fat. Of course, if you really have the urge to be a dancer and a musician, take a tip from Pee Wee... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BodXwAYeTfM"]https://www.youtube....h?v=BodXwAYeTfM[/url] or Ricky Smiley... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_YwLri8E9A"]https://www.youtube....h?v=7_YwLri8E9A[/url] even Alan Partridge... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VokAbAfTfCc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqxZwV_L6cg

[size=6] [/size] [size=6] !SPARE AMP FUSE![/size]

Rod Hicks on an Ampeg fretless bass, with Paul Butterfield. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2osJCAKJgbY"]https://www.youtube....h?v=2osJCAKJgbY[/url]