Bilbo

I have studied music theory, learned to read and developed a credible technique. 20 years ago I bought 'Funkyfying the Clave' by Lincoln Goines. I joined a Latin band called Albino Cubana and played some Latin rhythms and generally had a good time but, as these things do, that band collpased and people moved on. Last night, I got in from work at around 5.45 pm and was chatting to my wife when the phone rang. It was the guy who runs The Fleece, a Suffolk based Jazz 'venue' (that isn't at The Fleece anymore). They had a band on that night and their bass player was stuck in London. Roger O'Dell (drummer in Shakatak) had recommended me; could I make the gig? 'When do you want me'? I asked. 'Now'. ok, double bass or electric. Double bass. So, after downing a cup of coffee, I set off for Stoke By Nayland with both basses in my car. Remember, I have no idea who I am playing with and have never played the Fleece because local guys never get to play The Fleece!! On arrival, I am greeted by the little Cuban guy who walks over to me and says 'I think you are my Guardian Angel'. I shake his hand and we talk for a moment and then he calls the sound guys over and asks them to help me load in. He says 'electric' so the double bass stays in its case. I move my car and when I get back my gear is on stage. I still have no idea what the music is going to sound like but there is a full drum kit and 5 congas so I am thinking maybe this is going to be Latin based I m handed a pad by a fifty-something sax player who introduces himself as Nick Walker and also introdues me to Steve, the trumpet player. That'll be Steve Waterman. I am now starting to brick it. 'Let's look at a couple of charts' says the conguerro, Robin Jones. We look at a couple of charts during the soundcheck and it sounds ok but then the doors are opening and we retire to the bandroom. So I am about to go on stage, with no rehearsal, with the best Cuban conguerro and trumpeter I have ever met and some other guys who I have not got a handle on yet but are clearly very good. What follows is an absolute dream....these guys. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIAOaKlx1Ow[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjhD70Hn9_c[/media] Anyway, I nailed the gig and, despite a few small gaffes, hit the mark most of the night. Reading the dots, knowing the idiom reasonably well, lots of eye contact, supportive players etc etc. 32 years of practise, playing, experience and knowledge all came together in two 50 minute sets. Lots of smiles from the band (who had had a really stressful day trying to get a dep for their regular bass player (johnny Gee, I think) - I think I as the 6th they had called). Massive buzz for me. A really good night for me and the audience were really positive etc. Makes you realise that all the work is worth it in the end. The leader wanted my card at the end of the night so he could call me if they ever needed a dep again. for this band or their 12-piece larger group. If I never hear from him again, I will have had this night of great music with great players . And it all came exactly when I needed it, when there are fewer and fewer gigs and you start to ask what is the point of it all!! Well, that answers that!. Oh - and I got paid!!

Can I play?

That's the guy; Kex Gorin. Lovely player. The keyboard player was a bit tasty too (Richard Bailey).

One hunderd and EIGHTy.....

I have on fo these (a 5-string version) http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1426-KANDK_SOUND_DOUBLE_BIG_TWIN_UPRIGHT_BASS_PICKUP.html

See, if I was unethical, I could go back and delete one of the posts above and win. The fact that I have a combo and don't need a speaker lead is neither here nor there.... it's free. It doesn't matter whether I need it or not.

What?

I agree that the 'missing link' in your case is the pre-amp. I got a Fishman Platinum Pro on here for £80 (I think; may have been £90). Really helped contain my sound (manage feedback etc) and give the amp a good crack at doing what it does which is make the bass louder. I play through an Eden Metro combo (2x12) which is not ideal but economics don't allow for an investment in anything else at the moment.

Not even started.

Paul Young (Pino) Paco De Lucia (Carles Benavent)

Marauder was one of the first Rock lps I ever bought (it was cheap, as was I). Loved it then and still do (although I let it go years ago) as it featured some great musicianship and arrangements. Their early LPs were great. Kingdom of Madness was another one I liked.

'Post- Jazz' is one of those meaningless terms that probably indicates a lack of clarity and what it is not more than anything. I would expect this to be jazzy sounding but not swinging, complex harmonies but not that heavy on improvisation. Fact is, you need more detail like what kind of music is he refering to when he uses the term!

I did an on-line course here... http://www.audiomasterclass.com/ I got the certificate and everything! The learning was great, though, and I can recommend it.

100% agree - the sound is mostly in your hands. I love the story where rocker Ted Nugent was listening to a young Eddie Van Halen whose band was supporting Ted. Ted loved Fast Eddie's sound so asked if he could try his (heavily customised) gear out. He sounded exactly like ... Ted Nugent

Absolutely but it's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase. I think we sound like we are and that's going to disappoint occasionally !

I think there are two levels: It sounds like a double bass. It sounds like me on my double bass. The first is good enough for almost everything; the second is arguably easy as it is unavoidable.

I have been thinking about the [i]sound[/i] of the double bass lately and listening to those players who I am sufficiently familiar with to be able to recognise their sounds pretty much instantly and who I like to listen to in performance. Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Marc Johnson, Dave Holland, Eddie Gomez, Charlie Haden, Miroslav Vitous, Eberhard Weber, Milt Hinton..... the list goes on. The point is, there is no definitive sound and the sonic range from say Vitous to Hinton or Weber to Haden is probably wide enough to cover almost ever possible option I am sure we all have our preferences in terms of the players we love but I don't think any of us would argue that because we are not particularly enamoured of any one player's sound that his or her sound amounts to a deficiency in their playing? Ergo, whatever sound we have, is likely to be, at worst, perfectly 'satisfactory' in terms of audience perspectives. So why do we obsess over this element of our playing? I am wondering whether we are missing the point?

I'm going to be a cage fighter. What do you mean [i]fight[/i]? In a [i]cage[/i]? You must think I am an idiot.

I'd give you £4 (if the signature was in pencil)

They're pretty rare these days.

But if C has no name, then D E F etc have no name either. You either categorise all of them or none of them.

Glad you shrunk that avatar photo, Sarah

They are distinct instruments with their own individual voices. When a composer is working on an arrangement idea, s/he can conceptuallise a sound based on one instrument or on several. A flugelhorn and soprano sound different from a trumpet and tenor. A violin sounds different to a viola, even playing the same notes etc. Musicians playing bass can often make the mistake of thinking that the double bass and electric bass, because they play the same notes on the same stave, are interchangeable. But they have a different effect due to timbre, attack and decay. If you want a piece to swing like your Frank Sinatra arrangement, then it is unlikely that the electric bass will work (there are thousands of recordings of bands playing Jazz using electric basses that don't swing and plaenty that do but we are talking in generlaisms). It doesn't mean that a performer can't make an aesthetic decision to use a different voice to achieve a different effect etc but, the straight answer is, no, an electric bass cannot do what a double bass does and vice versa. Sometimes close but rarely a cigar They are different instruments which have a lot in common just like a drummer and percussionist.

C = Ionian D = dorian E = phrygian F = lydian G = mixolydian A = aeolian B = locrian

Count Basie had Papa Jo Jones on drums...