Bilbo

The guy from Imagination (Just An Illusion), Ashley Ingram, played one.

When I was 17, I registered with the PRS because I had some recordings played on the radio etc and had an EP and a track on a compilation by HM Records. That year, I got a royalty cheque meant for Robert 'Some Guys Have All The Luck' Palmer (for those of you who don't know, my full name is Robert Palmer). £8K. Like Data, I thought about for 0.37 seconds

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=130899"]Moondance analysis[/url] You could, of course, refuse and earn yourself a 'services to music' award?

I think a lot of the stuff about reading depends on repertoire. I can readily see hown many people would never really see the benefits of reading because they rarely stray out of their comfort zone of covers and popular tunes that everyone knows. If you gig a lot with many different bands, most of which don't play the more common material we all know, then the benfits of being able to read become more apparent. Over the next week or so, I have played five different set lists with three different drummers, three different sax players, two keyboard players, three singers, two guitar players and a percussionist. I could not remember that much material if I tried so I make my notes on the charts and nail the gig. Couldn't do it without the dots. even if its only the breaks etc.

I only know one drummer from the old school that could read and groove like a mofo right from the off. HIs name was Ian Thomas. Reading doesn't cure all ills. It jsut makes somethign a lot easier. I did Jesus Christ SUperstar just before Christmas and we had one rehearsal before the 3 performances so that is 4 run throughs in total. It was ok on the first night, pretty good on the second and we nailed it on the third. Without the reading skills we would have had no chance but the irony is that one of the bass players that toured the show with Lloyd Webber PM'd me here to tell me that they had two weeks of rehearsals before the tour. So, the reading thing is not a replacement for rehearsals, good ears or good feel etc. It is a means of communication that facilitates a more immediate focus on the important details that makes all the difference as opposed to learning the 'big picture' stuff. It means rehearsal/study time is more productive.

I had a pair and sold them on here. I found them not very impressive at any useful volume. I gigged in trio with piano and sax and it just didn't deliver any bottom end or real warmth, never mind competing with even a quiet drummer. I think a lot of people like the portability of these cabs but, to my ear, the actual sound of them never fails to disappoint and, consequently, they represent a compromise too far.

Not as such. As I said, the reason I had prepared the charts I had for the double bass was in order to pace the evening because I was anxious that, if we did too many 'heavy' tunes early on, I would have to put the double bass aside for the third or even the second set. The two sidemen I had are very strong players and a weak bass would undermine them. Last night, I could do anything anyone wanted to call because I was on home turf but, next time, after I get the double bass fixed, I will be able to increase the dynamic range and textural range. In our discussions, myself and the drummer (Russ Morgan who used to play around London with alto saxophonist Martin Speake, I found out yesterday) came to the conclusion that, as long as the energy levels are there, we can do almost anything (by 'energy', I most certainly do NOT mean 'volume'). My own compositions are mainly contrefacts, new melodies put to old chord sequences etc (I did one on Saturday that was based on the form of The Chicken; I called it 'Fowl Play' - it is, of course, in 7:4). Its a tried and tested method of jazz composition that, whilst I would agree is a shortcut or even a 'cheat', gets you looking at material in a different way. I did another a few weeks ago on based on the chords of 'Lullaby of Birdland' but in 5:4. Anyway, the charts are all about attempting to break up the material in interesting ways to reduce the boredom possible with only two monophonic instruments and drums. We agreed that last night could have been better, even though it went down well. For me, it is about trusting your instincts and going for something you believe in. Its nice to get positive feedback from it, in spite (or bercause?) of the absence of 'Fever'. 'Moondance' and 'The Girl From Ipanema'.

Re-posted from 'How was your gig last night' Thread I [i]knew[/i] it!! I did a trio gig last night at The Fox Inn in Bury St Edmunds. It was tenor sax, bass and drums. I have played this venue on an off for about three years with different bands and know the landlord and the bloke she uses to book the bands reasonably well. The bloke approached me about putting something together for last night and I asked him if I could do this trio thing as I had wanted to do it for years. He was a bit 'ooooh, Shelia (the landlord) won't like it' but he agreed to let us do it. Anyway, sorted the line up and set about getting some charts together based on the fact that I would be playing double bass and needed to pace things so I wasn't a spent force at the end of the first (of three) set. Charts done and sent to the sax player and drummer. All set to go when, on Friday at around midnight, I was unloading my double bass from the car and clipped the bridge on the side of the vehicle, causing it to explode into three pieces. So I had to do the gig on electric and most of the charts were inappropriate. I have to admit that I was feeling more than a little nwevous before we started, something that has not happened in decades. So, gieven the forced change of plan, we knocked up three sets of old faithfuls on the day. We were doing funk versions of standards, some hip hop derived stuff (with a hint of reggae), the odd shufffle, some fast 'sh*t off a stick' be-bop, some Latin tunes and a couple of ballads per set. Damned hard work for a trio and a lot of really focussed effort by all involved. More to the point, and herein lied the risk, it demanded something of the listener. The gig was not only a 'musical/artistic' success but the (hard to please) landlady loved it, the punters loved it and we got an immediate re: booking in June. The clincher though came to me third hand from guy who told me that another regular (who really knows his stuff) said it was 'exceptional' and 'by far the best thing [he] had ever seen there'. It had its flaws and I would do some things differently next time but, for a first gig. it felt like a real affirmation. I have always believed that the punters will respond to the energy and the quality of an intelligent performance and didn't need to be spoon-fed 'smooth jazz' or 'the Great American Songbook' to be engaged. What we did last night was 'commercial suicide' in conventional terms and many venues/bookers would balk at the idea of a 'harmony-less' trio but it nevertheless went down a storm. Left with a very big smile on my face.

I [i]knew[/i] it!! I did a trio gig last night at The Fox Inn in Bury St Edmunds. It was tenor sax, bass and drums. I have played this venue on an off for about three years with different bands and know the landlord and the bloke she uses to book the bands reasonably well. The bloke approached me about putting something together for last night and I asked him if I could do this trio thing as I had wanted to do it for years. He was a bit 'ooooh, Shelia (the landlord) won't like it' but he agreed to let us do it. Anyway, sorted the line up and set about getting some charts together based on the fact that I would be playing double bass and needed to pace things so I wasn't a spent force at the end of the first (of three) set. Charts done and sent to the sax player and drummer. All set to go when, on Friday at around midnight, I was unloading my double bass from the car and clipped the bridge on the side of the vehicle, causing it to explode into three pieces. So I had to do the gig on electric and most of the charts were inappropriate. I have to admit that I was feeling more than a little nwevous before we started, something that has not happened in decades. So, gieven the forced change of plan, we knocked up three sets of old faithfuls on the day. We were doing funk versions of standards, some hip hop derived stuff (with a hint of reggae), the odd shufffle, some fast 'sh*t off a stick' be-bop, some Latin tunes and a couple of ballads per set. Damned hard work for a trio and a lot of really focussed effort by all involved. More to the point, and herein lied the risk, it demanded something of the listener. The gig was not only a 'musical/artistic' success but the (hard to please) landlady loved it, the punters loved it and we got an immediate re: booking in June. The clincher though came to me third hand from guy who told me that another regular (who really knows his stuff) said it was 'exceptional' and 'by far the best thing [he] had ever seen there'. It had its flaws and I would do some things differently next time but, for a first gig. it felt like a real affirmation. I have always believed that the punters will respond to the energy and the quality of an intelligent performance and didn't need to be spoon-fed 'smooth jazz' or 'the Great American Songbook' to be engaged. What we did last night was 'commercial suicide' in conventional terms and many venues/bookers would balk at the idea of a 'harmony-less' trio but it nevertheless went down a storm. Left with a very big smile on my face.

I do play guitar (have more guitars than basses) and have gigged in a prog rock band and a Latin band as well as a running few pop tunes if the occasion warrants it. I know I could play better given time and work it up to a pro level but we can't do everything, can we?

And it was going so well..... Got home after a gig last night and, in taking my bass out of the car, managed to break the bridge in half . Now need a new bridge and a full set up I can't afford (but will, somehow). And, to make it worse, I have a gig tomorrow which, whilst I can do it on the Wal, is based on an acoustic concept that is entirely compromised by the absence of the double bass. I'm going to re-name the double bass 'The Money Pit'...

I had a guy came up to me when I played the Torfaen Jazz Festival in the 1990s and say ' You're better than Richard Bona'. Total b***ocks but flattering nevertheless The best compliment I ever had from a fellow musician was the result of my complaining about repeatedly being asked to play s*** gigs with young jazz bands that were not very 'advanced' when my peers were not being hassled to do the same. My (best) friend (a piano player) said 'it's because you are approachable'. I kinda got off on that.

Jonas Hellborg's double neck Wal and Chris Squire's triple neck Wal need a mention. Also, big up for Paul Herman. Not only a great bass maker but also a great guitar player and all round nice bloke.

Miles said a lot of things Most advanced jazz musicians will say 'learn the theory and then forget it' and play what you hear. The point is, what you hear is informed by what you have learned. But this is missing the point. We are not talking about complex musical ideas here, we are ralking about the ability to communicate basic information like 'its a C chord'. WIthout that knowledge and communication, I am afraid I would get increasingly frustrated and quickly move on. I've been there with people like that. I just don't find it rewarding to hang around. I did a session once with a guy like this who said 'I have this jazzy thing you might like'. The chords (one per bar) went Emaj7, Fsharp min7, G sharp min7, A maj 7. Thrill of my day.

The golf analogy doesn't work because, if I am not mistaken, you always play golf alone (i.e. you are responsible only for your own piece of the process). If a non-solo musician doesn't know the names of stuff, everyone else has to do that work for them. Of course there are the occasional savants who are instinctively able to make great things happen without technical knowledge but I have never met one for those of us who work with them, they are, to a greater or lessor degree, a pain in the ass and slow things down dramatically. It is also important to acknowledge that most uninformed musicians are only ever playing really basic song forms so it doesn't take much to 'find a root note'. If you were playing with Allan Holdsworth, every chord would have at least 3 root note options so your choices may be incorrent in terms of the composers intentions. If he couldn't explain the chord, it would be that much more difficult to see it happen. So, if the music is that basic, it is less likley to inspire me and I won't want the gig. Game over. Its not impossible to think I will play with a musician who lacks basic knowledge but, as my horizons expand and my available time contracts, it is increasingly unlikely.

[quote name='Earbrass' post='1200584' date='Apr 15 2011, 12:50 PM']I thought this was a bit ironic, as it's pretty much how I would feel about doing Bilbo's day job. [/quote] Maybe that's why I feel like I do about musicians that lack basic knowledge. I use up all my patience in the day job....

[quote name='Wil' post='1200499' date='Apr 15 2011, 11:47 AM']As much as Bilbo will claim otherwise, in 10 years of playing in various originals bands I've not met a single reader of music.[/quote] That's not what I meant (although readers do save a LOT of time - did a session yesterday and, in 6 hours, we recorded 5 arrangments of tunes I didn't know*)). Not even knowing what chords you are playing is a rare inadequacy nowadays and one I won't indulge. * that included setting up time and a lunch break

No, its not normal. I wouldn't waste my time with them. Others may feel differently (and are entitled to do so) but I would not want to spend time solving the kinds of problems that these people create in their ignorance. Life's too short.

I bought my Wal without playing it and it is the only bass I have kept and the only one I have left. The other 5, which I did try out before I bought them, came and went.

Let's face it. Anyone who buys a signature model of any description is seriously missing the point anyway and asking to be exploited

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='1198817' date='Apr 13 2011, 10:27 PM']Anything that makes Moondance last any longer is automatically worse [/quote] I can't possibly argue with that

Its starting to come together! I recorded a practice session a couple of days ago and am pleased to hear some credible ideas forming and the gap between my head and my hands is starting to narrow. A way to go yet but all of this is pain free so the ghosts are pretty much laid to rest!!

I recorded a practice session the other day and tried polishing the turd...I was making this up as I went along Better, worse or just different? You decide!, WARNING! Its about 3x longer than the original!!!

Lose the hats, guys, you're giving us jazzers a bad name. Any biog details? Not heard of the band and I am interested to know who the players are.

When I dep (or when I get a dep in) its almost always 'turn up and read the gig' (chord charts or dots). An originals band is going to struggle because your replacement will not know the tunes so, without charts, you would need rehearsals and that is unlikely to happen fwithout payment for rehearsal time. As for costs, you could get someone to do it for nothing or it may cost you £50 minimum (gig only, another £50 for the rehearsal?). If you have dots, you haven't got a problem. Without them, you are likely to struggle.