Bilbo

[quote name='Mike' post='1119081' date='Feb 7 2011, 04:45 PM']Thanks for sharing, great. Makes me want an Imperial. Oh, and to be miles better![/quote] This is what I mean about the Jeff Berlin thread. Bona makes this happen in most players, JB rarely achieves that level of inspiration, even though his notes per second ratio is probably greater.

I'd leave the band

My problem is that I can admire JB, his technical skills, knowledge etc, but I just don't enjoy his music. I have Champions and Pump It (on vinyl) and liked them both for a while but his last few cds have come and gone because, for me, after the 'wow', there is nothing very nice to listen to. Excellent example of when astonishing technique is not enough. I still, however, agree 110% with his advocacy of musical literacy (in its broadest sense) and the rejection of short termism and short cuts.

Have had mine for 26 years next month. Its a keeper.

I have one of these (French) and like it but it may be out of your price range. [url="http://www.stringemporium.com/carbon-fiber-upright-bass-bows.htm"]String Emporium Finale carbon fiber bow[/url]

A flat third is in no way a second, You can flatten a second (a flattened ninth) but they are pretty much never sharpened (although you do get sharpened ninths). A flattened third is what defines all minor chords. Most music could not exist without this little sucker. I think you may have some misunderstandings about scale/chord theory.

[quote name='lojo' post='1118187' date='Feb 6 2011, 08:11 PM']I had a Dave Holland album once, nice to fall asleep to, think its was called emerald something, double bass though not electric[/quote] Emerald Tears Also One's All and Life Cycle (Dave Holland on cello) I like Edgar Meyer's version of the Bach Cello Suites.

In jazz, we only use the ascending version of the melodic minor scale so the descending G lyd dominat would also have the C# and not the C natural. As the main solo section of Night in Tunisia is Eb7 to Dm6, the most obvious scale to use is the Phrygian and lydian modes of Bb major. By using the lydian dominant, however, you are creating a tension between the phrygian which has a natural D and the Eb lydian dom which has a flattened D. If you just solo on a G lydian dominant (GABC#DEFG), you are not playing the Eb so the harmoninc movement will be lost. I would recommend soloing 'around' the Eb lydian dominant not the G during the Eb/D passage

General rule is left hand if I want to dampen higher strings, right hand if its lower.

10 years? Herbie FLowers will win tho'. He's a 30 year man.....

I did some gigs with a woman called Corina Sylvester who had done some work with NYJO - she was probably 6 stone soaking wet. A fully rounded musician I would call for a gig again anyday (were I not 100 miles away ). The chromosone make up of a drummer should be of no concern. Drumming is not about strength and a person's physical strength has actually no bearing whatsoever on their ability to play this oldest of instruments. But, back to the op, yes, a gig with great drummer is the best feeling.

Many have versions of tunes with the bass in and with it taken out so you can hear what to do before attempting it. The biggest issue will be what music you like. A jazz play along will do nothing for you if you prefer rock or funk and vice versa. Find one that spearks your interest and dive in...

JBs problem is that he forces people to deal with the fact that doing this music thing properly is hard, there is no quick way of getting there, only proper study. WHether you agree about metronomes or no is a minor point. His critiques of music schools who take you r money and offer little in return are legit but threaten a lot of people who are making a lot of money. He is going to raise the hackles of some. Personally, I like his candour.

That 'unknown' percussionist was Trilok Gurtu from the US band Oregon. He is a genius. I recommend their cd Ecotopia. PS My bass teacher was a PR man and he knew I was a JB fan so got me a ticket for the Royal Festival Hall in the front row right in front of Berlin. I spent the whole gig watching Trilok. A stunning musician.

Soweto Sorrow from Aldo Romano's Suite Africane (Henri Texier on bass). Transcription on its way.

Its one of life's difficulties, ime. Anyone who tries to have an intelligent, adult conversation, particularly on the internet, is often (always?) undermined by those who don't take the issue as seriously or who cannot take criticism without their ego feeling threatened. Its worse on the internet because the number of people engaging in any debate is potentially massive but it is just as difficult in the real world. I have always found it refreshing to work with a musician who will listen to your observations and try adjustments to make the music better. The better a player is, usually the more open they are to suggestion. Its the mediocre/weak players who are trying to justify their inadequacies that tend to be more easily threatened and resort to name-calling and flippancy. But its not just music, its pretty much any subject.

[quote name='Earbrass' post='1114091' date='Feb 3 2011, 04:26 PM']Could this be an equal temperament issue? The harmonic will be a "pure" maj 3rd, while the keyboard will be tuned to equal temperament. Could this account for the discrepancy?[/quote] I think that's what I meant!

Thanks, EB. I should point out that the example was purely a metaphor for illustrative purposes and, in reality, I really coudn't give a rat's

What are you measuring it with? If everything else is spot on, this is technically impossible But then again, so is flight in bumble bees! Actually, major thirds on fretted instruments are generally off (that is why a major third on a distorted guitar sounds so ugly). Are you fretting the note and then playing the harmonic as a comparison? If so, it will always sound marginally different.

All this does prove something, doesn't it? I am not altogehter sure what but something. I would surmise that this confirms that, when all is said and done, the music is bigger than the gear we play it on. We all obsess about the nuts and bolts of the gear; which wood, which era at Fender, hand made or machine, passive or active etc. But, when you throw in the individual player, personal taste and preferences, personal skills and talent, strings, pick ups, effects pedals, amps, speakers, cables, different mics and DI boxes, a studio engineer, a desk, various monitor speakers, the cutting or copying processes, the hi fi we play stuff on, the venue we see bands at, the live mixing engineer, the size of the audience and on and on and on we are left with the fact that the bass that is played is about 1% of the overall effect achieved. One of the things that YouTube has taught me is that the ability to buy a Fodera/Alembic/any other top brand does not turn a crap palyer into a good one. It also means that a good player who can only afford a cheap bass is still a contender. My kid brother owns a Harley shop in Chepstow and tells me that the motorcycle world is very similar. Most of the people who can afford an 'off the peg' Harley are middle aged 'mid-life crisis' cases who are attracted to the glamour of the brand. Is it the same for top end basses?

Percy Jones is so strong a personality on the instrument. He is recognisable in seconds, unlike most of the shred merchants. A true original.

It wouldn't work at the level I am playing at as you NEVER have a rig of sufficient quality to make a nice noise. I envy those who work within an infrastructure that allows this to be viable.

PS I am actually Rolf Harris.

How can someone in the US suggest someone from Sweden is charged with treason? It can only be treason if you are a citizen of the state you offended against, Shirley?

[quote name='mrdreadful' post='1112524' date='Feb 2 2011, 03:16 PM']For some reason I find bass playing more fun than guitar playing....[/quote] That's cos it is Welcome back.