Bilbo

[quote name='Sibob' post='625133' date='Oct 13 2009, 03:59 PM']So why don't you play a Squier Custom Vibe?? Apparently they're quite good! Si[/quote] Says who?

My actual belief is that many people who go for custom instruments do so, at least subconsiously, for vanity reasons, for some sense that, by having a custom instrument they are, in some way, superior. Or is it because they believe that the gold plated widget with their name on will make them play better? I am not sure but I don't hear many 'pre' and 'post-custom' changes in sound. Steve Swallow always sounds like Steve Swallow. Jeff Berlin always sounds like Jeff Berlin, whatever custom instrument they play. Its all a bit odd if you ask me (whcih you didn't so, please, forgive me).

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='625067' date='Oct 13 2009, 03:02 PM']I agree, I can't see the point. I mean I can spend my money buying an off the peg bass built from non carefully selected woods, produced on a CNC machine, using materials and in a manner to predominantly save money. A bass designed for Mr Average with in house electronics, again to save cost, a one piece neck for the joy of truss rod use, something the same as the next guy. Painted to cover up the flaws and joins in the wood. So what's the point in wasting the same money getting something crafted to your own personal taste, a stiffer laminated neck and fretboard/neck profile tailored to your preference, pickups and electronics to suit your taste, something unique that you personally had a part in creating, something different that suits your sense of self. Something out of the ordinary, not of the masses. Come on Mr Bilbo, you can do better than that surely [/quote] That's a flawed argument, GK. If a manufacturer is cutting costs by economies of scale, fine, that applies to all areas of any business. If an independent is not able to do that, you are being charged for every bit of the process (e.g. design, neck profiling etc) so, by definition, they will be making a disproportionately expensive or inferior product, surely. The cost/quality argument is a fragile link to rely on. Of course, a manufacturer will have its budget lines (re: paint covering bad quality wood etc) but, with minimal research, most of us can tell the difference between a Squier and a top fo the range Fender. For me, the quality of an instrument is determined only by what noises it makes. The rest is furniture. If I can't HEAR the quality, it is of no particular importance. And for most of these bespoke custom jobs, I hear nothing that makes me think 'its because its a custom job' or anything that I couldn't hear from a stock Fender etc.

[quote name='metaltime' post='625055' date='Oct 13 2009, 02:51 PM']So you have never needed to say I wish this pickup was nearer the bridge or i wish the strings were a touch closer at the bridge etc?[/quote] Nope. Nothing - not a single thing (other than 1 change of string brand v. early on).

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='625027' date='Oct 13 2009, 02:34 PM']Do you mean bespoke custom instruments, built to spec, or say an off-the-peg Roscoe like mine?[/quote] Custom jobs of the bespoke variety (My Wal Custon was, ironically, 'off the peg' and bought mail order . I just don't get all the fussing abut with ths wood vs. that.... Guitarist Eric Johnson is renowned for being able to tell what type of battery is in his pedals. Can anyone really tell what type of wood a bass is made if? Or what the nut is made of? Or whether there is a zero fret? Or if its a through neck or bolt on? They all just sound like basses to me.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='625032' date='Oct 13 2009, 02:36 PM']Has something changed?[/quote] Moi?

I am not a particularly expert in the mysteries of bass design but, having played one of the damn things for nearly 30 years (literally one of them, the same bass for over 23 of them), I struggle to see the value of spending vast sums of money on expensive custom jobs. There are only two legitimate reasons for doing this, in my eyes, one is for cosmetic reasons (like Gene Simmons 'axe' basses or the bloke from Slade's 'gun' bass, for instance) or for specific technical reasons like needing an 11-string to explore your muse. I see some lovely looking basses on here being custom designed and have glanced superficially at long posts about how it all comes together. It is all very exciting but, fundamentally, I struggle to see the point. I have always struggled to understand why musicians can't be satisfied with 'off the peg' instruments. I get that this pick up is different from that one and a maple neck feels different to a rosewood one etc but, from where I am standing, none of these basses sound remarkable enough to have warranted the expense. Most of them sound like a bass. Brilliant. But why isn't a Jazz/Precision/Wal/Warwick/Alembic/whatever etc good enough? Double bass players tend to get a bass and stick to it (Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Marc Johnson, Scott LaFaro, Mingus etc all played one bass through most of their careers and only replaced them if they were damaged or stolen). Same with sax players, trumpeters etc. Many pianists play a different instrument every night. So what's it all about, peeps? Is it just vanity

This is a problem on my version of Sibelius, too. My version is old, however, so newer updates may have resolved this.

Errrr.. first believe in God.... I wasn't aware that 'Gospel' had to be a style anymore. I thought it was about content not genres and that you can have Christian folk music, Christian Metal, Christian Funk, Christian Bale (oops! What is he doing in here).... I always think of 'Gospel' as an attitude not a genre. What do I know? Heathen bustard....

Bought my Wal Custon Fretless on 25th April 1986 and it is still my main squeeze. I have other basses for fretted/low B work but have not gigged with another bass since around 1990. It still sounds great and no other bass has turned by head since. If I had the wonga, I would order a fretless 5 today. Hear the bass here! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=42836&st=20"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=42836&st=20[/url] And see it here! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=42836&st=20"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=42836&st=20[/url]

Nice production. The singer is great. Some nice touches in the arrangements and a nice fretless sound. Its a good product.

I just put my fingers where the note is. Seriously, though, I recommend people play the bass with their ears and not their eyes. I know thw fretlines are where the note is supposed to be etc but I also wouldn't rely on it in place of my ears (same with the dots on the side of the neck). Its the notes that matter not the technology. If you are not fretting consistently on/behind/in front of the lines, to me, the lines are in the wrong place, surely? That's why I went for an unlined fretless. Its all academic if you are reading a chart or utilisiing eye contact as a means of cueing yourselves.

Suffolk is chock full of us! WElcome.

I did a gig once where this Polish guy (I knew him) starts having a go at his missus at the back of the bar and six Portuguese guys grabbed him three on each side, picked him up kicking and screaming, walked him through the crowd carrying him above their heads (I had to turn sideways to let them past - I was still playing) out into the street, laid him on the floor and walked back in, leaving the bouncer to prevent his re-entry into the venue. No anger, no grief, no blood and guts, just assertive removal. Noone got hurt, even the Polish guy. It was a lesson in mature crowd control. Beautiful. I like Portuguese people - they know how to have a good time without getting leary.

I have recently bought and read these two new biographies on Ron Carter and Scott LaFaro. Worth a look if your are interested in their respective careers. What really freaks me out is the fact that LaFaro only played the bass for about 7 years from picking it up until his death in a car crash. Incredible. Both books dispell the myth that players are born with these talents. They work damn hard and study, practice and graft to get this good. The Carter book is only available from the US but I got it really easily. [url="http://www.amazon.com/Ron-Carter-Finding-Right-Notes/dp/061526526X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254597090&sr=1-1-spell"]http://www.amazon.com/Ron-Carter-Finding-R...mp;sr=1-1-spell[/url] [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jade-Visions-Music-Lafaro-Musicians/dp/1574412736/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254596965&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jade-Visions-Music...6965&sr=1-1[/url]

Nice one, JPS. Now you have played 'Song For My Father' once, you've got it out of your system. Never play it again. Please.

C Jam Blues - Duke Ellington.

Most of James Jamerson's work. Great lines, beautifully executed and then surrounded by bubblegum sung by 12 year-olds, tuneless whelps and trashy girlbands.

[quote name='JPS' post='613886' date='Oct 1 2009, 03:22 PM']I imagine you can get lost in this stuff for a liftetime and still not have enough time.[/quote] Absolutely: Ron Carter says 'I'm still just trying to find the right notes'.

[quote name='JPS' post='613857' date='Oct 1 2009, 02:34 PM']Thanks guys that's really helpful. I'm reasonably comfortable walking over a blues (not claiming to be Ray Brown obviously) and can write lines using arpeggios, passing notes, chromatic approach notes etc.[/quote] Thats pretty much all there is, mate: the rest is called style and taste and you can't get that any other way but trial and error over months and years of playing. [quote name='JPS' post='613857' date='Oct 1 2009, 02:34 PM']I read somewhere that you should always play the stronger notes - i.e. root, third or fifth - on the 1st and 3rd beats of the bar. Is this sound advice? I find it a bit difficult to be quite that precise at the moment.[/quote] It is true but its also impossible to think like that when you are playing at 320 bpm. Its a helpful guide to why somethings work better than others but, like all 'rules', it is there to be broken if you think something sounds good. [quote name='JPS' post='613857' date='Oct 1 2009, 02:34 PM']Wouldn't know where to start in terms of soloing to be honest. I'd probably make the classic bass player's mistake and fall back on arpeggios starting from the root upwards. Any useful tips on how to start soloing?[/quote] Yes you do, you just can't get that its hard to get from 1st bass to a home run and takes time. Its not magic, its hard learned. You improvise every time you speak or write - its no different. You just take notes, phrases, licks etc and play them in any order that pleases the ear. Sing along with you playing and play what you sing (don't sing what you play, thats the motor skills driving the brain not the other way around) [quote name='JPS' post='613857' date='Oct 1 2009, 02:34 PM']I've also started learning melodies for the first time. I take it they can be a useful starting point for modest solos.[/quote] Melodies are a great way of making sense of chord sequences. Time well spent. All solos are melodies; nothing more and nothing less.

Big question, JPS. The honest answer is 'all of the above' but I will try and give you a starting point. The most important thing to learn in jazz at the early stages is the jazz blues form in F and in Bb. F7/// Bb7/// F7/// //// Bb7/// //// F7/// D7/// Gm7/// C7/// F7/D7/Gm7/C7/ or Bb7/// Eb7/// Bb7/// //// Eb7/// //// Bb7/// G7/// Cm7/// F7/// Bb7/G7/Cm7/F7 If you can play walking lines over these two and improvise over them, you are on the way.

Ray Brown and Ella Fitzgerald? Del Palmer and Kate Bush?

Clarify what they want! If I dep for a rock/funk thing, I rely on my ears and get through by approximating the original (most of which I have usually heard if not played before). I did one dep where the bandleader had the hump because I didn't play the parts 'as per the record' (should have prepared charts then, shouldn't he ). I won't learn 30 tunes for a dep gig. I haven't got time. Its charts or 'close enough', I am afraid.

I could help if you can be arsed to travel as far as Felixstowe.

Where were these charts when I was learning to read I had to put up with dreadful folk songs from double bass books or trombone exercises not REAL charts from real music. Another great one for the Basschat Canon. Nice work, Mat.