Bilbo

I've got hayfever.....

I have had this irritating buzz on my PC recording software for months - it was recording midi stuff perfectly but the audio stuff always had this irritating little buzz in the background that rendered all recordings fundamentally imperfect. It was particularly bad with my Wal but, after changing guitars/basses 5 times, I still couldn't locate it. I tried plugging stuff in and unplugging it, changing leads, checking earths, everything. But, whenever I tried to record anything using guitars or basses, this tiny little buzz would return. Sometimes it was louder than others. I would fiddle with levels on the instruments and on the audio interface - you name it, I fiddled. Anyway, I found out what it was last night. Everytime I was fiddling, trying to get rid of the buzz, I was sat in front of the computer with the guitar facing the monitor. The pick ups on every guitar were picking up interference from the monitor/PC - all I had to do was turn away from the thing and, magic, no buzz. Isn't technology wonderful! Happy that I nailed it. Hacked off that it was so simple and stupid and that I hadn't spotted it earlier. Here's to buzz free recording in future.

The action of an instrument and the fact that it is or is not playable with or without amplification is of no consequence. The music is what matters and Holland, of all people, transcends the idea of technique and focusses on the music Dave Holland remains one of the world's greats. I have about 70 cds with him on an each one is as fresh as the last. I love his ability to keep me interested, his creative spirit, his artistic vision and his beard. Proper jazz. Favourites? The Razor's Edge, Conference of the Birds, Extensions, Music For Large and Small Ensembles (Kenny Wheeler), Questions and Answers (Pat Metheny).... the list is endless. Have seen him 5 times (with the Extensions Quartet, Kenny Wheeler LargeEnsemble, Pat Metheny Trio, Jack DeJonhette and with a small orchestra playing a composition written especially for him-thelastonewas the weakest for me). His presence adds depth to any performance and I would urge anyone interested in contemporary improvised music spend some quality time listening to him. It would be time well spent.

This is one of the UKs greatest bass exports in crystal clarity: a solo rendition of Coltrane's 'Mr. P.C.' - enjoy [url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=HHu6rzmUvFI&feature=related"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=HHu6rzmUvFI&feature=related[/url]

One swallow does not a summer make!

[quote name='Machines' post='199685' date='May 15 2008, 03:46 PM']To assume every person can find a non-custom instrument that suits them perfectly is quite silly.[/quote] To assume that, having played a tiny percentage of the available 'off the peg' basses, that anyone is sufficiently discerning enough to HAVE to have a bass made of Argentinian Zebrawood with a 34.667 inch scale, a Zygote reinforced pick up and perfectiminium machine heads in order to be able to execute your unprecedented ideas on sound makes assuming every person can find a non-custom instrument that suits them perfectly sound positively enlightened. My point is that NO instrument will suit you perfectly. You have to work WITH the instrument in order to make beautiful music. Trying to create the perfect instrument as a one off exercise is, in my opinion, a fools errand. Of course, if you want a 29-string monster, you ain't going to get it off the peg but most custom basses are ordinary 4-5-6 strings with fairly conventional set ups. Its just self indulgence. For the record, a Wal Custom is, ironically, not a custom bass. It is off the peg.

That's my point. What does it matter? If its got a body, neck, strings, pick-ups and machine heads and sounds like a bass, it is a bass! So why go out and spend 3 or 4 grand on getting 'Johnny Luthier' to build you a 'special' thing when you could buy a beautiful instrument 'off the peg' for £2k and then buy a top notch amp and still have enough change to buy the entire Miles Davis back catalogue! Twice! Because you can? I still don't get it! I think the 'signature' bass thing is ego driven. Its the music that matters not the tools.

I think its all GAS! I have never seen the particular attraction of a 'signature' bass. If you can't make beautiful music on a regular 'stock' bass by Wal or Fodera or Sei or whatever other manufacturer floats your boat, what makes you think that that specifying the material that they make the nut out of is going change that? I have never heard a 'signature' bass that had a 'signature' sound. They all sound like basses to me. I think it all a bit of a pose, frankly.

Is a jazz neck something you get from nodding your head excessively to a swinging Basie groove? NIIIIIICE!

I'm with Jakesbass on this one. Anyone who works with horns is more likely to gravitate more towards flat keys as most 'jazz' horns (trumpet, flugelhorn, tenor sax, alto, baritone, soprano ) are tuned to Eb or Bb. If you have ever written out charts for a jazz band with horns, you would have had to deal with this. Wulf's right too although I have rarely seen anything actually written in Ab.

Benvenuto, augh-nuto. It's never too late!

Hello from Felixstowe (but I used to live in Newport and gig my little buns off at the FBI in Cardiff. My bezzy mate is in Roath (Balaclava Rd), a few hundred yards from ther Claude. I once had a curry and a pizza on Albany Rd (but not on the same night)....

Its a moot point. Is the music interesting? If so, the bass line is, by association, interesting. If the piece is poor, the bass line can be a doozie but it will still be a weak piece of music. A great bassline in a weak piece of music is, thus, an oxymoron. It doesn't exist.

Doing loads of jazz gigs and then one heavy funk or Latin gig that requires me to play so hard/fast that I get a blister/sore fingers that means I can't play at the top of my game for days. It doesn't happen often but, when it does....ouch. WE HATESSS IT FOREVER!!

It really annoys me when I hear Bob Dylan sing!

Has anyone noticed that there are a zillion pieces of music out there without basses in and a zillion with? The world doesn't revolve around the White Stripes, even if they are from the city that brought us Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Al McKibbon and Doug Watkins. Music doesn't HAVE to have a bass in it but nor does it HAVE to have anything else in it - the instruments used are the creative choice of the composer/arranger. Its a colour to use as and when you see fit. If the Stripes don't want to use one, it's their call. But I doubt the impact on the presence of our shared instrument will be any greater than when the keyboard bass was touted as the death of the bass guitar. I agree - bad journalism (although I am beginning to wonder whether there is any GOOD journalism left?)

The band taht recorded 'Mr Benn' has some top notch players in it, including Kenny Wheeler. To the Producers credit, the musicians are listed on the end credits. I once saw Alphonso Johnson's name on a US kid programme.

Its a matter of perspective: A millionaire that plays 'art music' with no commercial value has no more integrity than a man or woman that plays a commercial gig to put food on the table of their children. Integrity is great if you can afford it!

[quote name='kevbucket' post='195211' date='May 9 2008, 09:02 AM']YEAH, GREG LAKE IS VASTLY UNDERATED , AMAZING BASS LINES AND SOUND !! LOVE THE BLOKE [/quote] Yeah but the worst sound in history - I had a live LP of theirs and the bass sounded dreadful - like a cheap guitar badly miked in a cardboard box full of marbles....

www.wajoco.com (I think)

Did you hear that stuff Jimmy Johnson did with the Wayne Johnson Trio (no relation)? Some of his best work for me.

Not being able to play the double bass will always be a regret for me. I bought a small double bass in the late 90s and tried to nail it but did some damage to may hands that still lingers today (I use an ergonomic PC keyboard and vertical mouse to allow my wrists to remain relaxed when I am typing - if I don't, I get acute pains in my hands and upper arm). The problems are in my left hand and can be linked directly to poor experiences with the upright. I tried to get lessons in Farnham, Surrey but noone was around when I was (the main tutor locally, a highly rated player, would only teach during 'office hours' so I was unable to take advantage of his services). So I tried to teach myself, got it badly wrong and did some CTS type damage that continues to affect my stamina today. It doesn't seem to affect my jazz playing (thank God) but, in funk/Latin things, where there is a tendency to play more repetitive figures, the weaknesses can show by the end of a gig (and, more often, afterwards). So I had to find my voice on electric fretless. I do OK (12 gigs a month) but the prejudice against the electric still means that I don't get to do the more classy and creative jazz gigs that DB players can get (that or the fact that I am crap and noone is telling me!!). I think one of the factors that militates against a successful outcome for me is that, being a semi-pro, it is harder to find time to 'shed' on a new and demanding instrument like the Double. So you can't build up the stamina you need to develop to nail a long gig or fast tempos on DB. So you do damage. My favourite players are upright players: Dave Holland, Marc Johnson, Paul Chambers, Ron Carter etc and many electric players leave me cold (Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Bill Dickens, Jeff Berlin - they all lack soul to me). Most good jazz is played on DB and the exceptions (Steve Swallow and, eh, Steve Swallow) are few and far between. But I still get to play so can't complain (sighs). Could have turned out a LOT worse!

S'alright, HH, no need to apologise. Most jazz out there isn't jazz, most jazz venues don't put jazz on very much and most aftershaves don't swing. Most jazz festivals are chock full of stuff that isn't jazz and most jazz bins in record shops are not full of jazz cds. And most owners of Fender Jazz basses STILL don't play jazz on them (despite my campaign). Have a good one.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='193471' date='May 6 2008, 10:45 PM']I thought it was Gary Tibbs but according to the Wiki, it's Gary Tibbs on some tracks, a guy called Neil Jason who I've never heard of on a few and Alan Spenner on the others.. Follow this link:[/quote] Neil Jason is great - there is a Brecker Brothers tune called 'Funky Sea Funky Dew' on Youtube with him on (now THAT's a beard!!). Grooves like a mofo - watch for the funky break in the middle.