Thunderthumbs

[quote name='OldGit' post='107191' date='Dec 20 2007, 04:43 PM']Is that guy very tall or does he have a small bass and tiny guitarists?[/quote]

Ha ha ..... a bit of everything I think

Used to a cover of Average White Band's "Cut The Cake". Great track, not a difficult bass line, but funky as hell. I'd never thought of "funky" players playing with plectrums before (as I played it with my fingers), but this proves me wrong.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzNXUUSFF0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzNXUUSFF0[/url]

[quote name='crez5150' post='93683' date='Nov 24 2007, 10:46 AM']Stage direction is a big part of it..... I play in three bands..... two of which are playing functions.... one band is pure funk/disco the other is more party type music.... but for both we have stage direction. Both bands are upbeat and the aim is to keep people on the dance floor all night.... and we do..... it's very important and it keeps the punters very happy and thats what its all about really.... If your being hired in by a large corporation to play at their summer ball or xmas celebration then they want to make sure they are gonna have a good party.

Nothing worse than having a band stop after every song..... try extending songs.... try medley's .... just keep the people on the dance floor and you'll be guaranteed a re-book.[/quote]

I play in a covers band. This year has gone rather well......starting to get bookings directly through our website from people that've never even heard us before, etc. We're always looking for ways to improve the band, whether that's material, stage presence, or just general attitude.

The big no no for me is leaving too much of a gap between songs......regardless of the reason.

We recently did a Xmas party for a large company, and the drummer's bass skin split about 3 songs into the set. We just got the DJ to fill in for a couple of minutes, whipped it off, put half a roll of gaffer tape on the split, put it back on, and started playing again. That kept everyone up.

Then in the second set, the guitarist leaves a gap of about 5-10 seconds inbetween two songs to make a minute adjustment to his sound. And it feels like an hour to me. Rather than make the adjustment, just go with it and keep them dancing.

I can't bear even the tiniest of gaps.....because it's enough to let them walk off the dancefloor.

[quote name='StiffyP' post='106706' date='Dec 19 2007, 09:11 PM']im seeing bernie on friday, i could ask him[/quote]

That'd be greatly appreciated.

Cheers for that.

PM'd

Ha ha ....... very, very funny

That's exactly the same as the first serious bass I bought when I started working after leaving school. Same wood, black scratchplate, etc.

I look at that now, and it makes me absolutely sick to the pit of my stomach that I let it go!

Beautiful instrument. Well done.

I really love the Marcus Miller Jazz I bought this year, and use it as my main bass now, but I suppose I'd have to go with my Warwick Thumb 5 string, as I've had it since brand new around 15-20 years ago. I doubt I could ever sell it, let alone have it burn!

My Fender Jazz Marcus Miller Signature and my Warwick Thumb 5 thru-neck

[attachment=4177:My_Babies.jpg]

I also own a Warwick Streamer 4 string (thru-neck) in cherry finish and a 1976 black Fender Precision with maple neck.

Cheers guys.

Looks like it may as well be Brighton then!

Two Warwicks, two Fenders.

[b]TOTAL = 474[/b]

pm'd

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='104984' date='Dec 16 2007, 05:44 PM']Sound Control are EBS dealers - although wether they have any on demo is something else.

You should have gone to Bass Day.[/quote]

I did, but sadly each time I got near it, it was being hogged! I really should learn to be more forceful (maybe I should be a guitarist instead!)

Anyone know the nearest place to Manchester to go give EBS amps and cabs a try?

GB Guitars in Brighton is a fair distance to travel just to try something out!

Personally, I've played bass for nearly 30 years now, and am self taught. During that time, the majority of it has been in covers bands.

I was just wondering what the majority of people on here have spent their bass playing days doing.....original material or covers (or maybe even a combination of both).

What have you learned as a bass player from doing what you've done? Again, personally, I've learned an awful lot (I think) about how to play to a live audience. Some of the audiences you play to in northern "clubland" clubs can be some of the hardest audiences anyone will ever play to. Learning what keeps them happy can be an extremely daunting task. You're always just considered to be just the "entertainment" for the night, rather than someone they've come to see especially........as they go in that club and sit in that seat night after night after night. My old band was once told by someone in an empty club that we couldn't set the mixing desk up in a particular place because it was their seat! We obviously, politely, told them to go sit somewhere else as there was nobody else in the place. Needless to say, it was the topic of conversation to everyone else that walked in.

I'm always looking for improvement, whether that be in technique (God forbid I'll get it right one day!), or any other area.

So what's your background, and what have you learned over the years?

I'd be in. But how about this.....

Just post what would be your CD track listing (as if you'd burnt it - consider it a virtual CD).

Then....if someone chooses to go off and find those tracks either legally or illegally....then Basschat seriously can't be held responsible can they?

[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='95851' date='Nov 28 2007, 10:29 PM']I had the pleasure of supporting Phill Jupitus and the blockheads a few weeks ago. Their set and Mr Norm on bass inspired me to get a best of Ian Dury and the Blockheads so therein lies your answer. Wonderful stuff, great music and even better lyrics.[/quote]

Is it the "Reasons To Be Cheerful" CD? One that everyone should have in their collection. Magical stuff.

[quote name='PaulMartin' post='95823' date='Nov 28 2007, 09:48 PM']... a lot of James Jamerson's playing is almost like a bass solo all the way through the song, but it never sounds like overplaying.[/quote]

No matter how many times I hear songs with James Jamerson playing on them, I'll never tire of hearing them.

Yet, despite me learning to slap via Mark King, a lot of it just sounds tedious and tiresome now. Some of Mark King's best work was the songs where he "underplayed".

My first bass was a Kay "Gibson Les Paul" shape that cost me about £50 out of my mum's catalogue! I paid for it myself from my earnings from my paper round.

The action on it was terrible. The strings were about 2 inches above the neck.

Maybe that excuses me all my bad habits nearly 30 years later

Must admit to really appreciating the basslines in songs by The Feeling.

I read a short interview somewhere recently (may have been in the free mags at Bass Day) with the bass player.

Nice to hear basslines that are actually very melodic and harmonic, rather than just 4/4 root notes as a lot seem to do. It's almost a tad Jamerson-esque.

Was going to buy a Goodfellow bass from A1 Music in Manchester about 15-20 years ago. Fell in love with it, and was around £600 at the time.

Never bought it.

Saw them on the same stand as EBS at the Bass Day and it made me regret it. Still think they're beautiful basses. If only I'd joined the club!

Hi there. Welcome from a relative newbie.

What part of Cornwall you from?

My favourite part of the country and well worth the 7-8 hour drive to spend a week or two there each year

Streamer, not a Thumb, but pm'd anyway.

I've only bought something from the States once, and I was OK. Saying that, I think it depends on the vendor stating the value of the goods as to what you get whacked with duty wise.

I went through pretty much the same thing a couple of years ago with the lack of passion, etc.

And I ended up doing a few gigs with a mate who needed someone at the last minute to step in, and being under pressure not only gave me the love of playing back, but it helped my self confidence knowing I could just turn up and play (cos he has a habit sometimes of playing songs I've never even heard of, let alone played before). But he's good to work with, so it helped me.

Then I just saw an ad for a bassist required, went for it, got it, have been with the band nearly two years, and have 3 great mates out of it. So life deals you some aces sometimes.

Good luck with the future.