BassTractor

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1381694733' post='2242540'] It's the other way for me. It increases my joy! [/quote] Yeah. Trying to be slightly less longwinded than I tend to be, I in fact worded it wrongly. It reduces my joy when I loved the composition to begin with. It increases my joy when I disliked the composition. BTW, I'm not talking about general knowledge of theory. I'm talking about minute analysis of one composition - analysis that would involve writing out the whole composition by ear, then analysing it in its minute details, and writing down a reflection of that analysis. The immense amount of time used on a composition this way, and later "hearing" not my joy but my remembrance of the analysis... that is what ruined it for me. General knowledge of theory did augment my general appreciation for the work of a composer and for certain works, but appreciation is not the same as deep emotional experiences when hearing certain music. I prefer that my ears just hear how great a piece is, rather than that an analysis tells me it is great.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1381686404' post='2242328'] If I was working with a tutor & he said my technical execution needed working on then I'd probably listen to him. If he told me my composition needed working on, and I was perfectly happy with what I was composing, then I would probably ignore him as his thoughts on my compositions would be coloured by his own likes & dislikes. [/quote] In case, I'd guess both tutors have their reasons - reasons they would (should?) be able to verbalise. If my playing tutor says my technique needs working on, he'll also tell me what aspects of it as well as how I should work on them. The composition tutor would do the same, explaining what choices I've made and how they will work on the audience. As a simple example, finishing the song with a IV - I is not very rock 'n' roll, but could fit perfectly in old style church music. So if I use a IV - I in a rock song, the tutor could call this a weak change, not meaning it is bad, but meaning it has a weak type of character - call it soft if you want. I could still keep it as it is, and might have good reasons for it (rational or musically emotional), but at least I'd be slightly more in the know than the minute before. This hooks in on the eternal debate about how much of a composition is subject to analysis and criticism, and how much of it is beyond that realm. I've stated before here on BC that many people will be surprised about how much of a composition in fact is quantifiable, analyseable and the subject to reasoned evaluation. Don't take me wrong: I don't like analysis. Knowing the inner workings of a great composition reduces my joy over it. That dislike however, does not mean that analysis is not a tool. My composition teacher would have to use it as a tool to even start commenting on my choices.

Good going, John! Practice amps will never go out of style, even when they're top makes. ;-) Have they told you what model that bass is?

Just as a side remark, as I don't have an opinion: before "In Rainbows" was released on CD, Thom Yorke mentioned in an interview that the revenue of the downloads and the pre-ordered box set together were such that the band had made considerably more money on this direct sale than they'd made totally with any previous album distributed the regular way. I know what he said, but don't know whether he spaketh truthe.

At 12.58 AM, Lowender posted this: [quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381618698' post='2241580'] You're probably right. [/quote] At 01:49 AM, Lowender changed this into: [quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381618698' post='2241580'] You're probably right. But that's just YOUR opinion. : ) Tell you what, since you're familiar with the piece and the players execution was so void of musicality, record 16 bars of it yourself and let everyone hear how it REALLY should be done. I'll look forward to that -- as I'm sure everyone else will as well. [/quote] At 04:51 (edited 04:52 AM), Lowender followed up with: [quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381632705' post='2241666'] I'm offering him the chance to back up his big words. So far...nothing. [/quote] This is really all the data we need to have. Our brains can do the rest of the legwork... However, just to humour Lowender just slightly: [quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381632705' post='2241666'] I assume this gentleman is a musician and is claiming the musician in question is inferior. And doing so imperiously. If one makes that claim, I think they should be able to back it up. I said in a previous post I could copy Victors part in that song. And I didn't say it was crap. Bass Tractor is pulling a pure puss move -- attempting to bully me by accusing me of being a bully -- when all I did was state an opinion and never...NEVER did I attack anyone here. Bass Tractor however feels entitled to call me names. It's lame. It's weak. And I'm not buying it. I think he needs to take a deep look at himself and try to understand what his issues might be that makes him so insecure. At any rate, I'm offering him the chance to back up his big words. So far...nothing. [/quote] As written before, initially it would be far from me to criticise that performance. I understand and appreciate the context as well as the attempt. I understand the technical requirements to the player. Had I been in the audience, I would have been smiling from ear to ear, and would applaud this with warmth ("warmth" should be in the dictionary, btw, just like "coldth" and "calmth"). However, the clip was used as an example of a type of greatness that would put VW in the shadow. Now, while I do not specifically appreciate VW, or know his work for that matter, the greatness claim was followed by a claim about this performance's musicality. This is where I disagreed, first politely and calmly, and avoiding a discussion of Lowender's way of behaving on an open forum. Then stuff happened, and I felt the need to up it a notch, still trying to avoid a discussion on Lowender, but it was getting very hard at that point, as Lowender virtually pushes his opponents into certain areas. Then more stuff happened, and I felt the bullying (specifically the claim that xilddx lacks Lowender's exquisite capabilities in the ears department) needed to be met. OK. Now for part 2. I do not think my insecurity is the issue here. Not that I do not have insecurities, but I'm always quite open and simplistic about them. I may be lame and weak and all kinds of other ugly things, but all of that would not change the way Lowender tries to rule this thread. As to me being a musician, for reference and clarity purposes, I told about my musical background in my second post in this thread. Yes, I was once a musician, at a semi-international level and within classical and new classical music. Yes, I did teach in music college. I never claim that I am right because of that background, as I'm far too intelligent to say such a stupid thing, but I am sometimes telling people this so they are aware where my texts may stem from. As a bassist, I'm just a noob who can't manage to play something like "Take a Pebble" or other ELP related stuff. This inability however does not guarantee that I am deaf. You know what? It's now 15:40 PM (yes, I know), and ... so far ... nothing! [quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1381662875' post='2241887'] Let's try to keep the opinions here focused on musicianship rather than each other, eh? [...] let's allow a little room for differences of opinion. [/quote] Looking at the whole thread an how it was developing, I disagree, but I will respect your wish and will try to follow that lead. To do that, I could also edit my previous posts, but since that would put others' reaction in a strange light, I think it's best if the posts are left alone.

Thanks for posting that. I'd almost forgotten that lot totally. Went after it right away on iTunes, only to find out Minnie Riperton is on that record, showing a quite different side than on her "Lovin' You" from some years later.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381336848' post='2237840'] What about using it in a good mood at home!? [/quote] That remark needs to be pinned somewhere. This novel concept has great promise! I'm telling ya! BTW, just ordered a 900 myself, and will try and report when I'm in a good mood. May take a while though.

Welcome, Remy! Good luck with the cab hunt, and enjoy the site. best, bert

[quote name='grayn' timestamp='1381494924' post='2239842'] they only seem to come up, just after I've just blown my cash on something else. [/quote] Not true. In fact they only come up after you have posted here that you've blown your cash. So now you should know the drill: save up money like Hull, then write a post on here, and LIE THROUGH YOUR TEETH!!!! Good luck! You'll have that bass in no time.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381587956' post='2241049'] But to say it's just rubbish or the the guy can't play or it's unmusical -- that's just absurd. [/quote] No, it is not absurd. In case it's an opinon that you do not share. I'm getting the suspicion that the term "a musical performance" simply is understood by you in a different way than it's understood by some others here. In case: many people, myself included, understand it to be a performance that manages to convey something about the composition that is deeper than just the notes. This conveying is normally achieved by choices in micro-timing, tone length, tone volume and sound. The performance in question hardly contains these chosen elements - and certainly no micro-timing. The timing is not governed by the player's musical choices, but by the fingers' lack of ability to reach the frets and string in time. Thus, this is an example of a non-musical performance in that sense. In the unlikely case that the timing in this performance is the player's choice, then he simply is not a very musically gifted person - or rather: he then is virtually music deaf. If you, after this explanation, still maintain that this performance is musical in that sense, then the sad news is that you are not a very musically gifted person, which is quite OK, mind, but it should in case teach you to not attack people on here (like you did with xilddx) for their inability to hear what you hear. In case it's soooo very much the other way round, and I am indeed sorry to feel forced to write this. No joy here. Just a combination of sadness and the will to not allow you to bully us with your unintelligent and uninformed, sweeping statements. Sadly, this thread is very much not the first time you take exactly the same role: of someone who will do anything to not allow other people to provide some correction on your ill-advised "opinions".

Let me be a little clearer then, since I seem to be one of the very unmusical ones who have a grudge against able people *) , and who also have terrible other capacities - as so eloquantly worded by Lowender. I would never ciriticise the playing of the bassist in the OP if his contribution was not used as an example of greatness. Initially, for me, he's just another bloke on a stage performing some music to the best of his abilities - nothing to get overtly critical about. Just like him, I too can be just a bloke on some stage playing some notes to the best of my abilities. Nothing to get worked up about either. However, the OP is what the OP is, and it strongly invites people to respond - whether this be Lowender's wish or not. People responded honestly, and from there it went downwards terribly fast and terribly unnecessary, becoming another sad example of what forum threads can grow into. OK, here goes then: The bassist in the OP already ruins the piece during the first 16 seconds. His timing is uncontrolled, amateuristic and flat. As a result it becomes musicality-defying. From there, the piece only goes downwards. There, I said it. The songs he plays for the most part are NOT free timing stuff. They're quite romantic small pieces with their own harmonic, melodic and rhythmic drive. The bass player lets the audience wait for musical information while he gets his fingers to the right places. Now while he may be a very musical person and a great bassist, in this exact performance things go terribly wrong because the musical drive is victimised on the bass w***ing shrine. Someone get me a ladder! *) For reference and clarity: I'm a classical composer and organist, and have taught electronic music at music college. While I think this makes for me not having a grudge against able people, it does probably in part disabilitate me as a judge of solo bass versions of old prog songs, since the rock world embraces stuff that the classical world tends to look upon as amateuristic, but I still do love both ELP and the Sex Pistols.

Welcome, Rodma, end enjoy being an ex-lurker! bert

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1381309935' post='2237202'] 2) Musicman Stingray 5. Too light, IMO shoddily put together, blemishes in the finish, weak output and generally felt a bit toy-like. I really don't know why I didn't get on with it but it just felt alien to play; it was a single H version and was impossible to play comfortably. The body was too big and I couldn't get set on it no matter the strap height and sitting with it caused my right wrist to cramp after 5 minutes of playing. Dreadful thing. Vastly overrated in my opinion. I sold it making a profit of £200 so it wasn't all bad I suppose. [/quote] Bloody nonsense! Do you even know anything about basses? I made a profit of £600 on mine!!! Seriously though, I didn't expect too much from the StingRay 5 when ordering it unseen, but was totally blown away by it. It's easily my best or second best bass, and I think I got some good ones. I don't know whether this shows I'm a noob (which I am), or the production quality is unstable (which seems weird, seeing most comments on them) or people are just soo very different.

I don't mind the sound. It may not be the best ever, but I don't mind. I do know the stuff he plays - intimately - and do love it in its original form. I do like the bass as a solo instrument. However, this was simply terribly poorly executed. Any musical sense that this guy may have did not come across. The best case scenario is that he simply can't play what he wants to play, but sadly there's a good chance that he actually thinks that a poor attempt is just as good as succeeding. Well, I've got news for this guy: it is not. [b]Convey music, not "ability"![/b]

Welcome, Dean! Put up some pics!!! ;-) Enjoy! bert

Welcome, John! From my experience, all of those are safe buys with the exception of the GSR 180, which should be checked before buying. Others may know better. Enjoy! bert

Yeah, ain't it grand what a little money will buy these days? Things surely have developed from the days we couldn't afford a lousy Carlsbro amp. From BC, I think I've learned that chances for a quality bass being cheap are better than those for a quality amp, so as a rule one would do best to save on the bass rather than on the amp, but of course this does depend on price range too. Though: I (soon) have this combination of great Yamaha RBX170 bass (175 quid) and great Harley Benton 110W combo with built in effects (75 quid) and some other bits 'n' pieces, totalling well below 300 quid new from the shop, so everything is possible.

[quote name='bassmachine2112' timestamp='1381229637' post='2235992'] [i]There doesn,t appear to be a lot of love for these cabs[/i] [/quote] I'll repeat what I wrote a few weeks ago: in my two years on here, I can't remember having read that anyone has been negative about their sound. But some have repeated that the "212" part in the name is wrong as these essentially are 112s with "support". Me I have no opinion. Have not heard them, and not carried them.

Welcome, Chris! best, bert

Welcome, Seb! What they say. That, and there's more than one drummers on here. Enjoy!

Worst tried: Two old ultra cheap ones, one of them being an Egmond - a Dutch abomination in a long and proud tradition of Dutch abominations... Worst well-known ones I tried: - a Rick 4001 - the dream bass of my life, but still - a Höfner violin bass. This may just mean I noobly couldn't get along with them at all. It can also mean there really is something wrong with these, as I could get along with other basses quite well. Worst owned: Axl Marquee AP-800. Mine was a dud, but this may not reflect the quality of other Axl basses. Yes, I'm Dutch...

Toneoil! Didn't see that one coming, I must admit. One word of warning: I put rosewood syrup on a maple neck once. Never again. The opposite however works very well.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1381215835' post='2235768'] Everyone gets issues and running a business isn't easy. That's not however an excuse for poor communication... [/quote] Now that would depend on the nature of the issues, now wouldn't it? Some issues can be almost totally disabling. Also, one can function fairly adequately in one area whilst not functioning at all in another. I'm not taking sides here, and don't know about Jon's issues. It's just a response to the that's-not-an-excuse bit.

Beautiful knobs. (Never thought I'd say something like that.) Is the reason for choosing two different types of wood a technical one or esthetical or both?

Welcome, Scoobs! Mention a budget, and whether you'll buy used or not, and I'm sure streams of floods of avalanches of answers will start moving in your general direction. Oh, and there's some searchable advice already too. Enjoy! bert