Davemarks

I generally didn't review sh*t stuff. It takes a lot of time and consideration to write a good review, so if the mag said 'oh we have a budget rig made by Argos - do you want to do a review?', I would just say 'no.' The bass playing public is the same as every other consumer group - pay more, get better stuff. Pay peanuts... get monkeys. My reviews were aimed at explaning why the rig was good or bad in certain situations and for certain types of player. A casual hobbyist who never gigs doesn't care if the amp can project over a drum kit. It just needs to make a slightly bassy noise in his bedroom. I think some people just want to see a good old sh*t slinging fest.... I've never had a handout for a good review. Hell, I wish - I was lied to with glamourous tales in days gone by of companies saying they 'didn't need it back' etc... They ALWAYS wanted it back - like double quick.

Hi - I write for the mag also. Hey Mike... How's tricks?

Perhaps I should post a comment under the video - I have mentioned this in the pdf download... On the original recording you can hear Adam Clayton sliding around from one note to the other - particularly from G back up to D. I believe he played the line on the low E string because the notes sound larger and rounder and have a more uniform tone if you play them all on the low E string. If you compare your open D string to D on the 5th fret of the A string and then to D on the 10 th fret of the E string, you should hear the note sounds progressively larger and more bass heavy. It's a nice coincidence that it makes it less complicated for beginners to play and makes it an ideal tune for students. You are right - we are often encouraged to play in position and I agree it is a much more economic way to play. Sometimes you have to stray from conventional wisdom to get a particular sound....

Can't believe I forgot to mention this - the term 'one drop' actually refers to the fact that there is one kick drum played in each bar. That would be the kick which falls each time on beat 3.

Hey guys - I have taught reggae as a style at TVU/ drumtech / The ICMP and I've played for a few bands doing reggae stuff - the standard is to count it in 4/4. Skank on 2 and 4. Kick and cross stick on beat 3. That way, if the drums move to 4 on the floor, they are on all 4 beats, as opposed to on 8th notes. It feels like quite a fast way to count, but it is the standard. I'll post a little video clip on youtube at some point soon to accompany my Bass Guitar Magazine Reggae Style File. It'll have some detail on the drum parts...

Hey all, I've started posting a new series of video lessons which goes through basslines from well known songs that are simple but musical and very effective. The first one is 'With Or Without You', by U2. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOz4rXrARGc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOz4rXrARGc[/url] It's ideal for anyone who's just picked up the bass and is also a great exercise for anyone starting to develop their technique with a plectrum. Students - feel free to work from it and teachers, feel free to use it to help your students. More comng soon include Smells like teen spirit (Nirvana), Walking On The Moon (The Police) and Peaches (The Stranglers). Feel free to post more suggestions, Dave

Hey y'all - for those of you with a thumb wot likes to go a thumpin, I've posted a full transcription of Marcus Miller's version of Frankenstein from the Silver Rain album. It's all there - the solo and all, in score or in TAB. Enjoy... [url="http://www.davemarks.com/lessons.html"]http://www.davemarks.com/lessons.html[/url] (it's at the bottom of he page...)

Thank you. Glad they are a help.

Lesson number five is up! It's pretty full on - the pdf for this lesson will be up on Monday of next week.... Enjoy... Dave [url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Chft-DHxuA"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Chft-DHxuA[/url]

The issue at stake here is men commenting about women as if there were no women present. I'm an admirer of beautiful women as much as the next guy, but I used to live with a guy who talked in very frank terms about what he though of a particular woman etc.. in male company or female. needless to say, he didn't get laid much and couldn't understand that context dictates what is considered good and bad manners. One thing to be aware of, is that when a person can play an instrument well, it makes them far more attractive. I've been on both sides of this coin - I know there are women who give me some time and attention because I do what I do well, and when I see a great performer, it can make them seem attractive, even if they aren't particularly beautiful. Commenting about how a girls boobs sit when she plays bass is just going to make you seem a little neanderthal. You'd be surprised how many women musicians shy away from joining bands etc. because they have to fend off leery pissed blokes either in the band or audience. I deal with a lot of female music students who get patronised / perved on / offered things they aren't qualified for cause they are pretty. It's a strange situation and as a man I have to be sensitive to it. Ladies of the forum please come and deliver us your horror stories, to provide us with a little more perspective...

Chaps - any of you who wanna get a fill of awesome ladies playing awesome bass, check out: Rhonda Smith (prince) Gail ann dorsey (David Bowie) Me'shell Ndegeocello All AWESOME players -some of my favourites and not too harsh on the eyes either...

Oops...thanks for that. Dunno how I managed to forget about that....

Lesson 4 is up and to add to that, I've put pdfs up on my site on the lessons page, to help make things a little clearer. I've also reshot the first 3 videos and have reposted them. They have some new content in each and are linked up to pdf's which you can print off and work from. Feedback is always appreciated... Enjoy! Dave

Pants... Thin Lizzy have extended their tour so the clinic has been postponed... i'll be back when he reschedules...

Hey ladies and gents, Rock bass leg-end Marco Mendoza is coming to do a clinic at the Institute. I'm just checking with the boss but I think I'm allowed to give away free tickets to 2 lucky bassists. A question shall soon follow... here's the bumph: On Thursday 24th May the Institute will welcome Marco mendoza to its premises to show off the amazing bass skills which have made him so in demand! Marco was born in san Diego. He comes from a very musical family and started playing the guitar at an early age. The reason he started playing bass was really that he was asked to join a local band who needed a bass player. He had to borrow a bass and learn how to play it in a hurry - and he sure did learn how to play it!!!! Marco is perhaps mostly known for his work with a number of rock bands, such as Thin Lizzy, Blue Murder, Whitesnake and with artists such as Ted Nugent, Ozzy Osbourne, David Coverdale and John Sykes. Less known is the fact that he has worked with a lot of other types of musicians such as Al Jarreau, Michael Ruff, Edgar Winters, Scott Hendersson, Tower of Power and the Cranberries