Bloodaxe

[quote name='SaxxyBass' post='1025223' date='Nov 15 2010, 09:23 PM']Hi Pete, thanks that's comforting to know because I don't want to give up! I didn't know there were different lengths - I'm learning fast here! I had a little go on a mate's bass it was a Hohner Headless Jack Pro and it felt so light compared to mine and the neck felt really dainty and may possibly be for sale - do you know what scale they are?[/quote] Pretty sure that the Hohner Jack is 34" scale, so at first glance it wouldn't necessarily work. However... body geometry (both the bass & the player ) plays a huge part in whether we feel comfortable with any given instrument, so it could be that it just fits you. One thing to watch with those though... I believe they use Steinberger-style double ball-end strings, which is likely to restrict your choices & prove more expensiver than regular single-ended strings. Not sure if there's an adapter kit available that allows you to use normal strings. BTW, I only asked about your location to see if you were anywhere near this: [url="http://www.coachandhorsesbluesjam.com/home.shtml"]http://www.coachandhorsesbluesjam.com/home.shtml[/url] Doesn't look like you are particularly, but if by any chance it grabs you , drop me a PM or e-mail & I'll endeavour to fetch up with a medium-scale that might help to give you a better idea as to what might suit. P.

[quote name='SaxxyBass' post='1024811' date='Nov 15 2010, 04:25 PM']Hi all, Get over one problem and find another! I'm getting a bit confused about [i][b]how many frets you should be able to stretch across[/b][/i], I'm lucky if my fingers stretch comfortably across two frets up the widest frets end, and 3 in the thinner frets.[/quote] No such animal. We're all built & wired up slightly differently, so the notion that there's a 'one size fits all' approach is a complete fallacy. There's a sporting chance that things will ease up as you progress, but you may find that you'd be better off with a medium-scale (32"), or even a short-scale (30.5") instrument. I experienced some (minor) discomfort when I switched from a 32" to a 34" - it passed within a week or two, but there's still things I can't play on a long-scale bass that are a breeze on the medium. So it goes. See how it goes for a bit, & if there's no sign of things easing up start casting around for something better suited to you. Where in Essex are you? Pete.

My local Crack Converters (Lewisham) has a fairly tidy-looking bound 'n' blocked Sunburst Columbus Jazz for £65. Some wear to the finish on the neck, but looked quite well set up. Usual black-edged sunburst to hide the plywood. Good deal? Par for the course? Rip Off?

[quote name='Mrs Tinman' post='1022676' date='Nov 13 2010, 05:41 PM']Oh, don't tell me I missed the really good p0rn again? [/quote] 'fraid so Mrs T. The one I saw was advertising [spoiler]shoes[/spoiler]

[quote name='Musky' post='1022174' date='Nov 13 2010, 08:32 AM']For a bright sound you're using the right type of strings (round wounds). Everyone has their own preference for the brand of strings and you can experiment, but essentially the Rotosounds and the Ernie Ball strings will be in the same ball park. Have play about with your amp's EQ and the balance between the pickups on your bass. Personally I wouldn't bother with trying to upgrade your pickups, as it's likely to set you back more than the total cost of your amp and bass. Save the money for your next bass![/quote] +1 to both points here. Rotos can die off very quickly, so it might be worth going down the Meths cleaning route. However it's not unknown for them to be dead on arrival, so it [i]could[/i] be you've got a duff set. Also, that's why I asked what bass you'd got - some are worth tweaking & upgrading, some aren't. From the sounds of it, yours isn't... so you're now better informed as to what you're [i]really[/i] looking for & this will be gold dust when you buy your next one. Start trying anything you can get your hands on - from Squiers upwards, both 4 and 5 strings, with different pickup arrangements, active/passive etc. etc. Let your ears & hands tell you whether it's got what you need, then find out how much it is. It's as much a part of the learning process as theory & technique. Same goes for getting the best out of your amp. As to what the fingering should be for any given song, that depends on the song. It's primarily dictated by where you've just come from & where you need to go next, without making huge leaps up & down the neck. F'rinstance... It's perfectly possible to play a 12-bar Blues line in A like this: But it only works in A or D (& can give a different vibe, especially if you pull off back to the open note after each fretting). If it's in Bb, your fingering will of necessity be different. Pete.

It does seem a bit of a co-incidence. Give it a day or three off & a few long hot Radox baths - that [i]might[/i] be enough to let everything settle down - then try again. Stop at the slightest hint of discomfort though & seek professional advice. Pete.

1: Jack Bruce 2: Neil Murray 3: Tony Levin (sorry Pino!) But. Of those three, I've only [i]consciously[/i] attempted to mimic Jack Bruce on occasion, so I can't say for sure that the others are true influences, despite the fact that I love what they do. F'rinstance, at a local jam a while back, a guitarist commented that my playing reminded me of Leo Lyons from Ten Years After. This would fit, as I was a huge TYA fan in the past... less so now, but I still rate them. [b]Leo isn't in the list[/b], but he's left his mark. So who else is likely to have influenced me, albeit unconsciously, and why should it be limited to other bass players? I'm a huge fan of Ritchie Blackmore - both his tone & use of the Harmonic Minor scale - so it's possible that I've 'soaked up' some of his stuff. The same holds true for Jon Lord. Back in the day, "Bluesbreakers" and "A Hard Road" were on heavy rotation, so that could bring in Clapton, Peter Green and John McVie. My influences? Dunno. You'll have to tell me. I'm too close. Pete.

[quote name='SaxxyBass' post='1020499' date='Nov 11 2010, 06:19 PM']I'm still here battling away with it My playing is getting better and I'm learning my way around the fretboard now with various scales and exercises. I can jam along in simple triads (without looking) to major and minor 12 bar blues in different keys keeping time. I'm working on keeping the note ringing until I hit the next fret - I've been damping it a bit too early and clipping it.[/quote] That's good to hear, told yus it'd come together [quote name='SaxxyBass' post='1020499' date='Nov 11 2010, 06:19 PM']I have on order a 3.75" softie Leathergraft strap which should be here tomorrow - meanwhile I've battled on with the gel pad under the 2" strap - I'm fairly comfortable in my arms hands and fingers and even my shoulder......Now for the problematic part - [b]I've notice for the past 2 days that I have a bit of pain while playing between my left shoulder blade and my spine - could this be lack of strength in my back muscles[/b] because I am a weak old lady? (I manage my tenor sax with no problem for four hour rehearsals!) [u][b]should I keep just playing a little everyday and see if it goes away? [/b][/u] Fed up now as I'm really enjoying playing [/quote] NO! STOP! (seriously). Make an appointment with your quack & get it checked out (take the bass & strap too - it may help). I'm [i][b][u]not[/u][/b][/i] medically qualified, but I've suffered a pinched nerve in my back before & your description is worryingly close. If that is what has happened, continued playing will make it worse. NEVER attempt to "play through the pain" as it can/will compound any complaint. If your GP appears to be vague on the subject, demand to be referred &/or get a second opinion. I had one that was of the opinion that back pain was a complete mystery that came & went as it pleased Thankfully my current doc is brilliant & prescribed a fantastic anti-inflammatory plus gave me a couple of simple, gentle exercises that really helped. I still get the odd twinge, but a shift in posture sorts it out. Pete.

[quote name='funky_numba' post='1017091' date='Nov 9 2010, 12:40 AM']I have a good ear for picking up music lines but the problem is trying to get my fingers to walk the frets and pluck the correct strings.[/quote] You're only a week or two in... don't panic, it'll come. [quote name='funky_numba' post='1017091' date='Nov 9 2010, 12:40 AM']Scales... ooh scary stuff!! I got a book from my local library.. Serious Electric Bass by Joel Di Bartolo. It's FULL of different kind of scales.. Mixolydian, Locrian, Dorian, Ionian... yuk!!! Seems a bit too heavy for a beginner like me. Think I will need to get a tutor to help with the basics first!!![/quote] That'd scare anybody! Seriously, copy out just the Major, Minor & Pentatonic for the moment & get to work with those. Modes are a fair way off (& it's quite possible you'll never need them), so leave them until required. Isn't Mixolydiwotsit that disease rabbits get? [quote name='funky_numba' post='1017091' date='Nov 9 2010, 12:40 AM']The bass I got is a Wesley, don't know the model.[/quote] Provided it's straight, can hold tuning, & can accept a reasonable setup it'll do for now. When you know more (and I mean 'know' - not "read about"), then you can make an informed decision as to the next step. The quality of "starter" basses has never been higher, so I dare say it's absolutely fine. [quote name='funky_numba' post='1017091' date='Nov 9 2010, 12:40 AM']That song, Far From Over.. is very fast on the original cd. Need to find some way to slow the song down while keeping the same pitch so I can try and pick up the notes.[/quote] Have a Google for Audacity, it's a freeware sound recording prog that I believe can do just that. [quote name='funky_numba' post='1017091' date='Nov 9 2010, 12:40 AM']Lots of work to do... Oh I checked out that 911tabs site. Love it!![/quote] The work never ends. As PeteAcademy said, try not to become dependent on tabs, if you can slow it down & have a fair ear you'll learn so much more by writing your own - plus you'll know they're right Tabs are best viewed as a "get out of jail card" for when you're really stuck or in a tearing hurry for a dep gig. You've got the time... take it, it's not a race. Not seen the book Doddy mentioned, but Ed Friedland is very prolific & highly thought of. For some slower/easier (but still good) stuff, get yourself some good compilations that cover Motown, Stax/Atlantic, & Chess records. The bass is often quite prominent & you can't go wrong with James Jamerson, 'Duck' Dunn & Willie Dixon. If Rock is your thing, early AC/DC & Status Quo will get you sorted on 8th-note lockdowns - Cliff Williams & Alan Lancaster are much overlooked IMO. If Jump Blues/R & R is your bag, I've done a few 'transcriptions' that live here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=97180"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=97180[/url] Blisters away Pete.

Greetings, what did you end up with? Yammy or something else? Not all online tabs are dodgy, some of them are just plain wrong. Nevertheless there's more than a few that are pretty close/spot on, it's just a question of trial & error. To decide which is what you need two things... a tab reader & a pair of ears. A couple of good free tab progs are [url="http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/"]Tux Guitar[/url] and [url="http://www.power-tab.net/guitar.php"]Powertab[/url] (of the two I reckon Tux is the better one). If you want to splash out, then [url="http://www.guitar-pro.com/en/index.php"]GuitarPro[/url] isn't bank-breakingly expensive. For downloading tabs, I tend to use [url="http://www.911tabs.com/"]911 Tabs[/url] as that site searches loads of others as well. Generally if it ain't there, it don't exist. So... what do you do if you can't find a tab? Well... you could post up a request in the Theory & Technique part of Basschat. If anyone has it, there's a sporting chance they'll post it up or provide a link for it. Talkbass has a similar forum (called "Tablature" oddly enough) & is another good resource. That's one option. Another one (& in my opinion the better one) is to use your ears & figure it out for yourself. I suspect I'm right in believing that the vast majority of players here started out playing using exactly that method & many (me included) continue to do so. It works. Alright, it doesn't give the 'instant' result that having the tab (or the sheet music) does, but it's better for you in the long run... trust me. Arm yourself with a few scales (Major, Minor & Pentatonic), get used to playing them all over the neck & you'll be astonished at how things will start to click into place. Learn the names of the notes - don't say/think "1st fret on the second-thickest string", say "B-flat". If you have to transpose a tune into a different key, that'll help. Knowing the note names and your basic scales also unlocks a whole shedload of tunes. It's not a 5-minute job though. In fact, learning [i]never[/i] stops. It can become rather addictive tbh. To answer your other question, YES. It's always a good idea to check your tuning before each practice session as it can & will drift - especially with new strings. You'll also find that recorded music isn't always tuned to the standard (A = 440Hz), it can often be a semitone down (Bon Scott era AC/DC, early Black Sabbath, & Thin Lizzy to name a few), or even a quarter-tone off (try The Small Faces for this). Then there's the Death/Grind/Sludge/Math/Nu-core metal lot who'll tune to all sorts of weird & wonderful "standards". Probably best not to go [i]there[/i] just yet. If you can afford it, seek out a decent teacher in your area (preferably one that specialises in Bass) - that 'forced' regime can work wonders. If you can't, or don't have time, have a nose around [url="http://www.studybass.com/"]StudyBass.com[/url], & investigate the stickied posts in the aforementioned Theory & Technique bit of Basschat and also over on TalkBass (two sub-forums there - 'Technique' and 'General Instruction') That Frank Stallone number... '80s or what? Anyway... it seems to be in the key of Cm and the little run is a partial Cm downscale (but starting on the F)*. Over to you, you should be able to get this without resorting to tabs. Seriously, it's not that hard (but it's a good one to kick off with for a number of reasons). Pete. [size=1]*Theory is my weakest suit, so I fully expect to get pulled up on this [/size]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='1014336' date='Nov 6 2010, 03:03 PM']Bass Gallery have "Fret stoning to level frets including crowning" at £75: [url="http://www.thebassgallery.com/workshop.cfm"]http://www.thebassgallery.com/workshop.cfm[/url] Maybe that's what I need?[/quote] That's what I had them do to my trusty old TSB-400 to get shot of the dings/wear on the lower frets - utterly transformed it. As soon as I've got some spare cash, the SB-900 will get the same treatment. Pete.

[quote name='jmstone' post='1013820' date='Nov 5 2010, 10:35 PM']Been listening to a bit of Miaow recently.. Not a band I had come across before, but remind me of the monochrome set amongst others.. Anyone care to suggest what the bass/amp is to get this sound.. It sounds very middy to me, not necessarily something I like, but quite unusual and good because of that. [url="http://www.last.fm/music/Miaow/+tracks"]http://www.last.fm/music/Miaow/+tracks[/url][/quote] Not really my bag, but I van see the appeal. There's a bit on them on [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miaow_%28band%29"]Wikipedia[/url], & some more at [url="http://www.lilypadrecords.com/miaow.htm"]Lilypad Records[/url]. This suggests a Jazz of some description: & there's a clear shot of a Carlsbro amp (prob. guitar). The one other photo on Lilypad's site suggests that they weren't gearheads by a long chalk, so likely to be generic & cheap C.1985-7. That or Junk Shop Specials. Heavy on the chorus though - typical '80s

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1012513' date='Nov 4 2010, 08:12 PM']While I'm quite prepared to accept that getting the crud off your strings is a good thing, I still can't quite see [i]how [/i]it makes a difference to the amplified sound. I mean, the string's metal and it wobbles around over a magnet. Which makes the electrickal sound, like. But one's dead skin and sweat isn't made of metal and therefore doesn't get 'heard' by the - er - pick-up. So how can removing it make a difference to the sound if it wasn't getting 'heard' in the first place? [/quote] By the same logic, strings oughtn't go all dead & flappy until they physically break... yet they do. Rotosounds especially so. 'tis Witchcraft I tells Ye. Unless... (& I'm just making this stuff up) ...the accumulation of Bodily Excretions in the outer windings adversely affects the vibration of the string - damping it I guess, & this degradation is then passed on to the pickup. 50/50 that or Witchery methinks.

Bin him. Guitarists? £1 a bowl mate. Your banjo player is due for a rude wake-up call by the sounds of it. Having a degree in GD is no guarantee of getting anything decent unless he's also a s**t-hot web coder & actionscript developer as far as I can judge at the moment. Some pretty shonky pay rates on offer too.

[quote name='SaxxyBass' post='1011776' date='Nov 4 2010, 10:22 AM']Okay here goes!!! DONT LAUGH! - remember I don't know one bass from another although I am learning fast!! and..... I am, after all, growing old more disgracefully than most Grandmothers!!! it's a Gear4music jobby [url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Electric-G-4-Bass-Guitar-and-Amp-Pack-Black/1E"]http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/...p-Pack-Black/1E[/url] Saxxy [/quote] Looks like a steal for £115. The headstock puts me in mind of the current SX style. If it's from the same factory it could well be very good indeed - SX are quite highly regarded by many players. Considering the rubbish that was aimed at starters when I started (1982), there's so much good stuff today it's staggering. The link says its a basswood body (short "a" - like the fish/beer), so I doubt it'll weigh that much. That leaves either the strap or [i]possibly[/i] your stance. For straps see what your local emporium has to offer. I can thoroughly recommend these: [url="http://www.surreymusic.co.uk/acatalog/Leathergraft_Leather_Straps.html"]http://www.surreymusic.co.uk/acatalog/Leat...her_Straps.html[/url] (I've not dealt with Surrey Music, but Leathergraft's website is horrible). I've a couple of their XL straps, 2.5" wide & very sturdy. Not expensive either. If you're really flush, hunt down a [url="http://www.levysleathers.com/browse;cat,818;Bass-Guitar-Straps"]Levy's Leathers[/url] strap. I've had a Levy's M4 for about 20 years & it's still going strong. BTW that Stax/Volt gig is out on [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stax-Volt-Revue-Live-Norway-Region/dp/B000UB054U"]DVD[/url]. Pete.

Note Mr Dunn's left hand positioning at the low end. Don't recall ever hearing of him having CTS From your post, things seem to be coming together, albeit gently. This is fine & good - it's not a race. Don't be afraid to look at your left hand every so often to "recalibrate" it. It might also be that your bass needs a good setup. If the action is a bit high, this can lead to problems of strength & dexterity as you're fighting the damn thing rather than playing it. As to the shoulder ache, two questions: 1: How wide is your strap? if it's narrow (2" or thereabouts) it could still focus the weight even with a gel pad. A good plain wide (3" or greater) leather strap has always worked for me. 2: How heavy is your bass? Weigh yourself on the bathroom scales with the bass & then without and subtract yourself to get a rough estimate. It might be that you've got something made out of Granitewood & it's time to move to something more lightweight. Without knowing what you've got it's hard to make any suggestions tbh. Don't worry if it's a no-name copy of a copy or even a Woolies special, you won't get howls of derisive laughter coz it ain't a Fodera (FWIW [u][i]the[/i][/u] best bass I've played this year apart from mine was Wayne's Encore Precision fretless at the Lonndon Bash back in the summer - absolutely awesome). Pete.

[b]Amps[/b] Ashdown Superfly Axis Sound NH100 (currently housing four CV1947* bottles, but I've got some EL 34s kicking around somewhere) [i][size=1]*War Department 6L6's[/size][/i] [b]Cabs[/b] Flite 1 x 15 Epifani UL 110 Somewhere in the world is a Marshall 400w MOSFET power amp (that I lent to someone on spec & then lost touch with) that used to be driven by an ADA MP-1 programmable MIDI hybrid pre-amp (which is firmly bolted into a rack case). Pete.

Try this guy, especially the videos: [url="http://adamneely.com/2010/07/17/that-pesky-left-hand/"]http://adamneely.com/2010/07/17/that-pesky-left-hand/[/url] The soreness in your fingertips is just a sign that callouses are forming, keep it at 1/2 hr per day for the moment & gently increase the session length as you go on. If you play too long all that'll happen is you get blisters. The right hand is a tricky one... it sounds like you're doing things "properly", but I'd check that your forearm isn't pivoting on the edge of the bass. I sold one bass (Aria Magna series) because the body had a 'crisp' edge & I found it uncomfortable. IMO you need a decent-sized roundover to be comfortable or even a chamfer. What bass have you got? Keep experimenting with strap length, posture & stance - we're all built differently, so there's no universal "correct" method. Eventually you'll hit on a combination that works for you. One other question... Do you practice standing up, or sitting down? Pete.

Tesco Value mouse mat & a Stanley knife.

If they're carpet covered, just get a couple of bits of 2x1 & a roll of self-adhesive velcro.

[quote name='mybass' post='997727' date='Oct 23 2010, 03:13 AM']I think it was Janis Joplin who sang her heart out with this tune. Just found this clip ....... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7JVxE2SYxo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7JVxE2SYxo[/url][/quote] Erma Franklin's original:

With the P - Roundwounds (probably Roto's), low-ish action, a stiff pick & a lot of welly. On the amp... try "crossing the streams" a little - i.e. more Gain than Master. Boost the upper mids a bit.