bass_dinger

And Post Modern Juke Box have made a living from retro-covering songs. Modern song, covered as if it was originally done in the 50s or the 30s. It can be fun to do - and as Nigel Kennedy once said at a performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, if you want to hear the original, buy the record.

I was in a ukulele band that spent more time discussing a song, than we spent playing it. People would suggest obscure album tracks that not even the band's mum would know, or stuff that doesn't work well for musicians that only know one strumming pattern and three chords. Looking back, I realise that I was part of the problem - I did not have the talent to learn songs quickly (ironic, given that my other (church) band could prepare a 35 minute set in 25 minutes). I have learnt to be more "wasteful" of material, in an event band. Learn a song, perform it live once, and throw it away, never to be used again. I enjoyed learning a new song, and gained the confidence that I can improvise. Most recently, Dance Monkey, as a swing tune - the singer suggested it as a joke, but we went with it, primarily because it was quicker to do it than to think of other options.

Won't the bridge also have to be moved?

I see that I was not clear. When I say "move on", I mean move on from the church band, but remain in the church. That gives the leaders the problem of explaining why I am not playing - or me the problem of keeping my mouth shut!

You don't know how close you are to being right! Actually, the fact that I laughed means that I am probably going in the right direction. On an attitude scale of Sid Vicious to Guy Pratt, I am definitely a Pratt. At least, that's what people shout out when I arrive at the rehearsal....

I like that the line "the whole earth shakes" has the B chord falling on the word "shakes". Time for that low B!

And not in a way that would persuade other bands that he would be an easy-going guy to have around...

The time seems to have come to leave the church band. I am not feeling it any more. There were various issues, but I am not here to publish the problems of others. However, I walked out mid rehearsal, while the band continued playing. Two WhatsApp messages said that I should not turn up for the Christmas service. I will be charitable, and say that was out of concern for the stress that I was suffering. After three weeks, I realise that I am not missing the music or the stress. Time to take a break, or move on, perhaps. Last night and today, I was playing some new basslines - You Should Be Dancing, Killing Me Softly, for example- and very much enjoyed it. So, I want to play, but right now, not at church. So long, and thanks for all the fish (and loaves).

And that is why I asked the question.... Surely if he can do it, why do others of us need to practice, learn music, study chord charts, and nurture a good attitude? I guess that Sid V had a short career in a single band that was more about attitude, and less about the technical aspects of the music. I would say that he was primarily a professional entertainer, and not so much a bass musician.

Weird Al Jankovich. The name put me off. Having listened to what he has released, I see that he has a huge amount of talent as a lyricist, and is a vocal chameleon who is able to adapt to just about any style.

So, before I posted my question, I thought that musicians in bands were technically skillful players. I now see that the musicians in demand are those with the chops - but also with a good attitude. For myself, even if I can't play so well, I can learn to have a better attitude, for sure!

So, to explain, I don't have much. I can play quarter and eighth notes, and can sometimes syncopate, so long as the pattern is not too complicated. I can improvise a bassline over a chord sequence, in any key. I can read sight read slow music in simple keys. I can sight read tab. I can play simple stuff by ear. However, 16th note syncopation, Bernard Edwards, slapping, popping, thumping, Joe Dart - it all defeats me. So, what skills does a professional bassist (touring band, session musician, covers band player) have that I can aspire to. I think that I am wondering what the difference is, between a band hobbyist, and a professional musician.

Shouldn't that be in a baby seat, or have a seat belt at the very least! Nice.

But how did it happen so quickly!? Shops are shut, and you only had an hour between committing to abstaining, and announcing that you were out... That must have been some special bass - or a saved eBay search that came good.

This one feels, and sounds, and looks, right. And it seems to match what @lozkerr said. https://youtu.be/6OmEmT9_fwE

Count me in. I am confident that poverty and lack of space will assist me to meet my target of no new bass kit (but making good use of the kit that I already have).

Yes, that is what I thought. Very elastic, a bit sloppy. Sometimes late, often rushed, with the band on the track keeping time so that the bassist does not have to. I think that I was confused by the YouTube comments, that seemed to agree that it was good. I like her left hand technique for the root-3rd-5th over the A and B chords - so, I shall take that from the video.

Blondies "Dreaming " played by a ukulele group. It lost all of the snap, bite, and fury of the original and sounded like the Swing Your Pants version of the song. It was rather refreshing and cute, in a postmodern jukebox way.

This bass cover of Red light spells danger feels rushed to me - as if the bassist is playing ahead of the beat, and faster than the underlying song. However, each bar seems to start in the right place (which implies that the timing is in fact right). So, why does it sound rushed, but count correctly?

Bands are not permanent. Be polite to the people who remain in the band that you have left - one day, one of them will remember your ability and your manners, and ask you to join another band. You will learn something from every playing situation. You won't learn everything from one single playing situation. Get a setup on your new guitar or bass Don't get a second a setup on your guitar or bass - learn to do it yourself. Change your guitar strings before they break. Play gently and let the amp do the work when it comes to volume. Get a case. Get the best cables that you can afford. Put all your kit in an equipment case. stickers on a case (or instrument) may make it look as if one is a widely travelled and broadly experienced musician- but playing well is what actually demonstrates one's experience. Learn to read the dots. It's a lot quicker to play something from reading it. Learn to read chord charts- it's a lot quicker that reading the dots, if the dots are not available. Learn to play by ear - it's a lot quicker etc... Learn to play by watching the guitarists hand position. Understand that there is more than one way to learn and play music. Learn from more experienced musicians. Once one becomes a more experienced musician, be polite and approachable to those musicians who are less experienced. One does not have to join a band to help them out - some bands are beyond help. Unless your dad is Paul Reed Smith, George Lowden, or Paul McCartney, your first instrument has more sentimental value than musical value. Take a photo of it, pop it in a scrapbook, and get rid of the instrument, to make space for something better.

My hands are occupied with the bass that I bought in May to temporarily replace my other bass, while it was in for repair... I had a successful 2021, and will try again in 2023.

I am very curious to learn about this! I am thinking Stag Beetle larvae - am I right? And to stay on topic, I once watched two identical lego kits, from the same seller. One started at £45 and attracted one bid of £45. The other started at a penny, and the by the time it reached 10p, already had three bidders hungry for that bargain. It reached about £47. Auction frenzy trumped common sense. Let's not forget that many bass chatters are expert consumers - we know what a set of Rotosound Swing 66 strings cost, and whether they are preferable to a set of Warwick Red Labels. We know that a MiJ P bass is preferable to a MiM. We even know what the acronyms mean! We know that a Harley Benton guitar is cheaper from Thomann than ebay. Years of research (and reading basschat.co.uk) has got us to that point. However, many ebay customers are not willing to spend time researching - instead, they spend money getting the item quickly.

We each choose our own best way. But one might find it very helpful to ask advice from the experts on this forum. With that advice and experience, one can more quickly identify what works best for the person

After 20 years of playing only a 5 string, I am only in the past year starting to do that. I think that was because the sound of the B string on my acoustic bass was dull and thuddy, and not in keeping with the other strings. So, I tended to avoid it, and so did not develop your good habits. Well done for working out the benefits so quickly.

All songs require notes. Those notes can be found on the B string, above the 5th fret, just as much as on the other four strings. Frets 1 to 4 on the B string give new notes, but the rest of the frets on the B string give a different tone, and new ways of reaching the 5th below the root note. https://youtu.be/ZMF3nYfNo2w - here, the bassist in the Maytals using a 34" scale 5 string bass at the 5th fret, to give a short-scale sound.