Doddy

[quote name='kerley' post='1167367' date='Mar 18 2011, 04:31 PM']Oh, you've seen my blues improvisation on guitar then. I'm a bassist now though, don't you know.[/quote]

[quote name='kerley' post='1167334' date='Mar 18 2011, 04:03 PM']Good point and tend to agree, although the beginner guitarist may pick a few songs that have some 'unknown' chords in them whereas the bassist can still find that single note with ease.[/quote] But the difference,then comes down to whether you are looking at shapes or not. If a beginner bass player wants to play more complex songs,in the same way as a guitar player might,they need to be able to play more than a root note. The notes required for the more complex chords are the same as the notes used in the more complex basslines. The only difference is the way you play them,which is often based around muscle memory-especially if you are learning chord shapes. [quote name='kerley' post='1167334' date='Mar 18 2011, 04:03 PM']The bass player who is content to play the root is only really the same as the ryhthym guitarist who sticks to common chords I guess.[/quote] ....or a guitar player who only solos blindly over minor pentatonics.

Learning chords and scales on keys is great because you can't rely on patterns and shapes like you can on guitar and bass. It forces you to focus more on the notes.

[quote name='kerley' post='1167236' date='Mar 18 2011, 02:58 PM']It is more difficult to me, not just the physical aspect but the fact there are many C chords (7 this, add9 that) that may have to be played whereas just the one C root note will cover them all![/quote] Initially the C will cover them all,but it's also unlikely that you will be learning chord extensions at that point. By the time you get to there,things should be more involved on both instruments,unless of course,as a bass player you are happy and content to never venture beyond the root.

[quote name='dbass' post='1167200' date='Mar 18 2011, 02:32 PM']I had this conversation on the way home from Scotland with my guitarist - He is a multi-instrumentalist and not that bad either! I'd say his main forte is guitar and on this he is brilliant but I said to him "you're not a bassist, you're a guitarist who plays bass" to which he replied "I'm grade 8 on bass" - Not sure if he meant it or even what "System" it was but I still said he is not.[/quote] He's only grade 8 if he's passed the exam. When people say something like that or say they are at a grade 8 standard or whatever,they are spouting bullshit. Unless you have passed whatever grade,you have no claim on it.

[quote name='kerley' post='1166804' date='Mar 18 2011, 10:48 AM']Even when starting the guitar chords are an early thing to grasp. So playing a set of chords with good timing could equate to playing root notes. I would suggest playing the chords is more difficult. - learning them to start with rather than just where one note is - becoming proficient as switching between chords rather than just moving the relevant finger[/quote] Partly.... If you have never played an instrument before and are just starting,I don't think there is that much difference between the two. Is playing chords that much more difficult? It depends how you are learning then. If you are following chord shapes,then I would argue that it is simply muscle memory,in the same way as using single notes.

At least you found out the day before. It's not uncommon to turn up at the gig,have a quick chat about what tunes you'll do,then start.

I still really like Bass Player

I still really like Bass Player

The way that I went about getting 'my tone',was initially by trying to copy the tones of my favourite players,mainly Jaco and Marcus. They are the reasons that I went for a Jazz Bass. In trying to copy their tones,and realising that I couldn't,I started to develop my own sound,but they were my references. Try to copy the tones that you like,but don't hold back your own voice. Use your heroes as an inspiration,but do your own thing with it.

[quote name='Roland Rock' post='1166462' date='Mar 17 2011, 11:14 PM']Anyone know what the rewards are for having a signature bass? I assume you get a couple on the house, but do you get paid too?[/quote] Some guys do get payment from their signature models.

[quote name='BottomE' post='1166186' date='Mar 17 2011, 07:52 PM']Doesn't Walter Becker play bass on some of the Steely Dan stuff and Donald Fagen solo stuff?[/quote] Wasn't Becker the original Bass Player for Steely Dan anyway?

[quote name='Thurbs' post='1165945' date='Mar 17 2011, 04:17 PM']I am interested in making a living from being a musician over the next few years so I am interested in the approximate effort it is likely to take![/quote] It depends what areas you are looking at. If you are thinking of going down the band member route,it may not take much effort at all. If you want to be the kind of player who can go from busking standards to reading shows to depping in rock bands etc,then there is a lot more effort involved.

[quote name='Thurbs' post='1165583' date='Mar 17 2011, 11:29 AM']How many hours would the latter take in your opinion?[/quote] I don't think you can put a time limit on it.It's all down to the individual and how much,and what,they choose to study. Someone may spend 8 hours a day learning techniques but neglect things like reading,whereas someone else may practice reading all day long but doesn't have the technique to pull it off easily. Does that make either of them 'a functioning pro quality musician'? It's more about how and what you practice than how purely the length of time. If it was just a case of spending hours with the instrument to become great,it would be a lot easier than it is. There are players out there(some very well known) that spend a lot of time playing,who will never/have never actually become what you would call 'a great player'.

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='1164877' date='Mar 16 2011, 07:54 PM']But what if one finds other people's personalities are a lot more interesting than one's own?[/quote] You start off by trying to sound like your favourite players,but the idea is to move past it. Sure,you will always acknowledge your influences,but your own style and personality should also come through. Otherwise you just become a poor copy of the original,because no matter how much you copy someone, you simply aren't them.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1165191' date='Mar 17 2011, 12:09 AM']Is that the Key that Ginger bird from Florence and the machine sings in? "She's amazing!" no she's not she is way out of tune!!!![/quote] No...she sings in the key of wrong.

Has anyone else noticed the double page Watwick advert in the March issue of Bass Player? It's interesting to see Steve Bailey in there- what with him having the Fender signature model-and surprising to see Larry Graham posing with a chrome Streamer with pink strings.

[quote name='chrismuzz' post='1158905' date='Mar 12 2011, 04:31 AM']For multi effects? I use the Johnny Shred Freak, you can get thatm a mains cable, and a daisy chain for under £30 and i've had no issues with noise yet [/quote] I've just bought a Shredfreak power supply,and so far it seems great. I've got 9 pedals daisy chained off it,and it's quiet and is alot more convenient than the brick I was using. I tried another brick (i cant renember the make)which had 10 outputs,but couldn't handle having a couple of pedals plugged into it.

[quote name='Jobo Pooks' post='1164870' date='Mar 16 2011, 07:44 PM']That would be on the 13 string bass I think...[/quote] Nope,that'd be the enharmonic equivalent of C and F depending on what key you are playing in

I voted 'love it',because it's a legitimate bass technique,therefor I love it in the same respect that I love playing the bass using any other technique,or playing extended range instruments,or reading,or studying,or using effects,or playing upright.......and so on.

[quote name='Spoombung' post='1164362' date='Mar 16 2011, 01:14 PM']Anyway, it seems to be reserved for trade shows and equipment showcases... which is why I never attend them. Thankfully it does not exist in the real world (apart from the odd, naff gig, of course).[/quote] Odd statement-Of course it exists in the real world.It a legitimate electric bass technique.

The thing with slap,which a lot of people seem to forget,is that it is a technique for getting notes to sound,just like playing with your fingers or a pick. The problem comes when people seem to forget how to use their left hand and how to play in different keys.How many slap lines are in E minor and/or octave patterns? The majority. The fast rhythmic stuff has it's place,but it's just a small part of what the technique is. Unfortunately,'slap bass' is often viewed as a style of it's own,and usually synonymous with funk-It is neither though.No technique is a style of it's own.The technique is usable in any style of music,it's more to do with the way you apply it.

[quote name='xgsjx' post='1163845' date='Mar 15 2011, 10:55 PM']DSP = Digital Signal Processor A-D Converter = Analogue to Digital Converter[/quote] Ah right. Cheers

[quote name='Wil' post='1163539' date='Mar 15 2011, 07:18 PM']You ask them to play it for you real quick, then you jump in.[/quote] But that only works some of the time. There are a lot of situations where you won't get the chance to hear it first,even quickly.

[quote name='cytania' post='1163585' date='Mar 15 2011, 07:59 PM']First thing to remember is that there are two missing notes Bsharp and Esharp (or rather they aren't missing they're C and F).[/quote] Unless you are in F# major (which has an E#) or C# major (which has E# and B#)