Doddy

You're not talking nonsense. If you play lighter you can increase both your speed and your stamina as you are using less energy. I play pretty hard with my right hand,but if I have to play fast for long,I have no choice but to lighten up.

[quote name='lowdown' post='1136413' date='Feb 21 2011, 10:21 PM']Is this man a legend? or something else?[/quote] Definitely something else. I've always thought he was a dodgy player.

[quote name='leschirons' post='1136317' date='Feb 21 2011, 09:21 PM']I'd find it quite interesting, maybe as a seperate issue, to hear from any teachers on here about encouraging their students to audition whether it be simply for the experience or believing that they may get the gig.[/quote] The thing is,once someone is outside of the teaching room you don't know how they are going to play. You can have a student who is great and can play along with tracks really well and groove to it,but sucks in a band. Likewise you get guys who play well with their band,but choke when they walk into their lesson. When I was setting up a rock band a few years ago,I listened in on a bunch of drummers while they were having their lessons and asked a couple if they wanted to come over and play a couple of tunes.One guy sounded great when he was in his lesson,but was shocking when we played together. I later heard him with his own metal band,and he was playing really well within his niche. The girl you auditioned may have been like this...maybe she would be better within her own comfort zone. She may be a great student and can play whatever her teacher throws at her,but just choked when put in an unfamiliar situation.

I don't use any reverb when I play upright. I think alot of that sound comes from placing a mic infront of the bass,so you are picking up the projected sound of the bass,and hearing it's narural resonance,rather than plugging in and adding reverb.

There are maybe two or three people that I would do a gig for no money for.These are really good friends,and even then there are some stipulations. If I've got to travel an hour or so,I would hope to get some petrol money,or at the very least a couple of drinks or a bit of food. It's also unlikely that I'll guarantee a weekend gig for nothing,depending on the season.But then again,the guys who I'd do this for feel the same way. I won't pay to play though-ever. I've played original gigs that have involved paying(usually in the form of the ticket scam),but that's up to the bandleader to sort..not me in my usual capacity as a sideman. If regular venues said they wouldn't pay anymore,I'd simply look elsewhere for gigs that will.

[quote name='RhysP' post='1135998' date='Feb 21 2011, 07:10 PM']Bryan Beller is a monster player. My friend Steve (a drummer) has recorded with Bryan Beller & as a result I will never be able to play in any kind of musical situation with Steve ever again as I'd just feel totally inadequate. I have to say I think his tone in those clips is bloody awful - probably works OK in a band context though.[/quote] I had a lesson with Bryan a few years ago and then hung out on the last Vai tour. He really is a monster player-crazy chops,but also really musical.

I'm really digging running through 'Chord Studies for Electric Bass' right now. It's kicking my arse a bit. Great book. I'm a firm believer that the whole idea of practising is to learn new things,and play things that you can't already play. It's cool and important to play your favourite tunes over and over,but it's not going to really progress you as a player-it turns in to rehearsing rather than practising.

Yeah. I've had to keep logging in a bunch of times. I've tried to make a couple of posts and I've had error messages telling me to re-log in.

[quote name='arthurhenry' post='1134731' date='Feb 20 2011, 07:56 PM']In the Followill interview in BP, he just seemed to talk about what a bad player he is. Not sure how this fits in with the mag's remit of helping to make us all better players.[/quote] I get the feeling that they wanted an interview with him because they are popular,and the management insisted on a cover feature.

There is a series of DVD's about called 'Behind the Player',which has players like Paul Gray,Duff McKagan and Robbie Merrill,and all they do is show a couple of their bands songs. Pretty pointless really,other than the enjoyment of seeing a favourite player on video. The better DVD's actually give some good information and the players who generally have the knowledge to pass on are not the players who are in successful bands. For example,the Nathan East DVD 'Business of Bass' is really good and has some interesting information,whereas Flea's DVD is dreadful. I honestly don't think a DVD by Adam Clayton or Jarad Followill would be of any use to anyone,because all they can talk about is life within their respective bands,which is a very narrow field.

Let's be honest... aesthetics are important. My first question is what made you gravitate towards it if you didn't like it's looks? If you love everything else about it,then you may be able to get past it's looks. If not,maybe it's the wrong instrument for you. Which model Warwick is it,by the way?

[quote name='drewm' post='1134593' date='Feb 20 2011, 06:08 PM']The most annoying thing was that they'd refer to all their chords as if they hadn't dropped the tuning. So they'd say "this one's in G" because they were playing a G shape chord, when really it was in F.[/quote] That's a pet hate of mine. Like I've said before,if you play with a keyboard player or horns and you refer to your chords like this there will be some serious train wrecks.

[quote name='robocorpse' post='1134520' date='Feb 20 2011, 05:01 PM']On the other hand, it makes it a lot easier if all the strung instruments are playing in the same tuning and same positions so showing each other stuff is easier, especially if the band aren't all seasoned pros with 20 years of theory behind them, which is most of them. Cast your mind back to the level of someone who has only been playing a year or 2 and is trying to work out songs with a guitarist in drop tuning, and look at it from their point of view.[/quote] On the other hand,you could use your ears and play the same notes rather than just copying fingering patterns. It's way more beneficial to listen and learn than to just copy a pattern. If you play with any instrument that isn't guitar,you won't be able to copy patterns and positions. I've got no problem if people want to use some crazy tunings,but a C will always be a C no matter what the tuning. As long as you know where the notes are on the 'board,in whatever tuning you are in, then there shouldn't be any problems.

[quote name='BassBus' post='1134152' date='Feb 20 2011, 10:53 AM']For me the same applies to swing. First off listen, listen, listen. I don't think you can be taught to feel the swing in music. You have to pick it up by ear. I'm not saying don't learn the theory, far from it. However, I find sometimes that too much theory and technique can make things a bit clinical and encourage the snobs in this world. Develop a feel for the music and just go for it.[/quote] I'm not going to shout you down,but I will say something about this bit. Can you actually know and have "too much theory and technique"? I don't think you can. Knowing a lot about music will never,on it's own,be a hinderance. It will only ever sound clinical if you don't know how to apply it to the music. Likewise,you might have the feel and be able to swing like crazy,but if you're constantly playing wrong notes it will still sound like sh*t. Having a great feel alone won't get you gigs,if you don't know what to play over a G7 chord. Ideally,you should know what you are playing and be able to apply it musically.

[quote name='JTUK' post='1134418' date='Feb 20 2011, 03:48 PM']Dave..don't wish to be pedantic, but I can't see where I said that in this thread. I did indeed use the word 'plod' etc ... back a few pages.[/quote] It was me the said that earlier.

I pretty much never tune down.....barring the occasional drop D if I'm playing a four string (courtesy of a Hipshot extender key). I'm not really into the whole 'play it in E instead' thing either-especially if you've got horns involved. I know that isn't really applicable to Hendrix stuff,but just in general-y'know, stuff like 'Superstition',which just sound so much better in Eb.

[quote name='Michaelg' post='1133168' date='Feb 19 2011, 10:49 AM']it depends whats coming up. we've rehearsed for 2 weeks straight before, other times its only been twice a week. we try to get in around 3 days/nights of practice together a week. the rest of the time we practice on our own (yes we do this full time).[/quote] Seriously???? I've never played with a band that has rehearsed that much. I've always had gigs to do instead.

Love it. That's got to be one of my favourite albums.

Bryan is a monster player and one of the nicest guys ever. On this clip he's hitting the strings pretty hard so that they are kind of hitting the higher frets(similar to what Geddy Lee does).

Maybe once a year...........maybe.

Even though you are in a different tuning,the theory remains the same. Learn the fingerboard in whatever key you are using and you'll be able to apply the theory to it. The notes in a particular scale or chord will still be the same whatever tuning you use. If,however,you are looking for shapes and patterns,then you're on your own.

[quote name='Joe 'Dingo' Wright' post='1132113' date='Feb 18 2011, 12:43 PM']My favorite bassist has to billy sheehan, not so much for his solo career but his career with MR Big, just for the awesome technique, especially when teaming up with paul gilbert, he also does a lot of bass work for steve vai.[/quote] Well,he did an Album and a couple of tours with Vai(not including the Dave Lee Roth stuff)

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='1131721' date='Feb 17 2011, 11:59 PM']According to Wikipedia on 02/01/08 FMIC paid the Kaman Corporation approximately $120 million in cash to buy the Kaman Music Corporation which included: Ovation Takamine Hamer Genz Benz Toca Gretsch Drums Sabian Lee Oscar Hercules and many other brands.[/quote] Although some of the brands,like Sabian and Vic Firth,are purely about distribution and aren't owned by FMIC.Genz Benz isn't one of these.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1131716' date='Feb 17 2011, 11:54 PM']Oh heck. Glad it's not affecting them so far. Let's hope they don't do an SWR.[/quote] Well,they've owned them for about 3 years now and things are going well,it seems. I think the difference is that Jeff Genzler is still there,where as Steve Rabe left SWR after the buy out.

The DI on the Sadowsky is really good,but as I want the Preamp in front if my effects I use another DI box at the end of the pedal chain.