Doddy

[quote name='daz' post='1033048' date='Nov 22 2010, 06:54 PM']studtybass.com is an excellant web site, if you want to learn to play the bass and read notation. Luckily i found it early on im this my first year of bass playing. (now nearing my first anniversary) Its Possibly the best on the net, for what it does. It sets everything out clearly and if you go through the course in the order its laid out in, its extremely well planned to progress in a steady fashion. imho. This book [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simplified-Sight-Reading-Bass-Josquin-Pres/dp/0793565189"]Simplified sight reading for bass[/url], gets good reviews im going to buy it and give it a go.[/quote] Study Bass is a really good site,my only problem(and this goes for any instructional site) is that I would much prefer to have an actual book in front of me. I find if I'm studying something my eyes get more tired staring at a screen than if I was reading a book. Also,if I have a book on a stand,I'm more likely to pick the bass up and do a quick 10 mins or more,as a don't have to fart about turning my computer on and finding the site and stuff. Plus,you can always read the text on the toilet

[quote name='SaxxyBass' post='1032502' date='Nov 22 2010, 12:48 PM']I think I'll go and look up John Patitucci and Janek Gwizdala and try mcgrahams second suggestion - muting with the ring and little finger as that way I can leave my thumb where it is and see how that goes. [/quote] What Patitucci does is mute with both his thumb and ring/little fingers. When he's soloing on the higher strings,his thumb rests on the D string while also touching the A. Meanwhile his ring finger mutes the E and his little finger is muting the B string. Janek does alot of muting by using the thumb as a movable anchor the same way as Patitucci does,only his fingers don't hang back as much. Usually,if his thumb is on the A string,his ring/little fingers will be muting around the D string.

I slightly prefer the Jazz body shape and neck,but it really doesn't make much difference to be honest. The main thing for me is I really like the bridge pickup-usually soloed.

[quote name='Gust0o' post='1032374' date='Nov 22 2010, 11:03 AM']Here's a question for the tone masters - even when you're admitting that you sound like yourself, how much variation do you find within your playing and gear? I had an odd weekend of seeming to play everything I own; and then spending an inordinate amount of time trying to make it all sound the same, instead of simply enjoying the different basses and set-ups for what they are. I'm not sure if I'm on the right or wrong tracks with that one (possibly a bit of both!) but it made for an annoying weekend, given my usual obsessive compulsive tendencies.[/quote] I find that no matter what I'm using there are always similarities in the tone I get,but with different subtleties. There is a track on the SMV album where Stanley and Marcus are playing each others basses,and they still sound the same as they usually do.

[quote name='Earbrass' post='1032736' date='Nov 22 2010, 03:24 PM']Errm, what happened to your "only playing musically satisfying gigs from now on" policy? [/quote] It's very satisfying to nail a show like that.

Initially I tried to sound like Jaco and then Marcus-hence me using a Jazz Bass with mostly the bridge pickup solo'ed. It never happened though,and it never will. No matter what bass I use,I still get a similar kind of tone.

[quote name='Michaelg' post='1031480' date='Nov 21 2010, 03:22 PM']i think a lot of people would recognise the white rabbit bassline, its been used quite a lot (sopranos, alice in wonderland, fear and loathing in las vegas)[/quote] Hmmmmmmmm

[quote name='Johnston' post='1031332' date='Nov 21 2010, 12:49 PM']But I'm mighty disappointed that Phantom is the one song being picked on in the thread [/quote] I'm not picking on 'Phantom.....',it could just as easily have been the Daft Punk tune.

Maybe this thread should be renamed- Basslines that everyone recognises if..... A.... They're a certain age B.... Of a certain genre persuasion C.... Not Doddy or EssentialTension. Seriously though,I know alot of songs,but there are a bunch here that I don't,and I reckon that lots of other people wouldn't either-especially just from the Bassline.

[quote name='Maverick' post='1031240' date='Nov 21 2010, 11:15 AM']Can't believe no one's said Muse yet (I think) - Hysteria & Time Is Running Out Massive Attack - Angel is very well known. At the very least, people will recognise it from some advert or another. A couple, perhaps not for the average man on the street, but your average metal punter at least: Megadeth - Peace Sells Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls (although I always wonder how many think that's a guitar part) Iron Maiden - Wrathchild[/quote] I wouldn't know any of these if you played them in full,let alone just the baselines.

[quote name='Johnston' post='1031247' date='Nov 21 2010, 11:23 AM']It was the lucozade advert tune for ages !!![/quote] Oh

'Phantom.......' by Iron Maiden? Really? I've never heard it. I think the majority of people wouldn't have a clue.

There certainly are a lot being mentioned that the vast majority of people wouldn't have a clue about.

I wouldn't say people would know 'Word Up'. Maybe 'I want you back'? Then again,maybe not.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1030777' date='Nov 20 2010, 07:51 PM']I would say 'Soul Limbo', the cricket theme.[/quote] That's better known for the cowbell though really.

[quote name='jonthebass' post='1030775' date='Nov 20 2010, 07:48 PM']The Clash - London Calling?[/quote] Nah. I wouldn't even know it. Obvious choices- 'Stand by Me' and 'Gimme some Loving'.

[quote name='SaxxyBass' post='1030361' date='Nov 20 2010, 01:01 PM']Is the dot at the side? that dot will take the note to twice its note value and if it's tied to the next note as well then you keep the note going for that value too so ie a crotchet with a dot beside which is tied to another crotchet = a crotchet beat plus a quaver beat + a crotchet beat. hope that makes sense! [/quote] The dot doesn't make it twice it's note value-it's half it's note value again. So a dotted crotchet is a crotchet and a quaver length.

[quote name='silddx' post='1030334' date='Nov 20 2010, 12:34 PM']Christ, that's good! Can someone explain tied notes to me please? The only point I can see for them is to make it possible for a note length with a dot to go down to a further fraction. Is that right?[/quote] Not really. A tied not is when you hold for the duration of the two notes that are tied,which can be anything-even two semibreves. If you were playing a bar of quavers,I think it's easier to read if two of them tied together than sticking a crotchet in the middle,especially if it's off the beat. Also you can tie the notes over the bar line,which you can't do with a dot.

[quote name='risingson' post='1030071' date='Nov 20 2010, 01:44 AM']Really? I understand his contribution to the instrument is substantial and his attitude as a musician is impressive (hugely impressive), despite the fact I do not listen to his work. But the best? It's a thorny issue. I would argue his bass playing has had no direct impact on popular music whatsoever, whereas irrefutably James Jamerson's has.[/quote] True,but having an impact on popular music and being 'the best' aren't necessarily related. I don't think I'm out of line by saying that what someone like Wooten does on the bass is far in advance technically than Jamerson. Does that make Wooten better than Jameson? In some aspects,yes it does,but no one will ever deny the awesome lines that Jamerson laid down,and how they affected future players-including Wooten. Bubinga...I'm glad you mentioned Victors groove playing.Too many people just see the clinic and demo videos and never hear him lay it down. I saw him with the Flecktones the other year,and he was grooving like crazy all night.

[quote name='XylemBassGuitar' post='1029616' date='Nov 19 2010, 05:01 PM']3) If you are trying to improve in the rhythmic arena particularly (and you may have already done this), play in a bunch of weird time signatures like 7/8, or practice fitting three bars of 4/4 into four bars of a tune that's in 3/4. Also, practice knowing where you are in the rhythmic structure. That is, tonally you know "I'm playing an A, now an E, now G, etc." but do you also know "right now I'm playing the third 16th note of the second quarter note (the seventh 16th note of the whole bar), then I'm going to play the first eighth note of the fourth quarter note?" Hope these help![/quote] This is cool and everything,but I think that it's way to heavy for where the OP is right now. When you are improvising are you referring to soloing or coming up with a bassline over the changes? If you are soloing,try to sing phrases and then transfer them onto the bass.As you get comfortable with this you will get to the point where it will happen instantly-l play what you sing. If you are on about grooving,try the same thing. Take a moment to listen to the feel and hear a line in your head,then transfer it to your bass. The important thing to do is listen to examples of what you want to be able to do. Listen to people like Miles Davis to hear what a good solo should sound like. I'm assuming you have a decent idea of scales and arpeggios-if you don't,understanding them will make a big difference.

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='1029701' date='Nov 19 2010, 05:55 PM']Its cool, i get what you're saying +1 there, i think Hadriens bass day '08 slot (the one on youtube) is an excellent case in point[/quote] I was there......bored.

I think that there is a difference between closing your eyes and playing in the dark. A lot of people close their eyes if they are thinking about something or concentrating hard.That's fine...I do it all the time. If your eyes are closed you can still open them to give yourself a reference point. I just think that there are far more productive ways of learning and practising both ear training and positional playing, than playing in the dark.

[quote name='cheddatom' post='1029496' date='Nov 19 2010, 03:45 PM']What if there's a deep and mystical bond you can develop with your bass that only happens if you play in the dark? It's not about being able to play without looking at the fret-board.[/quote] If it's not about playing without looking,then what's the use? Ear training? If so,I think time would be better spent transcribing. I think there are alot more useful and beneficial things to do than practice in the dark.

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='1028726' date='Nov 19 2010, 12:10 AM']I agree with you on the Hadrien Feraud subject but i would say Tony Grey's compositions and sense of melody are both better than Janeks (IMHO ) Chasing shadows is one of my favourite albums by any musician, bassist or otherwise. as has already been said, i feel that alot of Janeks tunes are vehicles for soloing rather than tunes in their own right...having said that i do have a soft spot for circles[/quote] I think 'Chasing Shadows' is a really good album,and I'm not knocking Tony Gray,he's a great player. I can just sing more of Janeks tunes. Hadrien however,is a frighteningly good player,but I find his album so hard to listen to. It's just a flurry of chops,with no real melodic content.

[quote name='Stewart' post='1028636' date='Nov 18 2010, 10:51 PM']STAMP OUT CASEISM NOW![/quote] Shouldn't it be CAPITALism?