Doddy

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='651638' date='Nov 11 2009, 02:22 PM']If Hadrien played Wal basses, it could called Hadrien's Wal. [/quote] Oh God. That's bad

Check this out!!! Janek Gwizdala and Hadrien Feraud killing at Bass Player Live. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwtOibl_eU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwtOibl_eU[/url]

You'd really be better off getting a solid understanding of arpeggios than trying to play modally at this point.

Ok Then- When compared to a Piano,Guitar and Sax, the Bass is not 'a clunker when it comes to solo or lead performance'. Maybe the player is a 'clunker' but not the instrument. The Bass can be played in a way that is just as expressive and melodic as anything else. Unfortunately, too many people don't look beyond root notes and minor pentatonics because that's the 'role' of the bass. Chordally,the bass is as capable as the guitar-especially if we move into the extended range. The only limitations, as far as I see it,comes directly from the player and their view the 'traditional role' of the bass.

I don't think that the Bass does have 'limited value as a chordal and melodic instrument'-Especially as a melodic instrument. The Bass isn't melodic-it's the player. The only limitations are with the player and with pre-conceived notions of the instruments role. There have been Bass solo pieces since the 1700's. I don't see people dismissing players like Dragonetti or Bottesini as 'solo w**nkery',even though they performed pieces written for solo bass. But,players like Wooten and Caron get slated all the time for doing what is essentially the same thing-just 300 years later. Why shouldn't the Bass be used as a lead or solo instrument? Just because people are currently conditioned into believing that the bass just plays riffs and chugs along on the bottom doesn't mean it should stay there. Remember...the guitar wasn't always the predominant lead/solo instrument.

The problem with the Electric Bass is the perception that it is an easy instrument to play-and this is often unfairly backed up by the large number of 'one finger,one string' players that are about. Let's be honest about it, there are no 'Bass Heroes' in modern mainstream music. There are no players who stand out in the way that,for example, Mark King did in the '80's or Flea in the '90's,that show the appeal of the instrument to a wider audience. Even amongst the bass playing community,when a player tries to push the instrument in a direction that is viewed as non-traditional,they are called as a w***er who is not playing 'Bass'. The funny thing is,I've never noticed anyone talk about the Upright bass and it's 'Traditional' role. The stigma seems more attached to the Bass Guitar,which is still a young enough instrument to be pushed into new directions.

That's why I always drink water and on rock gigs I also have a nice large fan in front of me. Not for posing reasons.......honest.

The best bet is to take a few lessons. I do this a couple of times a year just to get a different perspective and some new ideas that I wouldn't think of myself-in fact I did it yesterday. How's your reading? It is a proven way to improve your musicianship and opens up so many new roads it's ridiculous.

I went today and it was pretty weak. Not much stuff I found interesting really. It was cool seeing Janek again-which was really the reason I went down this time. It was a shame that alot of companies didn't bother to show.

In all fairness,Nathan East has been endorsing Yamaha basses since about '81

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='642435' date='Nov 1 2009, 11:55 AM']Is that Zender Warwick a tad overpriced? [/quote] And about 15 years too late?

I picked it up today. I'm always happy to read about someone like Richard Bona,and it's good to see Dominique Di Piazza and New York Bass Works featured. Muse again and another Warwick review...doesn't overly interest me anymore.

Don't let it affect your Bass playing. Either play sitting down like Anthony Jackson or use something like a Gracie Guitar Stand. Or....you could do what Tony Markellis does and do both together.

It'll improve your ear hopefully.

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='638658' date='Oct 28 2009, 12:04 AM']I wonder why he didn't string them through the headstock as well. [/quote] That's what string trees are for.

I do like alot of Bass Player albums. There is some great music in there. Jaco wrote some great pieces,as did Marcus,and Stanley,and Patitucci. You just need to look beyond the pyrotechnics. I've just been listening to 'Joe Frazier'by Jeff Berlin(with Bruford) and it's great. Listen to the solo albums of Tal Wilkenfeld and Janek Gwizdala and they're full of ace music. Hadrien Feraud on the other hand............ If you want a Bass Player album that is full of great music and killer playing,check out 'View' or 'Thanks in Advance' by Bryan Beller... both are awesome. Oh yeah,I'm a massive Alain Caron fan too.

The way I've always looked at this,is that on a 34" scale bass you need a certain tension on the strings to achieve the pitch of the open note. The string will only actually be vibrating in the 34" between the nut and bridge. The tension will not be affected by stringing through the body as this portion of the string is 'inactive'.The same way that the strings are at the headstock. The only thing that Through body stringing does-I think-is give a sharper break angle at the bridge saddle,much like having a string tree at the headstock.

Of course you are going to have gigs that are going to be pretty nasty,but you still need to adopt the right attitude and play your best. On those kinds of gigs I always think that no matter how much you may be disliking it,it's still better than shelf stacking at Tesco's.(No disrespect to those that do). I love to play the bass as much for enjoyment as I do for a living,so being able to do both at the same time is great and I couldn't imagine doing anything else(not that I could).

[quote name='lee650' post='636257' date='Oct 25 2009, 04:40 PM']Cheers lads After a wee chat on saturday with mark at Bass Direct, i have an IGIG G15 in tweed on its way to me, so as im £160 lighter the ritter double bag is going up shortly -lee [/quote] Good choice.

The guy's who are successful in an original band are usually the ones with a short career.What happens when the band eventually ends? I've noticed that the players who sustain a long career are the ones who can and will play everything from original music to pure cheese. When you work as a freelance musician-as I do-'art' is not always the reason for playing. I personally don't have a great deal of interest in doing my own music right now.I have worked with plenty of original projects,but it's not 'my' music.I am happy to be a sideman at the moment,but that may change in a couple of years.

[quote name='fatgoogle' post='637334' date='Oct 26 2009, 08:54 PM']Can i ask for people who have become pro musicians, and those who did study music, did you study performance or theory. Did you come to it later in life or as soon as you left collage. And how did you get out there?[/quote] I had my first lesson the day I picked up a bass and learned to associate the fingerboard with the Stave. I took lessons for about a year,which mostly got my reading together,and I practised all the time. I took Music at A level, but didn't do particularly well.Most of what I know theory wise came when I became more interested in it a few years later. I still take occasional lessons to get some new ideas-most recently from Bryan Beller and Janek Gwizdala. I never studied performance as that can only come from actually doing it.

I'm a Professional player. I got started by initially playing gigs with a bunch of older players straight after I left school.It put me out there and I started to get referals and recommendations for other gigs. 11 years later,and I've never had to take a day job. How are your reading chops? There are a lot of gigs around that are only available to readers. I've found that being versatile makes a huge difference. Going from a high profile gig to a small blues club may not be glamorous but do you bring the same attitude to both gigs? You should. You can try your luck with one band,but what happens when it falls through? Know hundreds of tunes in different styles,that way you can dep easily. Playing Upright helps too-not every gig requires electric. There are also a bunch of non musical requirement like reliability,attitude,image,transport etc.

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='636693' date='Oct 26 2009, 08:47 AM']Most people assume, and I know I did, that buying an EUB will get you an upright sound in an electric package. Simply not true. You can get close, and some really high end models do. But at the end of the day it's nothing more than a fancy fretless bass. Knowing this, you can work better with the instrument to work around an short comings.[/quote] Correct. There are some great Electric Uprights about,but you have to be prepared to spend a lot-e.g. Clifton,Clevinger,Eminence etc. Basses like the NS or the Dean Pace are more like Vertical fretless basses than Uprights. The whole playing experience is different on these instruments.They have no body bouts to allow thumb position playing,the strings are usually alot lighter gauge,and most of all,the sound is just not the same.Most also don't allow arco playing. I use a Clifton Upright for practical reasons when I need Volume with out feedback,and these basses really are very upright-like. An Electric Upright like the NS is no substitute for an Upright. Most of the players would struggle to last a couple of numbers on a 'real' bass.

[quote name='robdeadstereo' post='635454' date='Oct 24 2009, 04:54 PM']if you play funk id say the music man if you want something thats more solid and will play a variety id got for the squier the squiers are good for the money[/quote] It doesn't matter what style you play either bass will do the trick. I'd go for the Squier though. The Vintage Modified and Classis Vibe series are really good.