Doddy

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1350769112' post='1843396'] I think the point Bilbo and I were making is that exposure to lots of new material after 'chunking' may be a more natural (and familiar) way to quickly develop reading skills. [/quote] Like I said,I've never practiced 'sight reading'. When I make a mistake,I'll stop and look at it,not plough through then move on to another piece-I'll run the section until it's right. When I then move on to a new piece,I can then recognise if that particular rhythm or note appears again and can play it. I don't make a difference between reading and sight reading-you practice reading and correct mistakes,then the more you practice the fewer mistakes you make and before you know it,you're sight reading.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1350765395' post='1843349'] Yep, pick any band or artist and we could have exactly the same discussion and range of opinions. [/quote] Yet nobody jumped into the recent David Bowie and Chris Squier thread saying anything negative (I don't like either,I just didn't think it was worth commenting on. But I do like most of Steely Dan's stuff.)

I like them-Aja is one of my favourite albums (as is The Nightfly),but I'm not a fan of their last two recent albums. 'Two Against Nature' has a couple of good tunes,but 'Everything Must Go' is really boring.

He's playing with thumb and 2 or 3 fingers there,so first of all you could try that technique. If you take a line that is similar to that groove,you could play the first few four notes as normal and then try playing playing the next notes on muted strings going from thumb,index finger,middle finger in steady quavers before playing the fretted notes again. Just take it steady to begin with. (That tune is in the Wooten transcription book if you're interested).

Basically,he's just plucking muted stings and adding some slaps with the right hand palm in between the actual notes. He's not slapping in that clip (The tune is 'Sex in a Pan',by the way).

I'm guessing that it's all right hand just filling in the gaps on muted notes. Any specific examples?

Les Claypool used to use a 6 string Tune for a bit before he got his Carl Thompson 6's.

[quote name='S9_S12_Bass' timestamp='1350755103' post='1843171'] Thanks! I've got it in the effects loop of my amp, octave first then the Electro harmonix bass big muff. I quickly worked out anything lower than A sounds a bit........poor..... [/quote] Try putting it in the chain between your Bass and amp,rather than in the loop. The OC2 works better with a good signal from the bass-it still has it's glitches (which I like) but it might help a bit

It sounds like you're putting way to much pressure on your thumb. You don't need to do this at all...lighten up on how heavy you are on the pickup. You don't have to use the floating thumb technique,you can rest on the pickup or strings without digging your thumb into it.If you lighten up,you'll probably notice that you can play a little quicker and for longer because you aren't putting any excess strain on your hand.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1350744407' post='1842969'] Stopping to fix every error is learning 'reading' not practicing 'sight reading. [/quote] It is,but I can honestly say that I've never practiced 'sight reading' once. The ability came from reading and fixing mistakes so that next time I see a particular note or rhythm,I can play it. I've never made a difference between 'reading' and 'sight reading'.

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1350730863' post='1842758'] Wonder if Geddy Lee MIM's are next... [/quote] They are.

Let's be honest about this,you could get a Peavey MicroBass for under £100,or an Ashdown Perfect 10 for £150...both would be perfectly fine for home use.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1350610346' post='1841294'] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"Next to the arrow was the word F**K. What they meant of course was "screw"..."[/font][/color] arg! google translate, up to no good again. i accidentally called a person a "car wash" in irish one time because of it [/quote] I didn't think that Google translate was about in the '70's/'80's when that was written?

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1350674059' post='1842258'] I don't know of anyone who said that lessons hurt their creativity. I simply suggested that it was a possibility and you said that my opinion was bullshit, but you also agreed with it, if the learner 'let it happen'. How do you know how much creativity someone might have or not, with or without lessons? There are many great self taught players and there are also many who were taught by people like you. I wouldn't be so arrogant as to suggest that either was more or less creative than the other. Thank God for tabs [/quote] I never said that there weren't many great self taught players. There are many great creative musicians who have had no formal training whatsoever....that's never been an issue. What I'm saying is that the excuse of not learning because it may hurt your creativity/feel/groove whatever is a poor excuse-in itself,studying music will only improve your knowledge.I've heard plenty of players use the excuse a bout their 'creativity' yet play nothing particularly creative and original. However,If someone learns basic diatonic harmony and then won't play something because it is theoretically wrong or whatever,then they are letting it affect their creativity. That says more about the person than it does about the validity of the lessons. The first group are a lot more common than the second.

If you only intend to play at home,you don't need to spend anywhere near that amount of money. Get a good combo from someone like Ashdown or Roland and you'll be absolutely fine. If you want something bigger,in case you do want to gig,again you can get amps by Ashdown or Hartke amongst others for well under your budget,especially if you look at the secondhand market. For home playing only,I wouldn't even consider spending anywhere near a £1000

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1350672752' post='1842230'] I know this is not a universally agreed approach but I recommend you read lots of stuff once, play it and, even if you get it wrong, discard the piece and read another one and another and another. Don't give yourself the chance to 'learn' what you are reading, just read it. [/quote] I think you need to get to a certain point before you should do this. I think it's better to read something,and if you get it wrong, stop and fix it. If there is keep messing up a specific rhythm(for example) that you mess up,if you don't fix it the chances are you will make that mistake again on another piece of music. It doesn't matter how many mistakes you make in the practice room,that's what it's for...the only time you have to get it right first time is on the bandstand.

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1350672932' post='1842234'] So you agree bullshit can happen then [/quote] No,I'm saying that the only people who say that lessons hurt their creativity,had very little,if any, to begin with.

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1350669831' post='1842166'] I agree and I think lessons can stifle creativity and inhibit the players originality. [/quote] I'm sorry,but that's bullshit. Lessons do not stifle anyones creativity or originality-the only way this will happen is if you let it. If anything,lessons will actually give you new ideas and concepts that you may not have thought of before. Sure,you can learn a lot on your own if you choose,but you can learn a lot more,a lot quicker with a few good lessons. I've seen it myself many times,both as a teacher and as a student.

I used to teach at that school (as you know,Pete),and I think that one of the problems is that people, especially bass players don't want to learn (I'm not talking about that school in particular,more in general). There is still a big attitude that bass is a simple instrument where you can just follow guitar players,and let's be honest,it doesn't take much to learn that. I also think that the market for lessons is very over saturated at the moment-there are a lot of people teaching who,quite frankly,shouldn't be,some are bass players,others are guitar players who dabble.I've spoken to people who've had lessons for ages and don't know basic things like the notes on the 'board,major scales or even reading-to me,this is doing the student a major disservice. I don't teach much anymore,but I've been lucky in that most of my students have been willing to study..although I've had a few who have just wanted you to say how amazing they are,which has never happened.

[quote name='joejackson92' timestamp='1350640343' post='1841525'] Any thoughts on what basses work well in the Prog metal genre. Probs 5 or 6 string? [/quote] It doesn't matter.Fender,Spector,Warwick,Mike Lull,anything.....get a bass you like and play it. You play the music,not the bass.

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1350638791' post='1841490'] Does Marcus personal basses really have the battery front loaded? I don't think so, even knowing for sure that his roadies probably use new batterys for each gig it would be a PITA to have to unscrew and screw back the plastic cover every time and the threads on the wood would start to become loose with time! Anybody has any insight on this? Just out of curiosity. [/quote] Yes it does. Check out pictures of Marcus' original '77 Jazz-there is no routing on the back of the bass,and the battery compartment is in the same place as in the Japanese signature model. I'm not sure about his current Custom Shop models (he doesn't tour the '77 much anymore) though.

Just read the guys reply.....interesting. I regularly get £150 for playing with an 8 piece band,so he's talking rubbish there. I also regularly learn full sets,including 'starts and stops' in one rehearsal (sometimes none-a quick talk in the dressing room and keeping my ears open can usually do the trick-not even that if there are charts).So,again,he's talking rubbish.

Pretty much all of my favourite players when I started played either fingerstyle or slap,so naturally that's what I gravitated towards.Even now,I can name maybe a dozen players who I really like who are pick players compared to tons of who predominantly aren't. I can comfortably play with a pick-I did it all the time when I played in a Foo Fighters tribute band a while ago and I've done a couple of shows (specifically The Full Monty) that has a number of tunes that specify pick with palm mute. It's not a problem,but I've literally never practiced using a pick.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1350633344' post='1841388'] True, of course, but even they have to be as loud as the drummer! He is usually the one that determines everyone else's need for volume... Try turning one of them down! [/quote] ...or find a good one who can play without twatting them (and I don't mean by switching to Rods.)Unfortunately,a lot of pub rock type drummers don't seem to understand this concept.

Interesting thing regarding Mustang Sally.....So many bands and musicians find it cliche and think that every band plays it,which in turn means that few bands actually do anymore. I'd never played it at all until about 2 years ago,and still only play it occasionally.