Doddy

[quote name='alstocko' timestamp='1347840327' post='1805743'] What should I put on my new PJ project then? :/ [/quote] Half Rounds.

It's not going to hurt if you mix the cabs up. If you can,try them both out and get the one you like most. If you can try them with your rig,even better. Either cab will be fine.

I used to use a Samson wireless for while. I was happy with the sound,but when I switched back to cables I did actually notice an improvement in my tone. It was cool to be able to wander into the crowd sometimes,for a laugh, and to not worry about tripping or anything,but I'd much rather use decent cables now.

[quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1347787814' post='1804849'] Think it's 'if destroyed, still true'. [/quote] Ok... As in "I Love Squire! Even if it was broken,I still would?" Wow...I really don't get some of these internet acronyms

I think the first question to ask is where are you in your playing right now? You say that you can play scales all day,but can't apply them? To me this indicates that you don't fully understand how they work and how the notes relate to each other. That is something to practice right there. Then you are only a step away from chord tones,which gives you a whole new set of material to practice. Modes come straight out of scales too,but I recommend approaching those later on. You mention different scale positions-I'd say you should be doing this as a matter of course.Play them all over the bass on 1,2,3 and 4 strings and over 2 or 3 octaves,not just one fingering shape. If you break this up by learning songs that you like you will begin to see how scales and arpeggios are used all the time. Can you read? It's not that hard,and even practicing it for 15 mins a day will see marked improvements in a short period of time.Learning even basic theory won't hurt either-there are many benefits to doing both. I wouldn't worry about speed exercises too much-the more you play the quicker you will naturally become.I think it's more important to know what you are doing and to play things accurately.There's no point being able to play fast if you are making mistakes. Practice what you can't play and learn what you don't know and you will improve every time you pick up the instrument. Keep in mind that I'm assuming that you are serious about wanting to learn,and not just play your favourite songs over and over (although you should still do this). Otherwise feel free to ignore everything....but with just what I mentioned above,you can have material to study for years.

Will we finally find out what is the best guitar for metal?

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1347790523' post='1804903'] There's a tab on Ultimate Guitar but it doesn't make sense. [/quote] That's what I think too.(in general)

[quote name='BarnacleBob' timestamp='1347799627' post='1805079'] From the original MI tune to Seinfeld ( ok that might have been sampled) via the ubiquitous Barney Miller I love trying to pick out the basslines. Personal faves are the Piggy Malone theme from the Two Ronnies and The persuaders [/quote] Just out of interest, MI was Carol Kaye,Seinfeld was Jonathan Wolf on Keyboard bass and Barney Miller was (I believe) Chuck Rainey. I'm not sure about the Two Ronnies,but it was Ronnie Hazelhurst so it could possibly be Dave Richmond who did other work for Hazelhurst including'Only Fools...'.

[quote name='Hotel352nd' timestamp='1347668484' post='1803956'] What im looking at more specifically is how two particular bassists get the distinctive sound they do. [/quote] The simple answer is they sound like they do because of who they are and how they play. Ultimately,the tone comes from their hands. Dave.C mentions that he played Harris' bass and sounded nothing like him-that's how it works.It's all down to the individual player. You can go and get the same gear as your favourite players and you won't sound like them. You know,I play Jazz Basses initially because of Jaco and Marcus and I tried to sound like them (especially Marcus) but it never happened and i never will because I'm not them.Now,the influence is clearly there but without being a copy. Listen to your favourite players and learn their music,but don't get so hung up on them that you just end up being, ultimately,a poor copy of them.

I used a Fender Rumble 350 on a couple of gigs recently,and it was a nice amp. I didn't play with the EQ much,just left it pretty flat,but it didn't sound bad at all.I'd have no problem gigging one if I had too. I think you've made a decent choice with regards to buying an amp that will handle gigs for a while.The only thing is you may eventually need more power if you play in loud bands without any PA support,otherwise you're fine. You certainly haven't stabbed yourself in the foot...especially at that price.

I don't use the Sansamp,but I do use a Sadowsky Preamp/DI. Live,I only use it with passive basses because I find it overkill,and a little pointless,to run an active onboard preamp,into a preamp pedal and then into the preamp in the amp. It's great to have some control over the signal being sent to the desk,but I mostly use either the amp's DI or a passive box and control it mostly from the bass(again,because I use active basses most of the time.With a passive bass I'll use the Sadowsky pre.)

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1347732886' post='1804476'] Sounds like I need an active DI box that's small and light. I don't need any tone-shaping, effects or EQ of any kind. I just use the tone knob on the bass (and even then, only occassionally - I like to keep things really simple) Just need 1/4" jack in and XLR out, I think. Any recommendations, please? [/quote] If you just want a DI with no EQ to go to the desk you don't need an active DI. A simple passive one will be fine. The Behringer is cool because you have the EQ to give you a bit more control before your signal hits the desk,and it's cheap as chips. Personally,I carry around a passive EMO Systems DI and an active Sadowsky Preamp/DI if I want a bit more tone shaping. I've done a bunch of gigs with just a DI (or POD) into the desk and monitors (I use in-ears,but normal wedges work too).

What does IDST mean? I've got a Squier Classic Vibe '50's Precision and it's a really nice bass.I've gigged it a few times.(I've also got an '83 Japanese Squier P-bass,but they are a bit different)

[quote name='Westie9' timestamp='1347731944' post='1804458'] For scales and arpeggios I tend to use the metronome set at about 80bpm. First time through playing as crotchets (note per beat), and then as quavers, both ascending and descending, raising it a semitone each time. If I cock-up whether a note or timing, back to the very start again!!! You'll be surprised how quickly you develop, if just to be able to stop!!! [/quote] That's ok if you are playing scales and arpeggios as technical exercises. If you are going to do this,do it later on in your development. It's more important to understand how they work and play them in different position and different strings and so on.Do this without a metronome so that you are concentrating on the notes and their relationships. Later on,you can use them as technical exercises with a metronome if you want,but it's less important. Speed will naturally develop over time the more you play-It's more beneficial to understand what you are doing and play them correctly and accurately.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1347550444' post='1802347'] And I realise that lessons have their place, but thus far in my life I've taught myself guitar, piano, banjo, mandolin and a bunch of other instruments using little more than a headful of theory, and the "if it hurts I am probably doing it wrong" school of thought, and largely it has worked. [/quote] Fine,but I still believe that you will benefit from lessons. [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1347550444' post='1802347'] Can't see why this instrument is anymore special than those, [/quote] One word...... Arco.

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1347633045' post='1803362'] Jeans and t shirt. What I'd wear if I were watching a band. I dont like the idea of dressing up to perform, I think it's a bit pretentious personally. [/quote] Why's it pretentious? I've never seen a successful band that hasn't done some form of dressing up on stage..even if it's in the form of dressing down/don't care. It's all part of the image that they portray.

I wear whatever I'm asked to wear,so it can be anything from daft themed costumes to full on dinner suit. Usually it's either all black (shirt/trousers) or black trousers,a shirt and shoes(not trainers),sometimes a jacket too.I've also got a good selection of hats that I like to wear sometimes(baseball caps,caps,trilby,pork pie etc) I pretty much never wear jeans or T-shirt on a gig(unless specified)...maybe on half a dozen gigs in the last 5 or 6 years.I think that you need to make an effort and at least cultivate an image.The audience should know who the band is even when they are not on stage.I don't like the attitude of wearing the same clothes on stage as you've worn all day for dossing about. I always change at least my top between setting up and playing.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1347629411' post='1803287'] I never speak to any other bass players about gear so never feel any pressure to 'conform' to any stereotypes. Jazz musicians are also completely unaffected by gear-anoraks; its a known fact that the best players make bad gear sound better than great gear owned by the worst players. It is rarely discussed. I have heard Yamaha drums kits sounding awful and kits stuck together with sellotape sound marvellous. The best/most expensive guitars I have ever seen have been owned by amateurs not professionals. We all talk about the music rather than the gear so the gear becomes a peripheral issue. [/quote] Very true. As I've said before,I once split a gig with Paul Westwood-who is without a doubt one of the busiest players in the country,with a list of credits as long as your arm-and his main gigging bass is a Hohner Steinberger copy 5 string.Not an expensive bass at all but he sounded great(his amp was a beat up old Ampeg). He was also very complimentary about my sound and all I was using was my Fender Jazz (Japanese) through a Roland Cube 100. Neither of us were using fancy/expensive gear,but it didn't matter,and nobody cared because it all sounded good.

[quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1347587385' post='1802857'] Although the main aim of that question was to ask opinions on the pressure that many players may feel about what basses and how many strings they should be playin. Whether from a snooty jazz player or old rocker they look up to, the latest teen 'bands' who are all seen with Vintage Fender Jazzes or a popular player who is always seen slappin the life out of an active 6'r... whatever... - how much do we make our instrument decisions based on what is good in our hands and our ears and how much because we've been told its fantastic? [/quote] I don't feel any pressure to play particular instruments,but of course the image is important. I've been using mostly my Warwick 5 string lately,but I did a recording and filming a couple of weeks ago on a Precision because it both sounded and looked right. I once used a horrible borrowed Rickenbacker because the band leader wanted it for the band image. The reason I got my first Jazz was because of Jaco and Marcus. You know,I could use my Shuker Singlecut 5 for everything but sometimes it doesn't work because of both it's looks and it's hi fi sound. Sometimes only a Fender will do.

[quote name='BarnacleBob' timestamp='1347612196' post='1802967'] Well the clue is in the name, I suppose. Many many moons ago the band I was in in was offered the support slot for Martha and the Muffins, a sprightly young pop combo of some note in that era, top ten in the hit parade and all that. Great, we thought! A fee of £400 is mentioned. Even better, we thought! "Ah, you misunderstand, my dears" says the promoter, adjusting his top hat and twirling one end of his moustache "YOU pay US the 400 clams or you aren't getting within 10 feet of that stage! And no, you can't use their drumkit!" We didn't do the gig :-( although we would have done it for nothing. BB [/quote] That happens often with support slots and festivals. The band or their management pay a nice some of money and it gets them on the bill. With regards to Amanda Palmer,I think the problem is that she's asking for 'professional-ish' musicians to play for 'hugs/high fives and merch'. If she wants professionals then she should either carry them with her (in which case,she'd have to pay them) or hire them town by town (in which case she'd have to pay them). Surely if you are organising a tour,this is an important part of your budget? As it is she's hoping that people will play for the kudos,and I'm assuming that she doesn't overly care about the quality of the players (if she did,then she would hire the players,not beg for freebies). I'd never heard of her until I read about this a couple of days ago,although I'd heard of The Dresden Dolls,so it could all be just another well thought out publicity stunt (like the kickstarter thing),because a lot of people are talking about her now.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1347480148' post='1801503'] I know you'll all say get lessons, but I am reluctant, and cocky enough to thing I can do this on my own. The only pain i have from spending the las hour messing about with it is a blister on my right hand index finger, which I count as a win. But probably means i'm not doing it right. [/quote] Get over your reluctance and cockyness and go get lessons. Seriously..it will do you so much more good to be shown even 'simple' things like basic technique and posture than going it alone. The only time I've ever had blisters from playing upright is when I struggle to hear myself and I end up plucking too hard-it's definitely not a win.

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1347471500' post='1801353'] When Pino played fretless through an Octaver, you could tell a mile off with HIS inventive melodies, and sliding double stops and sliding double-stopped harmonics, that it was HIM playing on some new album when you heard it for the first time. You looked up the credits and hey presto, there HE was. [/quote] Interestingly,I prefer his more recent work on a Precision with guys like D'angelo and John Mayer than I do his fretless playing.

I've just bought the box set of Weather Report's first 6 albums.There is some great music on there-especially on Sweetnighter and Mysterious Traveller. Good call on Gary Willis' 'No Sweat'....one of the best 'bass player' albums around.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1347384426' post='1800084'] A mid-tempo 12 bar in 6/8 where the distinguishing feature is a semi-tone slide down to the 5 at the end of the turnaround. See. you could play that right now if you wanted to. No need to thank me. [/quote] Nearly...it's just a 12 bar shuffle in 4/4 in G. I've never heard a semitone slide down to the V chord in the turnaround....generally on the track it's a standard chromatic walk to the chord-C,C#,D

[quote name='Grant' timestamp='1347392286' post='1800253'] but the [i]true[/i] classics were played on Precisions. We all know that don't we...? [/quote] Except the one's that were played on a Jazz