Doddy

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1347391686' post='1800241'] Ah, thanks for that. I guess the strings on mine would hang loose, let alone be able to produce any kind of tuned sound... [/quote] Not if you used the bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set,tuned up a semitone. Pretty much any bass will work for that if you get it set up well...although personally I'd get a 5 string (I don't like playing in drop tunings,other than the odd drop D-thanks Hipshot extender key)

[quote name='budget bassist' timestamp='1347378692' post='1799981'] I just don't 'get' fender basses in general. They're expensive, don't play that well and sound boring. All in my own opinion of course. [/quote] Funny....none of mine were expensive (most were secondhand),they all play well (good set up's),and they all sound great. I've always favoured Jazz Basses but I've been picking up my Precision's quite a bit,especially when I'm practicing. A Precision Bass will probably never be my 'go-to' instrument,but they do what they do and just 'work',and sound right for certain situations.

I bought one of the first HS410's that Mark got in stock (well before he had the shop). It's the only cab I've plugged into where I just had to buy it. I later tried the AE series,but didn't like it as much as the HS. I've used a few different amps with it,and it has always sounded great. Tons of power handling and very clean. The biggest downside,for me,is it's weight.I've definitely used heavier cabs,but it's still heavy enough to be a ball ache loading it into the car......but it sounds so good that it's a trade off.

I play 5 strings for the vast majority of my electric bass gigs-in fact I've used a 5 on every gig since this time last year.However,last week I took out a P-Bass and felt really comfortable. I really don't find it a problem switching between 4,5 or 6 strings (although I've not gigged the 6 for a long time).Even though I mostly play 5 strings,I still consider my Jazz Bass to be 'my' bass. All my Upright gigs are on 4 strings anyway...and it's harder to swap between Electric,Upright and Synth Bass than it is between 4,5 or 6 string electric (especially if you've had time away from one or the other).

Put them in your suitcase and there shouldn't be a problem. That's what I always do.

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1347049684' post='1796552'] ( I V IV progressions can't be done in Bb though. You'll need to transpose to F#. Matt will teach you. He knows these things. ) [/quote] Assuming that you're being serious-although the smiley suggests otherwise)-a I,V,IV in Bb will simply be Bb,F,Eb. (Just in case anyone does actually think that you cant play that progression in Bb)

I saw this the other day. I think it's a really nice looking bass,and I think Damian Erskine has got a really nice tone.So all in all.....I like it

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1346942389' post='1795125'] OK, so maybe I don't know what i'm on about. All the local gigs i've played have started between 7 and 9 and finished between 10 and 11. The same goes for all of the "big name" bands i've been to see too [/quote] All the local gigs that I've done have been on the later of those times...Usually about a 9-9:30 start and finish between 11-12 depending on set times.

Having a week to learn 7 songs isn't really,I don't think,that short notice..but I digress. Listen to them a few times first-I like to listen while I'm driving so I don't have the temptation to pick up the bass and busk.It'll help you become more familiar with the songs,if you aren't already. When you sit down to learn them,rather than learning them note perfect try and focus on any important lines or riffs and,importantly,the 'flavour' of the piece. If you are not learning it exactly, you need to play something that will be fitting and at least in the right area. Of course,you can learn them exactly if you are happy enough too. Make charts if you can,even if it's only things like the form and the key...I find that writing it out helps me to remember it better. Don't worry about using your charts onstage either....no one gives a sh*t.

[quote name='Steve Lawson' timestamp='1346954223' post='1795338'] Yeah, Amy has (I think) three separate amps running at anyone one time - clean, distorted and processed - that plus the 12 string bass (4 strings, doubled twice ala Doug Pinnick/Jeff Ament) gives her a MASSIVE range of sounds [/quote] On the live DVD that I've got ,'Blinded in Boonville',she uses a Rickenbacker and still sounds massive.

Jim Creegan from Barenaked Ladies

Ideally,I'd say that you should be trying to go either weekly or fortnightly.Of course,it depends on how far you have to travel and work commitments and things,but try to keep it as regular as possible-it will be more beneficial to you. Having said that,I take 1 or 2 lessons a year,but I get a hell of a lot out of them.

[quote name='mart' timestamp='1346856938' post='1794094'] Yes, it's an established problem that's been commented on the Warwick forum a few times. The official recommendation is to always buy tapered strings. The unofficial recommendation is to file the tailpiece a bit to make the groove bigger. My personal recommendation is to play 4-string [/quote] Alright.Thanks for that. I'd already thought about filing the tailpiece,because I prefer untapered strings. I can't just play 4 strings...A lot of the people I work for write for 5

I've been using my Warwick Streamer LX for pretty much everything since I bought it.It's a great instrument,but I have one small gripe with the bridge. When I string the bass up,everything is fine until I get to the E and B strings. The E string ball end just about fits in the anchor point of the bridge,and the B string only fits if the ball end sits about a half inch or so behind the actual bridge. Has anyone else ever come across this problem before? I never had this issue on my old Corvette. (Out of interest I'm using Elites strings,obviously, .45-.130.)

[quote name='derrenleepoole' timestamp='1346783985' post='1793237'] For example, a jazz tribute to say Miles Davis' classic quartet that recorded Kind Of Blue? Or something equally obscure? [/quote] Jimmy Cobb,the Drummer on Kind of Blue,does this with his 'So What' Band (Oh,and it was a sextet on that album)

I think that it's easy to feel 'at one' with the bass-it's just a matter of spending time and knowing your way around a particular instrument. Being 'at one' with the [i]music [/i]is a totally different thing. It's a great feeling when you are playing with other musicians and everything is working,and everyone is listening and reacting to each other. Or when you are soloing and you play some hip lines and it feels/sounds great. It's the culmination of all the years of study and practise,when you realise that you know it so well that it has become subconscious and naturally comes out in your playing.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1346776193' post='1793083'] I went to see one of our own BC members play in an Elvis tribute, I dont like Elvis but it was awesome and the crowd was bigger than most that a lot of us here play to and man were they loving it! If you think Elvis fans wont like an Elvis tribute you have some waking up to do [/quote] I played 2 nights for a Las Vegas Elvis tribute in Birmingham a couple of years ago and it was mad.Sold out for both nights, and everyone was really into it.It was great...we had a really good band too.

[quote name='bassist_lewis' timestamp='1346667444' post='1791604'] What about guys like Jaco or James Jamerson or Anthony Jackson? I don't recall them changing their tone. I even read that Lee Sklar gets annoyed when he sees bass players fiddling with the controls on their bass. [/quote] The thing with those guys is that they each have their own identifiable sound,regardless of what instrument they use or how much they may fiddle with their EQ. Every player's tone starts in their hands-you can get different 'flavours' of that tone by moving hand positions and things,but their will always be characteristics in tone that are unique to you as a player-Jaco always sounds like Jaco. Marcus always sounds like Marcus.You always sound like You.

I don't think it's just about bands. I went out in town last Saturday for the first time in ages and pretty much every pub was dead. A couple of places had bands on-one had a mini 'festival' in a marquee and was actually busier in the pub than in the tent,and the other was pretty empty. I just don't think that people are going out to pubs as much as they were a few years ago,as evident by the number of pubs that keep shutting down. Having said that,I haven't done many pubs or clubs for a few years now,but I played at a bar in Chester 2 weeks ago and it sold out within 10 minutes of the doors opening-they were literally turning people away all night long... and it was £7 to get in!

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1346603224' post='1791077'] all very end of the pier variety show [/quote] And that's bad because.......?? I've done a bunch of tribute gigs and didn't find them degrading at all. Most of the time,the gigs were good and the venue was usually pretty full. Not to mention that the money was usually pretty decent. I don't like the solo singer with backing tracks type tributes( but I don't like that anyway-tribute or not)but I've got no problem with playing with a good tribute band. I was invited to see a Michael Jackson tribute about 18 months-2 years ago,and the band (and 'MJ') all played and sang along with the original album tracks.It was an entertaining show,but I didn't think it was cool to do that.

[quote name='S9_S12_Bass' timestamp='1344637115' post='1767563'] Has miller, Wooten, Sheehan etc etc released any solo bass pieces or 2 piece band esq stuff? [/quote] Victor Wooten's first solo album 'A Show of Hands' is all solo bass with occasional vocals. Billy Sheehan did the solo piece 'NV43345' Marcus Miller does a nice solo version of 'I'll be There' on his new album 'Renaissance'. Les Claypool did a version of 'The Awakening' on his solo album 'Highball with the Devil' For solo bass,the check out Michael Manring and Steve Lawson. Steve Bailey also did a solo bass album-'So Low...Solo'. Bailey and Wooten also did the 'Bass Extremes' albums-two basses and drums. Ray Brown,John Clayton and Christian McBride did the 'Super Bass' albums. Edgar Mayer and Rob Wasserman have also done a solo bass albums.

Rhythm Changes.

I really like my old DOD Ice Box. It's nothing fancy,but it sounds really good.

The V-Bass is great,but I'd be more inclined to buy an actual keyboard and play synth bass for that sort of stuff.

[quote name='bagsieblue' timestamp='1346443347' post='1789415'] I feel I've made good progress on reading the dots but like pietruska I also struggle with reading rhythmns - I'd be interested to hear people's techniques to learn these better. [/quote] Reading rhythms,I think,is the hardest part.There is a lot more possibilities than there are actual notes. The best way I've found for rhythm reading is,simply,to count.Basically,as you probably know,it goes... Semibreve- 1(2,3,4) Minim - 1(2)3(4) Crotchet - 1,2,3,4 Quaver - 1&,2&,3&,4& Semiquaver-1e&a,2e&a,3e&a,4e&a (Obviously there are more,like triplets,but they are for later.) If you understand that,it then just comes down to different combinations.Take it steady and count without a metronome-it's more about the counting than being in strict time. Eventually you'll begin to recognise patterns and you won't have to count them,because you will know how they go. Check out a book like 'Modern Reading Text in 4/4' for some rhythm reading exercises.It's a drum book so it's purely rhythmic,but it's got some great exercises and it gets pretty tough as it goes on.