Doddy

I don't know the book...but you often get bracketed notes meaning ghost notes. Bass specific publications will often write ghost notes with cross heads instead of dots,but a lot of charts you may find on gigs will often write the note in brackets.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1331815656' post='1579300'] cos some folk really really need that high B note (i think it's B?) [/quote] On a 21 fret bass (in standard tuning) the highest fret-able note is n E. B would be the top note on the D string (also the 16th fret on the G string) I've got pretty much every issue of BGM (except 1 and 3),but I really think that the quality has gone down over the last few issues. The newest issue with Dave Ellefson on the cover is pretty poor,which is a shame.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1331903900' post='1580672'] I beg to differ. There are plenty of people out there who are genuinely tone deaf, and a much large number of people who are functionally tone deaf - i.e. they sing so reliably badly that they might as well be genuinely tone deaf. In similar vein, there are plenty who can sing the right tones but are incapable of getting anywhere near the timing. Reverting to the original question, I think that [i][b]most [/b][/i]people have a singing voice waiting to be uncovered, but nowhere near all of them. [/quote] So these people who are singing horribly are still singing...just extremely badly. So I still say that everyone can sing to one degree or another.I'm sure that even tone deaf people sing in the shower or car-they may be dreadful,but it's still singing.

[quote name='ssab' timestamp='1331922875' post='1581038'] Is there a name given to this technique ? [/quote] It's not a technique,it's just a way of playing scales in various positions. You can even take it further by playing them over 1,2,3 or 4 strings and over 2 octaves.

[quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1331899355' post='1580583'] I can't see why this guy would be talking bull, but...EVERYONE can sing? [/quote] I'd go with that. Everyone can sing.....not necessarily well,but everyone with a voice can sing to one degree or another.

Don't fall into the trap of camping out in the lower range. Too many people do when first moving to a 5 string and rather than making the music sound 'heavy',it can end up sounding a lot emptier,depending on the instrumentation of the music. I'd recommend familiarising yourself with the extra string by extending regular scale and arpeggio exercises over the five strings-it will allow you to play 2 octaves with minimal shifts-no shifts at all if you use extended fingerings.

Good stuff. It's great that you are seeing the benefits of studying and it's improving how you play...and in such a short space of time. Try telling lots of people how much they can improve from studying scales....they don't want to know.

Must have pedals? The only pedals I use on every gig are a tuner and a volume pedal,although I always carry two DI boxes too (a passive EMO and a Sadowsky Preamp/DI). I also use a Boss LS2 quite often because I double on either Electric/Upright or Electric/Synth. I've never used,or been asked to be use,a compressor(despite owning 3).The signal is probably being compressed through the front of house anyway. I've been asked to use an octaver once for a couple of numbers in a show.I've never specifically needed to use distortion,chorus,delay,phaser,envelope filter or anything on any gig.I'm usually free to use them if I feel inclined but none of them have been 'must have'. It's nice to have some kind of overdrive for rock stuff,but again,most of the time it's not essential. I know there are guys who will say that they need lots of effects,but generally they have got themselves into a band situation that they have created. I'd comfortably say for that the vast majority of working players that I've met regularly use pretty much nothing.

I'm using five strings all the time now,but my main 4 string Fender Jazz has has an extender key for years. It's great.

Not bass related but I hate hearing people refer to Paiste cymbals as 'Paste' rather than 'Pie-ste'.

I did a gig in an old barn a few months ago where there was a very low sound limiter and we had to use their PA speakers-4 little Bose things that weren't really suited to a band. No problem...electric drums,no amps,all DI'd,everyone on in-ears....job done,everyone's happy.

The first obvious question is do you know do you know where the harmonics are and what notes they are? That will really help,especially if you want to hit harmonic chords.

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1331664659' post='1576886'] Thanks MM - you've pretty well described my real feelings exactly, I'm just not very good at expressing myself clearly with the written word. I just prefer live stuff with the band/performer bouncing off the vibes from the audience and modifying "on the fly" accordingly. [/quote] The funny thing is that most bands that I've seen very rarely,if ever,actually modify "on the fly".Most of them stick to very strict arrangement of tunes. If you are using clicks/tracks,it doesn't stop you from "bouncing off the vibes of the audience" at all. If the technology is a problem then I guess you're against bass players playing synth bass or drummers augmenting their kits with electronics?

[quote name='mike f' timestamp='1331664630' post='1576884'] I saw it too and remember thinking that there was no way you could guess as the riff Mr Flowers was playing didn't exactly bring out the tone of each instrument. [/quote] Yeah..because that would be the reason why he wouldn't get it.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1331655016' post='1576663'] I thought jazz was about open minds, experimentation and expanding new horizons. Seems like it's in the same "traditional" rut as all other forms of music. [/quote] We're not talking about new horizons. The OP specifically mention walking over standards. In more modern 'jazz' there is a lot more experimentation.

[quote name='Mog' timestamp='1331651869' post='1576580'] . Try not to focus so much on what you can't do and practice what you feel you are best at, this can be a means to developing your own style. (Obviously you should still practice what you find difficult, otherwise practicing would be a waste of time) [/quote] Be careful though...if you spend a lot of time practising what you feel you are best at,it becomes very easy to become stagnant and not see any particular improvement because you are not pushing yourself and learning anything new. Sure,you play what you enjoy but improvement comes from practising new material that is currently beyond you,either musically,technically,harmonically or theoretically.

[quote name='Townes1992' timestamp='1331650047' post='1576542'] I used to a little, i dont do that so much anymore, do you think it would benfit? Cheers [/quote] Playing along to music...yes. That's an important part of learning. Playing with a metronome.....some will say yes,others like me will say probably not. If you want to use a metronome,I'll recommend setting it so that it clicks on 2 and 4 to substitute a snare drum.

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1331649673' post='1576534'] Is it just because it doesn't look right, or are they really no good? I just thought it got closer to a db sound than an eb can, but eb skills would be much more easily transferrable. [/quote] I played one briefly the other day and I wouldn't be happy to take one on a jazz gig...it just didn't sound or feel right. Personally,I prefer the sound of my Ashbory over the Kala,but it is still no substitute for an Upright bass,again because of the sheer physical properties of the instruments.

The key word in the last few posts for me,has been timbre. Like I said earlier,it's not that you can't swing on the electric bass...it's more that because of the physical properties of the Double Bass,the notes have a completely different envelope to them than the electric bass and people often mistake this for 'swing'. I play both instruments often and feel that I can swing on both (so I've been told),but when playing straight ahead Jazz I feel more comfortable and prefer the sound and feel of the Upright-it also changes my approach and note choices. Some people prefer what I do on Electric,others prefer the Upright....it's how it goes. It's the same way that you get some really swinging organ trios....check out players like Larry Goldings and Joey DeFrancesco-they play some great left hand walking bass lines on the organ,and they swing like crazy,but it sounds and feels different than an Upright because of the whole timbre of the instrument.

I'm not surprised...the Joyo pedals are also being released over here under,I believe,the Rocktonics brand.

[quote name='foal30' timestamp='1331594209' post='1575697'] I like the Ashdown filter , not overpowering. probably going to have a lash at the MojoHand Analouge Filter [/quote] The Mojo Hand is a cool pedal. I've got the Boomstick Bottom Feeder which is a more bass specific version (the Mojo Hand 442 red is the same pedal,rebranded). I don't use it as often as the DiscumBOBulator,but it still gets quite a lot of use. It sounds great,is dead easy to use and they pop up pretty inexpensively on the secondhand market.

Just out of interest....If you've tried one and liked,what does it it matter what anyone else thinks of them? For what it's worth,I've got a Classic Vibe '50's Precision and have no problem using it on gigs. It's a really tidy bass.

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1331591916' post='1575642'] Not at all Doddy, sorry if it did look to be this way, it wasn't intended. It was just a general observation of also being a working musician and probably heavy use of hyperbole on my behalf. [/quote] Nice one. Then all's well

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1331589870' post='1575595'] Me too. People just seem to love quantifying it all in some respect, god knows why. Maybe if some people on this site opened their minds a bit they might start enjoying music in the way that most other non-musicians do. 'Real' musicians have a knack of making everything to disgustingly clinical. [/quote] If your referring to me (in a round about way..seeing as it was us who had the disagreement),then I invite you to check out my album collection.I guarantee that it is more open minded and varied than most peoples and there will be choices that will surprise you. Being a 'real' musician doesn't stop me from enjoying music any more than anyone else.