Angel

Just been to see my dad, he's 95 now. He had zero interest in music until he met my mum around 70 years ago. Mum liked classical music, so dad kind of got into that over the years. He generally thought that stuff that me my bro and sister listened to was a terrible racket! Anyway, why am I saying this ... I got over there and and he said "I watched Glastonbury all evening, the Foo fighters were very good, the new drummer did well" I almost fell off my chair!

Thanks for that! Really helpful, that is exactly the thing I'm trying to get. I shall give it a whirl shortly ...

I love this style of playing. Sure it's not for everyone but I enjoy listening and having a go. I'm somewhat limited so far, (but not a beginner) and one thing I really don't get is those very muted little 'tick' notes that fly around. I get muting a string with your left hand, but I can't get anything like that sound, and it's especially hard in the middle of phrases. The other thing I'm trying to work out is more interesting things to do with my left hand playing. So, anyone seen any really useful Youtube lessons? I've chugged through a fair few, but not quite what I am searching for. This is exactly the sort of playing I like, and a really nice little bass solo at 3.22. All girl band Tokyo Groove Jyoshi.

Thanks for the comments a couple of things to try there!

I really like that very active type guitar tone that people like Mark King get. I'm wanting to achieve that sort of tone. I basically just noodle around at home, occasionally recording, so I'm hoping to get somewhere without spending megabucks. My current bass is self built with Delano pickups and a J Retro 01 preamp. Any thoughts/suggestions? For reference, this kind of sound is what I am after:

The head looks lovely! Won't work for me needing a cab though The small one, I can't believe it's any good for £33!

A bit expensive for me!

That's for bass as well?I though it was just guitar.

Budget .... Hmmnnn. I'd rather keep under £200 I guess but that's not cast in stone. It's just something to noodle at home with. I looked at your suggestions, all nice but I'd say more than I intend to sped.

My trusty old Roland Micro Bass Cube RX Combo has died. I may well get the same thing again as I rather liked it, but I was just wondering if there is anything else out there that people like/recommend? Needs to be small so that the wife doesn't complain about it! Any thoughts?

Having experimented with various strings over the years, I came to the conclusion that I much prefer really light gauges. I'm happy with the sound and they just feel so much nicer to play. My current strings are Status 30-50-70-90-115. Anyone else prefer lighter?

Well played. Cool stuff

Pendragon - Concerto Maximo Rainbow - On Stage Iona - Heaven's bright sun Genesis - Seconds out Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Welcome back my friends ... Grand Funk Railroad - Caught in the act I love live albums!

Every once in a blue moon an album comes out and the bass blows me away - the sound, the playing, the place in the mix etc. So much of the time, I find bass playing on albums a bit boring, or it's pretty lost in the mix. And they something comes along that knocks my socks off and really inspires me! OK, so needless to say I bought one such album recently. Firstly I have to warn you that it is the most unfashionable of genres - Prog, but wow, this record blows my socks off! The band are somewhat under the radar - Lifesigns Their third album - Altitude The bass player - better known for his playing with Cardiacs - Jon Poole Also, if you love a heart achingly beautiful guitar solos, the song Last one home from the album is just superb and has a really emotive solo. Anyway, here's a taster on Youtube if anyone is interested:

I would argue that you are sailing dangerously close to making it a sport with a comment like that. He is merely playing along to a backing track and making music. We are all bass players around here, we can all see what he is playing or not. Still, I shouldn't really work at defending, you have every right to make that comment.

And that is fine, we are all entitled to our own opinions. Personally I don't like showboating when it is terrible, indulgent drivel (like many bass solos I've seen live over the past 40 years!), but when it is musical, when it has groove etc, yes, I really like that sort of thing. A bass player that I really enjoy is Charles Berthoud, he plays solo stuff on Youtube etc, and he has a mindblowing level of technique, but he keeps musicality at the centre, and gets a great groove going. To that end I really enjoyed this cover of Uptown funk. If you don't want his preamble, playing starts at 40 seconds.

@Bunion Bl**dy good cover there! Really enjoyed that. A favourite short Rush track of mine

I'm really enjoying playing Candy Dulfer live concerts at work the past week or so. (she plays sax if you don't know her). I'm loving the bass groove on the song DISCO, the song starts at 6.39 on this concert video:

Band: "we think you should buy this ba......" Me:"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ...."

Hah! words from my youth! Me and my bro were obsessed with RPGs back in the day!

Rush were one of my most important bands late teens. I absolutely loved the band, well, until the Hold your fire album. I found that plus everything after waaaaaay less interesting. They became a different band. But yeah Geddy Lee & Billy Sheehan and my two rock bass Gods.

I'm so disappointed that I have such a rubbish voice for singing. I'm 2 out of 10 at best. No range, often can't find the note, and 5 mins of singing in the car and my throat seems ripped to shreds. I love sitting at a piano at home, bashing out some chords (which I'm pretty good at!) and singing along, I just wish I could get to 'average' singing and be able to do it with others, or at a station piano if the world ever gets back to normal. If I used emoticons I'd stick a sad face in now ....