solo4652

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1479317598' post='3175619'] So, why didn't you reply to his email, asking precisely that ? [/quote] I've already done that, actually. Here's the message thread for you, starting with his reply to my question; "What songs would you put onto a blank setlist?" Him: "U boy jaco pastorouis . I'll bring acoustic guitar . Play few riffs pointless saying influences as there's thousands lol. Give ya no. I'll call you have a chin wag . Peace" Me: " “u boy jaco pastorouis” Sorry – not quite sure what you mean." Him: "I was saying my favourite bass player is jaco pastorouis am crap at emails etc . Especially on blumming phone ." Me: "OK. I’m still not sure what you mean by “u boy”. Googling doesn’t help me to understand. Apologies for my ignorance." No reply.

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1479301706' post='3175427'] Is he South African perchance? [/quote] No idea. Why do you ask?

Hmm, that's a possibility. Pity we have to try to guess what he means.

I've been swapping emails with somebody about possibly setting up a soul/funk/blues covers band. To get a feel for what sort of music he's into, I said "Here's a blank songlist. What songs would you[i] really[/i] want to see on there?" His reply: "u boy Jaco Pastorouis" I don't know what this means. I thought u boy might be a Jaco song, but it seems not. Could it be some sort of reference to Jaco playing on Ian Hunter's All American Alien Boy album, perhaps? Googling "U boy" throws up lots of stuff about boy-girl dating, but I can't see what that has to do with soul/funk/blues music at all. Have I missed something obvious? Am I an old fart who should know what/who U boy is, but doesn't?

How about this ad, then: http://www.joinmyband.co.uk/classifieds/asap-base-player-t924396.html

I am not joking when I say this; The Harley Benton Shorty is [i]phenomenal[/i] value at £70: [url="https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbp90bk_shortscale_ebass.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKEAiA0pDBBRCFtoPyguTh8AUSJADNWeux4j4ShHsVem04TOXU9FDNIMtcj_xxYeeYRfFQO4AgXBoC_m_w_wcB"]https://www.thomann....4AgXBoC_m_w_wcB[/url] I wanted to try short scale and bought the HBS as a no-money try-out. I dropped some Entwistle PBXN pickups in there and I got a lightweight, nicely balanced P-bass that's really kind on my neck and shoulders. 41mm nut width too, so doesn't feel too narrow for a P bass player.The Entwistle pickups are pretty hot and punchy and cut down a fair bit of the traditional short-scale muddy thudiness. My band said it was the best-sounding bass they'd heard me play. Total outlay = under £100. I still missed a J pickup for a bit of bite. So, I bought an Ibanez Talman TMB-30 for £170: [url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Ibanez-TMB30-BK-30-Short-Scale-Bass-Guitar-Black/1G9H?origin=product-ads&campaign=PLA+Shop+-+GENERIC&adgroup=GENERIC&medium=vertical_search&network=google&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=67733d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=255341176042&gclid=CjwKEAiA0pDBBRCFtoPyguTh8AUSJADNWeuxzhONRk4YVSWdgZcV-Fjr7MKhFfaiPATgdHyFhDN8TRoC813w_wcB"]http://www.gear4musi...DN8TRoC813w_wcB[/url] The neck pickup solo is a little more mids-forward than the HBS, and IMHO, stands right up there with any Fender P I've ever had. Mix in the bridge pickup and you have loads of sounds available. It's a bit heavier than the HBS, and the body is a little bigger, so the Ibanez isn't [i]quite[/i] so easy for me to play. 41mm at the nut so, again, not too narrow for my paws. Absolutely no hesitation in gigging either bass. Don't know where you live, Zummerbass, but you're welcome to come round anytime for a noodle. I'm in Stockport.

....or, the opportunity to play with a decent covers band! Thanks, Steve Edit-update, 6th December 2016. Looks like I'm sorted for now - I've joined a (semi) acoustic pop-soul band.

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1478249493' post='3167806'] Lettuce [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5mWN8z3Xxk[/media] [/quote] Never heard of Lettuce. Just listened to the first couple of minutes of that live set. Tight as you like. I'll finish the hoovering and settle down with a cuppa to listen to the rest.

A couple of years ago, I was involved in a start-up band that was aiming for a blues-funk-soul vibe. Here's the initial songlist: Ain't no love in the heart of the city – Bobby Bland [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcF8A"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcF8A[/url][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcF8Aos4XDA"] [/url] os4XDA[/u][/color] Shaky ground – Etta James [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbCWP5iW654#t=29"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbCWP5iW654#t=29[/url][/u][/color] Lonely boy – Black Keys [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_426RiwST8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_426RiwST8[/url][/u][/color] My oh my – Sad cafe [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K75Q-0wMgn0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K75Q-0wMgn0[/url][/u][/color] Something to talk about – Bonnie Raitt [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ58TVYNFro"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ58TVYNFro[/url][/u][/color] China Grove – Doobie Brothers [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udSHItTjWyQ"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udSHItTjWyQ[/url][/u][/color] Play that funky music – Wild Cherry Cuddly toy – Roachford [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbscx0S3jcY"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbscx0S3jcY[/url][/u][/color] Long Train running – Doobie Brothers Without you – Doobie Brothers [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bn_to1uNVg"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bn_to1uNVg[/url][/u][/color] Bohemian like you – Dandy Warhols [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU3mc0yvRNk"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU3mc0yvRNk[/url][/u][/color] Ain't that peculiar – Various covers e.g. [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOgMHWI5XT4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOgMHWI5XT4[/url][/u][/color] Roadhouse blues – Various covers. Good one is The Doors with John Lee Hooker [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xzFWm9uXJo"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xzFWm9uXJo[/url][/u][/color] Chill out – John Lee Hooker and Carlos Santana [color="#000080"][u]<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv0NyWoO0R4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv0NyWoO0R4[/u][/color] Inner city blues – Marvin Gaye [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Ykv1D0qEE"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Ykv1D0qEE[/url][/u][/color] Pelvis Pusher – Vintage Trouble [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMCutWGTHSU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMCutWGTHSU[/url][/u][/color] Jezzabella – Vintage Trouble [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FVM88Xu-mI"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FVM88Xu-mI[/url][/u][/color] Vintage Trouble + Beverley Knight [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utke4s0dbm8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utke4s0dbm8[/url][/u][/color] Roll On – J J Cale [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Umeco1Z-j4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Umeco1Z-j4[/url][/u][/color] River runs deep – Clapton + J J Cale [color="#000080"][u][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4LekkGu9n8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4LekkGu9n8[/url][/u][/color] Other J J Cale songs; After midnight, Call me the breeze, Bringing it back... stuff by B B King, Robert Cray Pretty much anything by Albert Collins

Another quick update. I've just received the following songlist so I can practise before meeting the band some time next week. A varied setlist... Caro Emerald songs: Back it up, A night like this, That man, Riviera life. Beautiful South songs: A little time, You keep it all in. Songbird Back to black Torn Temptation - Heaven 17

No, I've never played upright bass. Given the weakness in my fretting hand, I doubt I ever will. A short-scale P bass with half-round strings and the tone rolled off will be getting close to that sound, won't it? Obviously not going to look like an upright though.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1477821631' post='3164573'] I'd certainly at least give it a try, it's sounds ok so far to me, nowt wrong with a bit of Caro Emerald either. It's all networking too, bands evolve so the backing tracks might get dropped or the guitarist in charge of them might leave and be replaced by one happy to fill the sound out on their own or even bring in another guitarist. On top of that this band might be crap or never get started yet at the same time the drummer might be in another awesome band requiring a new bassist or similar situation. Good luck and even if you go with tracks I'd say gigging with tracks is better than being a bedroom critic with no band because they all use music stands,wrong colour xlr leads,won't let you use both of the Ampegs you use in the box room etc [/quote] [i]Very[/i] sound advice, right there. Thank you.

Yes - thank you. I wouldn't normally give "swing" a second listen, but Caro Emerald's band puts a nice groove behind her vocals. Also, if you watch the YouTube videos of them playing live, you'll see some two-deck, errr "mixing" (? don't ask me what it's officially called - I dunno). I wonder whether that's what was in the guitarist's mind when he referred to backing tracks.

Quick update, for anybody who's interested. The drummer sent me three rehearsal recordings of singer + acoustic guitarist. The singer was sounding good - hitting the notes, and hitting the timings pretty accurately. Songs were: A night like this and Back it up by Caro Emerald, and Winehouse's Back to black. I'd not heard of Caro Emerald, so looked up the songs on Youtube. Basically "swing", but over catchy grooves - almost a reggae feel at times!? The more I listened, the more interested I became. I emailed the drummer and said that I'd like to pop over to rehearsal for a play-along. I also asked him about backing tracks. He replied that the guitarist hadn't finally decided on them yet, and would wait to hear how things sounded with a drummer and bassist - very much a start-up project. So, I'm hoping to meet up with them all shortly for an initial play-through of a few songs. It may be that, with a drummer and a bassist, the guitarist decides the sound is "beefed up" enough without backing tracks. I hope so.

Good call on the Mikey Way Mustang. I'll find out what I can about it. Couldn't live with that colour, though. Edit: Quick Google search suggests that the Mikey way has a fairly thick Motown-y tone, which isn't quite what I'm after.

My switch to short scale (30") is going well. Ibanez Talman is a cracker, very ably backed up by Harley Benton shorty - both basses having had wiring upgrades with the help of B/C's Bassbunny. I've been scouring the web for a (passive) short scale Stingray copy, but can't find anything. If not a Stingray clone, how about something else that has a mids-forward tone? Not a J, or a PJ - I already have one of those. £500 budget. Anybody know of such a thing, please?

Still can't get hold of the drummer for a chat. He's offered to send examples of the guitarist and singer at rehearsal. I've asked for the songlist. Via email, I've also asked him about the guitarist's use of backing tracks, and whether he can replace the brake discs on my Seat.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1477314859' post='3161316'] Understandable if it's this guy - He is really busy. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH6hzTh3YHc[/media] [/quote] I gave up when he said "cool" for the 7th time.

Thanks to everyone for helping me think this through. I have no experience of playing with backing tracks and my gut feeling is that I don't really want to. Trying to be open minded, I'd just about be happy to have a virtual sax player for Baker Street or maybe some strings for Elbow. However, my feeling is that if the tracks are a semi-permanent feature of the band that flesh out the guitarist's sound without adding any new instrumentation, then I'd politely decline. Clearly I need to find out a bit more about what the band will use the backing tracks for, how often, and what exactly will be on them. Can't give an update because my three attempts to speak to the drummer have so far gone unanswered.

I have the opportunity of joining a start-up covers function band. This is how the intended line-up is described; "One guitar, bass, drums, vocals, maybe keys as well. The guitarist would also have backing tracks to beef up the sound a little." I'm ringing the drummer tonight for a chat. The guitarist wanting backing tracks is ringing a few alarm bells for me. Why does the guitarist want backing tracks - to "beef up" what sounds, exactly? All songs, or just some? Would this be a temporary thing to get the band up and running, or a permanent part of the band? Would there still be backing tracks if a keys player is recruited? What does everybody think about this, please?

Singer; "If I come in a bit late, will you be able to slow down until I'm with you?" Her:"How do I know when to come in?" Me: "It's after 8 bars" Her: "What's a bar?" "I won't be able to practise at home at all"

Looks like a real bargain. https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-bass-amplifiers/galien-krueger-bass-rig-mb500-mbx-4x10/1190110380

There does seem to be a market, so they'll be daft if they don't. Fully expect a price rise, though.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ashdown-Retroglide-800-bass-guitar-amplifier-head-/282179043958?hash=item41b32e8276:g:8YAAAOSwgApW~TGE

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B-Stock-Ashdown-Rootmaster-RM-800-Head-Bass-Amplifier-800-Watt-15050829-/291905954841?hash=item43f6f36419:g:R2sAAOSwOyJX3-gj