JamesBass

[quote name='vutran' timestamp='1505113398' post='3369470'] He uses Lundgren pickups on everything he does, mine is a custom Lundgren PJ-set. here's a picture of my #1! [url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BSyvRYLhQhm/"]https://www.instagram.com/p/BSyvRYLhQhm/[/url] [/quote] Good to know, thanks! That is beautiful! I'd love a 5 string Jazz from him at some point...

[quote name='vutran' timestamp='1504890990' post='3368146'] I know Tom personally, I live in Finland 100km from his house. I've had mine since 2013. It's the most expensive, comfortable, beautiful sounding instrument I own. I'm also a lefty and mine is the first left handed he built and the ONLY with PJ-pickups. [/quote] What P pickup is it that he uses? I asked if he would do me a custom P but said he couldn't/wouldn't!

For those on Instagram go check out Rufus Philpott, he's just gotten a P classic 4 and has a Jazz classic 4, beautifully basses!

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1502028303' post='3348813'] Oh! a bit more response than I was expecting! It's as if we are on the opposite sides of a chasm of understanding. I doubt very much that anyone here, if they've been playing a couple of years, doesn't know about scales and chord tones, or about which chords go together and form the structure of most of the songs we play (and by implication the circle of fifths). Even transposition is something you won't really avoid, even if all you do is the bassists version of using a capo... move your hand and play the same pattern. Whilst there are a few people who may play everything by a combination of a decent ear and trial and error and proudly proclaim it as the only way I suspect most of us are hungry for any bit of theory that would help our playing. The trouble is that when someone just says 'learn your scales' it's a meaningless phrase. I'm sure all of us can play a pattern of eight notes and probably know major minor and blues scales (avoiding the mixolydian word here) but if that is all there is to it how does that help? This is where the conversation usually breaks down with frustration on both sides. Most of us can play a major scale, up and down, starting on whichever root note we choose. If we can't we could learn to do so in a few minutes. Surely there is more to it than that? Even calling the notes out as you do it, well I can see that would be useful in learning the fretboard but is that really all there is to it? And how does that help in a practical sense? Honestly I'm not trying to be contentious, I know the ignorance is mine , I just don't get it and can't understand why the people who do get it can't explain what I have to gain. That's why I'm interested in what the OP gets by making the journey. [/quote] Your thoughts are well placed, especially if you've been playing and you haven't had to use theory yet. With a good teacher, something of a rarity, the concepts become easier to understand. As I said it's all about the context as well. It's worthwhile learning the theory in something you already know, then branching out to a song you've always wanted to learn. I was fortunate enough to study this stuff at Uni and college where I had some amazing teachers, especially my lecturer at college. He really lit the fire of understanding and wanting to be "clever" in music in me, and since then I've gone ahead and taught myself an awful amount, building from my basic knowledge through books and songs. I wasn't intending on giving such a reply earlier, I got lost in the theory haha! [quote name='dood' timestamp='1502029807' post='3348826'] I wish I wrote that instead, as it's kinda what I was getting at. I LOVE the OP and that it's a great feeling when something slots together and sounds ace - and it didn't need lots of explaining to make it work and derive a huge amount of pleasure from it. That in itself is awesome and should be rattled out over and over as the sense of achievement will never be lost. I do agree though that the teaching of theory is often a mess and far from progressive leaving students, musicians confused and unfulfilled. Great teachers are hard to come by and unfortunately, I really don't think the odd paragraph on an internet forum trying to explain what an experienced player thinks is a relatively simple concept is the answer for someone seeing this stuff for the first times. [/quote] You're spot on. Theory needs more time and it's better face to face than on an internet message board! Learning theory is a very dynamic process, some days it's frustrating and pointless, other days it clicks and the concepts are clear and easy to understand. All help and advice is useful to someone though. Even if that's not clear to them right away! I'm lucky enough that all my students private and college ones have all bought in time my style of teaching and my approach to music. I tend to look at things from a bigger picture view, more like a band leader or producer would. Sometimes the perfect note is the root player low and straight rock semi-quavers to drive it along!

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1502007083' post='3348666'] I'm probably in the same place as Bonzodog. I started with covers bands within months of picking up the bass and the pressure of always learning the next song. (just off to run through 50 songs I haven't played in a while for an occasional duo i play in for next week for example). I'm not averse to learning a bit of musical theory, it's really interesting and I'm confident that it would benefit my playing but I also know the benefits of just learning the songs and it's hard to take a step back for longer term thinking. I'm also confident that our OP will have picked up a lot of bits of musical theory on the way. Learning the scales is surely just shorthand for improving his understanding of theory. So I'm really interested in how he gets on, and how it directly affects his playing. Is it really worth my while in terms of stage performance to ease up on the practice and learning of songs to deepen my understanding of theory? [/quote] Learning songs and learning theory goes hand in hand. It's all well and good learning the latest must play cover song, but if you need to change the key and you don't understand how key signatures work then it's gonna be a hard slog. Same as learning just theory makes it useless if you don't know the context in which to play it. I would personally recommend everyone taking a song they know how to play really well, and then I'd say look at what the song is doing, what chords are used, what order are the chords played in, make a note of what your bass line is. Then go and learn a bit of theory and begin matching the theory to the songs. This sort of method works best if you have someone there to help point you in the right direct and to clarify things. A major scale in the key of C is: CDEFGABC. There are 7 "steps" in that scale, and they follow the pattern TTSTTTS, T = Tone or whole step, S = semi-tone or half step. Each of the notes gets assigned a number for where it is in the sequence, ranging from 1-C to 7-B. Those are the 7 basic notes that we harmonise to form chords in the key of C Major. A harmonised major scale follows the chord pattern of Major Minor Minor Major Major Minor and Half-Diminished. So that again is in order of 1- Major-C to 7-Half-Diminished-B. You can now follow common chord progressions in the major scale such as the ever popular 1,4,5. This sort of very quick basic theory combined with learning how to transpose using the circle of 5ths or the cycle of 4ths is so helpful. The circle of 5ths works by taking you root, which for this purpose is C, and then finding the 5th of C, which is G. To prove that, start on C in your major scale and count up with the scale till you find the note G, which is the 5th note in the scale. G now because our new key signature, and repeat. For the cycle of 4ths, take the same principle, just be aware that if you're using the cycle of 4ths notes are enharmonically called by the flat. If using the circle of 5ths the note is enharmonically called by the sharp. Now you can transpose songs easily as well. If anybody has theory questions I'm always happy to help!

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1501946521' post='3348414'] Playing with metronome will help your timing. Most of us are rushing and we don't even know it. Go to YouTube and search 140 BPM and your good to go. Blue [/quote] I'm naturally behind the beat. As for 140 BPM, that's too fast to really progress your time feel. I would suggest start as slow as possible, often 70 to 80 BPM is good, some students I make go down to 60BPM. Learn how to feel subdivisions too and learn how to consciously syncopate.

If a digital desk is sought, I'd suggest the Behringer XR air family if you or a band mate has an iPad. It's at the top end of your budget for sure at around £650 but it's very well built, it's got good preamps and it's simple to use!

I'd recommend not buying mackie, they're speakers sound poor to my ears when compared with brands at a similar price range! Behringer make some very good desks, and the new Alto TS2 range are fantastic for the price! Definitely worth looking in to them. I'd also look at EV RCF and Yamaha.

Have you tried adjusting pick up height or any other set up trick? That may help instead of buying a new pick up

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1500138023' post='3335877'] Just back in with the dog and got chatting with one of my neighbours who's also from Cameroon and had turned me on to Richard Bono a while back. Turns out he knows Richard very well - they used to hang out together when they were teenagers - he's going to try to get me a free back stage pass next time RB's in the country. There was another bass player he mentioned - Etienne Mbappe - another friend of his and RB. Only had a quick listen but me likes... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyJUjLtrvqw[/media] ..and a Jaco style solo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqWCFKMQlxg [/quote] Very cool! Richard Bona is absolutely one of the best out there currently, his sense of composition and what and when to play is phenomenal! I love his collabs especially when he duets like the Bobby Mcferrin video. Etienne is another seriously good bass player, I particularly love his work with Salif Keita who's one of my favourite musicians right now!

[quote name='No. 8 Wire' timestamp='1499348526' post='3330909'] https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com Potentially some good reading in there. [/quote] Thank you very much!

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1499344264' post='3330854'] I've a pal lives in Totana,Murcia so I'll ask him what it's like. [/quote] You're joking!? I have family in Aledo, about 10km up the Sierra Espuna! It's potentially the area I'd initially be based in, but I'm also considering Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid

So I have an interesting opportunity to maybe move out to Spain, however before I go or even consider going I need as much information about the music scene there as possible. In terms of location the whole of Spain is open, although the main opportunity is South Eastern Spain in the region of Murcia. I have visited the country many times and I speak the language to a decent level. I do and will travel if needs be to either the music or the job. Eventually the plan is to make music my one pursuit once I'm in Spain and more settled. So all help is appreciated!

The Kill by 30 Seconds To Mars is a song I am currently teaching at a group junior tuition school. The drum teach, guitar teachers, and I were today debating what the time signature is. The drum teacher believes it to be 3/4. The guitar teachers and I are saying 6/8. Personally I'm feeling it as triplets over 2/4 or half time. Which would be counted as 6/8. Opinions from the wise old basschat community! https://youtu.be/8yvGCAvOAfM

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1497563787' post='3319197'] As above, but IIRC it's MCPS for recording while PRS is for performance or broadcast. Might have all changed, mind! [/quote] Technically it's one and the same now as it's the PRS&MCPS Alliance. PPL are the totally different body these days. My understanding is for recording you need permission, for a performance you just tell the PRS that the song was performed at said venue on said day, and the venue should supply a rough head count and then the PRS will pay the according people at the right time

[quote name='edpirie' timestamp='1496511311' post='3312023'] I don't but if you email they should be quick to get back to you. Price will be in USD which will hurt at the moment. [/quote] Cheers! Sadly I think lots of basses are gonna hurt to buy sooner rather than later, the Maruszczyk's that everyone seemed be order over the past 18 months seem to have flown up in price!

[quote name='BassAgent' timestamp='1496403377' post='3311098'] Quite sure that is rosewood. [/quote] Their website says fretboards are ebony! It certainly looks like a Rosewood board though

Just used the P configurator, and it's a good piece of kit. But Christ the prices have rocketed up! I'm not sure how the 19% tax works but €1260 without tax for a nitro P with a hipshot B style bridge. Or with the tax it's €1461. On today's exchange rates it's £1100 without tax and £1275 with.

Anyone know the price of one of these currently?

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1491630633' post='3274384'] Moollon Classic P in faded sonic blue with a mint guard... currently filling the P bass hole in my life with aplomb. [IMG]http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y529/CamdenRob/EB3B4485-3506-4C0C-89C0-0897CD374D20_zpsvshdxrlb.jpg[/IMG] Some lovely details, I'm particularly fond of the clay dots. [IMG]http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y529/CamdenRob/73236CE2-E101-437C-B50D-D04EFEC85CC7_zpsixd2bnou.jpg[/IMG] [/quote] I'm highly interested in a Moollon, I'd be interested to know your thoughts on it! Also is that Ebony fretboard? It's remarkably like rosewood!

The Am Pro P is an ok instrument. The neck shape is lovely, a nice 60s shape and feel. The build and fit is spot on and really is just much of a muchness at that price point. The pickup isn't all that good, I'd personally say it's worse than the US Custom Shop one. And for me the real killer was the tall narrow frets. My style makes use of a lot of one fret slides, and that's harder to achieve on the higher frets.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1494244264' post='3294242'] Just reading up on HoW, having missed them at Brixton. "Hendrix of the hammered dulcimer" says the bio on their website, which are words I wasn't expecting to see in the same sentence today. I'll have a go with their latest album. What suprised me at Brixton was the sound quality, best I've heard there for ages. [/quote] Haha, I have to admit I checked HoW out before Poole purely out of interest and having done zero reading or research, I was surprised at what I heard to say the least! Yes, the sound was PHENOMENAL! The sound guy has their sound utterly nailed, each and every instrument was clear, bright, yet full. Top marks that guy!

I'm a little disappointed the configurator isn't fully complete yet, I'm not GASing for a jazz style bass, however I am DESPERATE for a decent P currently and some of my wants are very specific. The configurator however is a phenomenal idea and something more brands should look in to adding to their website, it'll simplify the process of getting any custom bass ordered!

I saw them last night at The Lighthouse in Poole, which is an INCREDIBLE theatre/concert hall! The sound was superb. Snarky were as incredible as ever, the last time I saw them was in Brighton about 18 months ago and they have changed their live approach a touch, well more of a refinement. They were less improvisational than before, and mostly kept songs to the album versions. I see no one has really mentioned the support band House of Waters, who were utterly incredible! Very clever trio, with the bass playing the lead melodic role, they're well worth a listen!

Virtually NOTHING stops me from gigging! It's the best feeling in the world, it's worth bearing out conditions, unless it's unsafe of course!