2wheeler

I'm really, really happy with my EBS Microdrive III. I bought it for big band gigs where I'm switching between upright and bass guitar. It does a great job with the Fishman full circle piezo pickup and has a notch filter for feedback, making it ideal for the job. I wasn't expecting the distortion and compression to be so useful. I agree that the compression is brilliant and the distortion is usable. Very usable but still not the pedal's greatest feature. Sooner or later I guess I'll get a Darkglass Vintage Microtubes.

I've always been a bit scared (for no good reason because every time we meet he's completely charming) but one of these days I will pluck up the courage and have lessons with Zoltan.

I like Carol Kaye's books a lot. The presentation is not as slick as you expect these days and there are some notational errors, IMHO. However, the content is gold and repays working, [i]especially[/i] as study books to use with a teacher who can show you what you should be trying to get out of them. Carol Kaye posts out the books herself direct from her office in the USA, so the postal charges are high but you get her signature for free A friend of mine had an online lesson with Carol Kaye and it was great. Her learnt lots in the lesson and is still working on the recording of the lesson 6 months after the event. He's a pro bass player, by the way. I am sorry some of you had disappointing experiences with the DVD, which I have never seen. I'd agree that the books have flaws but I still think she's a great teacher.

I will, as feared, be on my way to Stansted that day. Have a great time.

I am interested but early October is a busy time of year for me in my day job. I might have to be travelling out on that Sunday. I will see how things work out nearer the time.

I agree. I am horrified when I see that people are advertising their basses and amps as "ungigged". What on earth did they get it for then? Did they steal it from a shop window?

Hi Dave. I can't believe we have not run into each other yet, given how small York is. I don't always get paid for gigs but it would be good if you could dep for paying ones that I cannot make. Having said that, most of my gigs are on upright.

When you have done all that, go and see what Victor Wooten says about note choice. It's only one tenth of playing music

I agree with Bilbo about underlining the difference, in On Green Dolphin Street, between the section with little harmonic movement and the section with lots of harmonic movement. Nostalgia in Times Square works a bit like that too. I am curious to know what you mean by your approach not working. What do you want to hear from your line that you are not getting? The better you can answer that question, the closer you are to the answer. If I were to start playing On Green Dolphin Street right now, I would use mostly, if not exclusively, chord tones whilst we are playing the tune. If playing in 4, I won't always change note every beat, so that my notes might change "in 2" even though I am playing crotchets. Keep it simple and outline the harmony. If it's a jam, you can't be sure how well everybody knows the tune so this is the time to be super clear. Roots and fifths are the framework and the rest fits in around those key notes. As the solos get going, I would expect to introduce other notes from the scales in a linear way, then adding some more chromaticism if it feels good under the particular soloist. Don't feel pressured to get too fancy. Nobody will thank you for it. At some point I will definitely pedal Eb for the first 7 bars (maybe popping up the octave now and again), probably under a "vigorous" solo. That's just a great line to play and it is gifted to you in the writing. Apart from that, just play and see what happens. There is a descending line through the first 7 bars G, G, Gb, Gb, F, E, Eb and I would probably highlight that at some point. You could alternate between Eb and those notes in 4 (of course, there is no alternation in bar 7 as you just play Eb four times) and have a great line, resolving to an E on the first beat of the C7 in bar 8. One more point, try to never go to 100%. You never know when the soloist is going to hit yet another gear and you might need something in reserve

Christian Topman does rockabilly gigs and knows slap inside out

I can partly answer my own question. I accidentally reduced the speed of attack and most of the strange noises went away. I have no idea why, so if anybody can tell me what is going on, or just where to find out more, that would be great.

I have been trying to get some approximation of Herbie Hancock's synth sound on Chameleon. Much as I would love to go shopping for goodies, Christmas must be paid for first. I have a Line6 LowDown 110 and have never used the synth for more than just playing around. I got the manual out, set everything to around 9 o'clock and was hoping to get away with that. However I get unpleasant and unintentional artefacts. Are other synths easier to use? Is there anything I can do? Do I just have to play super cleanly all the time? Thanks, Nick

I wasn't taught by the author and I don't know him but the book is absolutely excellent. I have to say, I don't use the CDs that much and I think you will get more out of recording and really listening to yourself than playing along to the CDs. I have played along to the CDs and somehow it is a bit too easy to fool yourself that things are okay when the backing track is chugging along. So if you are missing the CDs, I wouldn't worry about it unless you are trying to sell it

Thanks for adding me to the list Daf. I am beginning to really understand what you mean by "a bit of a wait" That's fine though, I am not in a massive rush. I am looking to get new strings at the start of next year.

I hope this won't seem disheartening but it strikes me that you probably just don't know the tunes well enough. Both have important modulations when they are not really in their "home" key centre. On the plus side, all you need to do is get to know them better and there you go! So for Autumn Leaves, one exercise would be to make sure you play F# over the D7 chords, whatever else you are doing the rest of the time. Best of all would be a few lessons but I don't know who you should go to in Birmingham.

I was not interested in this thread before but I have just started playing arco. If you still need a guinea pig then let me know.

On a point of principle, I think you can only name and shame somebody after you have given them some time to rectify the situation AND TOLD THEM that you are going to post on a particular forum, so that they have a meaningful right to reply. After that, go ahead. Only by exchanging this information can we work out what's going on.