thepurpleblob

[quote name='Clive Thorne' post='210329' date='May 31 2008, 10:55 PM']Like most guitarists, our likes it loud, even when practising in our dining room. Everything else then gets loder to compansate, so our practises get pretty loud. Thing is that at times when it the volume peaks, or it may be particular notes, I feel myself going dizzly for a couple of seconds, like I've stood up to quickly. Obviously ear plugs is an answer that I'll be looking into, but in the meantime I'm curious if anyone else suffers this. For information I have a grommet in one ear (not the plastacine dog), which might not help the situation. Clive[/quote] It's not just stress is it? All that adrenalin pumping can make you very light headed.

Stupid question time.... What do you actually play while your metronome/drum machine is ticking away? Maybe it's because I'm one of those cover band types, but I always play along to some bit of music I'm learning. I honestly can't think what I'd do with a drum machine.

[quote name='budget bassist' post='368177' date='Jan 2 2009, 12:41 AM']I just stumbled accross a photo of me actually smiling.... and i have to say, it's rather scary! (i'm the one on the right )[/quote] Are you sure you're old enough to be in a pub, young man??

[quote name='bremen' post='367600' date='Jan 1 2009, 11:31 AM']The Barking Spiders is a [b]brilliant[/b] name for a band.[/quote] Straight out of Viz..... of course

[quote name='mrcrow' post='359771' date='Dec 20 2008, 06:34 PM']mrcrow here manchester area i am 66 and dont look a day over 80... thats my SR5 going for sale soon or swap a SR4...cant get on with the big B string anymore but i love the sound and build... nice to be aboard and merry christmas [/quote] OMG... it's Stuart Grainger. If that hadn't have been white we'd have been talking a deal there.

[quote name='Deep Thought' post='367557' date='Jan 1 2009, 09:29 AM']Yes, born in Notting Hill, but to French parents. Could be argued either way I suppose-I think he would probably consider himself to be British. Was known simply as John until one of the Stranglers' managers saw the 'Jean-Jacques' on his passport, thought it more 'interesting' and persuaded him to start using it. Narrowly avoided the French national service in the 70's, so obviously eligible for it. Dunno.[/quote] Ahhh... you're probably right. Ask my wife... I'm wrong about everything

[quote name='bremen' post='367363' date='Dec 31 2008, 07:11 PM']Great player: yup. British: [i]non[/i][/quote] Wikipedia: [i]Jean-Jacques Burnel (born 21 February 1952 in London) [/i] British? Au contraire!!

[quote name='scarified' post='365897' date='Dec 29 2008, 11:49 PM']Some of you will get into this topic, others of you will hate it. However, we should all agree that for some inexplicable reason there seems to be a huge number of kickass bassists who are British. Who's at the top of your list ? I can easily rattle off 10 ...[/quote] I'm going to be the miserable git and say "Noooo... not again". There aren't ten best bassists in Britain - it's just a stupid question and it actually diminishes the skills of all bass players. Put it this way, I think I can play anything Roger Waters played so that must make him a crap player (like me). On the other hand I can't touch Pino with a sh*tty stick so he's in with a shout. On the other hand I know loads of bass players, who 99% of you will never have heard of, who can - so where are they in the list? You need to come up with a Government sponsored scoring system for bass playing skill that everybody can be measured against. Then we'll know what we have to do

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='365931' date='Dec 30 2008, 01:15 AM']I've never seen Wooten solo (except on t'internet) but I have seen him with the Flecktones and he was quite frankly a groove monster. I was expecting all out double thumbing carnage but he supported the band wonderfully. I wouldn't judge him solely on the umpteen million performances of Classical Thump on youtube.[/quote] I must admit I went to see the Flecktones and left halfway through. One of the most boring bands I have ever seen - and I've seen a lot. To be fair though, I went to see Wooten. That hillbilly stuff (or whatever it is) is not my sort of thing so I probably went for all the wrong reasons.

[quote name='Oscar South' post='365008' date='Dec 28 2008, 06:03 PM']... what I do is very basic and most people could do it with a week or so of working on it, one day when I've got more free time and less 'regular bass playing' commitments I'm going to try and take it further.[/quote] I think you probably underestimate yourself... I've been playing bass on the level of one of your "Fender Players", albeit a MusicMan and a G&L, for many years and I can safely say that it would take me a lot longer than a week or so to get to any kind of point of playing solo. I haven't the slightest idea how you tap, play harmonics etc. and, much more relevant, I wouldn't know what to actually play - or where to start to learn. You've probably spent a lot of time listening and thinking about it, so don't dismiss your skills so lightly. Do what you do and enjoy it (and the praise)

[quote name='TKenrick' post='361823' date='Dec 23 2008, 11:37 AM']I've had a bunch of problems from playing bass, I found the Dr. Kertz book (mentioned earlier) really useful. I also found doctors absolutely useless, but have you tried [url="http://www.bapam.org.uk"]BAPAM[/url]? I went to one of their physios to treat my shoulder tendonitis and for once I was treated by someone who actually understood the problem and how to treat it while still allowing me to keep playing. If you're still against seeking any kind of treatment then I'd give the same advice as everyone else here: switch to lighter gauge strings, lower your action, consider looking for a short scale bass, and try to keep as relaxed as possible when playing. Also don't play for too long in one go, I practice in 15 minute slots with a 5 minute break between which helps to keep any problems at bay. Good luck![/quote] I had a bad spell of the old rotator cuff problem in my right shoulder. I saw both my doctor and a private physio. I have to say that both where very sympathetic to the "I have to keep playing" scenario although I did reduce my playing to the bare minimum for a couple of months. Both had a very good go at fixing what is obviously a tricky situation to sort out. It took a couple of cortisone shots to shift it in the end (by my evil doctor ) and - touch wood - it's been fine since. I am careful now and play with a fashionably long strap to minimise the shoulder strain.

An RCD won't save you from everything. I think a good investment is one of those socket testers that confirms a socket is correctly wired - you can try it at various points down your wiring chain. If you're really paranoid you can/should get everything PAT tested - there are some engineers who specialise in musician equipment.

Just to add that you sometimes see just (something like) Esus. It's a mistake really but it seems to usually mean sus4. I can't remember seeing a sus2 in rock music but I'm bound to get corrected in buckets

I use my Fender Precision Fretless and my G&L Tribby (or my Stingray) for most gigs. Set the amp flat and plug 'em in - adjust volume to taste The Ashdown rig I use always sounds boomy and dreadfull to me stood right in front of it but I get complements from the audience all the time (for the sound, not my playing) - so that's how I leave it.

My timing is pretty good - I think. My fingering accuracy is terrible though. I should really put the time into fixing it. I'm not the most bendy person in the world and this extends to my fretting fingers. I'm just not that good hitting the right spot with the finger I want to and missing the strings with the fingers I don't. It's a bit frustrating to be honest.

Amidst all the ranting and raving, what nobody seems to have picked up on is that you have only been playing for 5 minutes. The bass is a surprisingly physical instrument to play. You have the physical disadvantage of being female too - smaller hands more than likely. It takes time to build up the necessary stretch and strength in your fingers. Even after quite a number of years of playing almost every day, I still can't maintain full stretch down the thin end for a great amount of time. A lot of "beginner" excercises are actually quite hard on your hands - finger per fret scale work for example. So go easy on yourself. Expect it to take some time, limit your playing and/or play where the frets get closer together!

The Alexander technique?? This is for real, yes? [i]His major discovery at this time was that he did not need to depend on words to instruct his students but could give them information directly through the kinesthetic sense. By using his hands he found that he could prevent a maladaptive set from developing and could give his pupil the direct conscious experience of carrying out an habitual action in a non-habitual, easier, and more efficient way. This is a way that usually seems better to the pupil so that, in Skinnerian terms, he is reinforced for changing his old habit pattern.[/i] As they say here in Glasgow, that'll be right son

[quote name='AM1' post='360535' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:19 PM']Been there, done that, in SPADES. Not doing it again. Your age and your experience is irrelevant. My experience is relevant to ME. I didn't. Those mistakes nearly cost me my life, several times. It is not a "phobia" - it is an inherent mistrust issue with extremely valid underpinning reasons.[/quote] I don't know you and have no idea what happened to you but I hope you can work something out. There's clearly no point arguing the point(s) with you. Good luck.

[quote name='AM1' post='360522' date='Dec 21 2008, 10:05 PM']It is not just one and my opinion is not based purely on one personal experience with one doctor. There are multitudes of negligent doctors, as evidenced by any medical legal journal. Regarding personal experience, again, my opinion is not based on events with just one doctor and it's not just my experience, it is also that of friends and family, including one of my best friends, whom's cancer diagnostics and treatment has been repeatedly and grossly mismanaged since day one. Anyway, the purpose of the thread wasn't to instigate a debate on medical matters. Telling me to go to a doctor is all well and good but if it involves some sort of treatment on my hand, then it's pretty much out of the question. I would rather switch around and play the fretboard with my other hand, if the worst comes to the worst. Has anyone tried switching around, that is really what I am interested in, not repeatedly being told I should go to a doctor, when I have made it clear I inherently mistrust them. Regards AM[/quote] I'm sorry but you're nuts... and I mean that in a purely constructive way. Right now it's just a painfull wrist but what's going to happen if something really bad happens to you that requires urgent medical intervention? If the thread was "I have a phobia about doctors, how do I fix it myself?" then you should have said that. Look, I'm being blunt but you should listen to what you are saying - it is worrying. I have more than enough life experience (being old) to have brushed up against a lot of medical professionals in lots of different places to have a view and it is complete contrary to your own. sh*t happens, doctors are people and make mistakes but you can't let your experiences screw up your life. Please, go and get some help for your phobia and THEN your wrist!

I was once a shop manager in a specialist shop (car audio). I must admit that I've told one or two punters to "get the f**k out my shop" but on the whole being nice is kind-of important. Even when you're explaining that a 250W speaker isn't louder than a 100W one for the 50th time that day you have to keep smiling Thank God I don't do that anymore though - if you think sales staff are bad you should see what the Public are like PS. Everybody's great (so far) in the stores in Glasgow. I can't say I've had a bad experience anywhere... although one well known one in the town centre is a bit sub-standard generally

Stop playing immediately. Go and see a doctor. Thinking all of them are bad just because you had a poor experience with one is stupid - listen to yourself. However, a physiotherapist might be just as good if you don't mind paying.