ambient

The basses with the lowest actions that I've played, have generally had quite flat fretboards, and small frets.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1479293280' post='3175342'] As long as you're happy with what your hard work has brought you, I don't see the problem. If others have a 'short-cut', or degraded version, they presumably won't have your acquired skills. How does that debase your own work..? I doubt that any decent job you'd be after would be 'snatched' by one of these fly-by-night pieces of paper (or, if it was, it wasn't a decent job needing your skills...). Let the children play; trace your own route and ignore the others. It doesn't sound as if you regret having put in all of that work, so you're the 'winner', no..? [/quote] Ha, I know exactly what you're saying. It was just a bit of a rant that had kind of been brewing for much of yesterday. I'd spoken to the guy on Monday afternoon, and we'd been chatting about things. I mentioned that I was going to be at uni in London yesterday. That's when he told me he'd got a degree too, and how he'd got it in 2 years etc, etc.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1479287981' post='3175282'] But just how important is a degree in music when it comes to getting a job playing your instrument? I work in a different creative industry (graphic design) and on the whole the importance of having a degree when it comes to getting a job in any of the design studios where I have worked has been minimal. In fact I can't think of a single graduate that any place I was at, that was taken on based on the fact that that they had a degree. Those that that did had all been at the company before on work experience in some capacity and the skills they demonstrated during their work experience time was deemed to be far more relevant than any qualifications they might be aiming for. Several of the best graphic designers I have worked with came straight from school on work experience and never left. [/quote] I know what you mean. It mostly depends on what work you want to do. If you want to include teaching in your portfolio of skills, then you invariably need a degree. I've been asked for sight of mine just to register with private tutor agencies. Teaching through your local authority music service will certainly require a degree. I definitely came out of mine a far better player than I went in, partly down to the massive amount of practice that I was required to do. There's also the academic side of it as well. You gain a lot from that too, I found anyway.

A bit of a ranty post. I'd never heard of this until yesterday. A guitarist that I'm doing some gigs with in December recently graduated with a degree in guitar playing after doing an on-line, two year course. I think he has a BA. I did a three year course, attending lectures 3 days a week, for up to 8 hours a day. On the days that I wasn't in for lectures, I'd probably spend maybe 10 or 12 hours practicing, and then do other assignments, dissertations, essays etc on top of that. I don't see how you can do a degree in 2 years, especially when you don't attend lectures. We had live performance assessments every week, you'd get none of that ? He doesn't even read music. I had to audition for my place, and being able to read extremely well was part of the requirement of passing the audition. To me this sort of thing is devaluing musical education, and further education in general.

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1479202388' post='3174645'] Channel 4 Sunday at 11pm. Following them on their South American tour. Will we see them throw a mini bar out the hotel room window? [/quote] Would they be able to hold on to their Zimmer frame at the same time ?

Why are you so loud on stage that you need to wear ear plugs ?

It seems to me, that much of the dislike for solo bass, is aimed at the instrument itself. That's what I don't understand. Many other instruments are in the same range, or lower than bass guitar, yet people are fine with those instruments playing solo. Why is that, because I don't understand.

Maybe play along to recordings of the songs ? Bass doesn't have to be unmelodic, lots of rock bassists play very melodically.

Reverb and delay.

Try the Ibanez Gary Willis bass. Really nice and not a lot of money. De-frets can be refretted, but it'll obviously cost you.

You'd be for ever cleaning it. Looks horrible.

Just play it a bit, and adapt. I had a Zon 6 that was 16.5, at the same time as a Yamaha TRB6 that was 19mm, it didn't take much adjustment to switch between the two. Seems a shame to spend money and maybe spoil the bass.

As above, I've worn fingerless gloves when I've played outdoors in the winter. Maybe take a thermos flask or cup with you too ? Plenty of hot black coffee keep you warmed up .

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1479028957' post='3173337'] Yes, 'Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story'. I picked mine up in NY quite a while back, but it looks like you can get it in the UK. [url="http://intl.target.com/p/dave-grusin-presents-west-side-story/-/A-11526826"]http://intl.target.c...ry/-/A-11526826[/url] Studio sessions and Interviews. All good stuff. Certainly one of my favourite (big band) albums. Everything is all on a ridiculously high level, playing, arranging, solos, singing and production. [media]http://youtu.be/51dLfy8Gevs[/media] [media]http://youtu.be/sPA3v2OyOis[/media] Sorry for the Hijack. On the other hand, it is John Patitucci playing on and outstanding album. [/quote] I hadn't seen that before, brilliant thanks 😊.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1479033269' post='3173380'] Get a 5 string bass. Playing across the fretboard is easier than playing up and down when you're reading. [/quote] All great advice, this especially so.

I'm a massive fan of Patitucci's playing, particularly his 6 string electric bass. Here's a great video of his double bass playing in a workshop. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvv468cKM4o"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvv468cKM4o[/url]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1478984862' post='3173192'] Yes, that's what Icarus was told, too. [/quote] He just got a little carried away. Maybe he should have tried at night ?

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1478983594' post='3173185'] Don't get old and creaky and regret not even trying it. Attempt that steep learning curve and give it a whirl. [/quote] This, most definitely. Betterer to have tried and failed, than not have tried at all.

I spent a summer working on a cruise ship about 6 years ago. In my experience I had to be an excellent sight reader. The singer just called out page numbers from two books of songs, you just turned to that song and played it. It was all standard notation, no chords. There was never any rehearsal, simply because there was nowhere on the ship to rehearse. There was a real mix of genres, one night was cocktail night, so that was jazz, the only exception to reading standard notation, that was just following lead sheets. I did an honours degree in music, graduating last summer. We were encouraged to adopt a portfolio approach to working. So as well as playing, I teach a lot, (I have a Rock school teaching qualification that I did as part of my final year). A friend of mine who's an amazing player, also writes in Bass guitar magazine. I write music and earn a little from that. I did some for an advert earlier this week. Being able to fluently and accurately play a whole mix of styles is important, i.e. being able to a jazz gig one night, improvising off lead sheets, then the following playing standard function tunes, some of the dep gigs that I've done again require turning up and sight-reading charts. I'm doing panto in January for a couple of weeks, again sight-reading.

[quote name='Rocker' timestamp='1478898162' post='3172639'] Just because you 'can' does not mean you 'should'. That video of [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx1RccwlF5g"]Michael Manring "Adhan"[/url] is a perfect example. Makes little or no sense musically while impressing the impressionable with outstanding technical ability. Some instruments work best when played solo: piano, uileann pipes, bagpipes, church organ - all these are powerful instruments that don't need support. [/quote] In your opinion. Like I said, it's personal taste. What makes little sense musically to you, makes a lot to others, thankfully. Otherwise it'd be a pretty boring old world 😊.

I bet he got replies asking if he was gonna do any classic rock. That's all I've ever got whenever I've advertised on there before.

There's a live album out from her shows the other year .

The thing is I guess, most of the really great artists are really getting on. Consequently I think unfortunately we need to expect more of these very sad losses.