urb

[quote name='alexclaber' post='1045293' date='Dec 2 2010, 04:22 PM']Great fun! My apologies for spending most of the day hiding in the jam room, much of it playing the drums badly - I'm clearly suffering a lack of jamming since my band went on hiatus. Next time I shall endeavour to be more keen to talk about basses, speakers and all that, instead of just wanting to hit loud things![/quote] Hey Alex - really enjoyed the sound of your cabs with the GB 6.0 - great pairing. I can't believe this was just a week ago the snow seems to have sent the country into a timewarp. Nick - got any more pics off your phone yet? Do upload them when you can, it really was a super cool day. Cheers Mike

[quote name='risingson' post='1047007' date='Dec 4 2010, 01:03 AM']Sorry Mike, none of those clips are my thing at all, but each to their own. If I'm going to listen to slap bass I'd prefer to hear this. Sick tone that doesn't sound like every other player with an active preamp in their bass, memorable playing, tight and very musical. On the whole the kind of slap I like to see. Maybe I just don't buy into the showboating slap technique as much as some.[/quote] Well forgive me I could apply your second paragraph to both Marcus and Kai's playing, I agree the first clip of Kai I posted is a little obvious but FYI he played a passive 65 P bass until very recently a grooves like a mutha bitch on it - but again it's each to their own - I hardly ever slap in my band but I do it on occasion when I get a solo just to get heard! And while I love that Freddie Washington tune and his playing is wonderful - you're earlier point about slap dating songs is particularly true of this track - from 1982. I just don't think it's worth having so many "the bass can do this - but it can't do this" views - I'm not a fan of tapping really but if it's done well and it's musical then surely it's just another way of producing notes on the instrument - not some political statement? I think I agree wholeheartedly with your original point though about doing some rudimentary slap stuff just because it sounds a bit flash - when it reality it's as old as the hills and has no music in it... that I agree with 100%.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1046796' date='Dec 3 2010, 08:45 PM']I love slap bass. I was introduced to it with Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, Louis Johnson, etc. in the 70s. It's a style that sets the bass guitar apart from other instruments. However, I also hate the machine gun, slap-in-E-playing. Believe me, I've heard plenty of this in my time. Melodic slap bass, though, is awesome. Marcus is the king with tracks such as 'Run For Cover'. Listen to Pops Popwell's playing on the Crusaders album 'Those Southern Knights' and Louis Johnson on the early Brothers Johnson albums and Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall'. His slap break on 'Stomp' is a still an unbeatable classic, and makes the song. The slap playing on Bernard Wright's classic 'Nard' debut album is all melodic. Victor Wooten is often accused of overdoing it, but 'You Can't Hold No Groove' and 'Me And My Bass Guitar' are amazing. Flea's bassline on 'Aeroplane' is a classic melodic part. Don't judge the overall style by the YouTube bedroom show offs. [/quote] I agree - I love really well played slap that is both groovy and melodic - w***ing away in E is easy compared with stuff like this: It's just another technique that can be used and abused just like any other - Kai Eckhardt is also another master of melodic slap/groove stuff that sounds great and totally groovy as well: This is particularly beautiful Hope you enjoy... no need for more ranting! Cheers Mike

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1045881' date='Dec 3 2010, 01:08 AM']IMO part of being a bassist is being versatile to suite the needs of the band and IMO (and I know other will agree) this particular bass sound doesn't sit well with the rest of the mix. it's not about cutting in on someone elses sound, you should be all able to sit well in a "mix" where as right now it feels go me you guys are separating. Your EQ choice would be good in a reggae format but for from what I'm getting from the vids it's not so hot for driving rock. Cliff Williams, I would say there isn't a lot of treble in his overall sound but he has enough mids to cut in and be heard while still anchoring the guitar.[/quote] Of course I agree - but there's a lot of difference between a rich, well defined tone that emphasizes the low end and keeps out of the high and upper mids but I would add that as a bassist you don't have to have one sound that you use all night - you should be allowed and able to adjust this for each tune you play - but yes being mindful of what sounds best for any given style is very important too.

Hi Craig, well I agree with you actually - but believe me when it comes to do multiple takes trying to get things totally note perfect there are only so many you can do! I hope you agree that I did get into the groove shortly after the start but to be completely honest I had limited time to make this vid so I hold my hands up and admit it's not perfect, this technique happens to be a bit tricky! I hope you understand, M

[quote name='mcgraham' post='1044661' date='Dec 2 2010, 09:03 AM']I will definitely watch this when I get home. I love your videos, particularly those that highlight these sorts of thing - thanks for taking the time to make these.[/quote] Cool man, I hope you find it useful, let me know cheers Mike

I would agree that boosting and controlling the mids is absolutely the way to get heard in your band... BUT - there's a bigger point here that as a bassist you should be able to find and achieve your sound, and while you should take on board what your bandmates want, and accomodate them too, defferring all power to your guitarists is a bit of a crap way to go about making music IMO. Personally I like to make sure I am fulfilling my duty to lay down the bottom end, but with a little treble snap for definition, with the mids cut and both pups on, but when I want to cut through I increase the mids - and if I'm in solo mode I'll switch to the bridge pup only or mainly, to really have that singing tone. I was saying the other day at the bash I was in certain bands for years and was playing mainly rock stuff and just ended up feeling frustrated as I always had to lock in the guitars and had little room to have my own sound or develop my playing. After that band stopped and and I started playing the music I'm really into - funk/jazz/world music - I could not only hear myself better, I could actually develop as a player. M

I'm a big fan of Logic for writing and arranging stuff but I've seen a full Pro Tools rig in action a few times and for tracking a band I think it's hard to beat - it's so fast for editing stuff it's awesome - the latest Logic does a lot of that and has an amazing amount of cool things like all the plugins it comes with and it's great for editing MIDI. I also rate Garageband as possibly the best 'free' DAW... and I have seen Cubase rocking too, it just drove me nuts! And I'm still getting my head around the vast number of possibilities with Ableton and the fact I keep getting latency when I use it... even though I've worked through ways of getting rid of it - any tips gratefully received. I just discovered this bit of 'slow down' / transcriptiomn software that works with iTunes: [url="http://supermegaultragroovy.com/products/Capo/"]http://supermegaultragroovy.com/products/Capo/[/url] It's meant to be the best one out there - I've used the Amazing Slow Downer and it's OK but I didn't the way the audio gets glitchy when it's going really slow.. M

Hey guys and gals I've just made a new video covering some of the ways I adapt the four finger picking technique to use it in solos - I hope this helps those of you who've been using this technique: Cheers Mike

Brilliant sounding project and lovely atmospheric snaps as well Jake - funnily enough I recorded there quite a few moons ago with a somewhat ill fated project - well it fizzled out rather than was 'fated' - but we definitely did a session there in the late 1990s - the main room is stunning from what I can remember of it. Do share any finished results you have as and when they are broadcast ready. M

You're both very kind - this was me on a good day Cheers M

[quote name='silddx' post='1040362' date='Nov 28 2010, 07:59 PM']That's fantastic! Great stuff, Colin [/quote] +100 That really is incredibly gratifying that 100% of the dosh going charity, it doesn't get better than indulging your bass nerd needs and raising money for three good causes... awesome work people! Well done all M

Hey - we want more pics!

Er it just takes practice and time to develop - like any physical technique, like running a marathon, you need to build up to doing anything like this a lot over a long period of time - likewise going hell for leather with finger style if you're beginner could cause blisters too. The point here is you might have been doing it too hard, it's a technique that needs your bass to be set up correctly, preferably with a low action, to do it safely and with minimum effort - it's about economy of motion - which means playing lightly. It's not pointless either - go and listen to some Larry Graham, he was doing it before Wooten, and he makes it groove like nobodies business, it's not all about fast solos - it works just great as a groove technique and sounds funky as hell if you do it right. Go look up Louis Vega as well - a monster groove player who uses it effortlessly and with great taste.

Another little something from 2005 in Koh Samui, Thailand with my lovely old funk band Jasco (sadly no longer going) Me with my old Thumb bass in full finger funk attack M

Just landed on the sofa - phew it's getting cold out there! It was a great day - my fave bash to date - thanks to Nick and Hamster for getting it all together and finding such a great venue - the fact everything was so spaced out meant those who wanted to crank the volume could and enjoy themselves without crucifying everyone's hearing, and the jam room and theatre were great as well. Thanks to all who came to my little talk thing - I didn't really know what I was going to say, so I'm glad that what we did cover seemed to hit the note as it were - please PM me any follow up questions - but it was lovely to meet you all and I enjoyed the other talks as well. Right I'm going to chill now and congrats again on another sterling effort from all concerned Thanks guys Cheers Mike

Hey Si Really enjoyable stuff - well played and sung by all concerned - and that is one sweet sounding J bass dude, can't fault the music - I mean there are shed loads of covers bands out there but you guys sound like you're actually making music...! Not just going through the motions and playing the dots - that's quite an achievement really. Keep it up Cheers Mike

I have three in my office but they were attached by my sister's boyfriend who's a professional chippy - so there's a solid metal bolt that he added on each one and some very strong glue too - so they, and my basses, aren't going anywhere - but there's no way I could have done such a good job... if in doubt get someone who knows what they are doing to attach them - better that than having your beloved bass crash down from four or five feet above the floor!

I'll just add Tim Commerford from Rage Against The Machine has one of his Fenders tuned B - D seems like a good option for really digging into the low end without buying or having to adjust to playing a 5 string

It is what it is - just improvised this yesterday - kind of went for it and this is what came out Cheers Mike

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='1035236' date='Nov 24 2010, 04:17 PM']Thanks Mike; i'm sure we can borrow an amp... ow about we go for 12pm or 2pm for you?[/quote] 12noon is good for me - I'll let you know if I'm running late - can you PM me your mobile please dude? I'll try and get there for 10.30 if poss - it's an hour by train from London Victoria so I'll get there sharpish M

[quote name='silddx' post='1034849' date='Nov 24 2010, 10:49 AM'] Thank you guys. Sombody's pinned it. Is it an honour to have a thread pinned? [/quote] I did that - this is like the BC 'sounds from the vaults' thread - some of us have been a little longer than others and it's a great way to show off what we've all been up to over the years and how a commitment to playing an instrument can bring years of satisfaction - you're never to old to rock and roll right people? Cheers Mike PS I'll dig out some more old crap at some point too!

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='1035086' date='Nov 24 2010, 01:59 PM']Hi Mike What time can you be there to do that btw? Cheers Nik[/quote] I'll get there as early as I can but I can't see it being before 11am - so any time between then and 3pm would be cool - I guess I'll just wing it - have my bass handy and if I can borrow an amp that would be cool - please don't expect to be impressed!!! Cheers Mike

Hey all - Nick in particular - I know it's not the same but I can bring my loop pedal which comes with some fairly OK drum patterns programmed in - and or a laptop that can provide beats etc - then at least some folks can have a jam - might be organised chaos mind Re the Q&A I'd be happy to take part in something - I know a fair bit about music theory etc (I'm not such a god-like-genius as Jake but hey I play a bit of jazz!) and I could talk about writing - though I'll state unequivocally that I'm not a spokesman for BGM - but obviously it could be interesting to have a chat about the music media etc - dunno if that sounds like a goer? Cheers Mike

Hey I'm still planning to come along - probably going to bring my Sei single cut as opposed to my Sei Jazz Hope that sounds cool Cheers Mike