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[quote name='silddx' post='1033886' date='Nov 23 2010, 01:57 PM']f***in hell, that first piece is pretty immense Mike [/quote] Cheers fella - [quote name='silddx' post='1033886' date='Nov 23 2010, 01:57 PM']Liking the Janek stuff on the second track [/quote] and yes the second one is 'well jazzy innit' NOT!

OK - raided the harddrive on my old PC and there a coupe of things I'd like to share - I do have some old band stuff but I'd rather share these, also you can hear all my new stuff on my signature (got to the Bandcamp page for the best quality) Anyhow the first one is a classical/Tango piece by Astor Piazzola arranged and played brilliantly by a guitarist friend of mine called [url="http://jameswatson.eu/"]James Watson[/url] - we recorded this in 1995 or something like that - pre-digital and all that, hence it's a bit hissy... I'm doubling his lines and playing chords under the solo, on my trusty old Warwick Thumb original: [attachment=64747:Tango_Suite.mp3] The second tune is one of my first solo bass recordings I did when I move to London 7 years ago, this is the modal jazz classic Little Sunflower, I'd just got my fretless custom 5-string and loved the Christian McBride version of the tune so decided to do my version of it: [attachment=64748:Little_Sunflower.mp3] Hope you enjoyed these - thankfully I'm a better bassist and better at recording/producing my own stuff now... it's all good though Cheers Mike

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' post='1031388' date='Nov 21 2010, 01:47 PM']I just get a mental image of a rain splattered window, with gloomy clouds outside, and you chilling out on a sofa and sticking up a very relaxed two fingers to the weather as you lay down a few tracks. I have to say that hearing that has cheered me up. [/quote] Nice one man - it's funny I just took a bass lesson last week and this solo is the result of just getting a few new ideas going in my playing - lots more work to do but I'm pleased with the melodic ideas and some of the phrasing that came out here - glad it put you in a good mood. Also it's a good idea to record yourself practicing as a). you never know when you might actually play something really good and . it's great to listen back to yourself and hear what's working and what isn't - helps you focus etc. Thanks for listening M

Ooh yes, I'm going to have to root around in my Harddrive for something properly old - but great idea for a thread - and Nige - lovely noodling on that geetar track - but where's your new one? Would definitely like to hear that... Keep them coming folks - time for a little show and tell! Cheers Mike

[quote name='purpleblob' post='1030750' date='Nov 20 2010, 07:26 PM']Whoops, accidentally deleted my reply to this. Anyway, I thought (as always) fantastic playing and I loved the vibe.[/quote] Thanks man - just thought I'd share this little Saturday afternoon jam - recorded sitting on the sofa via my Macbook into Logic Cheers for checking it out There's a Soundcloud stream here as well [url="http://soundcloud.com/munkio/soul-out"]http://soundcloud.com/munkio/soul-out[/url] Mike

Hey all Just made this little tune - trying out some improvisation ideas - hope you like the mood Cheers Mike [attachment=64480:Soul_Out.mp3]

I've loved VW's playing for around 20 years now and I still love listening to him - there are guys that know more than him on a theorehtical level and there are people like Hadrien Feraud for example who can go even MORE technical than him - but fundamentally Vic's secret is to always challenge himself, push himself to improvise in the moment and do it all with imense feeling and groove. Yes he can get too technical sometimes, but the way he mixes up his techniques in surprising, entertaining and musical ways is always inspiring but for me it's his groove and total command of the humble 4 string bass that keeps me coming back to him time and again, probably more so than any other bassist I've listened to over the years.

All god points and I think Bubinga 5 nailed it - but just to give a little perspective from two different angles while I can be bothered: I went to see the saxophonist Charles Lloyd on Wednesday this week, he's one of the all time greats and still plying up a storm at 72 years old, the band were incredible and while they were playing very advanced jazz none of the power of the music would have been felt, or present, without a hell of a lot of emotion that was going into it - in other words, or in terms of this thread - 'groove' or 'feel'. Jazz is played in general with one part of your brain on the pure creative free flowing side and the other has to (albeit subconciously) direct where your fingers are physically going - the two are inseperable at the highest level - there is no either or - they just 'are'. Having one more than the other can unbalance your playing - but having original ideas over pure knowledge is in my opinion as valid, and in fact, dare I say it, better. But not being able to convey these ideas clearly will stifle that original thought - hence the old maxim '1% inspiration and 99% perspiration' is the absolute truth of trying to do ANYTHING well. I had a bass lesson today - it was fantastic - but instead of talking about musical rules we talked about concepts, ideas that require technical ability to execute them but are NOT the purpose of using them - i.e. they are not about playing fast or flash - they are just ideas. It's fine to have ideas and it's important to tell a story through your music - how you do that is up to you and there are literally no rules - as long as it feels good and sounds good what goes on behind the scenes to get that stuff out, is your business, so take care of it in the way that suits you and your approach.

Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 would rock with 2 Berg 12s - looooooads of headroom there That's all I can say M

I've had a few nice words said to me over the years after gigs but my two faves are after playing probably the best slap solo I've ever done at a particularly packed jam session in Brixton, I got a huge cheer from the audience and the trumpet player leaned over and said in my ear "that was some of the best bass playing I've heard in years", the other was when I first played at the same session about a year earlier for the first time with top uk pianist Robert Mitchell. I took my solo and not only hated my sound but felt like I barely held it together, and had no idea what I actually played, but it sounded OK, afterwards Robert just looked at me and said "outstanding", to my total amazement. Anyway props to the OP, it's great to get noticed and even better to be appreciated Cheers Mike

It was the classic 'let's start a band' thing at school - I played piano when I was 7, which meant I got lumped into playing percussion in the school orchestra ('cos i could read music) and that got me interested in drums which I started playing when I was 11 - then my two pals got a guitar then drums so that left me the bass. My first bass was a Kay which I got with an amp for £75 for my 12th birthday... that was 25 years ago, gulp!

YES!!!! But not everything - I 'acquired' the entire Incognito back catalogue about a year ago and some of the early stuff is killing - I like the recent album as well... but my fave jazz-meets-funk group of the last few years are the mighty Garaj Mahal - featuring bassist Kai Eckhardt - he's an absolute groove monster and is possibly my fave slap bassist as he always plays deep, grooving lines and NEVER resorts to flash w*** - anyway if you've never heard their stuff there are some full length MP3s you can check out here - their recent album WOOT is well worth getting as well: [url="http://garajmahaljams.com/music.html"]http://garajmahaljams.com/music.html[/url] M

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1018572' date='Nov 10 2010, 11:12 AM']Just rediscovered a CD called [b]Unison[/b] by French double bass player [b]Jean Francois Jenny Clark [/b]- what a player and what a tone! Some pretty demanding free jazz but his playing is so strong it is impossible not to get involved! I will be looking for more recordings with him on. Also downloaded a great cd by [b]Chris Cheek [/b]called [b]A Girl Named Joe [/b]- it features Marc Johnson on double bass. Some great writing on there. And a Joe Lovano CD called [b]Sound of Joy [/b]with [b]Anthony Cox [/b]on bass - another massive sound and a really strong player. Where are these guys and why aren't they more renowned?[/quote] Looking forward to the London Jazz Fest Bilbo...? See you on Friday Cheers Mike

I can see sight reading being a bit of a problem when you're noodling away on this thing,

[quote name='jakesbass' post='1016296' date='Nov 8 2010, 01:11 PM']There is no 'best way' only good music... how it's arrived at is irrelevant.[/quote] +1 is all I'm going to add to this M

Two suggestions - EZ drummer or Superior Drummer 2 - both excellent drum modules with great sounds and very easy to use or This guy KJ Sawka - monster drum and bass drummer - great samples to use as loops etc: [url="http://www.loopmasters.com/product/details/208"]http://www.loopmasters.com/product/details/208[/url]

[quote name='wombatboter' post='1009756' date='Nov 2 2010, 04:30 PM']Fooled around a bit with my Emma discumbobulator pedal and tried to play the Superstition-theme... not without mistakes but it gives an idea (it made the cat run away)..[/quote] Love that man - cheeky and cool... and well played. Here are a couple of videos of my at the LSO St Lukes with producer/songwriter Niraj Chag (he's playing keyboards) I loved doing this band - lots of cool grooves and beautiful melodies on top - the bass is a little quiet as it was very loud in the hall and so didn't get put through the PA that much - so I hope you get the vibe anyway: Hop you enjoy Mike

I play chords all the time - like the beginning and end of this [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NasBo2ac4nw"]vid[/url]

Looks like quite a BC turnout - if you see my ugly mug then do say hello Cheers Mike

[quote name='silddx' post='1009307' date='Nov 2 2010, 09:16 AM']I'll be there too![/quote] Groovy - let me know when you get there - a drink would be good M

Hey I just got tickets to this gig - anyone else going or fancy it? [url="http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/saturday-zappa-plays-zappa-the-mighty-boosh-band"]http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/prod...ghty-boosh-band[/url] Scott is making a super rare appearance - should be an amazing gig, I just watched the concert they showed on Sky Arts recently and the band is astonishing. Cheers Mike

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1002775' date='Oct 27 2010, 05:44 PM']It's on iPlayer [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vn2dn"]here[/url]. How does that compare to the new Jamiroquai record btw? [/quote] The song at the end is definitely better than the title tune of their new album... great playing from Stu. Zing Zillas believe it or not is probably the most open minded, non judgemental, music programme on TV at the mo, they've had some serious jazzers on there like Lonnie Liston Smith on Hammond, Jim Hart on vibes, and lots of high quality classical bods as well - I just wish adults got an equivalent of this where we were left to judge the music on its own merits and not if it's the flavour of that particular month... like Later does. M

Now Vs Now = [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYSXVPYwGnI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYSXVPYwGnI[/url] Squarepusher live = [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWb-3mX0eVk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWb-3mX0eVk[/url]

Funky Town, Funkington

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1000408' date='Oct 25 2010, 08:03 PM']Hi, not sure where to post this so this will do. I have an Imac G5 with 2GHZ processor and 2GB RAM. But it won't run snow leopard as it doesn't have an Intel prosessor. Does this mean it will also not run Logic Pro 9?[/quote] I don't think so unfortunately but I was able to run Logic 8 on plain old Leopard, but to be on the safe side try Googlng your Mac specs and Logic 9 as there'll undoubtedly be a Geektastic forum somewhere (like this but for Macs ) and you will get a definitive answer. My one other thought is you might want to increase your RAM to 4gb just so you can safely run it without it crashing, 2gb is a good start but some plugins can be RAM hungry and can mean your Mac may grind to a halt, just a suggestion. Hope that helps M