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[quote name='dood' timestamp='1348185441' post='1810712'] I was pleased as punch to get an FB tag from fellow BCer Attitude Castle to say that he'd spotted my Shuker Singlecut feature in No Treble magazine as Bass Of The Week! How cool! Read the piece here: [url="http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2012/09/20/bass-of-the-week-shuker-singlecut-elite/"]http://www.notreble....inglecut-elite/[/url] Yayyyyyy! [/quote] It's a really lovely bass, dood. But I can't get on with the tiny cutaway horn. Every time I see it it reminds me of the Norfolk Finger

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1348210133' post='1810754'] Not very impressed with No Treble. The Atlansia Solitaire was bass of the week sometime back using my photographs of my actual bass without even bothering to ask permission or providing at photo credit. A polite email asking them to acknowledge this and put it right has so far seemingly been ignored. [/quote] That's not very nice of them is it.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1348224738' post='1811028'] When my bass was first built I was asked to write a piece on it. A few weeks after publication I received another copy of it through the post from "some bloke" who had written on the page Sorry about the crap scan - I'll have to get round to rescanning it some day. To make the bass more usable I've had to have a couple of things changed on it, which Jaydee did to keep it in the Birch fold. [/quote] That's so cool! Would be nice to read it.

Possibly the most annoying bass tone I've ever heard. Dreadful. It may have sounded much better at the venue, but on here it sounds bone pale. Edit: I typed that and then just noticed your avatar

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1348224222' post='1811021'] Just bought the kindle version too (because you made it easy for me). [/quote] I hope you enjoy it

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1348144994' post='1809951'] Wow, have spend half the morning watching all the Hal Galper videos on that channel. There's some really interesting concepts on there, I'm off to scratch my head, regroup and come up with a better plan for approaching the bass. Many thanks for posting! [/quote] I looked through a few of his vids, they are really thought provoking and make so much sense, so very clever too. I also bought the Kindle edition of the book he mentions, Art of Piano Playing (A Scientific Approach) by George Kochevitsky (£2.28 on Amazon, £2.40 for the paperback), I have had a quick dip in and it's already looking fascinating! Kindle [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-of-Piano-Playing-ebook/dp/B004HFR5KC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348218446&sr=8-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-of-Piano-Playing-ebook/dp/B004HFR5KC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348218446&sr=8-1[/url] Paperback [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Piano-Playing-George-Kochevitsky/dp/0874870682/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348218446&sr=8-2"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Piano-Playing-George-Kochevitsky/dp/0874870682/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348218446&sr=8-2[/url]

I was asked by a woman at a gig last year what instrument I played. "Bass" I replied. To which she asked "Oh, are you a musician?".

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1348149710' post='1810037'] I'm completely puerile.... [/quote]

[quote name='DaveFry' timestamp='1348134563' post='1809695'] ( Retired piano player learning bass here ; ) I guess it is one of those things that get easier the more you do it . One handy trick is to imagine " louder " ( in your head , that is ) , and to make that imagination so compelling that the fingers have to follow ; [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_7DgCrziI8[/media] [/quote] Oh lord! What a fantastic video! I'll be looking at that site for a while! Dave, thanks so much for this, I have been looking for something like this for ages. What he says is so true. I hadn't really managed to conceptualise that at all, but that's how it is. When I play a bass line, I can only play it well if I get those dynamics in my head, those colours. I can give myself the shivers thinking about how it's going to sound, the power, the subtleties, the nuances, and when I pick up the bass, my playing is so real, so ME. If I'm unsure about what I'm playing (usually because I don't like it), it's like the man said, it's pale and it sucks arse. This also happens when I know I'm being vain and trying to play something 'impressive', that always sucks even bigger arse and I very rarely succumb to those puerile desires anymore. What a wonderful video! That's really inspired me to get my mojo on.

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1348137178' post='1809744'] The answer to the OP Nige is "No" I cant actually play what I can hear in my mind, I have a reoccurring bass line at the moment in my mind that i cannot work out. it is a nice steady piece but just cant get it right. It's been like this for me all my life since i've been playing bass. Thats why a few months ago I decided to try and learn some theory to try & work out how to do it. [/quote] To put a positive spin on this, Gav, if your imagination is ahead of your fingers you're alright mate, rejoice!

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1348132417' post='1809649'] That's easily fixed, just put the radio on, or your iPod on shuffle and play along with the melody. Don't get hung up on getting it perfect, just do loads of songs for maybe 15 - 30 mins a day. Before long your fingers will start to find the right notes without you having to think about them. Also some interval ear training will help enormously. [b]When I was away from my bass, I'd have a tune in my head and try to imagine where the notes were on the bass by thinking about the intervals in the phrases. And then when I got back to my bass I could pretty much play it, usually in the wrong key![/b] You'll be surprised how quickly you'll progress and how much easier it is to start playing what's in your imagination without having to work it out first. Edit: Blimey, Daz was thinking the same thing at the same time! [/quote] That's exactly what I do too. It's really good training away from your bass.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1348124195' post='1809495'] Wow! Great photos. Thanks Silvia I like this one too: [attachment=118860:hm.jpg] [/quote] Excellent photographs! Nice one Sylvia!

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1348125760' post='1809520'] I can make up and hum a bassline to myself but I can't just play it straight away, I have to work it out on the fretboard first and then learn it. I could never do that 'two soloists' thing where a guitarist plays a line and then the other copies it (unless it was completely rehearsed) because I'm just not quick enough to play what I can hear - there's always a learn/rehearse stage for me. That doesn't mean that I can't jam, but I am then limited to a few chops and I generally get frustrated that I don't have more. More work needed I guess! [/quote] I think that's why interval recognition and having an aural feel for the tonality of the modes is important.

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1348095646' post='1809404'] I can play [i]precisely[/i] what I imagine, but my problem is that I have a severely limited imagination. [/quote] Do you think it's possible to expand your musical imagination in a way that would satisfy you? Do you think you are motivated to? Are you happy the way you play?

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1348095507' post='1809401'] not everyone listens to enough music to be a good musician. [/quote] That is such a key point.

I'm generally an 'imagine first, learn later' type. I want my music to represent ME, not my limited skills on instruments. If I imagine a bass line I can't play, I know it's good enough if it makes me want to put the effort in to learn how to play it. Ears are more important than hands, or gear. I hear dynamics, and I want to get as close as possible to them when I actually play. It often surprises me how few nuances bassists use to get dynamics and let the song breathe, how little space is used. So I'm wondering if your fingers lead you, or if your musical mind does. And what you do to play THROUGH your bass rather than ON it.

It seems the bassist, Jeremy Pritchard got a music degree at Salford University, where our very own and esteemed Jake Newman was head of the bass department.

Good luck tonight man! See you at the November gig.

I'd like to make it to this mate. I'll check the diary later.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1348045987' post='1808398'] As "details to follow" goes, this is pretty limited. [/quote] I know Hopefully soon!

Get a non-export Fender Japan. They are sublime. Try very many MIMs, you may find an nice one, apparently the roadworns are good. The current MIAs are very good, but I don't know if they are worth the money. Keep your eye on this website [url="http://www.fareastguitars.co.uk/usedbasses.htm"]http://www.fareastguitars.co.uk/usedbasses.htm[/url] John gets some lovely S/H Japan Fenders in and they are almost always non-export, and priced very fairly. Expect to pay around £650-£750. I had a superb Jazz off him and so have a good few other BC members.