xilddx

[quote name='XB26354' post='1004605' date='Oct 29 2010, 12:23 AM']What a load of crap this thread is. As usual.[/quote] Then go back to bed.

[quote name='Doddy' post='1004598' date='Oct 29 2010, 12:17 AM']I find it more irresponsible to be neglect it. I never said anything about having to be able to handle all scenarios,but being able to read will help make you a more 'complete' musician,because it is a very important way of being able to communicate music. It's the same with ear training-both are important if you want to be a 'complete musician'(your phrase not mine). I always encourage new players to learn to read from the beginning. Alot of them may never use it outside of lessons or the practise room,but none of them have regretted learning it. Besides,virtually all other instrumentalists learn to read,why should bass players be any different? How is it wrong and irresponsible to encourage someone to learn as much as they can about their instrument?[/quote] Ohhh god. Can you cook?

[quote name='Doddy' post='1004543' date='Oct 28 2010, 11:20 PM'][b]Silddx- You say that you are not discouraging reading, but by saying that it can be a burden is a very discouraging statement.[/b] Knowing how to read doesn't mean you want to be a session or pit player either. Like I said,it opens up a whole world of material that you can use to improve your playing-be that the many books that are available or the exercises on the bass magazines. I learned to read from the beginning-like every other musician that I've grown up around-and didn't do a reading gig for years,but when a reading gig came along,I was ready. I still do plenty of gigs where I don't need to read,but I also get a lot of calls because I can. I also teach reading as a basic skill,and no one has ever thought that it was a waste of time. The OP has now stated that he doesn't think it's something that he wants to do,so that kind of renders his initial question as moot.[/quote] It DOES become a burden when people like YOU say it is necessary to read and write music notation in order to be a complete musician, able to handle all scenarios. It is wrong, it is irresponsible, and it is DISCOURAGING for those beginning their journey into the wonderful world of playing in a rock band. Some of the other retaliatory posts above from the pro-reading corps are so off the mark, so indoctrinated, as to make me believe that ability to read and write music notation is like being admitted to the Roman Catholic church. The awful arrogance disparaging tab is also nasty and unwarranted. Neither fulfills the ultimate aim of the musician which is to communicate, be expressive, and be true to one's self. One lets you see what notes to play and how, one lets you see what fret and string to play, both are inefficient and are best used in conjunction, which is why you will see both in most American music magazines for the same piece of music. There seems to be an immense amount of blinkered arrogance from the music reading quarter here. I am saddened by it. This is not what the spirit of music is about

Guys, guys, GUYS! I am NOT knocking sight reading, no sir. I am saying you have to have priorities. It looks to me like this guy wants to be in a band and he's a relative beginner. He's asking if it is necessary for a rock and blues band. It IS NOT! At this moment he has other priorities, like developing his ear and technique and other necessaries required of him in a band situation, yet you persist in saying that he should learn to sight read now, while he's young and at the beginning of his bass career. Is this when YOU learned? You are putting the OP in situations he is not going to come across for years. Trashing a trumpet solo, in a well rehearsed amateur rock blues band? Give this guy a bloody chance to get started. He's not even played in a band yet and you are wondering what his career chances are when he f***s up backing a trumpet solo at Ronnie Scott's. Stroll on sunbeam. I find it incredibly galling that some of you think I am trying [b]discourage [/b]anyone from sight-reading. THAT is bullshit. I think that reading music is one of the the best things a musician can do. But get this, you learn it when you need to. We are constantly told how easy it is with practice, so learn it when you foresee a NEED to. I can read a bit of music, I know the basics, I will step that sh*t up if, and when, I need to, and book ten lessons with Jake. Until then my limited theory, my ears and my attitude will serve me. Please stop thinking everyone wants to be a pro session musician or a pit head. Some people just want to have fun playing in a band and have a day job. They don't need to be like YOU. Christ, it's like being in the military for some of you isn't it. I can't believe some of this regimented attitude to the arts.

[quote name='JTUK' post='1004399' date='Oct 28 2010, 09:23 PM']That is fine...until you walk onto a gig and meet the guys for the first time. They throw a set list at you and a pad and expect you to make sense of it. If your music vocabulary is limited then chances are your gig choices are as well as you don't get too many chances to stuff up...Once would probably be enough. If you don't work in these situations or want to, then as long as you can communicate well enough within the group situation you are in, then ok..it is when or if you step outside of it, that the problems comes..and then it could be too late..you have blown that avenue.[/quote] The whole wold is full of situations you can step outside of. You can't be prepared for all of them. And again, it sounds like a BassTech ad. If you really have this attitude to life, you're better off learning Karate mate.

[quote name='aceuggy' post='1004365' date='Oct 28 2010, 08:53 PM']Feck this is getting complicated!! But can answer in the affirmative for most of this. I can play along to stuff I listen to after getting the gist from tab. Surely it would be the same playing in a band. Once we have decided what we are gong to play, that's what rehearsals are for, right?[/quote] It's really not all that complicated. And from your post, it sounds like you have the right attitude and you know exactly what rehearsals are for! The only difference is that recorded music doesn't make mistakes, bands often do, and you must not let someone else's mistake throw you and cause you to make a mistake as a result. Know the arrangements very well so the rest of you can guide the person who has made the mistake back into the song, then it becomes less likely for them to make that mistake again.

[quote name='JTUK' post='1004335' date='Oct 28 2010, 08:32 PM']Notes on the fretboard are a basic... To be able to cope with a lot of different enviroments you really need to be able to converse with the guys you are playing with. If you play with guys all in the same boat then you can devise a system or just work through which can take its time. but once you involve a few different situiations, you need to be as conversant as possible. A few universal systems just speeds things up so much. You would have to have very very good ears to be able to follow a song or chord sequence in real time and get away with it and it wouldn't work at a gig. Chord charts or pads and dots make it so much easier... and if you have good ears to hear intervals you still need to know the tune to pre-empt where the song will go. There are so many things you can do to make it easier on yourself.[/quote] To me, this is the sort of stuff they tell you so you get paranoid and sign up for a Contemporary Music Performance Degree at BassTech. This is so common these days, and I find it very depressing. Most of the rock and pop bands we like just started playing as teenagers and got in bands, made their mistakes, learned by ear, made up songs, refined them, continued that process and made more and more albums. There's nothing wrong with this approach. Can you imagine Black Sabbath sitting around, jerkily scribbling expression marks on scores? No. Reading music is not necessarily making things easier, sometimes it can be a burden. It is a tool, and as such it is only useful in certain situations. You don't have to be able to play all styles and read music to be a good musician, in a good band, ENJOYING your music making. You have to do what is appropriate for your individual aims and objectives. If they change, your need for tools will also, and by hook or by crook you will acquire them. My band leader Kit Richardson felt compelled to write music when she was young and at school. She had been excluded from music classes but she used to break in to the music room after school and learned music and practised piano on her own, until she got caught. They then recognised her ability and tutored her after hours. She can score all sorts of instruments and plays piano rather well. She's got a great ear for a hook and composition in general. She creates great music and sings her heart out. Music is a compulsion, and your heart should rule your head in these matters.

[quote name='aceuggy' post='1004305' date='Oct 28 2010, 08:08 PM']The answer to that is probably rock and blues.[/quote] Most rock and blues bands are not readers, so 95% of the time you'll be fine. Concentrate on the questions above

Thinking a bit about this, it's a common question and I used to be quite paranoid when i was starting out about whether I would need to sight read. Much more important things to consider if you want to be in a band are: Will I ENJOY being in this band? Do I have reliable equipment which I know how to use? Do I have a plan for when a string breaks or my sound cuts out? Do I have/need an active DI box (SansAmp etc.) for emergencies? Can I learn songs as quickly and as accurately as the other band members? Do I need a form of reliable transport? Do I understand, and can commit to, the level of time and effort expected by this band? Am I a reliable person with a professional attitude? Am I a nice person to be around, diplomatic, open minded, and know when to shut the f*** up? Can I accept that bands are not always democratic? Am I prepared for this band to eat into my time and financial resources?

[quote name='aceuggy' post='1004258' date='Oct 28 2010, 07:38 PM']I understand what you are saying, but my original question was do I need to read to play in a band? The answer to that it appears is no. I think learning to read would be a nice thing for me to do, but not essential to play in a band. The thing is I don't aspire to any great musical standard. It would all just be a bit of fun really.[/quote] Depends on the band. It's a bit like saying do I need carpentry skills to work on a building site. You haven't really said what sort of music you want to play in a band. If it's pop, rock, blues or whatever, the answer is normally no, you don't need to read music, you will learn the music by ear. I play in a prog-pop band and the only non-reader is me. Even the guitarist is a sight reading pianist, so is the drummer. The violinists hold masters degrees in music from posh music colleges. I've never had a problem because the singer/songwriter trusts my instincts to compose her bass lines and thankfully loves what I do. I have a good ears and can learn complex songs and arrangements by ear very quickly.

[quote name='lojo' post='1004211' date='Oct 28 2010, 07:03 PM']Forgive me, but due to the need to ask the original question and your statement about learning the fretboard, you are in a very fundamental position, perhaps a perfect starting point to learn "properly" reading an all Im trying to say that if you are going to have to learn the notes etc anyway, why not combine it with reading [b]I think there are alot of guys on here like me, who have learned much as we have gone (like knowing where every note is throughout the fretboard) etc. but not learned to read, and given our time again would have combined it all[/b][/quote] God, I've been playing for 30 years and other than the first five frets on the E and A strings, I have to work out what the notes are called. But I can improvise over stuff reasonably well and after a good while your fingers kind of develop eyes, as Steve Vai once said. You know what the notes are going to sound like before you hit them. I can usually sing a melody in my head and more or less play it straight away. I made a nice spice rack last year with my carpentry skills

The fact is, if you learn to read but don't have a situation where you can apply it often enough, you will just be semi-literate and be a musical chav. To be a decent sight reader you need to be in situations where you can apply it often. You'll need challenges to develop as a sight reader. Go for it if you want to play jazz or be a session musician, or play in a band full of readers. It's also very good to learn carpentry, it does no harm and I don't know anyone who said they were worse off because they learnt it.

[quote name='ezbass' post='1002720' date='Oct 27 2010, 05:13 PM']Really looking forward to reading the Paul Turner interview but my letterbox and doormat are currently bereft of said magazine [/quote] Same here, I am thinking they have forgotten to prompt me to renew my subscription. No bothered about Paul Turner thiough

[quote name='Zach' post='1004004' date='Oct 28 2010, 04:30 PM']At a minimum, being able to read a chord sheet helps (especially with jazz). [b] I got very annoyed when jamming with a guitarist, who made up a chord sequence, but wasn't able to tell me what the chords were[/b]. conversation went something like: me: nice sequence, what're the chords? guitard: __ fret on __ string, then __fret on __ string etc [translate to notes in head as i don't think in fret numbers] me:ok, and are they major or minor? guitard: blank look [At this point I leave the room] Edit: at the same time, at a jam night last week, the trumpeter got annoyed that I didn't notice the b5 on one of the chords. won't be doing that one again.[/quote] Really? If I was the guitarist, I would be annoyed back at you wondering why you haven't got the ears to just play along and express yourself. What on earth do you want the chord names for? How will they help you if you can't actually [b]hear [/b]what they are and how to interract with them with your bass? You actually left the room??! Your reaction was just plain rude and disrespectful to the guitarist. Would you have said that to Hendrix? There's a lot of rudeness on here about guitarists isn't there.

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='1003946' date='Oct 28 2010, 04:00 PM']I hope not. It helps to know what the names of the notes are though.[/quote] That is a good point. Try to learn the names of the notes on the fretboard, and learn some major and minor scales. That will help you when they say, "The key of this song is A minor. Then you know you can play any notes in the A minor scale without f***ing up too much. It really is very simple and won't take you long to master. It will help develop you ears too, so when I hum a melody, you will be able to play it on the bass and make up a bass line for the melody.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1003936' date='Oct 28 2010, 03:57 PM']You only need to read music to be in a band if that's the way the other members of the band communicate their musical ideas.[/quote] So jazz is out. Count yourself lucky I don't read either and I've been in many bands, some with records out.

[quote name='Machines' post='1003311' date='Oct 28 2010, 08:19 AM']I have changed this back to previous setting whilst it's discussed between the admin, is currently only visible to logged in users again.[/quote] Mmm, OT should definitely remain visible only to members. Threre is an enormous amount of highly personal stuff in there that should not be available to the browsing public and Daily Mail journalists. I feel very strongly about this.

I'm not listening to any music this week. I can't be arsed.

[quote name='Alastair' post='1003192' date='Oct 27 2010, 11:37 PM']Wu-Tang Clan - Shame on a Nigga Tune.[/quote] You just wanted to write "Nigga" didn't you I bet you normally listen to Randy Newman and some light classical

[quote name='FlatEric' post='1002935' date='Oct 27 2010, 07:56 PM']Awwhh, not sure about that! I'm sure no offence was intended but I am very fond of mine and is a truly great example of Japanese craftsmanship. I don't have any pics of it, at the mo' but will get some sorted, as a visual contrast. I think The Tribute is a cracker but the original has a lot going for it. [b]Mr Squire must have thought so, at some point [/b] Cheers. [/quote] Until he chopped it up Anyway, both look great, but I must admit, mine feels like an evolution from it in a few ways. But then again there is much beauty in the originals. Cheers for all your lovely comments, I really am proud of this bass. BTW, got the leccy sorted tonight, apart from the odd ground crackle which needs sorting, the bass pisses all over my Warwick in terms of tone, the East U-Retro is incredible!!

Thanks for all the help chaps. I went with my instinct for the pins and got it right, I think! Anyway, the bass sounds diamond, apart from a slight crackle occasionally which may be a ground issue. I think my best best is to give it to Martin Petersen for a check over. Thanks again Nigel

How's this for customer service! I emailed Hipshot this morning bemoaning my lost bridge roller (all my fault). They just got back to me saying they will send another for the cost of shipping! Superb! Well done Hipshot

[quote name='daz' post='1002630' date='Oct 27 2010, 03:59 PM']Great 60th issue this month. Paul Turner of Jamiroquai interviewed, among others. Slowly improving with each one. The Yamaha BB1024x is reviewed and pretty fine it looks too. Except for the weight, it supposedly weighs in at 12Kg!. Only three times as heavy as my CVJ then? Its also given as that weight on this page here given as a link below, where its for sale at £1120 ([i] and I cant see anywhere that its priced at the £939 mentioned in the magazine review either.)[/i] [url="http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Yamaha_BB1024X_Sunburst/YAM-BB1024XTBS"]Yamaha BB1024X[/url] Surely it cant actually weigh in at 26lb ??!![/quote] I would hope that's 12lbs not kg!

If you've seen the hoppers these companies use, you might be wondering how anything arrives in one piece. Of course you need a well padded cardboard box with some bubble wrap.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1002545' date='Oct 27 2010, 02:53 PM']Plug in a lead and test the outputs at the other end with a multimeter.[/quote] Thanks mate, but I don't have a multi meter. I thought someone would know because I assume they are all the same. No worries, I will probably be able to work it out looking at my otherWarwicks, but their colours are not to be trusted BTW, I love your Foamy Stingray Jazz, good build thread that! Very clean work on the innards!!