SteveK

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1371130902' post='2110199'] Thats what I said though...the attack, I mean how can you pluck a string any other way than harder or softer? [/quote] Take a look at this clip from Rockschool posted here a couple of days ago, particularly from the 13:30 mark [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eKTM__dabo&feature=player_embedded#![/media]

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1371126434' post='2110111'] I cant see how the way you play makes much difference. I mean, the only real change you can make is to attack. Same with a pick. You cant change a sound by plucking the string a different way. There only is one way to pluck a string. The only difference is how hard you pluck it. Possibly, a finger nail being slightly longer might make a slight difference, but I still think its a load of bollocks that you can change your sound drastically by playing" differently" [/quote] With respect, you are wrong! There are many, many ways to pluck a string - and in any case, your fretting fingers are just as much a part of what defines the sound that you produce.

The man speaks sense. Got GAS? Forget about acquiring the bass/rig of your heroes - If you're serious about your instrument and have money burning a hole in your pocket, invest in some quality lessons - You'll be amazed at how your sound improves.

Indeed he did, and indeed he is Still can't embed the clip.

My partner in rhythm Jimmy Copley just posted this on FB. Thought you good chaps might be interested. He recorded this 38 years ago. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gMr1pxFldFg"]https://www.youtube....d&v=gMr1pxFldFg[/url] May not be the greatest tune in the world but certainly some rather exceptional playing. Not able to embed the video for some strange reason

It doesn't matter how well [b]you[/b] treat your instrument (oh, matron), there will always be big footed stage crew ready to drag your 'beloved' out of its stand by its cable. It's happened to me on two occasions, both times requiring major repair. More recently (about 4 weeks ago) one of the strap-locks failed necessitating a speedy swap of basses. Having said that, if I were playing more local pubs and clubs I probably wouldn't bother with a spare. Edited to answer the question: At the mo I'm using a Warwick Corvette custom as my main bass, and a 1985 Warwick Streamer (ex main bass) as spare.

Take it from me, as someone that was in a band that attracted a large contingent of punks, it's no fun being spat at for 1 1/2 hours! It was all so f***in' negative.

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1370866738' post='2106501'] The arty sounding 'Midnight Circus' got their demo tape rejected by EMI. When they re-sent it in under the name' [b]the Flys[/b]' they got signed... [/quote] And dear Neil O was a fellow band mate, many many years ago.

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1370848501' post='2106143'] This maybe an urban myth...on radio 2 last week I heard that the first Pistols gig sold something like 43 tickets...but the amount of people whom now claim to have been there would fill a Wembly Stadium Punk sort of passed me by being a weekender type soul boy, it got better with the Pretty Punk Stylee Sigue Sigue Sputnik though [/quote] Those 43 tickets probably had no mention of The Sex Pistols and even the promoter wouldn't have known about them until an hour or so before 'doors'. Apparently, for their first few gigs The Sex Pistols would just turn up at a gig on the night, uninvited, unwanted, likely unpaid and blag their way on to the stage. That was certainly the case at our Westfield college gig.

Now that this thread is on its last legs and unlikely to get many more views, I feel I can now make this confession... call it an [i]unloading[/i]. In 1975 a band I was in played a gig at Westfield college, London - We were actually [b]booked[/b] to play. After we'd set up and done our sound check, these four scruffy scalliwags came up and told us that they were going to play and they were going to use our PA. We agreed to their... er, request? How we mused at their rather quaint moniker. I have, since that day, suffered many sleepless nights and bouts of depression - what if we'd said 'No, f^^* off, you can't use our PA'?... Things may have been so different [quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1370784595' post='2105453'] I've always puzzled at the people who think that the Pistols couldn't play. [/quote] Trust me, on that night in 1975, by any reasonable definition of the phrase, they 'couldn't play'... Never seen a hall empty so quickly. And for BetaFunk's benefit: We weren't a Prog band - There was [i]other stuff[/i] around [b]in[/b] and [b]before[/b] 1975

[quote name='ironside1966' timestamp='1370786123' post='2105475'] To understand punk you have to understand what it was like to live in the 70s. Adults were king. There was very little TV aimed at the teenager, the music on TV was very much light entertainment, and the band conformed to that model. the other side of the coin was the self indulgent supergroups with their lavish performances and even more lavish lifestyle were miles away from the kids in the street. Very few working class kids formed bands and if they did they were often cover bands playing the local club scene. When punk came along it suddenly become fashionable for teenagers to learn to play instruments and form bands, or in fact do anything, make clothes, start magazines, even start record labels. Punk made it alright to have a go. [/quote] I was 20 in 1975. By then I had spent 2 years travelling the length of the UK and Europe playing music. Didn't need no punks to tell me it was 'all right to have a go'... Had a mind of my own donchaknow. 'sfunny, when I think of punk I am reminded of this scene from Life of Brian... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQqq3e03EBQ[/media]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1370684703' post='2104305'] It was just another way of a generation of disaffected yoof to say saying 'F*** you'! We all did it one way or another. [/quote] The difference being that other subcultures adopted already existing musical genres. Punk was pretty much the only fad, genre (call it what you will) that created its own music... or more accurately, its own attitude towards music, whereby it was an advantage to be crap at playing it. And possibly worse, it was de rigueur to slag off anyone considered to have a modicum of actual talent. Unfortunately record companies and the like, being band-wagon jumpers, bought it hook line and sinker.

Musically speaking, punk was the worst thing to happen. There was a handful of decent records from so called punk bands, but mostly it was drivel. Personally, I had/have no interest in 'music' created by anyone who barely knows how to hold a guitar or a pair of drum sticks. Of course, 'attitude' is important in music, but when that's all there is... then, no thanks!

dlloyd, don't you think that you're being a little pedantic Most musicians I know consider 'session work' to be a session in a recording studio. I don't ever recall anyone refering to a live gig as a session.

This is another of those questions that is impossible to answer definitively without actually hearing the piece. Everyone is suggesting a pedal, or having a bit of volume in reserve - these are fine suggestions and may well work, but let's not overlook the 'old fashioned way'... have a word with the rest of your band and see if they can't back it off a bit while you're playing your 'lead part'. 'Dynamics' could be your friend here.

Learn to play and understand the C Major scale - It's the first and most important key (sorry, unavoidable pun) to breaking the code of music. It's the centre of the musical universe.[url="http://www.jazzguitar.be/music-theory.html"] C Major scale[/url] Don't forget to have some fun while learning, picking out the bass line to your favourite songs, playing tunes from your head etc

What is it with that Godawful scratchplate on the SR 4, did Musicman suddenly run out of imagination? Really like my SR 5 though, which just about gets away with it... just a shame it's got one too many strings on it

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1364985472' post='2033589'] But what if you are employed by someone to be their backing band? If the front man wants all the attention then it is your job to stay out of the way and generally keep a low profile isn't it? [/quote] Depends on the artist. But yes, generally speaking, a backing band would keep a lower profile.

Perhaps, the ultimate in faking it... [html]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0trEfvLpXU[/html]

There is a misconception here that 'Stage presence' means having to jump around on stage. IMO 'Stage presence' can come from being totally relaxed and confident on stage, not being timid, making eye contact, making the occasional excursion to the front of the stage, make as if you'd like to scoop up and embrace every punter - all at the same time as being totally focused on what you're playing. Before going on stage it can help if you get in to the mind set that the audience are about to expeience something truly extraordinary, an almost religious experience. Of course all that's not going to work if you have no confidence in yourself or your band.

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1364763316' post='2030690'] Going rather off the original subject here, but as I mentioned Jaco earlier, if you're doubling up with the likes of Joe Zawinal and Wayne Shorter you do not have any space for mistakes. These guys absolutely know their stuff and there are no short cuts to being able to play like this. You'll notice how the bass and keys are doubling with what may to some sound like random notes. [media]http://youtu.be/I63bOi477cA[/media] I've played with a couple of jazz players, did this morning with this chap: [url="http://www.andrewnoble.org/default.html"]http://www.andrewnob...rg/default.html[/url] He's a phenomenal musician and there's absolutely nothing that goes unintentionally. I certainly can't keep with him. [/quote] Bloomin' marvellous

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1364820695' post='2031222'] Ah sorry I also misunderstood, thought you were referring to the U.K. [/quote] Yeah, I'm not sure what is being discussed. Title of thread: [b]UK music scene[/b] Content of initial post: [b]Danish music scene[/b]

[quote name='chasblaisdell' timestamp='1364810082' post='2031022'] just stating the case [b]and wondering if things are as dead in the UK [/b]. There were no questions asked as in how to manage , we all have our crosses to bear . Just curious , not looking for advice whatsoever , maybe possibly putting out a little useful info to prospectives looking at Denmark . [/quote] No they are not! You've gone from a country that has the third largest population, and a history of great music/musicians... to a country (Denmark) with less than 6,000,000 inhabitants, that's famous for...er... Lego and, er...Hans Christian Andersen... oh, and bacon, but certainly [b]not for its vibrant music scene[/b]! The UK on the other hand, has a music scene that certainly equals that of the States. And pub gigs are to be found everywhere, with bands doing ZZ Top and Stones covers. Blues is certainly well represented.

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1363362114' post='2011858'] I just googled rockinbetter, there are[b] loads of businesses selling them,[/b] and yet he goes after private sellers? No wonder people get pissed off! [/quote]Hmmm, I Googled and found that a suspiciously large number of retailers had 'Out of stock', 'Sold' or 'Call for availability', so actually purchasing one may not be so easy.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1363275913' post='2010891'] In what way is it not relevant? I fail to see any ethical difference between buying a cheap bottle of Cola that says "Tesco" on the label and tastes a lot like Coca Cola and buying a cheap bass that says "Rockinbetter" on the headstock and looks a lot like a Rickenbacker. [/quote] Tesco Cola is easily distinguishable from Coca Cola. The identity of the product (ie the can/bottle) is what people recognise. If I were in the soft drinks business and put out a cola drink in a red can with 'Steve's Cola' in a swirly silver (or is it white?) font (Coca Cola stylee), then I would fully expect a missive from Coca Cola's legal dept.