Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Drax

Member
  • Posts

    1,128
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Drax

  1. Tbf OP - it’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves in some form over the years. 


    Natural place to get to - the guitar industry is based on the dream that a new instrument will make us a new player. 
     

    Spend what you like. 

    - The new bass makes you happy, not a better player. 

     

    - You’re the only person in the room that knows what bass you’re playing. 
     

     

    • Like 8
    • Thanks 1
  2. Hi @Burns-bass Similar to you, have an hour or so most days, and work from home surrounded by my basses.

     

    Came back to upright last Jan after years away. Personal experience has been timing and general rhythmic technique (ghost notes, raking etc) has come more naturally from years on electric, but it's intonation that's the beast. 

     

    Still a long way to go but some things that have really helped; 

     

    1) Videoing - both gigs and at home. Big, at times painful, gulf between 'real and feel' intonation! 

     

    2) Drone work against major and minor triads. Great tutorial here from Frode Berg. Every practice session starts with 10 mins of this.. Has helped hugely with both intonation and improvisation. 

     

    3) Modacity app. Use daily, been invaluable in structuring practice sessions and maximising what time I have. 

     

    Had one 'in person' lesson to make sure technique was sound, but have since worked through some paid-for courses on DiscoverDoubleBass, some excellent content on there. Good luck with it all. 

     

     

  3. Lots to be said for the power of a well resolved problem. You see the phenomena in new car sales, where owners with problems needing recalls rate the brand higher than owners who’ve had no issues at all. Gives the brand more opportunity to be nice you and make you feel valued. 
     

    Fair play to GAK for having this policy. Wish more music retailers were this keen to fix courier errors. 

    • Like 1
  4. My brother lives in same small town - along with Rusty Gough and Frank Bruno.. very Stella Street. Nick always up for a chat. 

     

    His Steven Wilson lines consistently brilliant alongside godlike Marco Minneman.. Luminol is a belter 

     

     

    • Like 1
  5. OP - definitely go try some at Bass Direct, Bass Gallery - and fair chance you won’t end up buying a Sandberg.
     

    You’ll get diagnosed and told to ‘try this’ - often they’re spot on, or at least helps you articulate what you’re really after. Happened to all of us here at some stage, leaving a shop with completely different bass from what you walked in for.   
     

  6. OP surely you can’t get banned even from TB for saying Hartke are rubbish.
     

    TB is infamous for fan boy pile-on mentality, usually against anyone who dares question the sanctity of certain American made gear - but you can publicly slate stuff. 
     

    Did it escalate into a row? Thread would be interesting.  

    • Like 2
  7. 18 hours ago, solo4652 said:

    ....or do all guitarists want to play long, indulgent solos no matter what the song genre is? I ask this because I've just jammed/auditioned with three pub covers bands and in each case, the guitarist only really wanted to play Clapton, SRV, Gary Moore. Where have the funk, soul, ska guitarists all gone, please?

     
    Aren’t they all in funk, soul and ska bands? :) 

     

    Generic covers bands need guitar solos

  8. Absolutely. You shouldn’t need to see at all and great practice discipline playing in dark. Definitely learnt the hard way on some early fretless gigs! That’s where it’s a leveller, tells you very quickly how competent you are. 

    Bad stage sound though - way more comfortable playing up the higher end on a fretted.. 

    • Like 1
  9. 45 minutes ago, Ed_S said:

      I might be a bit cautious if I was setting up a new band and the prospective fretless player lacked experience of playing live, because stage fright and no frets sounds like the perfect storm to me as a fretted-only bassist.

     

     
    Throw in bad sound and darkness - common on any gig.. real leveller on fretless 

    • Like 3
  10. Saw the first night in London yesterday. 

    Fantastic gig - long way from ‘bass as classical guitar Janek’ from The Union. Some beautiful solos and soundscapes, but it was all the low register, funky 4/4 groove playing that really killed it for me. French drummer Nicholas Viccaro is a beast. 

    Mrs D’s tolerance for ‘out there’ jazz has worn thin of late so I was solo but actually this was really accessible, huge energy and a lot of fun. 

     

    Anyone catching the rest of the tour is in for a great night. 
     

     

×
×
  • Create New...