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mikenichols
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Everything posted by mikenichols
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Thanks Cameron you're very kind. Missing you guys this week. See you in Woking! -
Bought new in 1994. This was the bass of my formative years. I did thousands of hours of practice and hundreds of gigs on this so it feels very played in. Sadly has to go as there's other gear I need. It has a ding on the back which I got revarnished but is otherwise in perfect condition and a very nice instrument. Based in Guildford but I am travelling a lot for gigs so possibility of a meet or delivery further afield.
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I'm selling this beautiful Overwater J5. Tobacco Sunburst finish Maple board with (Not actual) Tortoise shell inlays. 34" scale. Overwater custom pickups and a John East preamp. Sad to see it go but I have three five strings and there's other gear I need to get at the moment. I'm based in Guildford. Viewing welcome, can deliver locally/London. -
I've got a question for the orchestral specialists. If you see a a fast legato run, e.g semiquavers at 180 how do you approach it? Seems that ascending runs are better with an up bow and vice versa. At that tempo would you attempt to finger every note. Or would you cheat by changing notes so they fall under the fingers, or gliss on one finger? Seems that at that tempo the notes won't be that distinct anyway and the most important things is to make a strong consistent sound that starts and finsihes on the right pitch.
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Hey there bass folk, if anyone's interested I've just updated my site with seven new bass compositions - recorded with my good friend and great drummer Stu Roberts. There are charts for all the tunes, free to download on the transcriptions page (which has lots of other good stuff as well). I hope you enjoy them - and if you're a reasonably experienced player looking for a teacher check out the private lessons section, I have some availability at the moment. The link is [url="http://www.mike-nichols.co.uk/mike-s-tunes"]http://www.mike-nichols.co.uk/mike-s-tunes[/url]
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I just put some new stuff on my site if you're interested. There's a transcription of the Beatles 'Day In The Life', a metal technique exercise and a new article 'The Eight Common Mistakes Bass Students Make'. Loads more content on the site, and details of my private teaching. I'm at www.mikenichols.co.uk
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Hey folks, I just put some new stuff on my site if you're interested. There's a transcription of the Beatles 'Day In The Life', a metal technique exercise and a new article 'The Eight Common Mistakes Bass Students Make' I'm at www.mikenichols.co.uk
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Any old slappers out there near Luton (or London NW9)?
mikenichols replied to Golchen's topic in Tutors Available
Check my site www.mikenichols.co.uk There's lots of info - and you can hear some examples of me demonstrating slap technique on the classic bass sounds and tunes pages I'm based in Guildford, so maybe a bit out of your way, but well worth the trip! - imo -
Thanks for all the feedback. And apologies to those whose browsers wouldn't open the article, I've added it as a PDF download at www. mikenichols.co.uk now There were quite a few comments from people who hadn't read the article, or not all of it, so let me clarify a few points. First the 10,000 hrs was for rank and file orchestral players, not virtuosos. I explain in the article that certain types of musicians including virtuosos have to do even more hours to master their art. Also I explain why it is a myth that contemporary music is somehow easier or takes less hours to master than classical music. Of course you can be in a band with a fairly limited skill set, but I'm talking about having a career as a player, you need a wide skill set to survive for forty years in the business. And yes of course the hours have to be spent wisely, I have plenty to say about that as well. Anyway I hope you find it interesting, right I'm off to do some practice:)
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I've just put a new article 'How to become a musician' on my website. I'm hoping some of you will find this interesting, especially if you're seriously working on your playing or you have kids learning an instrument. Please let me know your thoughts! It's at [url="http://www.mikenichols.co.uk"]http://www.mikenichols.co.uk[/url] You'll also find loads of audio and transcriptions to download there. Hope you enjoy it.
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Ah, nice to see my old transcription doing the rounds - I remember doing this when I was studying at the Guildhall in 1997. If anyone spots any mistakes let me know!
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Hi, my new site is now up and running. It's full of free educational content - audio, charts, reviews etc Come and have a look - [url="http://www.mikenichols.co.uk"]www.mikenichols.co.uk[/url]
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require professional jazz improv bass lessons in London
mikenichols replied to MrsKite's topic in Tutors Available
Hi, I hear what you're saying about finding your inner voice, it takes years! I think you have to break the process down into stages: 1. You have to have enough technical facility to say what you want to say - this is mechanics, fingering system, posture, muscle memory for scales etc 2. You have to learn chord scale relationships until they are completely automatic and subconscious. 3. You have to learn licks/vocabulary - really you have to listen a lot to the people you want to be influenced by, transcribe them, learn their lines - essentially fill your mental hard drive with all the sounds you want to make 4.To improvize effectively you have to learn to be relaxed and focussed in the moment, so that nothing gets in the way of your train of thought. The other thing that I've become more aware of as I've got older is really simple: You've got to have really good time - that's one of the things that separates world class players from say, the top players in London - it's really simple but there it is - they just play more in time. When you go through the educational process it can sometimes feel clinical, like it stifles your creativity rather than helping it. That's quite normal - at some point you have to get out of 'student mode' and just start doing things instinctively again - but all those years of study will have transformed you. If you're still looking for some tuition check out my site www.mikenichols.co.uk All the best Mike -
I'm currently taking on private students. Only taking serious/experienced players. I'm based in Guildford. For further details of my credentials, facilities etc check my site: [url="http://www.mikenichols.co.uk"]www.mikenichols.co.uk[/url]
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[quote name='BigBeatNut' post='500503' date='May 29 2009, 01:29 AM']Have you checked Bob Gollihur's site ? Not used it myself but I'm pretty sure he ships to the U.K. [url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product_details.cfm?ProdID=1265"]http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product_details.cfm?ProdID=1265[/url] Andy[/quote] Thanks I'll check it out
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I did some research, and it seems to be the one to get for rockabilly bass. There are US dealers who offer the pickup with a choice of different preamp, but the only UK dealers I can find who stock it only sell with the K&K preamp. What I want is to either just get the pickup on its own, or get it bundled with the radial pz pre. Has anyone used this pickup? and does anyone know where I could order it without the preamp?
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This P bass, Serial No:S877929 has been owned by me for about 3 years now. When I bought it I got a major set up including getting the frets crowned. It plays very well now. Also the original pickup was giving a rather poor output. I have replaced it with a seymour duncan quarter pounder, which sounds great. I still have the original pickup - it would be well worth getting it rewound if you wanted to restore it to its authentic state. I also have the bridge and pickup covers The late 70s fenders are of varying quality, but imo this is one of the better ones - and with the quarter pounder installed it's definitely one of the best P basses I have played. I used it on a tour a couple of years ago and got many comments about how great the sound was. Right now I need to raise the money for a decent fretless so it has to go (along with my overwater - see other ad) £750 ono Now sold! -
This is a great 5 string. Big meaty tone. Fantastic clarity and consistency across the fingerboard. Very well balanced for playing sat down (I don't use a strap with it) Also has the handy overwater built in DI (an xlr socket in addition to the jack - see pic) which has proved really useful for bi-amping, DIing etc I am based in Guildford. Would prefer collection or personal delivery. I need to raise some money for a decent fretless so I have to sell some gear (also see the P bass in my other ad) £1000 ono Now sold!
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This '78 P bass plays beatifully and has a huge fat sound. I had it set up up with a high-ish action. The original pickup was fairly lifeless when I bought this bass, so I changed it for a Seymour Duncan quarter pounder - but I will also include the original pickup, it would probably sound great if you got it rewound. I had a major setup on this bass, frets crowned and levelled etc I also have both the pickup covers. The lacquer has some chips in it, but hey this bass is 30 years old - it has character. I'm based in Guildford. You're welcome to try before you buy. Will take £800.
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Mark Bass CMD 102P list pice £969 Check out the specs for this mark bass combo at [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/cmd-102p/11978?s=3934x$1$ADtPUGid$Fp7zNNPboWdzYm5rApV800x0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o3979060"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/cmd-10...0o0o0o0o3979060[/url] I got this amp brand new this summer, and have only used it once for a gig! Since then I have had to get a larger rig for my current tour and I just don't need the combo. I'm located in Guildford. If you're interested please make a sensible offer
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[quote name='Bassy' post='236336' date='Jul 10 2008, 10:15 AM']Any idea on the weight?[/quote] Just put in on the bathroom scales - looks like 8 pounds. It's always been pretty comfortable to play - I use the overwater comfort strap which I'd highly recomend for anyone playing a 5 string or anyone that's ever had a sore neck/shoulder from playing long gigs
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I had this Overwater bass made 5 years ago - have used in mainly in theatre pits, it's in immaculate condition. It's a 5 string with 35" scale, the B string feels fantastic. It has a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, neck thru body design. Two humbucking pickups, onboard preamp with 3 band eq. I got the circuit board for the tone controls replaced a couple of years ago due to a dry joint - The new one is the updated version, has better eq contours then the older overwaters. Another great feature of these basses is the balanced xlr out in addition to the regular jack socket. This has been really useful in the studio and live, and opens up the possibility of having two outputs from the bass if you want to go for big FX setups. Can't remember the name of the exotic wood I chose for the top but as you can see from the pics it looks very cool. This bass has a really fat sound with loads of clarity. The top wood gives it quite a bright sound, and I find that the default setting seems to be bass and mid flat with a bit of treble cut. If you boost the mid it punches hard! If you need a modern sounding 5 string with great punch and clarity then this is perfect. I am very reluctant to sell this bass - but I am having to buy a lot of new gear for work I am doing this year and I simply have to sell some of the stuff I have already to fund it. You can hear this bass and read more about it on the tones page of my website, www.mikenichols.co.uk If you wanted one of these new they are £2300 and it takes six months to make. I will sell for £1600 (not open to lower offers) You should try before you buy, and I'd prefer to do collection or delivery in person - I'm based in Surrey.
