lowdown

[quote name='silddx' post='1146609' date='Mar 2 2011, 12:03 AM']I now have the most sumptuous, gorgeous, utterly lovely tones from my bass !! I can't tell you how beautiful it feels to want to play every note to its maximum effect. It's making me play differently, more sensitively, more simply. Everything I play feels like what I remember it being like on a lovely mushy trip in the 1980s (probably a bad thing to say, sorry!). I take delight in the simplest things, a simple octave, a grace note, a ghost, a tinkling of harmonics, a simple accent. It's wonderful, like fireworks going off in my head, to paraphrase Blue Oyster Cult. Coupled with the beautiful neck on my new Fender Jap Jazz, I could not be happier![/quote] Good grief...! What have you been playing the last x amount of years? A Banjo... Garry

[quote name='krth1985' post='1145919' date='Mar 1 2011, 03:41 PM']I dont want to come across as moaning, and being ungrateful, but (!) there's a few things niggling away at me and i get in the mood where i think i should leave because being in the band is just not fun anymore. Here's my reasons. - No camaraderie. Not at rehearsals, or at a gig. Feels like 5 individuals, not 1 band. -Singer and lead guitarist saying drummer is too loud. I dont agree. In small venues he will be loud, theres no volume knob on the drums. Yet this is always brought up, and the drummer cant get through to them that he doesnt play loud, drums are just a loud instrument. He does have something which he puts on his shells to dampen the sound slightly (big plastic rings?) - Too much negativity. Constantly being told at soundcheck before gigs that we sound sh*t (by singer). That we "murder" this song and that. Also I feel like i am being watched and my performance monitored. After every gig there is an email that goes out. 99% of it is negative. - Too much pressure. Lead guitarist constantly going on about stage presence and we need to move about more. Its not my thing, and i'd feel awkward doing it. Plus, we are not that type of band. Plus its hard to enjoy yourself after the above comment. Also comments on dynamics. Gives each part of a song a rating out of 10 for dynamics. What the difference between 7 or 8 is i dont know... - Timekeeping. Singer is always late. For both rehearsals and gigs. Not by 5 or ten minutes, but by 30 minutes plus. Last gig we did was friday. We needed to be there early to soundcheck. Everyone was down there for 6pm. I didnt finish work till 6 so said i'd be down for 7. After a long 12 hour day at the end of the week not ideal, but i rushed around, got my stuff together and i was there for 7. Singer rolls in 30-40 minutes after me. - Arguments over upcoming EP. We are finishing off the 4 track EP this weekend. The songs were decided without me (i had to work but put forward my choice of 4 or 5 songs). After everyone else met up with the producer they all decided on 4 songs, 3 of which i had hoped to do anway so all was good. Now as of last week the signer kicks up a fuss about the new lyrics for one of the tracks. I said i wasnt involved in the final decision making process, so why didnt u say something then? He shrugged. I said who actually voted for the song? Turns out only me and the lead guitarist. So i said why are we recording it then? I then pointed out that we have tracked demos for these songs, and the producer is expecting us to do this song. Saying your not happy about the song a week before we enter the studio is pointless. His reply was "f*** it, we will just do it". So we will all be recording this song knowing that the singer isnt bothered about it. - Appreciation for the promoter/soundman/other bands etc - He never says thanks to so and so for playing, or thanks to promoter for putting on this gig, or thanks to the fans for coming to see us, or thanks to said band for letting us on the bill with them. When we brought it up he said "if someone wants to say something they should get a mic." - The booking of gigs. The singer thinks some of the gigs we do "turn off potential fans". These are your usual 4 band line-up at a venue thats established for live music. - but yet tried booking us to play a 60th birthday party? We are not a covers band by the way. He also refused to book gigs now because "knobody gets back to him". By that he means he agrees to a gig thinking everyone will be ok with it and gets pissed off when someone says they cant make it. - Band website - It was agreed a few months ago that I would re-design the website as it looked sh*te basically. I am in no way a professional, but i did 2 years of it at college, (and ran my own websites after leaving college for a bit of pocket money) and and i am proficient enough to come up with a decent website. The next day, the website had changed again. I now no longer give out our website address! and -Singers vocals. Really grates on me now. I'm not much of a fan of Oasis, but he is. Can you tell? (but i dont think i can count that as a reason) Does this sound like a happy functioning band? Or a band that will soon implode? Or is it just me nit picking???? [/quote] And all this without wifes and girl friends getting involved.... Garry

[quote name='chris_b' post='1145289' date='Mar 1 2011, 12:10 AM']The bass on Je T'aime was played by Russ Stableford.[/quote] Ok sorry, my mistake - i was just going on what i was told in the past. Interesting little discussion going on here about those session days [ including input from family members] It might have already been posted, but if not.... [url="http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/07/the-love-affair-everlasting-love/"]http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/07/the-...erlasting-love/[/url] Garry

[quote name='Sawtooth' post='1144982' date='Feb 28 2011, 09:02 PM']Yeah, not sure where I read about Flowers now, it was some time ago when I first bought the album. Either way it's some really individual playing and a tone to die for. I'd recommend anyone to check the album out. [/quote] The clue might be with Jean-Claude Vannier - who pretty much wrote all the music [ bit i did read somewhere ages ago that Herbie Flowers was involved in that also] Jean Claude Vannier used Brian Odgers a lot for all those lavish string laden productions [Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg - Je T'aime to name one] Vannier liked to credit band members - so Google him and you might find out... I can't be arsed at the moment. You can get that sound with a Jazz Bass, Flats and a heavy duty pick played up by the neck. Garry

[quote name='Doddy' post='1144719' date='Feb 28 2011, 05:59 PM']They are in Manchester on the 28th too. Got my tickets a couple of weeks ago,and all being well I should be having a lesson with Tom Kennedy [/quote] Whey Hey..... Yep i am looking forward to the gig. Garry

Looks like a good one.... Friday 25th March Mike Stern , Dave Weckl, Tom Kennedy on electric and acoustic bass and saxophonist Bob Malach. [url="http://www.mikestern.org/"]http://www.mikestern.org/[/url] Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, London N1 2UN [url="http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/"]http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/[/url] Garry

I got hold of this book years ago, put together by Jimmy Haslip. Plenty of world music scales in this. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jimmy-Haslips-Melodic-Bass-Library/dp/0757977502"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jimmy-Haslips-Melo...y/dp/0757977502[/url] Garry

[quote name='gajdosmirci' post='1141369' date='Feb 25 2011, 03:46 PM']The album version i think[/quote] Thanks for that. Garry

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1144189' date='Feb 28 2011, 09:44 AM']I have fond memories of the "Lazarus thread" where every now & then a dead topic would suddenly get revived. It was such a rare occurrence that it was usually worth re-reading. No longer. I've lost count of the number of times in the last few weeks that I've started reading a "new" thread only to discover that it dates from 2009 (or similar). I appreciate that the same subjects do tend to come up repeatedly on any high-traffic forum, but have we now reached the point where we no longer even bother to re-visit old subjects, we simply dig up an ancient topic and scrape off some of the mould?[/quote] Be careful, you might even dig this thread up in 2013 and wonder what you were moaning about.... On the other hand Alzheimer's might have struck. Garry

Hey Massimo... Just checked out your My Space... Listening to FLORIDA at this moment. Great stuff dude.. I went to the Face book site, but the only thing i could understand [In English] was the Google chrome advert.. Garry

Might have been a mistake, but its between the two lead vocal notes, and fits in with the string line, backing vox line and vibes... So whats a Db/Eb amongst friends.. The Bass through out the whole tune sounds like its busked [very well ] over a chord sheet, with a few little twists & turns - so within keeping. Great song with a great feel. Garry

[quote name='thumperbob 2002' post='1141997' date='Feb 26 2011, 01:11 AM']jaco as a musician. Tone or no tone.[/quote] That always for me. Apart from JP's Bass playing skills and tones. He was a great Musician, with great arranging and composing skills. I get the feeling he new what he was doing with ease. Garry

I met Mark a few times before he went to Denmark. Great tone and a very lyrical player. Garry

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1137613' date='Feb 22 2011, 08:08 PM']Chicago Song is a great track.[/quote] If you Youtube Sanborn there is a great live version on The Letterman show with Will Lee doing Bass. Garry

[quote name='chris_b' post='1138539' date='Feb 23 2011, 01:37 PM']There is a lot of non Motown from that era that is just as good. For example, the Philly sound of the O'Jays, Harold Melvin, The Stylistics etc.[/quote] +1 Some classy stuff coming out from that lot. Garry

[quote name='cheddatom' post='1138246' date='Feb 23 2011, 10:10 AM']is it that you're getting loads of reflections? I guess there's no room for bookshelves etc but you could buy some proper diffusers.[/quote] There are some great videos knocking around on-line [just google] about making your own. I have just a small room for Media Music writing, and i was knocked out how diffusers made a difference to listening. knocked up my own with a short trip to Wicks. Not up to big boy standard i know, but none the less made a difference. All for about £60.00 Garry

You should have ended the Email with that famous quote... " I suppose a fkuc's out of the question" If i do recall correctly - A Trumpet player to Dame Shirley Bassey after she gave him a rollicking. Garry

[quote name='bigjohn' post='1137129' date='Feb 22 2011, 02:28 PM']I'm not sure CPU is that important for DAWs or similar. Video encoding... yes, audio, hmmm, maybe not so much.[/quote] I am not sure why you think CPU is not important. CPU is up there with motherboards, FSB, RAM speed, Disc speed , graphic cards etc. And always has been. Just one link from many available worth checking out. [url="http://www.cakewalk.com/PCResource/Build.aspx"]http://www.cakewalk.com/PCResource/Build.aspx[/url] [url="http://www.cakewalk.com/PCResource/article.aspx?Page=Intel-Core-i7-Processor"]http://www.cakewalk.com/PCResource/article...re-i7-Processor[/url] [url="http://www.cakewalk.com/PCResource/buy.aspx?Type=Laptop"]http://www.cakewalk.com/PCResource/buy.aspx?Type=Laptop[/url] Half of the problems people have with there DAW's is not the software, but budget under performing machines. Thats why for years Mac's were the way to go, there was no budget hard wear in the machines. Different story of course these days. Garry

[quote name='Earbrass' post='1136897' date='Feb 22 2011, 11:31 AM']Thanks for your replies. My current laptop is about 10 years old, and is a maid-of-all-work, so I'm not going to try to upgrade that one. So is the consensus that 8GB RAM is overkill? I would have thought that it would more than compensate for a slightly slower disk spin speed by providing more buffering room. (??)[/quote] 8 gig might not be overkill if you are using sample libs, or sample based Romplers. Another thing to remember is CPU is important. The cheaper/domestic ones do struggle with some heavy duty synth's. Its worth going around the DAW forums, Cakewalk/Sonar is particularly good. Lots of good advice on CPU's, Ram speed [DDR3 1600 etc] AMD.Intel - motherboards etc. It all helps. In the end i went Desktop W7 64 bit AMD Quadcore, 8 gig of Ram, dedicated graphics 1 gig card. All from taking advice from The Sonar forum. My system is very stable. Might be worth leaving SONAR X1 alone until all the updates are out - it seems they have been having big problems. One other thing with 64 bit [If you are going to run a 64 bit DAW] some of the older plugs won't run. But there is a small very cheap programme called [b]J-Bridge[/b], its a must. Bridges 32 bit plugs to 64 bit. Not all work but a big amount do. [url="http://jstuff.wordpress.com/jbridge/"]http://jstuff.wordpress.com/jbridge/[/url] Garry

[quote name='Jerry_B' post='1136829' date='Feb 22 2011, 10:34 AM']You could say the same thing about a lot of stuff played by other bass players - [b]most of it could be played by a guitar.[/b][/quote] Wrong octave comes to mind, but hey whats taking it up the octave amongst friends... Garry

[quote name='skej21' post='1136771' date='Feb 22 2011, 09:49 AM']but they are targeting people who can use it to create their own backing tracks/karaoke tracks...[/quote] Re- Mixing and re- hashing producers/sound designers etc will find this a great tool. Like you say, shows promise. Garry

[quote name='steantval' post='1136447' date='Feb 21 2011, 10:39 PM']I have some stuff in my BACK PASSAGE that's better than this [/quote] Very good. Garry

Not sure this should be posted in 'General Bassists Discussions' Or...erm....Basses for sale. Is this man a legend? or something else? Garry

[quote name='leschirons' post='1135975' date='Feb 21 2011, 06:52 PM']She was terrible. One pattern for everything and couldn't even keep time within one bar. Stopped playing three times as she'd got lost and obviously had not listened to the three tracks.[/quote] And her Drum teacher, calls him/herself a Drum teacher? The teacher should have known she was not ready - even for Audition experience. [whatever that means] Not good for her confidence at 18. Garry

[quote name='ezbass' post='1135682' date='Feb 21 2011, 04:08 PM']GP channeling Pino quite nicely there. And here he doing the same from about 4:15 onwards [/quote] Oh dear - these producers will make you do anything for money & fame. Went to one of his stand up shows last year, and thought he was very funny. Garry