lowdown

If it was the destructions of Violas, everyone would have been having a good laugh.**

Yes, his Guitar playing on a few of the well known standards is lovely. He is just a superb musician, full stop. Once you go to his YouTube page, you can end up being stranded there for ages having a listen...

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1500991844' post='3341545'] that's utter bollocks the truth is, whether you get paid or not, we are all bass players and no one is better than anyone else [/quote] Apart from James Jamerson was better at playing Motown Basslines than that bloke in the Sex Pistols.**

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1500985482' post='3341472'] "Less is More", It's a nice sounding phrase, and can be a handy phrase to roll out when creatively stumped! Less is More... of what? Notes per verse/chorus? Assuming that most of us are mere mortal musicians and not genii bass players that can create killer bass lines on the fly, then, I would suggest that "More" time/imagination/experience/talent etc applied might actually be... "More"(?) [/quote]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1500977447' post='3341393'] I know what Ivan is getting at. I have preferred US musicians since I started listening to music. They usually had/have such a great groove that wasn't/isn't always readily available over here. I put it down to the long hours they had to play, like Blue's usual 4 hour bar gigs. If you're playing for that amount of time you either get good or quit. Like our band that played 5 3/4 hour sets Mon to Thu and 6 sets on Fri and Sat for nearly a year on the US airbases in Germany. We were bloody good at our job when we came home. In the US they did marathons, in the UK we did sprints.You play less and more effectively when you know you've got another 4 hours to go. IME the guys Ivan talks about were more prevalent in the 70's. I generally find better players around these days but I mostly play with pro or ex-pro players and that really is a big difference, not in ability but attitude and effectiveness. [/quote] Having been through that, I tend to agree with you and Ivan. Doing those bases with those long sets, certainly got my chops together (fingers and ears). Over the years I have noticed that players who only 'Play for themselves' don't last very long in that particular working environment. Any musician worth their sort would know when to play out, or when to reign it in. If not, Bass (or any Instrument) duties would be for bedroom purpose only (until the penny drops). Experience will tell you what to play and when. "Less Is More" and "Busy, Over playing" are different things. Busy can mean different things in different genres. A lot of notes coming fast in this arrangement, but delivered with skilled musicianship (IMO of course). A busy Timbale solo @ 3:50, but you can hear the melody in his playing. http://youtu.be/tDo5rrdfNUs

I think any Instrument can be a solo performance Instrument or used to take a head solo. But, is the musician holding the Instrument capable of delivering a meaningful, musical, lyrical solo (soloing over changes, or a solo piece) ? While holding the attention of the listener ? Sadly, a lot of Bass players can not (although being excellent on general Bass duties) . That's for a variety of reasons and thinking, but the limitations are down to the player, not the Instrument (IMO of course, just based on what a I have seen and heard over the years). I like listening to musicians on any Instrument, opening up and taking solos, doing/trying something different, so maybe I am a bit biased. I take my hat off to the likes of Steve Lawson and our own 'Ambient' who do whole solo gigs with just a Bass Guitar and a Looper pedal and/or Laptop. Top stuff from those guys.

[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1500914277' post='3341047'] Tried it twice but lost patience.....think it's better to be a keyboardplayer than a bassplayer when starting to play it. The amount of time you need to invest doesn't go into your bassplaying also.. [/quote] Agreed, the better Stick players I have heard, have come from a background of Keys or Guitar. Bass players tend to just tap away on it (Bass notes and a couple of double stops), just like the Bass Guitar tapping technique. The Instrument has so much more to offer that that.

All a bit of a rush really. I might revisit it one day with fresh ears. https://soundcloud.com/garrycribb/the-tango-culture

When is the deadline for the entries? Tomorrow night I hope. I have only just started this afternoon.....

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1500818268' post='3340339'] As brilliantly illustrated in the video above ^^, a great deal of the expressivity comes from the interplay between the instruments and the song, the story, the lyrics. Even in classical 'orchestral' music, there is an underlying story, with its ultimate expression in the form of opera. The music, in the majority of modern music, is a support for the text, with much meaning stripped away without that all-important part of the ensemble. Try thinking the words, and their meaning and feel, while playing, not just the notes of your instrument. Sing along, if you can; that, in itself, is good practice. Just my tuppence-worth. [/quote] Yep. As a side note, in the opening of the video, even the page turner has s great feel and certainly knows where to turn the page. [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1500818254' post='3340337'] Bass makes a fantastic solo instrument. It's down to the player and their repertoire. I think this is a very much used and factually incorrect statement. A lot of playing a classical piece is down to the musician's skill in interpreting the chart. That's what makes one person's performance different to another musician's. [/quote] Yep, also agree with this above as well.

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1500646569' post='3339364'] Voting with my feet. Just stuck a new "old" track of mine on there. From my Chappell Music demos days. [/quote] A Popular Beat Combo on Soundcloud, m'lud ?

^^^^ Mostly on it, sometimes just under it, occasionally just above it, a couple of times straining to get near it - All very natural to me (both of them). I suppose we all hear and enjoy tunes in a different way. Another one here from the series. I love how DH seems to bring out the best in the other singers. [media]http://youtu.be/9Zz1r7qEQck[/media]

"If it sounds good, it is good", is really just one's opinion. I mean, as a parent, would you want to hurt a child's feelings ? It's not good for their confidence. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpJ6anurfuw[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDZZEfrRbdw[/media]

In the key of 'C', the dominant G7 chord (scale) shares all the notes of the 'C' Major scale. EDIT: Sorry must have posted without seeing quoted post above.

Yep, Diane Birch is great and the whole series is brilliant. There is a great grooving version of 'Pick Up The Pieces' on YouTube from that TV run.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1500564773' post='3338746'] Ive learned something from this thread - back in the early 70s anyone suggesting playing EEE G#AG# E etc etc would have been considered in the same light as someone insisting on having fish djou rather than liquor with their pie and mash - basically wrong!! However having tried it I'm amazed that it sounds ok and can see why people might - especially if they're very acquainted with the Sweet song. [/quote] Yep. Although I have just been listening to that 'Sweet' tune. The Bass is not playing the same as the Guitar. Over the E & Esus it's just playing E E EBEB (same rhythm of course). Cue another thread...

Probably my favourite Stick player is 'Bob Culbertson', but 'Greg Howard' has a real nice, relaxed feel about his Stick playing. Below is his fabulous arrangement of 'Time After Time', with some beautiful, lyrical playing and lovely dynamics. [media]http://youtu.be/W5h-yH01dN0[/media]

[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1500453287' post='3337799'] Take a listen to Herbie Hancock's version on his Possibilities album, the bass is nice and sprightly but grooving nicely. [url="https://youtu.be/eo7AcIdMnHY"]https://youtu.be/eo7AcIdMnHY[/url] [/quote] Thanks for the post. I just ordered the CD on that Herbie Hancock solo alone. It's marvellous. The making of the album DVD looks interesting as well. I think I will try and get hold of the Blue Ray version.

[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1500276024' post='3336546'] Used to be a huge fan but like someone else has said : his solo's start to be very predictable (that hasty slur across the neck at the end of the solo, the "ambulance", the theme from "Twilight Zone", etc...) [/quote] I feel these days, that most of the 'older' players that we are/were all fond of , have a habit of being predictable. (let's face it, we know their playing styles and tunes inside out). His latest album 'Heritage', is a real chill offering. It's mainly just Cuban/native rhythms & arrangements (some piano Jazz soloing), along with singing in his native tongue (plus, back to the bare bones, well played Bass playing). I am a fan of Latin & World music, so for me, the album is a joy to listen to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qYqLqdTiSU [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6U4Mnjc6bY&list=PLvsPlB6BS56w5rznU_8gjcMcqCnarb_xc&index=5[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE8NKtzvuaU&list=PLvsPlB6BS56w5rznU_8gjcMcqCnarb_xc&index=6[/media]

Not sure if it's been posted elsewhere before, but if not, it's on iPlayer and is a decent watch. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05rjc9c/tales-from-the-tour-bus-rock-n-roll-on-the-road

Yes, he is great. I have seen his videos before. He grooves well and his soloing is very 'Horn' like and fluid. Nah, don't give up and sell your Basses, just practise more.

Singing Gb over F sounds better, and definitely no-one would know.

There was a reached agreement with PRS, but I am not sure if it was successful, or indeed honoured in any way. I suppose it will all come out in the wash. https://www.prsformusic.com/press/2015/prs-for-music-and-soundcloud-reach-a-multi-territory-licensing-agreement-ending-legal-proceedings

I thought PRS reached an agreement with Soundcloud a year or two back to pay out on use of the PRS repertoire ? That's what it's members were told.

Yes he has got it all...Only seen him the once and it was pretty special. A mention for that Dutch Orchestra as well. They have been around a while and are the best at the non classical gigs (Jazz/soul/pop etc).