oldbass

Would have thought playing single note roots on a bass with a pick is one of the easiest things to do on any instrument ....after 40 yrs I still find barr chords difficult.

Not really. Bass guitar is such an easy instrument to play it doesn't really matter what you do. But try twanging a violin/cello with wrong technique and you ll soon come unstuck. Having said that the one thing that has improved my playing, tone and general happiness by a gazillion miles is learning to play with a floating thumb. Huge improvement.

I get nervous at posh functions say in a small marquee without PA support when some twit makes a bloody great announcement etc ..everyone's hyped up and we've been payed a "small" fortune..been known to fluff a few things under the "enormous" pressure. Stage festivals hardly at all...the crowd are miles away and the bass probably sounds like mud so no-one cares what I'm playing anyway.

U sound like the type of guy I'd lend my gear to without a worry but if the comms does go squiffy this would be my thought. a, Don't crank the bass past 12.00 b, Don't crank the volume at all. Your then free to fiddle with the rest of the eq all night long, no harm done.

I was there too..not close to the stage but their's was the only set that me stop what I was doing and look up. Got a few live albums including the brill Donny Hathaway one but I reckon GFWYKnow may well be the best live album ever made. Very crisp.

He brought the funk to R&R, terrific playing and tone....

This and especially it seems as you get older. I'm no spring chicken but I'm not bald, I've still got me own teef etc and still fairly trim but I find a certain attitude rises up towards me when I enter a music shop, along the lines of..... ha ha look at that old guy, who's he think he is? etc etc. Can make one feel quite uncomfortable.

Trouble is real talent if its there will tend to trump everything. Played a seaside summer season many moons ago with a brilliant but highly strung singer. One evening I arrive to see him talking kinda loudly with the bar manager. A bit later half way through the first set, and its only 7.00pm! (it was a 4 setter) ..he starts berating the guy over the PA.....blimey, there was not a stone big enough for any of us to crawl under. I do think its particularly true with lead singers that there are some that are so good you simply have to hang onto them despite their failings. He stayed with the band for the next three years and it was good but you just knew you had to tread lightly around him.

Heard this for first time the other day...nice old school jazzy soul piece with some incredible chord shapes and turns...

the old adage..if it looks right it usually is right..eh.. that dosen't look right.

If its anything like my VM P you've nout to worry about. Cuts thru very nicely so various audience bods have told me.

Amazing but kinda sad in a way cause he probably wasnt a very happy guy at that point yet he looks so cool and on the money..pity.

Im pretty sure thats the only piece of footage of him anywhere....its just incredible to be able to watch him play..kinda cuts through all the endless reams of JJ internet chitter chatter. Its very humbling.

Checkout 2.31....amazingly economic finger action...

I tried a RW P a couple of yrs ago..the whole thing felt lovely but I wasnt sure about the wide neck...I should have bought it really, I do think the RW's are a bit special.

Yep, the local guys sounded good too. I used to watch a 3 piece at the local dive in the late 70's. Guy used a Rick into a 4x12 Marshall stack. Fantastic round tone, created a lovely full balance against the telecaster on the other side of the stage. If they could do the cab and amp at 22 Ibs all in, Id buy. Great set up for bass.

Ha, my favourite subject...love reading about how it all worked and Mr Babbitts certainly got a way with words!. Nowadays we are all about this and that piece of gear but for these guys it really was all in their fingers it seems and not much else.

I went through that thing of thinking I had to spend big bucks to get a good P bass so I bought a sunburst 71 but it wasn't great, it looked good, had the vibe and tons of goodly mojo but it was heavyish and sounded dull. I now play a 180 quid VM Squier P and it trounces the 71 in pretty well every department. Sure the 71 had a tad more 'heft' to the tone (love those thick necks) but in a band setting its the mid range and playability on the VM that puts a smile on my face every time.

No reason why bass should go under but I think in general good music is dying because if you analyse 20th century contemporary music it all emanates from the blues, and the reason the blues happened in the first place is gradually disappearing into history.

This is an apt thread. We're curently trying to nail the speeded up bit on 'Come On Eileen'...yes I know but it was a majority decision etc ( I just play the notes ha), but can the drummer get it?..not a chance. Overall it actually sounds pretty good but if he cant do it then it goes in the bin.

Gawd, havn't heard this for ever. Mmm....one and three, simplicity itself.

Interesting thread. Best thing you can do I think is to go out into the room when there's a few peeps in...that way you'll get some understanding of how it all sounds and what you need to do if anything to modify ur approach.

Its simplicity is a blessing and a curse.... I bought a used but mint wine coloured one back in 78. I was a rank beginner and in my useless hands it didn't seem to have any clarity or punch at all..just dull dull dull. A year later I bought a Ray and I sounded ...well, better or so I thought. I had 25 yrs with that boat anchor Ray and was never really happy. Its only recently that I've finally figured out how to play a P bass which for me personally is Chromes which oddly never seem to go dull, and a light but positive touch..to say I've found nirvana is pushing it a bit but I'm finding it very, very hard to put down.

Funny how so many musicians are so different. Ive tried until I'm blue in the face to love Jazzes and Rays and there good...but I always end up feeling like I'm missing something... Strap a P on and its like being served my favourite meal...just plain satisfying.