tinyd

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1476203284' post='3152294']
Yes, that's the one. I've seen more mixed reports about the other model with the red and green sides.
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Thanks @Beer - I'm going to order one and see how it works out for me.

Cheers

Big double Bass Pick up[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1476195923' post='3152182']
I had a Revolution Solo for a few years, so I've been able to compare the two on the same bass. It was a bit more open in the high end than the J-tone, but for some reason I could never get it evenly balanced across all four strings and it could come across as a touch harsh and scratchy on my bass (even running into a preamp). The J-tone has more thickness to the sound, is more forgiving with fitting and positioning and the "plug it in and it works" convenience of it is nice. I'm thinking of moving back to my AKG C411 contact mic for jazzier gigs as it gets a bit more of a woody tone, but I'll certainly hang on to the J-tone.
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That's useful to know. I have the same 'balance' problem with the Rev Solo as well. One last question - is the J-Tone that you have the same model as posted above? (i.e. the "Big double Bass Pick up")?

Thanks again

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1476193422' post='3152156']
Here you go then; [url="https://thechaosquartet.bandcamp.com/track/caravan"]https://thechaosquar...m/track/caravan[/url]
This was recorded with the pickup running straight into my GK MB200 and using the pre-EQ DI output to the board. It sounds a little darker on this recording than it usually does in the flesh, but that should give you some idea. IMO it has kind of a compressed character and doesn't get the full acoustic character of the bass, but that's common to a lot of bridge-mounted pickups.
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Thanks very much for posting that - nice playing! The pickup sounds pretty good as well - like you say, a bit "artificial" and compressed, but to be honest I'm struggling with my more natural sounding Revolution Solo pickup. When adjusted it can sound great, but live it's ridiculously sensitive to movement and having something a bit more even is what I'm looking for. Thanks again for taking the time to send that on.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1476181404' post='3151971']
I think there are some board recordings where I was using mine - I'll see if I can dig them out and send you a link later. It was a rough late-night performance at an event with free beer, so I've been a bit shy about posting them here...
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That would be great @Beer! Not to worry about the recording, I'm with @TPJ - my playing sounds rough without the the fun of beer and late nights

I'm seriously considering getting one of those J-Tone pickups but I can't find any sound clips anywhere - if anyone can point me to any sound clips or videos I'd be most grateful!

Cheers

Here's another one that I was introduced to by Classic Disco Mastercuts:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zg8s00u3hQ

I always liked this one - great bass line. I think I first heard it on one of those great Mastercuts compilations:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_cpZ49T07o

PM sent

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1461165868' post='3032077']
If you want to learn how to play jazz standards, the best way is to ignore web pages that say you need to learn hundreds of tunes and just get with some like-minded people who want to do the same thing. Learn a tune a week and by the end of the year you have a setlist for a two hour gig.
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I'd agree with this approach, it worked for me. From a jazz bass player's point of view, 'learning a tune' also means playing walking basslines. If you don't have much experience with this I'd recommend learning to walk as well - there are some good books on this by Ed Fuqua, Ed Friedland and Jay Hungerford that I've found useful.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1459848861' post='3020143']
Also, the style of bass playing was changing and PC didn't move with the times so got left behind.
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I think that this is a good point. Bass playing is subject to fashion as much as other musical styles and when Miles formed the second quintet that included Ron Carter this became the sound that a lot of people wanted, especially as the change was so quick. I still find it amazing that there's only 10 years between Relaxin' and Miles Smiles - both fantastic albums but very different.

For me, Ron Carter and Jimmy Garrison are both examples of great players who, while arguably not absolutely first on the list of "bass players' bass players" have been instrumental in changing the way that a jazz rhythm section sounds.

[quote name='mtroun' timestamp='1458984914' post='3012557']
Yeah, I see what you mean. Though keeping a form isn't easy and a lot of even quite decent horn players get lost in forms because they are used to someone else doing it for them! I think when we talk about technical expectations, bear in mind how ridiculously easy it is to play fast on a saxophone. The challenge isn't in the execution but in coming up with the content!
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+1. From my limited experience of playing with other musicians, keeping time and following the form of a tune are very underrated skills. I've seen some "name" acts where the timekeeping has been a bit suspect. My pet theory is that rhythm is often treated as secondary, both in formal musical education and when people are learning more informally, but I have zero evidence to back that up

[quote name='Scott S' timestamp='1402907207' post='2477645']
Yep, I couldn't agree more, mate. I mean, if you can play the solo from Comfortably Numb then Nile's metronomic "chicka chicka" I Want Your Love verse rhythm playing will be a doddle, right?
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+10000 I was listening to Thinking Of You by Sister Sledge the other day and it occurred to me that it was one of the greatest guitar riffs but I've never personally heard a guitarist play it.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1454928320' post='2974171']


There are also solo sax versions like this one from Branford Marsalis (I love this one - tried transcribing it for bass but it got too hard)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QC8Bmf_KRA[/media]
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That Brandford Marsalis versions is great, I hadn't heard that one before. This is a really nice Joshua Redman version that starts off solo and then the band come in:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbmEiC7CRss

[quote name='Wonky2' timestamp='1453991978' post='2965083']
Yes, i think my minds made up on the rev....
Cheers guys

Has anyone considered a bead of super glue to one (just 1 side) of the bridge wing to secure it ? If carefully glued at one point it would allow for differing expansion rates of the two woods (bridge and pup) can see the it would interfere with pups ability to "breathe" it just fix on one leading edge ?

Anyhoo, do any of you users of the rev use a pre amp ? Im using a lil mark 3 with balanced input ? ( impeadance is something i have yet to undrrstand !)
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I don't think it's a good idea to glue it in place but I wrapped it in masking tape until it fits snugly, then once I found the "sweet spot" I marked the position on the masking tape if you see what I mean.

I've tried a Platimun Pro preamp but to be honest I get better results going straight into my GK MB150 combo - it takes a lot of EQ fiddling but I have it set up pretty well to avoid that nasty boomy, middle-y sound that you get with piezos.

[quote name='Wonky2' timestamp='1453972925' post='2964725']
Anyone used the Upton pup?
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I have an Upton Rev Solo 2 - I like it a lot, it's pretty natural-sounding compared to my previous BassMax. It's incredibly sensitive to how you position it in the bridge slot though - literally a millimetre to the side and the sound completely changes. I bought it second hand from another basschatter so I can't help with how to get one in the UK, sorry

I think learning from books is a good way to go, especially if you're "time poor". If I were you, I'd start with the walking basslines book first - the notation is easier to read as it'll be mainly quarter notes plus you can learn an awful lot about moving between chords even if you don't ultimately want to play much walking bass.

[quote name='72deluxe' timestamp='1452165210' post='2947112']
Ah so whilst learning the rules, I am also free to ignore the rules if I want to sound "clashing" or "add tension"? That doesn't really help encourage learning the rules!
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I think that learning rules so that you can (selectively) break them is a good way to look at it - IMO most great music happens at that boundary between the 'rules' and whatever else is going on in the brain of the musician. Too far one way and you're listening to an aimless mess, and too far the other way and the music is safe and uninteresting. What's great is that we all have a different idea of where this boundary lies.

[quote name='72deluxe' timestamp='1452164381' post='2947097']

tinyd, that was the question I have. Your two reasons make sense, particularly the first so thanks.
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Glad that helped. One thing to note is that what sounds good is a very subjective thing and you should always let your ears guide you. I'm quoting the Jazz Theory Book here from memory, but he says something like "in some cases, playing an F over a C Major chord might be a great choice". So it's ultimately all about context, and taste. And what's more, taste can change over time so what might have sounded harsh and dissonant to you a year ago might sound pretty good now.

[quote name='72deluxe' timestamp='1452121032' post='2946814']
Also, IIm7 for Dorian (as listed at the top of the page in the PDF) and IIIm7 : what should I read that as in English? In my head I am breaking IIm7 down as "C major scale, but starting on the second note of the C major scale (the II bit) ..." but then get lost there.

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I can't really expand on any of the other great answers that you've received, but for the specific point above, when you're playing over a ii-chord (minor 7) you usually think Dorian. The fact that it contains the same notes as the major scale a tone lower is helpful for understanding the overall harmony of the tune (and for learning the notes of the scale), but it's not necessarily helpful when you're actually playing the tune. So it's better to learn the different modes and treat them as independent scales but keep the knowledge of their relationships in mind. What tends to happen is that as you progress you'll start playing patterns and lines that work over multiple chords anyway (you can find tons of material on playing over ii-V-I progressions, for example).

The other thing that I found confusing when learning this stuff was "if the notes of all the modes are the same, why can't I just play any of the modes over any of the chords derived from that key?". There are two simple answers that come to mind

1) Not all of the notes sound particularly good when emphasised over a particular chord e.g. hold down an F (the fourth) over a C Major chord,

2) It's your job as a bass player to outline the harmony of the tune so your lines should place emphasis on the strong tones of each chord so that other players and listeners know where they are.

As with everything in music, there are no hard and fast rules which must always be obeyed, and the above two are only guidelines - there are tons of examples where they're broken and better musicians than me break them all the time to create tension and excitement.

[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1451500425' post='2941045']
I would imagine in the modern era, Seven Nation Army would be the most recognisable, and that ain`t even a bass.
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This gets my vote as well. Even though it's not actually played on a bass, it might as well have been and it's definitely a bass line.

As others have said, I'd listen to some recordings. Although there are loads of varieties of jazz, for many people the place to start are the classic recordings of the late 50s and early-mid 60s from the likes of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard etc. Most stuff on the Blue Note label is very listenable, plus, unlike many earlier recordings, the sound quality is great and it's easy to hear the bass.

Once you've found some stuff you like, the next thing to do is to figure out how to play bass to these tunes. There are loads of books available. I've got something from each of these:-

[url="http://www.amazon.com/Building-Walking-Bass-Lines-Builders/dp/0793542049"]http://www.amazon.co...s/dp/0793542049[/url]
[url="http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Walking-Jazz-Lines-Bass/dp/0786659963"]http://www.amazon.co...s/dp/0786659963[/url]
[url="http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Bassics-Ed-Fuqua/dp/1883217504"]http://www.amazon.co...a/dp/1883217504[/url]

but there are loads of others.

Then you can do some more reading and have a look on the forums here and on TalkBass.

Hope that helps

I think that this is a pretty common pattern:

1) Someone figures out a new way of doing something,
2) Everyone admires the person,
3) People start copying,
4) Other people refine,
5) Years pass....
6) Original person's innovation seems a bit crude / obvious / naive compared to later refinements.

I think that 6) can be true for some people without detracting from the original achievement.

Personally, Jaco's first album is one of my favourites, but I can take or leave a lot of his later stuff.

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1449827741' post='2927187']
We use a Tascam DR 05 and get very good results with it. Dead simple and we've got a decent live demo for next to nothing.
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I've got one of these and it's great for live recordings.

Before my last rehearsal I lowered my bridge a little bit and my sound and intonation were a bit crapper than normal, plus I had unusual cramps in my right hand. Now this could be because I haven't been practicing as much as I should, but I think it might also be that the lower action was making me overplay to compensate for the lower volume. So I guess it's always worth experimenting.

[quote name='dand666' timestamp='1449673596' post='2925851']
What transcribing software do you use? Also do you use a midi keyboard for inputing?
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On Android I've been using Audiopo to slow down and loop the music I'm transposing, and Passacaglia Music Notation which is an excellent notation app. I haven't used a midi keyboard, I just enter the music on the stave in Passacaglia, but a keyboard makes sense if you're using a PC or Mac