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[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1393839641' post='2384751'] Funnily enough, I used to do that but progressed to running the fishman into the front input of my little Mark head, and now to running direct into the front input without the fishman. Anyone know if this is legit? Sounds alright to my ears. I use a shadow nanoflex pickup (under Bridge feet) which has a "preamp" included attached on the afterlength, so I'm not sure of the impedances etc [/quote] That sounds like my experience. After I upgraded my amp (from a Roland Cube to a GK MB150) I found that I preferred the sound going directly into the amp. I've tried with both a Bass Max and Rev Solo 2 pickups and I find that the Plat Pro colours the sound too much, whereas the direct approach sounds more natural to my ears. I always bring the Plat Pro with me though in case the room in question doesn't agree with my setup and I need extra tweaking options.

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1392765955' post='2372620'] Thanks, hmm double and triple stops....why not simply say a chord? "I just threw a double stop in" does sound sexier though! [/quote] As far as I know, the term is an old one that comes from the world of violin, cello, double bass etc. Instead of 'fretting' a note, you 'stop' the string on a given note, which kind of makes sense on a fretless instrument. From a bass-playing perspective, if you say that you're 'playing a chord', that could either mean that you're playing multiple strings at the same time, or that you're playing a line over a given chord, so maybe 'double stop' is just more unambiguous? But I agree that it does sound sexier as well....

I quite like the rhythm exercises on this site:- http://www.practicesightreading.com/

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1392715146' post='2371809'] So no one thinks it strange that a fretless model was never available from the beginning for existing upright players to switch to? This was my main point of discussion, not the concept of putting frets on as frets had been around for hundreds of years. The instrument may have evolved differently had fretless been available as an option from the start and I wonder if many people ripped the frets out even in the early days? [/quote] I think that you're thinking about this in a modern context - at the time, double bass was the way of fulfilling that role in a band, and Fender came along with a sonically equivalent instrument that could be played by guitarists or upright players. I don't think that the fretted nature of a BG makes it harder for upright players to switch. If anything, it helps with intonation issues when switching to a BG's shorter scale length.

I'm not sure what pickup the Eminence has, but with my previous pickup (Bass Max) and my current one (Rev Solo) I find that I actually get a better sound without the Fishman Plat Pro in the chain - I find the EQ on the GK MB150 gives a more natural tone. But I always bring the Fishman to gigs just in case.

[quote name='fatgoogle' timestamp='1389992673' post='2340446'] Car is too expensive. Under 21 and all that jazz. Any one taken a train in Virgin trains and not had trouble. My emails with them imply they won't play ball and be nice [/quote] What a pain. The only thing I can think of is that you could make sure that your train is at an off-peak time and hope that the conductor doesn't mind/care. As long as you're not in anyone's way I can't see anyone minding, although I'm fully prepared to admit that reason and logic don't always apply to train conductors....

You're probably at a level of consistency with your playing that you still played well even though you weren't "feeling it" on the night. This is a good thing I think....Whereas when I think the music I'm playing is crap, that's because it usually is It could have also been that the sound that you were hearing on the stage wasn't great for some reason, which made it sound like the music wasn't hanging together, even thought it was.

Before I found a bass that I liked in Dublin I considered the train/ferry thing. I think it's do-able but I think that you might want to check with the train and ferry companies first that it's OK to bring the bass with you as a foot passenger.

+1 to what XB26354 says above. One pattern that I use quite a bit is using the first inversion of chords when you're playing the root on the D and G strings. So for example, if you're playing over an Eb major chord, then you have the root (Eb) on the D string on the first fret, the fifth (Bb) on the A string on the first fret and the third (G) at the third fret on the E string. If it's a minor chord, then the third is instead at the second fret (Gb in this case). This pattern will work all the way up the neck. What I like about this is that if you're walking, then you have the first three notes immediately available (root, third and fifth, although not necessarily in that order). Then, depending on the next chord, all you have to do is choose a fourth note that leads to that next chord (either chromatic, scale or chord tone). I'm not saying that you should use this all the time, as it'll quickly sound pretty mechanical, but it's a useful pattern to have available under your fingers.

Congratulations Dave, what a great way to celebrate Christmas! Hope mum and baby are doing well.

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1387286732' post='2310220'] Could you and your brother join forces and suggest that "to make sure that the set is really polished" , that you do an acoustic unamplified rehearsal? If the singer hears the songs and they sound great unplugged he may well go that way live or at least turn down. If the singing is shockingly bad ...well theres your reason why the volume gets cranked up! [/quote] +1. Being able to play well quietly is one of the most overlooked musical skills IMHO.

It depends on what kind of tunes you're looking for. If you mean "afro-cuban or bossa tunes that are often played by regular jazz bands", then the list is reasonably short and many of these tunes are included in the various real books that are available. Examples here include:- Manteca, Night in Tunisia, Caravan, The Girl from Ipanema, Favela, Desafinado However, if you're looking for a list that you could use to start a salsa band, then something like the Latin Real Book will probably be the best place to start as there are thousands of tunes to choose from. As an aside, the Salsa Guidebook by Rebeca Mauleon is a fantastic read if you want to get more into the history and overall feel of afro-cuban music. Sorry, I didn't really answer your question, but hopefully some of the above will be helpful.

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1387204607' post='2309280'] I got an intellitouch PT10, it cost about £10 from Amazon. Also changes colour to green when you're in tune. [/quote] I've got one of these too - works fine for the low E and the colour change makes it really easy to read on a dark stage.

This book is a pretty good exploration of modal jazz and its influence on other music. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0571245072 I'm not sure if it exactly answers your question but I bet it comes close. ..

I have the tascam dr05. It's very solid and works very well, with a straightforward interface. I like it a lot for recording practice sessions etc. From reading the reviews it's very similar to the H1, but has better build quality and is a bit bigger.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1385907026' post='2293393'] So difficult to get hold of a decent drummer. The really good ones are always busy, so... it's a whole new thread in itself really. [/quote] I'm sure there are equally scathing quotes about bass players, but here goes anyway:- "It takes a pretty good drummer to be better than no drummer at all." -- Chet Baker

I agree that reverb doesn't sound like the remedy, but she might not be a million miles away. From her email it sounds like she's looking for a slightly bassier, 'dirty' sound. I obviously have no idea if her comments are valid, but it sounds like she's being constructive and polite so I'm not sure if the negativity from some posters is justified.

[quote name='Rabbie' timestamp='1383855470' post='2270128'] Brilliant tip, no shame in getting a bit of help with intonation on the gig: nerves and adrenaline can really do funny things to the old fingers and ears... Well mine at least. [/quote] +100. The fingerboard can seem huge and featureless when the pressure's on or when you can't hear yourself properly!

I'm using a Bass Max pickup directly into a GK MB150 combo. I'm sure that there are better pickups and amps out there, but I don't need much volume for gigs and I can always get a sound that's usable. I used to use a Fishman Plat Pro as well, but since I got the GK I find that I don't need it - the EQ on the amp is pretty good and allows me to 'dial out' the nasty mid range pickup growl mentioned by @mtroun. I think my next investment will be a new pickup but the Bass Max, while a bit unsubtle, works pretty well for me.

Cheers Clarky, it's always nice to get recommendations of stuff to listen to, especially duos and trios featuring DB. I've just found that album on Spotify so I'll be giving it a listen as soon as I get a chance....

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1382364545' post='2251199'] Jazz appears to be a field where highly skilled musicians prove to be very poor songwriters. [/quote] Do you mean actual writers of songs, or composers? If the latter, then I disagree - there are loads of beautiful pieces that have been written by some great musicians.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1382295579' post='2250329'] ...But a typical reaction often is 'I don't like jazz but I like what you play'. [/quote] A related thing that people often say is "I like some jazz but I don't like the really busy stuff". I think a lot of people like some jazz (ballads, slower standards with tasteful, short, solos etc). But everyone has a different threshold for when things get faster and more rhythmically and harmonically elaborate. That threshold can change with time - some of it is down to 'educating your ears' in that you can discern a bit more of what the musicians are doing whereas before it might have sounded like noise. But everyone has their own level IMO. The other thing that puts people off is the impression of elitism, but I have to say that although some people who talk about jazz can be knobheads, most actual musicians that I've ever met are extremely humble individuals because they realise that learning to play the music is a lifetime's journey.

I bought a tascam dr05 recently and I'm really happy with it. The reviews all suggest that there's nothing to separate it from the zoom H1; I chose it purely because the build quality is a bit better. The recordings are great with it (the sound quality, at least. The playing is another thing. ..).