SpondonBassed

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1495847747' post='3307087'] Interesting thought, I just realized that if my dream gig ever came along, touring with a headliner internationally, my requirements would go right out the window. It would be more about what they required from. I have friend that recently audition for a gig with Cher. He not only had to audition on bass guitar,he had to audition playing piano, guitar and synth bass. He didn't get the gig and truth be told shouldn't have gotten the audition.He had no touring experience. Blue [/quote] I wish you hadn't said that. I keep getting images of her and her son playing on a destroyer while she's dressed only in a mankini! Too weird.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1495840865' post='3307073'] In a perfect world I'd rather play with those that don't have other full time jobs. Blue [/quote] Good point. I have found it is difficult to find jamming partners that have time during the day like I have. It's frustrating because there's so much I could be doing to polish my skills as part of a rhythm section if only the percussionERS could come out to play during the day.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1495838290' post='3307061'] There is a reason why i think hes the best bass player alive. Hes not just a bass player, he's a multi instrumentalist. THAT, is what what makes him the best bass player alive today.. imo... [/quote] I don't think it's what makes him great. Sure, playing different instruments fills out a musician's skills but that makes them a better all 'round musician. The bass playing might well benefit but it does not always follow. There are many multi instrumentalists that play bass. They're not all great bass players however. I do have a soft spot for Mr Miller though. He's cool. Not having heard a great deal of his work other than mainstream I hope we get some good linkage from this topic. I could do with hearing the stuff that I'd miss otherwise.

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1495787969' post='3306528'] ...Thank you for being so gracious!... [/quote] Hahahahaha! In future I would appreciate it if you would not tarnish my bad boy rep with such allegations. You are welcome however.

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1494243330' post='3294220'] Wow! - Thanks very much - I hope you both enjoy it. Do let me know what you think - and don't hold back! We're hoping to have another studio album out in the next few months [/quote] I'm just into disc five now and I haven't really got anything bad to say about the whole set. I am biased however. In the eighties we were influenced by the same artists that clearly influenced you; Cure, Smiths, Joy Division/New Order etc. Unlike yourselves, we weren't talented enough to sound much better than cheap imitations when we tried to perform our own material. Well done and thanks for the heads up. PS; Great bass sound on the studio mixes. Not so great on the live ones but that's quite normal and nothing to be ashamed of.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1495761351' post='3306431'] True, however I still think I would have seen more; "I do this for a living so a certain threshold for pay is a requirement" as well as, "I'm in this for the joy of playing music only so fun is my main requirement". Fun has always been a strange one for me because I always have fun when I perform. Blue [/quote] You have to remember that this forum covers the whole spectrum with regard to the competence of the bass players who sign up. We have the complete novices, the struggling amateurs (myself included), the working musicians, the successful working musicians and, I would hope, one or two star players with undisputed achievements. Pay is good but experience is better if you are climbing the ladder so to speak. I am probably not the only one who would play for the experience at my own cost if I thought it would teach me something I couldn't learn otherwise. There has been a whole topic on that if someone cares to drop the link in a later post. Generally if you are good at something, it's fun. I get my moments playing for myself but it's shallow satisfaction playing along to recordings. The real fun is when the band gels and you are a part of it. It happened for me on a teeny weeny stage in a Dublin city pub in '86/'87. I still miss that buzz.

Liking the music is probably a given for most. I accept that sometimes you have to play what others want to hear rather than that which you know you can perform better for them. I also try to play stuff that isn't really my bag to round myself off a bit. I've noticed when recording practice sessions that the tunes I especially like are not coming across as well as I think. I suppose because I like them anyway, I'm less self critical. In a band I'd love to be in a position to choose the set in its entirety but I gather even seasoned and accomplished musicians seldom get to do that. Mine would probably be an unpopular choice anyway. I wouldn't play something I hate unless paid to do so and even then I'd have to give it thought.

Michelle, Beatles Simple yet beautiful.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1495705453' post='3305952'] Interesting, I would have thought realistic travel time and distance would have been a common requirement Blue [/quote] Great Britain is a relatively small island Blue. We don't have five time zones, just the one. I'd be happy to travel within our region (East Midlands) if my expenses were met by the fee. I might even be happy with taking a loss if there were other benefits like experience and contacts. Further afield, I'd consider it seriously if it led to better things from the wider exposure but I'd need to be making a little off it too. At my age starting off as if from scratch, I doubt I'll get far with the above but who knows? The Open Mic experience was good. I'll build on that for now because it means I play with a variety of people. @ Blue, I can't see anything wrong with your list but I will remind you of the saying "beggars can't be choosers". You are listing what you've already got but not everyone is so lucky. You said yourself if the current band folded that would be it for you. God forbid that it would ever happen but if you were forced to look for another band would you surrender some of your criteria to keep yourself in the game?

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1495703287' post='3305929'] ...No ponytails, unless you are a woman... [/quote] (or a pony)

Cracking vid Jack. I missed it before and all.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1495628343' post='3305397'] I use a 60" chest to store some of my basses. Just saying ... [/quote] I keep my funk in a trunk.

I bet that studio smells good when all the gear is fired up. Digital studios ought to hand out scratch and sniff cards to give hipsters the whole experience.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1495548427' post='3304658'] ...I felt this deserved a wider audience. [/quote] My house mate, who you might remember from the Risley DB Bash, has a 60in chest. Is [i]that[/i] wide enough for you? I'll show it him if you like.

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1495616407' post='3305244'] The above is my favourite so far - really good suggestion rorysmith My own efforts; The Austerity Orchestra The Jazztones We Jazztafah's 3 EDIT: "Jazzinga" [/quote] I like [color=#0000ff][size=6][b][i]Jazzinga[/i][/b][/size][/color] a lot

[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1495610254' post='3305183'] ...It's an immensely difficult instrument to record right. You really need a clean low end and distortion on top to get the best out of it. The sonic space it takes up is mind boggling. If you're going to use it it kind of has to be the centrepiece of the instrumentation as it takes over everything... [/quote] I suppose one or two specially arranged numbers featuring it as the "guest" instrument would give a set some added dynamism. If placed strategically those numbers could punctuate the evening nicely. It's a head turner for sure.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1495609767' post='3305178'] Charlie Charles And The Charleys [/quote] [color=#006400][b][i][size=6]Charlie McChasface[/size][/i][/b][/color] ? or [color=#ff8c00][b][i][size=6]Charlie Charles and the Chunky Bunch[/size][/i][/b][/color] ? How about [color=#b22222][b][i][size=6]Chortling Charlie and his Cheery Trio[/size][/i][/b][/color] ?

[quote name='Dandelion' timestamp='1495609959' post='3305180'] Eire on a G string. [/quote] For a Northern Ireland band that would certainly provoke conversation... at the very least. Eire being the Republic and all. Nice play on words though.

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1495556725' post='3304795'] Oh well, off I go. Wish us luck (and lack of damage!) [/quote] Belated good wishes. Good to hear it went well.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1495554490' post='3304748'] There was one exception involving an invisible bear. Blue [/quote] Was it better than the average rear Boo Boo? Hahahahaha! Priceless.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1495553688' post='3304733'] ...Even when I was a teen, I had reservations about guys that ask and want to use other people's [color=#ff0000][i]rear[/i][/color]. Blue [/quote] Understandable. It's always polite to ask before you steam right in though.

[quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1495557675' post='3304813'] Hi all Appealing to the collective wit of Basschat here! Been asked last minute to put together a jazz trio for an awards dinner run by a large NI-based publication. It's going to be a classy affair and we are doing 2 hours at the welcome drinks reception, all standards. Format is drums, piano and upright with some vocals. Any ideas for a classy, cool, humourous or witty name? I am stumped and terrible at these things! We are pretty young (mid 20s) and fresh so something modern would work too - we don't mind having a bit of fun with it! I should add that part of the payment will be in the form of a full page advert in said publication. Cheers all! Danny [/quote] [color=#800080][b][i][size=6]3 Jive Live[/size][/i][/b][/color]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1495529105' post='3304416'] If you concentrate on the pop stuff then inevitably you will come up with a lot of cack. There were loads of great rock and neo-prog bands knocking about in the 80's. Some of them even charted. Eg you won't see Gillan on that link - 5 top 20 albums and 6 top 30 singles just between 1980-83. ACDC, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Guns n Roses. Colossal album sales in 80's and they were just the commercial acts. Lots of musically interesting stuff with narrower appeal too. A whole different 80's to the one represented in the BBC link. [/quote] Come on though, it is dear old Auntie Beeb. You know, the one who let Musical Youth sing "Pass the Dutchie", the cleaned up version, on Blue Peter. Impartial programming at all times of course. Yeah right.

It was hearing Maccer's bass on jukeboxes as a small child that did it for me. You couldn't really feel it on TV, radio or domestic low-fi record players. In the café however... wow! It took many years for the seed to germinate into a deep love for the deep notes but it definitely started there.

They'll be fine for a piccolo bass. While I like a nicely turned knurl, I wouldn't feel happy tuning this way despite the reduction gearing. It's just about okay on the direct pull tuners on a Steinberger bridge but even then I wish sometimes for more positive finger engagement that knurling simply does not give you. It isn't an issue on the Steinys so much because they're fairly stable and less likely to drift off tune. On a headstock however...