SpondonBassed

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1470306871' post='3104901'] This may be sacrilege here but are there any proper bands - not duos like The White Stripes, Black Keys etc - that managed just fine without one or could they've been much better with a bass player. The Doors first come to mind. Cant stand them meself and am not convinced the keyboard bass lines sufficiently compensated. [/quote] I used to think that The Doors had one until recent years. Turns out that the session bassist(s) used to catch my ear. Once that hooked me I was interested in their music. Take this as meaningless hindsight if you will but I don't think I would have listened to The Doors at all if it wasn't for some of the memorable bass lines like on Roadhouse Blues or LA Woman. Stevie Wonder seems to interchange keyboard bass, string bass and both together on some of his numbers with little problem. Not sure what that says for us poor lot!

I was only pulling your leg Steve. The live clip above was interesting enough though, I thought the live vocal arrangement was good. If they hadn't got the recorded backing of 256 voices (overdubs for the pedant) it may not have struck me the same way. So much of what I perceive is subliminal that I would only miss it if it were gone. Did that make sense?

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1470229965' post='3104288'] This is publicity. Why no name the time, place etc. Maybe folk here can come along? [/quote] Excellent suggestion.

Heeheehee. There speaks a man who has eaten a LOT of traditionally made rice pudding.

I had two recorded versions of Marley's "Sheriff" along with an Eric Clapton recording. Two versions were in G and one in F#. I found it fun to play along to each of them. I noticed however that the F# version appeared to be detuned by the way it had been recorded. The pitch had been slowed down possibly due to the recording medium running faster than it should have. We're talking about pre digital, SMPTE time codes and pitch correction of course. When I was offered a place in a band I was given some new songs to learn. I learned some songs off of the set from yooboob clips. First I learned them in their recorded keys. Then with some of them, I re-learned them in the key that favoured the vocalist's range. I feel it was a worthwhile exercise as it helped me to understand the dynamics of the songs a bit better. Hope this helps.

Ummm, somehow the topic has gone from tape to disc and therefore digital... Still wanting to know who got burned buying into Elcassette. I would have if my pocket money had been enough. Very glad my Dad was tight. Heeheehee.

Surface over substance? I like to have both ta.

[quote name='Trueno' timestamp='1470242954' post='3104444'] I saw them live in the mid 70s and I was really looking forward to how they were going to deal with it. Well, they just had a backing tape and played over the top of it. One of my first big disillusionments in life (musically speaking). Went off them mightily after that. Luckily I also saw Dr Feelgood around the same time... none of that sort of nonsense with them. [/quote] Not sure what you would have expected to see. Perhaps this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5mqR-ehY9s

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1470256078' post='3104591'] Would PAT Testing come under the umbrella of being "recently serviced"? [/quote] No. PAT (Portable Appliance Test) certification is a safety requirement for public liability insurance.

I've heard of people "gig-proofing" their instrument. What's that about?

It's a bit like wanting to know if a used car has been a private hire car I suppose.

Best of luck with it Aidan. I know how satisfying it is to work with one's hands.

[quote name='chickencole' timestamp='1469870724' post='3101578'] It would be fair to say he is loving it at the moment! [/quote] That's very good to hear. I hope you get some good pointers off the forum, there are a good few double bassists here I believe.

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1469796673' post='3101106'] A pedant writes: You're both wrong. The word (not words) is "heyday". [url="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/heyday"]http://www.oxforddic.../english/heyday[/url] [/quote] I stand corrected. Sorry Blue. Thank you for that. Pedantry aside, I am amazed at how easy it is to go through life with a notion that is fixed in my head and then find that I've had it wrong all the time. I've seen this in others too but this time it was me! Whoops.

Welcome Chickencole. A couple of years ago there was news that double bass players were a diminishing commodity and that some orchestra directors were seriously concerned for the future. The size of the instrument was apparently the reason it was no longer being taken up by significant numbers of students. I'm very glad to hear that your child is having a go. Electric Upright Bass (search for "EUB" in this forum) may be a solution. I have looked longingly at some of the skeleton uprights but I have yet to try the DB. I think that's something I'll leave for my dotage. Is it too early to ask if he's liking it?

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1469404976' post='3098074'] I was looking at buying a certain bass until I checked out the sellers demo video , & to be honest the sound quality was so bad It's put me off . People need to put a bit more effort than sticking some unsuitable mic in the corner of a room . [/quote] A demo video that has been recorded by an amateur (non-professional camera operator) is just that. I'd use it as one of the deciding factors as to what the instrument looks like in its current condition. It would not be the deciding factor however if I was in the market for the sort of instrument being offered. Instead the vid is merely a means to making a shortlist of sellers to consider seriously. You wouldn't expect to do a sound check via Skype would you?

[quote name='interpol52' timestamp='1468614487' post='3092220'] Anyway, if you haven't seen it I hope you enjoy. [/quote] I hadn't and I did so thank you. I agree, Carol has a lot of musical achievement to her credit. I am only getting to hear about it now even though I've listened to her basslines embedded in a LOT of the music that influenced me in my formative years.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1469749420' post='3100888'] Wasn't the "hey day" of Motown over when they moved to the West Coast? Blue [/quote] Sorry Blue but didn't you mean "hay"? As in hay days are those that come once a year and you have to make the most of them. Sorry but being of a family that had to gather in the hay by hand I have to pick you up on it. But HEY what do I know. Heeheehee. I take your point however about Motown. I am prepared to believe it too.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1469704812' post='3100451'] I think one of the main reasons for trading up to the Trace was handles. That one strap on top was a killer, compared to the comfy spring loaded side handles on the Trace. [/quote] Yeah. I had the same problem with my Ashdown but I put some side handles on myself with Ashdown's guidance. I have a thread about that in the forum somewhere. Even though combos are seen to be "small" or compact, the one carrying handle does not give you good control of it like you get using both hands.

Sony... Now that's a WHOLE thread all on its own.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1469578796' post='3099561'] Anyway, why is a cover song called a 'cover'? When one covers* something one is physically placing something over something else [/quote] And while we're at it, why do chefs count "covers" instead of bookings???

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1469558046' post='3099381'] I still have a box full of cassettes under the stairs, not played any of them in twenty years, I think I still have a really nice Marantz twin cassette deck wrapped and boxed in the loft, I know I have a few songs I really ought to transfer to computer but I can't be bothered to dig it all out and see if it still works. My mate still has the first imported Tascam 8 track cassette recorder, I doubt it has ever had more than 5 hours use since he brought it, from memory you had to use top range chrome c90 cassettes and it ran at 4 times the speed of a normal cassette player so you didn't get many songs on an expensive (at the time) tape [/quote] I still have my Fostex x15 four track recording mixer. Standard speed, standard cassettes, dead reliable even today. Anyone remember Elcassettes? More importantly, did anyone actually buy into this flash-in-the-pan format.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1469698472' post='3100356'] Just wondered you folks manage to find your stage clothing? [/quote] Skips R Us mainly

Welcome Kieron, It's good to have you on board, so to speak. I can't comment on the "misty eyes" as a LOT of that goes on in here but the enthusiasm of youth is particularly welcome.

I still love the sound of a massive bit of curtain fabric flapping in front of gargantuan drivers. [color=#000080][P155 take][/color] Combos? Pah! They're only good for tickling. [color=#000080][/P155 take][/color]