Burns-bass

This is the one: https://www.ultrachallenge.com/bath-50-challenge/ (Sorry Chris)

No it was a charity thing. There were 50km runners but we did the 25km one (which was actually 29km because of the route). It was a fantastic day out and the route was brilliant. I’ve not ever done an ultra event so maybe I did a half or a mini or whatever. Our team of 4 raised over £2k so all good.

I did a two hour blues gig on Friday playing our messed up versions of Chess era stuff and got paid £45. My view is, if I’m playing other people’s music (covers) I’d expect to be paid. Original, I’d expect nothing. (Jazz I’d expect no money and indifference). On Saturday I did a 30km ultra in Bath. That cost me £89. Nobody would pay to watch me fall over for 29km. But I’ve paid to watch competitive amateur sport (rugby, mostly). The only money I’ve ever made from Sport is through organising events.

I really like that.

I reckon if I decided today to become a luthier and began my training, spent 4-5 years building basses and developing shapes and concepts, I’d still deliver a bass before Letts.

Reading music is like reading, well, anything. You have to build the fundamentals and for lots of people that can appear boring. Where music notation trumps tab is that you can provide details of expression and it's able to convey much more complex rhythm patterns. There's no hierarchy here. Music readers aren't going to be more or less creative, they just want to learn the skill of reading music. Some of it is to get work, I guess. But it doesn't have to be. Can just be for the love of doing something. (My dad started to learn Latin at 70, for example.)

It’s good advice, but going too fast (trying to sight read a Motown bass line, for example) before understanding the fundamentals will lead to disappointment and disillusionment. When it comes to sight reading - like anything else that’s both cerebral and physical - it’s better to build the fundamentals slowly and properly. My view, of course, but based on experience.

The advice I gave is what I used to teach my post-16 students. They all went on to read much better than I do!

There are two books I would recommend my students: Simplified Sight Reading by Josquin De Pres and Modern Reading Text bus Louis Bellson I used to use it alongside Walking Bass by Ed Friedland. (It contains loads of simple, clear and accessible sight reading examples and because it’s jazz it uses lots of chord tones as well). These will help you build a great foundation for reading. Then check out @Bilbo archive and work from there. Working with a teacher is best, but the principles are simple enough to learn. I used to do 15 minute focused practice every day. You’ll crack on really, really quickly.

The Boss WaZa can be a bit fiddly to set up. I followed a really good online tutorial that made it simple enough.

It’s a really good point. The WaZa is only the one I’ve used so encourage others to add their perspectives.

I gigged as a support act for Wilko and Norman played his Fender Jazz then (through my Hiwatt rig, which he seemed to enjoy!)

Boss WAZA air is the best solution, but it’s not cheap. There is a used set on here, I think. I found I used it a huge amount in the winter but less in the summer. So much so, that I went back to a wired setup.

I can attest to @NickA’s point. At a regular gig we do Friday I forgot my pedal board. Nothing to it but to plug straight into the amp and EQ on the fly. Only for two people who have seen us a lot come up and tell me that’s the best bass sound they’d heard from me in months. And no feedback either. Anyone want to buy an EBS pedal? (Joke)

Most touring acts, especially those playing festivals, will have people to do this stuff for them. Ticking boxes and moving gear is pretty tedious stuff. Probably a bureaucratic mess up rather than something more malicious.

To be fair, at £300 they’re probably not an expert in it. When it comes to double bass, you get what you pay for. I’ve personally poured money into a couple of DBs and it’s cash you’ll never get back. (Case in point is my beautiful Musima bass which sounds and plays wonderfully and would make the perfect starter bass but will pay me back much less than it owes me.)

True, to a point but the tweakable HPF is a godsend in some of the rooms I play in (where feedback seemingly defies logic). It’s also great for doubling gigs too, and the DI is ace. I can mark my settings on a piece of paper, slide it into the case and it’s ready for any gig. (I may be justifying my £240 spend - but I have to!)