Beer of the Bass

Thanks for your thoughts, guys. I've been watching a few of Geoff's videos, there are some useful things in there. Surprisingly my intonation seems to be OK (or no worse than usual!), but I feel like I need to work on tone production and general getting around the instrument - perhaps I should dig out some scale and arpeggio exercises.

After a stressful house move and my wife being ill, I've only just got around to sorting out the flat enough that I can get my double bass out from behind the stuff stacked in the spare room and start practicing again. It's been almost two months since I was playing double bass regularly. I've been having a play this morning, and it's coming back slowly, but my hands feel kind of weak and I'm sure my pizz tone is less solid than before. Other than just picking it up and practicing every day, does anyone have any advice on getting going again after a lay-off?

I've got the G2m, and my first impressions are that it's not bad. I certainly wouldn't try playing a whole set on it (I'd use a keyboard for that), but for dropping in the odd synth part here and there I think it'll work well. I find the latency is quite noticeable on the lower notes, but liveable with across most of the range. I'm getting the odd unintentional open string note, so I think I'll experiment with a hair scrunchy next to the nut to mute them. Figuring out how to work it into my setup will be interesting - I think I may try and keep the synth sound separate from my guitar amp, perhaps running the output into a volume pedal then DI'd into the PA, so I can just fade it up when needed. The G2m will live on the floor next to my pedals, with the synth module on top of my amp for easy tweaking.

The grain of the wood goes across the width of the top rather than along the length. What's going on there - have they stripped off the top layer of a laminate?

A quick google of his name reveals all: [quote] It was made in Switzerland by Rolf Svuler and given to me by Forbes Henderson; it’s a nylon string guitar and electric but it’s got an amazing design and tone. The way he combined the acoustic sound, it’s a sold body but the way he put it together it has an acoustic sound. It was given to me in London in 1990 at Ronnie Scott’s by a classical guitarist named Forbes Anderson.[/quote] [url="http://oregonmusicnews.com/2012/11/13/qa-with-steve-winwoods-ace-sf-bay-guitarist-jose-neto/"]http://oregonmusicne...rist-jose-neto/[/url]

[quote name='landwomble' timestamp='1432283751' post='2779936'] My shorty P bass and 5 string acoustic attempted delivery this morning - bloody quick! The van is coming back this afternoon so I have a few hours to think up an explanation for my wife... :-) [/quote] [quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1432285470' post='2779966'] I wrote my own program to do so... [/quote] When I first read that line, I thought for a minute that you'd written a program to come up with explanations for your wife! That would probably be quite popular on here.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1432291622' post='2780052'] Incidentally, we often see '16th notes', or '8th notes'; should these not be semi-quavers and quavers..? 8ths and 16ths would only be true if referred to 4/4 time; the equivalent for 3/4 would be 12th and 6th notes, no..? Is this just another Americanism taking over..? In French, a quaver is a 'croche', a semiquaver a 'double croche', then follows 'triple croche' and 'quadruple croche' etc, whatever the time signature, none of this Yankee stuff. [/quote] Perhaps, but the sort of line I'm talking about tends to be in 4/4 and often in musical genres which originated in the US, so why not use that language to describe it?

This is a silly one: it took me years to be able to play continual 16th note fingerstyle lines, not because of anything to do with my hands but because I would find myself breathing in a 16th note rhythm and feeling dizzy after a minute or two! I still have to focus quite hard on not doing that.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1432213121' post='2779245'] If you wanted a MK1 version, you could have got one for £20 direct from [url="http://shop.sonuus.com/product_info.php?products_id=47&osCsid=63dc6d68672bedec21a31d09d18537d5"]Sonuus[/url]. [/quote] If I'd known that, I would have done! Too late now. Still, mine was £27 posted, so not a massive difference. I figure that for the synth sounds I want to use, the chromatic mode of the MK2 is not an essential, and as it's a bit of an experiment I thought I'd go for the cheaper option.

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1432212139' post='2779228'] Slightly off topic, but the Roland Bass cube 100 is like this - a "100 watt" combo that only draws 60VA from the mains. Seems the worlds energy crisis is solved! [/quote] I think the standard labelling for power consumption on ampilfiers is what they consume when operating at a set percentage of output that's supposed to represent normal use. For example, the back of my GK MB200 says "Full power 240w, average power 48.6W" next to the power socket. I'd presume that your Roland quotes the lower figure. Still even considering that, the Behringer's consumption seems small for it's advertised output.

I've got a version 1 G2m on the way from eBay, it was less than £30 so seems worth a shot. It'll be interesting to see whether I can get something useful out of it.

I can recall seeing "Obanez" guitars listed in the old free-ad papers, so I guess people do struggle to read this logo.

[quote name='Subfeeder' timestamp='1431444247' post='2771439'] I'm thinking I should try a smaller, tighter speaker - perhaps an EA Wizzy? However, I'm not sure how that would work with Electric Bass. I can't really justify 2 speakers at the moment. Anyone have any thoughts? [/quote] I haven't used the 12" model, but the Wizzy 10" has a fairly lively, peaky voicing in the mids, so might not be the obvious place to look if that's a concern. It's a good sounding cab and the strong mids can definitely help with audibility in noisy venues, but most people find themselves having to EQ some out. I wonder if trying a different pickup might be a good idea, as whenever I've heard bassists using the Realist, it seems to capture more woody/thumpy body sound than a bridge wing pickup does. It can be a good sound, though perhaps not what you'd choose for every context.

On Gumtree, down in Portobello? I'm fairly sure that's Verden rehearsal studio selling off some old gear, so I've probably played through that particular example. It did fine for rehearsing in a small room, I can't really remember more than that as it was a couple of years ago...

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1431874926' post='2775763'] I hear Merton gently waking from his snooze......... [/quote] With comments like that it would be hard to argue that you're not just trolling for reactions.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1431786047' post='2774988'] It must be a lefty drummer thing! The drummer that Beer of the Bass mentioned earlier is also a lefty... Can't you just play like... you know, a normal human being? (runs away) [/quote] Come to think of it, as well as playing left handed with no hole in the kick, our drummers political views are probably quite compatible with Dad3353's too. Hmm, what is it with left-handed drummers?

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1431712334' post='2774293'] I have an i2M, I got it as a Christmas pressie but it's not really something I'd use so I have put it up for sale on here, if you want to borrow it to try out I'd be happy to let you if you pay the postage, absolutely no pressure to buy it at all, just send it back to me after you've had a try. Ideally you need a instrument that produces nice strong clean notes, fret buzz and dead notes are a no no. [/quote] That's a very kind offer, but the I2M is the USB-only version so won't work with my module which needs 5-pin MIDI. Thanks for offering though!

Besides, most people who run any sort of bass related company get banned from Talkbass at some point - Alex wouldn't be the first. They're kind of touchy about what can and can't be said there.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1431586953' post='2772752'] Surely this thread is now a perfect example of irresistible force meeting immovable object? The two "sides" are so intransigent and convinced of their "correctness" that they won't listen to the other. It's sad, and its unnecessary IMO. There is so much experience on offer, and it is a shame to see it being used in pointless [i]ad hominem[/i] bickering. Or that's how I see it, anyway [/quote] I'm actually finding it kind of useful to read both, as it helps to correlate what we hear from different speakers with the measurements of them. Mr Johnson will no doubt disagree, but I don't think they're actually too far divergent. Bill's explanation about Qes makes sense to me, as the Qes value is described elsewhere as the electrical damping factor, with a low value meaning that with the coil and magnet have more control over the cone. Subjectively, when a musician plays through that, they might use words like tight, articulate or "fast", with a less well-damped driver coming across as loose, boomy or "slow". (Stop me if this is sounding like nonsense...) I'm all for looking at the measurements to back up and interpret what we get from listening, otherwise we'd all be chasing a dwindling number of discontinued drivers rather than figuring out how to get the sound we want from newer gear.

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1431444162' post='2771436'] The difference between a player who doesn't bother to learn the science and one who does is that the former knows that the EVM sounds good, the latter knows why. [/quote] If this isn't too much of a digression, it's notable that those specific EVM and JBL drivers are much appreciated by bassists who often claim to get something from them which they're not hearing from a lot of more modern drivers. Which specific properties from a technical perspective might be responsible for that? You've been quite clear that transient response isn't it, but what [i]is[/i] it?

[quote name='M@23' timestamp='1431381141' post='2770803'] Funny that the 'Barefaced are louder' arguement comes around on every speaker cab recomendation thread on BC. Firstly, I find it interesting that they apparently eek more volume out of their units than Bergantino/Vanderkley/Aguilar/Anyothertopbrand; and secondly, that people care so much. I can't think of a gig I'd do where a CN212 wouldn't be loud enough. Not trying to ruffle feathers, just an observation. [/quote] I guess if you're using either one or two 1x12" cabs depending on the gig, having higher displacement drivers might mean you find yourself bringing the second one along less often. I can see how a lot of people might appreciate that.

[quote name='Bradwell' timestamp='1431351860' post='2770304'] Me: "Would you like a cup of tea?" Friend: "That would be great, milk and three sugars please." Me: "Uh, no, I've only got Earl Grey and it's usually served black. I've not got any white sugar in the house either, is demerara alright?" Friend: "You're too middle class for your own good." Looks like I'm out. [/quote] I put milk in my Earl Grey. Does that mean I'm in?

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1431294160' post='2769804'] Yep - stop being a wimp The CN212 is in a different league - Near the top of the premiership vs mid table championship. . . [/quote] Says the man who is a partner in a retailer who sell Bergantino! That doesn't necessarily discount your opinion, but it should be noted.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1431284671' post='2769642'] Not necessarily. A drum kit takes a lot of space, and time to set up. The gig was at the Mash House, wasn't it? So another couple of bands playing... It makes sense to share drum kit... and I am sure that was prearranged. A suitable guitar amp takes little space and it's easily carried... Bass... I have mixed feelings. We don't *need* a large amp in many situations: I often just take my little MarkBass combo, as all it needs to do is serve me as stage monitor. I sometimes leave it in the car if I think it makes things easier and it sounds ok, and they provided it for me to use... but I always have my amp with me. Over time I have realised how some local bands -or certain individual members- never seem to take amps with them. I'm not going to be carrying my gear for them to have an easier night, so my general stance is not sharing. With people I know it's different, and whenever NUF is playing, if I'm in the bill too I'd offer my amp, no problem at all. I just hate feeling I've been taken advantage of. [/quote] Yes, I think there were some crossed wires with the promoter. We'd established that we'd use another band's drum kit (as this is that promoter with a bee in his bonnet about our drummer's kick drum), we mentioned that I'd bring a guitar amp when he asked if we needed one, but never discussed other bands using it. Fortunately there were no crazy speaker-blowing experimental noise projects on the bill! I'm getting quite insistent about not using house amps for guitar on those gigs, as what you end up with can be extremely patchy and I like the tremolo and reverb built in to mine. Although taking it home on the night bus to Oxgangs wasn't much fun! For bass it can be more workable, as so little amp sound makes it into FOH anyway.

I don't think Pantera can have come from the Era of Pants, since they mostly wore shorts IIRC...