chris_b

So, if I've read this right, you don't want to play a 5 string bass but you're buying one because you can't get the 4 string version! If you don't mind me saying, planning to only use the top 4 strings on a 5 string bass is a weird idea. If you buy a 5 string bass you should be intending to play all the notes on all strings. You're not buying this bass for the right reason. I predict you'll be selling it inside 6 months.

Yep. That's Vail Johnson in the Video. Keb Mo has about 5 different A list bassists on that album. It's a real master class of playing great lines for the song.

As well as left hand muting, move your thumb to rest on the A string so that you are also touching the E string when you are playing the D and G. Your hands should never be static. Keep them moving to enable you to place your fingers at the right spot for every note.

I get bored of all demo slap. This is Victor Wooten playing "normally" and being excellent in the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgu2BG3G3i0

Everyone's posting about hating slap, but all the examples are of "circus" slap bass. The sort of bass playing that is irrelevant to music/songs. Slap in the context of a song, ie Ashes to Ashes and Never Too Much, Thank You etc, can and does work very well.

Excellent album. . . . . . . . and the "follow up" Dukes Of September, featuring the wonderful Freddie Washington.

I'd suggest that while we are in lockdown you stop washing your clothes. No one will notice.

So the design concept for the NXT cabs is to move to warmer more musical sounding drivers. Does it work? What do you think of the NXT212 sound?

If you're keeping the amp then all you need is a cab. Combo's are limiting if you want to upgrade either the amp or cab. If you like the sound so much, replace the STD 102HF cab with another. IMO it sounds better (bigger and fuller range) than the equivalent Traveller cab. I use Barefaced and would recommend them to anyone, but you've got to listen to a few different cabs before you chose.

By doing it a lot. Like anything, the more you do it the more you'll improve. Always start with the original bass line on the record. This isn't about you being original, it's about you understanding the relationship between notes. It's easier to start with an existing bass line that you can replay as many times as you need. Listen carefully. Start with songs you like and know then move on. Notice how the notes follow each other. Notes are either higher, lower or the same as the last note. First you'll start to hear the direction of flow and the patterns(12 bar, pachelbel, 1,2,5 etc), then you'll start to hear the intervals, then you'll anticipate the notes and be playing on the hoof.

That's exactly what I did until heavy cabs wrecked my back. These days I have to buy on weight first then sound. Fortunately I have a lot of choice. If I had to use 90lb cabs, like the ones that caused my problems, then I'd have stopped gigging 15 years ago. The price is what it is, but my light cabs have all been in the top tier for tone.

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Relic is just a finish. That's all. Same as sunburst, black or pink sparkle.

The backing vocals are an integral part of the song. The guys had moves to enhance the show. What are you going to do, make hit records and travel the world in style or work on the Ford production line?

Same reason I'm a bass player. Making the song and band work as a musical entertainment.

I've owned a Precision bass since March 1969. I only stopped playing it when I moved to 5 strings. After a 10 year gap playing Wals and Laklands, I bought my Mike Lull PJ5. Now that is the best P bass I've picked up so far.

Just give me that EV 410. . . . . . . . . . and a bloke to carry it!

Many years ago Bell Musical Instruments used to be up the hill towards Tolworth. That's where Clapton bought his first electric guitar. https://www.broadwayguitars.co.uk/bell-musical-instruments

Graham White was the manager at Hands for awhile. Lovely guy and great guitarist.

Great bass lines? Green Onions, Sex Machine. Mustang Sally, My Cherie Amour, the list is endless.

6 pages of largely negative posts. Which I largely agree with, but I think you're all pointing out examples of bad choices and bad bass playing. It's not the technique's fault that people don't use it with good sense and taste.

Lee Sklar, 12 minutes of solid gold sense.

Yep. Thankfully we don't get yodelling in songs anymore or "funny" noises from the sounds department or whimsical ditties from ageing comedians. We can choose which music we listen to these days and we never have to listen to "drivel". Back in the day, if you wanted to hear the latest Joe Cocker song you had to sit through children's choirs, brass bands and singing nuns. It was no fun being discerning a music fan back then. You needed to be patient and long suffering to get to the few gems that were broadcast.

It doesn't matter what incredible bass you hear Bobby Vega playing, you'll never sound like him. If you spent your time up until today liking the sound you got then you haven't missed out on anything. Always buy the best bass you can afford. The one that sounds right. Then, try to play like your heroes, but never try to sound exactly like them. You never will.

I'm afraid the Sinefeld stuff is played on a DX7.