chris_b

Jerry Scheff, Elvis's bassist, played a bum note on a song and they didn't have enough time to play the song again, so the offending note went out on the record. Jerry said he was driving, many years later, when a cover of the song came on the radio and the bass payer played the bum note! Jerry nearly drove off the road laughing! If you have to play the original line, and there is an obvious mistake, play the right notes. But then I'd say in many songs the original line is only a guide. Play your line.

We mature.

My thoughts. . . . music is all about rules. The "no rules" thing is describing when someone puts together a new set of rules. Even Archie Shepp and Sun Ra had rules. IMO overplaying is an easy way to make bass playing sound bad, but to some people bad sounds good.

I've watched this video a hundred times. Love that bass playing.

I've been using NYXL's on my 5 string Jazz for 5+ years. They really work well on a Jazz bass.

I love every note that Chuck Rainey has ever played. He's not perfect but he's so musical and that's what matters. A couple of weeks ago I had to play one of his lines in Aretha's Rock Steady. The simplest of parts, but I sweated over that line the most. I can play the notes, but grooving like Chuck. That was the difficult part.

Play it where you can easily reach the notes. I can't be bothered with the stretch up to the 19th fret so I play it an octave lower. No one has ever commented.

Did you post a pic of Juan Nelson? I wouldn't worry. He's not fussed.

Nor Juan Nelson and Travis Carlton. . . . . . . . yet! Ooops. Just checked and Juan Nelson died in 2021 at the age of 62!

Sounds fun. Good luck.

In increasing importance. . . . shorten the strap, lengthen the strap, sit down when you play, don't look at the neck, loose the gut. Sorry to be boring, but bass playing is the least of your problems.

George is also on Lady Marmalade.

IMO power isn't an issue unless the amp doesn't have enough. Having more than you need is the goal because, if you like a clean sound, you need more power than you're going to use in order to get the best tone. The AG700 still sounds special in my front room when practising at talking volume. The most I've run the Master is at 1 o'clock for loud bands and it's usually at about 10 o'clock for regular bands. The reason I use my AG700 is for the tone.

I've got a lot of Danny Thompson on Alexis Korner records. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sreIXSY6Qk Fantastic player. I learnt electric bass copying DT's bass lines. Here's a more recent session with Eric Bibb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds1faZB4QSc

Locking with the drummer on a good raunchy shuffle. It's the best. . . . Keb Mo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1va98eMftQ0 ZZ Top https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2UTjoVVVb4 Elmore James https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKo80b-QfK0 Eric Bibb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpUCbrS-1Lo

I rarely do auditions, but when I turned up to one, about 10 years ago, I was the only one who knew the songs. The band, including the guy who wrote the songs didn't have a clue. The guy running the audition, from their record company, was very apologetic and looked very embarrassed.

Me too. . . . and yes. I'd turn up knowing the songs better than the guy on the original record.

I believe it was Phil Chen on bass. Fantastic player.

I'm obviously doing something wrong. I joined TB in 2007, and so far haven't been shouted at once.

DR make DDT strings especially for down tuning.

Easy. Find better and more committed players.

I played with a guitarist on the weekend who is very deaf. Apparently years ago he had one volume, extremely loud! He didn't protect his hearing then and still isn't today! He's still gigging but when working out songs gets the chords wrong, because he can't hear the records in enough detail! These days I'm meeting lots of older players who are prime examples of the need to protect your hearing before you have any issues.

That's not good customer service. It's like refusing to tell you what colour or how many strings a bass has.