JamieBenzies

I'm no real fan but didn't the the guitarist of System Of A Down lay down an entire album of bass tracks without even telling the bass player? I can't remember where I picked that up...

Edgar Meyer? Anybody?

I'm very happy indeed with Stephen's sale to me of my newest bass, excellent prices, friendly and helpful to chat to. Great!

Teen Town live with the 5 minute jam of doom. That makes me feel great everytime. An alternative is all of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti, Custard Pie always gets me going and the rest is just, well, perfect...mmmm...

I have a year from now until next August time that I would love to get playing some music relatively locally (I'm based near Totnes). I mainly play Jazz, Funk and Fusion but I also have a lot of Rock experience in the progressive/alternative end. I'm 18 and have been regularly playing gigs since I was 14/15 years old so I'm not new to gigging. I also have my own nice rig and basses, ready for business. So! Jazz, Funk, (proper) R&B, World music, Folk or Rock; I'm up for almost anything paid or for kicks. Drop me a PM and I'll get right back to you. Cheers Jamie

[quote name='Rumple' post='932821' date='Aug 22 2010, 03:36 PM']Brill, apart from not having a Push/Pull volume knob the rest sounds spot on. can't wait to try it out.[/quote] Trust me, it's badass

Basically, I am installing the big Fender style machine heads to a Mighty Mite Neck and I am having a nightmare. 3 of the screws for the first machine head had Broken, so that it was pretty much just the heads that had snapped off, so I have screws with no heads stuck in my headstock. I don't really know what I have done wrong, I worked out the positioning of the holes and then preceded to make an indent and then slowly screw the screws into the wood by hand. This is the way I have been told to do it and it seems fairly clear to me that this should work. The screws came with the Machine heads and they are Gotoh, but I'm starting to think they may be faulty or something? They just seem so weak. Can anyone please give me some advice? How do I get these screws out of the headstock? What am I doing wrong? This is driving me insane so any help would be hugely appreciated. Thanks Jamie

Jazz Weather Report, then Metheny, Bona, Eric Dolphy and Janek - just some of the music that very quickly changed my life.

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='924418' date='Aug 13 2010, 09:39 PM']No, Myung isn't a great bass player full stop. Awful isn't really the right word to describe him, he's just VERY overrated in my opinion. His technique is poor in the left hand, and if any teacher taught you to play like he did, they would be doing you a massive disservice.[/quote] Lightheartedly: I find that Myung bashing a bit much, criticising the technique of such a brilliant technician would be fair enough if his playing reflected the apparent lack of technique. But it doesn't, if it was truly bad then his sound would suffer. It doesn't. The stuff he plays is so damn difficult, just try learning a song like Dance Of Eternity and you will see what I mean, his timing and attack is always completely impeccable, although I agree he is a little soulless. Also, DT -as someone previously mentioned- are a band that do not immediately appeal to most people. I was a huge fan for a couple of years, but when I first heard them I thought their songs were appalling. So I sympathise with that a bad first impression, but still, you can't disregard the musicianship of the whole band, and obviously the man in question.

[quote name='bassbloke' post='924083' date='Aug 13 2010, 04:10 PM']Thank you for curing my writer's block.[/quote] You should read about and listen to the Starwars Christmas album on there too then. Maybe then you'll write an instant classic... or some other oxymoron.

[quote name='Machines' post='924112' date='Aug 13 2010, 04:39 PM']*looks for ban button* .[/quote] Hey, you are root admin! Make one! Quickly! I still have great respect for the man, whilst he is not a unique solo voice or the like, the stuff he pulls off whilst remaining in the role of the bass player is just breath taking. He has more stamina then I have ever seen, very few Dream Theater songs are doable by your usual rocker and John keeps it up for hours, and NEVER falters. I don't mind what you think really, but when I was younger he was a huge inspiration and with Patitucci he showed me the way to the 6 string. So hats off to Myung for me .

Came across this, provided a good 20 minutes of cringe worthy entertainment - Not quite the worlds worst bassist as he does his part... it's just... you will see... [url="http://www.i-mockery.com/bad-albums/hogan/"]http://www.i-mockery.com/bad-albums/hogan/[/url]

[quote name='270degrees' post='923991' date='Aug 13 2010, 03:11 PM']*sneaks in* Gene Simmons *runs away*[/quote] Just to illustrate your point. Although to be fair, it is just about the show... Still goddamn awful.

To be honest I think the whole band is worse then piles, but here's my vote. Just listen to those hits! Euuurgh. Don't feel obliged to listen to it all, but in the middle it gets worse. Go on Robert!

[quote name='risingson' post='920174' date='Aug 9 2010, 10:57 PM']I think if I was going to offer any advice it would be to keep in mind that if you're going to do course like Music at uni then you're doing it for the right reasons. It's 90% for the contacts and experience and 10% for the degree. If you want to work in music for the rest of your life then you need to bear in mind that you can do it without spending the money on the degree. I went to LIPA in Liverpool and finished early because I was already a working musician and found it hard to keep up with work, plus because I already had my connections to musicians I never fully connected with my fellow course mates completely. Don't overdo it at your audition, be frank and thorough with your answers but do something that will set you aside from the other guys that auditioning.[/quote] Yeah I do agree with you, but at the same time in this day and age I feel that a lot of people forget the fundamental reason we are educated - to learn. I am going more to learn then anything else, I'm sure if I really persisted I would eventually be able to join the music industry on my own accord, but the way I see it, attending a conservatoire or college would be the best way at my level to really get my abilities and musicianship up there and give me a chance of following my ambitious aspirations. Again, that wasn't meant to sound like a rant , just my humble opinion.

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='919941' date='Aug 9 2010, 07:10 PM']Ouch! Not ranty or patronising but I feel like I've hit a raw nerve - sorry! I did suggest as a back up, not as one of your first choices. Good luck with your quest, hope you get what you're looking for this time around.[/quote] Sorry I had just woken up (yes shortly past 1pm) and no worries it's a perfectly reasonable suggestion. Where did you study?

[quote name='Bilbo' post='919584' date='Aug 9 2010, 01:25 PM']I have an old copy of Double Bassist magazine that has an article on preparing for auditions. I will look it up and, if I can find it, will scan a copy and email it to you (or photocopy and post).[/quote] That would be excellent thanks, my email is [email protected] . Cheers

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='919293' date='Aug 9 2010, 09:25 AM']Please don't take this as disrespectful - it certainly isn't intended that way, but, having failed to get in last time, are you not limiting yourself to some of the more illustrious colleges - would it not make sense to go for a couple of former Polytechnic type places that offer the right course as a fall back? My brother did a very interesting music degree - sorry, can't remember the exact course, but had plenty of Jazz and World Music elements to it, at the University of East London - sounds glamorous doesn't it but he really enjoyed it.[/quote] Well I appreciate the advice, but If I'm going to land myself in £20,000 of debt and spend 4 years studying I want it to be somewhere I know I want to be. Also the fact I didn't get in last year is not a very good indication of what will happen this year, the Trinity Jazz course only takes on one electric bass player a year. So it only required one very good player to take the spot from all of us, certain indications led me to think that I was very close to getting in - and that was then. Sorry if that sounded ranty or patronising, I was in a hurry