AM1

[quote name='saibuster' post='500447' date='May 28 2009, 11:55 PM']Anyone have any experience with Alex Sampson stuff? Here is a link : [url="http://www.fretboardformula.com/the-relaunch.html"]http://www.fretboardformula.com/the-relaunch.html[/url] I actually read the whole thing, i know its sad but i guess this retarded marketing system actually managed to get me. This guy also have some videos posted on another website [url="http://www.bassguitartips.com/newblog/"]http://www.bassguitartips.com/newblog/[/url] And i find his videos and the way he teaches to be very easy and fun to play along with. The reason I'm posting this is because im looking for a more complete package of bass practice. Most of the dvds that are around usually aimed at beginners and for people who are picking up the bass for the first time. I'm looking for a more advanced DVD that also tells you [b]what[/b] and [b]when[/b] to practice. This package includes over six hours of video and claims to cover a lot of ground with tips on how and what to actually practice. (which is what I am struggling with). I know that idealy I would go to a teacher once a week, but unfortunately cant afford that at the moment. Any thoughts about it? anyone this, or any other package this guy is selling? Maybe you know another DVD or books that fit the description of what i need? ( I always prefer DVDs as I am dyslectic and find studying with videos much easier) cheers![/quote] Hi I found Alex Sampson's stuff excellent. The marketing is just typical insanely enthusiastic yank style, but he's actually very motivated for imparting knowledge and has a real passion for teaching. He also has a web forum and a raft of additional teaching videos but it's restricted unless you are actually a customer. Once you're on the customer list, he sends out loads of extra resources, very regularly, free. He is a proponent of giving you the material but you must do the work, hence the constant email reminders, which is a good thing. I am in the same position as you in terms of lessons, hence self teaching but Alex Sampson's stuff starts from basic and goes into intermediate then advanced very quickly. I can't comment on the DVDs as I just paid for the online resource which I think was about £25. I don't think it would be ethically right to just send you the PDF stuff I have as the guy does put a lot of work into it but I recommend him (I'm a bass newbie). Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

[quote name='yorick' post='500234' date='May 28 2009, 08:38 PM']As of today i am no longer the bass player in my (ex)main band. Apparently, i've been made the scapegoat for the bands inability to "reach the next level". The rest of the band have been talking about it for ages without my knowledge!!!!! Basically according to the email, "we think you've been unhappy for a while.....". Was i asked? Was i feck. "We'll be playing FLASHIER songs....." Was i asked to work them out, or if i was able to play them? Errrr, no. The only bit that had a ring of truth was about my reluctance to wear better stage wear and wigs. Even this was never mentioned, as in "Nige, we'd like you to make a bit more effort in your onstage appearance". FFS, it's a Van Halen/Dave Lee Roth tribute, where the emphasis is on the frontman. Not a full blown Kiss tribute!!(Sorry Gary....) And they got the drummer (who's the nicest guy in the whole world) to phone me up to explain the band's point of view............. excuse the shouting.. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rant over.[/quote] Yo Rick (did you see what I did there?!) If any of these gutless c*nts had bothered to communicate like adults, then I'm sure matters could have been discussed and resolved. As it stands, they have proven, beyond doubt, that they are not worthy bandmates and you should count yourself lucky at having realised this now, before wasting any more of your precious time and effort. Good bass players are hard to find and the demand right now for bassists is huge. You will have no problem finding a new, better band, in no time, whereas these yellow-bellied, passive/aggressive twats will not be playing anything, never mind their "flashier" songs with no bass player. You've had a lucky escape - if a band cannot communicate effectively before they even play a note, there's no hope for them. In time, you will realise this is a blessing in disguise. The absolute best retribution is onwards and upwards and that means don't waste another second of your time and energy on this. Just start hammering the band ads. I have a stack of contacts for bands looking for bass players if you want them. In fact, I know of a band right now, looking for a bass player to gig on the 5th June in London - PM me if you want the details. PS - Spandex is just wrong.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='499444' date='May 27 2009, 11:08 PM']Fair play to you dude, sorry if there was a misunderstanding but it did read a bit odd. Anyway, the Take That show is a really good experience. If anybody was thinking of poo pooing it because they are a boy band, then they should take a peak, there is some really top playing and arrangements going on.[/quote] +1

Hmm.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='499132' date='May 27 2009, 06:23 PM']When it comes to matters of groove I'm happy to push boulders off cliffs, Wile E. style.[/quote] Just in case I am missing something - what do you think qualifies you for the role of groove critic? The prolific groove players that I'm aware of don't appear to visibly criticise their bass playing colleagues so freely. [quote name='alexclaber' post='499132' date='May 27 2009, 06:23 PM']On walking and soloing I'm willing to accept more than a substantial hail of gravel in return. Alex[/quote] Well, quite why there is such an adversarial approach to our fellow musicians is rather confusing to me. Most serious musicians know the full extent of their own shortcomings, without needing to be told and can make their own choices how to proceed.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='498986' date='May 27 2009, 04:36 PM']Ouch. You hit where it hurt... So what is it about the Cairnes bass you like so much?[/quote] Ha, very amusing, you know perfectly well which bass I am referring to! Right, am off to stroke my fretboard for a bit!

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='498975' date='May 27 2009, 04:32 PM']That's just mere titillation. Anything that can be bought in Ann Summers is a joke.[/quote] Ann Summers sells scuba gear?!?! Uh, I'm lost, what was my original topic again. Hehe!

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='498968' date='May 27 2009, 04:29 PM']Its a shift in what your body has become used to. If things are still sh1t after a while, consider a dare strap. No, I won't buy that rebreather off you - not unless it comes with some proper batteries at least.[/quote] Yeah, it's trial and error. I do have a comfort strap but it's too short....so if any Mark King fans want to swap a small for medium....drop me a PM! Ha, every rebreather will find it's own unique ways to try and kill you. I call this one, KATO. However, I feel that I could tempt you to part with the 4 stringer for some quality diving equipment (not home build!).

[quote name='Doddy' post='498892' date='May 27 2009, 03:36 PM']If you have trouble with using one finger per fret in the lower positions,I'd suggest using a more double bass-like fingering of 1,2,4 over 3 frets. Sure you can practice stretching exercises,but you can also risk damaging your hand. I generally use one finger per fret from about the 5th fret upwards-I can do it,no problem,on the lower frets but find it more comfortable to use 1,2,4.[/quote] Hi Thanks for your input. I do use 1,2,4 a lot and also 1,4 across frets 1 and 3 when I can, I don't see the point in unnecessary stretches. The whole 1 finger per fret thing is a topic in itself! [quote name='Doddy' post='498892' date='May 27 2009, 03:36 PM']Back to the opening post-I can name every note on the board easily due to years of practice and doing reading gigs,but it is now at the point where I don't have to think about it. Therefor,I can play scales and patterns in two or three different positions,depending on my position on the neck. [b]Once you learn the neck completely it opens up a whole new world for your playing [/b][/quote] I suspected that to be the case. I think you can get by, doing what I'm currently doing...but there's a big difference between getting by and getting great!

[quote name='51m0n' post='498941' date='May 27 2009, 04:08 PM']AM1, in all seriousness, now you've changed your strap length (it really should be such that your bass stays at the same height when you are sitting or standing) watch for hunching your back, favouring one shoulder straining your neck against your strap, the strap moving into your neck etc etc. Make sure your strap is over your shoulder, not your neck etc Otherwise you will be paying all your GAS dough to an osteopath![/quote] I don't understand how I can play for hours with my bass low but when I raise it up, my shoulder is well throbbing really quickly! And yeah, just been flogging stuff to indulge my GAS, in a relentless, tone chasing crusade.

[quote name='51m0n' post='498936' date='May 27 2009, 04:05 PM']Well in reality you dont need to ever make that kind of a stretch. But you can actually do it cant you! So there you go!! And it didnt hurt did it (because you did this slowly and carefully, watching out for pain etc etc). So, when you play you should have practiced a refined technique whereby this is normal, and you wont hurt yourself, and you will reach 4 frets with ease. Note how that slight curve of your index finger is dampening the ADG strings. Neat that isnt it![/quote] I noticed the dampening - that's amazing! I definitely had my bass too low before. [quote name='51m0n' post='498936' date='May 27 2009, 04:05 PM']Men prefer women with small hands, its a win all round......[/quote] Soooo predictable

[quote name='51m0n' post='498933' date='May 27 2009, 04:02 PM']Just look at the lady's picture, if that isnt a neoprene fetish I dont what is , she'll be the first to admit it too![/quote] No, no, no, the black suit is the latex suit. THIS is a neoprene fetish. Red neoprene...yummy!

[quote name='51m0n' post='498889' date='May 27 2009, 03:34 PM']Not really, I just learnt how to do it. Hold you left hand in an open relaxed position. Keeping you index finger pointing straight pull you pinky toward your thumb, it doesnt hurt, its all really relaxed, but thats a huge distance on a bass neck between tip of index and tip of pinky as the pinky comes in towards your thumb at such an angle as to increase the distance to the index tip. Now close your thumb in toward your relaxed middle finger and with the slightest curve to your index finger you can fret both notes (fret 1 and fret 5) This is impossible to really describe, but thats what my stretching is based upon, and I really dont have huuuge hands, I have very medium possibly slightly small hands for a bloke (I'm only 5'7 and 3/4" (dont forget the 3/4"!!) tall. Note my wrist is not bent (overly) to do the reach cos my bass is high enough. Now I have a 5 I dont really go in for gymnastics like this (cos I can play the same notes further up the neck). PLus I'm old and decrepit [/quote] Haha!! I just tried that and I could only just about reach the 5 th fret...and I bet my hands are MUCH smaller than yours! There's no way I'd be making a habit of that across 5 frets though, utter madness for my hand size..that's a HUGE stretch. But it's certainly good for improving the old four fret reach. How come you are always right!!!!!!

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='498873' date='May 27 2009, 03:23 PM']slow and steady wins the race. practice consistently and you'll see the improvement soon enough you must have the biggest small hands around mate if you've got a stretch like that!! [/quote] Yeah, that's a 5 fret reach! I think I better take my Mum's advice. Around Christmas time, when I told her I was about to buy a bass, the response was "no dear, that's for a man, get a guitar instead". Priceless.

[quote name='51m0n' post='498856' date='May 27 2009, 03:11 PM']I bet you have enough reach. You may not realise how to maximise your reach safely. Or the height of your bass is impeding your reach. I have small to average sized hands for a bloke, and I can reach from an F to A on the E string of a 34" bass fairly comfortably (index to pinky) However I think that it would be very hard for me to try and explain how to do this over the internet - its the job of a teacher in person I think. To much risk of misunderstanding causing you to do it wrong and possibly hurt yourself.[/quote] I know you are probably right..but I'm being very careful about overstretching without knowing how...as you said....it's better to err on the side of caution. Incidentally...I moved the height of my bass earlier in the week and it has made a MASSIVE difference to my left hand dexterity but now killing my left shoulder! I was in the studio for 4 hours on Sunday evening with a band that does not do breaks..so we pretty much played solid for the whole time. Next day my shoulder and the muscle in the left side on the middle of my back was well aching! It's really quite amazing what a difference just a few small adjustments can make. The other thing is now my wrist is bent a lot more. There is so much conflicting advice regarding the correct wrist position. But for sure, having the left wrist bent more certainly has improved my reach. Ha, but at what cost, I'm sure I'll find out next week!

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='498833' date='May 27 2009, 02:56 PM']you should try playing my 6! then you'd know all about pivoting your wrist for 1st fret! it sounds to me (not to split hairs) that your left hand needs conditioning. scales are a very good way to do it. start at 1st fret and play a one octave major scale ascending and descending, then move to 2nd and so on until you get to 13th fret, then come all the way down. then move to the A string and do the same. start with a REALLY slow tempo and gradually build it up (around 60bpm if you use a metronome?). slower excercises do a lot to improve your hand strength. DON'T PUSH TOO HARD! if it gets painful (as in really starts to ache) stop the excersise, take 5, then start again. youl soon notice an improvement. do things like this every day before you start jamming songs or begin songwriting, and youl find your playing improves very quickly FWIW - it was a shock when i switched to 6, just how weak my left hand was. took a lot of hours to get it up to scratch[/quote] Yes, I think you're right...I can definitely feel more strength coming into my fingers over time, it just seems SO slow! Maybe I'm unrealistic about progress/speed. Bass in hand as we speak...there's something really satisfying about wasting the day playing bass instead of paying for MP's moats! But yeah I do keep stopping and resting it when it aches. HAHA!

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='498790' date='May 27 2009, 02:31 PM']use the one finger per fret principle. on scalic patterns you should never have to stretch too far, even in first position, unless you're going through 2 - 4 octaves and hence shifting your hand position. bear that in mind [/quote] I have to pivot my wrist a bit to be able to do 1 finger per fret on the lower frets as I haven't got enough reach..well I can just about do it but I feel too much of a stretch. In fact since I've been working more on scales, I am noticing some aching down on the karate chop side of my left hand.

[quote name='51m0n' post='498744' date='May 27 2009, 01:59 PM'][url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50170"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50170[/url] Pacman's sure-fire scale practice method If you dont know your fretboard after this lot (and in a useful way) you are dead from the neck up (pun intended) Now get to work![/quote] Ello mate! Just had a look - excellent resource - many thanks! That's actually a brilliant exercise as you're kind of forced to figure out the notes and think about where they are. I really must stop playing by ear so much! I don't know where you dredge up all these gruesome exercises from, but you've single-handedly killed what was left of my social life! You really are a git, in the nicest possible way! The only thing is...how do you know what fingers to use when practicing in the way described in that exercise? Cheers AM

[quote name='alexclaber' post='498094' date='May 26 2009, 04:30 PM']That reminds me I meant to start a similar thread for someone I saw I while back but I'll be damned if I can remember where or when it was now! Hmmm... On the other hand I still can't forget the covers band I saw at a ball a few years ago. I'm sure they were talented individuals at something but the rhythm section's talents clearly lay somewhere other than in rhythm! Alex[/quote] Let those who are without sin, cast the first stone.

[quote name='phsycoandy' post='497567' date='May 25 2009, 09:09 PM']Guys, gotta get this sorted quick, the opening riff is fine just struggling with the verse odly can someone help me with the link notes between the F# and the E please?[/quote] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqjR3b9zYnQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqjR3b9zYnQ[/url] Some of the notes in this are wrong but it's a start point.

Buy a box of compeed plasters - you can put one over the cut finger and continue to play...I've done this when I had mega blisters - you will lose some of the sensitivity, but it will allow the wound to heal, the sooner you get them on, the better.

[quote name='Zach' post='497519' date='May 25 2009, 08:20 PM']I think this has already been said, but i'll put in my contribution anyway. Whilst i'm by no means an expert (yet), my mate who's a musical freak on the piano recommended I do interval recognition training. By this I mean I'm now after a month or so getting to the point where in my head I can hear one note after another and know it's a minor third, after which i know its just a 3 fret gap to play what I heard. Whilst I haven't yet gotten it up to the speed that my mate has, since he's been doing it for about 10 years and can go up to a gap of 3 octaves or so, I can now work out a bassline I hear in my head much faster than I used to be able to, although not yet fast enough to play whilst I think.[/quote] Yeah - I can sing intervals or even heard them in my head then play them on the bass..that's partly why I can get away with often not having a clue what notes I'm playing. When I hear chord changes, I can tell what the interval change is a lot of the time. But that does take years, it did in my case too. [quote name='Zach' post='497519' date='May 25 2009, 08:20 PM']instantaneous? what happened to practice practice practice? [/quote] I mean instantaneously knowing what a note is when I fret it, rather than having to keep working it out or worse still, never really bothering as long as it sounds right haha. In the studio last night, guitards were playing a descending chromatic sequence, this was on the fly for me and from the chords they gave me, I had a number of choices, but without knowing the notes on the fretboard, then I had to think hard to work it out..a bit of dissonance/suspense is ok if you can resolve it in the next chord, but that's an exception rather than the rule!

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='497506' date='May 25 2009, 08:05 PM']If you want to expand on what you already know and improve/branch out on the way you play, IMHO fretboard knowledge is the best place to start. Just how deep into fretboard harmony you want to get into is up to you. but a few things you may want to look at... Learn your scales. major, minor (harmonic and melodic), diminished and whole tone, all through 2 octaves run your scales up and down the fretboard (its a good warmup if nothing else!) Learn your modes[/quote] Hi - that's exactly what I've been working on, particuarly the two octave stuff, which is really opening up the fretboard playing wise. [quote name='funkypenguin' post='497506' date='May 25 2009, 08:05 PM']try and apply all this to your improvising (it wont happen overnight!) i never know all the notes im playing in an improvision (thinking more solo based here), but i know what sorts of things are going to work, what sorts of scales are going to work, and where i want to go with the improvised line. If its a bass figure, say a walking line, i tend to know what notes im playing, mainly because they are [b]far more important harmonically.[/b][/quote] Now we are getting to exactly what I am talking about. An example...if I would want to play a swing jazz line over a blues progression, then just knowing patterns doesn't really cut it. So, for example on a quarter note walking bassline, if I was following root, 3rd, 5th, 7th model, there's lots of stuff that can be done to spice it up as long as hitting the root note on the downbeat of the chord change happens..i.e. keeping the foundation that the harmonic structure depends upon...but say I wanted to keep ascending for a while on top of this basic foundation before coming back down for the turnaround..just knowing patterns won't really work.