diskwave

Cant say Ive ever sufferd from 'missing notes', but duff notes?... sure, loads.

@1.20

Even thats stretching it. I know drummers and pianists and classic players who have never heard of Fender, Gibson et al and don't care either. Anyway, Ive had a few vintage basses, sold the lot and now play a lowly CV 70's P bass and want for nothing more.

Not that ur probably interested but try doing that in a very good country style two step band.... ie one two one two. Have to admit to being guilty of trying to jazz it up a bit, but they dont like it. But there are lots of groovy one note tunes that still need to be kept simple. Off the top of my head.. George Bensons Love X Love . Very simple bass part but its gotta be played well.

Ive always gone for melodic accuracy and musicality and that can be either one note per bar or a trillion notes per bar. If the bass part doesnt make music then I'll play it with less enthusiasm than a part that really fits the tune and makes it sparkle.

It's nothing new. It was the same 40 odd yrs ago. Ive always been just a tad envious of musicians who can play guitar and sing well. Knew several guys years back, one a very good bassist, who played in bands but could also do the acoustic/vox thing well and they earned a lot of money just sat in the corners of bars/cafe's churning it out. A nice way to be for a musician.

I was looking for that Chuck Rainey quote too, knew I'd heard it somewhere. But its interesting phenomena. Couple years back I got a dep with a very good Beatles/60's outfit. They were all retired with wifey on keys, hubby on guitar and a very good singer/guitarist..plus drums, all singing harmonies. Dont think I've ever worked so hard... There were no charts or anything. 60 tricky tunes in 2 weeks and I did drop a few clangers here and there. They were tight as a wotsit and I dont think the singer was totally impressed. Most of the time you can get away with it... but playing with them was def pushing the envelope so to speak, needless to say I didnt hear from them again.

This whole anti Lydon thing is grating. I wonder how many of you were actually there as a mid aged teen in 76? I was, and his theatrical presence was like a cyanide laced razor blade bursting outta the Zeitgeist. It was pretty mind blowing, but you had to be there. I've no time for them now because for me they represented a new type of yoof thinking at that time. Anyway good luck to whoever has the rights to go out performing as the 'SP', but for me the Sex Pistols were then and not now. Now they are just old men playing the tunes. It ain't the same... at all.

Ali-express is full of them.

I would have thght more important would be the way you look, not sure the mush pit would be too bothered bout the type of bass ur playing.

Still wondering whether to show the one and only photo from those first gigs....what was I thinking...

Well this type of thread cetainly highlights all the different thinking and styles of playing. I personally prefer four because Ive always played down ny the nut where the tone is plus I have no problem leaping all over the board if I have to ... In a strange way its kind of fun.. dare I even say.... more show biz?

Here too, tho with the BA-110 and my laptop speaker which is enough for practise. I'm wary now of squirting sound into my ears.. Too many yrs on stage has left them in very poor condition.

1978, Deni Deni by Blondie in a dark and dingy basement night club on the Isle of Wight. Im 17 and incredibly nervous. Our girl lead singer didnt help either in stockings, heels, and wearing an unbuttoned blokes shirt. She really did think she was Debby Harry! We'd gone straight from the guitarists bedroom to that mush pit and my abiding memory of that night is not being able to hear a thing as I was using the main acts pair of Orange bass bins and had never been on a stage before. Guitarist was to low, vocals and drums to loud and the keys player and myself got horribly lost. What a car crash. Ive never seen a dance floor empty so fast! ...haha. But I think back now of all the different musical experiences I've enjoyed since that first, crazy terrifying night and feel blessed to have a had a life playing bass....Still loving it now.

Oh dear. ...

A change is always good so thght Id have a go at a load of those old American cop themes and Ive got to say the Kojak one is a stonker to play, taken a bit of figuring without a chart but Ive just about got it...big fun indeed. Anyway, Magnum, Streets of San Francisco, Bullit, Cagney & Lacey....really exciting stuff to play.

Whats really extraordinary here is if I was to ask a question or make a statement about 'practise'.. it'd be lucky if it ran to a couple of pages yet this subject of 5 v 4 strings appears to occupy so much thinking? My moneys on practise..,Practise enough and you can sound great playing anything and forget about how many strings you have.

In case all the above is just a tad difficult, try using a small amp live and kill all the bass with just a smidge of mid push then turn volume down a bit. You'll be surpirsed just how short a distance that configuration actually travels. Oh and letting everyone know who you are etc is solid currency and likely to give you some positive credit with ur fellow tenants.

Reading back thru this thread. The only person who cares about how many strings you play is you. Ive worked with band leaders that have never even heard of Fender/Gibson/Ludwig/Tama etc.. tho in the main they do know their keys etc etc. At the end of the day if your groove cannot fill the dance floor then its time for a re-think.

I suppose if you play in a modern pit, or on a boat where everything is in Eb for the horns then yes a five is gonna make sense. Personally Ive never liked either the look or the feel and during the short time I did both I muddled thru rather well on my ole P bass.

For a lesson in just about everything live.. Joni Mitchell at the IOW last night. Superb.

As already mentioned bass lines add structure but do they make you feel emotional? I dont think so..never really thgt about it that way before. I love many many bass lines but its the lead melody that pulls my strings. Still it has got me thinking, I'll get back to you if I find one. Having said all that the question of how to make a bassline does sound a bit naive. Ive always been of the mind youve either got the talent to do it or you haven't. I'm not that creative but I do like playing other peoples ideas.

Broke my SD PU and to tie me over I bought an el cheapo no name Chinese thing off ebay. Its still in the bass, the Duncan is still in the draw.

This 100%, but not forgetting also and just as important, this too which has always given me great punchy tone. What ever cab you buy or use and in whatever situation you use them none of them will perform at their optimum unless you dial back the amps bass a bit and push the mids a bit.

You win. Congrats.