diskwave

Not so much persons etc but technique, and it's.... Jazz. Study Jazz, learn the board so you can walk all over it. I'd say in general the best bassists in our time have been good Jazzers. Sorry thats not quite what ur looking for but I think its important.

A walk the other day found us in a tiny, very old isolated church just under the South Downs. Mrs Disc is a beleiver Im not and she sings and I dont anymore. But we suddenly found ourselves in the gloom going thru the hymn book belting out some old primary school favs..... Most liberating indeed, felt really good.

Its a funny thght that in 100 years time there will be bands playing all this stuff and the original members will be long gone (obviously). I guess when Bach et al were at the top of there success they had their own orchestras who were associated with them. Time goes on but the music is remembered and played by those who love it.

In a bid to re-aquaint myself with the fretboard and to get my old fingers moving Ive discovered a ton of new Big Band arrangements on YT complete with charts. I'd forgotten just how ferocious some walking lines can get... phew. Good fun.

Its an interesting one. Ive often thought the identity of most bands is carried thru the lead singer/front man and the rest of the band might as well be a bunch of session guys. You could name almost any band and that thinking would work thru all genres. So as long as the vocal tone is authentic it pretty well doesnt much matter, who else is on stage.

Big band. Found a ton of new arrangements on YT of all the old favs, and stuff I wouldnt have expected to have received the BB treatment....Makes a nice technical change from all the old pop favs.

Yes the Express on the corner. Seems the staff play what they like cause when staff over 30 are on the till its all 70's pop chart (hooray!) But in the evenings theres more of the droney dross. Had no idea they could play what they like.

This. I love a lot of classical music but I dislike a lot of it too. There are some very famous pieces which I have little time for at all... why? Melody. If I cant hear a cracking melody in a tune then its just white noise to me. And to be fair, quite a lot of out internet brethren who demo are just showing how well they know the fretboard. Knowing the fretboard inside out does not maketh the tune... or words to that effect.

Here too. Im pretty sure in 45 years Ive never played it either. Maybe I did but I cant rmember how it goes yet I can play any number of soul, funk, and jazz numbers without a thght.

A trip to my local Co-op for all the cheap out of date stuff is planned like a military excercise because if I spend more than 5 mins in there I could possibly explode thanks to a brain numbing faux soft rap, droney noise being pumped outta the ceiling. What is that? is it the kids latest thing? Jeez, no wonder the old pop charts aint going away. 'Rap'.. has a lot to answer for imo.

Two sets of Chromes both 17 years old. Makes my P basses sound something like a J bridge PU but with more heft.

DP is an exemplary musician indeed. How he plays that fast walking line singing those Rabbit lyrics is a mystery. He's second only to Macca. Scrap that, hes equal to Macca playing and singing bass.

He has extraordinary dexterity, musicality and poise and does 'things' on the bass we havent seen before. But how about if he'd studied say the Cello?... Would the cello world be drooling and fawning over him.... I doubt it. In the world of classical music he would be just another schooled accomplished musician ready to join any top orchestra on the planet. Thing is where will this all end? We have all grown up understanding, lead, support and rythmn. Maybe Im too old and funky (in a good way..haha) but I simply cannot see how bass will ever be taken seriously as a lead instrument after all isnt it simply ..... to bassy?

The legendary Abe Laboriel was a classical guitarist too and has a similiar dexterity across the board and strums a lot too.....similiar technique.

Hes a talented guy but those vocal things he does Id imagine hes using a multi harmonic vocaliser. Keys in my last band used one...sounded amazing like a choir, clever tho.

Anyone care to get the thread back on track or is that it?

Its tricky. Singer owns the Vox PA.. thats all fine an dandy, but what then happens to the band dynamic the moment you put ur snare/BD thru it too because the venue doesnt sound right? Thats the tricky bit, when others start taking advantage, so I can see the singists point when they get peeved.

I think in a couple of bands I was in we just left all flight cases in front of the band... did the trick.

Play with an AK-47 over ur shoulder!..but seriously. Back in the early 80's when I was playing a lot I dont remember any of this type of behaviour, and I played in a few dives to say the least.... Worlds gone nuts.

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Legend has it this works pretty good. P bass/Rick bass, fresh rounds, heavy plectrum, and the cherry on the top.... Ampeg SVT with "two" 8x10's. Go on, slay em you know you want to.... Clang!

But surely being with and knowing you, she is not what one might describe in this context as "General Public"

Surely the clue here is . the "General Public", All the above answers are all from people in the know. As I eluded to before, ask anyone in the street and I reckon the best youll get is either Sting or Macca... and Im not even convinced about those two. The "Public" havent a clue when it comes to bass and I dont blame them, its not important.

Thing is which public are we talking about?. My neighbour says things like. 'What's that dull drone coming from ur house'... 'It's my bass guitar Ainge, I play bass'....Q blank stare as she wonders off.

Whats really repugnant to me is his demeanour and attitude. Its all great fun when ur 17.. snarling spitting and hating on everything..but at nearly 50? Theres angry and there's.. someone simply needs help.