Eight

I spend a lot of time improvising to Motown tracks - great, fun songs with nicely paced chord progressions. But I feel like I'm missing some quality knowledge. I've played the basslines my way, now I should look at how the master did them. So can anyone recommend any dvds or books (notation or tab, I don't care) covering how Jamerson played his lines on these classics? Some I could maybe transcribe but I'd spend longer hunting for quality recordings where I can hear the bass properly than actually playing.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='659624' date='Nov 19 2009, 08:41 PM']Would the writer be able to convey his newly-written song as effectively?[/quote] He could write it exactly how *he* wanted it played if he knew his onions, and the readers were used to fairly complicated scores (since to write down every detail and performance direction could result in something quite hideous to look at it). My gut feeling is that there wouldn't be many people capable of scoring every detail so well that it sounded natural (groovey?) if played dot to dot by a band. But it's conceptually possible - you'd need very small writing and a lot of paper.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='659591' date='Nov 19 2009, 08:09 PM']So, how much groove information can you put in written music?[/quote] I'm not sure I quite understood the question. You can notate the rhythm and dynamics to an insane level of detail if you want. You could write in variations in these dynamics, lengths of pauses and notes etc. to simulate something that a person does naturally when they play a musical instrument. But groove? To me that's more a subjective phenomenon that happens when multiple people play together and all their little idiosyncrasies and habits come together and create something that a listener really enjoys/feels. Could you script that? I guess so... but that would take the fun out of it all. It's like a script used for acting, you could in theory write a screenplay with so many acting notes and directions that everything you need for that Oscar is right there on the paper. But in practice, it generally takes a good actor to bring out all the good stuff from the script. Edit: but being able to read the script is a decent start. Although the method actors and improvisers might call that step unnecessary for "serious" acting.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='659552' date='Nov 19 2009, 07:37 PM']Fixed it for ya... [/quote] Steady on... Lol.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='659321' date='Nov 19 2009, 03:25 PM']Ohh.. could you bring it? There might be one there already, but I'd love to try two.. [/quote] Ahaha sure thing. Gives me a chance to remind myself how light it is.

Sorry, haven't been on BC as much recently so this might be a bit late: nevertheless, I have a Barefaced Compact I could bring if people (2B Mild?) want to try it out. Currently playing through a MAG300 head but anyone would be welcome to plug their own head in.

2 or 3 months I think - so I'm about due for a new one. I've averaged one bass every 3 months this past 12. Then there's the amps, cabs, pedals etc. Oh god. It's a scary thought.

[quote name='AM1' post='642802' date='Nov 1 2009, 08:38 PM']They all seem to have been dulled down and the sound is diabolical. Several times, the music has almost been drowning out the vocal![/quote] That's been driving me nuts this year - I don't remember it being this bad in previous years. Ok yes, I watch it every year... don't always stick to the end mind. Anyway, I'd love to know what it sounds like in the studio because in my living room it all sounds like crap. I almost never get to hear the "singing"... no problems with any other ITV programs... not that I watch any but I'm still pretty sure.

[quote name='Nick80' post='638018' date='Oct 27 2009, 03:20 PM']Is it normal for an onlne retailer to take your money for an Item they show as available when they don't even have it in stock yet!?[/quote] Very normal and especially common with online musical instrument retailers. I've ranted many times on the subject so will resist the temptation to get worked up again.

I'm in.

Hmm.. kinda forced into voting for it being crap there. I don't slap... and I've no interest in doing it as it's not the sound I'm in to. But I wouldn't say it's crap. There needs to be a "I don't... because I'm really not interested" option.

Just bought a bass from Floyd. Super quick delivery and a real nice guy to deal with. Cheers mate.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='603883' date='Sep 20 2009, 08:03 PM']I've been waiting for nearly 2 years. [/quote] I guess if we're too tight to buy a copy, and too lazy to go to a library then we have nothing to complain about really.

I've had my Vampyre tuned to C since first getting it - as a tuning, I love it. On the Warwick forum, someone had posted the suggested string gauges for keeping similar tension on the neck as in E. I ended up using Warwick Red Labels (the thicker 4 of a 5 string set) which gives me a .130 C string and it works well.

[quote name='thumperbob 2002' post='599949' date='Sep 16 2009, 09:25 AM']All Warwick Thumbs do this neck dive but are sorted with a thick suede strap- would this not work on other basses?[/quote] And the Vampyres. Can't play it properly sitting down but standing with a decent strap works fine.

Why bass? I think I tried almost everything else and didn't feel really at home on any instrument until I started playing this. Some instruments you take to better than others so you get more out of your practice time. I remembering spending hours playing guitar without ever really feeling like I was getting anywhere. BTW Wasn't there a post not too long ago that quoted a recent study in which they discovered that virtuosos had all put in at least 10,000 hours of practice?

Over the years I've taught myself a few instruments, and I've had lessons on a few instruments. On bass I have lessons. There's a few things I've realised. 1) The slight (I say slight for a reason) added pressure of having lessons helps make sure I practice things I'm poor at instead of gravitating to the things I do well. 2) You're paying them. That ultimately means you are in control and the direction of your learning is up to you. They should adapt to what you want to learn, and anytime you want to interrupt the "plan" and study something else (or don't want to do something they suggest) then the final say is yours. The good teachers will know this and it'll be fine. Bad teachers railroad students - you might not know it, but there are students out there all studying exactly the same songs. theory and technique at the same time because the "teacher" can't be bothered to work on more than one plan - I could name names (not bass). 3) As good as this forum is, nothing beats being able to sit down in front of someone who can look at what you're doing and make comments. 4) If you don't look forward to your lesson, you have the wrong teacher/ 5) If you're not enthused and motivated when you come out of your lesson, you have the wrong teacher.

I'd also never dream of making someone an offer without a rough idea of their hopes/expectations for the sale. If you have some kind of figure in mind then it's just easier for everyone if you put it out there as a guide. E.g. I'd like around £500 but offers are most welcome.

[quote name='largo' post='589996' date='Sep 4 2009, 06:33 PM']What about "If you dinnae ask, you dinnae get" ... I learned that pretty early in my teenage years [/quote] My gran used to say "he who wants, never gets".

[quote name='bartelby' post='591185' date='Sep 6 2009, 08:26 AM']Yep. Last time I was up at my parent's, in Coventry, I went over to Bass Direct. Only to discover it was closed for the week... [/quote] Hahaha. Sounds like you have the same kind of luck I do.

They're in Warwick right? I'm driving from the north north to the south south next week; worked out if I add an extra 30mins to my journey I could probably pop into Bass Direct. Worth doing? Even if I've got no money to buy anything?

Oh grief - this is going to take a lot of hard work to sort out. I've just discovered that another part of the problem is my picking motion. Mainly on upstrokes I have a tendency to actually lift the pick up slightly (in a direction heading away from the string + bass body) as it comes into contact. So before the note sounds there's a split-second where the pick is scraping instead of plucking. It's a good job I prefer fingerstyle anyway.

Nope. They don't fit - bottom one falls straight out as the screw isn't big enough. Grrr... so either I try and [s]find out if the Warwick locks fit properly... [/s] or I have someone fill and drill my bass Eeeeekk. Edit: Just remembered the Warwick locks are supposedly pretty poor.