Eight

As long as I didn't actually hate what was being offered to me then sure. I'm not too picky. Except with strings - must have flatwounds.

Meh. I disappear for a short while and return to find you've completely misinterpreted what I was getting at. It was a joke - clearly not a funny one - at the inabilities of players of others instruments. For what's it worth - I spend a huge amount of time transcribing lines into standard notation, just for the training and for the fun of it. Edit: maybe using the word sh*t instead of stuff etc. implied a tone I hadn't intended.

[quote name='Hot Tub' post='1160404' date='Mar 13 2011, 12:46 PM']Inspired by the "Bass Tabs" thread, why is it seemingly impossible to find bass lines in standard notation?[/quote] I've recently come to think that bass players are so much more musical than their guitar or piano equivalents, in that they are so capable of playing by ear that writing the sh*t down and posting it on the internet seems a waste of time.

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1150581' date='Mar 5 2011, 02:10 PM']IMO, to [i]really [/i]get the Motown sound, one should think happy thoughts while playing. The technique is one thing - the attitude and bounce is another.[/quote] Damn. That's some Peter Pan sh*t right there - no wonder my Motown lines sound crap, I have no happy thoughts or pixie dust to help me fly. Bah.

Just thought I'd point out one thing: the double bass is bloody difficult. It should mandatory for anyone who starts thinking that being a bassist is easy... There. I needed to get that off my chest.

Waaaah... I'm too old. When did that happen!?!?!

Damn. I got it wrong... I thought the answer to the question was 'jazz'. I jest of course...

I might do Midlands. Perhaps persuadable to head to London but couldn't promise owt.

Think my first ever was Asylum Choir by Motorhead (on guitar as a kid). Can't remember what my first bass one was... I do a lot. Just for the training.

If you're going to organise one, you might want to give people a starting point on where you are in the world. For instance, I'd be interested in coming along to something like this (love Jamerson)... but you can't count me in because honestly, I wouldn't travel the length of the country for it. Edit: Ok, yes, I see you have some info your profile. Which is helpful.

[quote name='Horizontalste' post='1140560' date='Feb 24 2011, 10:16 PM']Is it because Woman of a certain age dig DD that they are deemed uncool?[/quote] It's either that or because they're cheesey nonsense from an era of music best forgotten.

Hate them with a passion. (Parcelforce, not Thomanns) Had one parcel dropped off in the library(!?!) which meant I couldn't get at the damn thing for a week since they're always shut when I'm home (obviously... I have a job). My boss even had a guitar left at the local butchers. Then there's the number of times I caught the buggers (on my days off) pushing a card through the door when they haven't even bothered to knock (or in some cases, they haven't brought the damn parcel with them from the depo!)

Re-tune to standard C tuning and all your scales etc. become the same (just the root notes move to different places on the neck). Or get a 5-string I suppose. I hate drop-tunings for this very reason.

It's probably time to be less picky about the bassist wanted ads I read. I guess Within Temptation just aren't going to come knocking any time soon so I better find something else. In the mean time, I guess I'll just keep working on on it - following some of the great suggestions here.

Four basses and a fifth on the way. Never been in a band but looking.

[quote name='cytania' post='1126049' date='Feb 13 2011, 03:46 PM']Alot of top bass players used to play brass instruments before they picked up electric bass. You can often hear this in the way they form their notes like a blown note. Brass players call it an 'embouchure', the rest of us call it blowing raspberries. Once I've got a bassline learnt I often go around razzy-ing it out to myself, it's a sort of practice - although out on the road it gets looks from other drivers.[/quote] I need to learn this. No idea if it'll help, but it sounds like lots of fun.

[quote name='phil.i.stein' post='1126038' date='Feb 13 2011, 03:31 PM']i know this is a contentious issue, and i'm fully aware of my own lack of skills in matters of theory, but i get the feeling that if i had learned the theory first, the same would happen to me, i would be devoid of inspiration and i'd only end up playing covers (not saying there's anything wrong with that).[/quote] I can't blame the theory etc. for this. It seems the problem is that with this instrument, I've neglected to spend time trying to being creative. Without realising, I've probably spent all my time being analytical with bass and haven't learned to express anything through it. Entirely my fault. Still... at least I've got a better idea what to work on.

[quote name='icastle' post='1126018' date='Feb 13 2011, 03:05 PM']Well, putting away your books and charts for now would be a start. [/quote] That's scary. Even scarier is how you knew I have the bloody things everywhere... I guess some things you can't learn from studying. I appreciate the advice and suggestions you've all given me. Lots to try here. Just to clarify one point though - I don't write basslines on a piano (never tried - that's what basses are for, right?). I just thought it was important to mention that I'm not completely unmusical/uncreative. Gave up playing keys properly a fair while ago - but if I have some chords or a melody in my head, I'll tend to head for the piano since I can't sing and don't play guitar. It's hard to describe, but after thinking about a few of the things that have been said, I don't think my brain reacts in the same way with bass yet... IC is probably right. I pick it up and get drawn into thinking too technically.

[quote name='Zach' post='1125948' date='Feb 13 2011, 02:03 PM']Do you mean you're trying to write interesting solo basslines?[/quote] No, I mean any bass lines. Give me an A blues backing for example, and I'll play all the right notes in one of the most boring, unoriginal, repetitive (or at the other end of the spectrum - random) lines you've ever heard. A solo line (as the lead instrument) would be a lot easier. You can get away with anything then.

[quote name='icastle' post='1125914' date='Feb 13 2011, 01:28 PM']Have you got yourself too bogged down with the technicalities instead of getting a 'feel' for the instrument perhaps?[/quote] Oh... that's a good point. Maybe my connection to the bass at this point is all technical/physiological. I'm not sure how to fix that... Norvegicus - I don't play in a band, no. Been looking but nothing appropriate ever seems to come along. It's definitely something that's holding me back - but I can still recognise a lame bassline when I hear (write) one.

It's been a little over two years since I bought my first bass (and registered here). In that time, I'd like to think I've learned quite a lot. I'm totally content with the amount of progress I've made in general performance and technique; I can read notation; my transcription skills are actually pretty good; and my knowledge of music theory is... passable. But god damn it, I still can't write a half decent bassline and I don't know why. I know plenty of scales, arpeggios and stylistic theories blah blah, but that spark of creativity and originality just isn't there when I pick up the bass. Yet, if I sit down at the piano and noodle, I can throw together a chord progression and melody line without too much stress (nothing amazing mind). Beginning to wonder if I'm actually meant to be a bassist at all... despite it being the only instrument I ever really felt comfortable on. I don't even know what kind of advice etc. I'm hoping for - just figured another perspective might help at the minute.

I think I'm playing on a set of GHS flats at the minute (45 - 105). They're not bad - I prefer them to any round wounds i've played on. Got a pack of the Steve Harris strings to try though.

Holy sh*t - I go offline for a few months and when I come back, BassChat seems to have flipped on its head. Major kudos to all of you who made the choice to learn this stuff - I was forced to learn it as a kid, so people actually choosing to something which requires a bit of practice and effort always gets respect in my book. Good luck, and stick at it.

I have the German SN4 which I love. The sound is great (or at least I like it) with plenty of Warwick character, and it plays well. From what (relatively little) I've heard from the Rockbass versions, they sound reasonably similar for the money. I considered one not too long ago but ended up not buying a new bass at all. Worth finding one to try, I say.

I don't know if it's an abundance of bass players (or a shortage of bands) but I'm getting dangerously close to a year since I decided to try and join a band. Three false starts is the closest I've come.