Cantdosleepy

[quote name='Jase' post='89725' date='Nov 17 2007, 12:41 AM']Don't mean to be ignorant chaps ...but why don't you use a hard case, any particular reason? Just wondering why you opt for a gig bag rather than the more protective hard case.[/quote] I don't have a car, so I lug my bass, head and cab to practice with me on the bus. This is just about do-able with a rucksack bass (although I always get to the studio sweating like a bear).

Yeah. Something-something Brookes, I think?

No, I haven't, but shall investigate. I live in London but my 'special lady friend' has just moved to Oxford. Saturday was my first visit ("More of a Cambridge man meself," he says sniffily) and really enjoyed myself. Went to a pub called the Magdelene on Friday night that had a pub three piece cover band plying. The guitarist had a fancy Gibson, about £500 worth of pedals and a nice Vox amp. The bassist was playing a no-name P, a zoom multifx and an ashdown combo. Which sounded pretty good together, actually. The weather was pretty grim, though. Never get that in Cambridge

Thanks guys! Youtubed some Mark King. He is fast. Very much a bassist's bassist. Anyway, back to the matter at hand: Professional Music Technology on Cowley Road in Oxford is a lovely shop, and I will definitely buy something (small, sadly - I'm not exactly flush at the moment) when next I am there.

It was an honest question and not necessarily something deserving your scorn, people. (Thanks to Stingrayfan!) I don't really dig "bassists' bassists" - I'd never heard of Jaco or Billy Sheehan or Wootten or Myung before I started reading forums. In future I shall make sure I know everything. Wasn't there a thread about basschat being 'friendly' somewhere? Doesn't include not laughing at someone asking a question?

At the risk of appearing completely ignorant, who's Mark King?

Extended Range Bass. It means the fretboard is like one of those concertina-ing boxing gloves on a stick that they have in the Beano etc.

...and my, what a lovely bunch of guys work there! I felt welcome, played on a couple of basses (Ibanez SDGR - realised that I'm not and 'active' person, and a Squier precision with the cool old style + metal covered pickup - really nice!) had a bit of chat. I live in London and every now and again make the mistake of wandering up Tin Pan Alley. Having enjoyed the service in Oxford I know it's possible to run a busy music shop and be nice people. So yeah, if you live near Cowley Road, go and check it out!

[quote name='Alun' post='90252' date='Nov 18 2007, 02:01 PM']1. Have a test forum for a couple of weeks and see if it gets used enough to warrant its existence.[/quote] Sounds reasonable to me. On the other hand, I'd never venture into the ERB area, but I do like to see them mentioned from time to time. Would ghettoising them give the ERBists a haven from Fender four wire purists, or encourage suspicion from the same?

[quote name='Clive Thorne' post='90588' date='Nov 18 2007, 11:02 PM']I can't see why anyone should be against this sort of innovation. If you don't want it then don't buy it.[/quote] Word.

This is the coolest conspiracy theory I have ever heard.

[quote name='Steve Rickwood' post='88078' date='Nov 13 2007, 09:11 PM']Lets face it - its easy to 'bitch'...as musicians we should be grateful for the people who inspired us to become who we are or certainly the voice we are continuously trying to find. If we outgrow something, appreciate it for what it is/what it meant at the time. As for stuff that gets 'rammed' down our throats - I think the media are the people you should be moaning at. These musicians didn't ask to be put on a pedestool, and without the exposure, who knows we may not have heard of them or been inspired in the first place. I could be working in a job I hate if it wasn't for all the players who are getting slagged off. Time to check ourselves ladies and gentlemen - I do believe the bass community was supposed to be more supportive than the guitarist one (not mentioning any 'lightbulb' jokes.)[/quote] Indeed. However, it's possible to have been a fan of a particular bassists, and then 'fall out of love' with them without it necessarily being a bitchfest. Tastes can change. One of the first bands I loved was the Manic Street Preachers. I haven't listened to them for years except when a song comes up on Shuffle, and 90% of the time I skip past it. Not a bitch at them, but I USED to like them, I don't much now. Although it does seem like people are using this thread to namecheck bassists they never liked or don't respect.

[quote name='Musky' post='87860' date='Nov 13 2007, 02:03 PM']Walter Benjamin had a few interesting things to say about authenticity, although he was looking at art in the age of mechanical reproduction. He pointed out that the aura of a work of art adhered not to the artifact itself but external factors which are attached to it by the viewer - it's entirely cultural. So just as Marcel Duchamp's ready-mades (mass produced objects sold as art) became 'art' once signed by the artist, the same principle can be attached to any mass produced object - in this case by sticking the word Fender on the headstock (or at least a '73 S/N). How would you feel about your '73 if you were to discover it was a cleverly made fake? Probably a bit p*ssed off that you've paid over the odds for it (which is an indication of the power relationships tied up with authenticity), but would it change it's usefulness to you or the value of any use you've already had from it? In the art world there are plenty of people who have discovered their works are fakes - placebos if you like - but I'd suggest any benefical effects they felt while thinking it was genuine were real. The only negative side to discovering the fake was entirely economic. Interestingly Benjamin also predicted the rise in importance of nostalgia - if he'd been into guitars maybe he would have predicted the Relic series as well. [/quote] Word. Imagine someone who has played bass for a couple of months. S/He finds an old bass in his/her dad's attic. It's battered and the action is almost unplayably high and it sounds weirdly muffled and someone has scratched the word 'funk' in blue ink into the heel of the neck. S/He thinks 'This isn't as good as my peavey Milestone' and puts it back. A bass buff would have almost had a heart attack to even see the object. It's not an intrinsic playability of the instrument that they disagree on, it's the ephemera surrounding it.

How about the whole GAS cycle? I'm happy with my setup now that I have a YYYYYY. Ooh, no, I need a XXXXXX. I'm happy with my setup now that I have a XXXXX. Ooh, no, I need a GGGGGG. etc etc etc The GAS item in question is often entirely arbitrary. The question is, is it a placebo (in that it cures GAS even though it might not be making the sound you're after) or is the fact that it cures the GAS evidence that it is not a placebo. Another way to phrase that question is; do I appease my GAS to get a better sound, or do I appease my GAS simply to appease my GAS?

I came into my room last night to find Carol Kaye dressed in my clothes, playing my bass, recording straight into my laptop. I chased her out with a broom.

[quote name='2wheeler' post='84326' date='Nov 6 2007, 08:36 AM']One of my work colleagues sent me this link [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h-RhyopUmc"][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h-RhyopUmc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h-RhyopUmc[/url][/url] No comment as I am speechless[/quote] Bjorok had someone playing a ReacTable at Glasto. It was storming! check out [url="http://www.musicthing.blogspot.com"]http://www.musicthing.blogspot.com[/url] for all sorts of synth geekery and music fun!

[quote name='Paul Cooke' post='81632' date='Oct 31 2007, 10:14 AM']It's the AK47 of basses...[/quote] When you absolutely, positively etc etc etc Great description!

I hope they're making a new one - the last one really wasn't very well designed.

Do you own a bass, L-mac? Do you own more than one bass? Why don't you keep sending him to piano lessons for the theory'n'schooling etc etc, but let him noodle around on your basses at home and grab tabs off the net for music he likes etc? That way he's learning theory that'll be useful later on, and still have the bass as a 'fun' instrument with none of the associactions of homework etc. I played trombone at school and hated every minute of it. My brother got a guitar and I learned to play Oasis songs on it. Never looked back. Not progressed far, though!

[quote name='paul, the' post='81531' date='Oct 30 2007, 11:27 PM']Thank you for your input, Mr. Lee! I feel honored to have such a Jamerson devotee post on the thread. And thank you for Bassland; which was an explosion of knowledge for me of what was previously just a beautiful tone and revolutionary style. Your website allowed me to meet the man and experience the time. All your own media is excellent too, I can hear the JJ influence but you make it your own with an amalgamation of other styles and experiences. Hope to see you putting your two cents elsewhere on forum every now and then too paul.[/quote] Agreed!

[quote name='The Funk' post='81318' date='Oct 30 2007, 04:23 PM']Sorry, did not see this. Should be put next to what I put about them not multi-tracking. I don't have any firm evidence/sources. I just remember seeing it on the Standing In The Shadows Of Motown documentary.[/quote] There was a thread a while ago with some isolated tracks from Four Tops etc. I've got them on my site if you want to snatch: [url="http://michaelphilipsmith.org/music.html"]http://michaelphilipsmith.org/music.html[/url]

It's pretty obvious to me that on most of the recordings she was fretting and he was plucking. What a team!

Thanks for the recommend!

Thanks for the reply!

Hey London bassers, I'm looking to start having some jams with buddies and am wondering if there are any practice rooms you guys would recommend. I generally use Vatican near Stepney Green. The man who works there is really lovely, but it's quite expensive and the bass amps tend to be a bit sketchy. Sometimes I go to Scar in Camden, which is cheaper but the amps vary in quality a lot more. Also, the electronics from the railway above induce a horrible noise in the big room. Do any of you guys know of a good practice room? Looking for usual rockdrumkit/guitaramp/bassamp/pa sort of deal... Thanks!