Cantdosleepy

[quote name='paul, the' post='145127' date='Feb 22 2008, 03:48 PM']AWESOME! Thanks for the video mate![/quote] Ha ha ha. Ha. Your hat is, um, not a good hat. There, I said it.

[quote name='steve-norris' post='145411' date='Feb 23 2008, 12:41 AM']I like to think of bass as almost a tuned drum set, you provide a like between harmony and rhythm,[/quote] Word. [quote name='TheBrokenDoor' post='145452' date='Feb 23 2008, 09:28 AM'][b]Every line I've ever worked on has become more and more simple, and the simpler it is, the happier I am with my playing.[/b][/quote] Word. [quote name='paul, the' post='145800' date='Feb 24 2008, 12:27 AM']I listen to "What's Goin' On" with Jamerson on bass and then a later live version without JJ. That's enlightenment.[/quote] [b]Word.[/b] For best results with the bass, play with other people. When playing with other people, listen 70%, play 30%. Keep it simple. Listen to the drummer and try and accent where he accents. Use 'techniques' sparingly. Let the guitarist and singer and keyboardist worry about the big main melodies. Be aware of the power of 1) playing only with the kick for a bit 2) doubling the guitar for a bit 3) copying the vocal melody for a bit. Try playing roots during a verse, then try these methods once during the bridges, choruses and middle eights and see how much power you have to alter the dynamics and feel of a song. Silence is a vital note on the bass. Dropping in at just the right point can be spine-tingling.

AWESOME! Thanks for the video mate!

AWESOME! Thanks for the video mate!

And, of course, neither of my sentences stand up to the 'pregnant' substitution test. Way to go, sleepy. But (if you'll go with me on this) they don't work under the test because of pregnant's unique (heh) characteristic as a state [i]and[/i] an attribute. Gah.

[quote name='queenofthedepths' post='141905' date='Feb 17 2008, 02:44 PM']Sorry to be pedantic, but the question is grammatically incorrect He's either unique or he isn't, so perhaps you should say "To what extent is Jaco Pastorius unique?" I don't have much to add regarding Jaco's influences but perhaps it'd be an idea to look at those who have taken influence from Jaco and maybe determine whether he can still be "unique" after being copied, even if he was "original" at the time[/quote] Your phrasing is incorrect as well. A quick tip on using the word unique - it's an absolute, a 1 or 0 value. If you're having trouble using it, try swapping it out for another 'absolute' word that you're more comfortable with. A good simple one is 'pregnant'. You either are or aren't pregnant. So to test the previous two sentences: "To what extent is Jaco Pastorius pregnant?" doesn't work any better than "How pregnant is Jaco Pastorius?" From this description, '[i]Obviously you can't really argue against the fact that in terms of bass playing Jaco is most definitely unique. However, in terms of music there is a train of thought that would suggest a lot of his ideas came from a huge range of sometimes very obvious influences ie. Charlie Parker, Stravinsky, Jerry Jemmott. Could you argue that Jaco's ideas weren't unique but just other instrumental parts played on bass[/i]', a good title might be: 'Jaco pastorius: unique as a musician, or just as a bass player?' You can always substitute 'bass player' with 'player of the electric bass', 'musician on the electric bass' or another more technical term. The word 'just' should be used under advisement, as well. 'Jaco pastorius: unique as a musician, or as a musician on the electric bass?' is probably better but less catchy. This title would give you good scope to analyse his groundbreaking work on the instrument but also discuss his wider musical influences. Getting a good title is an important part of a good dissertation - define your ambits, reinforces your angle! Hope this helps!

[quote name='Adee' post='139667' date='Feb 13 2008, 04:50 PM']Got my brand new Fender USA S1 P-Bass in Milton Keynes Sound Control for £499 what a Fupping BARGAIN ! Its the Butterscotch Blonde, Black plate with Maple board I love it ![/quote] Pics?

I definitely agree. I like neither slapping, nor popping, nor broad beans. There's nothing wrong with broad beans. Or slapping. But they aren't for me at all. Vive la difference!

So what happens if, say you've only heard a bass player on a record, and he's super awesome and inspirational; then you see him live after listening to his lines every day for five years, and he has 'inefficient' / 'unattractive' technique. Does your opinion of him go down? Not having a go or nuffink, I'm genuinely interested. I'm a big fan of shambolic music, indie stuff that sounds ragtag and as if it's about to fall apart at any moment. I don't much like videos of perfect technical proficiency etc. Just wondering how the other half lives...

[quote name='queenofthedepths' post='138774' date='Feb 12 2008, 12:10 PM']So long as you can play the stuff you imagine in your head, who needs extra chops?[/quote] I quite agree. But from my position (as an obviously not-very-good bassist) I'm not yet at the stage where I can play the stuff I can imagine in my head. I'm maybe 70% comfortable with how I play. There's a way to go, though. [quote name='alexclaber']Though the chops that matter when playing 99% of basslines are nothing to do with speed and everything to do with tone, timing and dynamics.[/quote] I do agree. But make the same point - the skill level on this board seems to be pretty high. There still are those of us here who are still practicing to get a reasonable sense of tone, timing and dynamics, though.

indeed. Back on topic - the more instruments you play (try and play) the better your bass playing becomes. I naturally play different things on the piano than I would on the bass - translating stuff back and forth is a good way to expand your repertoire. Although I suppose the opposite argument is that every hour you spend playing piano/drums/zither is an hour you're not practicing your bass technique. If you never practice on the bass because you are so busy playing every other instrument, obviously your chops will suffer.

'This is I believes called ... food libraries. Food...library' 'Foods Libraries. Food libraries.' Great stories!

Oop sorry - I mean ride [i]cymbal[/i]. But yeah, I can get my bass amp and head on tube or bus (the magic or Markbass!) so I'm good to go anywhere in London. If I wanted to play the drums, I'd have to get a car of some sort. I mean that drums are fragile in terms of the skins and such. Also wih drums you've got the eternal question when you share a bill at a toilet gig - do I share my drumkit and worry about someone else damaging it, or use someone else's and be at the mercy of their (possibly crappy) kit? If I'm always borrowing, why did I spend £1200 on a kit? If I'm always lending, who are these bozos who are whacking my skins all night? There's so little worry about with the bass! Stays in tune better than guitar! Easier to hit a note than vocals! Doesn't draw attention unless you want it to!

That's one thing that would keep me from ever seriously getting into drums. Drums are heavy, expensive and fragile. To be a drummer in a gigging band you also need a van. The drummer in my current band has a ride that costs more than my bass. I can rock up to the studio with my beat up old P-copy and a tuner and be ready for action in about fifteen seconds.

[quote name='dood' post='138285' date='Feb 11 2008, 04:43 PM'][apologies for not reading the rest of the posts] Interestingly, at the last bass bash, OBBM handed me one of his instrument cables and we (I) a/b'd it against the lead I was using. My lead was a bog standard lead and may have been a different length to that of Dave's. I remember that I was convinced that even with the dull rumble of basses being played around me, Dave's cable had a clearer top end. I don't think it's something you'd notice in a band situation.. up loud, on stage, as it would be the same as notching up a treble control a few dB's.. but the fact that there was a difference, for what ever reason, remains. On the subject of speaker cables, I swapped from using two metre x two mm2 cable to (once again, OBBM's) one metre x four mm2 cable and I am absolutely positive there was an improvement in tone. I switched back and forth several times too. I don't care what the reasons were.. There certainly wasn't any percieved improvement due to the cost of the products.. as the cable isn't exactly breaking the bank lol. - i'd like to point out though, I am still using my original instrument cable, cos I'm a skinflint. Maybe one day I'll buy a better one! lol[/quote] Next time, just to be sure, look away from the amp and get someone else to switch back and forth randomly between the cables four or five times, making you guess each time which one it is (or even better, which one you prefer). Then have him tell you whether you could consistently tell them apart, and if so which one you prefered. You might be right! You might be over-thinking! Who knows...? This goes back to the placebo effect I guess...

I can play a wee bit of drums, a wee bit of keyboard, a bit more of guitar, and a bit more than that of bass. The plan is to get solid enough across the board that when I'm having a jam with my buddies I can grab whatever instrument has just come up for grabs and play something simple on it sort of in key and time. That's the dream. I don't know how far playing drums helps as a bassist, to be honest. I'd like to think it makes me more attentive...

Bedroom with bass-amp, pc, hi-fi etc. One thing that I didn't even think about but has been a great help is the big mirror that came in the room. Good for analysing technique!

YEah - Suzuki is a fairly common Japanese Surname. Similar to how WH Smith do not manufacture Smith's crisps!

Would it not depend on [i]what[/i] he played on that fretless seven? Or would you see the fact that he has that instrument as a sign that in two weeks' time he'll be trying to shoehorn tapping solos in all over the shop? I can imagine that must frustrate the seven-players. On the other hand, ARGH's point does seem to be that he doesn't want to play simple holding patterns. Is he making it more difficult for trad-rock seven-players to get gigs by reinforcing a stereotype? Or is justifiably frustrated that te bass tend to hang in the background? Tune in next week, batfans...

If by 'Led Zep' you mean 'Busted', then yes there will!

This thread is both confusing and confused. I really don't know what the OP is getting at. Every time he tries to explain himself it gets more confusing. Is the thrust of this thread: 1) If the bass instrument does not progress technologically it will disappear. or 2) If bassists do not come up with new techniques the bass will disappear. Also, why does it matter if the bass dies out? If in three hundred years there's no such thing as a bass guitar, but something else is playing the low notes, why does that matter?

Cool. I'm approaching this from an indie-rock position, which is much easier than jazz I assume (hey - was that E5 then A5? What happened to G5?). I'm not too bothered abut being able to transcribe. I want to be able to have a jam with my buddies, and when an idea for a melody comes into my head I want to be able to play it straightaway without having to 'hunt and peck' for it. The idea of connecting my melodic sensibility in my head with the fretboard is really attractive to me. Cheers, Mike

It says in the Willis book that using songs you know is not necessarily the best way to get on, as if you are trying to work out an intervfal in another tune, trying to hum a different song over the top is distracting and often results in all sorts of train wreck! Thanks for the responses, guys!

Hey guys, So I'm having another bash at Gary Willis' ear training course. One of my resolutions is to finish this book and get a solid grip on relative pitch - really train my ear. I've got as far as chapter three, but I'm pretty shaky. Random observations: I find it really tough to tell between root->perfect 4th and root->perfect fifth. Singing a chromatic scale is super-tough! My voice is embarrassingly weak. People look at you funny on the tube if you hum scales to yourself. Anyone done this book? Any tips for improving relative pitch?

Get a frontperson with a bit of banter and charisma. Give them a cheap bubble-blowing pistol from a toy store, which they can shoot or hand round the audience. Give them a bottle of cheapish whiskey and some shot glasses so he can coax people near to the front of the stage. Make him practice his banter until he's really happy up there. Does that stuff count as stage clobber? In the wrong hands it can feel try-hard, but if you can pull it off they'll be eating out of the palm of your hand.