TheLowDown

I agree with a lighter gauge string being used for a better B string tone. To my ears the heavier the string the less well-defined it sounds.

Hiromi is awesome! I was first made known of her from when she did Alive with Anthony Jackson on bass. It's quite a journey...

RIP Sam. I really didn't expect that at all. She seemed a lovely gal who put herself out for others.

3 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

Will Gregory (of Goldfrapp fame) is doing a vintage synth gig at St George’s Bristol. I am going.

Sounds like it will be really good! I've only recently started getting into synths.

Yes I quite like TC but haven't heard them for a few years. There's also Air, Zero 7, and Goldfrapp who were all over the scene about 20 years ago but never hear anything of them now.

I would mind less if bands were upfront about what exactly is live about the concert.

2 hours ago, BassTractor said:

Yeah, one has to keep a clear mind, or else it's easy to get dragged in.

Have you considered semi-modular, like the 2600 and others as a compromise of sorts?

For me personally, after having spent virtually no time on tinkering for decades, these knobs and cables offer a welcome return to it, as I've loved tinkering since the early 70s.

As to going modular, I decided against it - not for tinkering reasons but for pecuniary ones. Just the price of Eurorack cabinets alone!

Yeah, some of Behringer's offerings seem stellar in that regard, and for example the Model D and the 2600 also offer more than the originals.

I think you'll enjoy it very much then 👍. Modular synths are very versatile, more than enough to tinker with. I don't know about the 2600 but I know the Model D is well regarded.

I've recently considered going modular, but I fear that I will spend more time tinkering with sound design than making music with it. Behringer make some fantastic value for money reproductions of the old faithfuls.

Only unless there is something specific, or a specific combination of features, that you need that can't be bought any more cheaply. There is a plentiful supply of suitably high quality basses at a fraction of that price and with features that I would be looking for, so I would feel that spending £1500 on a bass would be a waste.

I love funk, especially when it's blended with other genres like jazz. I'm not a fan of the sound of slap, though, for those songs that use it.

Don't think he can go wrong with this

https://www.thomann.co.uk/harley_benton_hbp120bk_ebass.htm

2 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Not sure what the future expansion is? But anyway, similar to your B, the C string is not really anything I have ever needed. As with the 5 string I use what position I want, I don't really see an advantage of 5 frets above the top of the G (or 3 in the case of my shuker).

Future 'expansion' as in playing chords(the C string makes it easier to test out the sound of chords for writing chord progressions), walking basslines, and experimenting with solos are made a tad more convenient on a 6 string. The initial reason for the 6 string was for possible creative home projects, and as well as the reasons I've just mentioned, and the fact that it effectively includes a 5 string bass within it. Essentially, it's a 5 string with added benefits.

It can be said that a good reason for having a 5 string is because it is better to have the B string than be without it when you need it. The same can be said for the C string, especially if you want to experiment.

8 hours ago, Terry M. said:

You say your 6 string does all. Why do you need a 4 string then out of curiosity and not a 5?

Because it provides significant advantages over the 6 string that the 5 string doesn't quite manage. For example, being as light as possible, range of choice of strings, range of choice of bass, less of a need to mute effectively for recording, and simplicity when it's preferred, and so on.

9 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Because for me the neck gets too wide to use in normal bass mode then, apart from when I had a GVB36, which for some reason I got rid of, and at that point it becomes easier to view it as a tapping instrument, such as an NS:Stick, but then it has not enough strings to make it versatile. So for me 6 is worst of all worlds, if you go past 5, you might as well go straight to 10.

I don't play 4s or 6s, but I can see the point of a 4

I honestly don't find that with the neck being too wide. With 6 string I prefer 16.5mm at the bridge so the width is minimised, and keeping my thumb in the centre of the neck means that there isn't much of a difference for me between 5 and 6. I had been toying with the idea of getting a Sire M5 for reasons of GAS, but I'm finding it very difficult to justify to myself when I have a lightweight 6 string. I'm not really all that fond of the B string anyway, and which is the only point of the 5 string, so it's not really a priority for me. I tell myself that I have a 6 string if ever I need a B string. The 6 string also allows for various future expansion possibilities which the 5 string does not.

I think switching between 4 and 6 string also stops me from falling into a musical rut in the way i play.

If you play using floating thumb and you have a lightweight 6 string, what's the point of a 5 string? I have a 5 string somewhere, but I can't think of a reason to use it when the 6 does it all and more. I still need a 4 string, though.

4 hours ago, Terry M. said:

Would thinking of the Dorian as a minor scale with a raised 6th been any easier?

Not for me because I don't see any benefit of that, but it may do for others. I like to keep things simple so I want to see all the modes as being variations of the major(Ionian )scale, so dorian being a major scale with flat 3rd and flat 7th works best for me.

Well if it's a benefit if you enjoy it.

Also, for many people with dementia, many of their hobbies they will be unable to do. But because music ability is so deeply integrated(evolutionary speaking, it's far far older than the language centres of the brain) in the brain, we can still enjoy listening to and even playing Mustang Sally et al.

To add to what TheGreek has mentioned, I first saw this short animation a few years back that was quite illuminating

At first I found them very esoteric to begin with, perhaps because of the way they're often explained. I can't recall my eureka moment though, but I think it was when someone suggested thinking more in terms of the scale degrees than notes that it started to come together. So many times I heard many many people saying something like "Dorian is just the major scale but starting on D", but that's not the way to think about it, and this confused me no end because there were other explanations. When I began to think of Dorian as the major scale with flat 3rd and flat 7th is when it clicked because it doesn't have to start on D(when using the C major scale to explain it).

I think they're very important to be aware of because their theory relates to lots of other things too(such as the notes of each scale, more soloing possibilities, the family of chords in a chord progression. It enables you to understand why things work the way they do), but not particularly important for most regular bassists when playing day to day. I think they're important to be aware of too when wanting to improve because it shows you different options.

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

Then get a Z7, job's a good 'un.  Really happy with mine, and I don't think it's that heavy (9.5lbs) - but everyone's definition of "heavy" is different.  I use wide straps and am privileged to be in reasonable structural health.  I've played 12lbs+ maple Gibson bruisers in the past, 9.5lbs means nothing to me.  In fact, I'm one of those even rarer weirdos who has a minimum weight for basses - below 8lbs I just can't take it seriously, I get a toy-like feeling from it and it just doesn't feel right.

Way too heavy for me, unfortunately. Also, from the basses that I have it doesn't give me anything that that I need that isn't already covered. I know what you mean by really light basses feeling toy-like, but I think 8-8-5lbs is almost like a sweet spot. I have an Ibanez 6 string that's about 9.9lbs, and that's at the maximum for a 6 string, if it had fewer strings it would be a candidate for being shown the door.

Sire's are great basses with flexible preamps and good value for money judging from mine, but from what I've read the Z3 may be a little on the heavier side for some people. 

Personally, though, no neck pickup no interest.

If I didn't have a 6 string I would be very tempted at that price! The headstock is what puts me off though as it's likely to weigh a ton. 

13 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

The UK has been metric for 60 years now. Sadly, a large portion of the population of the UK is stuck in the past, when Britain had an Empire.

This may well be true. Pints, miles etc. Feet and inches for height, arguably used by the majority of the UK population. I don't see things changing anytime soon tbh.

2 hours ago, Bass4real said:

I am pretty big (tall) 188cm  in the UK  - In the U.S. that is 6'2

It's in the UK too. I still think in feet and inches (and stones and lbs for weight), and I don't know anyone else that doesn't.

I didn't gel with mine and because of the scale length I didn't find it at all ergonomic, plus I don't fancy paying extra for strings. On balance, the cons outweigh the pros.

Caution is best applied to 'deals' as many retailers bump the price up in the weeks or months beforehand and then lower them for black friday.

A bass mug

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335021825055