risingson

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1330899974' post='1564669'] Light weight is one of Roger's preferences. He says he's not interested in building heavy instruments. [/quote] It stands to reason really! For me, there's something strikingly reassuring about something like my old P-Bass, for example. It weighed a ton, heaviest bass I've used by a long shot but it felt wholesome and sturdy. Almost like the weight of it had something to do with its massive tone. Obviously total nonsense, but I do like feeling like I'm playing a 'bass' sometimes as opposed to something that feels like a toy. Purely psychological I guess.

Congrats Untune! On a side note, you heard the rumours of a BOC double disc release? Exciting times!!

Fortunately its something I've rarely had to struggle with. But you could take some comfort in the fact that because you're the bass player, no one will probably be paying much attention to you!! Haha It's best to remember that a crowd are there to watch you and are probably quite enviable at the fact that you could even get up on stage to showcase your talent in the first place. That puts you in the driving seat, and once you figure out that the adrenaline pumping through you from a great crowd reaction is an incredible rush, you'll find that you start relaxing a lot more and enjoying what you're doing. That's the aim of the game really, you're up there to enjoy yourself!

[quote name='leroydiamond' timestamp='1330870736' post='1564088'] Got a Sadowsky NYC but purchased it in the USA new at reasonable cost. They are truly a beautiful. One of the selling points of the NYC models is their weight. Very light indeed which suits my needs. This side if the pond these basses are really expensive due to tax and duty regulations and this effects their popularity. As for Fender, IMO serious quality control issues persist and customer support is not what it should be. These are not issues when you buy Sadowsky NYC [/quote] I played three Sadowsky's this week and off the shelf, none of them struck me as particularly heavy at all. The basses that consistently strike me as the weightiest are always Ernie Balls. I don't think the weight of an instrument will ever bother me until I get a bit older but man, Stingrays can be heavy.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1330872451' post='1564117'] Weird. That's the tone that I can't stand that so many people seem to want, the tone I'm trying to get as far away from as possible. To me it sounds like really stiff strings banging against wood amplified through a tweeter and nothing else. Ah well, each to their own I guess! [/quote] It's not that I necessarily liked the sound of the Will Lee in the video that I posted up, but rather I can see the potential in it. People do seem to jump on that kind of sound or see it as somehow desirable though (usually without thinking about what it's going to sound like in a mix - it's probably going to get lost if it sounds like that). Generally though I think I can be a good judge of hearing a bass and knowing if its going to work for me or not. Something about the Will Lee model grabbed me, but I suppose I can't be certain whether its the right bass for me as I'm yet to try one out properly.

I voted Ray Brown if there's nothing comprehensive out there on him already. Christian McBride consistently cites his playing as one of his major influences, as I'm sure a million and one other upright players do. Dave Holland is a staggering player but he's not really that old. Might be a bit of an odd one to see a major biog on him just yet.

Hahahaha

I was only listening to the Stone Roses this morning, Second Coming didn't leave my Walkman for about a year when I was 17!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330290984' post='1555368'] Too right... each to his own and all that, but how can you say a 56 P-Bass is ugly when you play a Status Kingbass Artist, a foul instrument which is quite rightly criticised in bass playing society for resembling an unholy union between a shovel and a diseased banjo with rickets? [/quote] Right on the money!

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1330281497' post='1555113'] My plan worked! I was hoping people would attempt to prove me wrong with some quality bass porn! [/quote] Hahaha I do know what you mean, there is something a bit 'wrong' about PJ configurations but I couldn't say no to that particular bass! Shoreline Gold is one of my all time favourite finishes, just lovely.

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1330280643' post='1555100'] Except that they look hideous.... [/quote] Disagree! Feast your eyes on this

Mids are your friend. A healthy dose of low mids has always helped my monitoring on stage. If you keep the high mids as flat as possible, it helps stave off the nasal sound you could encounter. Massive lows are not the answer in rock situations, it will only muddy up the stage.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1330030522' post='1551851'] What's that Zappa story about him opening a book on classical theory? It told him that 2 particular notes (IIRC) couldn't be played together; he played them, said "sounds fine to me" and threw the book away. [/quote] Zappa clearly had his head screwed on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW0Hoxo32FA

Matt Garrison also utilises his ramp with his 4 finger style of playing (thumb, index, middle, ring in that order). I should imagine it would help if you were a practitioner of this method as the spread of the right hand is concentrated over a larger area than the standard 2 fingers. I can't say I've had experience with ramps but they look interesting. I am a believer that good touch can be achieved without one as well though.

It was really great bass playing, looked live to me. Impressive stuff, very enjoyable to watch and listen to even if it isn't totally my thing.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1330017997' post='1551556'] It's what I call very young [/quote] I'm 22 and I get the importance of this type of stuff. What I've increasingly noticed in younger and more 'talented' musicians are attitudes like the ones displayed in this thread, i.e. the idea that music is somehow this quantifiable thing that is to be learnt like you would maths for example. It's probably one of the downside of attending music schools (not intentionally slamming you blackmn90, just an observation), and one of the reasons I left my Uni course. There are too many people who will take the books they read and the lecturer's word as gospel. The result of this is a fairly contrived idea of what music is all about and this mad idea that music can be rubbished purely because of a perceived lack of technical or theoretical prowess. The best plan of action is to trust your own judgement on what sounds good and what doesn't, as opposed to what you think people will judge you on listening to. Unfortunately, a kind of institutionalised musical 'snobbery' prohibits this.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1329995845' post='1550927'] So where are all these Classics and RH450s that everyone was buying last year and now few seem to still have? According to the crits these amps were the dogs' danglies and now they seem to attract widespread slagging. Can perceptions really change that much in a few months or was this another case of Emperor's Clothes syndrome? [/quote] I don't think they're getting widely slagged are they? Apart from by one or two detractors, usually with no experience of TC other than maybe a quick fiddle with one at a trade show and then off home to have a moan about the 'lack of power'. The people who like them like them, those who don't, don't, most of whom don't choose to complain about it and just play a different brand of amp.

[quote name='blackmn90' timestamp='1330003528' post='1551179'] I'm saying you need a combination of technique, theory and musicianship to be as good as the kids i saw playing last night. [/quote] These things are nice things to have, absolutely. The first two things aren't the stuff that gets you by when you're playing in a band. The last one is. Plus a bunch of other things you have to know to maximise your audience. You mentioned wanting to be like Laurence Cottle when you get older. Well, what about Pino Palladino? Heaps of technique, musically brilliant, the most in demand bass player on the planet right now (supposedly one of the highest paid too), having played across a wide genre of rock, pop, jazz, hip hop, soul, fusion. And by his own admission, never a theoretical genius and not a competent reader.

[quote name='blackmn90' timestamp='1329999639' post='1551041'] well they could. I've seen Janek play 3 times and he can definitely cover that material and enjoy it. I had a lesson with steve lawson who IMO is a great virtuoso of the electric bass. i was amazed with how strong he sounded when playing simple lines, much cleaner and clinical than the older guys did. He can definitely play that stuff but chooses not to. [/quote] No, they probably couldn't. And the reason is that good music transcends good technique and good playing. Technique is not synonymous with musicianship, it's not measurable by the amount of time you've put into learning how to play with impeccable timing and with good theoretical technique. That's what everyone who champions the 'pros' and rubbishes the likes of smaller time bass players don't understand. I went to music school too, but they never taught me this, everyone was just too occupied with technique and theory. I just had to learn it for myself.

[quote name='blackmn90' timestamp='1329998799' post='1551019'] This is the problem. I said wide array, not every genre! Chris squire also in my opinion is not anywhere near up there with the likes of Janek Gwizdala or Richard Bona! Not even close. [/quote] Roles reversed, I don't believe either bassist you've just mentioned could do Chris Squire's job in Yes either, or certainly no better. In the kindest possible way, I think you have a slightly naive view in this respect.

Go to Sadowsky, I didn't last time I was over and I've been kicking myself ever since. Believe they've moved over the river to Queens, so it might take a bit of travelling. Not much though. Also get to Rudy's midtown, it's right off of Times Square. It's across the road from Sam Ash (like a glorified Dawsons, better stock though), that's where you'll find your MTD's, F-Basses, pre-CBS Fenders, Pensas (that's where they're made in fact), a even probably a Ritter or two. Insanely great bass section, the best I've ever seen in fact. The staff in there are good too. Pricey though!

[quote name='blackmn90' timestamp='1329959422' post='1550591'] [b]I think its just that rock bores most competent players[/b] and so they move on to jazz, funk, neo soul, gospel ect. [/quote] Classic sweeping statement if ever there was one. I'd be interested to know what you're basing this on?

I'm not mad on Dirty Loops, but I've got to say that guy is an incredibly impressive player.

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1329926638' post='1549886'] Following on from Nige, is the real problem with modern bass players not the fact that we're discussing them on a bass players forum? [/quote] We're hobbyists, aren't we? A lot of us play professionally or semi-professionally, but in the same way that a lot of people who are interested in cars are also interested in Ferraris or Michael Schumacher, so it is that many of us are impressed by a Fodera or Victor Wooten. But then there will always be people who will insist that their Morris Minor did just as good a job, and that the imperfections of its motor are far more interesting than the perfection of a Ferrari V8. And the world keeps on turning either way. [quote name='jc_riffs' timestamp='1329926864' post='1549891'] I'll 2nd that mr capleton! [/quote] Tar lar