risingson

It's just what is good for the song at the end of it all, whether you're playing covers or original stuff. I'm always conscious to try and not overplay in songs that get me bored because that's the obvious reaction of a bass player. But sometimes it's not how you embellish a simple bass part that is impressive, it's how well you can stick to doing the most mundane part if that's what's right for the song. EDIT when I get bored mid-song of playing something very repetitive, I remind myself of someone like Steve Jordan on drums, who is able to hold down the simplest of grooves but with so much feel. Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLduQpy7P14

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1326672713' post='1500425'] damn you Risington, i thought i let the gas go with my new jazz but those Pensas just sound asmome [/quote] Haha! They're wonderful basses. I just remind myself to be happy with what I've got a lot of the time, and that whilst something like a Pensa or a Sadowsky NYC would be a lovely addition to my collection, I'm just as happy with my Lakland DJ4 for now whilst I'm skint. But as they say, the grass is always greener, until you actually buy a new bass and then 6 months down the line you want something new! That bass in the clip sounds great, and the finish on it is really cool.

I'm sure the Suhr's sound great (although I've not tried one), but the knob layout always looks a bit cluttered on the front of a J body for me. However... the bass I'm lusting after right now is a Pensa J. I played a few in NYC when I was there and they were of a ridiculously high quality, really lovely instruments and not particularly well known, especially not outside of the U.S. You'll definitely appreciate this video BB5! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgmYcaDJqIU

Lack of gigs this weekend and boredom compelled me to get my cam out and do a bit of recording! Two covers, 'The Nightfly' by Donald Fagan and 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You' by Sting. Best listened to through headphones or speakers I think. Feel free to comment and such! And happy Sunday to you all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LYrFnZ_f-c&context=C3eefafeADOEgsToPDskJsRYdWXnyM93mvqIVVrPMh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyc4ASz_-pI&context=C3dcff1dADOEgsToPDskKU8PvyASuULPZaXg8HFXGo

I got asked to do another Steely Dan playalong, so I did a quick recording of Donald Fagan's 'The Nightfly' last night from the similarly entitled album he released. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LYrFnZ_f-c&context=C3dcff1dADOEgsToPDskKU8PvyASuULPZaXg8HFXGo

Strange move, I wonder why they've done it? One of the guys who supplies our gear for our Scandinavian dates who works for Ibanez sorted me out with a Promethean rig as part of a backline one night and I couldn't help but feel it was already a little underpowered for what I needed. Seemed to lack something about it, so a move like this I can only view as a bad one!

I'm new to it all as well, so you're not alone! I've been struggling to find the time to practice as I've been recording with my band, but I suspect now having got a bit more of a feel for the instrument of the past week or two that have fretless experience will help somewhat. However, rightly you pointed out that left hand thumb positioning is integral to getting your intonation right and the left hand technique involved is quite simply a pig to get down after years of position playing on electric. Best of luck with it all, I've found it to be a lot of fun to play!

[quote name='JakeBrownBass' timestamp='1326386696' post='1496562'] Blueprint studios this morning [/quote] I'll have that spare Avalon U5 you've got sat next to the Behringer D.I's please

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1326386641' post='1496558'] And not just for the Bass playing. Great albums all round, with some fantastic writing. Garry [/quote] Absolutely. Their attention to detail and feel was just astonishing really. I fully understand why they're not loved by everyone, but I do love their sound and a lot of their sensibilities, and I'll always be a lifelong fan!

From an arrangement perspective, bass as an instrument is very difficult to write with. Unfortunately when it comes to songwriting, it's usually better to sharpen up your guitar skills, or probably even better your keys skills because they provide better initial harmonic platforms to build upon. I would never say never, but it is very difficult to conjure inspiration for melodies from an instrument that is essentially largely monophonic, unless you have that existing melodic hook in your head and work in the bass underneath it. But then you're not writing on bass. A lot of the very notable song writers who are also bass players like McCartney or Sting for example write on piano and guitar, I should imagine for similar reasons. There are of course notable exceptions in both cases. Sting's '7 Days' you can't help but think was just Sting and his bass.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1326374030' post='1496199'] I am afraid its another Carol Kaye v's Someone else. Carol Kaye says she was with the Wrecking Crew at the time and played Bass, But i read somewhere that Johnny Mandel [co writer] said it was CR. So who knows..... Talking of the Wrecking Crew. A clip from the film. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-xs2kJn6PBE#!"]http://www.youtube.c...v=-xs2kJn6PBE#![/url] Garry [/quote] It does seem a bit more likely that Carol Kaye might have been in for those sessions, considering the show was produced in Malibu California and Chuck was largely an east coast player at that time (his credits at the time of 1971-72 seem to suggest a lot of work in Atlantic's studios in NYC). But it's so hard to know with her, considering her unfortunate history of pinching credits.

I always use my Lakland Darryl Jones 4 live, and exclusively on our new second album. But in the past I've owned a P-Bass, a Jazz, and have used a Hofner Violin '67, a Warwick Corvette, amongst a few others for recording with. Once I'm in a better financial situation, I'd like another P-Bass for in the studio. A good P is an indispensable studio instrument to have, it beds a track so incredibly well and sounds just great on most recordings. I'd also like a really decent Jazz 5'er for the studio like a Sadowsky. And finally, if money were no object, I'd buy myself an Ampeg B15 Portaflex! We've got a really good mic cupboard now, and I'd love to hear our Neumann U87 on a B15 with a P-Bass strung with flats. I can dream

I'd strongly advise buying 'The Royal Scam' and 'Aja' by Steely Dan and listening to his playing on these albums. Aja is a classic anyway, everyone should own it! Loads of stuff with Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones and Leo Sayer too.

[quote name='MusicLover20015' timestamp='1326313166' post='1495417'] Yes i get your point, but i have never thought about the theory behind his lines. His sophistication if just one of the things that had brought me playing the bass lines. i mean i have noticed the open strings, i was made to love her, what's going on, but sure i'll just have a look at them, analyse them in depth hopefully furthering my knowledge. Thanks for that, you've opened my eyes [/quote] Just use your ears and theory in conjunction with one another. That's what makes great bass players really great. Good luck with it

You say you're into your James Jamerson bass lines, but James Jamerson knew his theory... he could read, and he could develop ideas around chord progressions. If you're new to this then you should be starting out simply instead of diving in at the deep end. There is no point trying stuff out until you've got the nuts and bolts of your theory down. Once you've familiarised yourself with some of the sheets, then experiment. If you're well versed in Jamerson's bass lines then its worth noting his use of open strings as stepping stones to get to places, for example in the key of F major, you have your maj 3rd on your A, your maj 6th on your D, and your 9th on your G (also your maj 7th on your open E). He would regularly use his D and G strings in the key of F major as passing notes in order to drop down from his open G > F and D > C, plus every which other way. This is just an example, and there are many other instances where open strings will not be musically relevant to the key in which you are playing. But the human ear is a very forgiving thing, and James Jamerson exploited this by using open strings in order to move from non-relevant notes to relevant one. Chuck Rainey arguably took this even further in subsequent recordings with the likes of Steely Dan.

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1326297300' post='1495093'] Finding a good drummer is like trying to find a thin lass with no kids in Birkenhead.... [/quote] Ouch! Hahaha

Cravat-chat?

A bad drummer pulls a band down, no question. Unless there are tuning issues with guitars and such, the drummer's lack of rhythmical sensibilities will be the first thing people notice if they came to see you live. It all depends on what you want from your band. If you're gigging regularly then unfortunately there isn't much point in keeping the guy on as you owe your audience the best show you can afford them, and that includes no straying from tempo. A bit heartless maybe... but just my 2p.

You'd be pissed off if you really wanted to say something but you could never say it, wouldn't you? I suspect this is why people write music a lot of the time.

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1326025034' post='1491120'] I agree janmaat, I always say there is no such thing as a 'stupid question' a person cannot be unduly criticised for information they do not possess, unless they are unduly resistant to taking stuff on board. I think the British mindset can be counter productive in certain aspects in this regard as we seem to have a national tendency to ridicule people that don't know stuff. Held in balance that view does take account of the many positives the British mindset does possess. [/quote] I agree completely, and the thread has been an eye-opener into a world that I've only ever briefly touched upon. I regret now not taking lessons with Steve Berry whilst I had the chance at Uni as he was a constant inspiration and a wonderful player.

[quote name='urb' timestamp='1326116442' post='1492449'] Get over it [/quote] This! This a million times over. Critiquing Victor Wooten is like shooting fish in a barrel. It gets done week in week out. It's not that people shouldn't feel obliged to have an opinion on bass players in general but the argument is done to death. Regardless of what you think of him (I don't ever listen to him and draw almost [u]zero[/u] influence from him), he is a talented musician with a lot of interesting stuff to say, both on music and in musical repertoire. He's up there doing what he loves, which is playing music and clearly he's inspiring a lot of people. If you don't like it then go and listen to something you enjoy!

I have a lot of respect for Noel. Not least of all because he's actually very funny and clever, but because he's achieved a lot in his life and got where he wanted to be, and I really admire that. Also, love his music or hate it, he's written some hits and has a profound affect on British music. Liam on the other hand is just very lucky that he was tolerated for so long by the band, and other people in general.

Nothing anticlimactic about that! What a lovely bass, I've lusted after the V string version for years, one of Fender's best recent efforts. Congrats!

Looks great : http://www.moogmusic.com/products/taurus/minitaur#demos-tab