risingson

I don't blame big players staying off forums, at all. It's just going to leave a nasty taste in their mouths for the best part. I'm not suggesting for one second that a site like this is full of idiots, in fact 99.99% of people I've spoken to on this site have been incredibly great people to chat with (and to meet), but every so often I've seen one or two people spout off about something that they don't understand about or slag something or someone down just because they don't like the music and without giving any forethought to what they're saying. Talkbass I must admit is a completely different kettle of fish to this site, I've done a bit of posting up there but there seem to be one too many members who are keen to assert that your gear is crap or why a certain type of music/player isn't any good and all the while displaying a serious lack of understanding as to what they're talking about... so far I'm yet to encounter the same degree of hostility over on this site. Sorry if that offends any TB users (again, I've met some delightful members as well so I'm not keen to tar you all with the same brush), but the atmosphere is very different. So who can blame professional bass players from staying off of these kinds of forums really.

I'll never forget the day I saw one particular bass player from a band using an incredibly expensive Spector live, and it sounded terrible. Really terrible. The next band that came on after them had a bass player with this crappy Tanglewood that looked like it had seen better days. They were a reggae band and had the same soundguy as the band beforehand, and they sounded just incredible, the bass sounded massive, well defined but really huge, miles better than a bass that I'd wager cost 10 times more. I don't put too much stock into buying the best gear. I like pricey basses: Sadowskys, Laklands, Pensas and F-Basses have all really appealed to me in the past but I'd be happy playing my beaten up U.S Jazz for the rest of my life if I was never allowed to own another bass again.

[quote name='leroybasslines' post='1114136' date='Feb 3 2011, 05:00 PM']Add new stuff in if you can think of any. I play along to this playlist as a practise session![/quote] I'll have a think, but to be honest the playlist you put together really does showcase his stuff really well. I also had no idea he'd played for Phoenix?? Absolutely mental!

[quote name='leroybasslines' post='1114088' date='Feb 3 2011, 04:25 PM']OK...this is where I admit to the true extent of my geekery on Pino. If you're a spotify user, get involved with my Pino playlist: [url="http://open.spotify.com/user/owen_liam/playlist/4J0KMwu3HUz9u2joumbZ2Z"]http://open.spotify.com/user/owen_liam/pla...3HUz9u2joumbZ2Z[/url] Feel free to add or contest as you see fit! As far as I'm aware, Pino played on everyone of these tracks, from Sugababes to Manu Katche, Gary Numan to Daniel Bedingfield! My fave at the moment though are his contributions to Roy Hargrove's Hard Groove. Awesome playing![/quote] Downloaded!

[quote name='leroybasslines' post='1114020' date='Feb 3 2011, 03:49 PM']It does seem to be an economical style - he barely moves when playing what is a pretty busy line on the A sections. Interesting that he switches to an orthodox two finger style on the B and middle sections. I guess he's using the clawfinger thing (for want of a better name!) when he needs to make lots of jumps across strings, but when he needs to dig in he still goes for the normal finger style. His versatility is staggering but subtle if you know what I mean. He doesn't do tricks (I don't think I've ever seen him slap or tap) and you rarely see him step into the limelight, but he can adapt his playing to a mind boggling range of situations with just a few tweaks to sound and style. I think he's my favourite player at the moment. Although, being a fellow Welshman, I'm biased! It's not music that I'd normally go for, but I love it that Pino is really enjoying it! I've heard some of the PSP studio recordings and they don't make as much sense somehow - it seems like a live thing to me, watching musicians at the top of their game enjoying themselves. The recordings are too clinical and lack the character of this performance.[/quote] Yep, agree with all of this. I struggle with the sterility of music like PSP (it is PSP right?), but to be honest you could plug Pino into almost any formula and I'd enjoy the sum of the music that came out of it all because he injects every tune he plays with an incredible amount of energy. I read Anthony Jackson singing Pino's praises recently in an interview, which is incredible considering how hypercritical Anthony Jackson is of music in general (and also another one of my favourite bass players, his stuff with Chaka Khan is epic!). Worth checking out if you haven't already Pino's stuff with D'Angelo and Erykah Badu. Their music was brilliant anyway but again, Pino just fitted in with their music so well, like he'd been there all along.

I saw this clip a while ago. I usually can't stomach this kind of music for too long but I heard Pino's bass playing and it just reasserted why he's probably my favourite bass player right now. The guy is a complete machine, love his OC-2 octave pedal sound as well. The technique Pino is employing evolved from his palm muting technique: he said that he found that when palm muting and just playing with his thumb, he couldn't hit certain notes as quickly as he wanted so he started to use his index and middle fingers in conjunction and later his ring finger. I've started doing something similar, I found that because I've been playing a lot of travis picking on acoustic guitar that it works for me when I'm palm muting on bass as well. EDIT Check out Richard Bona at the back, he can barely believe the groove Pino's got!

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1113325' date='Feb 3 2011, 12:38 AM']From what iv learnt, writing 5000 words on crap isn't going to get me a gig as a performing musician[/quote] Not directly it isn't. What's the paper on? EDIT just seen it was on transcribing. We used to get arranging assignments at my place. The lecturer who was teaching this part of the course was nothing short of a genius with an encyclopedic knowledge of music, I really do think he is one of the most brilliant people I've ever met. Anyway, I remember one lesson we got talking about James Jamerson and my whole class (50-60 of us at the time) had to sit for an hour's worth of lecture whilst we discussed Motown and also Carol Kaye's involvement in the re-creation of the electric bass in not just modern pop music but also in film scores as well during that time. It was people like him that made me get out of bed every day just to go to his lectures, I left feeling enriched by his vast knowledge and confident I'd learned a lot by the end of the day. He wasn't a good lecturer... more often than not he'd have a break during two hour lectures, go down to the bar, have a few pints of guinness and then drive home straight after we'd finished, but he was a friendly and brilliant tutor, and I'll remember a lot of what he had to tell me for the rest of my life. Sometimes it's not really worth getting too angry about work that you might not see the benefits or end results of. All I know is that if ACM is a good place to be for you then you'll probably find that you'll be learning valuable lessons a lot of the time, and it's the little stuff you'll end up taking away from all of this.

The facts are that you don't just go to music college to learn how to play your instrument better, and if you have then I think you've done it for the wrong reasons. You go to college to give you a good footing in later life and to learn about the industry because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how well you can play your instrument, if you have no idea about the industry and how it works then you've basically fallen at the first hurdle. If people just hired musicians on the premise that they can play their instruments and not at all on their work ethic or business acumen then there would be a lot more musicians in work right now, I guarantee it. The degree means much less than you'd think as well, a musician with a degree isn't going to get picked over someone without. You go to music college to network and learn valuable lessons for later life. You need to know what lessons to take away from these kinds of institutions. I went to a reputable place near me and I ended up dropping out early because I considered many of my lecturers to be unqualified to offer their opinions on certain matters, but for all the crap I had to listen to from some of them, every so often a valuable and important lesson could be learned from the good lecturers. I don't regret dropping out, but I would recommend keeping at it and just remembering what you should and shouldn't be taking away from all of this work you're currently doing. It's all about networking and making sure you're the best man for every job that gets thrown out there, as well as learning about the environment you wish to hammer out a vocation in the future.

[quote name='matski' post='1112281' date='Feb 2 2011, 12:58 PM']*ahem* Keanu Reeves....[/quote] I think the quality of his bass playing capabilities might be questionable.

I'd prefer to make my own music first and foremost but I don't have any qualms with playing with anyone for money, unless I have some clear objection to their music (Gary Glitter got mentioned, I'd never play with a convicted paedophile). I love playing bass, it's what I anticipate will make me money the rest of my life and I'm confident about this, but if the opportunity to make money came up then I would most likely take it.

[quote name='chris_b' post='1111330' date='Feb 1 2011, 05:37 PM']You mean he wouldn't want to be playing good songs, in a successful band with great players, in big venues which are full of enthusiastic fans and being noticed as a guy who can “cut it” at that level by many other artists, bands and musicians who will ask him to join their projects? Nah, you're right. Who in their right mind would want to do that?[/quote] Paul's a great player, I admire him for his playing skills and the fact he's made a good living for himself doing what he's done. As far as I was aware though he hasn't been the Take That tour bass player for a while, Lee Pomeroy was the last time I saw any live footage, and I can't say I rated him too much, he didn't seem too right for the gig. I'm sure all the big session guys do gigs like the one you described for the reasons that you mentioned, but there really is no denying the financial rewards of playing with such a massive and well funded tour like Take That... I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I use my Korg PX4D for practice, it's an awesome bit of kit and dirt cheap as well. Usually take it to gigs and warm up in the van before we start! Other than that: Multiple jack leads and patch cables Spare strings Pliers [b]GUITAR STAND[/b] Emergency smokes, as someone mentioned before Red bull more often... and then a lot of water etc.

Really nice bass Nigel, wouldn't mind getting my hands on a good Jap Fender. If you think it's worth it then why not!

Cheers Mark, very much appreciate the kind words!!

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1105756' date='Jan 28 2011, 12:29 AM']Did you see the one for £600.. i would without doubt buy 2nd hand..[/quote] Yes nothing gets past me! Unfortunately my financial position is poor, we've just released our debut album and we're back to promoting it as best we can right now and it involves a lot of work for little to no return. Hoping this will change soon, it's a shame otherwise I would have snapped it up mate!

It's the only bass I'm interested in buying at the moment. The price of them has gone through the roof though! EDIT really like the last one, Paul Turner used the exact same one (colour, piezo, everything) back with Jamiroquai on the 2005 tour, sounded ace.

[quote name='Doddy' post='1105567' date='Jan 27 2011, 08:56 PM']I'm not sure about the gospel guys making the best session players for the reasons you mention. From reading interviews with a lot of the more prominent drummers and bass players there are very few who do read-it's all a 'feel' thing. I think the best guys are the ones who are working every night with different people. We all know that I'm a fan of chops,but there is just something about these guys that doesn't do it for me at all. I read an interview with one guy in Modern Drummer and he said that they have to show off their chops or else they would lose the gigs.I think that must be why I think the a lot of the modern gospel players seem like they want to blow all the time-often inappropriately. It's rare to hear them(especially drummers) just lay it down without flash.[/quote] Prominent examples of players that are nothing short of blinding readers are Stanley Randolph (Stevie Wonder's new drummer, check him out here [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AobHkyIAOY)"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AobHkyIAOY)[/url], Aaron Spears (Usher's drummer), Adam Blackstone (Jill Scott's bass player), Braylon Lacy (Erykah Badu's old bass player), countless others as well off the top of my head. It's a feel thing as well of course, you don't get on dates like that unless you're something special. The point with these players is that the good ones are the ones with the technique that don't feel compelled to overload their shows with it, I know of a lot of great players that have come from gospel backgrounds that are more than capable of doing this. Usually though, the gigs they get from being the type of players they are often allow them to overplay a bit... it goes with the territory. I'd be interested to see the interview you mention, as I'd be surprised that an attitude to the one you described this guy having would lead him to get any major work?

The gospel players from the U.S make for the best session musicians because they spend all day and every day just playing and reading in church. Some of the drummers and bass players I've seen kill me, their technique is nothing less than astonishing. It's a totally different thing in the U.S and a massive phenomenon. [quote name='silddx' post='1105252' date='Jan 27 2011, 04:57 PM']Interesting you say that because he often phases across the bar line, particularly the long fill you like so much.[/quote] Anthony Jackson is the king of doing this, worth checking our the end of 'Heed The Warning' by Chaka Khan for probably the most ridiculous fill I've ever heard on record!

Steve Jordan, ?uestlove, Jeff Porcaro, Rick Marotta, Bernard Purdie (ridiculous he hasn't been mentioned yet!!), Steve Ferrone, Steve Gadd, Vinnie C, Abe Laboriel Jr., Omar Hakim, the list really is endless. I'd like to play with Manu Katche too but he's meant to be very difficult to get on with on a professional level according to Abe Laboriel Jr.

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1103677' date='Jan 26 2011, 02:08 PM']I'm not sure about that, the two big designs, the Streamer and the Thumb, were both conceived in the 80's! In fact, the Streamer really goes further back than that because it's a Ned Steinberger design! Some of the newer models like the Vampyre and the Star bass are hideous, but the real Warwick classics still look good. The thing is, they've always been niche instruments, played by bassists who like to step away from the traditional Fender or Fender inspired designs. This market of players will always exist, but Warwick do go through phases of being "in" and at the moment they definitely seem to be out! Around 2000/2001, it seemed like everyone wanted a Warwick and they were very popular but they've went into decline since then. I'm not sure if they'll ever see popularity like that again but they do make some good basses![/quote] Beauty is in the eye of the beholder of course, but to be honest the Warwick boom in this country seemed to tie in with Jamiroquai's popularity in the 90's, so the design doesn't really constitute much of an 80's aesthetic to my eyes as much as a bright pink Yamaha or Jackson does. I do think the design of Warwick's flagship stuff is dated, but this is only in relation to what I see being played right now, and there's nothing to say that this trend won't buck anytime soon. I like Warwicks, I always have, but I think they've played into the hands of a certain market that has now alienated some potential customers that believe that their application as instruments is limited to metal etc. They need a bit of an overhaul image wise, maybe start looking to endorse a wider range of artists that pull a newer crowd of players.

Warwicks just aren't flavour of the month at the moment. I think the thing about them destroying their reputation with introducing a confusing range of gear isn't necessarily what's putting people off (car companies like Porsche have been doing a similar thing with their 911's for years and it hasn't stopped them selling mass quantities of them). They've (IMO) not dated very well, and whilst I happen to think that some Warwick basses are marvelous instruments I don't think their looks will stand the test of time. That's also probably contributed to the depreciation.

I'll start: James Jamerson Pino Palladino Braylon Lacy George Porter Jr. Freddie Washington Your turn

Unfortunately (and this is going to sound harsh, but it is true), not as many people care about your carefully sculpted bass sound as you'd like to think, and depending on what the venue is like and how many people are in the room, it's not going to be replicated properly anyway. Unless you are carting your own sound tech round everywhere you go, or you are very successful and can afford to have your every need catered for in a live situation, then I think you might have to reassess the way you approach sound men. Most often they are very helpful people who are keen to get your monitoring needs and the front of house sound sorted as quickly as they are meant to, they aren't there to work on your bass sound for 40-50 minutes and then move on to the rest of your band, unless they are getting paid a small fortune to do so. [quote name='TimR' post='1102112' date='Jan 25 2011, 01:48 PM']Essentially that was the problem in a nutshell. The amp is part of your effect. It actually looks like you have no option other than DI the amp. The problem is how do you convey this to the sound man.[/quote] +1 billion

[quote name='dood' post='1099636' date='Jan 23 2011, 02:01 PM']You're most certainly welcome to your own opinion - It'd be a boring world if we all liked the same thing! Your post did make me chuckle though.[/quote] He's wrong anyway, they are cracking basses! One of my old tutors at Uni had a very similar 5 string Tobias similar to the one in your picture on the right, I could never play it though because it was a lefty... it was originally given to Paul McCartney as a gift but he ended up with it.