Boodang

Just arrived! Had a quick play through, compared to the Aguilar Grape Phaser this is warmer and smoother. I will do a review in the next week with some clips to compare. Initial reaction, and it's early days, I prefer this to the Aguilar. PS have now posted a quick review with some clips.

I don't think this will help, but I found the biggest difference to my live playing occurred when I swapped over from bg to EUB. The reason, I believe, is because I was no longer having to give any thought to what I was doing on stage... routed to the spot, it's easier to concentrate on my playing.

I'm in a covers band with which I play drums and there are a couple of songs I absolutely detest but the audience love. To get through them, and the same strategy would apply if I were playing bass, I screw with the structure of my playing to the point where the bass player gives me a knowing look but the audience are less aware. And there's the fun, how much can you screw with the song without ruining it. So, for the microwave oven song i start out straight but by the end it's full on funk. It's been an interesting journey to see how much i can push it without losing the audience or for that matter the sympathy of my bandmates. I've made it perfectly clear to the rest of the band that I'm a consummate professional and will serve the song at all costs... with a few exceptions, which I don't tell them about and just have fun with. PS I HATE the microwave oven song!!!

https://www.protectionracket.com/products/guitar-cases/item/bass-guitar-case-deluxe I used to have hard cases but now use these. A good compromise but tough enough to give real world protection. I have a custom bass that is irreplaceable and I use this to gig with.

In one band I’m in the vocalist doesn’t help with setting up or tearing down, doesn’t even own a microphone. He is good though and despite everything a really nice guy. I refer to him exclusively as ‘the talent’.

Pickups.... I had some custom jazz single coil pups made, alnico2 for the bridge and alnico5 for the neck. Tone starts at the source and these really work for me, no eq needed.

Listen to Straight As Calm Can Be by Boodang on #SoundCloud https://on.soundcloud.com/cBPqi One take using a looper and wiretap. The image reminds me a of the game Bio Shock. With that in mind this is the result.

My latest jacket for gigs. Already have purple and orange ones. Going for the ‘Sgt Pepper’ look even tho we don’t play any Beatles!

I’ve had red heads in the past but have settled on a baby blue which has become a part of my sound.

Dan Hawkins has some particularly good, well articulated, lessons on YouTube.

3 for triplets

Reviews and clips of the three EFs I own. The Fwonkbeta has a huge bottom heavy sound, not very versatile but nothing else like it. The Supa Funk is the closest to a normal EF, quite subtle, the Funk Machine is mental and good for the extreme Brecker Brothers 'Sponge' sound or as an LPF.

Before it gets busy again it's time for the wood shed... maybe get some composing done and record a fusion version of Summertime to get it out your system!

This is a good example of learning good technique from the start. It’s probably the one thing you need a teacher for rather than YouTube or a book. Basically higher strings not being played are muted by the left hand, bottom strings not being played are muted by the right hand thumb as you move it onto the E string, then the A so both are muted. Rest strokes on from the G land on the D which can mute, or you can place the thumb on the D and still mute the A and E. This is all assuming finger playing as opposed to pick. By resting your thumb on the pickup and never moving it, will make lower string muted hard for yourself.

The Jack Casady bass is awesome but maybe not suitable for the sound you want, although change the strings to round wounds will help a bit. Some standard rotosounds would do nicely.

PS I have a small area setup for practice which I think is important so you don’t have to faff about to get going. Also, I use a small behringer mixer (little 4 channel thing that was about £30), so I can plug in the bass and my laptop, play along to lessons, Spotify etc on headphones. Only use an amp when rehearsing or gigging.

Dan Hawkins has some great stuff on YouTube. I think his approach to theory is very clear cut and some great vids on putting it all together into bass lines and supporting songs. Even if you’re not into jazz, get into walking bass lines. Will teach you timing but more importantly chord structures, and this knowledge is relevant for any genre of playing. Ed Friedland ; Building walking bass lines.

Keep it interesting, always have a song you’ll learning and do the theory as you go in small chunks. For me the top tip would be to not get into bad physical habits when starting out. Get someone to show you or you’ll end up making life difficult for yourself later. For instance, the best way to position the left hand (don’t wrap your thumb around the neck. Might work for some people but not ideal). Don’t have a bent wrist on the right hand by resting your forearm on the body as this will cause carpal tunnel pain later.

Love the riff. IMHO that tract doesn’t need vocals. And yep, love learning stuff way outside my comfort zone. Tends not to be bass lines but solos in jazz numbers, I find it gives you a greater understanding of melody concepts. Currently obsessed with the Tim Miller solo in the Gwizdala song ‘Bethany’ as it’s a masterpiece. It’s mental tho and even on my 5 string high C it’s an uber challenge.

I would say that drumeo is worth ever penny tho.

Also, if you want to learns some jazz, the Jazz Drummers Resource on YouTube is good. Very understated, no ‘do these 3 things and you’ll be the best drummer’ stuff. https://m.youtube.com/@JazzDrummersResource

Drumeo is good. I’ve been playing drums for about 10 years now and one of the main resources is drumeo. Actually I take that back, Drumeo isn’t good, it’s awesome!

That’s more like it, effing brilliant. Love the Weckl / McLaughlin fusion stuff, of which this is very reminiscent. Like Howard Moon says in his jazz rant, at least it’s not ‘nursery rhyme’ simple with safe boundaries.

Magic sauce pedals... always on, either the Aguilar octamizer or the grape phaser.... or both!

Sorry, slightly confused... you play bass but you don't own one?!