bassjim

early years it was all about the Trace Elliot. It was the must have and became the one of the industry standards. So I had one too. Then came Hartke followed by any expensive fashionable new amp/cab on the block that came along with as well as basses that my young impressionable mind fell for every time. To be fair all the new stuff amp wise had a little something that the previous didn't have which was enough to make it more betterer enough to warrant wallet emptying. It all promises to make you sound better so experience lets you know somewhere down the line quality over preference. I've recently (5 years?) stopped at EBS. I use a Jazz bass (Sadowsky Pre Amp Pedal) and it just works really well with it. It might not be as good with certain basses ? I wouldnt know but it really likes Jazz basses and Jazz basses like it. Bar the boomy rooms which no amp or cab is going to save you from (If someone actually manages to make one I will buy it) it is very consistent and easy to use. I hate mindless twiddling in the hope of the right result so this stuff pretty much straight forward in its logical layout. It allows me to say to my self in difficult rooms " Either the sound is there or it is not". I think I have worked out that some heads dont go well with some cabs. Keeping the same brand head and cab may be better than mixing and matching. Not always but most of the time. Also a good sounding stage/ room will make most reasonably priced gear give you the impression you are on the right track. A bad sounding room or stage and the best stuff has you all GASed up. If you rehearse a lot more than gig in a horrible concrete box you might think what you already have is rubbish but in fact its all ok. Sound wise I'm going for three basic sounds with the Jazz = Jaco on the back pickup. Marcus on both pickups. Something deep and dirty on the front pick up. Then every thing else is in between these three go to sounds. They work and band and audience alike accept them as something that sounds like " Bass". Which is what for my intense and purposes is a "result".

If I'm firing on all cylinders then bar the odd bum note I'm usually totally on it. If I'm ill or distracted by blonds with big tits waving knickers at me then it can go wrong. My general mood and weather I have a good tone or not will have an effect. Sometimes like everyone I can get GIML. (Gig Induced Memory Loss) but as a whole I try my very best to know what it is I'm doing. I will practice things till I'm confident I know how it goes. If its a dep I will use charts but if its material I havn't played before or worse than that, ever heard before I will make a point of getting to know it. ( or put my hand up in advance and say "sorry but this ones got me.can we skip it but I will make sure I have it for next time). To not bother learning musical stuff properly or to the best of your ability IMO means you don't really care for the musical piece.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1477582198' post='3163172'] Yeah - talented bunch. I sent a drawing of a kn*b with his name next to it over the new text message thing in iOS 10. That seemed to accelerate his response. [/quote] Feel your pain. Its a bit like bullying though.............if you don't stand up to it......... But yeah, if there were another one of em' available,local,enthusiastic,no delusions of grandeur ect. There have been times when if only there were such a ready replacement and to be able to tell these "stars" what is what. Shame you cant nail instructions on the next gig/ rehearsal to their axe/ amp/ handbag / car ect

So many basses bought and sold over the years due to fashion and sold mainly due to ignorance at the time about set up and how to use eq. 2 that stand out would be a 5 string Musicman with Rosewood board and an early Warwick thumb.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1477576101' post='3163102'] One of the singers in my band doesn't have FB. The guitarist refuses to use WhatsApp and never checks email... So it's a case of repeating the same message and delivering it through as many channels as I can. If I had my way, I'd get everybody on Slack and then everything can be nicely divvied up by gig, we can have attachments, discussions everything.... but no. [/quote] There are things my lot do and say that drive me up the wall but lack of communication skills is not one of them. Clearly these people you put up with are so talented and in demand that they don't have to bother with it! I would have thought a very together chap like you with all the gear and gig getting skills could find replacements quite easily? They wouldn't know whats going on till its too late!

We have a main group facebook chat plus some that include deps and other regular contributors. ie our band plus x. It all works well as everyone can pick up messages via phone or pc ect. We can all see who has seen it so if someone didn't respond we would have to assume all is not well and address it. I think band wise, if someone wants to join in they will and wont be a dick. Otherwise they are a dick.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1477049686' post='3159487'] And talking of TURNING up... Why do singers always turn up AFTER all the gear has been lugged in? [/quote] because they can. they have the power. they are bastards. they chose wisely when deciding their musical path. i wouldn't use them unless it was nessaccary.

I love doing rehearsals minus the guitar. You get so many things done that wouldn't normally get sorted. You can hear it all better because of less frequency cancellation for a start.

I tune/check tuning after every number discreetly and muted using my floor tuner. If its a run of songs like a segway then I make sure I had a quick check just prior. Any where in the set where I have an opportunity to do so, I check it. The change in room temp, new stings ect all effect tuning so I like to be anal about it. I like the guitarist to be anal about too but to also try and do it discreetly and professionally ie: not the old ding ding,,,ding ding,,,,dang dang ,,,,dang dang ect so we all can hear it or to take a long time to do it. Id rather the gitard was leaning on the OCD about it than the couldn't care less. Quite often, unfortutnatlley, I find my self saying between numbers to current regular gitard: "check your tuning....its a bit out". And even more so at rehearsals along with "can you turn that down, and rather than sit on your amp can you stand away from it a bit and tilt it towards your ears rather than pointing it at...ect ect"

When the band is turned up the slap is harder to get over. My way round it is to play E and A string near the Front PU and kinda "push" my fingers through the D and G strings to get the same effect as a pull off. Or just get the pulls in but play "normal finger style" for the low notes. When soloing with slap the whole band need to turn the dynamics right down and play as little as possible or its lost in the mix. You cant suddenly rearrange the EQ on the amp just for the slap part plus you might already have a good finger sound. There are pedals ect but there is still a lot of hit and miss with them. You need a lot of power and speakers to do it well when standing right next to a drummer that is playing loudly to avoid distorting and seeing as thats probably not available, its best to accept its not going to work in most situations. Using just the back pick up can help it to cut through, though not always the best tone. Compromise is the key. What sounds best at low volumes may not translate well at loud volumes. Your choice of notes are YOUR choice of notes so maybe change the approach a little. There is a thing that your drummer could be interested in getting. Its called a "fat snare". Its a plasticy film that lays on top of the snare that helps turn the volume down which helps the overall band dynamics. You may even find with more attention from the drummer on your part, ie : he plays less and lays back a bit, might bring out the slap thing better. Depends on the maturity of the band to at least entertain it and see if its a good idea. If the band wont back you up on it, then the slap thing is wasted.

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1476174808' post='3151896'] Mmm, very nice, I would love to hear how they sound. [/quote] I saw a guy with a rare carl thompson at a festival that had wal pickups. Its sounded like a wal.

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1476965198' post='3158851'] Ha, I'm actually one of those people that's said quite a few of these things especially about not having time to practise, not wanting to do more an x number of gigs per whatever an having to leave early to see a girlfriend etc. Which is why I've always ended to bale out early after realising others are often a damn sight more serious about being in a band then me. It should be fun playing in bands and not be like school lessons. Maybe many peeps in bands should lighten up and not give such a hard time to blokes who have a lot on their plates. [/quote] i think if the band says/ agrees prior to lift off " this (x) is what we all willingly expect and have agreed is a reasonable target for every one to achieve within (x) time frame." ie:for example " can you learn the new bruno mars one/ entire back catalogue of led zepplin for next week?" and the answer is " yes. I can learn the new bruno mars one/ entire back catalogue of led zepplin for next week" and then next week come out with a "dog ate my homework" type of excuse on a regular basis and repeatedly use the mantra " well unless its fun and a really good laugh I'm not happy" as an "acceptable" excuse for not keeping up then this is bad......IMO......but if the general vibe is " we get done what we get done and hey, its just a few gigs and a laugh" then in that case its ok. The "fun" part I'm guessing, for a lot of peeps is the getting it right and getting a buzz out of playing well to an enthusiastic audience. Ok some folks out there probably do go a bit to far with it and get maybe a tad OTT. Usually these are the more passionate and sometimes better musicians. They usually dont have so much on their plates so the frustration for them is far greater. They also are more annoying to some as they try to drag the whole thing forward. I've been the band dictator as well as the "really? calm down, its only....." on and off over the years depending on my enthusiasm for the music and band at the time. Not damming you for having a lot going on by the way. Just saying some folks are like that because this is their escape from their otherwise dull existence on the planet. On the bright side it leads to some of the great one liners already mentioned in this thread. ( hope no offence caused. not my intention! )

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1476961132' post='3158796'] This sounds like someone looking for a solo project....I'd help him realise that dream if I were you. [/quote] was an old band . i got regular well paid gigs and that recording was part of an ego trip I went along with to keep the peace, so wasnt that much a deal in the big scheme of things. just thought it was funny enough to share. I have a catalogue of these classics but have experienced most that have been mentioned by every one here, as I'm sure we all have! Great topic though.

"I (the gitard) listened back to all of the last three days recordings and its all no good. The engineer used too much sansamp on the bass and the drums didnt have the right ambiemnce plus I thought the vocals could have been better so I deleted the lot. Next time we do this we will use my home pro tools setup. To save time I will do all the bass and program the drum parts. I rekon I can get a really good band vibe that will come out much better." He got the stems from the studio without telling anyone, made sure they were not recoverable from the same studio and did all this before any of the band could hear for themselves what he was on about. And yes we all chipped in to pay for it.

George Duke is a very good musician and could make a biscuit tin sound great. Stevie Wonder is a great bass player too. This stuff just makes it possible for them to do their thing with more expression as a bass player without the physical side to it so I think we are still safe. Mind you as soon as you can click on for example " Pino Palladino mode" and it emulates how the guy thinks................... But yeah...it cant pick up and drive home the pissed singer or carry the singers equipment for them.

singer

About 25 years? ago I was offered one in exchange for stupidly small amount of money as the owner wanted a Warwick, as Warwick had just become the new must have. Stupidly, I too wanted a Warwick and turned it down. £500.00. Oh to be young and fashionable . Ah well..........you win some you lose some........ Fair amount of head banging against a wall ever since. I saw Laurence Cottle play his 5 string Wal in Brighton many years ago and instantly wanted one very badly. Fortunately I haven't seen anyone recently wielding one in the flesh to start that depressing "if only..maybe if I sell off..ect"

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1472808313' post='3124378'] I was told by the guy at Stringsdirect that their 'Legacy' brand are re-packaged Rotosounds at half the price. I tend to buy those these days but I guess it depends upon whether or not you like Rotosounds [/quote]thanks for the info. I use the cheap rotos because i actually prefer them to the expensive alternatives like DRs! This is great news if the guy from Stringsdirect is correct. Ive just ordered a set so will know for sure soon enough.

I do this sort of music all the time. Its my main gigging band so its most weekends. Until you try it i cant say if its going to be the best thing for you but personally I use EBS stuff. An EBS 350 head and use a combination of EBS neo 1 x12 and 2x10 cabs depending on the venue. With a Jazz bass. 9/10 I'm happy. When I'm not its the room that's causing the problem.

[quote name='AdamWoodBass' timestamp='1476431293' post='3154153'] Here's the dots. Disclaimer, I'm super rusty at transcription as I haven't done it since uni so please excuse my spider sh*t! Also, before anyone goes all theory police on me: Yes I know I could have written repeat bars etc and have probably messed up the rests and articulations, it was 2am, I was on-call with work and I'm a Luddite when it comes to Sibelius so deal with it (in the nicest possible way of course!) [url="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7iaic1lu14k936r/Vulfpeck%20-%20Dean%20Town%20-%20Bass%20Guitar.pdf?dl=0"]https://www.dropbox....Guitar.pdf?dl=0[/url] [/quote]pretty spot on!!! nice work. I spotted a few things I thought I had just perfect till I had a look at this. thanks very much

It took me 2 days to get the head right but have it nailed now. I too changed the fingering in a few places. Great tune to learn. Not even nearly as hard as Teen Town or other Jaco things, but very satisfying once you have it down. I find the single note 16ths at the beginning a lot more challenging though. The middle section where its all 16ths with lots of added fills looks like a right beast.

stringbusters are cheaper on the rotos

[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1476553309' post='3155192'] It is my oxygen. It nourishes me and sustains me. It is a magic wand that can temporarily stave off depression, and heal pain like nothing else can. It releases the same kind of rush as love and sex, and feels every bit as magical. Time stops. Wounds heal. There is no rain, no pain, no storms, no sorrow, no outside world after the first five/ten minutes with the bass in my hands. I'm a scientist, in his lab until the wee small hours of the morning, experimenting and searching, lost in the process, knowing the answers I seek are in there somewhere. I'm a traveller whose destination is unknown, content to explore the roads and learn about the world. I am a pretentious cretin, over-poeticising my relationship with a lump of wood. It can be frustrating at times - but then, everything wonderful is the same. I love the bass. It has definitely changed my life for the better. [/quote] like this

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1475854625' post='3149288'] Bottom line is musical theory is about communication. Good musicians should be able to communicate within the language of music to each other. I don't want to play with a guitarst who doesn't know what chords he's playing, thus I can't play the best bass line to make the music as good as it should be. I think alot of people want to take the easy route, and just get by.Learning theory is hard work. But it's very rewarding. Reading music I don't think is necessary. Music is about having fun, but as my Dad says, nothing really great came from anything that was easy. [/quote]what he said

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1475851752' post='3149254'] Well, surely they did learn what fits, and in real time. They learned the notes on the neck at the same time, and while learning a song. Also, lots of new stuff can come from a happy accident. As for playing a minor blues scale run instead of a major? perhaps thats exactly what the player intended, it fits but its not what the music theorist would have played. [/quote] yes could be happy accident but also could be...."hmmm..I'm just gonna try a minor over that major to see how it sounds. Yeah that's interesting. Dont hear that very often. Now I'm gonna alter the 5th ect ect"