bassjim

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1475851544' post='3149251'] I only play stuff I like and so in terms of progression I'm limited by this and get a bit frustrated. I know I've a chance of improving if I listened to and studied jazz/fusion players like Wootten, Bailey, Berlin, Patitucci etc - which would involve more advanced theory - but just don't like this type of music. If I learnt their styles of chops and tried to fit them in with what I like to play it'd sound well out of place. [/quote] theory works for all types of music not just dusty end fiddling about banjo stuff. You don't have to become a born again musoian.

Knowledge is power as the saying goes. If you want to advance faster, break down barriers, communicate on a musical level with bandmates, write with ease, learn new music (especially covers) effortlessly then theory is the answer. You still need good technique so you don't have to stop playing what you like how you like. You wont loose anything you have gained so far. Its hard at first but as soon as the basic modes, scales and how they fit together penny drops, the worlds your oyster. From there you can develop it as far and as wide as you want to but without these basics its like taking the chain off your bicycle. Its all ok as long as its downhill, sunny and in a straight line.

I prefer nickels. Feel, sound and ready to gig nice and quick. You dont need to "play em in" so much. (Rotosound cheap end) If like me you like new strings on gigs, these settle down quickly and stay in tune pretty good. They don't have that "grabby" feel that SS do so its one less distraction to worry about. So little time and so many possibilities available and on average only 1-2 gigs a week to try and suss out what works best...........

You only know once you try for yourself so take the plunge. Every one raved about (and still does) DRs overall so I tried em but I still prefer cheap Rotos. Personally I dont like em. So thats a win win for me cause I buy the rotos @ £12.00 a set. At least now I know. Others here would have me burnt at the stake for such a remark!!

I've got Overwater making a bass for me right now. Every few weeks or so, I get a call from Martin to let me know how its going and an update. There is no end of great feedback for them from other customers. They are a team with the resources required to do this thing properly. They have the skills, the man power, the finance and the experience all behind them. When I last delt with a one man band it was exactly as the OP describes. "it will be with you in six months, you are now bumped forward, ect ect". 18 months later......."its nearly there..." A few times it was kind of worth the wait as in end as the results were in fact stunning. Shame was they were not ready when I really needed them so I ended up selling them. And a few times I ended up with turkeys that the builder insisted were not turkeys and they were perfectly fine. Apparently it was due to my abilities or lack of and not the basses. Lesson learnt there. Hope it works out ok for you and the bass is great because if its not what can you actually do about it?

This is terrible news. I saw MC play in a small pub in Worthing once about 30 years ago. Even back then,he was stand out special and every one knew it. Inspiring. A friend of mine has played with MC in various line ups including East Of Java who knew him very well and is obviously very saddened by this. I didn't know him personally but would have liked to. A well respected and much loved musician and friend to a lot of people. RIP MC

I went into GAK in Brighton roughly about 5-6 years ago. The guy in the Bass Dept was hell bent on telling me how little I knew about the subject and what a pro he was. He then went on to wind me up over a period of about 20 minutes. I wanted to part with £1500.00 quid and had called prior to let him know I was coming over and what I wanted to check out. Despite the pre warning I was going to part with a reasonable amount of cash he toggled between patronising me and being condesending and ignoring me mid sentance to deal with someone wanting to buy a plectrum. Well I just got to the point where I just felt like lashing out so I just left. He then runs up the road after me saying "sorry man, let me sort it out." I was still angry so told him to leave me alone and stormed off back to the car park. A band mate told me to call the shop and complain to the manager. So I did. The manager by way of apology, puts the bass I was trying to try out, in his car, drives 20 miles to my house and lets me have it for a week to try out, discounts £250.00 off it and says if I still dont want it he will come and pick it up. I bought the bass. Its my main bass. Its a very good one.I love this bass but I nearly didn't buy it because of the sales guy. The manager unfortunately cant be cloned. Needless to say this guy doesnt (to my knowledge) work there any more. Forward wind 5-6 years later. I went back there recently on another spending spree and cant say I was overwhelmed with enthusiasm. The guy was ok this time and nothing like the last time but still....... personally I'm done with this music shop for quality basses.

I have an EBS Reidamr 250 as a back up. I was playing with it last night just out of bordem and forgot how good this is. I may be using it on more small gigs in future. If its just a back up though I guess any of the light weights will do as they all have their good points. All have been flavour of the week at some point or other so its down to either personal preference or price.

On my own; aint no body, chaka khan and do i do, stevie wonder = no prob. nailed it. with the band = disaster = I'm constantly surrounded by amateurs Might be a few more that are "band" related. Personal struggles in particular... Even though there is no point, as I will never play these live the following two,Jacos' Teen Town and Donna Lee. I have been unsuccessfully trying to play these two for the last 20 years but although I know where all the notes are and in what order, I just cant do em'. After an hour or so of constant practice either can start to get close but come next day its back to square one.

and people ask me why i have a problem using IEM!!!! Constructive suggestion 1: Play the engineer some music where you can demonstrate the type of mix you want. If he says the kit just wont do it without distorting you need to look at that. Some folks just dont get bass and how it works live as opposed to on a record so he may be taking the wrong approach eq wise? Constructive suggestion 2 : Go back to using the 50 year old tried and tested method of using an amp. I dont mean that in a flippant way either. I am seriously suggesting the band go back to using good old amplification. If you can play together using IEMs then you already have a decent level of respect for each others volumes so maybe just go back to it. You can still use the IEMs when its an absolute necessity or as well as, and you can still use the FOH either way. If our drummer used an electronic kit there would be no need for the sort of volumes that call out for multiple monitor and IEM solutions. All IMO !!!!!!!!

Unicorn band settings: By law it should be as follows: 1.1 Any gig where its back line only, pa and monitors should be provided by the singer/s. 1.2 Weather they have to hire it or buy it should be down to them and them alone. We don't ask for a contribution towards our amps and instruments do we? (do we?). 1.3 It shall be the singer/s job to transport said PA to and from gigs. ( I put up with going to work to supplement transport, equipment ect so "I" can gig. Not so that "you" can gig.) Where DI'ing applies; 2.1 Any player DI'ing will be equally responsible for the hire or purchase of the PA. 2.2 Transportation of the PA is an equal responsibility. 2.3 Any repairs and maintenance are the equal responsibility. Or something close to that....... Meanwhile, back on Earth............... Seriously though With my lot.......9/10 keys and vox are the only thing in the PA. Our keys player owns the PA but he also hosts a lot of open mics. He transports it around as well as his keys. We (I say that loosley) all help with the moving of it in and out of gigs. If any of it breaks its down to him but if say a driver went I don't think we as a band would have any problem helping out. Its kind of no PA = no giggy. Its a bit of a piss take that none of the singers we use have a PA. Some of them don't even have a monitor or mic they bring. Or transport!!! Because they know they can get a way with it... they do. No PA is bad enough but no singer and we are even worse off. We need diva type singers and have a pool of them so we can keep going without the need to worry too much about availability. They know this all to well and its quite normal after a gig for them to simply disappear leaving us to pack up. Such is life........ One day.....one day ........ I think although there is a fair way to do the band PA on paper, chances are it wont be fair at some point. My last band shared the cost,moving repairs ect equally. The gitard and singer would also use it or parts of it for duo work so we could of got into an argument there. When we folded it wasnt worth anything like we paid for it or the bits that got added along the way. Sensible suggestions: If its a long term band.....pay an equal amount and accept you are not seeing any part of that money again unless a replacement for you buys you out. If its a band you join either pay into it or pay some sort of hire towards it every time you gig. If its vox only using it, they can pay all the way!! Only exceptions I can think of are if you have a gear nut that's just into it and has all the best of the best just because you personally want it. Or are insecure and by having the PA secures your place in the band.

If its a full on full time band you want to be part of and you see longevity ahead and no doubt about it, then do what you gotta do. Get a 5, a spare bass with BEAD or sort yours out. You probably already know what the other answer is.... I once turned down a band who tuned down half a step for the singers benefit. The band wasn't all that good. There wasn't even a glimmer of hope that I might join. On the 3 rehearsals leading up to my decision not to join, playing with the strings all floppy and notes bumming out wasn't fun at all. I had no incentive to do anything about it.

thanks mr ebs_freak..........me: jazz bass into a sadowsky pre amp pedal into EBS hd350 into cabs . The sadowsky has its own DI out available. band: keys into desk with line out to monitor and IEM . drums gets a feed of vox,bass and keys at the mo. vox into pa and line feed back to monitor. line up is bass, drums, one guitar,keys and vox/s. PA is tops only. Although they are very good quality they couldnt handle a band. The desk I dont know a lot about other than it can do 2 separate mixes out to monitors. The keys player is also our sound man which 9/10 works very well for us. At this stage Im thinking about IEM for me so I can hear ME with more clarity in these difficult rooms rather than opting for the band through the PA. I understand the need and benifits where its appropriate but our guitarist will see it as an excuse to not bother with an amp ever again. yep,, Still stubborn as ever but will have a look and try it........I suppose.....hmm...ect ect

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1473427241' post='3130142'] Id rather drive an hour to a gig thats gonna rock crowd wise, than 10 mins to an empty venue So the answer depends on the gig [/quote] this absolutley

[quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1473422111' post='3130071'] I spent years playing in a Watford based band whilst living near Newbury (an hour away). The band wasn't really earning anyway so I lost money on balance but liked the band. Everyone has different thresholds so if it isn't a problem I wouldn't worry. Also I had a very good bass player play for a band I put together, based in Hungerford with him coming from Staines. Equally, I know guys who grumble about playing 5 miles away. [/quote] yep i know guys who grumble at going more than 5 miles. funny thing is they dont gig so much these days

For me it comes down to passion over anything else. Money and fame is nothing but a fringe benefit as Jeff Berlin once said.... (obvs applies to us that have a day gig and the gig money pays for GAS ect) I get a kick out of playing the style of music i like with the best musicians that are available to me. Because we as a band do our thing reasonably well, most of our pub gigs pay us £60-80 each (5 piece). Occasionally I will put up with the odd one here or there to keep the peace so to speak. I wouldn't throw the towel in over these. Its not worth rocking the boat over. Like most musicians here, bands form our social network and although it is sometimes a ball ache driving up the motorway on a Friday after work to play at the Pig and Horse Manure pub in the middle of nowhere.....its just what we do. What else would we be doing instead that we would put in front of a gig? rough with the smooth and all that. You are into it or you are not into it....that for me is what decides how far you will go. Also food for thought.... If you got a call from a bunch of well known outstanding players to join their outfit I bet the miles,money to is it worth it ratio would change. I think what I'm trying to say is ,is it a positive outcome more often than not every time you travel to do this band?

if you have the luxury of all band members and gigs in you own town great. but.....sometimes if the mountain wont come to buddha....... I travel 15-30 miles in both directions several times a week to gig and/or rehearse with my current band. The best pool of accessible musicians for me is currently in another town. Everyone local to me that's good enough is already doing something. My last good local band did have every thing on our doorstep and so we were spoilt. When it came to an end, rather than stop I travelled even further a field for a while to play with a not so good band rather than nothing at all. Just to keep my hand in so to speak. Gig wise i will go up-to about 50 miles for £50.00 if its a good gig for the shear pleasure of playing music. If its a known rubbish gig playing to a handful of mentally challenged yobs then no, i dont need the money that badly. We will give most places upto a max of an hours drive a go once to test the water. Some of these far away gigs can produce weddings. For top wedding lolly (£2-250 on average each, occasionally even better) we will go the extra with no complaints but these are usually closer to home. From the point of view you are worried he will get fed up with the travel: he may be really good but he also may be in the same dilema that I was in ie: no one worth playing with that's local to him. He will make the effort if its all worth while so if you all get on well and make the the right noise together cant see a problem. The only thing you need to worry about is a better offer popping up local to him in the future....

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1473330977' post='3129117'] No saga at all. Current bass plays nicely, stays in tune all night and has never let me down. It is, however, a 1999 P/J and I have a hankering for a straight P - I've never owned one. When you say you tried a whole load of basses do you mean new or old? I'd love to try a whole load, but you try finding a whole load of lefties! Similarly MacDaddy at the last Sussex bass bash I went to., I think the only lefties were me and Sylvia! And I think I know what she'd say...."Warwick"! Did look at the Jake, Wateroftyne but...... I suppose my real question is, does anybody know anything about 90's P basses? [/quote] yes see your point.. i tried a whole load in gak and guitar guitar. personally was so unimpressed Im having a custom build. no garuntees there till its in my hands but I do at least get to say what im unimpressed about and they are listening. but thats another story. although there are disagreements here on basschat the overall advice is pretty good. the regular precision players at least can steer you in the right direction

I recently tried out a whole lot of basses and visually they all looked top drawer but I found them to be (IMO) a load of old toilet. Its the same old thing........try before you buy unless you know for a fact its a winner. You have one working bass that is functioning ok so take your time. If its just a back up you need then get something cheap as you can warrant going for now. Apart from breaking a string whats going to go wrong with a precision? (unless there is a whole saga I know nothing off!)

that's my reading for the plane sorted. just ordered.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1473244997' post='3128254'] Jim you really are stubborn trying to keep away from IEMs... [/quote] to be fair the keys player and drummer are using them now. i still have the keys coming over from his usual backline monitor but have to admit last gig, bass sound hell aside, not once did I need to signal turn up or down to him. however...i just dont think our pa is up to putting whole band through at drummer volume though. plus no sound man means my bass tone is the least of my worries. however..............IEM for me plus my backline ....hmmmmm........just use em for these venues......hmmmmm....... need to try before i buy i think. maybe this weekends wedding gig will be enough to send me over the edge........just in case it does.....what do i need to just hook me up whilst still using my rig? just out of interest of course....

maybe the first idea he had was the best one but due to state of mind cant remember what it was and has been chasing it ever since.

thanks for all your suggestions. 2 gigs coming up weekend after this are in known good venues i have done before so i know its all going to be alright then. my sanity and mojo will be hopefully restored and I can go back to advising others

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1473242729' post='3128223'] Well it didn't take long for "he's a lovely bloke" to get re-interpreted as "a bit of a psychopath". Do people actually [i][b]read [/b][/i]threads before jumping in? [/quote]he could be and could be reading this...... sorry should have read ....if it were a scenario where the guy is a ....then in that case..... just speaking from personal experiences

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1473240327' post='3128186'] A couple of months back I was playing a wedding gig in a cow shed. The sound I was hearing from my very good rig was just awful, I hated it and I know from past experience, that it can be a confidence zapping experience. Thing is though, I know the sound out front was good, no one else was worried and the dance floor was full. [/quote] same thing here. out front everyone loves it. apart from the odd muso, for the most part most dont know or care. but its no so much a confidence zapping experience for me more of a deflating and depressing thing. I love driving home on a high knowing we as a band smashed it and if I'm honest about it my ego gets inflated, but just a for a day or so after if i know i did good. But i do need my sound to be at least reasonable and usable to be able to say what I want to say musically if you know what i mean.