Vibrating G String

[quote name='Doddy' post='1066015' date='Dec 21 2010, 10:44 AM']Just out of interest,I've never known anyone get a non teaching gig because of qualifications. You get the gigs if you can nail the job and have a good attitude. No one cares if you studied at uni or whatever.[/quote] In the Los Angeles scene you never mentioned schooling as that would knock you out before you even get a chance to audition. Many ads would state No BIT grads.

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1065431' date='Dec 21 2010, 02:01 AM']Until you have the grades, then being equivalent is hazy at best, I've been told (by people in the know) that I'd be able to get grade 8 bass with a bit of brushing up, but I'm sure that's not true. People tend to get a bit excited when they see some raw talent (as yours will be after playing for a year at the age of 15) and blurt stuff out that is exaggurated. I don't want to be negative, but if you keep sky high, the fall's gonna hurt when you're going for the same jobs as people who've been playing bass professionally for 20 years.[/quote] Good point, I consider opinions told to my face to be worthless in most cases. Eavesdropping, now that's where you get the real info

[quote name='Mog' post='1064410' date='Dec 20 2010, 03:24 AM']Cool, so are you just pointing that out or what? I dont get what I'm supposed to take from the post.[/quote] Take whatever you want, Marcus was mentioned as someone who spent years honing his tone and I thought I'd just share the truth from his own mouth.

[quote name='redstriper' post='1064227' date='Dec 19 2010, 05:56 PM']I do want to learn and I really don't want to win anything. I have played the same bass for over 30 years and always been happy with the tone and I still sound like me on any other bass, but I only [b]really[/b] get into playing on my old bass because I can't get the same tone on anything else. Now I'm finding my old bass too heavy and I want a lighter one, but I can't find one with the same tone. Should I stop looking and learn to love a new tone?[/quote] I would consider that maybe there is another bass that sounds like yours. Once you hold and see a bass you opinion of the tone has been prejudiced. Or work on the skills needed to control tone. What is this one of a kind bass you have?

My thoughts... try to be a musician who plays bass and not a bass player. So many bass players focus on bass above all else and I think that's one reason why so many suck at it. Try to get some time in on piano and drums, that can make things much clearer than only playing bass can. Avoid elitism traps like stereotyping drummers as stupid and calling guitar players guitards, leave that to the insecure losers & victims. Learn many styles of music even if you have no interest in them personally. Learning a Chinese folk song and a Texas Swing tune or whatever can expand your mind more than shedding another 50 rock tunes. And have a life! No matter how good your chops are and how quickly you can harmonize all the modes of the melodic minor scale no one will want to listen to you if you are a boring singularly obsessed person. Specifically for bass I think it's important to be comfortable playing songs very humbly and not worrying if your bassline is cool enough or shows your skills. If you can be happy disappearing in the background and making a singer sound good you'll work more than any solo monster. I also like the concept of separating your personal art from what you play with others or play professionally. Instead of thinking of all music as a singular thing. Sometimes you solo over jazz charts, others you play 12 bar blues in the same key without fills for a night. A lot of musicians fall into the trap of letting insecurity make them try to show their full ability in every tune (flamenco slapping every solo for example). Will Lee does a lot of commercial jingles as a singer. In an interview he said while on the gig he thinks of that song about new and improved shampoo as the coolest thing he's ever heard and when the gig is over he just forgets it and moves on. Having that kind of control over your ego can make you very popular as a sideman. And don't forget to learn a non musical skill that can make you money so you can eat

I built one of these and like it a lot. It's more refined than some more snarly fuzz's and as your signal volume decays it cleans up which you may love or hate. [url="http://www.runoffgroove.com/sili-face2.html"]http://www.runoffgroove.com/sili-face2.html[/url]

From Tom Scott's Apple Juice, solo starts at 2:10 with an envelope filter of some kind. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6EYqoXFys0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6EYqoXFys0[/url]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1060840' date='Dec 16 2010, 10:25 AM']Currently have 2 Ampeg cabs, an SVT 410HLE 8ohm cab, 500 watts RMS, and an Ampeg 210 AV 8ohm cab, 200 watts RMS.[/quote] From what I've heard these specs are derived by simply taking the maximum power the drivers can theoretically handle and multiplying by how many are in the cabinet. In reality the excursion limits of the drivers in a cabinet will be met at much lower power meaning these cabinets can't handle a fraction of what they claim to in the first place. So even if you do match the specs you still have more power than your cabs can handle. Which has been working for me for years

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1063297' date='Dec 19 2010, 02:35 AM']Mind you, Sheldon has been much more gracious, personable and accomodating than Sterling Ball ever is. Look how he has come here and engaged in thoughtful discussion with us, leading to us better understanding these basses; both in what they do and who they are made for. Sterling would have came in here and said "NO YOU ARE WRONG, YOU MAY NOT HOLD THIS OPINION AS IT CONTRADICTS WHAT I SAY AND BELIEVE. IF YOU HAVE A CRITICISM OF MY PRODUCT YOU MAY LEAVE AS I WILL NOT ENTERTAIN SUCH THINGS". I like Musicman basses but Sterling doesn't have many friends beyond his own troupe of fanboys.[/quote] I have no criticism of Sheldon, I've met him and he's a nice guy and I like his work. My point was if you are complaining about people not being nice to him why are you in your other post and then again in all caps in this one doing exactly what you are complaining about to someone else? Seriously, follow your own advice. I also agree with you about Sterling but you have to follow the rules you are telling others to follow if you don't want to be a hypocrite. There is no need to derail this thread with multiple posts bashing Sterling.

OK, Later.

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='1064217' date='Dec 19 2010, 05:21 PM']I don't see it like that, I see it more as a range of tonal qualities or characteristics it might have rather than a number of discrete 'different' sounds. These may be unique or shared with other brands of bass. There are also the influences of technique, setup, string type, etc. that influence this, causing one person to sound quite different to another on the asame instrument.[/quote] Do you think an Alembic always sounds like an Alembic whatever the situation? I was arguing against a brand always being unique and saying it can often sound like other brands.

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1064190' date='Dec 19 2010, 04:05 PM']Obviously right hand technique comes into it such as where and how hard you hit the string, but anything you do with your left hand doesn't really affect your tone.[/quote] [size=7][b]OMG!!![/b][/size]

[quote name='fatback' post='1064180' date='Dec 19 2010, 03:34 PM']The tone you make can hugely influence what you feel like playing in that moment.[/quote] I agree with that. I just don't agree that there is only one good tone or a best tone or a reasonable tone I can't play with.

[quote name='bobbass4k' post='1064172' date='Dec 19 2010, 03:25 PM']There a thousand different factors that affect your tone, stuff as silly as the ambient air temperature and the number of windows in the room[/quote] I knew I wasn't alone I'm not against the search for tone, what really bothers me is when people state things as scientific facts when it's clear they know nothing about the subject they are lecturing on. Hearing wood species and cloth wrap on wiring, or the ever popular corporate tone. I think this is tied to the insecurity thing again, the same one that takes great offense to differing opinions and sees them as personal threats. If people would pontificate with a tad bit more humility it would be less inviting to try to share the basics of science. Though on the other side I should learn from dealing with creationists and recognize the futility of trying to debate with those so personally invested in their opinions so that's my failing And to whoever is offended by that earlier comment I don't mean you but the other guy.

[quote name='Mog' post='1063681' date='Dec 19 2010, 08:32 AM']I get what you're saying lad. I reckon you're on to something WRT the search for an elusive sound but if people didn't go after That sound in their heads we wouldn't have those really great bass tones. Timmy C, Phillip Bynoe, Justin Chancellor, Flea, Nathan East, Rob Trujillo, Marcus Miller...the list is endless.[/quote] There is a video of Marcus on bassplayer.com where he says spend no more than 6 months on your tone and move on. If his aunt bought him a Stingray instead that would be his tone. His tone quest was to play whatever he got as a gift. So if someone really wants to be just like that bass hero ask for a new bass for xmas and learn to play whatever you get. Maybe one day you'll change a crap bass into one worth thousands like Marcus did.

[quote name='TimR' post='1063664' date='Dec 19 2010, 08:20 AM']I think you're missing the point of my argument.[/quote]That should appear by default in the sig of every post on this board [quote]I believe there are people out there who are buying this and buying that in some misplaced belief that they going to one day reach that "Tone Nirvana". The point that they've been searching all their lives for. Does this ever happen?[/quote]This thread reminds me of a day working on a TV show. There was a large crowd of extras and during a take one of the extras in the back stopped the take and asked the director if she should be wearing her blue or green contacts for this scene. She was immediately thrown off the set and all for looking for "her" tone. She didn't understand why this wasn't important.

[quote name='redstriper' post='1063527' date='Dec 19 2010, 06:10 AM']And what is the next step, oh wise one ?[/quote] Wanting to learn and not just win on the interweb.

[quote name='TimR' post='1063386' date='Dec 19 2010, 03:43 AM']Short fingernails, round wound strings, rosewood fingerboard, PJ pickups and transparent amp is what gets me close. EQ on the amp can help get the message through a crowded band mix and dodgy room acoustics. Not always, but sometimes you just have to live with what you have.[/quote] Where can I buy short fingernails? And what about belly fat? Does pressing a bass against a giant mute really have an effect? And any tone "expert" who doesn't discuss ambient temperatures is a newbie!

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1063288' date='Dec 19 2010, 02:29 AM']A Kubicki sounds like a Kubicki. A Ken Smith always sounds like a Ken Smith. An Alembic always sounds like an Alembic.[/quote] I disagree and I've seen many examples of each of those instruments being mis identified by tone experts. People like to think they can hear a company in any setting but that's just wrong. An Alembic can have thousands of sounds, doesn't it seem a bit far fetched to say they all are uniquely Alembic and identifiable as such?

[quote name='TimR' post='1062904' date='Dec 18 2010, 12:32 PM']Isn't being human great You can hold two completly opposing views at the same time and be happy with them. Hopefully I won't now spend the next two days trying to explain myself on the Internet.[/quote]

[quote name='BTS_Spacebass' post='1063193' date='Dec 18 2010, 07:12 PM']back on topic. Tone for me is about my bass sounding like it does [b]in my head[/b]. Its something thats is part of the whole creative process. To always sound better. I've played certain lines or runs through various setups and where sometimes I feel like i'm not playing it properly due to the sound or 'tone' and start to doubt myself as a player. Then I play the same through my nice new equipment and to me it sounds like it should do. Probably makes no difference to the rest of the band but it makes me happy. and thats what its all about. Tx[/quote] Confidence and mood can affect what you hear. Have you noticed the same gear sounds different on different days? I've noticed those who are insecure about tone rarely find it. Those who are secure with their tone seem to move on to the next step of making music.

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1062259' date='Dec 18 2010, 01:22 AM']Prices are odd, there seems to be various budgets that all have their own criteria for what makes them good. People talk about the current runs of Squiers being as good as their £1000+ bass, but I bet if the Squier's RRP was £1200, no one would buy them (even re-branded so they don't have the Squier stigma).[/quote] Rebrand it Lakland Skyline and people would One thing I do find is often better on expensive basses is the setup and fretwork (though not always). My OLP with a fret plane and refret plays as well as any bass I've owned but it was hideous before the work. I feel a setup and fretwork are the main component of what makes a bass play well to me. Much more so than rare hand selected rainforest woods or handmade LED's.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1063188' date='Dec 18 2010, 06:59 PM']What point are you going for there? My eyes are significantly worse than my ears, which is why I wear glasses. There will always be three colours, because I use a CRT monitor, I know this as a fact. And it is entirely irrelevant to the fact that bass players sound different to each other.[/quote] Please ignore this picture, I tried to add a line about it's not for you but you are too fast. And CRT's can display more than 3 colors, feel free to derail this thread saying no it can't over and over again

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1063182' date='Dec 18 2010, 06:50 PM']Er, gear was the same, tone was different. That is kind of the whole point. Unless you both sounded the same. Tone is a sound.[/quote] Is this another semantic battle where you take some words from my post and ignore the others qualifying the first words and then create something to argue about even though it's already been explained? It's really tiring and a bit of a threadkiller.

If you think you can trust your ears, are they better than your eyes? How many colors in this picture and what are they? And this is not directed at you Foxen. [attachment=66730:colors.gif]