endorka

I'm going to be playing it in a few weeks, the MD is sending the bass part to me in advance, sounds like it is just as well! Jennifer

As a few others have pointed out, sometimes a short sustain is the correct thing, for example, if you are playing walking basslines in jazz, in general the most effective approach is to sound as much like a double bass as possible, so you really need to get short, thumpy slightly undefined notes. Ancient clapped out flatwounds, passive pickups and perhaps a little bit of foam mute at the bridge will therefore be indicated. Long sustained notes in this context sound wrong, and it can be very difficult to create a convincing swung feel with them. You can't simulate the sharp decay by muting with the LH (it stops the note too quickly) or with the volume control (there is not time to do this for each note). Jennifer

I once played the theme & variations of Schubert's "Trout" Quintet on an NS Design electric double bass - does that count? Jennifer

[quote name='bozzbass' post='562179' date='Aug 6 2009, 07:32 PM']We don't think about it cos in the west the tools to we have to capture it, analyse it and communicate it aren't really up to the job. As someone said earlier, the best we can do is put 'swing' at the top of the sheet music ... It has fostered an overall attitude in our musical culture where its 'normal' to never really think about feel too hard.[/quote] While there may be some truth in what you say, I feel you may have overstated the point - I have a different experience of Western music. There are many traditional genres, e.g Celtic, Irish, Hungarian, with a very strong aural tradition where the songs and feel are passed down through generations of musicians. This can be a fairly haphazard process, but fortunately the works of collectors of traditional music (latterly using recording devices) preserve what may have been lost. Similarly, the "feel" for classical music was traditionally passed down from teacher to student, and continues to be done this way, even though recording devices preserve what we already know and facilitate the process. Naturally, errors will creep in over time with an aural tradition, affecting the eventual interpretation, but who is to say they are errors? Perhaps evolution would also describe the process? I spend a lot of my time as a musician and band leader attempting to create the environment in which appropriate "feel" can develop; sometimes I succeed, and when I do, the outcome is as redstriper describes. But it is not all coming from me... as Newton said, it is achieved by standing on the shoulders of giants.

[quote name='chrkelly' post='557633' date='Aug 1 2009, 10:25 AM']Major- Mine doesn't have the backrest and it's still very squeaky! I would never bring it to a session. Mine's all gaffa taped up at the mo to stop it. They're fine when new but over time all the moving parts work loose.[/quote] Mine went that way too, but I removed the screw that tightens the seat onto the stand. I now put an old sock over the stand, then the seat slots onto that, which stops the squeaking. It was this join that was making the noise. Might be worth trying... I use it for sessions and orchestra no bother. I don't own the backrest so can't comment about it's squeak factor. I use a small rucksack for transporting the stool on public transport, the seat goes inside and the stand goes on the outside, I think where and ice axe or similar would normally go. Jennifer

[quote name='JTUK' post='556181' date='Jul 30 2009, 02:05 PM']Some will talk about where 'the drummer hears the 1' but I think it is all about 2 and 4 in the bar as this is where the snare is mostly. Does the drummer play it in front, on it or slightly behind..and how does that marry up to how you hear it..??[/quote] I would agree with this, it is on the snare beat that you are most likely to notice if the drummer is dragging. They most obvious displacement of the "1" is usually after they play a fill... Jennifer

Just to fan the flames a bit, although "So What" is considered to be in the Dorian mode, Mile's solo contains a few C# leading notes, which would place it most likely into the Harmonic minor. This would back up Major Minor's assertion that the application of modes should be taken with a pinch of salt. Jennifer

[quote name='rslaing' post='550677' date='Jul 24 2009, 10:55 PM']I'm afraid they wouldn't help me because unless the headphones are six foot six high and 3 feet wide, people would still be able to see I'm a moron.[/quote] Nobody could look like a moron playing that bass you have pictured in your avatar. Too cool. Jennifer

I've used a pair of Sennheiser HD 25 SP for years for practice, transcription, recording and for playing in pit orchestras. They are about £80 and do the job well. Not too large, so you can also use them to listen to music on the train etc. without looking like a complete moron. Jennifer

[quote name='Major-Minor' post='546791' date='Jul 21 2009, 05:54 PM']I have no doubt Jennifer (endorka) will tell you about the stool she uses which looks perfect to me and won't break the bank. Thomanns I think ?[/quote] Since you asked, I present the mother of all stools - I am the envy of drummers everywhere I go; [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/km_14052_stehhilfe.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/km_14052_stehhilfe.htm[/url] You can even buy a backrest for it; [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/k+m_14042.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/k+m_14042.htm[/url] Shocking. Jennifer

Interesting thread, I'll certainly be looking to try some of those suggestions when the time comes to change the strings on my double bass.... mind you, being Scottish, that could be many years from now :-) My experience of strings is fairly limited, I currently use Helicore Hybrid mediums which have settled in nicely, and have used Pirastro Flexocor, which I really liked, but sometimes found hard work for playing jazz on due to their shorter sustain. Jennifer

[quote name='Count Bassy' post='542341' date='Jul 16 2009, 03:49 PM']Leaving the amp gain control aside, isn't this what the volume control on the bass is for? - turning your volume down on the bass should not compromise your sound unless you are overdriving the input to the amp, and that is the sound you like. In that case then you need to get amp/cabs that will handle that sound, or at least give you the volume you need before it starts to fart.[/quote] There are two main sources of distortion of this type in combined amplifiers, one occuring at the preamp stage, the other at the poweramp stage. Some amplifiers have lights to indicate clipping (and therefore distortion) of both; some for one; and some for neither. For the vast majority of cases, the gain pot (and any associated pads) controls the level of signal coming from the bass and into the preamp section of the amplifier. If this is too high, distortion - desired or otherwise - will be the result. Setting the gain control to just below clipping level should prevent this distortion occuring. This works independently of the master volume pot, which controls the level of signal going into the power amp stage. Assuming you have the preamp gain set properly, with no distortion, it is possible to alter the position of the master volume in a logical and accountable manner. If you know the preamp input to the poweramp is clean, and you are still getting distortion, then as Count Bassy says, it is coming from the power amp or speakers, and you need to consider upgrading them, altering your tone using EQ, or turning the master volume down. Depending on the type of pickups in a bass, turning the volume down at the bass itself can affect the tone of the signal, and for passive instruments, you would usually want as strong a signal as possible going down the cable. The tone of active instruments is allegedly immune to changes in the volume control on the bass, but I have not found this to be universally the case at all. I have emphasised adjusting the gain stage of amplifiers in my posts because the OP mentioned that he had started using a new instrument with hotter pickups than previously, and adjusting the gain will help match his existing amplifier(s) to his new bass. Had he said he was playing the same instrument but in a louder band, for example, I may have placed the emphasis on the power amp part of the equation. Jennifer

[quote name='endorka' post='542071' date='Jul 16 2009, 11:16 AM']Every amp [b]I've used[/b] has had a gain control, and I've played through some dodgy amps, believe me! Jennifer[/quote] My observation is based on probability as opposed to certainty. I don't discount the chance that there may be a bass amp that does not have this feature, it is just not something I have personally have encountered. Jennifer

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='541913' date='Jul 16 2009, 08:29 AM']Not all amps have that though![/quote] Every amp I've used has had a gain control, and I've played through some dodgy amps, believe me! Jennifer

Interesting, the exact same thing happened to a student of mine the other week on the same type of instrument. He took it along to a local shop where they sell & repair stringed instruments, and they made & fitted a new one for him. No idea how much it was, but I don't think it was too bad at all. Jennifer

[quote name='Veils' post='541149' date='Jul 15 2009, 11:43 AM']When I asked Jon to build my bass, I told him that I wanted pretty hot output. What I have now in my bass is absolutely searing and I am sometimes finding it causes complications at gigs. I don't always use my own rig and a lot of amps just cannot cope with it and fart like mad at low levels. I don't want my bass being tamed at all as when I have the right gig setup it sounds absolutely amazing, but what would be the best way of controlling it at gigs when it is necessary? I am finding a lot of the time I have to turn my volume down on my bass which compromises my sound [/quote] It may be that I am missing something obvious, but is this not what the gain control is for? For each of my instruments, and some are indeed "searing", while playing them as loud as they will ever go, I turn the gain on the amp up from zero until it starts clipping, then turn it down very slowly until it stops clipping. My amp helpfully has a light to indicate when the preamp is clipping, but in the absence of this you can use your ears to listen for distortion. Doing this process means the signal from the bass is normalised with respect to further amplification stages, which simplifies setup considerably. Jennifer

[quote name='pete.young' post='538362' date='Jul 12 2009, 11:26 AM']Getting into orchestras as a string bass player is usually easy - full orchestras need 8 double basses. Jazz and swing bands are much harder since they typically only have one bass player.[/quote] Indeed, there is usually a big demand for double bass players in amateur orchestras vs. the swing bands where it's often a case of "dead men's shoes". However, there is often the opportunity to dep for the bass player in a swing band, which is probably one of the best ways to put your sight reading skills into practice. While orchestras may be easy to get into, the trouble starts when you get there. There are often very, very, very challenging parts in some of the pieces they play. Jennifer

To offer a slightly different point of view, I have owned one of these, I think for over 4 years now, and I would not necessarily be so quick to dismiss it. It's a very flexible amp, you can easily remove the amplifier section which works perfectly as a standalone unit. The amplifier is hugely configurable, has tons of inputs/outputs, and works well with acoustic pickups - a very well thought out device. On a recent tour I put the amp in a rack case, and used the 1x10 speaker combined with an Eden d112xlt for amplifying my double bass and bass guitar, and the sound was great. Tons of power; I hardly had the volume dial turned at all. My only concern nowadays would be that technology has moved on a bit, and you can get similar stuff that weighs less, although I think the amplifier section still stands against current competitors. It's slightly more powerful modern equivalent, the wt405, retails at £735 - and that's the amp alone; [url="http://www.basscentre.com/bass-amps/eden-wt405-bass-head.html"]http://www.basscentre.com/bass-amps/eden-w...-bass-head.html[/url] Other than the slightly lower power, the wt330 is the same, and for £600 you're effectively getting a free 10 inch speaker :-) In your shoes I'd try to barter down from £600. Jennifer

[quote name='crez5150' post='536902' date='Jul 10 2009, 12:04 AM']I thought this thread was going to be about the Harmoniser......[/quote] Likewise! There was a studio near here that had one of these dating back from the early 90's (or earlier?). I remember them being an outrageously costly... Jennifer

[quote name='Major-Minor' post='533696' date='Jul 6 2009, 12:43 PM']Thanks Jennifer. I had a look at that. Nice stuff - great for the more formal type concerts. Presuming Baroque and Blue is just one piece in a suite, did you perform the whole thing ?[/quote] We performed just Baroque & Blue, but played through a few other parts in the suite as well. If memory serves me well, they are considerably more difficult to play well than one might initially think! I'd definitely like to revisit this one day, as you say, I think it would work really work in the right context. Jennifer

[quote name='Major-Minor' post='533551' date='Jul 6 2009, 09:37 AM']Hi Jennifer I don't know "Baroque and Blue". What's it scored for ?[/quote] Flute, piano, double bass, drums. You can hear the man himself playing it here; [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dVtLVSzESU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dVtLVSzESU[/url] Jennifer

[quote name='bassace' post='532291' date='Jul 4 2009, 10:08 AM']May be slightly easier than you think, Jennifer, because the bass seems to carry well outdoors. It's the clari player I have some sympathy with.[/quote] And you were right! It was a joy to play - the reed guy stayed on clarinet throughout the gig, the drummer playing only snare & hihat with brushes, and the balance of sound was perfect. One of the most enjoyable gigs I've played, great musicians, great sound, great music, appreciative audience. And they fed us too :-) Jennifer

[quote name='Major-Minor' post='531497' date='Jul 3 2009, 11:13 AM']Jennifer, you are right. There is something rather special about playing acoustically, and I think the bass especially comes into its own in this situation - after all it IS an acoustic instrument historically. You can get such a rich warm sound without an amp. Don't get me wrong - I also love playing with an amp. But acoustically, in the right situation, there is nothing better ![/quote] Just back from doing such a gig - unamped double bass, sympathetic pianist, good sax player, good singer. No drummer. Nice :-) Tomorrow morning it's an outdoors trad gig with no power, so everything acoustic. Sax/clarinet, guitar, drums, double bass. It's going to be hard work! [quote]Some years ago I was involved with a well known classical guitar virtuoso featuring a wonderful piece by (frenchman) Claude Bolling - his Concerto for Classical Guitar and Jazz Trio.[/quote] That sounds brilliant! I'd like to hear more Claude Bolling, last year I played "Baroque and Blue"- acoustically of course - and it is an impressive thing indeed. Jennifer

[quote name='Spoombung' post='531015' date='Jul 2 2009, 08:09 PM']The drummer dying during the bass solo harks back to a time of unamplified acoustic basses. Nowadays double basses are as loud as electric basses and I don't think I've ever seen an unamplified double bass - except perhaps at free-impro gigs.[/quote] Depending on the situation, I'll go unamplified on double bass whenever I get the chance. It's ideal for playing jazz as background music or in a restaurant, for example, where setting the volumes of all instruments to the unamplified double bass will more or less guarantee that you won't be too loud for people to converse with each other. Playing the double bass acoustically has a set of charms all of its own, but you are right, it is incredibly easy for almost any other instrument to trash your solo if they are inexperienced. Jennifer

I recognise this. Part of the problem I have is that while I find it easy enough to identify and point out bad bass solo accompaniment practices (e.g guitarist playing root position chords on the downbeat of every bar), I find it harder to describe what I think are good practices. In truth I'm not really sure, I just know that some people seem able to accompany my bass solos without me being really consciously aware that they are even there, unless I want them to contribute more, and the good ones seem to intuitively know when I want this. In general, I prefer no accompaniment to bad accompaniment. Jennifer