Low End Bee

Somewhat contradicting my earlier, slightly po faced reply I'd say it doesn't really matter how much kudos/value people give you as long as you're comfortable and happy with what you're playing. If you can make other people happy too that's fantastic. Be it on stage or slapfesting away on a youtube vid. I do admire Nigel's ability to provoke debate and get people going on here.

PS. To most of the audience your just a bloke/bird with a big guitar anyway

I see myself as a band member first, then a songwriter and finally a bass player. Other people may see themeselves differently and that's fine. If you like listening to solo bass players then I agree technique and chops are very important. I don't. I went through a little phase, that I'll admit was influenced by spending too much time on Basschat, of trying to play bits that I thought might impress other bass players. Then I realised it's not worth playing to impress a couple of people who probably wouldn't find it impressive anyway and cocking up a song. I'll play 3 minutes of roots now if I feel it's appropriate. It's got to be all about the song and the performance for me. That's what impresses me in other bands.

"Like the Ruts, SLF and the Boys all played with a Stones like swagger" I love that review. I don't have to work hard to explain it now. Apart from a little Belgian Skiffle I don't really play at home unless we're working on a new song. I feel I've let the bass players union down,

Don Warren who was Phillip in Rising Damp. I think he'd had a few light ales and was doing this odd, inappropriate slow shuffling dance with a far too young lady right at the front. Off putting. Charlie Higson was charming and seemed to enjoy us. Guy Pratt affected my concentration a little bit.

Masking tape, string, a tape measure and a pencil are your friends. I've done two perfectly and I'm no DIY genius..

Great on a Precision. I get a nice 2 inch bit of silver showing on each string after about an hours playing but this doesnt seem to make them 'go off'. Curse of the plectrum . The coating stays on for ages elsewhere and they last about 4-5 times as long as the Rotosound RS66's I used to use. Sometimes the G is a little less lively than I'd like. It seems to vary from set to set. I would like to use some strings that are a little brighter (and cheaper) but I've got used to the look of black strings and bare metal ones look odd to me now.

I like the Gibson copy.

Erm...big old speakers and 200w off the mini head? A bit odd. Maybe they'll be cheap?

Just the Precision for both mainly. I know it will always work. I've used my Retrovibe Rickenfaker back up on one recorded track as a tester and I use it at smaller gigs where I'm more likely to bash the headstock on someone/something.

Update. 3 and a half months and a few gigs later. DI works excellently and that was what I needed from a second amp. I've only just got to grips with getting the most out of the EQ. After being a mid cut merchant I've been boosting the low mids more and more recently along with a bit of other faffing. A tiny touch of the compressor too. I don't care what anyone says I like the onboard one knob one on here as much as I've loathed them on other amps. Tubetone is also set fairly high As Happy Jack said "It's a god awful buzz saw sound that you wouldn't want to hear on its own but it works really well in a band mix." I think that was a compliment. Really easy to transport in its little man bag too. I still have a lot of time for my Terror. If I don't need DI I know I can just turn it on and play without any fiddling and it will sound great.

[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/lookaroundyou/2000/200026.shtml"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...00/200026.shtml[/url] This should sort you out..

Make sure he can hear you. Point your cab at his lug 'oles and make sure it's turned up. Emphasise the first beat of a bar by playing it a bit louder for him and nod and/or dip your headstock in his eye line at the same time. Don't follow him. Make him follow you. When he's done well give him a chocoloate drop and ruffle his hair whilst telling him hes a "Good boy".....

[quote name='daz' timestamp='1326284488' post='1494859'] Why should writing songs on a bass be any different than on a guitar or keyboard ? You can obviously wite your own parts, but writing guitar parts is not a bother, if you just envisage them being played an octave or two higher. As Flea famously said "The bass is the ultimate party instrument" I'd go one further, Id say the bass was the ultimate song composing instrument. But then i am biased [/quote] I do find it a lot harder. It's quite hard to put across a Gm7 across on a solo bass. You can of course write songs on a bass but showing someone using guitar chords will get a rough outline of what you want played over to a band so much quicker.

I tend to write songs on the guitar. Occasionally I'll have a bass line in mind and will work the rest out on the 6 string. I'd find it hard to write a song on my own from scratch solely on a bass. Having lyrics ready first always speeds up the process no end for me. it's always handy to have a few with me at rehearsals in case we jam something good then I can edit the lyrics to fit a tune onthe fly.

Funny. I was having a solitary debate about this recently. I realised that I stick with Black Beauties because I don't like changing strings very often and anything but black strings on my two basses now looks odd to me. In reality I should go for something cheaper and a bit brighter. Only there aren't any that fit the bill in black. Unless you know otherwise?

There are loads of tone variations with the mod I got done. More than I can use anyway.

One coil is always on and the other goes from full off/single coil to full on/humbucker incrementally as you turn the knob. It's a useful de-mudder for the neck pickup. Works nice when you have both on too. I Just fiddle with it until I find a sweet spot.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1326197043' post='1493534'] Men of a certain age get a bee in their bonnet about things. For me, it's the price of cheese at Tesco. It's gone up to £2.50 for 500g of 'medium' cheddar but you still see these idiots buying the stuff. Can't they see how [i]stupid[/i] they are? PriceDrop my arse. [/quote] You are Anthony Worrel Thompson and I claim my 5 pounds of stolen cheddar.

Plus I get to meet all the assorted pimps and thieves who leech off the peripheray of the music business.

I've had one tone control turned into a variable coil tap for the neck pickup and the other one is now a master tone for both pickups. I got the local guitar shop to do it while it was having a set up. Cheap enough job and is well worthwhile.

Pretty much the same as HJ for me. I'm in control of what I do and am producing something I can share with others. I also like other peoples music and the socialising aspect that comes with being in a band. The weekly practice is like going down to the allotment. A bit of effort, throw a lot of manure around and grow a few songs. Plus there's the easy chicks and huge wads of cash.....

Clauster's band is in. Another Basschat gig is on

We're playing one of our fun Grey Horse gigs. As we got a fellow BC'ers band in last time to play with us last time we gigged there I though we'd offer it again. If you fancy it let me know. 45 minute slot 9 - 9.45pm. Nice in house PA. Good little venue.

I knew I was right to wear my old Martin Allen PMA wristband. We've actually been contacted by a proper venue with a few dates to chose from!