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Grimalkin

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Posts posted by Grimalkin

  1. 14 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

     

    I think you might reflect on why your position has created such a reaction.

     

    In essence you are stating that a fret hand thumb anywhere other than on the back of the neck is a signifier of poor technique and a lack of skill.

     

    Yet many people accepted as among the most skilled do this.

     

    Most move their thumb location according to what they are playing,  which among other things, reduces fatigue and strain.

     

    Your view, or at least how you present it, comes across as elitism at best and petty one-upmanship at worst.

     

    Of course, given your avoidance of directly countering the more considered objections to your position, it is more than likely you are trolling and laughing you head off at the fluster you have caused.

     

    But thank you for getting us to consider what we do and why.

     

    Now I'm off to put my thumb where it belongs (is that on the end of my nose or up my bum, you ask...)

     

     

    On 17/12/2022 at 14:28, Grimalkin said:

    As poster mario_buoninfante, it isn't a case of absolutes. If you are playing repetitive lines at the bottom end of the neck, the thumb tends to move up the back of the neck to make things more comfortable. Having the thumb centred constantly at the bottom end of the neck, sets up an uncomfortable wrist angle if that's going to be the position for a prolonged time.

     

    If you play around the centre of the neck where it widens out, playing say over four frets, the common maj/min scale shape, then you need the span, the arching and the full length of your fingers. My thumb is usually at the centre line of the back of the neck or just below to allow everything forward. Thumb over the top of the neck constricts all of that, plus you are playing on the pads of your fingers not the tips (see Marcus pic) and your fingers tend to fret at an angle, not so much parallel to the fret but across them.

     

    If you want to get nimble, you won't make it gripping the neck. The idea is to be free-floating, you'll need less pressure fretting without the grip too.

     

    • Like 1
  2. 1 hour ago, tegs07 said:

    Welcome to the UK 2022. Loads of 50 somethings sitting in their homes worth nearly a million quid awaiting a retirement where they don’t have enough pension to cover surging prices of food and fuel and are scared of losing their mobility because there are precious few local facilities such as libraries, public toilets, post offices. The bus services are woeful and many things have moved online and require decent eyesight, coordination and technical knowledge. Getting sick is even more frightening.

     

    Much of the working population look with envy at their circumstances because they can’t even afford the overpriced home to be isolated in.

     

    This has been decades in the making. It doesn’t need to be this way.

     

    The 5th wealthiest country in the world with nurses using food banks and the elderly lying on stretchers for 25 hours waiting to be seen by an NHS that is purposely being destroyed. Warm Banks, horrifying corruption at the 'top' levels, just the tip of the iceberg.

     

    It's all gone very wrong... and the rest of the world can see that.

     

     

    • Like 4
  3. 43 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

     

    Sad, isn't it? Whilst I may not live in France, I am also retired and comfortably off. I try not to forget that not everyone is as fortunate as me.

     

    "For in the end, he was trying to tell us what afflicted the people in 'Brave New World' was not that they were laughing instead of thinking, but that they did not know what they were laughing about and why they had stopped thinking."


    Neil Postman - Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business.

    • Like 1
  4. 5 minutes ago, Cato said:

    I've been a member here since, I think, 2016.

     

    Pretty sure this is the first time I've ever seen someone challenge someone else to a 'Bass Off'.

     

    This is surreal.

     

    As you were.

     

    Just now, peteb said:

     

    Not getting any work then these days. 

     

    I can do a passible version of Portrait of Tracy, but it's not really my forte to be honest. How about The Song Remains The Same or Ramble On? 

     

    Back in the real world, if you want to see me play, all you have to do is buy a ticket... 

     

     

     I'll give it a miss thanks...

  5. 1 minute ago, Cato said:

    I've been a member here since, I think, 2016.

     

    Pretty sure this is the first time I've ever seen someone challenge someone else to a 'Bass Off'.

     

    This is surreal.

     

    As you were.

     

    At The Guitar Institute in the '90s, there were around 13 other bassists at that time. Everyone wanted to come out on top, that was unspoken friendly competition. All I'm asking for, is a demonstration of technique, nothing more.

  6. 4 minutes ago, peteb said:

     

    Shall I ask again, what gigs are you doing these days? 

     

     

    Teaching mostly, some recording, I've worked as a musician for over 30 years, 7 spent in music education, The Guitar Institute etc, I can't count the amount of gigs.  

     

    I don't have to lump stuff around anymore. And I'm happy about that.

     

    Anyway, which tune would you like to play?

  7. 1 minute ago, peteb said:

     

    Because I'm too busy playing in a Led Zep tribute band that plays all over the country, not to mention a few other projects. What gigs are you playing these days? 

     

     

    You're just running away twinkle toes, there's nothing more to it than that.

     

     

  8. 2 hours ago, peteb said:

     

    Despite laughing boy’s best efforts to make it seem as unappealing as possible, you really should learn a decent technique allow you to play as efficiently as possible. Once you have a reasonable mastery of technique, you no longer have to be a slave to it! It really doesn't matter too much if you use a pick or play fingerstyle, as long as you can do so efficiently. 

     

    It is much easier to make people dance and sing if you can play the music with ease and can then concentrate on actually entertaining the audience. 

     

     

    Why don't we have a friendly little play-off, then we can compare techniques and see what's what. How about a steady middle of the road number, Stevie Wonder's - Sir Duke? Something with a little movement. Jaco? Teen Town?

     

    It shouldn't be a problem for your exceptional technique should it. I'm game, let's give the chaps something to look at.

     

    I can't say fairer than that can I.

  9. 18 minutes ago, Count Bassy said:

    I sympathise with the Royal Mail workers, but suspect they are onto a loser with these strikes.

     

    The money making part of the Royal Mail is the parcels service, which unfortunately for the workers is the one area where there is major commercial competition (which isn't on strike). Many commercial users of the royal mail pacels service will be jumping ship to these private companies after these strikes, leaving them with the loss making letters service, (with the universal coverage commitment) so job losses in the Royal Mail will be worse than ever.

     

     

    It should never have been privatised in the first place.

    • Like 7
  10. 17 minutes ago, Minininjarob said:

    I picked up a bass for the first time recently to make a loud noise...
     

     

     

    "The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias whereby people with low ability, expertise, or experience regarding a certain type of task or area of knowledge tend to overestimate their ability or knowledge."

     

    Don't worry, this thread is full of it...

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning–Kruger_effect#:~:text=The Dunning–Kruger effect is,overestimate their ability or knowledge.

     

  11. 4 minutes ago, Minininjarob said:

    Sod perfect technique, I picked up a bass for the first time recently to make a loud noise and hopefully make people dance and sing one day. I really don’t think they will care where my left thumb is. 
     

     

    Improving your technique helps but you're right, never bother learning anything at all. That's the way.

    • Sad 1
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