Grimalkin

I learned the head for Donna Lee back in the 90's and to this day, it is still a challenge to mute it and keep it all quiet.

1 minute ago, chris_b said:

 

Muting problems can affect any number of strings. It's not the fault of the bass or the string layout if someone is not muting correctly.

The more strings the harder it is to mute them all. Jaco spent 9 years learning and playing Donna Lee, about half of that was spent on muting alone, on a four string. If you play any Parker lines, you'll see why. wide intervals, lots of string crossing.

If your lowest note is D in the track, some things are easier and smoother to play with a detuned E on a 4 string. Without the extra string crossing, without the extra muting.

This for instance, crossing three strings on a five to play it, crossing two on a detuned 4. Smoother, easier and less muting to worry about.

22 hours ago, chris_b said:

There are no downsides or limitations going from 4 to 5.

 

Not so the other way.

Muting, especially if you're only using the string a few times a show, and especially if you like thumb stuff.

Getting the right string spacing, I've owned three Stingray5's, one bought in '87 a year after they came out, they are all gone due to the narrow spacing.

The main problem I see mentioned, is muting that extra string.

Set the witness points as danweb mentioned above. If that dosen't make a difference, try dropping the pickups by a few millimetres under the E string. If the pickups are too close, the magnetism interferes with the vibration of the string causing wolf tones. 

I much prefered the little known Wurzels adaptation that graced the B-side of the number one hit "The Combine Harvester." 

"The Sound of Silage."

17 minutes ago, Islander said:

Erm, he would have been paid anyway.  Try again. 

You're saying that an endorsement from Paul Simon wouldn't help sales?

He would benefit from having his music introduced to a younger demographic too. There are more than one plus sides.

1 hour ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

Reminds me of the joke, why does a dog lick its balls? Because it can.

I obviously do not share your interest.

2 minutes ago, Islander said:

And yet the highly talented and successful songwriter and performer Paul Simon, reacted this way:

 

"Simon sent Draiman an e-mail praising the cover. “Really powerful performance on Conan the other day,” Simon wrote. “First time I’d seen you do it live. Nice, Thanks.”

 

He also posted this on Facebook:

 

“In case you missed it, Disturbed did a wonderful rendition of The Sound of Silence on Conan this week. The S&G cover also appears on Disturbed’s latest album, Immortalized.”

 

Everyone's entitled to their opinion of course but I think I'll take Simon's over yours any day.

 

 How much money did Paul Simon make from permission? He could hardly say it was rubbish could he. It's well OTT, bombastic.

8 minutes ago, Islander said:

I  can't agree with this at all.  This is one of those rare covers that is as good as the original - Draiman's vocal range and performance is sublime. Paul Simon himself gave it his seal of approval. 

 

 

Overblown:

Overdone or excessive

Of unusually large size or proportions: a majestic, overblown figure.

Overinflated; turgid; bombastic; pretentious.

Sounds about right.

Substance over style isn't it...

A set of Pink Flamingos. Pretty scarce.

The bend at 2.10... 

"Ah, I have a Bible of my own
I have a Bible of my own..."

Create your very own Florence and the Machine album by locking an owl into a wind-chime shop.

7 minutes ago, Rich said:

Well hooray for you.

That's how I roll.

I'm not criticising the band, I played on occasion with members of The Feeling decades ago. Before the band.

13 minutes ago, Rich said:

Way to ruin a happy (for a change) thread. Well done, Debbie downer. 'Talentless'? Tell me you've never actually seen her gig without saying you've never actually seen her gig.

Knock yourself out.

The day I try to defend manufactured pop as a legitimate talent, is the day I know it's over...

This was the advert:

"ARIA SB1000 BASS NAKED PROJECT WITH PHALLIC BRASS APPENDAGE AND FUNNY STORY .
I BOUGHT THIS BASS SOME YEARS BACK FROM A COCKNEY SPARROW / ESSEX GIRL IN BIRDS OF A FEATHER COUNTRY
SHE SAID HER FATHER WAS A FURNITURE MAKER IN SOHO LONDON
WHEN A BASS PLAYER FROM THE FACES BOUGHT THIS BASS TO HIM AND REQUESTED MODIFICATIONS SUCH AS ADDING A LONG BRASS TUBE WITH A STRAP PIN ON THE END
PRESUMABLY FOR ERGONOMIC REASONS
ANYWAY HE NEVER RETURNED
SO SHE INHERITED IT SEVERAL DECADES LATER..."

You don't have to use the tunes listed, you can find your own. The first two notes of 'Whole Lotta Love' are a minor third. I would recommend bringing in interval recognition through familiarity with more practised students, a way to work away from the instrument and instant recall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interval_recognition

For a beginner I would:

Make sure they have a correct left-hand arch, thumb around the centre of the back of the neck. If you bring your thumb up and over, it brings the reach of your fingers back and grips.

Teach them how to use the right amount of fretting pressure, which is less than you think, to avoid the grip.

Avoid the flying fingers by concentrating on keeping them close to the board, less recovery time for the next note.

For the right-hand:

Alternating, alternating while crossing strings. Raking comes naturally, alternating while crossing does not.

Anchoring the thumb as a mute.

Tendons and ligaments work better in straight lines, keep the wrist and the fingers straighter.

None of those are absolutes, it depends on what you are playing. 

Older students I took on an individual basis, some liked rock/metal and were not interested in playing other stuff, or some liked chart/blues/funk etc.

I would teach then a tune they already liked, which pulled them in, and later show them the parts which were made up of the major or minor scales I had taught them. So that they could hear and visualise how they were applied in music, scales on their own don't mean much.

8 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

However "Grant" is just an importer brand. As Bassassin has already said these instruments were sold under 100s of different names depending on who they were being made for.

Then who knows.

That's a nice weight, well done.