Mikey D

Where are you based?

[quote name='Davemarks' post='554235' date='Jul 28 2009, 06:03 PM']02 - The minor pentatonic in 5 positions for bass guitar - an approach to the fingerboard that will revolutionise how you play, regardless of style.[/quote]
There was quite a good DVD by a guitarist (I for the life of me can't remember his name) who showed this concept and how to connect them fluidly using all positions and restricting the number of strings you use to learn the whole neck. It was quite a good good quick way to learn to play a few things and it did help you learn the notes, but I still felt that it limited itself to pattern playing. Which in itself isn't exactly a bad thing when learning I suppose, but just to make people aware that isn't the be all and end all as I have seen a lot of people get stuck just playing the same patterns and shapes when they have only learnt using the "box" method. The best thing about the DVD i saw were the exercises for connecting the "boxes".

I have a GWB35 that has been upgraded with a custom Nordstrand Dual Coil Pickup and a Bee Pre. I sold a standard GWB35 to buy this one that was already upgraded so I have used both and the difference is astounding, but I can't tell you if the preamp or the pickup has added more.

[attachment=29626:gwb_bass.jpg]

[attachment=29627:bass_pre.jpg]

A quote of mine from a previous thread:

[quote]I'm not sure if it the Nordstrand Dual Coil pickup or Bee Pre is the main contributor, or just a combination of the both, but the output is much higher than the stock electronics. And the tone is lovely and full, and very very quiet in noise terms. When rolling the bass (or any control for that matter) full on, the tone is every usable. Just having the extra tone control options on the bass is very nice. I always liked having a very simple volume, tone layout, but the additional features the previous owner has added has only enhanced the sounds you can get out of this bass.[/quote]

I have no idea what a Bee Pre costs but the web link is here: [url="http://www.beebasses.com/html/bee_pre.html"]Bee Basses Website[/url]

There are some recordings of the bass at [url="http://www.myspace.com/daniellabove"]Daniella Bove's Myspace[/url] that give you some idea of the sound, but I'm based in Milton Keynes and you are more than welcome to come and try it out sometime.

More Jazz ones:

Passion Dance - McCoy Tyner
Mr Clean - Freddie Hubbard
Mode for Joe - Joe Henderson
Maiden Voyage - Herbie Hancock
Impressions - John Coltrane
Sweet Georgia Bright - Charles Lloyd

[quote name='Mikey D' post='518203' date='Jun 19 2009, 11:11 AM']I'll give some feedback when I receive the book.[/quote]

What a book! It was a fairly inconspicuous looking A5 bound book. I received it yesterday and read it twice. Well, I read the 2nd half twice, the first half looks like R2D2 vomitted up his binary lunch where wayne lists all his "formulas"

Very cleanly laid out. Simple question and answers throughout as a way of feeding you the information.

It is an extension on all the things I had started working on and I can definitely see where the benefits are of practicing in the manner the books lays out. I'm going to make practicing in this way my main focus for a short time to see if there are any noticeable improvements.

I'ver never really liked Warwicks to look at or play, although I like their sound. But I really like that singlecut.

If you like that sort of thing, check out Steve Coleman and Pat Martino's sites.

[quote name='iamapirate' post='528121' date='Jun 29 2009, 09:06 PM']awesome! Really nice- doesn't even sound live!!! Which is a good thing as it shows that it was all properly done and mic'd up, AND that the singer and the band can all play properly (especially at the right time - not too excessive). Really like the bass line as well! It's also quite awesome cos I used to play cello for 5 years [/quote]
Thanks. The engineer Premen Underhill was really good and relaxed and the studio which she got through a friend was a great environment to record in. The band are also great as well to play with, especially the drummer as he has a great touch on the kit (and backing vocals and guitar and cajon).

McGraham can you point me towards some of Hadriens best use of Arpeggios? I have to admit to only really listening to him properly for the first time yesterday and watched quite a few videos on youtube, mainly the ones where it was just him and a drummer to really hear what he is playing.

He is indeed fast and as read somewhere else he is quite harmonically advanced, although alot of his playing seems to involve the use of the symmetical scales (not saying this is a bad thing). I'm definitely going to transcribe some of his lines I liked; which is quite a few.

Other things I'm working on (still):
TIME (more use of a metronome)
TONE and intonation on the fretless
Wayne Krantz's "zone" practice and applying it to changes
Bebop chromatisism
Extended Arpeggios (with/without chromatisism)
Melodic Minor Harmony
Improving my repertoire of jazz tunes

I've started playing with this band a few months ago and they have done a few new 'live' tracks (Recorded at the Sculpted Music Studios as one takes but with no edits, just a couple of extra bvs added). I didn't play on the non-live tracks on the page, but they are also worth checking out.

Have a listen and see what you think.

[url="http://www.myspace.com/danielabove"]Daniela Bove and The Belongings[/url]

I'm definitely going to get along this year, all other years I realise too late. In the calendar it goes.

[quote name='giblett123' post='523357' date='Jun 25 2009, 10:10 AM']Ahh..... you could have this one... mucho cheapo, open to offers!! [/quote]

I've just sold my stack to leftyman a few weeks ago on here. I don't drive so am holding out for something a little more portable. Cheers though.

[quote name='leftybassman392' post='523113' date='Jun 24 2009, 11:01 PM']I love my PJB's to bits! With the ext cab you get 300 watts of the purest bass tone you are ever gonna hear! Wanna know what your bass really sounds like - well buy this and find out!

I can see why you're selling it, but surely you must have some kids or elderly relatives that you could move on first....? [/quote]

Glad you're enjoying it...although I have to say I'm missing the suitcase rig quite a bit.

[quote name='rslaing' post='522352' date='Jun 24 2009, 09:37 AM']A great way to practice the modes and get the sound of them in to your head is to (assuming you play a 4 stringer) play the open E string and let it ring.

Start on the E (7th fret) on the A string and playing up the scales across the A, D, and G string, play the modes as follows. Don't forget to let the bottom E string ring out while you play these modes. It will reinforce the sound of the mode in your head. And if you can, sing the notes as you play them - good ear training.

Ionian: E F# G# A B C# D# E

Dorian: E F# G A B C# D E

Phrygian: E F G A B C D E

Lydian: E F# G# A# B C# D# E

Mixolydian: E F# G# A B C# D E

Aeolian: E F# G A B C D E

Locrian: E F G A Bb C D E[/quote]

All great posts so far.

Rslaing, I would suggest a slightly different way, adopting your technique of playing the low E, but playing the modes in order of "brightness"-"darkness" (I think this is even shown in the attached document to the first post). This way only one note changes at a time between the modes so you can hear the subtle (or not so subtle changes) it also groups the modes together as major or minor as described by Jake.

Major
Lydian: E F# G# A# B C# D# E
Ionian: E F# G# A B C# D# E
Mixolydian: E F# G# A B C# D E

Minor
Dorian: E F# G A B C# D E
Aeolian: E F# G A B C D E
Phrygian: E F G A B C D E
Locrian: E F G A Bb C D E

I've seen the scofield one, I'll have to check this one out.

[quote name='urb' post='517303' date='Jun 18 2009, 12:22 PM']Having seen Krantz at the 55 Bar in New York - with Keith Karlock and Anthony Jackson (yes it was mind blowing!)

Any strategy that gets you away from your stock lick and into new territory is great[/quote]
I'm a very jealous man, I'd love to see that trio (or any of his trios actually).

That is exactly what I'm trying to do. For years of my playing I have tried to sound like a particular player at different times (Jaco, victor, and more recently the language of coltrane, Ted Greene, Martino, Willis) and I think this is a valuable process for learning the history of your instrument and the genres which have gone before. But for the past year and half I have found this lick learning a bit frustrating as I have an idea of what I want to sound like but never really worked towards it, this approach is helping me (dare I say it) to get my own sound. Although I feel that will be many many years off.

I'll give some feedback when I receive the book.

[quote name='Eight' post='517939' date='Jun 18 2009, 10:50 PM']Different end of the spectrum probably but "Everybody Needs Somebody" drives me insane sometimes.

I can play it note for note (and backwards if I want to), but can't figure out why Dunn's version sounds so much better than mine.[/quote]
It's because of his amazing beard and pipe combo!

Had a listen to the song and I don't hear any triplets. If you mean the repeated A's with mutes it just sounds like you thumb with your right hand and where there are mutes you apply a little less pressure with your left hand to get the mute.

I noticed on another thread you are around MK sometimes, I'd me more than happy to go over some slap stuff if I'm free and if you're about.

He is possibly my favourite improviser on any instrument and as such for the past few months have been approaching my soloing/improvisation practice from his point of view. A lesson here basically describes it: [url="http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/get-zone-intriguing/jun-08/36177"]A Wayne Krantz Lesson[/url]

I've used the concept of restricting myself in many aspects of my practice, but not to the extend that Wayne describes here and in the zone restriction manner than he has laid out. I've just ordered his Book the Improviser's OS and look forward to seeing what else it contains.

I suppose this is quite similar to Gary Willis' fingerboard harmony approach, but not allowing a shift out of the 4 finger range.
I believe the guitarist Mike Outram (as well as many others I assume) have used this approach.

What do you think?

[quote name='WHUFC BASS' post='511812' date='Jun 12 2009, 08:13 AM']I've got a TRB5 with Nordstrand Phat Stacks and Audere pre-amp. Got it for £300. Hated it when I first got it mainly because of the surfboard neck. Now its my favourite live playing bass and sounds absolutely killer.[/quote]
If for whatever reason you want to move this bass on, please let me know. I'm still on a hunt for a 5 stirng fretted that I like and I loved my trb6.

I completely forgot that I downloaded that a while ago...that's tonights practice sorted! I found it while looking for NHOP (who is my favourite upright player) transcriptions.

Now I have sold my Phil Jones Stack I am waiting to get one of these as it is exactly have I have been looking for. I would ideally like to try it first, but have no worries about getting it from Thomann. But they have said end of July/start of August...I'll be using Ibanez completely then, I wonder if they will consider an endorsement deal*



*No, they probably wouldn't

What harmony is this played over?

[quote name='The_D' post='507911' date='Jun 8 2009, 03:17 AM']I seem to remember watching some blue peter twat or the art attack guy making some from a box of quality street. You know the green and red wrappers. Try it yourself![/quote]
I remember that.

I'll send you a PM now.