AdamWoodBass

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1477048300' post='3159471'] This is the best reason for practicing through headphones; I hear every little detail and it really highlights any shortcomings in my technique. [/quote] That's why I love my Senny HD 380's, they're so unforgiving and clinical so they highlight everything that would usually be masked by an amp. Really makes you check your technique.

For me it's got to be anything played by Michael League, pretty much any of his lines with Snarky Puppy have a tendency to stop me in my tracks even if mid sentence. Can't fault him at all on tone, musicality and general feel. Probably my favourite regular bass player of all time, really nice guy too having met him a few times.

Hopefully going to see Cory Henry and The Funk Apostles at Band on the Wall in November. Should be awesome!

Sennheiser HD 380 pro's for practicing and recording. They sound very un-coloured to my ears so not great for just listening to tunes but brilliant for plugging into a USB interface and recording.

I love the tune Animal Spirits, super catchy and a proper homage to The Jackson 5.

I mean of course I don't want to be accused of influencing anyone's decision as that would be unfair and wrong and terrible...... but you should definitely get it. Only if you want to of course....... definitely get it. As long as you can justify it....... that said even if you can't who are you hurting....... ahem.

I agree that a Jazz is more versatile and you can emulate a P bass tone by soloing the neck pickup but it just doesn't sound quite like a P bass. If it's not your thing then fair enough, I've played Jazz's almost exclusively for ages. For me I've recently gotten very much into the Jamerson tone, really punchy with super dead strings on it. The Jazz just doesn't quite give me that tone according to my ears. Problem is I can't really justify buying one as I'm not really gigging at the moment and I need to shift some gear before I start buying more!

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1476741901' post='3156945'] Which Classic Vibe Precision was it? Wait, I don't want to know. Oh alright, I do... [/quote] This one, proper beauty! http://www.dawsons.co.uk/squier-classic-vibe-70s-precision-bass-black?gclid=CjwKEAjwkJfABRDnhbPlx6WI4ncSJADMQqxdCJv_iMa_RIj4GFPCQIpkUJasgICe0qNdCBuiaCXyDxoCxMrw_wcB

Not a gig as such but went to the New Orleans jam at Matt and Phreds in Manchester last night. Had a great night and was a bit of a "getting back on the horse" experience for me as I haven't played with a band for about 4-5 years.

That's fair enough I can understand that. There's an instrumental version on Fugue State but you still have the sleigh bells lol! As for whether The Beautiful Game is on general release I think it's on iTunes and Bandcamp as well as Spotify.

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1476790028' post='3157206'] It's not got another bloody Christmas song on it has it? The last one was definitely a low point on the album. [/quote] I must confess I actually really like "Christmas in LA"! Proper guilty pleasure!

Has anyone listened to the new album yet? It came out on Spotify yesterday and I was having a listen this morning on my way to work. Really liking it so far.

[quote name='Burns-bass' timestamp='1476718309' post='3156610'] That's a reasonably high level of reading there. In fact, that's pretty advanced - certainly (from memory) beyond Grade 8 standard sight reading tests. [/quote] It is yeah and I have been put in embarrassing situations before where I've taken a gig last minute and not been able to read the charts. Sometimes you can get away with it because the band may be almost entirely made up of deps so you can pretty much busk it as long as you already know the tune. Other times you're playing with the band leader and they're listening to every note you play because they're deciding whether to book you again. They know you're not reading the chart so you don't get called back. Like I said before it's a bit of a source of embarrassment for me!

[quote name='paul_c2' timestamp='1476705831' post='3156424'] What level of music do you want to be able to read/sightread at? I am unsure if its really basic or really advanced stuff. I can help out with a bunch of music to sightread though. [/quote] I guess good enough so that I could go on a gig and not break into a cold sweat when I have a pad put in-front of me. I'm not looking to be able to read a John Patitucci line off the bat but would be nice to be able to not freak out when I have some Stevie Wonder put in front of me. Not saying that James Jamerson or Nathan Watts bass lines are simple but I guess that's the level or reading I'm looking to get to.

I actually found the hardest bit was the bit after the head where the bass is just sat on that 16th groove but then puts in the fills, that's where I tend to trip up and fall behind the beat. I've pretty much got it down but not as tight as I'd like when playing at tempo.

[quote name='Burns-bass' timestamp='1476700784' post='3156340'] I think transcribing is actually very useful at understanding how to read. What it does is helps to imprint certain rhythmic patters on your brain, allowing you to relate them to phrases you already know. [/quote] That's pretty much my thought process. I guess I'm just wanting to make sure I'm not investing a lot of time into the wrong things.

Like I said the degree isn't really worth the paper it's written on as I was incredibly lazy and scraped through it. I'm currently going back and learning things that I should have learned a long time ago but didn't have the dedication at the time. I learned to play working with scales and arpeggios, I'm comfortable with being able to tell you where you can find all the notes of a g major across the full fingerboard and I don't struggle with harmony. The thing for me I guess is the anxiety of rhythm reading. I get that practice is a big part of this though and I have been trying to remember to pickup a real book and just play something out of it.

This is all super useful and I'm definitely going to check out Notion. I've been battling with Sibelius and getting pretty frustrated with it but that's probably more a user interface thing than anything. I guess the general consensus then is that transcribing stuff is a big help in learning to read?

Hey So recently I've been starting to try and transcribe my own parts. When I come up with a cool line or a nice lick I like to be able to revisit it. I've also been transcribing other people's stuff (just recently transcribed the new single from Vulfpeck "Dean Town"). I suck at reading music, as in I can "read" but I'm super slow in the kind of "teaching your nan how to use a smartphone" sort of category. I want to get better and more confident so I thought maybe transcribing my own lines would be a good way to get used to rhythm reading. It's rhythm I generally struggle with and has been a barrier for me when it comes to sight reading. So do you guys transcribe your own stuff? What do you use, software or pen and paper? Have you found it helpful in terms of your reading skills? Like I said this is a source of embarrassment for me as I've been playing for about 18 years and have a music degree under my belt (not worth the paper it's written on to be honest) but I've never become a confident reader. Many people have told me it's not that hard to learn but it's been a sticking point for me for a long time. Thoughts...

[quote name='ribbetingfrog' timestamp='1476466213' post='3154643'] cash generator in town are on e of the few that prices their instruments keenly, you never know what is in. [/quote] The one near Shudehill? Always found it a bit on the pricey side for secondhand stuff tbh. Seen secondhand amps in gigged condition for about £30 less than the retail value. That said I haven't been in there for a while so could be different now. You can find some cool stuff in there on some occasions.

I was in Dawsons the other day and did a side by side test of an American standard, a Mexican standard and the Classic Vibe Squier. I have to say the Squier genuinely blew the Fenders out of the water, luckily didn't have my credit card with me otherwise I'd have bought it! It was so well made, looks gorgeous and sounds incredible. Having to tell myself that I have to sell my Musicmaster before I buy a P-Bass otherwise my better half will end me!

Love this, very nice mate!

I've been working on it for a couple of days now, there are parts of it that are pretty tricky just simply because it's a 16th note groove and every note needs to be bob on. The key to a lot of it is finding a fingering that works for you. I've been playing some of the runs a little differently in terms of fretting position to Joe Dart just because it feels more natural to my hand.