The Funk

I can play some chords on the bass - but I can't really transition well from chords to single notes so I don't use them in songs. I do use a tritone double stop semi-tone slide fairly regularly though - it's one of those things I just picked up from somewhere that sounds cool even if I don't understand how or why it works.

With a budget of £100 you're going to struggle to get anything decent - except for either something by Hartke or Line 6 secondhand, both of which I think are pretty good options.

I'm about to make a controversial statement (which I may or may not believe): [i]Flea was an influence on Victor Wooten and Bill Dickens[/i]. There, I've said it. Whenever I get further ahead in my musical development, I say stupid things to myself like "such and such isn't all that" only to be reminded months/years later of what it is about their playing that is truly great - and that I can't touch. There's more to Flea and Victor Wooten than the widdles.

The Jazz Café February 2008. Second gig with the new line-up, after an uneven gig at The Water Rats a couple of weeks earlier. The place was packed and the applause was totally different to any previous gig. The audience and promoters wouldn't let us off the stage until after TWO encores. The funniest part was during a jam section on one of the last tunes. The keyboard player introduced every member of the band. After he introduced me he added "he's our leader" in a really cheesy way that cracked me up and got a great response from the crowd. It was a very satisfying feeling.

I don't know if that's legit or BS. I have no fretlines on my fretless so it doesn't really affect me. I'd be interested to know what others have to say about this.

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='616111' date='Oct 3 2009, 10:59 PM']Although on a serious note, how do you know WHUFC hasn't got a sharp badge/patch etc?[/quote] I don't even know what that means

Haven't had any yet - but I did ask WHUFC for a support slot with one of his bands.

[quote name='munkonthehill' post='614311' date='Oct 1 2009, 10:36 PM']im in a trio, playing rock/blues joe bonamassa, cream, black crowes, led zep even britney spears[/quote] I wouldn't feel comfortable with less than about 250W and 3 or 4 speakers for that kind of music. Sounds like a cool band btw - got any links?

[quote name='JTUK' post='613699' date='Oct 1 2009, 11:41 AM']Only really hear what someone is doing if it is wrong.... or really really right, tho..!!![/quote] Yes! Same here.

I've found that my Jazz isn't fussy at all about what I plug it into (even straight into a desk with no DI). It's the fancier basses that are more particular. My Jazz retains its sound very well.

Can't make it but just have to say I love watching gigs at that venue. Have a great gig!

Put a mic in front of you and you're Oteil Burbridge.

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' post='612637' date='Sep 29 2009, 11:32 PM']Line6 Lowdown 110. I've used it for exactly the gigs you describe and it does very well. Has a good DI with speaker sim too.[/quote] I've heard these live and thought they sound great. I use my Eden WTX-260 and Acme B1 cab for the small ones. Works well for me.

At the Jazz Café a year and a half ago. First gig at a decent venue and second gig with the new line-up.

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='612091' date='Sep 29 2009, 03:40 PM']I like the root-fifth thing on this tune.[/quote] Sorry, you're right. Root-fifth, not root-octave.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='612104' date='Sep 29 2009, 03:48 PM']Ray Brown and Ella Fitzgerald? Del Palmer and Kate Bush?[/quote] Makes sense, doesn't it? Between the singer/songwriter and bass player you've got all the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic elements covered. Stuart Zender and Melanie Blatt were married too, weren't they?

Thanks! Just did a little search about him. Apparently he was Carole King's husband at the time. Bass player married to very cool singer-songwriter - makes me think of Larry Klein-Joni Mitchell.

I've just been listening to this song on loop for the last half hour. I bloody love it. The main root-root-octave-octave bass motif is over-used but all the playing really grooves and has a fun rough and ready quality to it. Any idea who the bass player is or what else they've done?

[quote name='Netballman' post='611061' date='Sep 28 2009, 05:46 PM']... and there I was expecting loads of people would all start telling me different things... [/quote] Oh, don't worry, we will!

[quote name='leschirons' post='610456' date='Sep 27 2009, 11:39 PM']Yes, we told them no, or rather, f*** off, you're joking, hence, the disgruntled parents and other family members.[/quote] [i]"Va te faire foutre, putain de merde. C'est totalement ridicule, ca."[/i]?

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='610104' date='Sep 27 2009, 04:30 PM']But when you hear a sound it's always a 'Marcus-style' or 'Jaco-style' sound.[/quote] It's easy to end up listening to a lot of bass-centric music, where the great technical contributors will be aped over and over by people trying to incorporate their innovations into their own playing - but that's not all the music out there. Whenever I worry that my playing is getting a bit standard or samey, I write a new song. Playing bass is about playing songs - not licks and tricks. Everyone's playing will be a combination of their influences, the technological limitations of the day and some of their own innovations.

[quote name='chris_b' post='609925' date='Sep 27 2009, 12:05 PM']I don't think this counts as a "style". Your current band might like this "trick" but the next might not. The best plan is to do what fits but not to over do it.[/quote] Agreed.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='610099' date='Sep 27 2009, 04:21 PM']Do you think it's pretty impossible to come up with anything different, as it's all been done before?[/quote] No. If I thought that, I wouldn't bother playing. Not saying I'm going to contribute anything to the world of bass playing in the grand scheme of things but if I thought it had all been done before, I wouldn't really want to play.