The Funk

I like it. You could possibly have a large-ish dB logo (using that font) in the top left corner and the full one in the bottom right corner - a bit like GK's abbreviated logo and Hartke's model number thing. Ah, but then where would you put the model number? This stuff is tricky!

[quote name='Gwilym' post='390181' date='Jan 24 2009, 07:31 AM']hi Syed, i'm going to this too - Reuben Wilson is awsome... I will look out for you cheers G[/quote] Wicked! See you there, mate!

Cannot wait for this gig! Bringing a few friends along too.

[quote name='jakesbass' post='389395' date='Jan 23 2009, 10:39 AM']I do it a lot, I also employ a two feel a lot. Provides great dynamic variation. Edit: I do realise I'm preaching to the converted here![/quote] I opened up Ed Friedland's book the other day, having never really played jazz (apart from in this one band a couple of years ago). When I read about two feel on page 1 I suddenly realised what the hell I'd been doing wrong! So, I'm not one of the converted - just curious at the moment.

Err... 0. I haven't practised the bass since 1999. I really want to though - just can't quite get any real structure in my life at the moment. I'll noodle everytime I walk past the bass though.

Sorry to hear about that! When I was 17 I wrecked the right side of my torso in a rugby incident: shunted collar bone, torn pectoral muscle and generally mangled my back, shoulder and arm. I can't really play with much speed for extended periods of time using my fingers - so some forms of metal are out (unless I learn to use a pick). Jaco had a bad (american) football injury when he was about 17, which damaged his shoulder too - but he adapted and managed ok, so I'm sure you'll be fine. Oh yeah, the little finger on my fretting hand was broken once and didn't heal properly - so I don't have much speed or strength in that one. You just kind of adapt though. I mean if Def Leppard's drummer could keep going after he lost an arm, we should be fine! Oh, another thing - I saw a guy play the bass without a hand. He just had a stump where his arm ended. He wasn't bad!

Oh dear. Not a fan of the man-ass, myself! Glad you like it though - and if you could direct your rump-shaking towards a more appreciative audience, I'd be much obliged!

I may as well add the other tune from the gig that hasn't been put up yet, [i]Alien Nation[/i]. I would stick up our intro tune but I'm not happy with it yet - it has no bloody words apart from "Come on"! (all rights reserved © 2008)

[quote name='YouMa' post='389230' date='Jan 23 2009, 02:31 AM']i like impressing people with my playing,after all surely thats why i gig, to get a buzz make people get groovy and think im the dogs.I think if most people were honest thats why they play.What would the point of performing be if all i was going to do was go all buddhist on stage.[/quote] Yes, onstage - but in a music shop in front of music shop staff? Don't get me wrong, I'll blaze through slap licks to see just how user-friendly the particular bass is but it's not to impress the music shop staff or intimidate other shop users. I'd hate to put youngsters or beginners off trying out a bass properly because they can't widdle as much, so I tend not to try out a bass if there are many other people in the shop.

[quote name='ziggenpuss' post='389105' date='Jan 22 2009, 10:52 PM']Brilliant, loved it. 'When' is obviously getting the public vote, 1,776 plays!! Is 'Open Your Eyes And See' one of the tracks that has been mixed? Would love to hear that alongside the others.[/quote] Thanks! Glad you like it. [i]When[/i]'s been on there for years now, heh. That demo was recorded back in 2004 in the band that this one formed out of. That's my uninspired guitar solo. I've only kept it on there because the girl I wrote it for still checks the page every now and then and we haven't recorded a new demo of it yet. [i]Open Your Eyes And See[/i] has been mixed but there wasn't any room on the myspace or facebook pages. I'm quite proud of the funky groove we go into underneath the guitar solo. So, I'll upload it here for a while... (all rights reserved © 2008)

Damn it. It's my cousin's birthday on 31st, otherwise I would have definitely checked our your set - and the strippers next door!

[quote name='7string' post='389196' date='Jan 23 2009, 12:43 AM']I used to be concerned about what the staff in the shop think about what I'm playing, but as the older I've got the less I've cared about that [/quote] Yeah, I couldn't care less now. I'll play whatever I want for as long as I want so that I can see if the bass works for me. It's not about impressing anyone with your playing. When I first went into music shops as a 13/14 year old (before I started playing), I was scared to try any basses because I couldn't really play anything apart from [i]Sunshine Of Your Love[/i] and I'd heard stories of rude staff. Then on a family holiday in NYC my folks let me waste an entire afternoon of the family's time in Manny's to pick out my first bass. I played [i]Sunshine Of Your Love[/i] and the assistant started singing along. I prefer service in the US!

I'm an awful reader but have a reasonable understanding of harmony and rhythm. It's the weak reading skills that are holding back my development now.

[quote name='GonzoBass' post='388772' date='Jan 22 2009, 05:24 PM']The first rule of music applies here. You do know the first rule of music... right? [/quote] If it sounds right/good, it is right/good...?

Thanks! The guys are pretty killer musicians. The bass solo is on Noise Patrol, about half-way through. The bass sound on Acid Rain [i]is[/i] a bit weird. It was my first gig with a Mu-tron III envelope filter and I kept it on for one song too many 'cos I was having too much fun with it. EDIT: Sometimes the keyboard player uses a bass synth and doubles what I'm doing. I don't think he does it on Acid Rain though - I'd have to check.

I usually stand to the right of the drummer because that's how the guitarist and I prefer it. Yes, I'm on the wrong side of the hi-hat and snare but I can still hear them well enough and the kit doesn't deafen me.

You could try doing Blueberry Hill in the style of Richie Cunningham

Have a look at the Southern Rock thread in Off-topic if you want some ideas for tunes to do lead vocal on. Some of those tunes above don't look so country to me - do they play them differently?

[quote name='redzombie' post='387064' date='Jan 21 2009, 01:09 AM']Vocals - Layne Staley Guitar - Jimi Drums - Dave Grohl[/quote] That's just crazy enough to work

That's so Star Wars - you can't cover it. Just repaint it after each gig. ^_^

I like: 1. the guitar line 2. the ending 3. the off-beat stabs that happen every now and then (do you know what I mean?) 4. the drum fills I'd change: 1. the drum groove - I've thought of one which I'd love to hear underneath the main guitar riff (it's a bit different to the kick-snare | kick-snare | thing happening but you guys might hate it). Everything else seemed fine to me. Does that help? Punk's not my genre so I can't say if I love it or hate it.

[quote name='karlbbb' post='386393' date='Jan 20 2009, 04:49 PM']As for the not sure about parts, do you think it seems too sudden in just the first time or both times? The second time through sounds a little more flowing (to me) and perhaps a touch more sudden/abrupt the first time. And the break, do you mean general tightness into the guitar part?[/quote] With the pre-chorus it's just when it happens the first time - that's not necessarily a bad thing. With the break, it's actually when it comes out of the guitar part when you all come back in. I like breaks and even though it's a very short one, I think it's a good one - but it sounds like the drums might have come in ever so slightly early. Noone will really notice it but I'd like it cleaner. Did you guys record to a click? That could explain why the break wasn't so clean. I definitely get what Toad is saying about the structure as well. Have you considered leaving it as is for the album and doing a 3 - 3 1/2 minute single edit - basically by cutting each of the two parts of the breakdown much shorter?

[quote name='mcgraham' post='386371' date='Jan 20 2009, 04:37 PM']How can one tell whether they will be a creative musician or not before embarking on a long period of in depth study?[/quote] Nothing wrong with a long period of in depth study. Everyone on these boards who has a strong opinion of theory v. feel has undertaken a long period of indepth study. The only problem with some music schools is that they get everyone to study the same sh*t. I have a friend who's a guitarist at ACM. Whenever he tells me what songs they're making them learn I laugh because it's always without fail the most obvious one. Having said that, I've seen a few players from ACM and the like who are killer. But I don't think the schools encourage them to discover their own voice or develop their own approach to music. They seem to emphasise solely playing something that fits.

I like: 1. how it goes straight into the song 2. the playing is nice and tight - no sloppiness I'm not sure about: 1. the first change from the verse to the pre-chorus - is it a bit sudden? 2. the break before the second verse - doesn't seem clean enough I think: 1. it sounds good - not my style of music at all and if it wasn't for the basschat connection there's no way I'd buy it for stylistic reasons 2. you guys might get a lot of tail out this. hah.

[quote name='mcgraham' post='386350' date='Jan 20 2009, 04:25 PM']Or perhaps I merely provided myself with the artistic tools with which to express what was already there...[/quote] I'm with you on that, minus the vom!