Eggy

Mongoose - Indie Rock covers

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. Will check all the suggestions out.

Bert, hope the cold gets better

Eggy

Hi,

With the band on a bit of break, I wanted to learn something new, and a bit different. I wanted to try something melodic rather than a normal "bassline"

Had a look at Fur Elise, Beethoven. Enjoyed it altho part I learnt was only the first section can see that to play this really well will take focus.

Tab (i know I know) easy to find. May have to hunt down full score. That will improve my reading too

Anyone else playing any classical and suggest any other pieces?

Cheers

Eggy

Hi,
I think I am one of many on here that played guitar and then switched to Bass to meet a band need and never looked back.

Welcome

Eggy

Will check out the Eric Bibb, been thinking of doing that sort of thing myself, so all help appreciated.

Went to see Tom Jones at Newmarket this weekend. About 20 foot from stage. Tom and the whole band were great and the Bass, who I now know to be Dave Bronze, was just fantastic.

Good to watch a master in action

Eggy

This is a really interesting thread for me, have been thinking about doing something similar as a sideline to main band. The main band is full on indie rock and I feel that a small stripped down arrangement may make it easier to find pub type gigs, more gentle music for people to listen to rather than jumping up and down rock party stuff. Our drummer has a set of bongos, so acoustic guitar, bass and bongo could be the set up

Thanks for all the great advice in the thread

Eggy

Hi,

As examples

Scales - Pick a scale practise it in three dif shapes (first finger, second and little finger lead) each in 3 positions on the neck. Great if you can have a loop of a chord strumming in the background to develop your ear

Arpeggio - play arpeggio thru a major scale say Cmaj Dmin Emin Fmaj G7 Am Bdim in 3 positions on neck.

Techniques - Depends on where your technique is. I am working on hammer on/ pull off three fingers and cross string descending speeds. Pick a topic, clean picking, muting, string skipping, dynamics whatever, set the metro and work away thru a scale or something making that the best you can

Timing - Sensible speed metronome, hit the whole, half quarter, eight, sixteenth, swing, triplet, off beats(2+4). Remember slow and really accurate. Try sixteenths missing one of the parts, 1 e + a missing the e for 4 bars then swap missing the a for 4, swap missing the + etc

Make a quick note of what you have done, inc metro speeds etc and you will know that you can set the bar a bit higher when ready. I forget what have done and so prob would revisit and so stand still.

Hope that helpful

Eggy

Hi,
I have found that setting myself a regular schedule really helps concentrate. I have an hour a day and so spend 15 minutes each on
Scales
Arpeggios
Technique
Timing

And then practising songs after that.

I always try to use backing tracks with the relevant chord(s) for the scales & arpegs to try to develop my ear and groove at the same time. Think of a rhythm and play that to the tracks

As mentioned above, Scott's videos are really helpful

Regards

Eggy

Hi

Here's an alternative that I have been using, been sticking with beginner, will be trying intermediate.

http://www.soundfeelings.com/namethatnote/index.html

Fun Fun Fun

I have found even limited ability to read music really opens stuff up, like all those transcriptions in another thread

Eggy

Signed up. Good idea, thanks

Adrian

Hi, I am doing something similar myself. Have a new teacher and he has me learning & practising arpeggios and scales/modes in 3 positions up and down the fretboard. The strategy is that I will eventually instinctively know which notes fit over any given chord wherever my hands are and so when I want to create something I will hear it in my head and my hands will play it, taking away the "is that gonna be right" moment. It also reinforces the note learning

Spending 15-20 minutes a day (every day) on this has moved me forward hugely after only a couple of weeks. If you have a chance to create some backing tracks over a few chords for you to play over that helps put notes in context. Major chord, the four is ugly, the six is sweet.

Apologies if telling you stuff you know

Have a look at Scott Devine's vid on arpeggios

http://scottsbasslessons.com/technique/practice-bass-arpeggios.html

Hope this helps

Eggy

Nice one. Good to hear an acoustic bass helps the vibe, good luck with the gig.

+1 on the volume issues, did not bump into any BCers as do not know anyone although I did spot a pair of DMs on a T shirt way up a queue I was in.

Hi, You didn't mention this when saw you yesterday, can you add me remotely please ?

Thanks

Truckstop, thanks - hitting g string with fingers and pinching G scale with thumb seems to do it, was not sure about the drone being higher than the scale notes but seems too work!

Louisthebass - thanks, something to do on a rainy Sunday

EZbass - interestingly they had a load of ear defenders in the corner of the masterclass area but did not offer them up

Later

I surprised myself with not buying anything. Closest to buy was a TCE Polytune pedal. TBH I was not inspired to pick anything up to play although there was some great looking gear. For me, the resident slapper plus a crowd of knowing onlookers put me off. What with that and the noise so you would not really hear yourself (it was like being on stage with 25 other bass players).

Enjoyed looking round though

The main take aways for me were in the master classes

Jon Thorne - Interesting upright player I had not come across before. "There is no good or bad music, it either moves you or it doesn't
so gravitate towards what moves you. When playing it is in the feel, you are the instrument, the wood and strings are just a way of getting it out

Yolanda Charles - was brilliant, got the chance of a quick chat. Loved her style and great voice. Will be hunting for her lesson on youtube. Interesting when she did her exercise clapping and counting. Most of the audience could instantly clap her rhythm but then when she asked us to count over the top it all went pear shaped pretty quickly (near where I was sitting anyway).

Tony Butler - Was my favourite, what a great guy, endorse his belief of encouraging kids to play. Also he showed that to get a good sound a £300 guitar can do it just as well as a £2000 one. (Ashdown stack prob helped tho'). Again he all about the feel and grove of the song. Enjoyed his drone string thing and have tried that already. Drone a E and played E pentatonics over it, same for A and D. Not sure how a G would work will try that later.

Sure other stuff will come back to me.

Look forward to other's thoughts, enjoyed the day and pleased I went. It has inspired me.

Eggy

See you all there later, check shirt, blond hair

@aegelton #lbgs2012

Thank You !

Hi,
Have been a member since 2009 and dropped off the map, but am now back so hello again!

Been playing Bass 6 years having been asked to give up guitar to play a gig, usual story, and hooked from the first moment.

Love playing in front of people, a bit of a stage tart. Current band, Mongoose is an Indie Rock Covers band playing East London / Essex area.

Later

Eggy

Hi, Planning to be there on Saturday, my first visit. Hope to bump into you all there. Are you using twitter #LBGS2012 to try to track each other down?

@aegelton

Eggy

lol @ras52

Eggy

Hi,

Would add my agreement to all the above. Great shop, not on the high street so not full of widdlers and I have spent many an hour trying stuff out. Only downside, more often than not have to explain to Missus why I NEED.........

Eggy

I was in the shop when the kid was trying out, he was great. Guitar looked even better in the flesh than on the picture

Got there about 3.30 so only a quick try out of a couple of pedals before had to dash with a couple of prezzies to myself. did not know about the get together, will watch more carefully next time

Eggy