fatback

Adding to the pain of exclusion, I note I was born about half an hour from the venue. Little did I know that in my far distant future would be a DB Bash from which i would be barred, thus missing out on the only Group Tat a chap would ever need.

[quote name='ChrisF' timestamp='1401986080' post='2468958']
Dont suppose your anywhere near the Galway area ?? .... A mate of mine has just moved out there..... he is a guitarist (but dont hold that against him lol) but he is going to buy a DB......
[/quote]

Unfortunately I'm over 4 hrs from Galway (4hrs from anywhere, it seems sometime ). Your pal is lucky though, there's a very good bass builder in Galway.

http://doublebassireland.com/about-us

Lots of great music too. When he gets his bass he'll have a blast.

Well done for that initiative. Any chance someone might post a video of some of the proceedings for us in outer darkness?

Feel like I'm on Mars.

Send me a postcard?

I've tried my DHA VTI valve pedal and depending on how hard I drive it, it can sound huge. A bit of dirt might be all you need.

Lots of these pedals pop up on BC. Also Dave Hall gives a discount to members.

How about using a valve pedal with the strings you've got? Grunge on tap.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1399590972' post='2445779']
Glad you figured it out. My Zoom H2 is probably the best money I've ever spent on musical kit.
[/quote]

Same here, though I've made lots of mistakes in recording cos of not being able to read the crappy screen on the old H2 model. Is the newer one easier to read?

Maybe a silly suggestion, but have you dropped the bass as low as it will go? I've a knackered left shoulder, but as long as don't have the arm too high it's ok.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1396033489' post='2409333']
Tis what it is. But, once you have nailed it, you have nailed it for life. Time massively well spent.
[/quote]

Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement. I must say, months of practicing scales and nothing else and I'm losing the will to live.

I'm wondering too if I'm not making progress because for the first time ever I'm comfortable in every key and know the notes in all the keys (thanks to Mr. Brown's book of horror). That never came when I practiced normal scales, but playing intervals for each key seems to make for feeling at home in those keys.

I think I found reading hard because I was too reliant on pattern-based and interval-based playing. I can't believe the length of time it's taken to get the note names in my head and really learn the fingerboard blind (and I'm still only finding my way round the dusty end now).

Have to say, nothing has ever made me feel as stupid as trying to learn to read. I've practiced nothing else, not even played a tune in practice for about 7 months. Crazy. But it does seem to be working.

I've always thought I've had some kind of musical dyslexia, i found reading that hard, but a miracle appears to be happening.

First thing was I started to actually practice reading ahead. Turns out my biggest problem was failing to do that, but i didn't know you could learn it by conscious practice. Seems you can.

Second thing is I've just spent months and months (I'm that slow) playing the intervalic (is that the word?) scales from Ray Brown's book. That is, all the interval scales in all the keys. Note reading in any key is getting real easy at last.

What's striking about this last bit is the method I had to adopt to survive all those keys. I ended up calling out the note names as I played. What mattered there seemed to be that i wasn't reading eye to finger, but eye to note-name to finger. Much better, and allowing for lots of different fingerings.

Also, I adopted the practice of not looking at the fingerboard at all (except for corrections when i knew I had a problem with positioning). That in turn freed up my eyes.

Just my experience as someone who had found reading almost impossible (it has taken many many months, though).

Great news! Congrats. You'll have a ball.

Any idea what was the limiting factor on your own backline audibility? I've found putting the cab on a keyboard stand extended as high as possible (shoulder level, more or less) let me hear myself without feedback. It loses volume that far off the floor, but with a PA that doesn't matter.

I also find small white stick-on paper dots on the side of the fingerboard a godsend in these sort of situations.

I am so impressed with you guys and the courage it takes to step up like that, especially as an adult.

I feel my excuses running out.

Also (tin hat on) there's always that danger in jazz that people play mainly for the approval of other players and worst of all for players of their own instrument.

For sure. Maybe a bit of a generational difference too. My generation tended to get whacked about the head and told we were useless. The current lot maybe get their confidence boosted at the expense of their grip on reality.

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1394721471' post='2394409']
Depends on the type I reckon! Misplaced confidence needs to be ignored, and genuine confidence (in yourself and in others) needs to be earned. Sometimes those lessons where you're almost ashamed at how little you truly know about the bass and playing music are the best ones for motivating you.

I think every artist (of any kind) goes through a relatively long phase (sometimes returning to this phase) of creating things that aren't quite up to the standards we have in our heads, that somehow don't match up to what we're trying to produce. In this context, the mindset of a musician is a tough balancing act: enough insight and self-criticism to recognise areas to improve in to get your playing closer to that ideal, but going easy enough on yourself to still enjoy it and accept the level of music you're currently making.

Andrew, I'd love to know who it was gave you this lesson...? PM me if you want.
[/quote]

Agree totally. I asked though because one test of a great teacher in any game is that they can help identify your weaknesses without damaging your spirit. In the end, it's your own voice you're searching for, and carefree enjoyment is a big part of that.

[quote name='SevenSeas' timestamp='1394667267' post='2393968']
All great advice....

Used several different approaches and found the sound I wanted for On Green Dolphin Street.

Anyway forgetting all that, had my first double bass lesson with one of the Trinity teachers. Don't want to give any names but their whole concept of jazz bass playing was phenomenal , I mean they ripped my playing apart. I have a lot of work to do. I mean I think it can be rare to find a teacher who is an amazing teacher and a really amazing player.

Can't really go into all the exercises I've been told to do but to some it up;
1. Learn everything by ear, transcribe, transcribe, transcribe.
2. I got a lot of bowing work to do and some pretty good exercises.
3. Listen to as much jazz as physically possible.
4. Make sure you're listening to the right guys.

Theres more then that to go into.. but would take a long time.
[/quote]

Confidence building or confidence-wrecking?

[quote name='Jezyorkshire' timestamp='1393938882' post='2385998']
Thanks Geoff, how do you fing you need to eq the full circle when using pro platt? or other? its seems on my bass to be very midrangy?
[/quote]

Have you tried turning the Full Circle a couple of degrees? It does change the sound, although how much may depend on a lot of things.

I go straight in to my EA Doubler and I only ever have to drop the mids a tad, and that's more to do with the Midget cab, i think.

As said above. Also, speaker placement really matters. You might find raising the speaker up a foot or so, or angling it up, helps a lot.

Ordinary EQ won't do much, but the notch filter on a db preamp will. You can test your bass, find the worst frequencies, dial them into the notch filter and stick with that setting.

And what a great presenter Wilco was on 'Oil City Confidential' (the BBC Canvey / Feelgoods story). Magic.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1393542134' post='2381842']
Do people really do that?

I did give one of my basses a jokey name, because it's German and it's a double bass I call it Uberbassenbassen, but it's not like I've decided "Oh it's definitely a Gloria"...
[/quote]

It can get complicated.

Mine used to be Nigella, cos she was 40-ish, curvy and cooked. But then Nigelissima lost weight and I don't have an EUB to transfer the name to. THEN came the awful Saatchi stuff, and I couldn't go round feeling sorry for my bass, so now she's got no name.

However, if N starts comfort eating, I'll reinstate.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1393420726' post='2379980']
Beautiful? It's a pain inducing money pit
[/quote]

Ah, but owning a db can neutralise all non-db GAS, thus saving money in the end!

I found Hal Galper's 'Forward Motion' a huge help. I've not even started to be able to put into practice, but the way of thinking really sticks with you.

A good antidote to the mindless search for variety and interest in walking lines.

[url="http://www.halgalper.com/forward-motion/"]http://www.halgalper...forward-motion/[/url]

Oh well done. Good to know this is possible, too.

Enjoy that bass.