oldslapper

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='807621' date='Apr 15 2010, 08:52 PM']I'm OK with Ain't No Stoppin Us. See my point?![/quote] Yeah, it's weird, I'm probably the only bugger who trips over it. I'd love to nail the very first 4 notes of "Somebody else's guy" as smoothly as the record, just can't get that fret-less type slide.......unles he's playing a fretless of course??

Totally! I dep in a mates soul/disco band, and although I know the notes, my fingers get completely "uncooperative" during the verse and chorus to "Ain't no stopping us now"......Every other number is fine (IMHO), but I have a complete blank with that riff. The more I try, the worse it gets Still get asked back, so maybe no one notices??! "Rhythm Stick" is a great bass line tho', Norm is a legend.

Don't often use a pick, but every now and again have a "bash". Really enjoy a bit of funk with a pick, sounds very retro. Mate of mine gave me some heavy/thick rubber ones, they are quite good fun, but not my thang. I do have a problem with dropping picks tho' so have shied away from "serious" use. So far my fingers haven't fallen off mid chop, so will stick with them for now, me'thinks. p.s. just got into P basses after several attempts, sooooo think I might complete the look by pickin' ??

+1 on all the above. Bought a P bass, super speedie delivery and all as described and more. Cheers

Love it when drummers only use small kits to make a big noise! I'm thinking of putting flats on my P bass.....is this the sound I can expect??

Thanks M. That's really helpful. Looking at my post, I sound a bit of a jazz "ludite". I do appreciate the more complex material and the sheer brilliance of the musicianship, I just can't listen to it for too long. Having said that I have a Yellow Jackets album/dvd which I do enjoy watching now and again. It's just I've felt a little lost and overwhelmed when the guys in the quartet talk about the music they listen to, so I'll check out that link. Basschat does the biz again. Cheers.

As a newbie to playing "jazz" (still struggling to define the genre) I have discovered some of the most beautifully crafted songs I have ever heard. I must admit to thinking that "Jazz" meant complicated tunes for show offs (just my opinion folks) and could listen to an album like "kind of blue" for 1 minute per track max. But having learned some songs recently for a band, I discovered "Autumn leaves, "Night & Day", "Georgia", "Ain't Misbehavin", "Lullaby of Birdland" from great songsmiths like George Shearing, Fats Waller, Cole Porter. No fret w*****g, just beautiful melodies over equally well thought out chord progressions which relate equally to the lyrics. I do understand why people like the type of "jazz" which involves stunning solo's and weird and wonderful (to me) chord changes/progressions, but just like any "genre", I've discovered a side of "jazz" that appeals to me. Hope this makes sense to someone?? I guess I like a good song s'pose and have too short an attention span to like anything too complicated for my small brain.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='799823' date='Apr 8 2010, 02:14 PM']or you could pick up a set of drumsticks... folks would have real low expectations then! [/quote] You gave me an idea, I've just played my bass with a drum stick....quite cool actually...anyone else do this?...sorry not on SC topic, but just had to try....

I think the Les Paul Triumph bass is the most rock'n'roll looking bass ever (...no, I don't know what that means either..), I'd love one, slung low as possible! The other SC's are a bit too sophisticated looking fer me, I'd be afraid people would think I knew what I was doing with one of those around my neck! Keep the look simple, lessen expectations.....

Congrats!

[quote name='Linus27' post='798460' date='Apr 7 2010, 10:29 AM']HEHE no, in fact Bono is quite laid back and total opposite to his real life counter part. My wife also thinks the work issue is the key to all this. She thinks that as I am not in a band, work is playing a bigger influence on my personality. When I was in a band she said I was totally different. Happier, full of life and energy and less stressed. In fact, she said work had no inpact at all on me when in a band where as at the moment it is quite considerably despite it being better now than it was before. This is why I think I need to give it another shot in a band and see how it works out.[/quote] Listen to the wife! Not a statement offered lightly by the way. I'm usually accused of ignoring what the mrs says..... Anyway, for what it's worth I gave up playing at the age of 33. got fed up with the "band" thing, disillusioned with the industry as a whole. Got a "proper job", did well, got promotions and a better income as a result, only touched a guitar if I had a mate round for a jam, or to play a silly song to my kids. However, the higher the promotion also brought more stress/pressure and I was very unhappy. Anyway 3 years ago, a mate of mine asked me if I would do some playing for him at an acoustic night, so I borrowed his bass and went along as a favour, and loved it. He asked me if I would take some of his bass students on (he's a guitarist and thought that bass should be taught by...a bass player??!). I've found some local bands (covers and originals) and rediscovered the pleasure of playing again, without the pressure to "make it". No one will have ever heard of me, I won't ever be held up as a bass legend, but who cares? Wife sees I'm happy again and says she would rather have a happy but poor bunny, than a grumpy stressed exec. So we looked at our "life style", made some changes and I gave up working "for the man" and now I make my living from playing/teaching.....not the sort of living many of you here make as pro players, I would never put myself in your class, but bugger I'm happy, even though my kids don't have laptops each, or TV's in their bedrooms, or go on exotic hols each year and we drive crap old cars. But my kids get my time, my wife has a happy oldslapper at home during the day to do the bl***y ironing and cleaning! I'm 48 and feel like I'm starting again. Anyway sorry for long story, but you will always have your bass/amp, there will always be an opportunity to play with others, if you look....but you will only have your kids at the age they are today for today. Make your choices that will give your family [b]you[/b], the real you. Listen to the wife mate, just the once.... Best wishes whatever you choose to do.

Thanks Greg for a great neck and a good laugh, cheers. John

Managed to creep into a couple of bands recently whilst the bass players where taking a leek! Gents quartet...... 4 piece (2 guitars, vox & me on Upright) see my link. Jazz outfit playing swing/gypsy/jazz/country swing. Hollywood Killers....complete opposite of above. Pop/punky/psychedelic, all originals. P bass slung low! Again see link below. Gig tomorrow night Exchange in Sturminster Newton. 8 piece function band called (embarrassingly) "cause for Concern"...although I did notice the name is used elsewhere by an all female band. Play the Young Farmers circuit in Dorset & Somerset. Playing usual wedding "fare" with my 5 string placed a little higher for added sophistication. This lot have no idea how to post up a web site, but get enough work to keep the bookings and money coming in. Occasionally play in a funk/disco band called Groovetube based in Dorset that have been going for 10 years, but they play so few gigs these days as everyone's too busy playing proper gigs now. (next one's in June!) Anyway there's another band with the same name in Cambridge. Play my 5 string in this too, slightly higher again, for added effect. Hoping that none of the above bands notice that the bass player is now 6' 4" and doesn't seem to know any of the tunes and plays everything in E.....think I've got away with it so far.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtgaWMEkUNk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtgaWMEkUNk[/url] Abe, a legend in this genre........ J

[quote name='RhysP' post='793555' date='Apr 1 2010, 06:01 PM']The other side of the coin in this debate is that you can, and often do, end up with people playing styles of music they should leave well alone. I'm sure we've all seen pub bands that mainly play one style of music to an acceptable degree but then insist on throwing in the obligatory funk or reggae number with very often disastrous results. Part of being a decent player to my way of thinking is knowing your limitations (and we ALL have them, as much as some of you don't like to think so ). I dick about with slapping or whatever when I'm playing for my own amusement, but I know there are people out there that are much better at it than me. I'm not really interested in being a jack of all trades - I'm a pretty good player in the genres of music that most interest me and that's enough for me. There are plenty of highly regarded pro players out there who pretty much stick to one genre - I'm fairly certain that Larry Graham or Bootsy would be pretty sh*te Thrash Metal players, but that's not going to bother them at all. I once read a great quote from Billy Sheehan who said that "The things you choose to reject are just as much an influence on your playing as the things you accept" and I think that this is correct.[/quote] I largely agree with Mr Sheehan on this one. I know my limitations (and I am VERY limited ), but I guess it doesn't mean you can't have a go at something if you play it with people who know what they're doing???, but leave it alone if you ain't ever gonna nail it live. I don't like Muse particularly, but had to learn a couple of their tunes for one band because the rest were really enthusiastic Muse fans.....,I've nailed the bass lines, but I'd be crap in a Muse triute band coz there not my kind of "band", but I had a bit more respect for them after. Acid Country..............made that up, but it sounds like it could be a challenge?? "Achey Breaky Heart.......Aciiiiiid, Aciiiiiiid".............no?.......I'll get my coat

[quote name='Gust0o' post='793421' date='Apr 1 2010, 03:50 PM']If you'd pulled out the stuff in brackets from your last sentence, OTPJ, you'd have nailed my career [/quote] I'm not that bothered about the style/type/genre of music these days. It's more about the musicians I'm playing with. If they are convinced about what they are playing (i.e. enthusiastic, or know & love the genre) then I'll really enjoy it too. I hate playing music that I love with people who are less than enthusiastic about it, .....................................but then again not many people like "acid country" J

[quote name='cetera' post='790415' date='Mar 30 2010, 11:15 AM']That sounds like a Legend5 from 2004-2006. See here: [url="http://www.spectorbass.com/NewFilesNew/modelhistory_new.html"]Spector model history[/url][/quote] Thanks Cetera, looks like it. Have you any suggested pre amp replacements? So far J East pre amp seems to be a favourite. I had thought of EMG BTS 3 band?