Golchen

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='350287' date='Dec 9 2008, 11:17 PM']Will there be a choice on the poll where you can say you'd like to sit down, have a cup of tea with your bass playing mates & talk like adults, as opposed to throwing your toys skyward from your pram like a petulant overgrown child? [/quote] Hmmmmn .................. I think we may need a pre-poll poll to determine that one. After all, the pram/toy/gravity/poll scenario is a proven and favoured one amongst those that cannot afford a more expensive line of ego massage.

Just looking at some random bass player pix and some people have it jammed so far up their armpit that it looks (to me) impossible to play! I was wondering why people set their bass at that sort of height at all? Personally, I came from the 'lower looks cooler' school of though, however I liked the idea of the slappin stuff and it just wasn't that practical with a Ramones style 'round yer ankles'. I'm also not a fan of the 'floppy wrist' look with the old plucking hand, so it was a case of get as low as you can but still be able to thunk it with the thumb when necessary. It was Flea that made me realise that you didn't need a Mark King type height for slapping. What height is your bass and why?

Ahhhhhh .............. one of those magical albums that unravelled the whole world of music before my very eyes (ears!) after a childhood of top 40 fodder! I love the rickenbacker bass sound (heh! I assume it was one!)

Yeah I'd get one. I don't pleck me bass.

I bought a bass. the service was fine. the bass was crap. that's the last cheap instrument I buy!

I don't feel the need for new years resolutions. I have a God-given ability to fail resolutions all year around.

[quote name='Balcro' post='344398' date='Dec 3 2008, 05:18 PM']It is your life! I don't know how to start this reply, it's either type in capitals, say AArrgggghh!, or scream. How about "for God's sake look after your skin". There, I feel better now. Nickel allergy with contact -> localised irritation & skin cracking -> fungus enters via cracks in skin -> onycholysis!! Seem reasonable. What else could fall off? Switch to stainless strings and frets. Also try coated strings or those plastic/rubber strings. PS. Golchen, do you use lots of string & fret board polishes or treatments? If you do, cut those out as well, at least until you've got your hands back to as normal as they ever will be. Now that you've got nickel allergy, your skin is probably also ultra-sensitive to a host of other compounds including mineral oil. Best of luck with your problem. Balcro[/quote] Yeah, I know what you mean about the skin. Honestly, I have really been TRYING to look after my skin/fingers for SO MANY YEARS as music is 100% my favourite thing, but it all just comes out really quickly sometimes and then you are stuffed for weeks at a time. I have tried a vast array of creams/remedies, pestered various GPs (useless!), searched the net for help regularly (not much help but a lot of other sufferers out there). I didn't even consider that it might be guitar strings until this year, but when I got a drum kit this summer I played on that for two weeks and didn't touch any stringed instruments and EVERYTHING CLEARED UP!!!!! What a surprise! As far as strings/frets go - well I have about 14 stringed instruments so far, so I'm not changing them all to stainless frets! (3 are). Maybe I should start a slow string conversion though????

I just love instruments. I started off as a kid having piano lessons, then drifted into self taught guitar - acoustic, then acoustic with alternate tunings, then all that widdly lead guitar stuff. I picked up a bass and pursued that on and off for many years without really getting that far. Next came the chapman stick, and my latest acquisition is a drum kit! I've never played in a band, but if I did I think that I would be most into the idea of playing bass. I could never give up all the other stuff though!

I've had the odd bass knocking around for years amongst a rather large array of other instruments. Usually it got dug out for the odd root notes when recording. This year I felt inspired to really get into the bass more and make a decent attempt at it. All in all it's been fun and I enjoy bashing along to various songs/recordings, but I got a bit of a shock a couple of days ago - I recorded myself playing along to about 6 numbers, and when I played it back my timing is just ................... appalling! Not 100% of the time, but just in pockets all around the place. What makes it worse is the fact that when I'm playing along it doesn't even seem to be going that badly!?!?!? I feel a bit derailed right now! I usually play along to songs, but I guess that maybe I should practice a bit more with just a metronome or a drum machine and get my ears and fingers in a more solid unison. As I said in the thread title - Bass playing ain't so easy!

I get problems with this as well. At my worst point my fretting fingers get cracked and bleeding and it just won't heal unless I lay off playing for a couple of weeks - have to swap to keyboards for my musical fix!. When I really want to play I end up using a combination of plasters, nu-skin and superglue! I also have a problem with onycholysis, which is the fingernail separating from the nail bed - excruciatingly painful, especially when bending strings (mostly with the old geetar) The bane of my life!!!!!

Did it taste good? Has Alfie given you any feedback? If so get him to stand away from your amp. Will he be giving the postman a soundbyte in the mornings now? Does he have a newfound desire for Flea's playing?

Personally I'm amazed at the amount of slap hate shown here. All this time I thought that I was escaping the guitarist 'contempt for other guitarists' syndrome by coming to a positive and engaging community, but I guess that it's a case of same poison, different bottle. There are opinions and there are blatantly negative and destructive statements, and both are alive and kicking at Basschat.

I generally like the whole slapping thing a lot. As far as I am concerned bassists can do what they like. It's my choice as to whether to listen to it or not. I don't have a problem with someone slapping in the middle of a song. Who are we to tell anyone what they can or can't do with music??? - but that's not to say that I'll actually like that song of course!

I don't really know her music at all but a) she CAN sing and she looks nice! A quick 10 second google came up with "Altogether, I played on six [songs]. They were already recorded, and I was replacing and adding in bass."

No idea I'm afraid - just piped up to mention this: My bro works as a beta tester for Microsoft systems and he says that VISTA is a total turkey. Why don't Microsoft design new systems to make everyone say 'Wow that's amazing' (Like people tend to with macs!)

I'd just tell him to swap. I can widdle away pointlessly as well as the next guy on the old 6 stringer.

None of them! I'd either grab my no 1 strat, or my Paduak Chapman stick as they are bl**dy hard to replace.

Bon fan here. Just never hit off with Johnson. I admire their longevity, sticking to the same gameplan although their genre has always courted distain from the media and critics.