ARGH

f***ing hell.....

[quote name='metalmaniac' post='95151' date='Nov 27 2007, 03:55 PM']What do you use as a stand[/quote] Pillow laid down on the floor in the bedroom. Our relationship is going well.

[quote name='gypsymoth' post='95252' date='Nov 27 2007, 06:57 PM']I don't see the tag "bass player" as limiting - or ironic. I'm a bass player. sometimes I play a 4, sometimes an 8, sometimes slide, sometimes improv solo, sometimes pretty straight ahead tunes, sometimes noodling back up to my guitar/drum tunes (looping without the repetition?). still a bass player, and no qualms about it.[/quote] Dont you? I play a Bass,But I have more than 4 strings,and I thought then I didnt play Bass anymore... I was a musician. Well in the eyes of some.

[quote name='SJA' post='95244' date='Nov 27 2007, 06:42 PM']IIRC his fretted Zon headless (Vinny?) is in standard tuning and has no retuning options on it- it's just that his songwriting - chord changes and melodies are just in a totally different league to Steve Lawson's. SL relies on effects for variation, and frankly it just gets boring very quickly. and looping lost its novelty a long time ago, and now the limitations it places on the music just stifle it.[/quote] 'Vinny' was there and was used for the one or two dual bass numbers,IIRC but 'Son of Bub' and the HB was the most 'used' onstage (sorry incorrect English) for the performances I saw. Have to say,I sort of agree...Ive seen Steve start off intending to play a tune,and it then vears off in some direction,and Steves apologised to the Audience. But I like ambient music,but its a very very difficult genre to say what is good or isnt,even from song to song by any artist. Given that Ozric Tenticles have been guilty of doing something similer for years.

[quote name='SJA' post='95216' date='Nov 27 2007, 06:01 PM']sorry, I'm going to be brutally honest here, and if I get flamed for it, fine. I saw Steve play alongside Michael Manring (at the Troubadour in 2004), and sorry, Steve, Michael made far more memorable, stirring music, and happened to be using 4 string basses. maybe it's just that he's a far better composer, regardless of how many strings he uses. full marks for using the web for self-promotion though Steve [/quote] I remember seeing the pair in Petersfield.....cozy little number that was. You have to remember though SJA that Manrings Basses are VERY VERY modified,to call them straight 4 string basses ala a stock P would be misunderstanding. Manrings Technique is his WOW factor though all that tapping and slapping and chordial work..often on fretless is amazing to see. Very different performers though.

Im just looking forward to the day that the instrument is seen as a solo and ensemble instrument. Its come an awful looooong way in near 60 years of production in one shape or form from its stance as a background amplified alternative to the upright,to an instrument in expressionate form just breaking surface now,be it with x+ number of strings. Nothing is wrong with being "A Bass player",some of us just cant express ourselves as well on any other instrumental medium and the tag "Bass player" is ironic as we (ok some...)strive to become or already are soloists,ensemble players,leading,following etc etc. If you dont want the instrument to be seen with anything other than toylike ridicule,regardless of how uberw***y or minimallly dull the line being played is or instrument regards....Then thats a tad passe in these times,be it at a NAMM or recorded in front of bandmates. But the way you are percieved be it artist or Bassplayer,and how you react to that is a question only the musician can answer.

Sadly discussion is only as open as those around allow it to be open. The only real boarders are imagination and ignorance,one cant be measured,one is obvious,and this isnt a level playing field. Involving everyone is the only way forward,figureheads have only their own interests at heart,regardless of what they say... Quality is subjective,Ive seen instruments that someone paid 2 grand for and its only fit for the fire,a name means nothing...and that goes for music too....Saying that innovators last out,and good musicians adapt,multitasking is just one facet of such an example. You HAVE to slap,and tap and have a 5...etc etc to get on at gigs,performance..add vocal skills,and you are never out of work...Saying you do one thing and thats all you do is fine,but it wont get you really much further than at the bottom of the fishpond where most of us are,working stiffs..in the pubs and clubs (for which I am very much one). If you just wanna play for your mates thats fine,but some of us are just never satisfied. Musically speaking,the only thing we seem to have here regarding the ERB question is fear,a fear of change,its a percieved threat,lets face it its a versatile instrument,more so than a 4 or a 5,and its really very new,and quite shocking on the 1st time viewer. I have little time for traditionalists if thats all they want me to be,I pluck the instrument with my hands,I tap,strum etc etc...I have all the notes available to me on a 4 string bass,and more and its a nice feeling being the only one I know in the flesh,but its not an arrogance,I still have to play the thing,and make it earn its keep,maintain and modify,redesign and introduce concepts and ideas. I dont think I have yet met online any ERBist that looks down upon traditional players or derides them with the limp wit or sexual lambast that the reverse occurs,most are trad players to pay the bills as I am,except we are not satisfied,I feel we WANT to drive onward,to at the very least change things musically....harmonically,in a way that benefits MUSIC. I still think If Jean Baudin was sat on Youtube playing Bartok or Mozart not many people would bat an eyelid,alas utopia is impossible. (Faust rests)

Im a 'Drone' fan myself.

The Metamorphosis (Part 2 esp) by Philip Glass,but it HAS to be played by Glass. Its just simple,naked beauty,fits many situations,so cold,so warm. Sam Weights "Nefarious..." pieces for 2 cellos. Hell has a theme tune,this man wrote it. And Rawlinson End by a man who wore no wedding band.... (Dear Vivian please send us a cauliflower,2 slings,and a welsh dresser to the man above)

[quote name='Davetbass' post='94141' date='Nov 25 2007, 03:26 PM']My dream bass turned into a complete toilet as you can see in my avatar!! It played so badly it went straight to ebay without spraying!![/quote] Patios looking nice Dave....

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='94240' date='Nov 25 2007, 07:01 PM']I kind of liked the idea of a seperate section or ERB players, I didn't notice that thread until earlier today, its been locked I see. I have to say that this site does seem to be very old fashioned, it's not very friendly, and "look I'm having a bass built by John Shuker", probably why I don't come on here very often nowadays.[/quote] hmmm Best put suggestions about change to the board,they like it done via them...

Thankyou for the kind words again everyone. Some 9 news first,we are (ok...Jim is)redesigning the tailpiece section,nothing too radical,but a different design,we both knew this would take some tweeking,and this is the first of ,probably, a few adjustments and modifications. I broke my first string the other day,and Im waiting for a new set of strings to come from the states....I need spares anyway,it was nice to break my Paypal cherry on such a thing. Im taking the Bass to Gator cases in Dewsbury,to have a custom flightcase made,full ATA spec,its deserves it....it wont fit into a standard sized gigbag either (any suggestions of anyone making BIG soft cases,I would love to just sling this thing on my back. We are also waiting for the 3 bnd eq from the USA,but I saw a flying pig the other day....and Hell froze over......so.... It also picked up its first 'ding' on the kitchen sinks corner as I wandered about the house playing it,Im not crying,it adds another stamp upon it soul. Recordings? I never perform for anyone,on anything,unless I can assure myself I can play it fully,and well...so unless you use skype,Im not recording or filming this for anyone yet,as said before,about Feb/March time...maybe. If things go well for me before Xmas maybe sooner,if not,in an ARGHesque kind of way..tough. Wait like your mother had too. Tapping,yes it does,very nicely,but Its chordial tones are more to my interest. 3 octaves of purpleheart offer so much. Metaltime where did you play the 7 and who made it?...Perhaps more important still,whos was it?

[quote name='OldGit' post='94105' date='Nov 25 2007, 12:56 PM']Wow Morphine! Bass, Baritone sax and Drums .. excellent! Thanks ARGH, there's a few CDs for the Christmas list[/quote] 2 string bass played with a glass slide. (RIP Mark Sandman) I think the lp "Sharks patrol these waters" is the one you want,Very very cool I remember them doing a session on Mark and Lards show,late night when I was in School....they were gods!

[quote name='dood' post='94119' date='Nov 25 2007, 01:43 PM']Wow! That gal deserves a medal for being able to carry on after that episode! *amazed* - Actually, speaking of 'the bug going round' - yeah, I have just had it too. Some of my friends have reported the same symptoms.. Seems to come on really quickly.. infact so fast I thought I have food poisoning after chowing down on a chinese earlier that evening. In the space of time it took me to get in my car and head oup the A11 it was full on chunder time. I apologise to those who tried to park in any of the layby's up the A11. I'm sorry that you had to swim for the curb. By the time I got home I have to say I was in no state to do anything... I'll spare you any more details.. not pretty - and thats how I stayed for 4 days! - Bizarrely, as I started to get over that I got a really bad cough that I am still trying to shift now! OOOF!!![/quote] YEAH thats the bug alright.... I just lost weight,didnt eat,and just had uber stomach pain for 4 or so days,next door was hurling everywhere,It went southward with me. I thought it was poisoning too

[quote name='paul, the' post='94084' date='Nov 25 2007, 12:03 PM']I wish someone would call me an elderly man. I think I spoke in 'txt speak' right up until about fifteen because of Messenger. A good Literature teacher will straighten anyone out.[/quote] I got that "Your old" look from some teenager the other day.

Hey Pimp... We are sorry if you think we are having a pop at you,but we just dont 'do' txtspk here. Sorry,if it frustrates you to use vowels in words. its just kinda how things are done here... Glad you play Bass,its a world of knowledge and ignorance,with a good slice of information,on here,but you can have fun and make friends. we are all here to help.

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='93965' date='Nov 24 2007, 10:04 PM']Is that a sentence?[/quote] Yes it is,its just a tad odd to read,or make sense.

Is THIS Bassplaying? [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uOs_kG8a5Eo"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uOs_kG8a5Eo[/url] Any less so than this [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BLm8Hx8jiW4"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BLm8Hx8jiW4[/url] or this? [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=js93qxDlIzg"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=js93qxDlIzg[/url] or maybe?? [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fXnGxASoXn0"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fXnGxASoXn0[/url] The answer is plainly..NO,its four different musicians,playing what they want to do,wether its with a band,on their own,or...well...anything. (RIP Sandman)

Well then we cant help it if you are to stupid to see beyond that,If a trick shapes your opinion upon or of an instrument then thats such a shame that you are too closed minded to be beyond that. Ive seen similer 'trick' music played on 4 strings,on 5s,but its accepted because those instruments are common to the eye and easily seen day in/out by the musician ...and lets face it,to see an ERB IS quite eyecatching or at least grabbing the attention of the self,by its sheer physicality...Im experiencing it now,thats why Im not taking it out ..AT ALL at the moment....because its not a 'novelty' or an oddity to cause uproar or question...its an instrument made to be played and mastered. So Jean Baudin playing 'The Mario' theme tune,isnt a novelty..insomuch as Stu Hamm playing 'Moonlight Sonata' or Stuart Clayton doing 'Shape of my heart',its a novelty to anyone to have a Bass solo,on a gig,or in a song as much as it was to have the 'My Generation' break in the 60s. But times,as Ive said have moved on.....in an age where as the 30 or so years have past since the 'Stick' turned up as a "Novelty" act (An argueably LESS versatile instrument than the ERB) in the hands of the few. Difference is ONE company make 'The Stick',Its their trademark and apart from the Warr,and a few choice others,no-one I can think of actually makes anything similer or bothers to,possibly because of copyright infringments ,or maybe Emmett and Mark Warr just hit the nail on the head perfectly!?!? ANYONE can make an ERB (In fact things got better when the Novax patent ended) so all sorts of fun and wild design ideas are going to appear in the coming years,we even have a standard or possible benchmark in Bill Conklin's company...his 'no problem' building ethic is an inspiration for everyone. Was the Stick not as gimmicky upon the eye and mind,in its infancy? If Stanley Clarke or Victor Bailey or Jeff Berlin ,or Jaco played an ERB,your opinion would cease to exist,but the point is ..THEY DONT,and they are part of the past,there cutting edge days are gone,along with the music they made,its still there inspiring people as CD reissues,but its not the edge anymore. The music exists,you just dont want to hear it,or...and this is the bottom line ......accept it.

Yeah fella,its been going around ..round the north,I had to sit all through the last set of last weeks gig,coz any sudden movements and...well...I'd only packed one pair of pants for that evening and soundly sh*t myself earlier that day....so I was prepared as mother had told me many many years before. I feel asleep in the WMCs loos for half hour. AN aquaintence once recounted how he hurled all over the drum riser in the Astoria without missing a beat,but the drummer couldnt use his floor toms for 2 - songs whilst roadies cleared the offence up.... Ive passed out onstage and had to be carried off through exaustion,but that was in my college days (quite nice being woken up by the scantily clad go go dancers in underwear,taking care of me...) at the VERY shows end.

Are we still here? IS this subject not dead yet? Can one of these ERB dismissers please show the rest of us,why they have a problem? In clear,definable detail.... SO we,the open eared and minded, can spend the next few days ripping the pi55 out of them.... please. (Self edited..the swearbox pansything was not switched on)

Elites...on 4 and 5s Now Conklin Snakeskins....Might change to Power SITS,in the future..for the 9.

Fred Bolton has such amazing creations...

Hey Hogman..I know of you..are you based about Cleveland way?

[quote name='Doc B' post='92300' date='Nov 21 2007, 07:16 PM']Do any of you use those low F#s etc for more dance oriented music like hip-hop or even industrial rock (like NIN etc)?[/quote] I cant talk for Dood,Hes far far far more advanced upon the instrument than me A D 'n' B guy in Surreys been hassleing a mate of mine for me to do something with him ever since he heard I was going to have such a low register instrument,as has a friend that is a one man Industrial project,and wants me to contribute something,but Ive got to get around the instrument really 1st...its coming.