BottomE

Wanted to say that i tried to upload a track to Soundcloud. It was an .mp3 that i had ripped from YouTube - so not great quality. I then EQd the original bass out as much as possible and played a bass track alongside using CUBASE Did a quick mix - exported as an .mp3 and tried to upload to Soundcloud. The upload completed and then there was a scary message, something like, "Soundcloud has detected that this track has copyright" - etc the upshot being that i couldn't upload it. This isn't a whinge as i understand why artists want to copyright stuff - but this is a 30 year old disco track that wasn't very popular when it was released. I have managed to upload (more popular) tracks in the past. Is this something new?

Make sure you have a replacement then trade it or sell it to fund your replacement. You might like the Ray in a few years - then again you might not. Better off getting something you want to play now and enjoying it. Something very sad about instruments sat in cases not being loved. FWIW your story is like mine with the Ray. Got my dream Ray (black and maple) last year and sold it within 6 months. Sounds fantastic on its own but didn't sit in the mix as well as my other basses. Ultimately its about how it sounds in a band situation. I swapped mine for a fretless jazz which i don't play

Getting past the presentation i found myself warming to him. Come on guys this was the 80s! I've already ripped a couple of his licks

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1327950064' post='1519359'] Highway One series are nitro, the bodies are a matte finish which some people don't like. However after playing a HW1 Strat for a few months it's started to shine up in places, you could probably polish them too but I haven't tried. It's a pretty thin finish apparently so you'd have to be careful not to go through. [/quote] Yep, my HW1 is nitro which ain't everyones cup of tea. Its grown on me though.

Just thought of some more: The one with the hat below And my fav was this lady who can still sing

I developed acute appendicitis during a gig and was rushed to hospital later that night. Gigwise, I made it through to the second set but was in so much pain that i had to get home. I told the band who could see i was in a bit of distress - someone suggested some paracetemol . The guys kindly loaded my cab into the back of my car but they didn't put it the right way round. On slamming the boot shut the back window shattered falling inside over the cab . I didn't care and drove home and then later to hospital to have the bugger whipped out.

If you can do Kool and the Gang then i raise you a Heatwave: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2_nfr8Xe3c&feature=related

Amazing bass line. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEtS2cRWjOk

Some great tracks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeeOPR8bxac

Great thread. What a time it must have been to be a bass player. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jMcA4MpSyk

[quote name='blackmn90' timestamp='1327743865' post='1516024'] on the subject of slap. Does anybody else find it really difficult to cut through the mix when slapping. Particually when there is 2 guitars playing [/quote] Marcus is a legend. Having been lucky enough to see him twice i would say that his tone is not like this video which i don't think is Marcus at anywhere near his best. The live bass sound is absolutely huge. On the mix question i know what you mean. Especially if you are only using your backline amp (no PA) and then go from fingerstyle into slap. The pops are nice and audible but the thumbing gets lost in the onstage sound. One little trick i use is to have the master volume on the bass at about 3/4 for fingerstyle and then when i get to a bit that has some slap i quickly push the volume up to max. I have tried to encourage the band to drop their attack just a tad to help - sometimes that works - sometimes they forget

Have they thought this through?

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1327597807' post='1514026'] You obviously didn't read my post. [/quote] oops sorry

Thats really, really nice. Never was a fan of white basses but i have to say that your bass looks flippin lovely. Post some pics of the chrome when you get it.

[quote name='mcgraham' timestamp='1327594399' post='1513959'] I'd love to help man but I couldn't give any useful advice with regards to connecting it up. I tried and failed with that approach so have opted for the standalone solution. [/quote] Thanks. I got it all connected at home. I tried bringing it to a rehearsal and there was a lot of crackling coming from the PA when i plugged the PC into it. The band quickly lost interest so i didn't attempt it again. At home it sounds great - ok my keyboard playing sux but the hugeness of the sound is impressive. I was more interested in asking about cheap but good snyth bass keyboards or modules to get started with. I don't really like lugging the laptop around.

There'll be a whole batch of us turning up at B&Q with our LM's tomorrow. What a great idea and thanks for posting. Hope the LMII fits.

[quote name='oldslapper' timestamp='1327593642' post='1513939'] Post #35 Mr. Bottom, post #35....we agree sir! [/quote] LOL - indeed we do. Must be the fresh Dorset country air...

Theres a great thread on TB that has been mentioned on here where a guy records a US Jazz vs a block of wood with strings on. Yes, literally a block of cheap wood - he sourced the cheapest wood that he could find. And guess what. Hardly anyone can tell them apart Well worth checking out. If it were me i'd spend money on a decent amp - some great books and a few lessons from a proper bass teacher. Thats how to sound and play better. There are some guys here that use £100 basses and sound great.

above was my 1000th post

I'd like to do some of this but no absolutely bugger all about it. I have Cubase and a Midi Keyboard. What is a good way to start?

My wife likes a decent chopper and my dog likes a nice chop both of which are not mutually exclusive. Me, i love a nice chop from a bassist (read any muso) if it is [b]context[/b]. I haven't seen this word used yet in this thread which surprises me a bit. Chops/licks are the easy part - its knowing when to play them in context that is the tricky part and is usually the result of experience. I wouldn't slag off any muso for having great chops - only if they were used clumsily and even then i would probably try to appreciate what they are trying to do.

I want to understand the original line and get beneath it. Only then can i have the freedom to embellish it. I have worked with many musos who are too lazy to learn the original line and use the "do my own take" to disguise their lack of ability/integrity.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1327516880' post='1512794'] This. Most people trying to learn tracks don't listen anywhere near close enough or for long enough to an original. When you listen at what I call the 'forensic level', nine times out of ten the bass player is playing something [i]different [/i]to what you thought[i]. [/i]Even on tracks you thought you knew. . [/quote] +1 You have to accept that people are all very different. Not everyone wants to put the work in. There's something satisfying when you can nail a line - especially a song that you've liked for a long time but never got around to learning.

Fascinating stuff.

To begin with I try and learn it as close as possible which may mean getting the dots, a (decent) tab or by ear. In the cover band we play funk and soul so why would you want to mess with great basslines? I am a bit anal like this to the point of having the track loop on an mp3 in the car so that its really stuck in my head etc There is a kind of evolution if you have been playing a track for a number of years - listening to the original after not hearing it for a couple of years can be quite a surprise as subconciously you have added stuff or taken certain things away. Some lines get a workover and some nights for the sake of sanity i might throw some licks in based around the theory i am working with at the time but only if appropriate. My overall view i guess is that punters want to hear something they can recognise so with that in mind i do respect the original line a lot - even if its boring as hell.