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[quote name='Dom in Somerset' timestamp='1326370821' post='1496112'] We were tidying up recording for my band's demo last night and it occurred to me that I used three basses on four tracks. Fretless (active 5 string), fretted Jazz and the fretted side of my twin neck (it has my preferred slap tone, I only play anything resembling slap on one number) These days I tend to just take the Jazz out to gigs unless we have a good long unhurried set with a good sound man. Is this unusual? [/quote] Its not unusual la la la la la la la. Couldn't resist it. I mainly gig one bass at the moment despite having a few to choose from. Really down to being lazy.

I am very happy with 4's but its a very personal choice. I play stuff that is in Eb and D too and its not a problem - never had anyone say after a gig that it needed a 5'r. I understand that there will be less hand movement on a 5 and for probably 2 songs out of 30 it really helped. It wasn't worth the discomfort though. For me its about playing an instrument that you feel a connection with and i never felt like any of the 5's i had were "proper" basses (Lakland and Fender). They felt/feel a bit freaky and look ugly with that big plank of a neck. Each to their own.

Remove most of his drums and go back to basics. Snare, hi-hat, bass drum and couple of cymbals - its all you need to lay a groove. I think a click will only train him/her to play with a click. Also get him/her off the drums and just do some clapping to slow stuff. Really helps to develop a sense of timing.

Thanks Garry

I need chords to write songs so very rarely write on the bass. I like to use keyboards for writing to get all the nice extensions to the chords. No idea what i am doing on keyboards but just find some chords that sound nice and start there.

I think this is what keeps us going. Turned up for a corporate do at an extremely posh restaurant. 150 people. We got in early to setup and there was no space, they were't ready and we had to bugger off again. By this time we are all wondering why we do this but it was very good money (£250 per head) for 2 x 1 hour sets so we went for a Pizza and to cool down. The gig was an absolute barnstormer with some lovely young fillys dancing right in front of me all night and the crowd was really up for it. Most un-corporate. This is what keeps me going. The unexpected (and the cash).

A cure for GAS

Fun to play but sorry i have no tabs. Watch out for how there are two alternating chord patterns that are used on the chorus. If you can get the rest of the band grooving on this (not too fast as it ruins it) its a lot of fun.

Maybe get a different Basschatter from each region where a gig is scheduled? How cool would that be to do 15 dates with 15 different bass players! Kind of Spinal Tap! That way you don't have to learn all the tunes and you get to meet a load of nice guys, talk bass and stuff. Crazy idea. (gets coat)

I have a Badass on a US Jazz which is great in terms of adjustment parameters etc but does nothing tonally that i can detect. Why do you want to change it? Are you experiencing any issues?

Jeez that is depressingly accurate

I'd say in this percentage: 1 - 10% 2 - 50% 3 - 10% 4- get some cash that pays for GAS, drinks, petrol and other nefarious money sucking things - 30% Depends on the gig and how much money we are getting though. Not too worried about the friendship thing - yeah its good to like your band mates but not essential. I enjoy people having a dance and a good time which leads to more bookings so that is primary. Not too concerned abuot showing my licks and new skills in the context of a paid covers gig. Not interested at all actually but prefer to provide the foundation and groove. Jam nights are when i like to show off - hopefully to other musos who might appreciate what it is you are doing or trying to do.

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1325702091' post='1486386'] Thanks for the help chaps. Wanted a piano part as I love the feel it gives to the song but I think it'll be a case of a slight re-jig to make it work without one. We don't do backing tracks to this point but was just thinking it may help fill out nicely as we only have 1 guitarist. [/quote] I can't ever remember hearing keys in the song and i must have heard it a million times. All your audience will want to do is sing along to the chorus so i think you chose the right option. Its sometimes offputting when you do a track and think that there is something missing but in 25 odd years of playing covers nobody from the audience has ever made a comment about missing instruments and over the years i have played some very big arrangements with very limited lineups. If you don't like the feel of it choose another song. Advantage of a cover band is that you have millions of songs to ruin

PILATES has worked miracles for me. Once a week and some time in between on a couple of key exercises and all my previous back problems have dissapeared.

The connection between the drummer and bassist is a vital link in the band. Busy drummers are for most music a waste of space and cause all kinds of havoc. I like drummers to be consistent. Play the same tune the same way so that a groove can develop. I can't get on with the type that seem to play a different pattern each 4 bars. The thing is that when you listen to recordings there are hardly ever big cymbal crashes and rolls around the kit. Why then do some drummers feel like they need to do this at each opportunity. Our drummer is a rock drummer playing funk. It took about a year of nagging to get him to work on the hi-hat, for me, the key to most good grooves. Hes great now but still comes from the rock angle. When we get a dep who comes from the funk it does add something to the band.

Not the biggest Level 42 fan though as in the OP I think the first album is a classic. Mark King is a great player in the style that he applies himself. There is some great YouTube stuff of him with his own band that grooves and where he demonstrates that hes a pretty complete finger style player too. He seems quite humble when being interviewed and comes across as a decent bloke. +1 to Mr King

I got it too! Thanks for the heads up i can't wait to read it.

Like most i think its just been a trial and error thing over 25 years. I have had basses that sound amazing at home only to dissapoint in a band situation. I have also had amps that colour the sound of the bass in a bad way. There have been basses that have played great but haven't been versatile etc the story goes on. If you can just keep trying stuff till you find a combination that works for you.

It makes no difference what it says on the headstock to me but it might to others. What really matters though is what you and your band think. I sometimes watch a guy with a £100 Jazz copy that sounds fantastic.

Thats very cool. Never heard of them but i am instantly a fan. I like the bass solo as i didn't see it coming and it don't last too long. Very melodic.

"Howdy" est comme "Salut". Bonjour mon ami. I lived in Paris and Pau (64). J' adore la Republique. Je connais bien la Gare de Toulouse. A+

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1324400589' post='1473867'] Those words to the Vauxhall chevette song disturbingly scan fairly well to the tune of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town... [/quote] Now theres a car

I was getting more and more miserable as this went on then BANG! Result. Great news.

ouch. Best you can say is that its all part of the "experience"

Yep, done the exotics, actives, 5 strings etc etc The Jazz bass is the one that gets the call. Its just works. Always sits in the mix beautifully, back PuP for a (tiny) bit of soloing. Job done. (Also a recent P Bass convert too )