arthurhenry

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1473018922' post='3126161'] That was my initial thought as well, but thinking about it I'm now less sure. The long history of music is one of live performance. You had to play yourself or listen to others play live because there was no such thing as recording. This also meant that music was quite exclusive. Today, only around 100 years since recording became possible, the vast majority of the music we hear is recorded and it is completely ubiquitous rather than exclusive. Indeed, with today's ticket prices for main acts, it is live music that is becoming exclusive while recorded music is all around and largely free. Personally, I'd think it a tragedy for live music to almost disappear, but I'm not sure I'd bet against it [/quote] As long as people play instruments, there will be live music.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1473007009' post='3125984'] you arrived a few hours early and had hung girls out in the area wearing T-shirts and giving out flyers for the gig. [/quote] ??? Girls wearing T-shirts? Hanging? That would certainly create a spectacle.

Interesting to note that Steve plays with a very light touch, which he has described as "Tickling" the strings. With this approach, not as much stamina is required.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1470603014' post='3107079'] I'm amazed that anyone can think the YYZ track above isn't Geddy. The distortion is the same, the little pops and crunches are the same, the tonal/volume differences on the solo drop-ins are the same... What more can I say? There are some copies on Youtube masquerading as the real thing but they are instantly noticeable, no matter how clever. I'm not sure which section you are referring to as different but I know some of the Rock Band tracks use slightly different takes to the ones released. [/quote] There are several differences on the YYZ track. It's certainly not the Moving Pictures recording.

If it's possible without spoiling the song/rhythm, try filling in the gaps in the bass part - I actually find it easier to sing over a busy part.

[quote name='Josh' timestamp='1468197919' post='3089205'] Danny Growl. From what I've seen from his videos over the years, he goes as far as to get everything in Sheehan's backline at one point. That's a lot of time and money spent to ultimately sound and play like someone else IMHO. [/quote] Agreed. Growl has even done clinics for Yamaha in Spain, promoting Sheehan's basses. Threre's a guy named Fede Fernandes in Italy too.

[quote name='Smythe' timestamp='1468137366' post='3088733'] It's mind boggling stuff that Billy Sheehan does. But I've never found it pleasing on the ear. Just a showcase of technical playing. [/quote] But ignoring the "mind boggling" stuff, what do you think of his bass playing and why pay more attention to the fancy stuff when almost all of his output is song based bass playing?

[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1468014181' post='3088169'] I love Billy's playing, and I don't care for the gymnastics - the speedy soloing. I love what Billy does with a bassline, likr on The Whole World's Gonna Know, for example. The lines and fills are epic, so musical, and some people still automatically pigeonhole him as a widdler. The widdlyness leaves me cold, tbh. [/quote] Entirely correct.

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1468011409' post='3088128'] I admire him for what he does but its not a usable sound or style for most bands. Dave [/quote] He has recorded hundreds of songs in dozens of bands and played over 4000 gigs. His style is rock bass playing which suits the songs he plays. Some people only watch his solos on youtube. Listen to any of the songs he recorded with DLR, or Mr. Big and see if you can hear a style which is "not usable". It's the same stuff that most of us play 90% of the time!

If there are Sheehan clones who have only picked up "shred" elements of Billy's style (a small part of what he does), it's no wonder we haven't heard of them. Sheehan spent many years and literally thousands of gigs playing covers to make people dance and drink in clubs. He focussed on the stuff a bass player needs to do to make that happen. It's a shame that some people ignore this.

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1468010266' post='3088116'] Boring! That's another reason no one's copied him. And as for NV10538... what a racket!? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater... I've encountered him at trade shows too and found him to be very personable. Also I have the Niacin album and like it a lot!! Including his take on 'Birdland'. I'm just trying to answer the OP question. [/quote] There are no Billy Sheehan clones because Billy's playing is boring. Thanks for your definitive answer.

Billy is a rock band bass player - he locks in with the bass drum, plays parts which serve the song and sings. That's 95% or more of what he does. Surely there are lots of bass players who do this and who have been influenced by Sheehan's particular way of doing it. This is certainly the part of his playing which has been the biggest influence on me after 30 years of following him.

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1468000018' post='3088007'] I'll go with it's because he never had a hit or anthem, What's his 'Eruption', 'Jump' or 'Beat It'? Can you whistle a single BS lick or line? [/quote] His "Eruption" is a solo called NV43345 - The title is Sheehan upside down and backwards. Every bass player should have heard this.

Just "keeping in shape" is important if you're in a working band, in my view. How good will a band be if the drummer never plays drums apart form at gigs and rehearsals and the guitarist only picks the guitar up on a Saturday morning? How would the bass player feel about this if she or he plays bass everyday in order to maintain fluidity and consistency? Perhaps they should be paid more....(!)

Do you play bass everyday and do you consider daily practise to be a basic expectation of someone who is serious about, or just enjoys, playing music? I always feel uneasy when I turn up to a gig or rehearsal and a band mate admits that they haven't played for a few days, or even since the last time we met. Is there a general disparity between the amount of practise each player does in a typical band? In my experience, there is.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1467311166' post='3082778'] I'm a bass player in a bar band and play at that level. I have some nights where I feel like I should be playing at the national headliner level and some nights where I think I should pack it up. Blue [/quote] This sums up my career!

"You're a great guitarist."

B string? 0"

[quote name='Grahambythesea' timestamp='1464346402' post='3058640'] The slab body with a humbucker has always struck me as odd. The pickup seems to me to be a copy of the monster Gibson bass humbucker as on the EB2/Rivoli and the EB0/3. They were muddy and boomy too. The slab body must be uncomfortable for long gigs, which is why Leo came up with contouring . If you want to hear a tele bass played well and imaginatively listen to Rick Kemp in Steeleye Span. He used one for years in the late 70s/80s mainly played with a pick, although latterly he did add 2 standard Precision pick ups which looked kind of strange and resulted in an awful lot of knobs. [/quote] The pickup was designed by Seth Lover, who did the Gibson Humbuckers. As I explained in post above they are NOT muddy. I have never found the slab body uncomfortable; in fact I now find it uncomfortable playing contoured bodies, due to the lack of support to my forearm.

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1466890034' post='3079626'] Schoolboy error if your talking about Muse To be honest, more and more bands are using PCs these days as part of their setup. Its just part of the modern game now, it seems that bands want their live shows to sound more and more like the records. [/quote] "You're", not "your". I'd have let it go if you hadn't mentioned schoolboy error.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1465852804' post='3071660'] You don't tour much, do you? :-) [/quote] I have done and have carried a bass in a hard case and another in a gig bag around with me all day. Inconvenient (and painful!), but worth it to know they are safe.

I'm thinking particularly of instruments to which people have an emotional attachment, or for which they have a particular fondness. Irreplaceable items which an insurance pay out just wouldn't make up for.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1465852380' post='3071649'] Fair enough it you leave home at 6pm to travel to a gig, and then head home afterwards. If you're away for a number of days it's not practical to be tied to the car 24/7. [/quote] Keep the bass with you, leave it with someone you trust or in the place you are staying, not in an unattended vehicle.

It seems that convenience sometimes overcomes common sense, perhaps because, as was stated above, people just don't think it will happen to them.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1465851758' post='3071642'] Sometimes it's unavoidable. Be sensible, keep it out of view, and make sure you have proper insurance. [/quote] In what circumstances would it be unavoidable? Band members or friends can take turns to stay with a vehicle, or help to carry instruments.