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skillbass
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Maybe the Lotto comment refers to 'making it' as a well known, respected 'first-call' session bassist such as Guy Pratt, Nathan East etc.

There are many jobbing players out there doing the things you mention. Myself, I do sessions, tours, cruises, theatre shows AND teaching both individuals and groups. I'll never be rich but I couldn't imagine being an office monkey now.

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[quote name='alexclaber' post='522498' date='Jun 24 2009, 12:19 PM']I've always had delusions of grandeur which my wife now keeps in check...[/quote]
Ah, we work the other way round in the BottomEndian household. Mrs BE thinks I'm Michael Manring, Jimi Hendrix, Terry Bozzio, Stephane Grappelli, Daniel Barenboim, John Martyn and Luciano Pavarotti rolled into one.

She is so wrong it's not even funny. :) This is more like it:

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[quote name='woodster' post='522509' date='Jun 24 2009, 12:30 PM']Maybe the Lotto comment refers to 'making it' as a well known, respected 'first-call' session bassist such as Guy Pratt, Nathan East etc.[/quote]


Thats why i said ..
'Also what a person defines as pro Muso'

Booze and bugger made me snigger. :)
After seeing what some people get up to on Cruise ships... :rolleyes:

Garry

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[quote name='alexclaber' post='522512' date='Jun 24 2009, 12:34 PM']I'd have thought the lottery comment is more relevant to the chance of becoming a rockstar. I can't see why with talent and hard work you couldn't make a career as a pro musician.

Alex[/quote]

Yeah, I was thinking of a life of excess in a large band. Sorry if I offended anyone.

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[quote name='liamcapleton' post='522260' date='Jun 24 2009, 02:45 AM']It's nice to know that more experienced and older players like yourself would disparage such a younger player in such a fashion... you should probably think a bit more before posting comments as above. Whatever you do, don't ever become a bass teacher, it would be a terrible vocation for someone with the degree of patience you've just displayed.




Look mate, ignore the guys making daft comments. You've joined a board where the kind of posts you've made are likely to cause a bit of trouble, so be a bit weary of that. I have no idea of what kind of skill you're at currently, but the stuff you've said so far suggests to me that you're still a bit younger and still learning. All things take time, and becoming a good bass player is no exception. You should challenge yourself, but don't punch above your weight (that is to say don't try tunes too hard for you!). Amongst some of the stupider posts in this thread is some really good advice, it's a shame the mods can't delete the stuff that isn't useful... but here's some stuff I'd advise looking at.

1. Scales, major, minor, modal, arpeggios, broken chords, everything. They don't have to be boring either, sit in front of the tv and practice practice practice. Get yourself a good theory book, and get practicing! They will get your ear together massively, that is to say you'll pick things up by ear a lot quicker.

2. iPod on >> shuffle >> play along. Everyone has random and embarrassing music they don't want other people to hear on their MP3 player, but if you can play what you can hear then you will be popular amongst jam bands and alike, and this is a good way of making a cheap penny when you get a bit older!

3. Get hold of cello, double bass and even tuba books and get reading! Anything with a bass clef that you can read will get you work. This shouldn't just apply to bass clef either, treble, alto, tenor, EVERYTHING, just be a monster and turn up to reading gigs completely prepared for every eventuality.

4. Just play for fun... something I'm sure you'll do already but do it all the time. Got spare time to be playing you're PS3? You could be just as easily playng your bass as well. Make sure it's all in good balance!


Take care, Liam[/quote]

Cheers Liam, some good advice tnx. I admit i am not great at scales, and that stuff eventhough my dad sais its inportant. I will try and do more, like you say with doing other stuff too. I mainly play along to songs I like. I like alot of pop stuff like the killers, amy winehouse, but I am begining to like jazz and soul more now after listening to more of my dads music he plays me.

Illtry and add a song me and my dad did the other day so you can see how good I am.

Zak

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[quote name='skillbass' post='522839' date='Jun 24 2009, 07:03 PM']Here is a song me and my dad did. He said I was a bit out of time but hopefully you can comment on what u guyz think!!

Cheers
Z


[attachment=27673:meandzak.mp3][/quote]
I'd invest in a metronome if i were you.

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Your Dad's a good drummer! You're not doing bad at all but you actually sound better at the end when he drops out because the rest of the time you're not playing in the groove with him. Sounds like you're hitting that bass v hard too! Spend some time working on really simple stuff like playing 8th note roots whilst your Dad grooves on the drums. Work on feeling the beat so you play those notes dead on time, not early or late. Keep at it!

Alex

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[quote name='rslaing' post='522506' date='Jun 24 2009, 12:28 PM']Same here, and it has led to extensive psychiatric bills over the years :)[/quote]


Ha ha
Well my parents only saw me play bass once or twice ... They let me practice at home for 3 years, though. That counts as big support in my book...

Skillbass:
Your English is getting better. Thanks.


My advice would be to get lessons. Your tutor will help you identify the areas you need to work on and help you find ways to address those areas.
If you have had lessons and the tutor says he can't help you any further as you have exceeded his level of teaching look around for another tutor. There will be someone at a higher level around.
If there is not I'd recommend doing piano to grade 4 or 5. Understanding the chordal instruments and music to a reasonable grade will be invaluable in your bass playing career.

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[quote name='OldGit' post='522891' date='Jun 24 2009, 07:58 PM']If you have had lessons and the tutor says he can't help you any further as you have exceeded his level of teaching look around for another tutor. There will be someone at a higher level around.[/quote]

Yeah, my current teacher (who plays @ soul survivor - 12,000 people, week long event - yearly, and plays in lots of other stuff and practically every christian contemporary worship album there is) has now said that there's not a lot more that he can teach me. So I'm going to find another one, but we still meet up to jam along to some tunes! I'd highly reccommend getting into a band, though.

(shameless plug) - a recent recording of my current band - [url="http://www.myspace.com/bandhybridhybrid"]http://www.myspace.com/bandhybridhybrid[/url] (/shameless plug)


yeah, so get in one! They're the best way to learn, and develop your own style! I highly agree with the ipod --> shuffle thing. Even if a 1 star song comes on that makesyou crnge every time.... :/

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My Advice would be to slow down, learn simpler stuff but really learn it so you can play it well and in time, play along with a drum machine or you dad if he is a drummer.

Don’t concentrate on slap stick to fingers for a while learn how to use great note choices and effective moderate tempo grooves.

With slap you can go a long way with a few simple techniques, great for showing off in the music shop on Saturday afternoon but not much use when playing with other musicians.

Learn how to play walking bass it never looks flash but can take a life time to master.

Good Luck with what you do and remember one great note is worth a thousand bad ones.

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[quote name='skillbass' post='522792' date='Jun 24 2009, 06:08 PM']Cheers Liam, some good advice tnx. I admit i am not great at scales, and that stuff eventhough my dad sais its inportant. I will try and do more, like you say with doing other stuff too. I mainly play along to songs I like. I like alot of pop stuff like the killers, amy winehouse, but I am begining to like jazz and soul more now after listening to more of my dads music he plays me.

Illtry and add a song me and my dad did the other day so you can see how good I am.

Zak[/quote]

No problemo. You're playing sounds good, and you're not overplaying and overstepping. A nice way you can work on timing when playing slap is with a metronome, and obviously playing with good drummers like your dad.

Scales I know are a bore when you just start out with them but I actually find them incredibly fun after a while, and there is so much that can be done with them too. Stick at it!

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One thing to make sure you do skillbass is to really accent the 1st and 3rd notes of the groove, it's a simple formula but it really does change the feel of a bassline that is lacking into a bassline with a structure from which a whole song can be born.

The best piece of advice I can give about your recording is to slow down, I can hear you wanting to be clever with the timing (going for the off time etc...) and unfortunately you were out by quite a bit and as such sounded very loose. You really need to grasp basic drum rhythms and actually listen to what is going on. Some of the greatest funk lines are crafted around a rock solid drum beat, both feeding off each other and thus becomes the engine behind the song.

It wouldn't hurt to also refine your slap technique which does sound rather inconsistent throughout the recording, there are plenty of videos to look up but ultimately I learnt slap best by someone demonstrating it 2 feet away from me, whereas the videos have helped to show me what can be done with the technique when it is understood and practiced.

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[quote name='skillbass' post='523330' date='Jun 25 2009, 09:47 AM']Maybe buy a metronome..(although my dad hates them!)[/quote]

That's because he's a drummer, and drummers don't like playing to a metronome or click track, because it shows up the imperfections in their timing (not that they should be ashamed of small deviations in tempo). However, as a bass player, your job is to synchronise your timing [i]to perfection[/i] with the established beat, irrespective of whether it's being set by a drummist or a metronome.

S.P.

Edited by Stylon Pilson
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[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='523393' date='Jun 25 2009, 10:44 AM']That's because he's a drummer, and drummers don't like playing to a metronome or click track, because it shows up the imperfections in their timing (not that they should be ashamed of small deviations in tempo). However, as a bass player, your job is synchronise your timing [i]to perfection[/i] with the established beat, irrespective of whether it's being set by a drummist or a metronome.

S.P.[/quote]
+1

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[quote]Stay in school
Don't take drugs[/quote]

You tell me stay in school and stay away from drugs
But Daddy theres more drugs in school than I swear I've ever seen before

You tell me dont sleep with a girl until I fall in love
But Daddy when she took her clothes off I swear I was in love

10 points to whoever can name the band BEFORE following the link :)

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpoHwp2HVrU"]Answer here[/url]

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