Skol303

Alright y'all... Charic is currently waiting for any final entries for August before drawing a line under what became the 'K2 mountain climb' of the composition competition (Douglas, Garry and I made it to the summit; we had to eat Bilbo along the way...). So, if you're working on finishing something then pipe up and let us know. Otherwise it's history!

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1378243433' post='2197715']My September offering.[/quote] Bloomin' 'eck, you don't hang about do you!? Just had a listen to this on my phone. The cello sounds very realistic (especially the vibrato) and the composition fits the image nicely. Suitably sparse and solemn. I know nothing of Arabic scales, but this certainly has a Middle-Eastern feel to it. Well done Bilbo. First off the bat in the new season!

Not sure whether this belongs in Other Instruments, but heh, I'm feeling reckless... A few months ago I bought a cheap leccy guitar - this one: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/211966-just-bought-a-vintage-fake-for-l20 I've been noodling on it since, learning chords and so on. Thing is, when picking, I can't help playing it like it's a bass - thumb on pickup using the same fingerstyle I would normally, on y'know, a proper instrument It seems be working ok... but I was wondering whether this is a bad technique for guitar - and whether I should change it before it becomes difficult to un-learn? Anyone else here play guitar like it's a tiny, spindly-stringed bass??

Reaper is probably your best option for starters. It's a fully fledged DAW that's available as a free and unlimited trial version - or £60 if you want a commercial license. Here's the link: http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ Loads of good advice for getting started on the Reaper forum and also YouTube. Or you can ask here! I don't use Reaper myself (I use a software called Reason), but there are plenty of folks on here who do and will no doubt be happy to help

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1378125577' post='2195968']...or Ten Years After, or Chicago, or ...[/quote] Quick thinking there Douglas!

We have this discussion every year when the X-Factor lumbers (slithers?) onto our television screens... Thing is, it's just a Saturday night 'talent' show. Nothing more. There have been shows of this kind on our screens for decades. Fair enough it's ok to grumble about it. I'd say it's almost a tradition But it's a bit like reading Heat Magazine and then bemoaning its lack of coverage of bluegrass or avant-garde jazz. Quite simply, it's not a show aimed at discerning musicians. It's goal is to shovel populist karaoke down the lug'oles of people who enjoy singing along to daytime radio - and who enjoy the 'drama' of the process. It's nothing more than that. It certainly doesn't threaten good quality music. If anything, it shines a light on the throwaway, battery-farmed nature of the commercial music machine (which has operated in pretty much the exact same fashion since The Monkees and long before, albeit without the public audience in tow). Let 'em get on with it, I say. And in the immortal words of Why Don't You: "Just switch off your TV set and do something less boring instead".

Stunning photo. It's already sparking a bunch of ideas. I'm certainly up for the BC challenge again this year! Might struggle with September's due to work and other commitments - notably a new track that I'm working on with Mike (urb), which I need to give a good chunk of time to. But... I'll definitely be doing [i]something[/i] this month. Cheers everyone and here's to another year of blood, sweat and tears, etc.

[quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1377979608' post='2194404']The worst series ever. Absolutely vomit inducing. Television of the worst kind.[/quote] Indeed! Utter, putrid filth!! I just had to watch it in order to, err, confirm how putrid and filthy it is. Might do so again tonight. Just in case.

Love this... clever stuff. Check his website at [url="http://thru-you.com/#/intro/"]http://thru-you.com/#/intro/[/url] http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EsBfj6khrG4#t=34

Of the basses I own, the cheapest one (bought for the princely sum of £30) holds its tuning the best. Go figure.

I like single cuts! Well, not all of them... but as a concept it works for me. I can't quite put my finger on why; maybe something to do with them appearing 'sturdy'? Or maybe just because they're different. I like different

Interesting question! Coming at this from a bit of a tangent... I don't think the word 'pinnacle' ever really applies to the arts - be it music, painting, literature, poetry, whatever. It's such a subjective field that one person's 'pinnacle' may just as easily be another's 'mediocrity' or worse, as evidenced by this thread. Sure, there are only so many notes to be played on a bass, and only so many ways of playing them. And of course there are many different degrees of skill, with perhaps very little separating the raw ability of top players other than their own distinctive styles. But the term 'pinnacle' implies that we've reached some kind of maximum in terms of musicianship - as though everything has been done that can be done, in the best ways possible - and of course, again, it's impossible to get consensus on this because any art, by definition, is massively subjective. So yeah. I think it's possible to reach the pinnacle of one's [i]own[/i] ability; but I don't think it's possible to ever reach the pinnacle of bass playing or any other art as a whole - there are just too many variables involved for us to agree on what the 'pinnacle' actually is.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1377768032' post='2191458']It is the interaction that is impossible to replicate without the ability to play piano/sax/trumpet etc. MIDI just doesn't begin to cut it. A solo bass piece is always an option but the images have never suggested that to me.[/quote] Fair dinkum.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1377764670' post='2191397']It is always in the back of my mind but the problem is the 'composition' competition is as much about delivering a performance as it is a composition and, whilst I can play basic guitar and programme vsts etc, I can't replicate anything credible in the area of jazz so, most of the time, the double bass doesn't fit with the ideas I am working with. But, yes, it would be nice.[/quote] Good point. You'll certainly never get MIDI to 'swing' in the way a live band can. Well, not without hours/months of manually nudging MIDI notes, which would be painstakingly dull (with emphasis on the pain). Just an idea... but you might be able to find some usable recordings of live jazz drumming and other instrumentation; something you could improvise over on the upright. I know this would be a world away from your regular live gigs - there'd obviously be no scope for you to interact with other musicians, so it'd be a one-way street in that respect. But it'd be a lot better than MIDI and would at least add [i]some[/i] humanity to it. If I stumble across anything usable in my travels I'll drop you a PM.

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1377731271' post='2191242'] always expected , it was just the timing could have been better , what with the dog and the dinosaur and everything , still, the car passed the MOT , the wife got to see some shows , I sailed to the outer hebrides, the daughter made me queue for 2 hours to ride the smiler , I got pissed at the palace of westminster , I got the hedges cut , got singing lessons for Lurksalittle ( hopefully that one should eventually score some points on this topic ) just enough sunburn , a photo for the august comp, and got back to work to face the inevitable, now settled in again , should just about get the mix comp done ready to get some time in for septembers composition, start the prep for the 'studio refurb' ( redecorate the playroom ) .....and breathe , its been a good summer . Hope you get control of your workload Paul , good luck [/quote] Brilliant Sounds like you've had busy yet productive summer there Lurks! Good stuff. I can certainly sympathise with the sunburn... I have a pasty Celtic complexion that's best suited to darkly lit rooms. Says it all really. Cheers mate.

[quote name='Ghosts Over Japan' timestamp='1377725250' post='2191087']Nice one Skol303, Never would of expected one of Britneys tracks to have such a groovy bassline! [/quote] Aye! It's a funky little number and fun to play along with. Did I just admit to playing Britney songs? Oh well Don't get me wrong... most of Britney's stuff is pap... but she had a great team behind her on this one and it's always been a favourite of mine.

Just catching up with some listening tonight... This is very nice Bilbo. Am I right in thinking it's recorded at your Jazz East gig? Bloody great, whatever. Nice recording too - your bass is super warm; I actually think it sounds cool. Fantastic groove and musicianship all round. PS: IMHO, you need to get some of your upright playing incorporated into the monthly composition stuff! Love it.

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1377719675' post='2190912']Sorry guys , that was way too daunting for me , It takes me all month to get set to one picture for a 3minute knock up , this was well beyond my writing, playing, recording and video editing skills, and I was away from home for 2 weeks of the month aswell ...[/quote] "...and then the dog ate my homework, and a dinosaur ate the dog, and then aliens landed, which was unexpected, and..." Just teasing you mate. Totally understand! I only just managed to sneak mine in before the proverbial hit the fan at work, and that's now me swamped until mid-September.

Too many cool suggestions on here! If you want a nice bassline hidden somewhere truly unlikely, then this is a contender. I've admitted to liking this track before, and I stand by it Cheesy pop at it's very best. And a funky b-line to boot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZuxwVk7TU

[quote name='mtroun' timestamp='1377713527' post='2190770']No Dave Holland?[/quote] You beat me to it

Dave Holland springs to mind. Discovered him via Basschat... I probably have Bilbo to thank for that Great bassist.

No probs. If you need any pointers on using Photobucket then post here or drop me a PM

Better still, use a website like Photobucket to manage your images. It's dead easy. You upload a picture to Photobucket. You then simply copy a link and paste it into your Basschat thread using the insert image button. And bingo - your image appears in the thread. This takes the strain off the BC web server (which incidentally is why you have an upload limit) and you have something like a 2Gb limit on Photobucket, so doubtful you'll ever run out of space. Win-win!

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1377708866' post='2190685']@ Paul (Skol) and Dad, thanks for the kind words. I will have a listen to you both later tonight - I don't know about you two, but I found it hard work... [size=4]Only three takers at the moment ? [/size] [size=4]Charic certainly had everyone running for cover this month.[/size][/quote] No probs mate! I'm going to listen to yours on something more hefty than my mobile phone speaker this weekend. That said, my phone is always a brutally honest test of any mix and yours sounded good on it. Yeah, only three this month but no matter. "Mad dogs and Englishmen"; or something along those lines I definitely found it hard work - moreso than any other month to date. Still, it was fun. Ish!

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1377704085' post='2190589']i think.... as this is a new year... rather than the winner of this combination offer picking the next picture, you should pick one rick.[/quote] Good idea, Rob. But I think September's image has already been chosen by Garry, who won in July. Hence I think it's best to 'reset' the competition using Garry's choice - otherwise it's going to get confusing with the photos running out of sync