jakenewmanbass

[quote name='steve-norris' post='253722' date='Aug 3 2008, 01:51 PM']Another question, what do people think of using markers? I'm not thinking of marking every note but just the positions, good idea ?[/quote] My view is they are a terrible idea, the angle of incidence makes a firm viewing point only relative, so a slight movement of the head (which is a necessary action when reaching the full range of the bass) renders the relative position of the markers completely different for every degree of movement. So it's like quicksand. More importantly than the visual difficulties, they encourage a visual reference when what is needed is an aural reference, learn to play in tune with your ears not your eyes.

Looks like it's had the classic 'amp lean' fall to me. I wouldn't touch it without having it looked at by a specialist woodworker to check how sound the repair is.

+1 to Marc Johnson (also listen to him) some lovely ideas in there Also Jazz piano by Mark Levine, superb analysis of how improvisational devices work relative to the harmony with which they can be used.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='258555' date='Aug 8 2008, 10:22 PM']I thought "The Wirral" was distinct from Liverpool and "scally" free.......?[/quote] Er no lived in Birkenhead as well Fair share o' scallies

[quote name='steve-soar' post='258474' date='Aug 8 2008, 08:27 PM']I see you use the word Liverpool as a way to bond all of us doleite, smackheads together. [/quote] Yeah and I notice he has London in his Avatar, wonder if there's any theft at all in London I used to live in Liverpool and it ain't any worse than many major cities.

Bill Evans.

[quote name='aceuggy' post='258317' date='Aug 8 2008, 04:59 PM']You can forget the Allegro and the go faster stripes, but I'll take woman off the bonnet for you. [/quote] Given that pic was prob taken in 1975 you can have her mate!!

I think it's possible you aspire to something other than simply to complain. I'm guessing that what you would actually like is an educated public that enjoyed encouraged and supported more artisitic endeavours. These societies are out there in some measure, eg. I have friends who have moved to Norway where all things Norwegian and Jazz are supported and championed by the public in much greater measure than here. It's arguable that there are other elements of those societies that you would find less favourable to live with.

I am undoubtedly turned off by perfection without an equal dollop of musicality in the mix. It's very rare to find both qualities in a player. If we are talking bass there are a handful of guys through history that make it for me. In the wider world of music there are some notable examples especially in the classical world as despite the fact that they are regurgitating others creative output there is a massive emphasis on expression beyond technique in classical performance. In Jazz the guys that really do it for me are the ones that have technical facility that make their musical thoughts appear effortless, instant access to their musical soul. Wayne Shorter, Jaco (although I think he overdid it sometimes) Bill Evans, Miles, Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, Kenny Wheeler, Louis Armstrong, Cannonball Adderly are just some of the guys that I listen to and hear what they are [i]saying[/i] rather than [i]what it is[/i] they are playing.

Carlosfandango has a Berks based function band called Supafly that could well fit the bill. The old stuff they do is good stuff and they have quite a few new things in the book too Kaiser Chiefs etc. Really good band too, I know because I have depped for Carl a few times. Jake

Diminished scales are either whole tone half tone or half tone whole tone. Both work equally well and are also suitable for use with altered dominants as they contain flat and sharp 5ths & 9ths, sharp 4ths and flat 13ths The diminished sound is most useful as a modulatory tool as the harmonic qualities it displays relate to four keys at once. To answer the OP I think dlloyds' explanation is probably the easiest to understand as it introduces new information by step. Bitesize as it were. I personally teach the concept as a whole sound of one key and keep the boundaries (start and finish points) quite fluid allowing musical ideas to be a guiding principal, although this method really requires guidance from a tutor.

Never done an audition in my life.

I've gigged since I was 12 (28yrs yipes!!!) I have developed an adjustable wake up time and/or can survive with very little sleep and then catch up with naps. I think it's largely through lack of or poor sleep, due to adrenaline/buzzing from exertion. Hard if you do a day job, I don't, but like Garry the kids often get me up at stupid o'clock. If I stay in bed past nine I start to feel groggy anyway.

In the event of a string going I would be able to adjust my parts on the hoof which is quite a valuable thing to be able to do. I would imagine most jazzers/pros could do the same as we see possibilities rather than set parts. I could play an entire gig on two strings at a push not ideal, but it makes me confident when I've got five of the buggers. Edit: by parts I mean what notes I play (read it back and it sounded ambiguous)

[quote name='chrkelly' post='255118' date='Aug 5 2008, 10:00 AM']Same here, just take my trusty p bass and if anything goes wrong, fix it on the gig. That's half the fun. I had my E string snap on my double bass once, had to play the entire second half on one string cause the tuning was so f****d. I do always carry spare strings and a spare bow to gigs though.[/quote] I had an E string go on a borrowed upright in the Overture to a theatre show once, it was extremely good practice for octave transposition and on the spot making the parts up as you go along.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='255114' date='Aug 5 2008, 09:57 AM']I hope that's true! The pup in one of my PBasses went once, in the middle of a gig. It just... died. A rewind job. It could have been a disaster (it was a big gig), but I had a spare. Result![/quote] OUCH!! except NOT as you say, result! I once got to a gig on the Isle of Wight, opened the back of the van, where my crappy upright lives and the neck was off, joint all caved in. You can't really carry a spare upright bass sensibly so frantic calls were made to music shops, we found a guy 1/4 mile away with an EUB, he very graciously lent it to me. The Moral You're never more than 1/4 mile away from a bass

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='255095' date='Aug 5 2008, 09:39 AM']All you folks who don't take a 2nd bass because it's a hassle... one day, you'll regret that decision. I did. Just sayin'.[/quote] Not quite sure thats necessarily going to come true for all WOT, but I understand once bitten twice shy. I have never taken a spare as such, but I have taken different instruments for different jobs/sounds, especially recording.

[quote name='Wooks' post='254731' date='Aug 4 2008, 05:56 PM']My tutor keeps saying to me "if you can sing it, you should be able to play it"....[/quote] +1

[quote name='Wooks' post='254555' date='Aug 4 2008, 03:54 PM']But I'm a bit stumped when it comes to the rhythm and timings! Anybody got any words of wisdom on this one?[/quote] It depends on what you're trying to learn. When it comes to improvising the most common usage is in jazz, so learning the rhythmic vocabulary of jazz will get you a long way. For rhythm and phrasing you could do a lot worse than to listen to the horn parts in big band music, they are packed with typical phrases and standard rhythmic vocabulary.

[quote name='dlloyd' post='254644' date='Aug 4 2008, 04:35 PM']That's nice to know. The basses I was looking at were the Stentor 1950, which has a solid top for £525 and the 1438, which is all solid for £875.[/quote] FWIW I think spending the extra for solid in this price bracket would not offer the return in improved quality. If you buy one of these I think you'll find the £525 solid top as good enough. Best of luck with it and I look forward to being able to offer some tips and advice when your fingers feel like they are about to drop off

[quote name='dlloyd' post='254248' date='Aug 4 2008, 11:19 AM']Found it in the classifieds... certainly tempting, but I wouldn't be able to get to Manchester to pick it up and I don't like the idea of posting a double bass. Any of these look like a good deal? [url="http://www.mevtaylors.co.uk/strings.htm"]http://www.mevtaylors.co.uk/strings.htm[/url] (down at the bottom of the page)[/quote] In one of my regular gigs I use an Antoni that lives in the van, saving me dragging my nice basses around the country and playing them outside in blazing sunshine. It produces a decent sound and has been solid performing for about 18 months now. The build quality is a little poor but it has stood up to some pretty rigourous demands. Decent to start on but for me £500 quid is a lot to spend to realise you then want something better. Which if you get serious you will. But then £3000 is a lot to spend to realise you don't get on with it. It's a tough call. If you have the money I would spend more as you will get it back from an expensive instrument but not a cheap one. So to answer the question: they are a good deal up to a point and are relatively decently made for the price.

[quote name='slobluesine' post='254186' date='Aug 4 2008, 10:12 AM']i saw these on Ebay... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180268499381"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180268499381[/url] they do a solid DB for £1200 and cheaper ones for £500, anyone have any experience with this lot? solid DB's look good!![/quote] An ex student of mine had one, I played it very briefly. It was quiet with little discernible tone production and I think eventually, irrepairably broke. It did however have a very solid amplified sound. Edit: his was not the solid.