51m0n

Get yourself down to Bassdirect. Its a hike for you, but not any worse than it is for me I would think, I've been their a few times and everytime I've come away with a much lighter wallet - take that as a warning!

Look, like I said, if its working for you (be you a bedroom bassist or a legend), and your happy with it, and its not doing you any damage then its all good. But the least stress you can put your RH hand under is totally relaxed, and that is best achieved (IMHO & IME) with floating thumb resting on all the strings not being played, and moving up and down the strings as required. Everything else I've tried adds stress to the wrist, however little. I'm not religious about it, I still find myself anchoring more often than I'd like, but its something I'm aware of more than ever since having a really nasty RSI flare up a coupl eof years ago. If you like how your techique works for you, then stick with it, but if you ever get pain, or are struggling with muting strings on an ERB then the worst you can do is give floating thumb a try....

All of the Moog gear

[quote name='rmcki' timestamp='1348841172' post='1818996'] [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Roscoe_CS5J+.html"]http://www.bassdirec...scoe_CS5J+.html[/url] ooo... Nice bass! [/quote] Exactly.... It sounds as good as it looks, and it plays even better IME of Roscoes.... [quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1348842020' post='1819015'] I had a Roscoe Century Std for a while, bloody excellent bass. [/quote] +1 I've been entirely GAS free since I got mine (with the minor of exception of PantherAirSoft (Shep)'s utterly gorgeous Roscoe 6 string custom fretless Century Signature, which was an insanely good instrument....

You would be doing yourself a massive disservice if you didnt at least go and try a Roscoe (bassdirect.co.uk - Mark will see you right). I directly compared my Roscoe to a Clover and a few other high end basses when I got it, and I got the best of the basses on offer. It blew the Clover away in fact. By far the best B string I have heard (including on the Dingwalls I have tried before).

Last night, went to see Dredd (dayummmm thats a good film), then changed my strings for the freshly cleaned set that have been in 'the tube' for 24 hours ready for the SE Bass Bash on Saturday. My word they sound bright! Also gone over the stuff I intend to talk about for recording ensembles in rooms and the quick "how to train your compressor" recap. Today, listened to the album I'll be gigging later in the year (bit of a one off gig) a couple of times, then this evening it'll be getting everything ready for the Bass Bash tomorrow (woot!). Busy busy busy!

I dont think an instrument needs to be heavy to sound good. My ROscoe is one of the lightest basses I've ever played, and one of the best sounding (to my ears)...

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1348828086' post='1818738'] Sorry but you can. After checking (I never look at my left hand), on my 5 string, apparently I anchor on the pickup for the B string, the B for the E string and the E string (where it is also resting on the B string) for all the others. My plucking finger comes to rest on the string below the one I played and I also use left hand muting for the higher strings. These three things in combination cover all eventualities. My version of thumb anchoring is comfortable, effective and easy to manoeuvre. Ticks all the boxes and stops all sympathetic ringing. [/quote] Ah yes, sorry, I see what you mean, you can if you dont move your anchor when you play on the D string, and rely on the plucking finger coming to rest on the A string to mute it. But this defeats the object of moving the anchor in the first place - which is to keep the plucking hand as close to its curved fingered relaxed shape as possible at all times, rather than opening you hand up further and creating a sharper bend in the wrist at the same time in order to reach for the strings that are now further away from the plucking hand thumb (which is what your relaxed hand's fingers want to rest next to). So you have compromised on plucking hand ergonomics in order to keep that muting going on. Of course if it works for you then tip top, and carry on and all that. I cant do that because I have tendencies towards RSI due to the code monkey elements of my day job

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1348793988' post='1818484'] It's not sloppy playing to need mute the strings. It's not uncommon to get sympathetic vibrations from the lower strings,and if you are playing on the upper strings how are you going to mute them with the left hand? You need to use the right hand to do this. Muting of the strings should come from both hands, depending on what and where you are playing. But the need to mute the strings you aren't playing isn't due to sloppy playing....I certainly wouldn't call Jaco or Patitucci sloppy and they mute with the right hand all the time. [/quote] Massive +1 , well put Doddy. With a 4 string bass you can pretty much get away with all the muting you need with moving anchor, and I played that way for a long time, since you can mute the A string with the tip of your thumb resting on it, and the E string from further up your thumb. The left hand takes care of the D and G in this case (you play on one and mute the other witn spare fingers. If you add a B string though the RH thumb can't stop sympathetic ringing (unless its a damned weird shape). That allows energy in the resonating bass body and neck to drive the B string to ring in sympathy. And [i]that[/i] sounds really sloppy. Adam Nitti definitely describes it better than me (or the video I chose)!

The compressor 'workshop' really ought to be renamed "51m0n's quick and dirty way to set up a compressor you scoundrels"..... We'll be attempting a world record of maybe a brief description of what it is you need to know and do and then an atttempt to set up two or three compressors, all in 15 minutes tops After which if anyone can remember what was said they will be able to set a compressor up for themselves (one would hope)

Thanks for the heads up! My satnav has always suggested the 3rd exit off junction 11 up the A317, then 3rd exit off the next roundabout onto the A318 (Chertsey Rd) - if you get that far your SatNav should have "recalculated" its little heart out if it wanted you to go via the A320....

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1348761132' post='1817868'] My first teacher taught me to float (if you mean on the pickup when on the E, on the E when playing the A, on the A when playing the D and so on) and I've stuck with it ever since. I've tried anchoring my thumb to the pickup and couldn't, nor could I work out a good reason why I'd want to. [/quote] No thats moving but anchored - floating is where the thumb never hits an anchor point but remains lightly (very lightly) resting on the strings:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1348754597' post='1817771'] Such a shame I can't make it this year [/quote] Wont be the same without you galavanting about thats for sure!

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1348750470' post='1817703'] Does anyone have a Jazz or Precision (or both!) that they're bored of and fancy sending to a new home? Think I need some more normal basses for demoing Barefaced cabs on t'interweb, don't need anything new/shiny and quite happy to have a Squier or suchlike. As long as it sounds good unplugged I'll be happy, electronics can be changed. And I'm ok with stupidly high actions and fat necks. Anyway, if you do, bring it along! I'll be interested to hear what everyone makes of the wee prototype I'm bringing along... [/quote] Ooooh is that the weee prototype I think it is???

Thats been my stipulation every year, whatever you do don't expect much

Muting is totally where its at....

Floating mainly since I started playing a 5 string

Omnomnomnomnom.....

I'll bear that in mind - ta!

Hope so Eude dude!

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1348639855' post='1816204'] Damn, I was looking forward to trying the ead :-( [/quote] +1

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1348565443' post='1815152'] Knock it off 51m0n!! You know that have serious GAS for a Berg HD410!! This is not helping [/quote] You've probably still got time to nip up to Bass Direct and get your HD410 in time the SE Bass Bash you know:- http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Berg_HD_112_210_410_212.html I'm just here to help, what can I say