norvegicusbass

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1325119947' post='1480107'] [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]There's no shame in not knowing stuff, but it does sound like you need help. I'd get a professional set up and start to develop a light touch. [/font][/color][/size] [/quote] I will definitely do that the second I acquire a decent bass lol the one I use cost less than £100 brand new so I would feel a little silly taking that to a pro. Dreaming of the day I get a P though

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1325113954' post='1480049'] Normally raising the action reduces fret buzz. However, as you "know zilch", before you start making adjustments, I would advise reading some of these [url="http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&cp=16&gs_id=2r&xhr=t&q=setting+up+a+bass+guitar&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=setting+up+a+bas&aq=0&aqi=g4&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=440660d03c957758&biw=1680&bih=927"]http://www.google.co...iw=1680&bih=927[/url] [/quote] Yeah I will definately read some more.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1325113615' post='1480040'] Depends what is causing the problem. Set the bass up properly, the hole in the neck is for the truss rod and it isn't to raise an lower action, its to adjsut the relief in the neck, it should be very close to flat but very slightly curved, like imperceptible unless you reference against a straight edge. The bridge saddles are the action adjustment and more of a taste call. But aside from that, not unlikely the noise comes from technique. [/quote] Yeah I am pretty sure my technique needs work just it doesnt matter how hard or soft I press on the string I get this bloody clank. However its an semi-accoustic so I dont know if the noise will still be as bad once I play it through an amp.

I fitted new flat strings to my bass and have noticed a distinct metal on metal sound as the string comes in contact with the fret. Would lowering the action help somewhat? I know zilch about altering action or what it achieves but it seems plausible to me that the greater the distance a string needs to be depressed before coming into contact with a fret will cause a greater amount of clank. At the base of the neck on my guitar there is a hole where an Allen key can alter the action. It has a label which says turning right = up and turning left = fall. It seems obvious but I may as well cement my reputation here for abject ignorance but is it to the left ( fall ) the way to lower the action?

Well my first set of flats came (Fender Stainless Steel 9050CL .45-.105 ) and I fitted them right away. Happy with the feel under the fingers but still a tad zingy. Does this fade with time? I am sure strings like this must mellow over a few weeks.

What would be a decent practice amp to go with a Lindo semi accoustic bass? Requirements are that its for the home and not gigging and that maybe has a headphone jack for when my playing makes the kids cry ( which is often ). Oh and did I mention reasonably priced.

[quote name='norvegicusbass' timestamp='1324999502' post='1478987'] This thread seems on the verge of degenerating into a " how bassists adapt " thread which wasnt my intention. I was more interested in the tone you desire aside from what band members wish you to play. Practical issues aside playing in a band that pays etc what about the kind of tone you really want and maybe do in private practice sessions [/quote] Wow how pompous do I sound there about threads "degenerating"!!? I mean take this thread wherever you wish LOL. Seems I am obsessed with tone right now so anything about it and how you achieve certain sounds is good to know

[quote name='JakeBrownBass' timestamp='1324997861' post='1478975'] I find having a reliable transparent amp, a versatile bass & are able to adapt new techniques for new situations you can get by in any situation. Well it works for me anyway. [/quote] This thread seems on the verge of degenerating into a " how bassists adapt " thread which wasnt my intention. I was more interested in the tone you desire aside from what band members wish you to play. Practical issues aside playing in a band that pays etc what about the kind of tone you really want and maybe do in private practice sessions

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1324996658' post='1478963'] ...Not to mention the completely revised and updated editions every time you join a new band and find your old tone doesn't work! [/quote] Havent been in many bands unless you count school ones but yeah the bassist seems to have to yield a fair bit

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1324996490' post='1478959'] I tend to fiddle with my knobs quite a lot. Someone had to [/quote] I fiddle constantly but doesnt seem to effect my tone more makes my wrist go numb

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1324996176' post='1478954'] I'm replying to this question in a 3-volume boxed edition which covers just the last five years. For the full story, you need to refer to my Complete Works as stored at the British Museum ... [/quote] I have seen the Complete Works at the BM. I thought the idea of you selling your granny to achieve Stanley Clarkes tone just about right as a price but coming on Xmas day maybe not the right timing

Just what it says in the title really, what efforts have you gone to to get the tone you desire. I admire bassists from many genres but despite what my screen name implies I prefer the mellow full sounding bass that you hear in jazz primarily and Motown. I dont have the best bass guitar currently as I am getting back into playing some twenty years after giving it up. I got a Lindo semi acoustic bass for Xmas last year ( cost less than £100 ) and I am, if I say it myself, somewhat pleased with my progress tackling bass lines far more complex than I did as a teenager. I wish I had never put my bass aside all those years ago as I might have been a fair player by now. I have though always struggled with tone. I used to rest my strumming hand right up on the neck to achieve the mellow sound I was after but have resorted to buying flats now for the first time ever. What lengths have you all gone to to achieve the sound you want and has it been a long journey for you?

Thanks for all your answers some good info there. Benebass I am from Newcastle Upon -Tyne also

I have been unhappy with the tone of my bass for a while now and the "brightness" of my roundwound strings ( especially the G string ) so want to buy my first set of flats. I think flats are the way to go to achieve the silky smooth deep tone I am after.Thing is I am rock bottom skint so want a half decent set that is good value for the cash. My guitar isnt great so no point going straight for the gold standard flats I just need a sort of cheap starter set, any ideas?

Some excellent answers there so thanks for that. As far as I'm concerned there are two types of bassline. A riff which I think most of us would agree are pretty easy to conjure up and the kind of intricate playing of someone like Jamerson which blows my mind with its creativity. That's not to say I dont think riffs are good I grew up on punk and that's full of repeated bar long riffs. I like the idea of completely writing your own bassline to existing songs that someone mentioned. Also does anyone know of a website or software that would play chords that I chose on a sort of loop which I could maybe work around? Even better if it had a drum effect then I could get some practice in

I have no problem making up basslines when playing blues perhaps because most of the books I studied were of that genre. I can make up a simple riff and transpose it through the simple structure of twelve bar blues incorporating slight variations as I go but cant do this with other types of music. I am getting more into funky basslines like those of Jamerson, Bernard Edwards etc and for the life of me I cant get those kind of basslines in my head or fingers. With blues it seems quite easy to fall into "patterns" but the chord structure of other types of music has me beat. Was it a simple matter of those type of players just looking at the underlying chords and playing "patterns" consistent with that type of music? By this I mean are there certain runs of notes that crop up as "typical" Jamerson etc? Are there any good books or websites to assist someone hoping to invent a good bass line?

I hear often on here and other forums about the usefulness of practicing scales and was wondering why are they so important? I can see how the continuous playing of scales could give someone dexterity but I also suspect there is something deeper about them, that they underpin musical structure. I know very little about musical theory ( er make that nothing at all ) and for that reason I struggle to come up with good bass lines, will scales help? Is it just a simple matter of selecting a note from a scale of the corresponding chord and it will "fit"? Are there any good links/books about which scales are the best to get in your fingers and how they can be translated into good bass lines? Also what scales impact on different types of music? Are some scales favoured in certain genres? Did James Jamerson for instance use scales when constructing bass lines? Or JJ Burnel?

What does Guitar pro allow you to do exactly? Currently I am learning bass lines from either Songsterr.com or You Tube or just plain old fashioned ear but I keep hearing about Guitar pro and was wondering if this is superior or different. Anyone use it?

[quote name='Mlucas' post='1147486' date='Mar 2 2011, 06:51 PM']Are they new strings? It might just be because you're G string hasn't been played as much, so hasn't dulled as much as the other strings?[/quote] Yeah I got the bass this last Xmas so the strings are new. I never really thought about the fact that the G string especially gets less action as it were than the others maybe I will play a few top end tunes for a while.

When I play with my fingers and pluck the same note as you would in a driving bass line there seems a slight difference in tone between my index and middle finger. Its noticeable to me if not to others but I am getting into the habit of plucking these type of bass lines with one finger when the speed allows. Anyone else have this problem? I am wondering if my fingers are attacking the strings at a more pronounced angle as the body of my bass is so wide ( acoustic ).

Not sure if its my cheap strings but when I play the G string it sounds far too bright almost like Im popping. My bass is a cheap Lindo semi acoustic the strings are roundwound and brass like in colour, anyone know what strings are primarily used on this guitar? Im quite happy with the tone on the E and A strings, less happy about the D and dont like playing the G string at all. I am after a more mellow tone so flats are probably the answer but is this brightness of the D and especially the G string a feature of this type of string?

Cant help you I'm afraid other than to say keep well away from Songsterr for this song, its really nothing like the version you have from YouTube. Shame really as I would love to play this as well

Currently I am teaching myself I Feel Love by Donna Summer ( I understand this was a synth bass track on the record but hey... ) trouble is when I try to bring it up to speed I am kind of playing it harder and my plucking fingers are impacting on the string above ( A string impacted while playing D string ) giving loads of extraneous sound. I am still playing a Lindo acoustic without amp and without the ability to adjust the sound quality but I still want to nail this and play it at the speed on the record without all these extra noises. Any thoughts how to mute these strings or an effective way to mute when playing over three strings at speed?

One of my fav bands and as you can tell by my user name a big influence to pick up a bass in the first place

[quote name='Marky L' post='1126112' date='Feb 13 2011, 04:59 PM']Why not just use a pick?[/quote] You must be another skimmer see my first post