Bilbo

Raf did some stuff with Brand X, IIRC.

I have a weekly gig that shows me how deficient my playing is but it is not my technique that is the issue (I occasionally find myself falling short of expectations but usually this is on soloing so any technical inadequacies are of my own making). Where I find my lack of experience shows is in harmonic knowledge. I 'know' what things mean intellectually (e.g. a maj7#11) etc but cannot always 'hear' things as clearly as I should and it shows in my solo lines. When one is playing alongside some of the people I now regularly play with (see the website linked at the bottom in my signature), one is inspired and devastated in equal measure on a regular basis! It is never the execution of ideas that is the problem, it is the depth of those ideas and how they relate to the potential of the music. This week's artist was heard to say that she was 'inspired' by the rhythm section. I was thrilled to hear that but, at the same time, was aware of what went well and what fell short of the mark. As I always say, this is a journey, not a destination.

It is by no means infalable but, much of the time, the LAST chord of the song is the key it is in. But the point is a good one. A little knowlddge is a dangerous thing.

I always find explanations of theory much easier to comprehend when you already know what everything actually means!!

I have done two solo bass pieces using nothing more than a Zoom H1. I have done one with a solo VST cello and one with a two piece VST ensemble using tuba and vibes. It doesn't have ot be all bells and whistles. I actually think some of the compositions with all the tricks and technology are some of the worst in that there is no core 'idea', just a lot of 'stuff'. Just think about what you want to do and make it happen in the easiest way possible.

I think Doddy means more like TTSTTTS, the sahpe of the scale

You win! Your turn

Here is a sample of the discography of a session bass player. WHoever guesses the player gets to set teh next challenge. The sampling is necessary because the whole list would be pages long!! No googling (it's no fun) 1977 David Sanborn Band David Sanborn Warner 1977 Tornader Johnny Winter Polydor 1979 Monuments Jackie McLean RCA 1981 Wrapped In A Cloud Gil Goldstein Muse Records 1984 Living in the Crest of a Wave Bill Evans Elektra 1986 Live at Sweet Basil Gil Evans King Records 1986 The Color of Money Soundtrack MCA 1986 Upside Downside Mike Stern Atlantic 1987 Nothing Like The Sun Sting A&M 1987 Three Way Mirror Airto Moreira Reference 1988 Forbidden Colors Tania Maria Capitol 1989 Tears of Joy Tuck and Patti Windhamhill 1992 Rocks in the Head Roger Daltrey Atlantic 1994 The Power Of Cool Donald Harrison CTI 1994 Tropical Escape Craig Peyton Earth Flight 1996 Relish Joan Osborne Blue Gorilla 1997 From a Parent To a Child Art Garfunkel Columbia 2005 The Body Electric Cyndi Lauper Sony

I'll get my wife to shout at it. It normally gets me to work!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_notes

I have another mic that works fine and the lead is a brand new OBBM lead. It's driving me nuts.

Yes. It's not the Focusrite.

I got it back and the guy said it was fine. Got it home and it worked fine the stopped. Then worked fine. Then stopped. Query. Can humidity/damp do this to a microphone?

I think, next month, I will submit a pdf of a score. People can read it and vote on what they think it would sound like if it was played!

Mozart played the Joanna!!

I don't hear Rock music really, Dad. I started w. NWOBHM but never wrote anything back then. I am studying composition and try to use what I am learning but there is the whole thing about actually PLAYING a piece that limits my options with the Composition Challenges. I learn a little more each time, tho'.

https://soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/iron-giant Here we are. I wanted to reflect both the power of the machine and the melancholy of the body language. I think I got it.

My favourite Warwick....

Not read the whole thread but I had this problem and got an ergonomic keyboard and upright mouse and it cleared. I think the problem was, when using the PC, my wrists were bent and any bass related fatigue was never getting the time to heal. Once I got the keyboard/mouse, it was a lot gentler on my wrists and, fairly quickly, the discomfort ebbed away never to return.

I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. The finger is resting on the fourth string. The fact that it is pushing down is of no consequence.

My first ever gig (age 17) was less than one tune long. Despite it being a legitimate booking, the venue was empty and, half way through the first tune, the barman said ' turn it down'. The guitarist and bandleader, a cantankerous bloke at the best of time, just said 'F*ck this' and closed the gig down. I was heartbroken as you can imagine but we only had about three days to wait for the next one which was a success. Your day will come.

It is an interesting debate but it rests in the subjective perspective of the individual. Any musician or punter can probably recognise the difference between the technical abilities of, say, Peter Hook and Jeff Berlin. I think it would take a lot more insight to recognise the difference between, say, Malmsteen and Vai or John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola. When you get into the major talents of people who are absolute virtuosos on their instruments, you don't get better you only get different (say, Keith Jarrett vs Brad Mehldau or Dave Holland vs. Christian McBride etc). But there are many artists who reach a technical level beyond thst of mere mortals without getting the 'musicality' thing sorted. Examples may (subjectively) include Michel Camilo, Al Di Meola, Tuck Andress, Gary Willis, Michaal Manring, Jeff Berlin or whoever who seem to get cleverer and cleverer and faster and faster and more and more athletic without actually getting any deeper into the music. To recognise such differences takes a lot more than it does to recognise the Hook/Berlin difference referred to above. If you only look for 'speed' you will not recognise the value of 'depth'. Malmsteen may be faster but, say, B.B. King is deeper. I think it depends on your relationship with the music. For some, it is more superficial than others and the things that impress are whizzy rather than profound. Itzhak Perlman playing Schindler's List would look less remarkable to a speedfreak than Malmsteen playing some Bach but the depth of Perlman's performance is that much greater. I guess it comes down to recogising why we, as individuals, listen to or play music.

I like Blues Traveler - check out Straight On Til Morning.

Rumblestiltskin

I loved this band right up to and including Drama. They lost me at 90125 but I did see them last April in Oxford playing The Yes Album, Close To The Edge and Going For The One. Superb composers and arrangers, particularly in the early days.