Bilbo

Yeah, what's this 'in tune' malarky?

I always say that playing with a great feel is about learning about when notes END as opposed to when they start. Then again, I am about as funky as a cup of tea and sponge finger

Tony Reeves (Greenslade) Dudley Phillips (Perfect Houseplants) Mike Mondesir (Billy Cobham)

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 name='Skol303' timestamp='1377726383' post='2191155'] PS: IMHO, you need to get some of your upright playing incorporated into the monthly composition stuff! Love it. [/quote] 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.

Yes it was a one off. We do this thing in Felixstowe (got some great stuff coming up) but it never travels, I am afraid. Thanks for the feedback though, Rob.

Interestingly, only 79 have read this thread but 224 have listened to the track

Percy Jones & John Giblin

When I started on bass, the Squier brand didn't exist, never mind this model

I did take the electric to all double bass gigs at first but that was because I was worried about my atamina. I only take the double bass now. Piano players only take one (electric) piano, gutiarists one guitar, trumpeters one trumpet, vocalists one PA and so on. Why do bass players feel that have to prepare for alien invasion and the likelihood of a tsunamis when no-one else does? I have to say, the likelihood of my being taken ill is higher that the likelihood of my bass exploding. It's life.

I have been using my AI Clarus/Ten 2 EX combo for about a year or so now and love it. I did a recent gig where, by chance, another musician was sat on the floor between my bass and the amp (whilst I was playing). He said 'Wow; your amp sounds [i]exactly[/i] like your bass'. I got rid of my Eden Metro and use the AI for electric and double bass gigs. It is easily loud enough for everything I do that doesn't require a full rig and the eq is versatile enough to cope with all my needs. I did struggle witht he knobs and whistles a little at first but it isn't [i]that[/i] complicated, just takes a little bit of thought. The Fishman Plat Pro helps but obviously that only applies to the double bass. Great piece of kit that I see no reason to change any time soon.

Straight answer is 'yes'. It is popular music that tries to appear separate, different, aloof etc but, when you break it down, it functions in exactly the same was as the rest of pop but to a different demographic in a slightly different way. It is almost all affectation.

Doesn't bother me, to be frank.

It does happen. We had a pub change hands on us recently but they contacted the bands booked and honoured the bookings so it was cool but I can see how it could get forgotten in the 'excitement'.

Collins was a great drummer in his day. Not the best but highly competent. His stuff with Brand X and a number of other fusion outfits was great. He has his limitations but don't we all? I think a lot of folk mix up his slightly sugar sweet pop stuff with his overall contribution. As a prog drummer, he was one of the best.

PS it is two minutes shorter than 'Close To The Edge'

One of those live Zoom H1 recordings. When the count came, no-one knew what was going to happen: I don't think three of us had ever played the tune before. What came out was a funky/rocky/jazzy thing that builds and builds and builds. A great buzz to play but, when I heard it back, it was great to hear the creativity from all quarters. It's not as obvious as it should be but this IS a double bass not an electric. It sounds HUGE! [url="https://soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/beauty-and-the-beast"]https://soundcloud.c...y-and-the-beast[/url]

I couldn't justify the time investment required. Can't wait for the September piccy.

Just an aside but where double basses are concerned, a 'better' bass is not necessarily a better bass. A lot of classical double basses would be no use to a jazzer and vice versa. The needs are different.'Cheap' sounding instruments can be the very fellows if you want to sound a prticular way. a lot of guitar bands use things like Fender Jaguars, 'nasty' instruments that are not 'good' in the conventional sense but perfect for the job. A growly double bass can be EXACTLY what one jazzer wants and exactly what another doesn't. The build process can, in these cases, be academic.

Bassace has pretty much got it. The double bass had been there from the start and the idea that the tuba was the bass voice in Jazz and that, one day, someone discovered the double bass is a misrepresentation of the history of the music brought about because of the limits of early recording technology. When recordings were undertaken though a horn, the double bass could not be heard whilst the drums were so loud, they forced the needle recording the music to jump, thereby ruining every take. The double bass was replaced by the tuba and the drums by various percussion intruments like woodblocks etc. In short, the history of Jazz is not accurately refelcted in the history of RECORDED Jazz. Obvioulsy marching bands would use tuba but early Jazz morphed out of brass bands AND string orchestras simultaneously (a lot of New Orleans musos played in both). There is plenty of photographic evidence of early jazz being played on double bass (see below).

I use these. See my soundcloud page for samples of what they sound like on my bass.

Me.

I don't know that make but I do have one of the Finale French bows (see below) which was a not dissimilar price (I think it came in at £175 with import duties etc). It's more than adequate for learning how to do it and would be perfectly good for professional gigs until you were able to upgrade (I woudl not know the difference between good and great at this stage anyway). Carbon fiber bows are generally getting a good press in terms of comparisons with similarly priced wooden bows. Wood is where the purists tend to go but, for us learners, I say go for the Thomann or something like this. I am sure it will get you started. http://www.stringemporium.com/carbon-fiber-upright-bass-bows.htm