Bilbo

I agree that the merits on working with the bow for the purposes discussed are very real. I don't think you need to spend 6 hours a day with it to reap rewards if you are nott looking to a classical career. Half an hour is enough. What I do think is important, and this is the wisdom of an Ancient which learners would do well to heed, is the value of regular [i]sustained[/i] investment in core skills like learning to read, running through rudimentary motor skills, repeated scales and arpeggios and tedious stuff like string crossing exercises etc. These are [i]far more [/i]use than hours spent learning party tricks like two handed tapping and double thumbing (although that is actually a relatively easy trick to learn). Spending 8 hours a day 'practising' what amounts to licks and tricks on the bass is a great thing to wave around in conversation but it is actually an inefficient use of time. Two hours a day (most days, not every day) of [i]susutained and targetted [/i]practice is far more use in your development. Working with the bow covers a range of disciplines and forces those of us who are seeking to make the transition from electric to double bass to focus on playing this new and wonderful instrument properly and not 'getting by' with what we can bring from the electric. The best way to prioritise your practice time is to do what you [i]need[/i] to do to get better and not what you [i]want[/i] to do because it supports your delusions about how good you are. The problem with the route I recommend is that the rewards are deferred for months if not years whereas learning a Wooten lick can get you a 'wow' at a jam session much more quickly. You need to ask yourself what you want to be; a musician or a circus act, someone who workd as a player for the rest of their life or someone who is legendary amongst a small circle of impressionalbe teenagers. If you want to play the double bass properly, get bowing.

It wasn't Carol Kaye on Pet Sounds. It was me.

I thinik it depends what the techniques in question are for. I find some, such as double thumbing and tapping, almost entirely gratuitous and of little intrinsic musical value. I can slap enough to get by but have never really felt the need to develop the technique to the Miller/Wooten level, primarily because, after a momentary 'wow' moment, I find I don't actually [i]like[/i] the music played using this technique. Same with tapping. I got Jeff Berlin's Motherlode and some of Stu Hamms Radio Free Albemuth stuff sorted but never really felt it was anything other than a party trick and consequently stopped developing it. It certainly isn't a 'core competence'. As for plectrums, in terms of my own playing and the music I play, I find that I don't like the sound very much so an not a user (I do play guitar with one so its not that I can't....). Having said that, I love Chris Squire and Steve Swallow who both use icks. But, for me, I work on other things. But arco double bass. Now [i]That's[/i] a sound I can use!!!

Been using a Metro for over 10 years in rock, jazz, blues, funk, big band, shows, latin - it has never let me down and always sounds great (If it doesn't, its usually me being lazy or complacent with eq and not any failing on the part of the amp )

I'm fillin' up Its great to see so many people 'getting it' at last. Its not about doing a reading gig, its about gettin g more out of your practice time, learning the neck, learning to play without looking at your hands (and without poking your tongue out), about relationships between notes and strings and chords and tunes and melodies and harmony and rhythm. Its brill and I wish I could do it better!

We do a bossa nova version of 'How Deep Is Your Love' which always makes me smile inside.

A bit crap last night. The band couldn't find its groove, punters were at the ambivalent side of appreciative but probably picked up on our feelings on the less that exemplary offerings. Still, noone died, noone quit and we are there New Years Eve for another crack at it (and some rehearsals between now and then).

I have to agree the 'one' is 'Summer Nights' from Grease. Every generation is up for it. What about 'You Can't Hurry Love'? Supremes or Collins versions. And what about Bach's 'Air On A G String'? Or 'Mars' from Holst's 'The Planet Suite'? Or the 'shark theme' from 'Jaws'? - two notes and everyone is on board

Note values are indicated by the stem. Semibreve = whole bar* Minim = half a bar* Crotchet = quarter Quaver = eighth of a bar Semi Quaver = sixteenth Hemi Semi Quaver = 32nd (rarely seen) Hemi Demi Semi Quaver = 64th (I've never seen one) *(fixed 11.2.11)

They don't seem to have Astor Piazolla's 'Libertango'. Or any decent jazz for that matter. Must be 'for lightweights only'.

Not played one but I think it is important to note that double basses are a whole dfferent ball game to electrics and there is no 'standard'. Two basses made by the sme person will be different. This bass is a better quality beginners bass and is probably as good as any other for that price. Personally, I would say go for it and worry about getting the bass of your dreams later on when you are able to play the thing and know what the better basses are about. I bought my bass mail order and its fine (Gedo Musik Germany £1,400). Its not as good as a really good bass but it is perfectly good to learn and gig on. I know all of the arguments about playing the bass first etc but, in the real world where I live, I couldn't afford to spend £600 driving all over the UK trying out basses so just jumped in and bought one that had an ok reputation. I don't regret it.

Found another one! Produced by Paul Gray of The Damned

Westbourne Sports College in Ipswich (wherever the hell that is!!)

1982 2009

Some courageous stuff on there, Jase. Good to hear it.

I actually 'remember; stuff by visualising parts of the score. If I play it a lot, its not necessary but if I am not familiar, it serves as an aide memoir to me that is more effective than trying to remember the notes. I often learn stuff and forget it. Writing it down reduces the time necessary to relearn it.

[quote name='Earbrass' post='1032763' date='Nov 22 2010, 03:45 PM']I don't doubt it would be for many people - I'm just a little surprised that Bilbo is one of them, if indeed he is.[/quote] Playing shows is cool - low input high return stuff (except this one which is high input). I like doing them for the reading practice but couldn't do them all of the time like some do. But this is a challenge so I will enjoy it.

I have sold everything I have ever put on here. Bass, amp, cabs, cds, books.... all without any problems

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1026693' date='Nov 17 2010, 10:52 AM']Use yer computer keyboard! Still a bit slower than hitting the note on a bass or a piano, but I got an average of 0.81s and a title of Bass Clef Great Wizard. <--- (if only that was a wizard's hat)[/quote] Good advice! Av. 1.34 = bass clef wizard!!!

I got Bass Master (av. 1.7) - says more about my mouse control than it does my reading

Welcome, friend. I have been researching a biography on Paul Chambers who hails from Detroit so have had to deal with several people from that area. Good to have you on board.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='1025829' date='Nov 16 2010, 01:19 PM']Think Bilbo's might be longer![/quote] Its a cross I have to bear

[quote name='chris_b' post='1025696' date='Nov 16 2010, 11:53 AM']I guess even pop songs can be a challenge.[/quote] Have you [i]heard[/i] JCS? I Don't Know How To Love Him and the title track are easy enough, its the timing changes, sixteenth note grooves, slap etc etc. Its more like Opera than pop. Its not the PLAYING of it that is hard, its the reading of the charts!!

Three works for me. If its Close To The Edge, Supper's Ready and The Ring Of The Nibelung