Bilbo

If you trawl through the Alembic Custom archives, you will see an astonishing number of fugly basses. I haven't looked for ages but recall only one or two that I would consider buying if money was no object. I have to say that I rarely like the sound of them either (Jimmy Johnson is the exception that proves the rule). Have played three and didn't like any of them. [url="http://www.alembic.com/info/fcvault.html"]http://www.alembic.c...fo/fcvault.html[/url]

I love his playing on the McLaughlin album but have never heard anything else from him. The thing about the JM Trio is that they rehearsed for nine hours a day for two weeks before they toured. I think most of us would do our best playing under such circumstances!

I would have no problem learning one or two tunes but 40? It would take me weeks. As if I haven't got other things to do. My point is MY professionalism is drawn into question because I haven't got about 20 hours available to learn an evening's material whereas the MD's professionalism is NOT drawn into question despite the fact that s/he cannot be arsed or lacks the skills to put together a pad. For the record, when I did Karl Jenkin's The Peacemakers last year and Jesus Christ Superstar the year before, I spent hours with the pads making sure I was ready. The charts were perfect and I had something to work with. If I had just been given cds and told the 'learn it', I would have told them to f*** off. (Interestingly, on the Jenkins gig, I wonder how many of the 20+ orchestral musicians and 60+ choir members were given a cd and told to work out their own parts? (PS it was one gig on one night)

Not all deps have notice. I have had many calls along the lines of.... 'Gig'? 'When'? 'Now'.

I have noticed a few threads where function band players are critical of 'Jazzer' deps who 'don't learn the set'. I am guilty of this. To be blunt, I don't even 'learn the set' of the function band I actually play in in as much as I regularly turn up at gigs to be presented with a chart for a 'first dance' song or a new addition to the set and am expected to deliver. There is always a tacit assumption that I will know the latest Jesse J. hit or Beyonce masterpiece but I don't; never heard it, probably never will. In strictly professional terms, the simple truth is that 'learning' a load of new songs for one gig is not economically viable. Spending the time required to learn anything up to 40 tunes for one evening's work is not realistic (I have even been asked to learn 40 [b]band specific[/b] arrangements from a cd for one gig, FFS, No charts, just hours of listening/shedding - I didn't do it, Busked the gig. Punters loved it. MD didn't and I never worked with him again which was ok because he was a rip off artist and has exploited hundreds of musos before and since). We busk it because, at the end of the day, it rarely matters and punters aren't really listening. Write out the dots if you want perfect arrangements flawlessly executed. I did a function recently and the MD had done exactly that and he got the product he deserved; a flawlessly executed set. Calling Jazzers to do Jazz gigs tends to be a safe bet as there is a common thread of material that can be drawn upon at a pinch. Put a 'Functioner' in there and they will flounder because they don't know the material. Put a Jazzer in a function band and you are likely to have a similar problem. The difference is, a Jazzer has a chance of having heard 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' whereas a Functioner is not likely to find his way around 'Chelsea Bridge' by ear. At the end of the day the issue is preparation. Asking a dep to learn a set from scratch for one gig is an abdication of responsibility. 'I can't be bothered to write the charts out so you do it'. If you need a dep, either pay him to rehearse or get proper charts prepared. Simple as that.

Wal, you asked for it.....

[quote name='DavidMcKay' timestamp='1444812954' post='2886198'] Thread finished. Nothing to see here. Move along now. [/quote] Nope - you gotta see it through now....

As for the weight issue, clearly Wals are for REAL men (and women)!!

Fcuk off....

[quote name='DavidMcKay' timestamp='1444807046' post='2886115'] Shall we let it die? [/quote] You started it, you finish it.

Oooo, look. A B. [url="http://www.quia.com/files/quia/users/troykay5/musicnotesbass/B"]http://www.quia.com/...usicnotesbass/B[/url]

As a 30 year Wal man, my only contribution is to say I had mine set up once when I bought it and again 15 years later. I put it in the case in tune and it comes out of the case in tune. No idea where the neck dive comments come from; I have not experienced it. Heavy? Never been a problem. Sound? It sounds like me (odd that). It is a solid, reliable, professional instrument that hasn't ever let me down. Would I play anything else? Of course I would. It's just a bass not a wife. As for looks, there is no consensus. Never was, never will be. Oh and it's worth 4x what I bought it for new. I really don't give a rat's arse what anyone else thinks of it. It has served me well.

Your problem is a simple one and the solution is simple. You just need to practice reading with shifts. The 'secret' (and it is no secret really) is the make sure that, when you shift, position, you have sufficient muscle memory to allow you to go directly to the fret you are looking for and, most importantly, you know WHICH FINGER you want to land on the target note. If you are not prepared, you will flounder around the note and miss it every time. If you doubt yourself, you will fail. Practice reading without looking at the neck; ever. (As an aside, reading on a show, where the pit is in almost total darkness, means that you cannot rely upon your eyes for anything other than looking at the dots (which are lit up)

Thirds all the way through a melody is very common, if a little corny. Most serious composers would avoid it but Disney tunes are targetted at kids so they aren't looking for a lot of tension!!

Wal basses have never comprommised and it remains a small operation with it's reputation based on the quality of it's products. Same with Alembic, Fodera and Ken Smith. I am sure there are dozens of others.

Here is my little effort for this month. It is a trio of guitar and two seven string basses (all played by me). The chords are guitar whilst the bass and melody lines are all the seven string bass. It's all a bit pathetic, if I am honest. A good idea badly executed. I spent as much time on it as I felt able to and, whilst I am not happy with the overall performance, the tune is in there!! Make of it what you will https://soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/bicycle-ride

Very creditable compositions, H. I am hearing a lot of 1980s/90s neo-classicist influences a la Marsalis, Blanchard and all of that crowd which is laudible. The only negative criticism really is that the stuff sounds a tiny bit dated but the validity of that criticism is massively subjective and depends entirely on what criterion you use to judge things. Try googling the Osian Robert/Steve Fishwick Qunitet - they have a similar vibe (Osian is a very old friend of mine).The performances are good rather than great (a tiny bit under-rehearsed but I would book the band). I hope you don't find this criticism overly negative but your man's work is too good to be patronised. There is real talent here and it needs proper encouragement rather than superficial platitudes.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1444307799' post='2882090'] Which is why good or bad tone is entirely subjective. As a Greenslade fan there is very little I like about the bass guitar sound on any of the Time and Tide album. [/quote] It was the first Greenslade LP I bought. Maybe relevant? PS I like Tony Reeves also so don't feel 'snubbed'!!

The one that gets me every time is Martin Brierly's Rickenbacker on Dave Greenslade's 'Time and Tide' LP (every time 'Animal Farm' appears on my ipod. I also was taken with Jack Bruce's sound on the Cozy Powell 'Over The Top' LP (specifically the track 'Sweet Poison'). The ones I always 'notice', tone-wise, are Chris Squire, Jaco Pastorius, Jimmy Johnson, Percy Jones, Anthony Jackson and Steve Swallow. Double bass wise, it's Charlie Haden that I really think has what I call that 'definitive' sound. What is surprising, now I think about it (and I haven't really done so before), is that the only one of those that had any impact upon my own concept of tone was the Jack Bruce/Cozy Powell recording. None of the others ever led me to think 'I want to sound like THAT'.

I never speak to people at a gig unless I am in the band. Running my gig in Felixstowe, I have had the opportunity to sit and eat with loads of great players and I love the stories. They have all been very approachable people and as willing to talk about politics or whatever comes up as they are about music.

I have never understood the idea of a musician who doesn't perform. Doesn't seem much point in bothering with all of the work necessary to be a player if you are not going to play live. Recording is great but it is a bit artificial in terms of securing a flawless performance. Also, I like the social aspects of live work and of interacting with other human beings, be they other musicians or the audience.

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1444214783' post='2881141'] freelancing is hard for everyone Rob... and getting worse it would seem. [/quote] It's just picking up, Jake. I now have two gigs (both on electric and only one is paid) between now and my eventual death. It's grim!!

I just practice with the bass unplugged. It's free.

One Wal fretless, Harley Benton Seven String, 5 string double bass and 4 guitars. And a soprano saxophone.

My recollection is that, during the Moving Pictures tour, he turned to using Nivea soap which, whilst leaving his skin nice and soft, undermined his callouses, particularly on his 'noisemaker' finger. Historically, he had used Wright's Cold Tar soap when on tour (certainly on the 2112 and Hemisphers tours) but that was proving increasingly difficult to source in most countries, even though it was part of the band's rider. After Signals, he realised that the whole soap and callouses thing was an old wives tales and reverted to the Pears soap his mother used during his childhood in Willowdale. The impact this had on his emotional well-being was incredible and prevented the near collpase of the trio when Lifeson fell off the wagon and started smoking again. As for his voice, Lee has, I am told, become a regular speaker at the Montreal Society Wine Drinkers and, as the MSWD has a big hall and no PA system, this has put an inordinate strain on his vocal chords. Tragic.