stewblack

Jamerson playing. Bruce Thomas on my left, Norman Watt - Roy on my right.

Reading Nile Rogers' autobiography and one memory he shares is of sitting in an audience with Chris Squire on his left, Bernard Edwards on his right and Paul McCartney on stage. Bassist heaven he called it. I doubt any of us can match that, so let's fantasise. Who's sitting next to you and who is on stage?

Didn't see what you wrote after this, too busy vigorously nodding my head.

Nice job!

Just brought back memories of an horrendous guitar player filling the stage and the room with bottom end. So loud, so overwhelming that I just stopped playing. I couldn't be heard. He was blithely unaware. When I asked him afterwards if he had noticed he had no idea what I meant. Cloth eared twerp.

This is exactly it. I have spent a lifetime following the chord tones and using trial and error to join them with notes in between. Sometimes certain notes fitted other times they didn't. I want to learn to understand which notes work and why, rather than throwing darts blindfold and hoping to hit the right number. In the past if jamming with folk I would just play incredibly quickly when moving from one chord to another.It hid the bum notes and impressed the muggles. Had a happy career for decades doing this, but now I want to learn differently. Also its wonderfully rewarding and fascinating.

This is one of the main reasons I'm not a tone chaser. Also why I know that the SVT is, and in all probability will remain, the finest amp I ever played through. I've come to enjoy the tone I get at home but never chase it in a gig. Too many variables Rooms vary, ebb and flow of bodies changes things, sound engineers make you sound how they like it, and different mates or band members giving you the nod in a pub soundcheck have their concept of levels too. And most importantly what I hear won't be what the audience hears anyway. The SVT by the way just sounded awesome in every single setting.

I only know if Mr Pastorius from this forum. However as my prejudice fades and my tastes expand I am open to learn from anyone. The exercise was suggested by Jeff Berlin in his FB group.

Ouch!

Approaching Chuck Berry territory

Frank if I knew how to ding your dong I'd do it every day 😎

I use Thomann rechargeable power supply has two 9v out and a USB out oh, and a torch. https://m.thomann.de/intl/harley_benton_powerplant_powerbank.htm?i11l=en_GB%3ABG.BGN%3AEUR&o=16&search=1603093811 Also if you have an ordinary power bank you can even charge it as it is working, but as it lasts about 5 hours anyway you probably won't need to

Oh God 😲 I'd forgotten that.

My learning experience always follows the same pattern. I stare in baffled incomprehension from a distance at a seemingly impenetrable forest of new knowledge. Then I realise that those who've spent years in there don't always agree on why the trees are where they are or the best paths to take. I want to run away but I gather my courage, come closer, and peer into the trees. Eventually I see one tiny bit of what might be a path. So I take a couple of steps and if it goes nowhere I take a step back and look around then try another way. Slowly, one small corner becomes familiar. It's a start. This is where I am with scales and modes and applying them to my playing. It ain't much, but it's a start. I played over an Am groove. I played within the Am scale (or one of them - the one I know - aeolian I think you call it) and then played within the C major scale over the same Am groove. I listened. If I play the C major scale over a C it sounds different. More twee. I am standing these two tiny steps inside this forest. But I am inside. Thank you all for helping me start to see the wood from the trees.

However now I have everyone's attention... back to this Charlie Parker fellow and the exercise. What are these 12 keys I'm supposed to use? I thought there was more than 12...

Yeah I think I dropped so many balls in this conversation... (insert cricket joke of your choosing)

No I was trying to be clever and use bebop language - you're harshing my buzz man, it was a failed attempt at humour.

Yes Ella is doing the scat this guy managed somehow to work out what she did and played along with her.

Who can say. I often fall into the trap of assuming when I see anything bass related that makes me go wow! I have to come here and share it. I forget that me enjoying something doesn't equate to every one enjoying it. I was going to share some dude playing bebop on a double bass which was another piece of unbelievable playing but maybe I won't risk getting my buzz harshed.

I mean, he's only doing what we all do surely? I'm currently trying to play a couple bars of a Charlie Parker solo in all 12 keys. It's a challenge, it's fun and it's a learning experience. This is Mr Navarro doing the same. His technical ability is just so much higher than mine that's all. (The Charlie Parker thing was a suggestion on FB not my idea) Oh and if you watch his video on Music Theory it's clear he's a really intelligent nice bloke too. But as has often been said before each to their own. I guess if it's not for you, you stop watching. Simples.

Oh. Sorry I thought it was a great bit of fun.

If this has already been shared I'd love to say I'm sorry. But no. It bears sharing more than once. Virtuosity and a great creative, fun idea. (Sorry to those who didn't realise that playing a Harley Benton really does make you a better player - this is the definitive proof)

Ah. Well John Player produced their standard coffin sticks in a blue packet same size as all the other brands. But for the discerning addict who wished to show the world how wide his pockets were, John Player Specials came in a black carton half the thickness but twice the width. It was the classy way to stain teeth, fingertips, ceilings and above all lungs. I fell for it too.