seashell

Won't be on line tomorrow as I'll be travelling down to Weybridge and visiting the Aged Parent. Which puts me nicely in the vicinity for the Bass Bash on Saturday! Hurrah! Looking forward to meeting you all

Yes, and Les Claypool. And my bass teacher. I'm beginning to suspect he doesn't actually have any hair as I've never seen him without a hat on.

I find that another great thing about having a teacher is all the little extra pearls of wisdom you learn over the weeks (if you can afford regualr lessons). My teacher is always coming out with nuggets of information about different players, different styles and how they relate to each other, info about gear,musical history, history of the bass guitar .. all sorts. I don't mean he spends the whole lesson waffling on and not letting me play! But I usually come away thinking 'well I never knew that!' about at least one or 2 of his little asides. Another thing is that he is gently encouring me to try different genres (other than rock, which was my primary interest). Again, I don't mean he'd force me to try anything I really wouldn't like (there was some mention of Van Morrison but I'd draw the line at that, ). But he's just showing me different styles and expanding my horizons a bit. I feel it's all part of a musical education. You couldn't really get any of that from books. i do realise how lucky I am to be able to afford regular lessons though.

I could be the one with the most pairs of shoes.......

I think they will look lovely on all you hunky men, but IMHO they are not that chic for a girlie. I think I'll wait to see what the t shirts are like. Now if you were to do bracelets or necklaces with the logo on, that would be really nice.

Unfortunately I don't know, and even if I did I wouldn't be able to change it as I'm using my works computer! So although I use a computer all day I know nothing about how to set them up or solve any problems as that is all done by magical people in our IT support dept. I know - I should be doing more work instead of messing about on here (but it is after 5.00 pm now so I'm not being too naughty!)

Thanks for that link, but I had already tried that page by clicking on 'my settings'. As you say, there doesn't seem to be a formatting option. I guess the help page must have been for the older version. Oh well, I'll just have to get used to it

Sorry, I'm so useless I can't even explain what my problem is as I don't know the proper techno vocabulary, but here goes.. I'm finding it a headache to read posts since the change to the new style. The characters are all cramped and bits are missing. So I had a look under 'help' and found this: [i]'Board Settings:[/i] You can manage settings related to how the board is displayed/operates from this page. You can choose your timezone and various view options here, such as which text editor you would like to use.' Would I be able to change it to something more readable using one of these features? Trouble is I can't find how to access the 'board settings', only my profile settings. Any advice gratefully accepted.

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1316517951' post='1379001'] Nige will be the one dressed as Mrs Slocombe, I'm not sure but I suspect Paul will be (Miss) Brahms all day... [/quote] Well you won't be able to miss me as it looks as though I might be the only female there! Perhaps I ought to dress up as Mr Humphries! Thanks for your re-assuring words, guys.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1316039006' post='1373909'] I would like to see some more action in the Jam Room this year, we had great fun last year, but only five of you made it in. Bad signposting If you want to see how a bass stacks up against drums and guitar, the Jam Room is the place. Paul is a seriously great drummer and you can show off your odd meter skillz in there with me and him, or have a nice easy going jam in A major. Whatever. It's all lovely in the Jam Room and there's never a reason to be scared. [/quote] I'd love to have a go at jamming with an Actual Drummer, but seriously am a bit scared. So thanks for re-asurring us that it's all lovely! Looking forward to it!

Last night I was actually listenting to 'Mephisto Waltz' by Liszt! Suddenly came over all classical!

[quote name='Len_derby' post='1363077' date='Sep 5 2011, 04:53 PM']Hey, well done for doing it again. I think it's almost certain you will have been better than last time. You know now that you can do it and will have higher expectations of yourself - not a bad thing at all. Accept the compliments at face-value. My experience is that soundmen in particular are almost totally B.S.-free when it comes to things like that. You've also found out the same thing as most of us. Unless you draw attention to it most mistakes are not spotted by the audience. Onwards and upwards![/quote] Thanks for those words of encouragement, Len I am quite used to performing of a different kind, because I have been an amateur actor for a very long time. But I was thinking today I wish I could have the chance to do that gig again tonight because I know I would be more relaxed. It just occurred to me that with the acting you usually have a run of at least a week, so if even you are dead nervous on the first night you will be calmer on subsequent nights. But with this music lark, I could be back to square one with the nerves every time I do a gig! Another unexpected difference was this: When I'm acting I hardly ever wear my glasses because usually the characters I play don't call for it. I've got quite used to negotiating my way around a stage half blind. And the great thing is you can't see the audience. Of course I had to keep the specs on last night otherwise I wouldn't have been able to see the fretboard properly. But then I noticed I could actually see the audience and the expressions on their faces! Quite scary! But thank goodness they were smiling

[quote name='bassace' post='1362690' date='Sep 5 2011, 11:07 AM']I don't usually post on this one because I do a lot of gigs (3-4 a week) and who's really interested in what I do? But this may interest some of you. We did a five-piece jazzer in a church just outside Burford in the Cotswolds yesterday afternoon. The church was very old but well cared for without being all ponced up. The acoustics were to die for and my amplified DB sounded as good as I've heard it. About 100 people attended and we got some very positive comments. The food was brought in by the ladies of the village and was just fantastic. After the gig I chatted to a guy who was friends with George Shearing when he was alive, until recently. George had a holiday home nearby and often used to visit this man's home for dinner. He had his chair at the table and he could swivel it round to the piano and play some stuff between courses. What a guest to have! It goes on, one evening an additional guest was the well known composer, John Rutter. Of course he had never met George before but he was surprised when during the course of the evening George turned to the piano and played one of John's compositions complete with jazz embellishments. Not too boring I hope.[/quote] Not at all boring, thanks for sharing!

Gig with my mate the ribald comedy singer (Dik) last night. My second gig ever. We were on last, after a succession of po face women and earnest young men singing songs about 'relationships'. Then Dik comes on with his unique brand of robust Brummie humour. Audience (small but perfectly formed!) loved it, and were all laughing and singing along. I was a bit rubbish though. Really hit by nerves again and bottled out of all the impressive bass lines I had been practising for weeks! Just stuck to the really simple stuff, and even messed that up a coule of times. The thing is no-one notices anyway as they are all listening to Dik's lyrics and having a lauch. I managed to relax when we did the very last song, cos that's when they all started singing along, so I was able to let it flow a bit more. Got a few compliments afterwards, which was really nice. (Including from the sound guy!) But I suspect that was because they know I'm really new to this, and also being female might have helped a bit. Anyway, hoping to get the chance to do it again. Dik said he though I did well, but it remains to be seen if he will invite me to gig with him a third time!

[quote name='Mod_Machine' post='1356777' date='Aug 30 2011, 08:08 PM']I cant believe so many of these internationally renowned artists are so gracious to fans, when so many of the pointless 5 minute nobodies and one hit indie wonders we play with are the most embarrisgly arrogant gimps you could ever meet![/quote] Great thread I once met Rockette Morton when he was doing a gig in Stourbridge with the Magic Band. I was with 3 friends and we had stopped by the venue early to pick up the tickets we had reserved. It just coincided with the band coming out after finishing a soundcheck. One of my friends accosted him with 'just wanted to say how much I love your music.. saw you at Hammersmith Odeon 1969 etc'. He then stopped and had quite al ong chat with us. Really nice bloke. He was chatting on about 'yeh, that was when I was with Don' or 'that was when I was with Frank'. He's talking about Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa here! As if we were personally aquainted! We were all very thrilled. Oh and the gig was great BTW. Even without Beefheart.

[quote name='charic' post='1358649' date='Sep 1 2011, 12:03 PM']I have to say though, heavy basses FEEL like quality [/quote] Unless it's a Marlin Sidewinder, which is what I started with

Hi! 'Wolfcrusher'! What a brilliant name!

Wide Eyed Girl on the Wall by the Small Faces [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qROpjhgN-vY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qROpjhgN-vY[/url] I'm going through bit of a Small Faces phase at the moment.

FUBB by Wishbone Ash. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vwps4nO2jY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vwps4nO2jY[/url]

[quote name='Paul S' post='1357404' date='Aug 31 2011, 12:29 PM']Core exercises are the thing. And yoga - seriously. I used to do lots of weight exercises and was once proud to be as strong as an ox. Now I just look like one Your body changes as you get older and to get your middle section into shape is probably the best thing you can do to stave off back issues and help with posture and all things middle age.[/quote] Yes, another class I go to is Body Balance which is a mixture of youga, tia chi and pilates again done to music. There are some lovely core exercises and postures that really stretch out your back. It's just occurred to me that I could be stretching my back out nicely with that, only to squash it up again with the weight lifting! So I think I'll try to avoid exercises that involve having the bar across your back in future.

I've only just started and am well over 45. So nothing wrong with that as everyone else is pointing out. I've been standing up a lot while practicing recently as I have a little gig coming up on Sunday! Really noticed how heavy the bass seems after a while. This has led me to think about taking care of my back a bit. I go to regular Body Pump classes (weight exercises to music) and one of the exercises involves doing squats with a weighted bar accross your back (the idea being to make your thighs work more). But I was only thinking this morning that I might stop using the weights for that one. It seems to me that it might put extra pressure on your back, without particularly strengthening it. It's not as if I'm trying to turn into a body builder or anything, I mainly do Body Pump for general fitness and to try to stave off the 'bingo wings'. I don't have a proper amp (yet) because at the moment I'm just playing in duo with an acoutsic guitarist, so the little Marshall practice amp is fine. But as and when I do get a bigger one I'll just have to play the helpless female and get friends or neighbours to help me up the stairs with it (I live in a second floor flat!).

Lessons are great! I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Let us know how you get on.

[quote name='daz' post='1348449' date='Aug 22 2011, 09:37 PM']Happened to me one summer when i was 13 years old. I recall it as if it were only yesterday. There I was natterring away to my freinds in my shiny Dr Martens polished to a mirror finish with [color="#FF0000"]Tuxen Red [/color]and wearing a pair of brown/orange oxford bags (hey give me a break it was 1976, everyone but the SeX pISt0lS and the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromley_Contingent"]Bromley coningent [/url]was wearing flairs, even old grandads and milkmen etc) All of a suddenI felt a sting on my shin l and quickly jumped up, only to feel another on my knee. suddenly i realized what had happed. Wasps! [i]close quarter sneak attack up the pant leg [/i] To my horror I suddenly sussed it was heading upwards, to my knackers! I grabbed both hands around the top of my thigh as tight as i could and told my puzzled mated to "hit me there" as I looked towrds my thigh and shouted "Ive been stung and its getting higher" A few seconds and a plethora of punches to my legs later, a dead squashed was fell out the bottom of my copius trouser leg. I pulled my trousers up to see the damage (yes young uns in those days you didnt need to pull down your kecks you coukd pull them up) and my leg had 4 or 5 stings in it. Much to the amusement of my pals who re enacted it for everyone who came onto the field. I strongly belive that was the day I started to react against flaired trousers, though it too untill the summer of 1978 before i did away with all my trousers of the wide variety and started wearing '"dranpipes" for good[/quote] Ah yes, 1976 a classic year for amusing wasp attacks clearly. One flew up the back of my dress while I was camping with pals, and I had to quickly whip my dress off to to the general amusement of assorted teenagers in the tent. At least that's how I remember it. I'm sticking to the story that a wasp was involved...

I so agree about how going into a music shop can be nerve wracking. I would sometimes browse round local shops for ideas for presents for the Ex, and I always felt as if everyone could tell I wasn't a musician and was wondering if I had wandered in from a WI meeting by mistake. However I have now discovered a lovley local shop run by 2 great middle aged guys. I offer you this genuine exchange for your amusement.. ME: Have you got any kazoos HIM: Sorry love I'm afraid we haven't ME: That's a shame, I was looking for a stocking filler for my boyfriend HIM: Well how about one of these little drums? ME: Thinks.. 'BF is a drummer, we've got too many percussion instruments already' But actually SAYS 'No thanks, I've got plenty of things to bang, I was looking for something to blow!' The words were out of my mouth and hanging in the air before I could stop them. Gusts of laughter ensued from everyone. You wouldn't get THAT on the internet!! (But I might have got my kazoo!)

[quote name='oldslapper' post='1342922' date='Aug 17 2011, 11:26 AM'][quote name='skej21' date='Aug 17 2011, 10:29 Dood, I agree it's a great part of being a musician. I still get a buzz after lessons....silly I know. I think I get as inspired by the enthusiasm and hunger of a student as I do listening to my fav players play. You are right about having a good business approach too, look for opportunities to sell the product. I would like to improve as a tutor though.[/quote] As a student I'm really pleased to see posts like this from you lovely tutors. I really look forward to my lessons and they always lift my spirits. I come out of a lesson really buzzing and can't wait to get home and practice what I've learned. But I sometimes wonder if my teacher isn't sitting there thinking 'Thank God that dithering bint's gone home, now I can go and watch the footie' Not that he's ever given me the impression that I'm wasting his time, but I just couldn't imagine that he's enjoying it as much as me. So it's great to read about you people really enjoying your teaching. I hope my teacher feels the same