Kiwi

Aww thats sad. He was one of a handful of maybe only a handful of innovators who managed to make a name for themselves in the last 20 years.

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1363697766' post='2015968'] It's not me. It's Basschat. I know what is very likely to have happened. One or more of the site admins (probably all of them) operate behind either no firewall or a poor one. [/quote] We use Cloudflare.

I decided to stop over on my way back to London in order to catch up with family but also to meet legendary bass technologist, Steve Chick. For those who don’t know, Steve was responsible for the original MB4 MIDI bass system that started out with Valley Arts and he later licensed the technology to Wal and Peavey. Unlike the pitch sensing technology in more common systems by Roland and Graphtec, the MB4 system created by Steve is unique in that it uses mechanical sensors to obtain all the information required to generate MIDI messages. Each fret is divided so that each string has its own segment. Each fret also has a resistor soldered to it and embedded in the fingerboard. The resistors are wired in series for each string. This means each fretted note can be identified according to the resistance it presents to the outboard controller unit rather than relying on a complicated pitch detection process. The big advantage of this is virtually no MIDI lag. Steve has had a fairly low profile in recent years, but has been active in other areas of research, including an overhaul of the MB4 system. Previous MB4 systems weren’t able to detect pitch bends, but thanks to strain sensors in the bridge the new system can. Steve has also struck up a working partnership with renowned Sydney luthier Charles Cilia to produce a complete instrument that takes its dimensions directly from a ‘64 Jazz Bass owned by a friend of Steve. So what is it like to play? The first thing that jumps out is the absence of lag compared to the pitch to MIDI system in my Shuker Headless 6. Thanks to the mechanical sensing, triggered notes sound immediate. I tried both 4 and 5 strings and there was no noticable lag even on the B. Both polyphonic and monophonic modes are available and Steve activates another mode which takes the dynamics of the string attack, sustain and decay and uses a form of subtractive synthesis to apply them to the MIDI signal. The result is a MIDI signal that sounds much more responsive to player dynamics. It’s also possible to do hammer ons and glissandos without plucking a note with the right hand…and the system even senses harmonics! The system is pretty much capable of sensing any bass playing technique including popping and snapping. However it's also still capable of creating false triggers with sloppy playing. Allowing for this remains the biggest challenge for any MIDI bass system. I tried a variety of right hand techniques and the least effective was the standard two fingered overhand technique mainly because I kept patting the strings to keep in time between notes. It was an old habit but not one that sits with note sensing very well. I had the best results by using a banjo claw-hammer technique which allowed me to play very fast and clean triplets in a way I could never dream of with pitch-to-MIDI. Steve suggested a classical guitar technique also works well because the strings are plucked cleanly. The range of sounds available are only limited by the synth you plug into the wireless transmitter sized convertor unit. Steve explained that there is a lot of scope to customise how the system in each instrument responds to a players technique. For example, it’s possible to filter out sensitivity to fret noise to reduce unwanted triggers. It was at this point Steve showed me his latest idea to address the technique issue – a prototype "Chickpick". This is basically a rubber sheathed metal pick which transmits a radio signal to sensors in the instrument every time it makes contact with the string. The idea is that by using the pick to play notes rather than fingers, there will be a specific and definite trigger for the note making cleaner playing much easier for those who are used to using picks. In use, the pick definitely did the job, although I was still getting false triggers because the action on the instrument was high and contact between the string and the fret just prior to plucking was also triggering – something Steve said could be dialled out with lower action and further sensitivity tweaks. Luthier Charles Cilia sat in with us and demonstrated the guitar version of the MIDI system. He played with astonishing facility - tapping, pinching harmonics, whammy bends and playing power chords, all perfectly tracked by the system. All in all the technology was very, very impressive. There is no question that this is the best MIDI sensing system in existence. However any system will require a high standard of right hand technique to get the best out of it. I discussed this with Steve and suggested potential development to make the optimisation process for players easier. For those who are comfortable with clean right hand technique, a staggering, new world of possibilities opens up where the player feels fully engaged with the synth. At the moment the full bass system isn't cheap and maybe out of the reach of many players. But Steve has been giving that some consideration also, so watch the website ([url="http://www.industrialradio.com.au/products/index.php"]http://www.industria...ducts/index.php[/url]) or subscribe to the Industrial Radio facebook page for any announcements in the future. Steve Chick

Anthony Jackson and Billy Sheenan definitely impress me. Tom Jenkinson is technically proficient but his playing leaves me cold. Victor Wooten definitely grooves and there's no question he's a virtuoso but I'm probably in a minority in that I just don't get where he's coming from. By contrast, Sharay Reed's playing is deeply musical although he's not as technically gifted as Tom Jenkinson or Victor Wooten.

The price of older instruments is usually dictated by nostalgia more than anything. If there aren't a whole load of associations to a large enough segment of the market, the price realistically won't go up much if at all. Supply won't outstrip demand.

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1362512540' post='2000618'] Jaco likely won't have cared about upgrading his instrument providing that it played well, after all he was rather good on the old electric bass and if something ain't broke then why fix it? Likely he didn't need the hassle. It's also not entirely true that he didn't include at least one or two mods on his instruments, he was known to use P-Bass necks on Jazz basses so that he could get a stretch on with his left hand, something about him cramping up on jazz bass necks. [/quote] The interviews written about him show he was very particular about His sound though.

I should also mention that John Diggins (Jaydee) made Jaco 5 black fretless jazz style basses and was on the verge of endorsing him just before Jaco was beaten up. So he ALMOST got endorsed. A basschatter has one of those instruments in their collection.

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1362512108' post='2000597'] I find it interesting that he must have done an outstanding job of defretting. I wonder if any Luthier offered to do a more professional job for him, especially mixing in his circles [/quote] He defretted his instruments pretty early on in his career. Again, maybe he couldn't afford a luthier at the time. But with a radiussed sanding block and a range of grit, it's not a hard job to do so long as the epoxy is given time to cure and the sanding block is run parallel to the centreline of the neck. [quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1362512217' post='2000602'] Did he own a factory standard fretless [/quote] I'm not an expert on Fenders but I'm not aware fretless jazz basses were available when he got into fretless, only the precision was.

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1362511619' post='2000583'] I wondered if it might have been uncool to have a 'new' bass. He seemed quite proud of the "patena" [/quote] Hard to say now without speculating. He definitely liked jazz basses, maybe he couldn't afford a new one to begin with and by the time he could, preCBS instruments had rocketed in value.

At one point he owned 3 preCBS jazz basses, including one that was fretted. All were stock apart from the two fretlesses being defretted and an epoxy coating to the fingerboard. Fender offer a Jaco signature bass but neither they or Acoustic offered him a deal. Who knows why, maybe Fender weren't into endorsements back then because they didn't need to? Hard to say what the benefit for Jaco would have been.

Thanks Ian, I'm sure he wouldn't turn them down!

A friend of mine here in Christchurch, Graham, is planning to come over and play a few gigs in Leicester in August this year and he's thinking about whether it would be worth doing some gigs in London where his cousin lives. The problem is that he doesn't have any contacts or much of a reputation in London, so I've offered to help out. I guess Graham is NZ's equivalent of Tommy Emmanuel - a fine fingerpick acoustic guitarist, a national treasure and a lovely chap. He also plays guitars that he has built himself! Does anyone in London have established and reputable agent or promoter contacts who Graham could approach? This is Graham BTW [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT77GfACnMM[/media]

Silent discos are explained here. The kit is available for hire. [url="http://www.silentdiscokit.co.uk/howitworks.php"]http://www.silentdis.../howitworks.php[/url] Bluetooth on smart phones could be an alternative. It wouldn't require any extra kit. Just someone on the stand to set their phone up to transmit and an app on each persons phone to receive. It's so ridiculously simple I'm appalled that noone has looked into it yet.

[quote name='slapmonsta' timestamp='1362352868' post='1998947'] Ha ha...the old "I hate slap bass at music shows" thread.Only the date ever changes. Forgive me for saying it-but aren't "trade shows" entirely designed to attract players to check out the manufacturer's wares close up,and get their hands on the gear at close quarters?Does it really matter if the guy plays a dodgy version of "Love games" on a coffee-table bass-if he's ultimately helping to keep the retailer and distributor in business-and thus allow future shows to commercialy viable? Obviously the volume aspect needs addressing- but it seems that some peeps would rather use it as an excuse to moan about a playing style they don't and a "stereotype" punter rather than look at any positives! [/quote] Slapping can be quite intrusive though compared to other styles. Try some chordal work or listening to the sound of a note blossom on a fretless when the air is filled with the explosion of a thousand released springs. Also, some people DO use it as their chance to perform...maybe in the hope they'll get noticed by someone important and complimented on their playing? Who knows but slap was only novel and cutting edge 30 years ago. And I doubt very much that those performers would make much of a dent in any businesses bottom line if they were required to use headphones. But it would sure as hell make having a civil conversation easier. I'd suggest networking at these events is more important than watching Mark King clones reliving their Live at Wembley fantasies...and I say that as someone who plays slap bass heavily influenced by Mark King. There's a time and a place for everything. One great idea would be along the lines of a silent disco. Every ticket holder gets a pair of RF tagged wireless headphones and each stand has a transmission frequency through which they're running a mix of who ever is playing at the time. So the idea would be to roll up to a stand, dial in their 'station' and enjoy.

I think noise cancelling headphones might be worth considering by exhibitors if its still difficult to focus. Based on the comments so far, a separate amps only section to the exhibition with individual cubicles per exhibitor may not be such a bad idea either. Or amp makers supply their own cubicles as part of the conditions of exhibiting. Any stands outside the amp area are then headphones only. At the end of the day, being able to test an amp at performance volume is not such a bad thing but I don't see why bass makers and effects suppliers need to let customers go full tilt.

The GK RB700 amps are a superb combination with maple bodied Spectors too! Love the boost control.

I owned and gigged an NS6 Euro but I prefer the solid maple NS5CRs. The Euros are broadly warmer with the alder wings but the maple wings have more growl and punch. On small stages I don't miss the warmth and if I ever need it there's always a bass control on the bass or the amp to tweak. But the narrow band of mid punch can't be replicated on eq.

This evening I fitted a pair of Aaron Armstrong's custom wound 70's jazz pickups to my Celinder J Update and it sounds phenomenal. Huge lows and a really nice woody high end. For the first three or four minutes I had to double take the bass, it sounded like a genuine 70's jazz. 75 quid per pick up though so might be out of your price range.

I just want to say a huge thanks to Bluejay for representin' BC this year and to Barrie for inviting us sit in with Bassgear. Not only did Bluejay donate her time but she also organised the banners. I think next year we're going to have to look seriously at being bona fide exhibitors. I would have been there but flights and resignation and contracts and tax things and logistics worked conspired against me by a week. Still...there's always the SE Bass Bash

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V23AlSa-9As"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V23AlSa-9As[/url] All of the above for getting down on this bad boy too.

Lovely post and some great points.

lol

Get IN! [color=#333333][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=2]RRP: [/size][/font][/color][b]£3,799.00[/b][color=#333333][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=2] - You Save: [/size][/font][/color][b]£2.00[/b] There was a burgundy mist 64 jazz bass on NZ Trade Me for $8000 last week. It had a tortie pickguard tho which looked fussy but it seemed all original as far as an ignorant person of my limited capacity to appreciate could tell.