thebigyin

Fingerstyle only for me on Bass...i have tried a pic but feels clumsy and awkward

Thanks folks

Hi Folks anyone got any accurate James Jamerson tabs please anything considered thanks in advance cheers Bob

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1479260746' post='3175209'] A bit of a ranty post. I'd never heard of this until yesterday. A guitarist that I'm doing some gigs with in December recently graduated with a degree in guitar playing after doing an on-line, two year course. I think he has a BA. I did a three year course, attending lectures 3 days a week, for up to 8 hours a day. On the days that I wasn't in for lectures, I'd probably spend maybe 10 or 12 hours practicing, and then do other assignments, dissertations, essays etc on top of that. I don't see how you can do a degree in 2 years, especially when you don't attend lectures. We had live performance assessments every week, you'd get none of that ? He doesn't even read music. I had to audition for my place, and being able to read extremely well was part of the requirement of passing the audition. To me this sort of thing is devaluing musical education, and further education in general. [/quote] Rant On....it's good to get things off your chest. I agree totally with you but rest assured you have earned your honours the hard way...well done

Well done mate

Geezer Butler Neil Murray Tommy Shannon Dennis Dunnaway Roger Glover Andy Fraser Boz Burrell Pete Way Jimmy Bain Phil Lynott The list would be endless

Thanks for the replies guyz

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1481066345' post='3189514'] Thomastic Spirocore weichs are a good starting point - easy playing tension with good solid fundamental. If you prefer something a bit more traditional sounding, then a synthetic string like Evah Pirazzi weich or D'addario Zyex are a good choice. [/quote] Thankyou Rev for your advice i originally wanted Gut strings but got a lot of folks saying they are expensive and have problems tuning ect. Bought the second hand Gut-a-like strings from a fellow Basschatter but the E and A strings are terrible to tie, just like the more traditional sound. Thanks again appreciate your advice cheers Bob

Hi Folks, New to the world of Double Bass and a few months ago i enquired about Gut strings with mixed reaction. I bought some second hand Gut-a-like strings and they are sh*te my Double Bass is poorly set up as it is and the stock strings it arrived with are bloody awful aswell. Could anyone recommend some decent strings Not Gut that give a nice warm response to play pizzicato for mainly Blues and Jazz thanks in advance cheers Bob

[quote name='PaulKing' timestamp='1480960163' post='3188452'] If you're reasonably practical, its no sweat to lower the string height your self. Lie the bass flat, slacken strings, take off bridge. Post shouldnt fall. If it does, time to learn how to reset it. Measure the thickness of your bridge along its top edge. (see later) Draw a pencil line parallel to the curve of the bridge top, spaced however much you want to lower the height. Keep the curve (profile) the same Draw vertical lines down from existing notches. Easier to remove the excess wood before recutting notches, but make sure those vertical lines dont get rubbed off ... they show where to cut your new notches. Place sandpaper on firm flat surface, and then draw top edge of bridge along sandpaper, rolling it along the curve as you go, until the top edge is taken down to your new pencil curve. You might want to thin out the lower side of the bridge to restore the curve, and make sure your new top edge is the same thickness as it started (see above) Then re-cut the notches using appropriate chainsaw file, and round off the edges of the notches so strings don't catch. An rub pencil lead into notches to lubricate them. Dont be scared. [/quote] Thankyou Paul

Thanks for all your replies folks lots of different comments and lots to ponder cheers Bob

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1480877418' post='3187767'] [size=4][color=#545454][font=arial, sans-serif]"Any technology, no matter how primitive, is [/font][/color][color=#6A6A6A][font=arial, sans-serif][b]magic[/b][/font][/color][color=#545454][font=arial, sans-serif] to those who [/font][/color][color=#6A6A6A][font=arial, sans-serif][b]don't understand[/b][/font][/color][color=#545454][font=arial, sans-serif] it" Arthur C Clarke[/font][/color] [color=#545454][font=arial, sans-serif]Our old keyboard player, classically trained, could listen to any song pretty much that we were learning just once and could then play it both hands, so effectively bassline, melody and chords all learned in real time. That seemed magic to me, and if I'm honest still does. I kind of know what she was doing, most pop songs use four chords and the melody will come from the scale tones etc but I can't do that. She has music theory and I don't.[/font][/color] [color=#545454][font=arial, sans-serif]Without music theory we are like a story teller who cannot read. Reading means we can talk to each other across space and time, we can talk to everyone who has ever written anything in a language we understand. Writing means we can swap ideas with other people and share ideas. Why would anyone think that exposure to the whole of English Literature would stifle their creativity?[/font][/color] [color=#545454][font=arial, sans-serif]I still painfully learn every song by rote. I don't reject theory I hunger for it, like the OP I wish I knew where to start. Personally I'm ashamed of not being able to read music. I know even a little more knowledge would unlock the musical place I'm confined to. I feel as those poor kids who struggle to learn to read must feel daily every time I get stuck with anything unusual in a new song.[/font][/color][/size] [/quote] Nicely put Phil as i've got older i find it harder to work stuff out i'm not sure if it's just bone idleness or what but my enthusiasm wavers Been in and out of Bands since the late 70's should be loads better so i know were your coming from....i often doubt my ability which doesn't help but plod on regardless. I am trying to better myself and take my playing to a better level even at the grand old age of 55.....but the saying your never to old to Rock n Roll.....don't believe it....it's definitely a young persons game lol.

[quote name='paul_c2' timestamp='1480857265' post='3187563'] I see theory like this: The 'history' of music theory is that lots of composers did stuff/wrote stuff, and some of these composers works were pleasant while others didn't sound that good. Later, people 'analysed' what the successful ones did, and created the 'science' of music theory. Then, composers and others started getting taught music theory, as a shortcut to produce more "nice" sounding music and less "other" stuff. So its not so much a set of rules by which you must adhere to, rather an empirical analysis of what previously is thought to be nice music. These days, there's more to theory than simply this set of guidelines, since its possible to analyse further and explain WHY things work well while others don't, too. And depending on the context and style of music, you can learn/apply theory but also ignore or deliberately go against it, to create different/interesting things. A case of "know the rules before breaking them". I dare say what you've picked up by ear, is a rough understanding of theory for the particular style of music and playing you've done so far - so extending this knowledge will not be a difficult thing to do. Also, its no use learning something then not applying it, you'll just forget it again (or be inexperienced at applying it). [/quote] Thanks some interesting points i think in the past i have tended to play it safe a very less is more approach which I still feel is important especially for a Bassist i think I really just want a bit more knowledge to maybe get a bit more adventurous if needed cheers Bob

[quote name='paul_c2' timestamp='1480857413' post='3187564'] What kind of bands have you played in and how did you approach playing the bass (lines)? For example, did you simply seek out the tab of a song then learn it, or did you come up with your own bass lines, if so what was the starting point - simply trial/error from hearing the song (ie by ear), or were you given the chord progression, etc. [/quote] A lot of times Paul i would sit and try learn the lines along with the songs. But on a few occasions i have gone down to a Band rehearsal not knowing there set and blagged it by writing down the chords and just root noting and the occasional fill or if it's been Rock and roll or Blues just a basic walking line I have been out of the scene for quite some time through work but I have reduced my hours now and picked up the Bass again but unfortunately no Band at the moment so i have started trying to educate myself better by learning some theory ect

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1480857822' post='3187572'] scales on bass are quiet easy really because unlike a guitar all strings go up in 5 fret intervals, so once you're got a scale shape it's movable everywhere, start with major and minor scales it does help to understand why you're playing certain notes, although it's not essential, quiet often I'll play a bass run that doesn't follow those scales sounds alright though, I was doing a bass run for years before I found out it was the pentatonic minor scale [/quote] Aye i agree Paul your ears instantly tell you if something doesn't sound right

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1480850079' post='3187487'] Well I've never met anyone that said "I've been spending a few hours a week looking at theory and its made me a worse player! ", go for it. [/quote] Cheers Pete yeah i don't think it will do any harm plus it's something to give one incentive to practice more

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1480848067' post='3187460'] ^^^^ Whoops - Mr. Tractor beat me to it. [/quote] Thankyou i will have a gander later cheers

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1480849404' post='3187473'] Even though I've never been particularly short on gigs and have no intention of doing it full time I still wish I'd started learning theory (in very broad term) years ago, I doubt I'd be gigging any more often but they'd probably be a higher standard of gig in the same category. I have too many hobbies and not enough time to really get stuck in now. [/quote] I have just kinda semi retired only work part time now just fancy brushing up on things i've ignored i doubt very much that it will make me any better but just curious to know a bit more

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1480848505' post='3187464'] Chord tones are probably the most important things to know. Work your way through this free online tutorial at your own pace: http://www.studybass.com/study-guide/ [/quote] Thankyou i will take a look

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1480845880' post='3187438'] I'm guessing that your expression "my lack of knowledge" is not entirely accurate. If your ears work, and I expect they do, then most chapters in the theory book should mainly tell you stuff you already know, whilst providing you with the the language to express that which you've known all along. Some theory is hard on the angle of: [i][b]In <situation>, you can only do <choice>[/b][/i]. Me, I don't like that (and it's wrong as well). I like the angle of: [i][b]Is <existing snippet> good? How does it work on the listener? Why does it work on the listener like that?[/b][/i] IOW, to me personally, theory is almost the same thing as music psychology. I don't care about rules as in "commands". I care about: "OMG! What did the composer do in order to make me love this so much?" In this, to me the most central term is that of tension (stability, powers away from stability and powers back to stability), and this goes for harmonic content as well as rhythmic and melodic content. So: don't go for the first theory book you see. Find the one that is open to possibilities and freedom of choice. We also had many threads about this, the last one (IMS) two months ago, that might provide some interesting views and experiences: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/293119-theory-yes-please-or-a-bit-of-a-yawn/ This is not criticism, BTW. Just a heads up that stuff does exist in these boards that can still be read, and a possible explanation if you get fewer answers than expected. [/quote] I agree but i think i just wanted to get a bit more basic knowledge and skills rather than just learning songs ect. Just incase i was asked to play anything original or something But like you say there are no hard fast rules and if something sounds good regardless of what so called theory is behind it. For me it's just to hopefully better my knowledge of the fretboard thanks for your reply

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1480843916' post='3187413'] It's never too late to learn some basic theory. It helps us to understand the "nuts and bolts" of music. Lots of people get by without knowing any, but this does not deem it to be unnecessary, or not useful. For me, it's a no brainer to have some basic knowledge, like the things you list, though for now, I'd leave out the modes. IMO they are best tackled later, after you have the basics nailed. Not sure what help you require. I'm sure people would be willing to help, if you ask. [/quote] Thanks for your reply i have managed to nail a 1 octave modes in the key of C....both ascending and descending

Morning Folks What's your feelings on Theory??? Are you a big believer in learning your scales and modes, chord tones, arpeggios ect. I must admit my lack of knowledge after many years of playing is beginning to get to me now, in the past i have played in quite a few Bands and blagged my way through ect. I used to find the whole thought of learning Theory a chore but just recently i have started to learn a bit more about chord tones, inversions, scales and modes all simple at present even grasping simple intervals mainly 3rd's and 6th's, 5th and octaves as they seem to make the most sense at present....wish I had started learning theory awhile back now....any help or advice would be greatly appreciated Thanks and Cheers Bob

[quote name='JoeEvans' timestamp='1480702765' post='3186624'] You don't want the grooves to be too deep or the strings can have too much friction going through them. I think they are supposed to be 1/3 of string diameter? [/quote] Thanks Joe

Still not got round to sorting this....my DB is just stood in it's case been stood idle now for months...seriously thinking of slacking outer E and G strings filing the string housing groove on bridge....re-tuning then doing the same with A and D but need some new strings first....just lately resorted back to playing Electric Bass

See Ian Dury and the Blockheads many moons ago and then the Blockheads obviously without Ian about 6 years ago both great gigs See Feelgood many moons ago aswell with Gypie Mayo on Guitar personally the Brilleaux, Mayo, Sparko and the Big Figure was my favourite line up...loved Wilko but Gypie was a class act