BassTractor

Seriously. I've always wondered. Never played one, never even heard one. I did once ask somebody, but got a half answer. What I do understand is what AMM Music did in the sixties, and what guys like Evan Parker would do, as in quite experimental new music where you start with nothing and then someone emits some sounds and others respond in hopefully musical ways. But a jam session at the local Dog and Duck is an unknown to me, and I expect some rules must be established beforehand? Like a chord scheme and a style? How about duration? And how many people would really impovise and how many (if any) would provide a solid backdrop to play against? Would one strive to make a rounded off song, or would it be more like endless noodling over repeating patterns? I hope you get the drift of my questions. Thanks beforehand for any enlightenment of my brain cell.

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1398698237' post='2436686'] I have small children (including one born yesterday); I would kill for regular jam sessions [/quote] Congratulado Mucho! Hope everything goes well for you. And I know what you mean. My small children too were quite irregular with the jam. Getting my coat, and will ask what a jam is in another thread. As a tender classical boy, I've long wondered.

Haven't seen it on BC yet, so here goes: [url="http://www.korg.com/us/news/2014/0217/"]http://www.korg.com/us/news/2014/0217/[/url] I'm sooo getting that. Long ago, I almost got my parents to buy one, but I stumbled on some electrical wires on the shop floor, and, landing on the Odyssey, got bleedingly hurt on its sharp edges. After that, no sensible words towards my parents of it being OK, and I could love getting hurt everyday for that matter, were of any use. My mom was not having that devil's child murder machine in da house!

Welcome, Ricky! Dunno about how many use self-teaching. Certainly not everyone, as there are many threads about teacher searches and about experiences with teachers. As to hints, there's already tons of threads in the Gear section, so my advice would be to find all the "beginner bass" and "budget bass" threads there, and ask more specific questions after having read some of them. Search keywords would be Squier Classic Vibe Jazz, Squier Classic Vibe Jazz, and Squier Classic Vibe Jazz. However, if your budget is very tight, you could do a search for "second hand Squier Classic Vibe Jazz". Other than that, I don't think there's a need to limit yourself to Jazz basses. Oft mentioned good budget basses are Vintage, Cort, Yamaha, Ibanez and probably some others I can't remember right now. Enjoy! Bert

I think you're on to something. Composers like Burt Bacharach are very good at what they do. One might not like the style and one might puke at the conformistic, non-provocative elements of the easy listening genre, but some musicians have put quite some quality into the genre. Personally, I still prefer the raw imperfections of a Thin Lizzy track, but that's just my preference. Then again, I own zero Thin Lizzy tracks, but do own some Easy Listening, Maybe I've been deaf always, and not merely only recently! BTW, for a great modern take on easy listening, Swedish pop band Komeda made a fantastic album called "What Makes It Go?" in the mid nineties. Not music for the Millions, that - - more like Music for the Few. Here's a track: http://youtu.be/zI6GW4RSzrU

Welcome, Nige! Bert56

Sorry if it's already been mentioned, but a regular job doesn't have to be a full job. Taking me as an example: for two years, I studied almost full time (as in roughly eight hours a day) alongside alternating between 40% and 60% of a full job for one year, and a bit more irregular working the other year. The question probably is if you can survive off little income, and my guess is that that depends as much on where you live as on other things.

Whilst it would be easy for me to sit in my sofa and believe that I'm one tough bastard who would've done the same as you did, I must in fact be honest and realistic, and presume that in real life, I'd probably haggle the train fare down to £89.

Me! Whilst it took almost an hour before the Wikipedia page I wrote about myself was deleted, my bands' pages vanished within minutes!

FWIW, my brother-in-law adores Him, probably praying before His statue every morning and every evening - - bareknee-edly so.

Welcome, Eloi! You won't find anyone perfect OR sound here, I'm afraid. Enjoy the forum! Bert

There's a thread comparing it in detail with the Aguilar ToneHammer, so my guess is they're comparable.

As to creating parts like that, as a guitar player you probably already have what it takes. How about playing that song (or a rough impression of it) in your head, keeping the flow and the character of the melody and chord progression. Immediately or eventually you should be able to hear bass notes that are not too far removed from the type of bass part the original song has. Can you do that? What you do NOT need at this stage is someone telling you what bass parts are possible from a certain theoretical standpoint.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1398447644' post='2434304'] You have to have many backups and Plans B, C, D, E and even F, if you're going to achieve any kind of useful income. [/quote] Don't even be shy of Plan F# or Plan Bb . There is a reason we have twelve different notes in every octave!

Without knowing your situation, in general I think it's about being available for a very diverse set of things to do, and about contacts. Many tiny bits of income would give survival. Diversity: this could for example mean teaching at different types of schools as well as starting your own teaching institution, being a dep for many kinds of music groups in all kinds of styles, recording sessions ... the works! Contacts: I think contacts must really not be underestimated. (I got a deal once when someone knew that I was working on the exact same music that somebody else needed a dep for.) All the best!

Aye, but cheddar's a bit of a marmite thing. Wensleydale? I mean: the whole moon can't be wrong! But yes, those Ricks have a unique look that I just can't stop to love even when it's quite absurd really. ...and that sound! That sound! (given the right fingers and the right equipment of course)

Nah! They stink big time. That's why I have only four of them, and am not expecting to ever own more than 72 of these wretched machines. Other than that, Mark is right on the money. I tend to say the opposite of what I mean, just for the lulz. Sigh. You'll get used to us, Kris. That's the best we can offer.

[URL=http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/welcome_zps0956a847.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r525/basstractor1/welcome_zps0956a847.jpg[/IMG][/URL] My dog says Welcome, so I guess I join in. Welcome! Bert

Yeah! What that a-hole loser says! Welcome, Cholly. Bert

Well, K50, let's just hope the drummer's not too loud then, eh?

Welcome, Kris, despite you owning a Music Man! Bert

Luvverly! What is it?

Yup, four dots as in that it's a Sandberg. A Custom or Anniversary or something like it. I don't have any Sandberg knowledge. Rats, I don't have any bass knowledge!

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1398195548' post='2431576'] and can we name that bass? [/quote] Yes, we can, roughly. .... (No need to count them dots. There's four of them.)

This stinks. I know, because I like it a lot, and it makes me happy.