sarah thomas

Here's a quote from the Victor Wooten book mentioned earlier: “Rhythm can be looked at as harmony slowed down.” “What do you mean?” He totally lost me with that comment. “A-440 means that a note vibrates four hundred and forty times per second, right?” “Yeah, I understand that.” “If you keep cutting that number in half, 440, 220, 110, 55, etc., you will eventually get beats per minute. At that point, it’s called rhythm. You see?” I don't see. Can somebody break this down for me, into small steps that the mathematically challenged might understand?

You could put yourself on Daf Lewis' list to try the Honey Innovation strings - designed for jazz. I've got 'em at the minute and will probably buy a set after passing them on.

I'd be interested in a meeting at The Gower pub - I've been to a couple of music workshops there on a Sunday. Do you fancy having a double bass along for the ride? Plus if you want a drummer, I might be able to sweet talk my other half into coming along. We're not always around on Saturdays but would like the option. It would be great to meet you all.

Fumps, you say you're dyslexic. Nobody could possibly tell from your posts, so it's clear that you have the drive, will and commitment to overcome many an obstacle. So, I suggest you set to and learn chord tones. The reason that the notes B and D sound good with a G chord is that they are chord tones of G. G is note one, or the root note, B is the third note and D is the fifth. Chord tones are more fundamental to bass lines than scale notes. Take your major chords and learn the root, third and fifth. Internalise this knowledge - I expect you're pretty good at that as most dyslexics develop that ability in order to get by. Then move onto your minor chords, which should be easy if you've done the major chord tones thoroughly, as you're just flatttening the third, eg for G minor, the chord tones will be G, Bb and D. This goes on and on, utilising 7ths, 9ths, 11ths but I reckon if you get major triads (the root, third and fifth) and minor triads under your fingertips then you'll be in a very strong position to create solid bass lines for any type of music. Good luck!

I raised the topic on a ukulele forum. Looks like you'd be welcomed with open arms most anywhere else: http://www.ukulelecosmos.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=27333

Oh Steve, that's a real shame. Our local uke club was co-founded by a bass player, so we never had that problem. It was more that he wanted to play the uke but kept getting pressed into playing bass instead.

I find 1e+a 2e+a 3e+a helps, rather than 1e+e. For instance on the ten-to-ten swing rhythm, the rhythm goes (1 2 3 4), a1 2 a3 4, a1 2 a3 4. Or something. Anyway, it helps to tell your arse from your elbow.

The last Tuesday of every month sees a jam session at The Gate, Keppoch Street, Cardiff. (You just missed the last one!) Cafe Jazz in St Mary Street, Cardiff host a monthlyish open mic night. The next one is Wednesday July 11th. Come and say hello if you're there. Me and my mates will be playing Watermelon Man as long as the house trio don't mind gettng off the stage. Both sessions are jazz-minded, although The Gate sometimes throws in a traditional 12 bar blues just to confuse the drummer.

Very useful, thanks. I would regularly lower the nut height on ukuleles but tackling such a big and expensive instrument brings a new fear. Glad to hear it all went well and you've given me confidence about trying this myself.

Thanks Daf and Chris. I've just ordered one (you have to put in the quantity required before clicking add to cart - that had me foxed for a while). £5.95 including UK postage beats all that twisting and turning.

Are the plastic jobbies no good?

What with all these sets of strings whizzing around the country begging to be tried out, can anyone recommend a string winder?

The Ashbory mini bass sounds close to a double bass too. I was thinking of taking mine along to the local uke group in the summer hols, but now my mate's got in with her electric bass. Perhaps I'll just dust off a ukulele to take.

Rufus Reid says 'Stand with your feet almost in an 'L' shape. The bass is slightly tilted towards the body and the side of the bass is not touching the stomach area. The proper angle of the bass can be achieved by drawing the bow on the E string so that the arm just passes the body without moving the body or the bass. The bass is leaning slightly into the body with the inside of the left knee against the bass back acting as one of the balancing points. The other balancing point is angled against the lower abdomen where it joins the leg.' The book, 'The Evolving Bassist' has more info and photographs. I've been trying to balance the bass a la Mr Reid and had begun to feel quite proud of my progress when the other band members wanted me to 'twirl the bass'. Grrr.

Have you put yourself on Daf Lewis' list to trial Innovation strings? I don't think there are any gut strings, but plenty of others to try.

If you can get hold of a bit of thin leather, it should last longer than the card. Glad it's sorted!

The Honeys are on my Boosey & Hawkes Artia (thanks Jake, for passing them on). As a beginner with limited experience, you're going from the sublime to the gor blimey after Jake's review, but here goes with my first impressions: The first thing I noticed was how floppy the Helicore Hybrids seemed in comparison once I'd taken them off. This could be a feature of the Helicores or it could be that they are old strings (they came with the bass). The Honeys are louder, deeper, woodier and altogether more wonderful. I sound like a proper double bass player. I've got a jam session coming up next week and an open mic at the local jazz club on July 11th so I can tell you more then. Definitely louder - the pianist particularly liked that. The house band bassist thought they had a good sound. They seem to suit the Artia. I find my callouses have taken a hammering though, and an old carpal tunnel syndrome issue has been letting me know it's still there. I guess they are higher tension than my previous strings. Dave the double bassist gave me a couple of pointers on technique to help with the wrist problem and to get an even better sound (more arm, less fingers basically). Things I thought I knew about but obviously wasn't applying. I'd like to keep the strings on until after the 11th July, when I'll pass them on post haste. Just charging up the electric screwdriver so I can try out the new string winder to take the Honeys off. I don't want to take them off. Now my fingers have started to toughen up I love the thumpy deep yet clear boom of these strings. Bill the house bassist from last night (11th) was impressed by the sound of them (as was Dave from the previous session). Bill said that beginner bassists often sound a bit clunky until their fingers grow suitably strong and calloused but that these strings didn't sound at all clunky - confirming my view that I sound like a proper DB player. And more people are asking to play with me. I love these strings! They're off to Bassinmyface tomorrow morning. Enjoy!

I got a terrible rattle when Phil got his drum kit. He was in the attic at the time and I thought, 'What's he doing with all that tin foil?' Fixed by pressing a lever on the snare drum. Duh!

Pete Tyler's book 'About the Double Bass' has a section on eliminating buzzes and rattles. Problems he mentions - old strings where slackness has developed between the centre core and the outer winding, particularly where the string passes over the bridge and the top nut. Loose screws on the machine head, spade winder insecure in its handle. Worn cogs and worn shafts can also cause buzzing. The metal spike in the end pin unit is a common source of vibration because the shaft becomes loose in its casing. Needs replacing. The wire securing the end pin may vibrate and this can be fixed with gaffer tape. Bass body - check for open joints, loose ribs, old repairs, splits and that all eight violin corners are okay. If its the bass bar, pressing a finger on the front above the ends of the bar will stop the buzzing - not a cure, but a diagnostic tool. A loose back strut can be identified by tapping the fingers over the back and listening for a change in note or a rattle. If pressure on the back then stops the rattle, you've found your problem. A worn or warped fingerboard means the string may vibrate against the fingerboard. Also check your bridge is correctly aligned. Open strings buzz if the the string is not correctly fitted into the groove of the top nut. Glue a small strip of leather in the groove beneath the string until it can be reshaped. You may need a new top nut. I hope that helps - all power to Pete's book!

My DB came with a K & K Bassmax and I haven't felt any need to change it. I have no points of comparison, never having used anything else, but given the trouble others report with pickups, I think I've been lucky to have started with this one.

On a low budget, coming from the bass guitar and aiming to play slap rockabilly I'd go for the rockabilly. If the bug bites (and it probably will) then I'd also be saving up for a reasonable second hand DB. £1,000 is about right.

The Rev's suggestion looks great - complete with pick up and mojo. A really cheap way to get going.