philparker

This is one of the better YouTube offerings:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u6VbivW3JU&list=PLEE62EBBDE506EF2E&index=13"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u6VbivW3JU&list=PLEE62EBBDE506EF2E&index=13[/url]

Thanks for the post, I shall watch it when I get home from work!

You could have tried it out whilst baby sitting?!

Many thanks for this - I will print a copy and play (learn?) over the Christmas period. It's a great song, I have the guitar transcription from Guitar Techniques April '96 and some of these 'guitar' transcriptions had very accurate bass lines in the backing tracks, which I often wondered why they didn't also feature them in sister bass magazines.

A great story that heartens us all as bass players!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1355606627' post='1900607']
If money was no object I would go see him every week, its also a 45 minute drive away.[/quote]

That's what happens when you get into a niche market...you have to be prepared to travel, but it is the same for everybody - even Scott Devine got on the plane to Spain to have bass lessons with Gary Willis, but that's takes when you've got determination and direction!

I spent 4 years travelling 45 minutes for a lesson with a concert guitar player and considered myself very lucky, but I would also say the more advanced you get the longer you can take in between lessons and reduce to fortnightly or monthly - even 6-monthly - depending upon what you want to achieve? However, it doesn't matter what level you are - we all need coaching...even the greatest players in the world whether that is music; tennis; golf; football - the world No. 1 always has a coach...and so should we all, as musicians!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1355601670' post='1900544']
Cheers the lower the better, how simple is grade 1? I have no idea what level I am at.
[/quote]

The good thing about using the grading system, in any discipline of music, is that it is gradually progressive and progression should become natural if you follow it and subsequently more efficient and will not leave any gaps in your ability - that I see so often in musicians who have tried to fast track to the top without getting the basics right: that follows not just for music but any other vocation in life!

If you are going to see "Doddy" for some lessons and advice then I would suggest waiting to see what he recommends in terms of music and direction etc. and stick to that without distraction - although I've not met him, the few posts of his that I have read mirror my own thoughts on learning, reading and study etc. and I would suggest you are making the right decision?!

I've only been playing for about 10 weeks now, but I might be in a position to comment on a few things as a fellow-newbie to DB. After buying my acoustic DB I've spent a small fortune on music and assessories etc. but I am still loving every minute of it and looking back over the comparatively short period there's not much I would change.

[quote]
The following link is to a good cheap book with melodies from well known jazz and big band songs transcribed for double bass, so it has the benefit that you are playing recognisable melodies rather than painful (albeit necessary) scale type stuff [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mckee-Andy-Jazz-Bass-Double/dp/1423489535"][color="#0f72da"]http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/1423489535[/color][/url]
[/quote]


I was a bit disappointed with this book as I prefer to practise what I will be eventually be playing - the bass line - so it doesn't get much of a look in - although I did enjoy playing [i]Autumn Leaves[/i]. The Evolving Bassist is an excellent book, but it is should also be taken as a long-term reference and study book and not a starter's book nor a beginner's progressive book as there is so much mnore music you have to learn and study in between the pieces and studies offered in this edition. It is a must buy, though!

I took lessons from Day one - to prevent be forming any bad habits - and I take lessons every two weeks and will continue to do so until I change musical direction, i.e. I currently learn with everything (lesson-wise) the bow and about 10 - 20% of my own stuff as pizz (things I might play in a band), but when I am competent enough that ratio will reverse. I am learning scales to ABRSM and the main books I am using for repertoire are the Keith Hartley [i]Double Bass Solos; [/i]Rodney Slatford [i]Time Pieces 1 & 2; [/i][i]Suzuki Bass School 3 [/i]and Angela Schofield's [i]Amazing Solos for Double Bass.[/i] I suppose I'm fortunate that I already read music and can concentrate on technique, but if you are learning to read music, most of these repertoire books are at the lower grades (1 -5) and a progressive study would also improve your music reading ability.

There's a second hand set of jazzers in the classified section from Marvin Spangles for £65 - might be worth a try at that price?

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1354650226' post='1888794']
PS, I just spotted that March 29th is Good Friday. Don't know if that makes it easier or harder for folks to attend
[/quote]

That makes it a go-er for me, I've only got 4 days leave left until the 1st April so I've registered my intent as well!

PM'd!

Does anyone know the approximate cost of this?

I can't imagine it being cheap, but it's probably a chance not to be missed! (Especially for a beginner like me trying to fastback to intermediate!)

You don't have to decide, they're both icons of British rock and what one of them does slightly better than the other, shouldn't relegate the other!

Having said that I would say that JB is technically the better guitar player and JP had the better presence with genius compositional skills.

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1352596356' post='1865109']
But... But... He uses a pick!
[/quote]

A lot of people did in them days - they didn't know better! But once the habit is formed...

I would speak to them first, tell them you're not happy, gauge their reaction and then you will know for certain if its worth trying to salvage.

They should also be able to work out that things aren't going well!

...and of course once you've done that - the transcription would be even better !!

I do like them, but I would have preferred to hear piano take over on the melody for the repeat section of Autumn Leaves with a nice counterpoint bass line pulsing through!

Great work!

Edit: from 2:16 to the end.

I first learnt bass guitar as a 15-year old in 1977 playing to the record and having the album score to revolver and learnt the 'subtle' changes from major and minor(7th) to Here There & Everywhere. Luckily, I could already read music, but it was a new revelation to me then like I was discovering bass lines harmony for the first time!

Keep searching and trying all the different songs the beauty about them is they're not technical difficult or demanding, but they're exactly what a bass line should be - adding pulse, colour and harmony without distracting from the melody.

Where have you been for the last 49 years!

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1352201587' post='1859908']
Welcome Bezinga! Never too late to start (I'm a latecomer myself)! However, I would recommend taking some one to one lessons exactly at this stage, to help you avoid acquiring bad habits which you'd find very hard to get rid of if left unnoticed.
[/quote]

+1

The earlier the better both for you and your teacher - it will save you forming any bad habits and save your teacher wasting time correcting them! It might also help you realize which direction you wish to take and methods to get there quicker!

Welcome to the site.

Good luck with your search - I'll have to check you guys out the next time I'm back in Bury!

I maybe the least qualified to comment on this as I have only been playing DB for one month, but as a beginner I may be able to share different experiences?!

I didn't really intend to play with a bow, but listening to sage advice from BC forumites and others I thought it might be worth while. I managed to locate a tutor a week or so before I collected my DB and arrange an initial lesson (on the day of collection) and subsequent lessons. It just so happens my tutor is from an orchestral background and even though I highlighted my future plans (jazz, folk, MOTR & majority pizz) all my lessons and tutoring will be a majority of arco until I am at a decent level. I have played fretless for many years and appreciate 'intonation by ear' and watching all the DB vids I have, I've been impressed with the seamless intonation and muscle memory of the players.

I've been studying scales and arpeggios from an ABRSM book as well as Yorke Studies & Kieth Hartley solos - all in a progressive structure and 90% arco. I've been pleased with my progress and consistency of intonation, especially when moving up to position 3 (I haven't started the thumb position yet!) and looking back over the last month I think my progression has been very much helped by the structure ive adopted and the 20+ mins of scales very day - something I would be reluctant to do on guitar or bass.

Luckily I've got the time to practise and I intend/determined to be a good player and don't mind putting in the hard, tedious work in now if its going to get me quicker to the point of competence.

I've watched it now and will watch it again - very inspirational!

I like listening to hard-working pros like Danny (& many others) who have worked their way up with grit, determination and lots of disciplined practice - it reminds us all there's no easy way (apart from X-Factor!).

Mine arrived yesterday - I will be watching it this evening!

Using the capo allows the acoustic guitarist to change key for the singer but still keep the same chord sequence with open chords and finger picking if applicable.

The acoustic line-up I play with use capos all the time and may even change it down a semi-tone just before playing live,if the singer is struggling a bit. It doesn't affect me as a bass player, I just transpose automatically.