peteb

Basses are far more likely to get damaged / knicked at proper theatres with professional crews than they are at supposedly rough pubs!

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1383304544' post='2262820'] Over the period I've been playing bass, I've been fortunate enough to have had a few fairly expensive basses. 4, 5 and 6 stringers including 5 Status basses, 2 Alembics, an Fbass, 2 Vigiers, a Leduc and 2 Spectors. Going through old band photos on the PC whilst trying to free up some space, I'm either gigging with a 4 string Jazz or something with a few more strings that cost less than £150. Seems no matter what I've ever bought, I always go back to basics for playing live. What a waste of money all that turned out to be. [/quote] Can I ask why you spent so much money on so many basses if you were never going to gig them?? I agree that basses are pretty much tools and that the music should come first, but good workman always invest in quality tools that allow them to go a good job. If you had these basses sitting at home whilst you took out inferior ones to gig, then I would suggest that you were probably selling yourself cheap!

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1383315384' post='2263065'] Alembics are all ugly. I have one electric bass and one double bass for everything. I have more guitars than basses (4) but play them a lot less. For me, it is and always has been about the music not the tools. The 'music' includes sound so a specific bass is defensible I guess but, for me, they all sound like basses so a decent professional sounding piece of kit works every time. The rest is just fluff. [/quote] I can't disagree with you, but it should be borne in mind that you own an old boutique bass that must be worth a pretty tidy amount of dosh these days!

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1383177211' post='2261352'] Yes i can see the appeal of a covers band as musical wallpaper but personally i don't even have a radio on as background music. If something is worth listening to then it's worth my attention. I have actually seen a lot of mediocre bands turn into decent bands over the years. I remember being not too impressed with The Stranglers when i first saw then in the mid 70s on the London pub circuit but by the end of that summer they had turned into a competent band that were worth the 50p admission! [/quote] Fair point about bands improving over time. To clarify, I am not talking about covers band being musical wallpaper - more about them providing simple entertainment, which is fine in my book...

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1383175239' post='2261327'] That's great but if i'm making the effort to go out and see a band ii'd rather see a mediocre band playing their own material than a superbly proficient band play the usual tired old songs i've heard a thousand times and often by the original band. [/quote] Personally, if I go to see an original band I expect to have to pay to get in and I expect them to be good. I have absolutely no time for a mediocre original band – if you are not good enough then don’t bother! If I am just going out for a beer with the missus or some mates then I am more than happy to go and watch a covers band. Hopefully they will mainly play songs that I recognise, but without resorting to doing all of the obvious ones that every other band does. Ideally a good covers band will also be able to provide a few surprises i.e. play a few songs that I wouldn’t expect or don’t recognise. I judge covers bands less harshly than I would an original outfit, but still expect them to be at least half decent. If I were to come across this band on such a night out, I would be delighted…

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1383174389' post='2261316'] Of course there are and those are the ones i go and see. If i want to hear classic rock i'll have a night in and listen to the real thing. [/quote] They are a very good covers band - I'm happy to just appreciate them for what they are...

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1383173441' post='2261301'] I'm really glad that i lived through a time when groups actually played their own songs, otherwise Led Zeppelin, Yes and Deep Purple would have been playing covers by the Glenn Miller Orchestra and we would never had had those classic original songs by them. [/quote] There are still bands out there gigging original material - they're just not playing the covers circuit...

I'm afraid that most of the music shops around Bradford have closed down in the past few years (like a lot of things), let alone anything to do with DB. As mentioned above, Salts Mill and the Early Music Centre (in the same complex) are worth a visit if you like that sort of thing and there is a great boozer called Fannys just up the hill from there if you fancy a cheeky pint afterwards...!

I can kinda understand why people think that a Fodera is overpriced and I wouldn't pay that much for a bass (especially when you consider that you can get a hand made Xotic for less than a third of the price). However the best bass that I have ever played was a Fodera...!

[color=#222222]I kinda like the occasional gig such as the one the OP describes – it can allow you to kid yourself that you’re playing a roadhouse somewhere in the heart of the Midwest and lends a romantic aspect to the whole affair![/color] [color=#222222][/color] [color=#222222]For those in the north of England keen to share in this experience, I have found that Maryport is the best place for witnessing this type of audience participation. Every time I have played in that fair town there has always been a fight between several young ladies, all glammed up for the night…[/color]

The only problem with OBBM is that he uses full size connectors for his patch leads, which can take up a lot of space on your pedalboard (assuming that you actually want the cables for a pedalboard).

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1382525571' post='2253124'] Hi Pete, It's a bit of a trek but if you could get over to Manchester, I would recommend Neil Fairclough. He's a dynamite player, a very well experienced teacher and an all round great guy/music enthusiast. He currently plays with Queen when they're doing stuff as well as a host of other pro jobs. He is extremely knowledgeable in all genres of music and can play in most styles really authentically. He's also a mate so I can put you in touch if this looks interesting to you. Cheers Jake [/quote] Cheers Jake Manchester is certainly doable for a one-off or occasional lesson. I'll check him out and drop you a PM later - sounds good... Many thanks, Pete

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1382178755' post='2248916'] I do plenty of one off lessons for people to see some major topic material, I generally make it at least 2 hrs with a possible tea break and I spend time reiterating central messages to maximise the uptake of material trying to ensure that retention is reasonable, I also offer a back up questions via email option because the reality is you will not remember everything that you are shown in an intense lesson. So definitely doable. Find someone thorough with a proven track record of clear communication of material, and who can give rapid and accurate analysis of your needs. [/quote] [quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1382178829' post='2248917'] where are you based btw, I may be able to recommend as I know players/teachers all over the place. [/quote] Hi Jake I don't suppose that you can recommend anyone in the West Yorkshire area? About three years ago I started playing the blues circuit after 30 years of playing predominantly rock music. I have done OK getting gigs, etc and have been lucky to play all over the country in that time, but I do find that I come across a few guys on the circuit that have that little bit extra in their locker. It’s not so much playing blues lines, which I’m quite comfortable doing, more being able to incorporate a bit more of a (finger) funk type feel when the mood takes them. Also, I find that for the first time in my life that I am occasionally asked to play short solos, with varying results! I don’t want to re-evaluate my playing or start a programme of studying with a teacher, more a lesson or two with someone to give me a few new ideas and open up a new direction rather than getting stuck playing the same stuff that I have been doing for years. Also, I would want it to be genre specific, i.e. stuff that I can use in a blues rock band. I am never going to need to play solos using chord tones over a II V I turnaround, so I would need someone who does understand the blues genre. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated…

[quote name='Nick Riffed' timestamp='1382295087' post='2250305'] I wouldn't have a clue. Have you tried dating women? [/quote] Why? Do you think that women are more likely to be able to help this chap find out when old Fender necks were made??

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1382086369' post='2247616'] Re the vid in the OP: Is it me or does the guitarist's singing sound a bit like Roger Chapman? [/quote] I know where you are going but I wouldn't say so (but it's hardly a bad thing to be compared to Roger Chapman)!

Funnily enough, even tho I'm a fan of Mr Big, Winery Dogs, DLR, etc and of Billy himself I have never been too keen on his bass sound.

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1382044878' post='2247310'] Nope. Not being ironic. Never heard of him. Come to think of it, I had vaguely heard of his signature bass, maybe. He's good though. Have Mr Big or any other bands he's been in ever bothered the charts? [/quote]An American number one and worldwide hit with an untypical acoustic ballad in the early 90s [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QD5n98R_nk[/media]

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1382044033' post='2247288'] I had never heard of him when I bought my first bass (BS signiture Yammy), I just liked the minty green colour and the black offset blocked fretboard. I'm a bit embarrassed by that now. [/quote] Hey, nothing wrong with that - it is just that he is so high profile compared to most bass players and has been for so long that I kinda assumed that everyone interested in playing bass would be aware of him!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1382041852' post='2247246'] Well I suppose if I can't post this here, I can't post it anywhere... ...this is the number I learnt for a covers band I was in. [size=4]Really great fun to play. [/size] [/quote] Great stuff – must be an ace song to cover…!

I think that the OP may be the only bass player who has never heard of Billy Sheehan…! I love the Winery Dogs album – exceptional playing balanced by great songs. Kotzen is an amazingly talented singer / guitar player / songwriter…

[quote name='steantval' timestamp='1381863943' post='2244765'] Blimey, It's handbags at dawn here, I only asked for a bit of help with an old Whitesnake song. I cannot seem to download any of the links, Adobe is not letting it through, thanks all the same. I'm going around the guitarist house tomorrow and we can work it out using the special software on his computer slowing the runs down note for note but keeping it in pitch. [/quote] The youtube clip that Conan posted above is pretty damn close to the Neil Murray line – if I was you I would just have a good look at that. In fact when I next have a bit of time to spare I may just do that myself! Note that the recent versions of Whitesnake play an arrangement live that is a mixture of the two recordings, with the bassist playing something closer to the tab that xzodar posted above, but in G and with the E string dropped down a step to D, so that you can get the 5th below the root…

Sounds cool. Poland is a great place to visit. BTW - what band are you playing with??

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381794587' post='2243981'] Some advice -- as long as you try to figure out basslines and make and read tabs, you'll struggle for the rest of your life. What you need to do is understand what chords you're playing over and the notes within those chords and how they correspond to each other. In other words -- basic theory. Learn the modes. Play them up and down and backwards and sideways. Play some jazz standards and walk over the changes. Once you get good at that, you can rip through a song like that Whitesnake tune without even thinking. He's just playing basic busy rock runs over the chords. If you know the chords, it's childsplay. If you try to memorize the runs, it's calculus. [/quote] Understanding modes is one thing - learning a songbook of jazz standards in order to play Whitesnake covers is possibly a tad excessive...!