wishface

One thing I thought was interesting was how not-near-death Al Di Meola looked.

Robert Fripp doesn't think hes harmless having stolen 21st Century Schizoid Man for one of his 'songs'.

[quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1455530324' post='2979807'] Other people will always make you better. There might be an open mic night at a pub, go down, talk to people, you might find people to jam with. Chances are if you're there itching to jam there are other people who want to too. That said, I should do this myself. Drink my own damn kool aid. [/quote] Would love to, but i'm out in the countryside and there's none o fthat locally.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1455530029' post='2979801'] Jaco working with Joni Mitchell, there is some delightful playing from him. [/quote] Indeed, though much of that was jazz/ish.

I'm not even really interested in jazz, tbh. I own pretty much his entire output and I rarely listen to it, particularly the weather report stuff (I preferred Mahavishnu, if I must picka fusion band). His solo stuff is better. Had he not taken up fretless playing, would he have been the icon he became? Would his sound have fit any other genre of music? The Ian Hunter track is really interesting, and I only heard that the other day for the first time. I can't imagine him fitting into a heavy metal band for instance! Did the genre he played afford him the opportunity to do waht he did? He plays very bluesy old school lines which wouldn't have fit a lot of other styles (like metal for instance). It's very hard to know how to relate to it all, especially when he's surrounded by such a mystique. I found it rather telling listening to the outtakes and hearing Victor Wooten talk about Felix and how he's inherited his dad's mantle. Is that a good thing? I'm sure Felix is a great player and a nice guy, but that's a heck of a mantle! Isn't the nature of bass playing that it's really shaped by the musical context? For my money, Chris Squire was the more prioneering player. I'm sure Jaco could run rings around him, but Squire was playing in a tighter context, he had to work with vocals as well as instrumentation. But then I listen to Yes more than Weather Report. It must be great to live in a musical environment and to have the opportunity to soak up a ton of influences in a real-time environment.

I do indeed admire him. I've read that book as well. I do think, however, that film really contributes to his mystique rather than offer a more critical examination of his playing. It's very easy to say he's the alpha and omega of bass guitar. Well, where does that leave us then?

Brought it yesterday, watched it today. Very interesting, although most of it has been covered in the pages of Bass Player magazine over the years. Here are some thoughts: 1. His was a very different time. If you recorded something like Onkonkole Y Trompa today, the engineer would be satisfied with you recording a couple of bars into Pro Tools and looping it for the track. Also musicianship back then demanded more learning than it seems today does, although perhaps that's just the genre Jaco largely played. 2. Clearly an awesome player, a fact repeatedly backed up by the many awesome musicians. So this leaves me wondering: i've been playing as an amateur since '89. I've rarely been in bands, I don't even have an amp and can't really afford to travel around to join bands, although I'd like to. That's my problem of course. But the vibe from the film is of a community of musicians ready and skilled to jam/play. I just don't see this, at least not here (rural Somerset!). Compared to Jaco - who was of an age younger than the period i've been playing the same instrument - what am I? Where do I learn what he knew? Never mind being able to play his greatest hits (of which I have some small capacity), just his musical knowledge. I know scales, I know the neck, but what he played, his melodies (and those of the other instruments), it's a whole 'nother world. I'm a guest in his house and, perhaps egotistically, I'd like to be more.

There's a Bristol event?

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1455042954' post='2975378'] [url="https://youtu.be/i2K8-LMTDuo"]https://youtu.be/i2K8-LMTDuo[/url] [/quote]But isn't Billy's bass scalloped on the black frets? Whats the point of that?

what are and why are scalloped frets?

I'm not disputing the value, just the contents of my piggy bank. Unless someone wants to buy what I have right now (i can't afford to advertise right now). A revelation rbj67

i do want to, i just don't have 3 hundred to spare right now

Not really sure what I should do, probably at least find a P bass to try before buying online. I think I know someone that has one for sale, but he's hard to get hold of and iirc he wanted 400 quid. I'm at the point where I'd like to invest in a decent bass. All i've owned are pretty cheap models and I feel they've restricted me in some ways. Of course money is a factor.

how much?

My bass isn't great, but it was cheap. I think i might have allowed myself to be fooled by sales rhetoric so I'll start a new thread to find something better and affordable.

thanks, but it's out of my league for now. Perhaps another time. No good window shopping

I was under the (mis)impression they were a budget range. Nevermind.

That light green bass he plays with the white pickguard and the black frets. It's a retail model I think, does anyone know how much it sells for?

Some songs are too long, others aren't. On this I think Empire of the Clouds is a bit long. When the Wild Wind Blows i never cared for,but the resurgent Maiden has been a thing o f beauty over the last two decades. The old stuff is great and has its place for sure, but I don't need to hear them over and over. Been there done that

I brought it on CD, i'm getting back into CD's (and heavier music it seems), even though I end up ripping them (not really, that's illegal thanks to the morons at the MU) for my tablet. Digital files are just not the same.

WOAH OH OH!

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1438633118' post='2836007'] You made a copy for the law? [/quote]No i used sh*tty predictive text

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1438630407' post='2835961'] Half the CD's you can buy via Amazon are sold with a 'free' mp3 download so it seems a bit nonsensical, end result exactly the same. [/quote]That's great if you buy from Amazon.

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1438622146' post='2835858'] Eh? Isn't it the other way around? Ripping, like taping before it, had been illegal for yonks, but the government has recently said it is (or will be) OK to rip for personal/family use. This is the case in a lot of other countries, with the exception that there there's some compensation for the creators. The recent campaign by the artists' representative bodies has succeeded in getting something back for the creators (how remains to be seen) to bring us in line with general practice. Addendum, here's a summary from BASCA's website: [color=#006400]The UK Government introduced measures in October 2014 to change the law to enable people to copy copyright material they have lawfully acquired for their own private and personal use, under the ‘Copyright and Rights in Performances (Personal Copies for Private Use) Regulations 2014’.[/color] [color=#006400]The EU Copyright Directive permits Member States such as the UK to introduce such exceptions into domestic law, but on the condition that rightholders receive fair compensation where more than minimal harm is suffered.[/color] [color=#006400]BASCA, the Musicians’ Union and UK Music applied for Judicial Review in November 2014. The High Court announced on 19th June 2015 that the Government had acted unlawfully. By quashing the regulations the High Court has now decided that the measures introduced in October 2014 are no longer in force.[/color] So it was legal from October 2014 up until a few weeks ago. Now the ball's back in the government's court to come up with a scheme that includes rightholders' compensation. [/quote]The rights holders have been compensated. I brought the discs legally. What I do with those discs privately is not their business IMO. The expectation that people pay for an additional digital copy is bonkers.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1438621952' post='2835856'] I can imagine the scene as the Police dispatch worker gets the call. Send an ARU, Nobby Fishcake has compromised Beyoncé's earnings by 0.00001p. Ripping has always been illegal. As a criminal justice worker, I cannot recall many prosecutions. [/quote]Well not quite; you could rip discs you own for personal use (such as downloading to other devices). Now you can't. That's the point I'm arguing and that's the point that makes bugger all sense. In the last two weeks i've broken this law 15 times (allegedly )