thepurpleblob

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1490913113' post='3269095'] Have you ever been down to my town Bridgnorth? the Severn Valley Railway is fantastic, mostly steam but does have a few diesels, and my local is The Railwayman's Arms which is on the platform of Bridgnorth station and is quite unique as it has never closed since it first opened in 1861. [/quote] No I've not been but I will get around to it!

I don't need a motorbike. My other hobby is driving trains for a heritage railway. 266 Litre diesel engine this weekend

I should have picked an instrument where I didn't have to deal with other people, clearly

The last band was my band. Being in charge - short of beating them frequently - is hard to maintain :-D

No more sex - I'm married!! No fishing - really don't see the appeal

Yeh - my happy situation is playing 1 or 2 gigs a month maximum but it's very hard to find people with the same lack of ambition. They either don't want to gig at all or hate their day job and want to play 7 nights a week.

Well, not that old. I'm in my early 50s and have some health issues that really never killed anyone but it does make staying out until 2am a non-starter. I don't have the energy any more I have played in covers bands for years but got sacked (well, the rest of the band left me but that's another story) a few months back because I wouldn't play multiple nights in a week. It's all right saying you only want to play a couple of times a month but when bands start to pick up gigs they don't knock them back and before you know it... friday night, saturday night, sunday afternoon. I think I'm about to sell all my gear and buy some better camera equipment but I'm a bit sad about it. What are the alternatives? Any bright ideas appreciated

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1480604744' post='3185779'] will you wait to try 5 strings until you get all that mentioned in a 4 string first? [/quote] You can get a bass with FIVE strings now?

I'll learn slap when I can remember all of the scales and modes.... that'll be never then. I can't even play with a pick. All this technique stuff is a matter of priorities unless you really do have 12 hours a day to work on your bass playing. It always looks like a great deal of pain and effort just to look like a smart-ass 14 year old.

We rehearse in Livingston in Scotland. There's nothing you can teach me about misery!

Thanks again guys... I'm ploughing my way through your suggestions. It's an education

This is all really useful. I've been a musician of one sort or another for over 40 years and can read and have pretty good theory knowledge. However, the 'freedom' of improvisation does not come easily to me (30 years of playing percussion in orchestras and brass bands). It's something I aspire to. As I say, I get by, but I'd like to be better.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1479921637' post='3180332'] BB King , Live And Well. Pick up a copy. I'm lucky as it's the genre I grew up with and spent hours on end for years in basements and garages as a teen playing the blues back in the 60s and early 70s. This background is why improvising comes second nature to me. I thought everyone could improvise until I went to an open mic a few years ago. Me and the drummer laid down a blues groove in G minor. The young guitarist comes over to me a whispers, " I only know songs". Sad Blue [/quote] I too, pretty much, only know songs. Well, I can get by with some basics but I've no background in improvisation. I just haven't done it. It's not really required in a wedding band.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1479915011' post='3180259'] As already mentioned...a good blues bass book I would recommend is : [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/p/blues-bass-a-guide-to-the-essential-styles-and-techniques-including-20-great-songs-by-ed-friedland/91467042?_trksid=p2047675.l2644"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=p2047675.l2644[/url] [/quote] Ordered

Here's a few. They seem like quite a spread to me... Going Down - Freddie King Messing With the Kid - Rory Gallacher Let me Love You Baby - Buddy Guy Rock Me Baby = Johnny Winters Walk in my Shadow - Free The Stumble Born Under a Bad Sign

Having got incredibly sick of the pub 'Classic rock' covers band circuit, I have recently fallen in with a blues band. I'm really enjoying it but I know next to nothing about blues. Most of the artists I have either never heard of or only vaguely recognise the names. I am getting on ok but I'm well aware that I'm right on the edge of my comfort zone. So really, my question is, who are good/great blues bass players that are worth listening to and/or emulating? Can anybody recommend any other good resources to improve my blues credentials. There's clearly lots of little riffs, turnarounds and styles that I don't really know and it would be nice to pick it up a bit before I get found out

There's no reason - assuming you can still pay the rent - not to buy bass guitars because you like them. Unless you fail to appreciate the most important thing... they won't make you sound better and they won't make you play better. A hundred and fifty quid battered Squire gets the job done!

My rule is always play with people who are better than myself.... or to flip it around, never have to apologise for your band mates. Nothing is stopping you remaining mates.

[quote name='RalphDWilson' timestamp='1465644908' post='3069889'] I've just been asked if I was interested in joining a band that do originals in Glasgow. As it happens, I wasn't into the particular type of music, but it was an 'older' band and it didn't sound anything like Classic rock/GnR. PM me and I'll pass the details on. Ralph [/quote] That's very generous... and PM'd

Rowdy bars are good but just try to minimise trip hazards. The only violent incident I ever had was a guy who tripped over my effects board and decided I had to pay. Came back up swinging. Luckily (!) our insane drummer was over the front of his kit and knocked him out before I had time to thin about it. I miss the good old days

I should just place a Scumtree advert, "Temperamental, old bass player available for infrequent gigs. Will play for decent coffee. Absolutely no Classic Rock and especially no Guns-n-Roses"

Some food for thought here. Thanks guys. I've got too many hobbies anyway

[quote name='zbd1960' timestamp='1464993614' post='3064597'] Try a different tack - wind bands / symphonic/concert wind bands often need bass players to play the stirng bass part, but electric is gogin to be fine (the band I play saxin has two). You'llhave to play from dots and follow a conductor... [/quote] In my head I think that's where I might be heading. I played (drums) briefly in a "big band" that had electric bass. That was fun. As you say, 100% reading the dots. I don't find that remotely daunting except that I can't do it proficiently on bass (yet)