thepurpleblob

Been there... failed miserably. Blues is one of those things where the complexity is masked by the apparent simplicity. While it's true that you will get by with a few walking lines and some approaches based around I IV V, in a *real* blues band you will be found out in seconds. There's a lot of subtlety to the blues. I think listening to it every day for 30 years may be the solution.

I'm slightly depressed at the high percentage of bassists mentioned here that I've never heard of!!

There is a school of thought... to which I subscribe, that says you shouldn't mix and match different types of cab. In an ideal world they would be identical but 10s and a 15 is a big no-no. You have enough trouble with interference patterns and phase oddness from two cabs without introducing the complexity of different types of speaker working the same frequency range. The ideal setup is one speaker (and this is in general - not just bass amplification). Anything more than that is adding complications. So, like everybody else says, unplug the 15 or get some in-ear monitors.

I'm not very good with names..... In the first place, possibly, Jah Wobble of all people. Now, many and various, I listen to as many as I can - I'm not much of a hero worshipper. I go and see pub cover bands and see a guy who is better than me and take inspiration from that. I've not really answered the question.

I honestly think I'm GAS free (for the moment). I've finally admitted what I've really known for years that I'm wedded to those damn StingRay things. I have a four and a five - I could get by with either to be honest but I still haven't got my head around the 4/5 thing. I also have two Precisions, one fretted and one fretless. When you want Precision sound you need a Precision

[quote name='Delberthot' post='820316' date='Apr 27 2010, 09:45 AM']There's Red Dog down the Grassmarket that used to be Sound Control and then there's the other place in Ocean Terminal I think. That one is run by a former band mate of mine Jon Clark or it may be his son. Same guy that has mijfenders.com I've never been in either so couldn't tell you. And one more vote for Glasgow - you have GuitarGuitar, The Guitar Store who sometimes have some unusual second hand stuff, Merchant City Music, McCormacks and there are one or 2 on Great Western Road somewhere[/quote] Just realising the OP is from Glasgow. Guitar Guitar is normally a pretty good bet for 5 string stuff.

GuitarGuitar?? It's out near the Zoo though - not the centre. The Zoo is worth a visit, mind you Anyway, my answer to any "what's the best place to go in Edinburgh?" is always "Glasgow!"

I can read reasonably well but translating that into sight reading on the bass is another thing entirely. When I used to be a percussionist it was second nature, which is a bit annoying (I don't remember it being difficult).

[quote name='Patrickhadow' post='818318' date='Apr 25 2010, 06:55 PM']This book is really good for learning to read [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hal-Leonard-Bass-Method-Complete/dp/B00144CW84/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1272218019&sr=8-2"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hal-Leonard-Bass-M...8019&sr=8-2[/url][/quote] I can actually read music pretty well (I've played something or other for 30+ years) but I need to get a lot more practice in on the bass. I'd like to get to a half-decent sight reading standard. That puts you in that 0.05% of players (hopefully)

Now we're cooking. Thanks guys. I don't want to presume but might links like this make a useful sticky thread - this is where I find out it exists already, isn't it

[quote name='TKenrick' post='817940' date='Apr 25 2010, 11:16 AM']Apologies for the self-promotion, but if you click the link in my sig then you should find there's a few transcriptions to look through that should suit most levels of reading ability.[/quote] Wow - there's some really good stuff there. I finally find out what the hell happens at the end of Dani California now

I used to be a terrible music snob. Then I joined a covers band - I had to think about, listen to, learn and put up with songs that people wanted to listen and dance to in a pub at the weekend. Of course, I discovered that a lot of these pop tunes where actually great and some even had some fantastic bass playing in them. I still like to listen to the w*nky stuff but my appreciation has broadened immensely.

[quote name='deathpanda' post='817574' date='Apr 24 2010, 08:55 PM']meh. for the sake of not being an anti-social prick I have really tried and tried to listen to stuff like this, but by the end I always feel unmoved and uninspired. I then look to stuff like this in complete awe: the dynamics of the drums, the way the bass is completely locked in and the way everyone's feeling what they play really does move and inspire me. and that's only a video I found the other day.. I know stuff like that isn't appreciated by the masses, but I listened to stuff like that before I started studying music and it really ponders the question why other people won't spend some time to appreciate what these guys are doing compared to people like Britney. over producing music like that just takes anyway any "life" the music had, and to me just sounds as dull as the drone of a refrigerator. sorry for the angry tone, just giving my honest opinion.[/quote] Somebody once (wisely I think) said to me "don't let becoming a musician spoil your enjoyment of listening to music". I understand why you like/appreciate/admire this. But sometimes you just want to put AC/DC on bloody loud and jump up and down

Confession - I secretly like Girls Aloud (not just to look at either). Not exactly a challenging listen but great for putting on the iPod when walking the dogs. This stuff is written by people with lots of experience and skill. Admittedly a lot of "pop" is dire (in all sorts of genres).

[quote name='guzzibass' post='816830' date='Apr 23 2010, 11:38 PM']"....just a feeler...." WTF?[/quote] "I haven't made my mind up that I'm going to sell it yet but I might be persuaded if somebody offers me a big wad of cash - or a '67 Jazz for my Squier". That kind of thing

[quote name='Matty' post='816768' date='Apr 23 2010, 10:07 PM']Playing out and about last night in Luton, for a love music hate racism show. Also pictured, my spiffy new Bongo. Beast of a bass [attachment=48150:25766_41...847337_n.jpg][/quote] Are you 6'6" or did that bongo shrink in the wash??

[quote name='bigd1' post='816128' date='Apr 23 2010, 01:05 PM']My faves are "if I had the money I'd buy this"................ YEAH you think ![/quote] It's a bit like those stupid property TV programmes. "I would definitely consider putting an offer in on this property now it isn't painted pink". Bollox would you

[quote name='Major-Minor' post='815262' date='Apr 22 2010, 05:54 PM']All the Boot Camp Sessions can be found through the index which Rich has pinned at the top of Theory and Technique. Sessions 1 to 19 are not graded ie I have dipped in and out at various levels of difficulty in the hope of attracting interest from a wide spectrum of basschatters. From Session 20 onwards, I have started at basic reading level, and will increase the demands on new readers as the series develops. The Major[/quote] D'Oh!

[quote name='D-L-B' post='815222' date='Apr 22 2010, 05:21 PM'].... but your football comparison is a load of balls[/quote] see... I knew you'd agree with me in the end

[quote name='MB1' post='815072' date='Apr 22 2010, 03:14 PM']MB1. ..."Plays like butter!"...Marlon Brando...Last Tango in Paris.[/quote] The whole of BC has gone really strange this afternoon. I think I'm going to go and do some work

[quote name='D-L-B' post='815057' date='Apr 22 2010, 03:07 PM']So, the entirety of football can be likened to just one small sector of fretw***ing twangy tuneless bass players. Playing football can be likened to discussing which of these bass players is the best? hmmm. Woof[/quote] Aaaaargh. You're actually my wife aren't you?? Where the hell did I say that? No.... debating which is best is like a competitive sport - like football. And.... I don't like football. I'm allowed not to like football. *I* don't get why anybody would want to do either. I'm very sorry if I offended your footballing sensibilities. Never my intention.

[quote name='lowdown' post='815036' date='Apr 22 2010, 02:56 PM'] Top man! I did say pull up an Armchair and some Popcorn. Garry[/quote] Can somebody explain to me what's going on?