julietgreen

It sounds like percussion plus' century kit. Made for youngsters. Retailed around £500 originally. Now going for less than £200 on various sites.

Done. If they do any more surveys, they should consider using fewer open response questions and more multiple choice. It's much easier when it comes to analysing results!

It's been brilliant reading this! I can't wait to read the rest of the story!

As a less than confident player myself, I really welcome proper band criticism. I hate the feeling that I might be making a fool of myself. If anyone in the band plays something obviously wrong and doesn't seem to notice, then someone else will say something like, 'something was wrong in that bit, can we just have a listen?' We don't improvise solos in our band, but I'm sure your guitarist would appreciate you saying, 'what chords were you playing in that solo? Something didn't sound right', and maybe even giving him some pointers as to what to play that would easily fit.

I did reach a point where I swore and put the bass back in the bag, messaging my band that they were going to have to get a 'better bass player'. Very girly of me, yes! Anyway, we still had a go at the last rehearsal and apparently it wasn't that bad - so it's just as well I spent some time plugging away.

I was rushing to get to a wedding gig and had to walk the dog (no euphemism) quickly before going. I was supposed to be a guest at the wedding and then play in the band later that night. On the way home, the dog spotted a cat and pulled me straight into an iron bar on the 'gate' (keeping bikers out?) across the path. Knocked me out cold. I woke up on the path with a bemused looking dog standing next to me. I staggered home, took some painkillers, went to bed for about an hour and then drove to the gig. I don't think I played any worse than normal.

Replies have been useful and encouraging. Well i get more time to practise in the school holidays, so shall try to nail the actual line before I adapt it. Part of the reason it's buried is that it's in drop c tuning. Can we really distinguish pitch all that well that low? I take the point that it's good to be stretched. Still, it would be nice to have a few new ones that we could knock out without too many hours of learning. :-)

Well I am sticking with it and yeah, I am getting there like you all said. It's just a matter of getting up to speed. To answer an earlier question, I haven't mastered the plectrum yet, though I have started trying to use one. Funnily enough we have suggested some Rush - the drummer's favourite band - but strangely haven't incorporated any into the set yet!

I've been playing a few years, Twincam. Maybe longer than you have if you're a 'relative novice'! Never enough practice in that time though, obviously.

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1427841360' post='2735063'] Maybe use audacity or something similar to slow it down a bit to a speed you can play it at then slowly build it up. Play it after a warm up a couple of times then have a break, then play it again slightly faster, do that a couple of times a day & you'll be up to speed in no time. It's a similar process that athletes use for speed work, short repetitions of a speed that's just slightly faster than your ability. Don't look at it negatively, you've identified an area of your playing that you can improve on so work towards that goal & have fun. [/quote] Yes - in fact I have already done that (as well as put it into drop D instead of drop C as per the singer's request)!

Heaven forbid they ask me to sing and play bass at the same time! I'm lost in admiration for bassists who do that.

Yeah some excellent bass covers. I can see what to play but I can only manage it at about 2/3 of the speed! Good advice all round. Thanks folks.

Top responses, folks! Thanks. Of course I agree that I need to keep going till I 'nail' stuff. Sometimes that seems a bit far off. I don't suspect foul play. It's more likely that the choices are indifferent to the demands on the bass player! The latest is 'stricken' by disturbed.

My band is adding to our repertoire again and although I'm slightly peevish - why does it always seem that what I want to play isn't 'quite right' or 'a bit lame' or... well yeah. I'm not that attached, though, so I'm happy to have a go at whatever numbers they want to play, but lately they seem to be picking numbers that are really beyond my playing ability - just too damned fast etc. I'm doing my best, but bass is a late discovery for me. Anyone else had that? Do I suggest they get a better bassist?

Picked up the instrument about 7 years ago and haven't worked nearly hard enough at it to warrant all that time.

Whenever I read threads like this, I'm always reminded of the drummer Mark Mondesir. I was at a workshop of his and he said he always got asked what he most liked to play - jazz or funk or rock or fusion etc and he always replied that he most liked to play drums.

This happened to me at the gig last night. Right in the middle of bloody 'Livin' On a Prayer' and first my left hand threatens to cramp up and then my right hand goes into a full on lock with my index finger clamped against my palm! Ouch! I kind of carried on, with the other fingers of my right hand, but not without dropping a couple of bars in the middle. I wonder if it's because I'm leaning my right hand on the edge of the bass and cutting off the blood supply/pressing on the tendons. That wouldn't explain the left hand though. Clearly I need to sort it out, and possibly improve my picking so that I have it as a standby. Any more thoughts?

[quote name='andydye' timestamp='1407504141' post='2521247'] you could do the 100-150cm as the standard offering but also potentially offer one in 70-100cm for those who like to pick their nose with their bass? [/quote] or for skinny waifs?

Yes. I was told once, by a professional jazz bassist, that it was the difference between amateurs and pros. He's probably right.

Is anyone prepared to post a photo of their grolsch bottle washer straplocks in situ?

We're on at 6, apparently. Might do a bit of sax with the Last Minute, too. If they let me.

I'm another one who started finger style and never learned pick. I gave it a go with a pick today and I was a bit crap. I found it difficult to believe that it's easier to play fast etc. I reckon I'll stick to fingers for now, but attempt to learn pick for when it's needed tonally.

I've been most impressed so far with guitar tab player app (does bass and all the other instruments too). Of course like all TABs you've got to take it with a pinch of salt, but the ones I've used so far have been ok with some tweaking for better fingering. Notes and tabs are juxtaposed and it plays at different speeds and pitches. All for free. Just as a test, I tried searching for some latin jazz stuff and amazingly the TAB was available.

I'd love to add in bvs but it's less an issue of pitch and more an issue of trying to do two different things at once. I'm in awe of those who can sing and play at the same time.

Great stuff. And you'll be remembered by the crew for your courtesy and word will get round - as it does.