ambient

I use them on my Yamaha JP bass. They're nice, and really smooth sound. Ideal for jazz and for my solo stuff.

[quote name='Rocker' timestamp='1485863370' post='3227232'] Thanks Ambient but I can't read music. I struggle with tab but usually get there in the end. One of my problems with this tune is that I only have it online, which is poor sound quality and hard to hear what is going on. And I don't have it on CD.... [/quote] It's not written out, it's just the chords, thought you could maybe just follow them, the bass line will be built from them.

Is this any good ? It's from the Hal Leonard TV theme real book. Can't vouch for it's accuracy, cos I'm not familiar with the programme.

If I'm selling a bass then it's collection or meet up somewhere only. Absolutely no other way. Same if I'm buying a bass too.

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1485616444' post='3225343'] Not a Level 42 fan then? Or Sly & the Family Stone, Fishbone or the Brothers Johnson [/quote] When was the last time any of them had a record in the charts ?

Slap doesn't tell you anything about the sound of the bass, other than how it sounds when it's slapped. When was the last time you heard slap bass on a contemporary recording on the radio ? In all my years of gigging I've only ever had to play it on one song, that was car wash. I hate slap bass. We had to do various slap things at uni as exam things, Frankenstein being one. I absolutely hated them.

Why stand to play ?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1485456542' post='3224131'] And what is wrong with giving the audience something interesting to look at? [/quote] Nothing at all, isn't that what the music is for though ?

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1485452563' post='3224087'] You have only just heard it? It was released in 1990 and wasnt cliched when released, may have been copied since....... [/quote] I tend not to listen to radio stations that play this sort of thing. I tend to hate most of what they play.

Just heard what is probably the worst I've heard in a while. I think it's called thunder, by AC/DC. Boring, cliched and the vocal was like finger nails down a blackboard.

I guess in the right band it'd be ok. It's a bit like those pointless LEDs on Mark King's basses, I can see the point along the side of the fretboard, but not on the front, that's just for the audience, like this.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1485304111' post='3223043'] What like Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd.? Of course its obligatory [/quote] I'm not sure I'd class Floyd as being classic, I put them under prog, which I do like a lot.

I'm probably going to get banned from here, but another candidate for worst song, is Queen's 'I want to break free'.

Bat out of hell is a particular one that gets me shouting at the radio if it comes on. Though I dislike pretty much anything that comes under the banner of 'classic rock'.

Start with the melody, that's what I tend to do in a jazz solo. It gives the listener something that they recognise. After a few bars I tend to start improvising around the melody/chords. I try to think ahead, having what I'm playing in my head. Listen to some great soloists, not just bassists, but sax players and trumpet players. Transcribe their solos. I'm a huge fan of Miles Davis, and have a lot of his solos and lines from songs that I play transcribed.

I have a few solo gigs on in February. Sunday 12th February I'm at the Silent Strategies ambient/experimental event at the Lighthouse media centre and art gallery in Wolverhampton. Free entry, the show starts at 6pm. Friday 17th February I'm playing a lunchtime gig at St Martins church in the Bullring, city centre Birmingham. I played here back in November, it's an absolutely lovely venue. Just turn up, pick a pew and close your eyes. The performance starts at 12.30. Sunday 19th November, I'm playing at St Jame's wine vaults in Bath. The show starts at 6pm. [attachment=236609:Poster for Feb gigs.jpeg]

Dunlop superbrights ?

I use a 2012 MacBook for my solo stuff. It provides all the effect processing and I record my sets too, with no issues. I use Logic Pro for this. Re the overheating, where do you have it set up ? I have mine on a stand, so there's air circulating around it. Chances are, if you see someone on stage with a laptop, it'll be a MacBook.

One of the important thing with either a 5 or a 6 is effective muting. I advocate whatever technique works for you, as long as you're muting unused strings and avoiding extraneous noise and notes. I will rest my thumb on the B when playing notes on the E and A strings, moving down the strings as I play notes on the higher strings.

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1485009946' post='3220379'] I remember the arches. Weren't there two or three music shops there? And Sound Control was just around the corner. [/quote] I remember a shop called City music, which I think is still there, or was last time I walked past that way.

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1484991620' post='3220180'] With my aging memory failing me, which establishment was in the railway arches? [/quote] The bass centre. The signage was still there only about 10 years ago. Apparently the bass place was by the Alex theatre. It was then taken over by the bass centre,and at some time moved to the arches by Sound control.

I think it became the bass centre. It's before my time, but I did used to know one of the guys who owned this, he was a friend of a friend,

I'm often baffled by the fact that they pay a 17 year old to collect the dirty glasses, but expect a highly trained and competent musician to work for nothing. Note the use of the word work, because that's exactly what you're doing, working.

My thoughts on this. They'll be paying the bar staff, they'll be paying the security, the caterers will be paid, as will the chefs and the waiting staff. No doubt the venue will also expect something, Personally I don't do charity shows unless I'm being paid.