ambient

Never know, the singer may get you some work at some time in the future. "Hey Mrs singer, fancy playing at our party ? Don't suppose you know of a band to play too do you ?". It's a microphone they're going to use, that's all. Most singers that I know, generally always use their own mic anyway, they're funny about them.

I can maybe understand the age thing if they're all 14, 15, 16 or 17. It would be a bit odd for someone old enough to be one of their grandparents came along. However I do find it bizarre when they impose an upper age limit of 40, when they're in their 30's, and are looking to do function gigs. I'm lucky to play with some amazing (they'd hate me for saying this), elderly musicians. The one jazz band they're all retired, their ages go from 60 to mid 70s. The other has a guitarist who's 85, the youngest is a lady sax player who's early 60s. Then there's me younger than them all by a quarter of a century. They're great, they accept me and my weirdness, we have a laugh and we play some amazing music.

If they're playing to a click, otherwise it could possibly be a right car crash.

[quote name='Biglump' timestamp='1472301113' post='3120161'] Oh yes please. I'm trying to learn to read whilst stuck indoors. And thanks to all the posters for the rest of the ideas too. [/quote] Here, hopefully you'll be able to see it OK. Let me know if you can't, and I'll see if I can scan them and email it to you. [attachment=226534:unnamed-2.jpg] [attachment=226535:unnamed.jpg]

A friend of mine lives in Bristol. His name is Al Swinger, he's really rather good. Has gigged with Steve Lawson. He's on Facebook.

[quote name='cb1' timestamp='1472174611' post='3119182'] Well true to a certain extent. But a bassoon player will not be able to tell you which is the best position to start in and where there are 2 or 3 ways to play a phrase they won't have a clue. Also with reading on Bass or any other rhythm section instrument interpretation is very important as opposed to being able to read the part 100% accurately - would a trombone player be able to help you with that? I don't think so. [/quote] We'll agree to disagree, after all where I choose to play a part, you may choose to play it somewhere else. It could be down to the number of strings on the bass for instance. Also the position that you choose to play would vary from piece to piece, depending on what what was happening. You're after all learning to read music, not learning to sight read or play a particular piece. So that's slightly irrelevant. Notated rhythm is just that, it's notated rhythm. Interpretation is down to the player, in context of what's going in the piece, it's also why you have other marking and text notated, e.g. showing dynamics and articulations, accents, staccato, spiccato, tenuto etc. The note head can be used to show whether the note is actually played, or just felt etc. Hammer-ons and slurs are easy to notate. They're all common, especially to string instruments.

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1472131375' post='3118756'] Fair enough, I guess pure ambient soundscape stuff is the exception to the rule Si [/quote] Lots of classical music too.

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1472118564' post='3118624'] I think when I go for car insurance next time and they ask what I do for a living, I'm just gonna link 'em to this thread he he he he!!! [/quote] You don't mention musician do you ?

[quote name='cb1' timestamp='1472155521' post='3119015'] It does have to be a bass guitar teacher [/quote] Not necessarily. Notes, and rhythm are common to all instruments, pianists, trombone, bassoon, tuba, cello, double bassists would all read bass clef. My second year at uni, my reading class lecturer was a pianist. In fact it was a violin teacher taught me to read music.

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1472129947' post='3118742'] Funk I get, it's a genre....but not into groove? That seems odd, because surely groove is present in all music?! Punk music without groove is just really crap, out of time medicore punk music for example?! Si [/quote] I rarely listen to anything with a regular rhythm section. The occasional jazz record maybe.

It's just down to using it. I had a Zon 6 that was 16.5mm, I could comfortably go between it and my Yamaha TRB6 that was 20mm. Don't think about it so much, just play it. Sometimes we think about things too much, creating barriers between us and the playing.

There was a thread that I started last year about bands being too loud. I did a lot of jazz gigs for a guy last year, some really nice gigs with appreciative audiences. I always felt we were too loud though, the music lost its intimacy and dynamic. After one gig in a marquee where we couldn't be loud, the guy turned to me and said "wasn't that nice, I could hear every little nuance of the music". Ok so that's jazz, but I think it applies to most genres.

I've left bands before due to volume issues. It's stupid, once your hearing is damaged, that's it. In general we play too loud, it's not necessary.

Preferably able to sight-read. It's for a community swing band gig on Saturday 4th September, No pay, but there will be food and drink, it's a birthday party. I said that I'd help out, it's a friend of mine that organises/conducts it. I now have a paid gig offer, that will lead to more work.

They're amazing basses, I miss my Q6 every day. The shop is called planet bass.

Lessons, at least to start with are a great idea. Maybe have a look on the music teachers UK website for one near to you. One of my students is 79, so proof that you're never too old. He loves his lessons and playing stuff.

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1471967394' post='3117316'] Ah, but they don't do they? When did they last play down their local dive just for the love of it? They carry on on their own terms because they are not forced to do otherwise because of financial constraints. [/quote] They're still working is what I meant. They could have stopped years ago, but continue to tour and play, when they don't have to. One mans dive is another's friendly old jazz club.

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1471960635' post='3117266'] I was just exploring your comment "[i]... so it really bugs me when guys on here have suggested they care too much about the music to do it for a living and they're better off cos they can pick and choose what gigs they take,[/i]". In short, who would carry on their lives exactly as they are now if they won the lottery? ie would a pro musician whose only source of income is from playing music still take on every bit of paid musical work they could even though money would no longer be significant. I've never earned my living from music and so the only reason I have for playing and gigging is because I enjoy it. Simple as that. I'm a free agent and can pick and choose what I play, when I play and (within reason!) where I play. If it was my only source of income I wouldn't have that freedom because I'd have bills to pay etc etc. I'm not suggesting that people don't enjoy their paid jobs (I guess some do, some don't) but how many actually enjoy it enough that they would keep it if they could still live perfectly well without it? There's no right or wrong answer, I'm just curious. [/quote] So why do guys like Sting, Peter Gabriel or a miriad other successful musicians carry on ? I love my job, which is not only playing, but also teaching and writing music. It's extremely tough, especially when I'm having to finance my MMus course, but I consider myself to be really fortunate and would never give it up.

[color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I'm playing a solo gig at St Martin's church in Birmingham city centre, at 12:30 on Friday 25th November. [/font][/color] [color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I'm really excited about this.[/font][/color] [attachment=226251:St Martin gig.jpg] [color=#1D2129][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][url="http://www.bullring.org/"]http://www.bullring.org/[/url][/font][/color]

I think being a musician is something of a vocational thing, maybe like a priest or something. I remember going to an Anthony Jackson master class a few years ago. He said something similar.

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1471948441' post='3117143'] when i woke up one morning and all i wanted to do was play music and when i would put playing music ahead of everything and everyone (yes i lost GFs to music). even tho bass is my main instrument, i have never considered myself to be a bassist/bass player, as my drive is to create music by whatever means necessary. [/quote] Sounds like me. Bass is just a means to an end, a bass guitar is just a tool.

[quote name='XB26354' timestamp='1471932311' post='3116985'] Then again a bass player who needs a bass player to play bass behind them is always in trouble. [/quote] Why ? Care to expand on that ? I love hearing two bassists working together. There's a great Stanley Clarke album with a couple of tracks where he's playing with another bassist.

I've been pondering this the last couple of days, mainly after seeing the amazing athletes in the olympics. If you jog in the evening after work, and do the occasional fun run does that make you an athlete ? If you play football on a Sunday morning, does that make you a footballer ? I'd say no, so at what point does what you do as a hobby, even a serious one, enable you to elevate what you do to a level comparable with someone who's been trained and educated, and has a very large skills portfolio ? I still maintain though, that if you play music, then you're a musician.

Both his book and the DVD that he bought out are very rewarding, and recommended.

His technique is phenomenal, he's one of those musicians along with Marcus Miller and probably Richard Bona that bass players are maybe meant to like. I'm not a fan either though, to be honest. I'm an odd bassist in that I'm not into funk or groove 😊.