ambient

I just earlier spent 2 hours in a lecture about this. Damned if I could understand a word of it . Has anyone any experience of using it, and can you recommend a good, easy to understand, made for idiots guide ?

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1444899905' post='2887053'] This, but more because I hate letting myself down. Folk won't remember the short notice, or the lack of communication, they'll remember the hapless bassist. And by 'folk', I don't mean the punters, obviously: they won't remember there was a bassist there at all... EDIT: Yeah, time permitting, of course. I'm in the fortunate position wherein I pay my mortgage from other sources than playing music, so I can pick and choose what gigs I take, and I'll turn down anything I don't think I can do justice to. I was offered a very short-notice blues gig a while ago which I turned down because not only do I not enjoy blues, I know I'm not well enough versed in it as a genre (because I don't like it) to bring anything other than muddled winging, which no-one would have appreciated. Possibly. I know I wouldn't have... As a side note, I notice no-one's given any attention to listening to the tone used in certain songs...if you want to produce a convincing performance of a song, then at least an attempt to recreate the tone of the original (if it's at all iconic or distinct) is pretty important, which does require a listen. Punters might not care about our core bass tone, but they'll appreciate when a song played by the band sounds like the one they're familiar with. It's all about degrees, but if I'm following Never Too Much with Folsom Prison Blues, I at least have a twitch of the tone knobs... [/quote] That's quite hilarious, sorry. Tweaking the tone knob is not going to get you sounding like James Jamerson, or Pino or anyone but you with a different tone. And who's even going to notice ? You could wheel out your whatever P bass with 20 year old strings for the Motown medley, but what about the guitar sound, or the horns or the keyboard sounds ? Are the brass stabs going to sound authentic played on a Yamaha keyboard ? I totally agree with Bilbo. I've done dep gigs where I'm expected to learn 40 or so songs. One even asked me if I'd let them keep the charts that I'd painstakingly written out for the gig, so they'd have it for use in the future.

I think any good musician will be in demand. Do Floyd groove, or is it more their overall, combined sound ?

So the discussion is about groove then. Ah, thought it was the overall sound of the band and the music and stuff, I fear we may have a difference of opinion in what are the important things in a song My mistake. 😊

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1444653928' post='2884768'] Practice sight-reading and use pieces that encourage you to explore the world of the dark arts above the 7th fret! A good one I found is [url="https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=88014765C749B87!347&ithint=file%2cpdf&app=WordPdf&authkey=!AJq7elXKOMBsXlk"]Autumn Leaves[/url] Others are here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/215336-learning-to-read-the-dots-sheet-music-to-learn-with/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.u...__fromsearch__1[/url] Another I'm using is [url="https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=88014765C749B87!258&ithint=file%2c.pdf&app=WordPdf&authkey=!AIxJkOPw7ijNt8c"]Morning Has Broken[/url] which I play using the C on the E string. Actually, work on these in as many positions on the neck as you can find. Edit: I know others will be along in a minute shouting this down as "this isn't bass playing!" But I don't have the spare time to be in a band so this is what I enjoy doing. IMHO it's better than playing roots to an MP3 [/quote] Playing melodies is brilliant practice, and hugely satisfying. It's great reading practice too, lots of non-diatonic notes, tied notes etc.

This is where a 5 or a 6 string bass comes into it's own. I did a 3 set reading gig yesterday afternoon, and never had to change position once. I play everything from from the 5th fret upwards. Low E, F G etc, and all played on the low B string. With a 4 string bass, then it's just a question of doing it, and practising position shifts without looking away, or if you do look away from your chart, then get used to reading ahead, so you know what notes are coming up. Also get used to looking for signposts on the charts, so if you have to look away from the chart, you can easily find your place on the chart when you look back at it. If you're able to take the charts home, then don't be afraid to pencil in things that can help you.

What about a keys player who keeps playing the wrong chords, or a horn section playing all the wrong notes ? I once did a show with a cellist who's intonation went out of the window when the lights went down.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1444558199' post='2883998'] All my basses sound like basses so I use whichever one looks right for the band. For the Terrortones currently this is the Warwick Star Bass. If I was auditioning for a new band I'd probably take the red Gus as this is the best playing and most versatile sounding and it makes it clear that I'm not a conventional musician. Any band that had a problem with it is very unlikely to be a band I would want to be a member of. [/quote] You know, that's kind of what I was thinking when I read through this thread, a bass is a bass with your eyes closed they can all pretty much sound the same .

You have the internet at your disposal, use it. You haven't said on you post what it is you're looking for. There may well be someone on here who knows someone or a band playing your type of music.

Go and watch a few live bands. Introduce yourself to the guys who've fallen asleep during the Z Z Top cover. They're only there in hope of meeting someone interesting to play with, like yourself. 😊

The problem with joining a band who's music you dislike, is that pretty soon you'll get fed up and end up leaving. Why limit yourself to the local area ? Within an hours train ride of Northampton you have Birmingham and London, plus all the towns and cities enroute. You needn't rehearse every week. If you do original stuff there's the internet. It's great writing and recording at home and sharing files with others, then getting together every other week or once a month even, but make a day of it when you do rehearse.

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1444508412' post='2883800'] Why play a 5? A thumb rest that's a whole string long! [/quote] Only if you don't use it properly .

Dead easy, if it's a jazz gig like tomorrow for instance then I'd take the Modulus, for a pop or function gig I'd take the Modulus, and for an anything else gig, then I'd take the erm.... Modulus . The joys of only owning one bass .

I used to use one a lot, to fade ebow'd lines in and out. It was a luxury item though, I needed the cash for uni fees, so I sold it, and now make do with adjusting the ebow's position relative to the strings for fades.

I use Thomastik flat wounds for my improv/ambient/instrumental stuff. They have a nice mellow brightness about them, and no finger noise. They're also nice and flexible. They are quite expensive though, but shop around. I bought a string set from DV247 for about £50 back in January. They do last, and last, and last though.

Michael Manring is appearing there.

[quote name='northwing' timestamp='1444341665' post='2882503'] Does anybody know a top notch female singer available for wedding work within the north west? [/quote] I know someone I was at uni with (BMus), she lives near Manchester, is that north west ? She's pretty amazing.

I currently have 86 visible tracks on Soundcloud, some are hidden because I'm over my time limit on there, and I have dozens more on my laptop that I've recorded, and never gotten around to doing anything with. I'd forgotten about this one, I found it this morning as I was deleting some of the crap from my Logic files. It's my one and only, and not very good attempt at composing for string quartet. it was done almost 2 years ago now as an exam piece. It was written and recorded in one late night session, starting at maybe 1am and working through until 4 or 5, then collapsing into bed . I did probably do a bit of tidying up over the next week or so, whilst I was transcribing what I'd done. [url="https://soundcloud.com/an-ending-ascend/there-will-be-light"]https://soundcloud.com/an-ending-ascend/there-will-be-light[/url]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1444263389' post='2881770'] I enjoy listening to pieces put up for the forum to comment, in general, and quite often will reply, if invited. I have a high estimation of those brave enough to put out stuff to listen to, and it would be unbecoming of me (or, indeed, of anyone else...) to comment in anything but a positive light, whether the music pleases or not. I have, though, in the distant past, had a rather glacial reaction to previous posts of the sort, and would be loth to repeat the experience. Respect, then, for your work, and wishing all the best with it. I wouldn't like you to think that your posts are going unheard; they are not. [/quote] It's maybe not everyone's cup of tea I know . It'd be a boring old world if everyone was doing the same old, same old, though I guess .

Again it's all just my 6 string Modulus bass, no keyboards or samples, or any other instrument. There's a tape loop playing in the background, this was recorded on my iPhone, transferred to a reel-2-reel and messed about with. [url="https://soundcloud.com/an-ending-ascend/05102015a-1"]https://soundcloud.com/an-ending-ascend/05102015a-1[/url] Comments (good or otherwise), are welcomed. Bizarrely I had my Soundcloud page shared by the guys at Bass musician magazine, this was unsolicited, and has resulted in a lot of plays over the last 48 hours or so, and a few new followers.

Eventide Space would get my vote. Everything that's on my Soundcloud from the last 3 months or so has been done with one.

[quote name='dincz' timestamp='1444069300' post='2880062'] I appreciate all of the advantages mentioned but I just can't get the hang of string damping Probably just an old brain and not enough practice. [/quote] Maybe use a sock of hairband ? The huuuuuuge problem when guys switch to a 5 is one of trying to play like a 4. A couple off an experienced teacher generally sorts out any minor technical issues.

In my 2nd year at uni we did a lot of contemporary RnB stuff that originally featured notes below low E, therefore requiring a 5 string to accurately reproduce the lines. I vaguely remember having to sight read/play Chaka Khans 1980s ain't nobody on a gig once, something you wouldn't be able to do on a 4 string bass. Stevie Wonder's superstition is also below the range of a normal bass.

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1443992754' post='2879362'] Unless a few are going, but don't want to admit it. [/quote] As a fan of Monty Python, I vaguely remember a sketch where lots of people dressed in raincoats, are furtively sneaking somewhere. I don't fully remember what the sketch was about, but maybe this is like it. Everyone dismissing watching solo bass, yet surreptitiously planning on going along, maybe even in disguise 😁. Anyway, I saw them tonight, and it was truly amazing.

Can't for the life of me see why guys play 5 strings. Sixes make far more sense 😁.