ubassman

Feet adjusters are very tight. I dismantled the bridge this morning and realised that where the threaded spindles pass through the upper part of the bridge that very simply the bore hole through the bridge needs widening. Its not threaded and the idea is similar to all adjustable bridges ...the screw winder should lift the bridge and the spindles should pass straight through the floating/moving part of the bridge. Going cut myself a new bridge with the string spacings wider apart which should make the instrument much more playable with the bow. Don't seem to have issues with buzzing of end pin or the after string or electrics humming so all looking good as a starting point.

....even when its not even Friday night ? !!

The polo shirt has plenty of room for signatures and the log book is fine - kinda made me smile that Rhino signed at the back thinking that he was the first person in the book ( see Donnys post above ^^ ) ! BTW Jim, i did a thing on local radio which went down well I think - and I tried the papers ...seems the trouble there was that they ran out of space covering local carnivals and by the time that space became available it was 'yesterdays news' . So strike whilst the iron is hot people when it comes to the media ( today newspaper tomorrows fish and chips wrapper !) ....its a great cause and I have to say a lot of fun. Big thanks to Jimbo for having the idea in the first place . I feel pretty chuffed to be 'one of the guys' that have stepped up to the mark. Its always easier to find a reason not to bother ...so hats off to everyone who has taken part to date ! ...and of course perhaps more importantly , hats off to everyone who is about to take part in the future !!

What strings would Stagg Meisters recommend for a bit of arco? First impressions are that the fingerboard and bridge are VERY flat and not so user friendly for bowing - can the bridge be re-shaped ?

Thanks for the share Floyd ..interesting bit about the hair angle ! ..also love the bit at 21.00 'Absolutely incorrect - never disagree with master cellist whose word is meant to be final' - that is a deep wound there !!

Welcome ...maybe an idea to also post in the items wanted section ? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/forum/22-items-wanted/"]http://basschat.co.uk/forum/22-items-wanted/[/url] Most of the stuff you are after is pretty cheap so good luck with your quest

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1375731800' post='2164966'] This is just the same as vomits isn't it? In the famous Dimoff warmup package: [url="http://doublebassblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/max-dimoff-warmups.pdf"]http://doublebassblo...off-warmups.pdf[/url] There are all those finger combinations to practise too, quite the exercise if you do it for all those scales! [/quote] ....im feeling sick

yep will look into that !

[quote name='MandShef' timestamp='1375722621' post='2164776'] This is like the sliding shifts exercise I've done before, but using the same finger (e.g. just using 1st finger) and not taking it off the strings (so in effect making a gliss sound). Really helps you to hear properly when you've hit the right note, plus develops muscle memory of shifting smoothly close to the strings rather having your hand leaping about (if that makes sense?). [/quote] +1 on that Mand - good observation

BTW the bass has 3 new sets of strings courtesy of Milty ! The existing ones are really slap and poppy -TimR do you want these leaving on?

....I have just joined the Stagg boys and gals. Didn't see that coming !!

[quote name='FLoydElgar' timestamp='1375723239' post='2164784'] Duncan Mctier's daily exercises! Not for the faint students ^^ [/quote] Hope those arrows aren't pointing at anyone !! Duncan McTiers dailies are great but I think will only help indirectly with making big leaps up the fingerboard? ( there aren't any large interval exercises there but some excellent ones for developing accuracy by 'climbing' the fingerboard ).

TimR perhaps you could exchange details with GaryMac?

Well done TimR for taking up the mantle - you will have a great time ! Looking forward to meeting Len derby ( or should that be Neil Matlock ! - private joke ...sorry guys! ).

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1375703958' post='2164427'] Db is easy though, look: [media]http://youtu.be/ZriDqnzsOrQ[/media] [/quote] ...looks like he's chewing gum but its really nicotine patches !

....oh there is an exercise that I haven't done in a long while which is to start on any root note , then hit the 2nd , then back to the root, then 3rd, root etc and simply keep going up the string making the intervals bigger and bigger . The trick I am told is to say / sing the note out loud that one is aiming for - its supposed to reinforce the fingers / muscles remembering whats where . Major scales first and then Minor etc ...off to give that one a whirl !

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1375698239' post='2164328'] Far be it from me to tell you, or anyone, anything about playing the bass, but I have personally found that .... [/quote] ( +1 on that sentiment !!) ...for me , I use the thumb position at the octave as a 'navigation point' like the D stop . I can pretty much throw that shape and land on the Octave G with my thumb in a good position every time. So if I wanted a minor 3rd octave above the G as a 10th interval I jump to the thumb octave with 3rd finger hitting the Bb in the closed thumb position or if its B natural with the 2nd in the open thumb position. I have to say that the smallest speck of tipex at the octave has been an absolute godsend as a visual check ( not that its good to look at the fingerboard but on a big leap like that I think that its forgiven !). I found it really useful to experiment with the arm and hand weight working on big distances [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4zrgPwSji0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4zrgPwSji0[/url] Haven't yet figured out how to do bigger leaps than from 1/2 position up to C above the octave G that but I have seen many a pencil mark, dot or other marking on many a professional players fingerboard ! Look forward to seeing any other posts to see how others do it !

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1374311480' post='2147381'] Could be either The Excelsior which was a full plywood bass, or even a Golden Strad which had carved top ( rather than plywood) . It looks however like it be a bit more recent and might be a '400 series' made in the 1980s in Czechoslovakia - still a good quality student instrument !.[b] Look inside the left f hole - there should be a label.[/b] [/quote]

Rick Lee the drummer from the 1960s band '10 Years After' asked if I would do a set for a friend's 50th birthday in our local village hall. It was mostly musician 'friends' who turned up and there was a constant stream of people plugging in , grabbing a mike, doing a solo it was wonderfully spontaneous but had the high potential to turn into disaster at any one moment !! With about 5 musicians temporarily joining the band on each number trying to find space to do their thing , Rick a consummate professional, realised very early on and winked after the first number saying "looks like its going to be down to you and me mate to carry this !" He was right. A small insignificant gig but felt like we were the tightest bass and drums in the world that night and it felt so cool to underpin the huge amount of fun that everyone had performing !

[quote name='Jimryan' timestamp='1375377977' post='2160567'] hey matey, I don't need it, but if you want the space, I'll happily take it to free up space until someone wants it. In the mean time I'll give it a set up and a clean. [/quote] Hey Jim, could you store it for me ? ...Maybe I could get Len to pick it up when he drops off madame purple down south?

The limitations of any book or a you tube video, dvd is that they have no eyes, ears or involvement in your playing . They can't adjust your elbow , advise if your bow is dropping , the tension too high on the hair, whether you've caked on the rosin too much ....or give you any corrective feedback . Theres quite a lot out there but they will probably be most valuable once you have got a few basics under your belt. Best thing to get started is to buy in the expertise of a tutor - probably will make quicker progress than trying to unravel the words of wisdom in a 'resource'! Good luck with it !

...weve all been there!

...err yes ( well with a name like mine I would have to wouldn't I !!)! Try the K-Lizard form Ortega very similar than the Kala. The orange strings are garbage though and a good set of Thunderguts are great.!

My misses says us blokes are all big kids anyway!

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1375284560' post='2159290'] Can't say it helps with intonation at all (as my tuner confirms). The change in posture just wrecks the reasonable intonation I do have, especially with big position changes. [/quote] [quote name='Rabbie' timestamp='1375285812' post='2159314'] And you are totally right, bowing does not help intonation when you go back to lets say rockabilly, because it is a totally different standing and hand techniques. [/quote] 'Change is strange' but it shouldn't take too long to figure out how to move up and down the fingerboard in a 'bowing position'. If its any consolation I play more sideways on doing a jazz pizz set than if I am playing in the orchestra where I am square on cello style. This bowing thing is well worth sticking with it all feeds back into everything else . The bow won't help your intonation ....only you can do that !! It is however a pretty unforgiving way test as to whether you have got your finger in precise enough a place ...pizzicato is way more forgiving! The notes on the fingerboard /instrument are in the same place whatever style and posture you adopt and left hand accuracy is a great thing that we all strive for in every note we play. Good luck with it! PS An interesting test of your current accuracy might be to play the simplest scale pizz, then bowed or to hit the D stop with your normal posture, then without moving your finger position, bow the D stop note and see if it still sounds good compared with the open D. Listening to the accuracy of your note with what you hear pizz with bowing hopeful will throw up some interesting results !