4000

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1379941103' post='2218444'] Just as an antidote to the other thread, which albums did people get that had good reviews or big expectations but didn't deliver for them personally? For me I was somewhat underwhelmed by KT Tunstall's latest offering to the point that, having wanted to see her live at some point I decided that this tour probably wasn't the one to start so not bothered buying a ticket. [/quote] I love KT (on every level!)and was initially slightly disappointed by some of the album (although some, e.g. Feel It All, I loved from the off) but I'm finding it's a real grower. I've found I really have to sit and focus on it more than her others (FWIW my favourite is still her Scarlet Tulip ep). I've seen her 4 times and I wouldn't miss her live; oh, and I've now met her 3 times and she's just lovely.

How you play will always have a huge impact on how you sound but that doesn't mean you'll sound the same on everything {although some people might).

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1379851851' post='2217384'] I missed this the first time round. Did anybody snag any pictures? As a Hawkwind fan I always find Lemmy's involvement interesting. I understand he started out on a Hopf bass, then progressed to a 4000 bass with a Thunderbird pickup hacked in. From there he seems to have had a fireglo Rick, as seen in the fold-out Space Ritual sleeve. Other than that I find it hard to follow his equipment list. [/quote] The Space Ritual bass was the 4000 with the TBird pickup. He said it was salmon pink when he got it so he sanded the paint off and left it bare wood, which is how it was circa Space Ritual. It's the same bass as used on the Ace of Spades video and was his first Ric. His next 2 were the maple-necked bass ( which may or may not have been genuine, although he thinks it is and is a mod I've often thought about) and the white w/black trim Born to Lose bass.

I used one of those as my main bass for several years. I loved it and would have one again in a heartbeat.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1379767858' post='2216582'] She sure did. When I use a pick I have a bastardised version of her, Leroy Gorman and JJB in my head. No wonder it sounds rather odd! [/quote] Sounds pretty much like what I'm aiming for!

For me it's definitely a lot about tone, and one reason I think it so often doesn't work is because the tones used by many electric players in this context are so far away from what an upright is about. Too often the tones are back pickup-y, or too thin/scooped, or too piano-like, too precise, too modern/clear/clean (in the wrong sort of way). Try a semi-acoustic with flats, or maybe a P with flats, or something with a true neck pickup using neck pickup only etc etc. Fretless may not be a bad idea, but not in a modern 'mwah' sort of way. Oh, and I agree that the swing's the thing. Many electric bassists simply don't have the right sort of feel, although I personally feel that your tone points the way in terms of what and how you play. I agree about Jaco though, and find it depressing that so many Jaco acolytes fail to try and emulate his sense of time and swing (for me his greatest assets), instead concentrating on the 'tricks'.

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1379621863' post='2215049'] I fully believe that with the right amount of dedication, persistence and hard work, anyone can play anything that anyone else can play. [/quote] I don't agree. There are all sorts of physical issues that come into it, never mind the mental ones. All people are not created equal. A friend of mine can play certain things on the guitar that I can't simply because he has enormous and incredibly strong hands. FWIW I think it's a great place to start; I always thought it was self-defeating to say "I can't do that" before you've even tried, but in the same way that it's unlikely that I could beat Usain Bolt over 100 metres whatever training I did, or beat Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match, some things will always be more difficult for some to play than others.

Regarding 'pick sound', if you use 50 different picks you'll get 50 different sounds, and that's before experimenting with angle of attack, force of striking etc etc etc.

I've never understood why using a pick to play bass gets such bad press, or why people assume that pick-playing bassists can't be deft, quick, subtle, expressive etc. Look at all the guitarists in the world who use a pick; can the same criticism be levelled at them (other than in jest!)? When I used to play in shops more often I regularly got people coming up to me asking how I was managing to play what I was playing; I just used to hold up the pick. It's just a technique and can be applied in as many ways as any other.

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1379353665' post='2211650'] the higher register pops out like nothing else I've ever played [/quote] This is what I love about them. FWIW I agree that the reason they're considered one-trick pony is more about people emulating a particular sound.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1379350079' post='2211579'] Definite theme of all the tone come from a driven valve amp going on, even Macca, who you wouldn't generally associate with drive, has a small combo pushed thing going on. [/quote] This is generally true but I've always been happiest with mine through early transistor Trace gear.

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1379319532' post='2211092'] His solo's are self indulgent rubbish imo... [/quote] This is Yes you know. Which is kind of the point.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1379295019' post='2211001'] My opinion is based on the fact that he's a brilliant player but his solos are generic and uninspired. I'm not alone. I also recommended Squire to a bassist who was unfamiliar with his work and he checked out a solo and thought he was awful. I then played a track from The YES Album and then he realized how good he was. Yes, music is subjective but why make it an issue at every turn? The point is, not everybody can do everything equally well -- even great players. [/quote] Still opinion I'm afraid. And in this instance, it IS subjective. FWIW, I'm pretty sure Chris isn't playing his solos to impress bass players. And I'm pretty sure that if it was Hadrien Feraud soloing, as good as he is, many Yes fans would be asleep by the 3rd bar. I do however agree that most people have areas of playing they're not particularly good at and possibly never will be (ask Usain Bolt about natural talent ). Before I started having nerve problems in my right arm I could pick with the most technical guitarists in the world. However I have never, despite putting a lot of work in to correct it, been a great fingerstyle player. Same goes for slap. I'm poor at it now but even when I was really putting the hours in I was no better than mediocre. I'm also much better at driving than sitting back off the beat, but I think that comes from the fact that most of the music I love drives, be it jazz or rock or pop.

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1379259765' post='2210460'] If Chris thinks he sounds good but you don't then who is right and who is wrong? I would say that your assertion that Chris is not a good soloist is purely subjective. Your criteria for a good bass solo will be different to mine etc etc. We all hear things differently. Personally I think that any rock bassist that takes the time to take a solo slot live needs a reality check...but that's just me - and that's another story! [/quote] The first part I wholeheartedy agree with. The last bit; well I could aim that at many, many musicians from many genres. I think some of the worst bass solos I've ever seen (IMO) are some of Jaco's. Not to deny his talent in any way but some of his solos are just ill thought out, meandering nonsense. IMO of course.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1379253261' post='2210340'] Well, Chris Sqiure has been doing a solo at YES shows for 30 years and he still stinks at it. Meanwhile his time is impeccable, his tone is god-like, he has chops to spare and his sense of voice leading is one of the most brilliant I've ever heard. Explain that. [/quote] I don't agree that he stinks at soloing. I like his solos. They're not about complex harmony or subtle improvisation, and I don't believe are intended to be. They're about mood and, something often forgotten around here, entertainment. I'll agree with the rest though!

Heaviest I've had were probably an ESP at around 12lb and my Jaydees which I'd guess were similar, although they could all have been a tad heavier. The heaviest I've played may have been an old 'Ray which I put on and had to take straight off as I started to take the strain. God knows how heavy it was; must have been twice what my 8.5lb Rics are. Or possibly a 6 string Alembic Series which I couldn't actually wear (this was after my back packed up). Now over 9lbs is pushing it for me. Lightest I've had was probably either my Sei 'Melt' 4 or my Westone Quantum; it's a long time since I had the Quantum so difficult to say.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1378897153' post='2206141'] Because forums are living, breathing, real time gatherings of people. Because people take things personally, for better or for worse. Because the opinions are presented and written as if they are facts, often in a sanctimonious, overbearing, arrogant and holier-than-thou kind of way by people who I'm willing to bet are actually in no position to speak authoritatively about the subject matter outside their own little world, with little consideration given to the thoughts, opinions and feelings of others. I'm not saying I'm blameless either. [/quote] +1. And because opinion stated as fact can be taken on board as fact by people who have less knowledge or experience.

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1378806923' post='2204770'] Has no one here ever had a drummer knock something over, or a rhythm guitarist suddenly decide to tug at a lead which mysteriously found its way right next to your bass? The odd knock here & there is inevitable, especially if you play pubs I've played a few where, when you walk through the door, you wonder where the hell you're going to be able to set up... Tight spaces, drunken, dancing crowds - you don't have to be clumsy - the rest of the world covers that for you... [/quote] +1. Many of the playing areas we play we can barely fit into. Although to be fair I've probably had more dings at home, an example being where I picked up a cup of tea that was sitting on a metal mat. The mat stuck to the cup (which I hadn't noticed as I wasn't looking at it), fell off just as I put the cup to my lips and the edge put a noticeable scar on the front of my main bass, which happened to be standing nearby. How do you avoid things like that? I've had dings caused simply trying to get a bass back in its case onstage in very cramped conditions (i.e. most of the gigs we play). FWIW as long as there's no structural damage it really doesn't bother me one iota. I quite like dings etc. I personally think there's little more wrong-looking than a brand new minty Fender.

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1378724729' post='2203634'] I think my thread is drifting into a debate about whether we should be paid or not. Maybe my wording might have been a bit misleading, but I started the topic to highlight the problem I am having as I try to put a new band together. A lot of the replies I've had to my ads, have been from people who are not interested in rehearsing, or getting to know the band that they might be joining. A lot of them are not even interested in the sort of music we want to play, they just want to be in a band that gigs every single weekend, and just turn up for the gigs. I'm not saying, or expecting any of them to play for nothing, of course not, but what I am expecting is that they genuinely like the type of music we play, and to put in some rehearsals to get tight enough to gig, if they are not prepared to do that, how can we possibly get to the standard we should be to get paid work, and if they are only joining a band for the money but not the music, then the chances are, they will leave once they get fed up of playing a genre they are not really into. As for gigs, we are actively seeking gigs for the future all the time, and once we know we are ready, we will get an agent as well, so it's not that we are just going to let things happen, we will make them happen! We are all good musicians, with plenty of experience behind us, but we still appreciate the need to rehearse especially for a new band. I think we are being sensible in learning to walk before we start running. This is nothing to do with being paid, or not being paid for gigs, it's more to do with people's attitudes. But as I stated earlier, maybe I'm old fashioned and naive to expect to form a band where we all have the same enthusiasm for the music, where we all understand that a little bit of time in the rehearsal studio, goes a long way in helping us go from being a "decent" band, to a "very good" band, and is it too much to hope that we can be mates as well! [/quote] This happened at the tail end of my last band. We lost our drummer to a more lucrative covers band. Pretty much every drummer we approached wanted the gigs there and ready and weren't interested in turning up "just to rehearse"(even once!). It was all about money, but how they thought they'd earn any when they'd not even rehearsed a set was beyond me. Thankfully the band folded and a few of us got together as an acoustic group; our old singer learned to play cajon. Quieter, sounds better, keeps better time than most of the drummers I've known, does 2 jobs in 1 (sings and plays cajon at the same time), cajon is easy to transport & much more versatile in our context. Major win. We're all mates, which helps. I don't think I'd consider playing with anyone who wasn't these days.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1378716555' post='2203460'] It's funny isn't it... even though most artists love what they do, nobody would expect an artist to give their art away for free. So why are musicians expected to do so? [/quote] Speaking as someone who trained as an artist for 4 years, has tried to at least supplement my other income as an artist and as someone who knows several pro artists, people [i]very much[/i] expect artists to give their work away for free, or as near as. Anyone who thinks it's tough making money as a musician wants to try painting for a living. And no, I don't mean decorating. Or graphic design, which is something else entirely.

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1378682945' post='2203278'] There's something that I need to understand None of my basses have ever suffered from this and no one else's that I know either. So what is bucklerash and why does it happen? When wearing a shirt tucked in I make sure that it is loose enough that the buckle on my belt doesn't make contact with my bass. Why do basses appear with big chips in them? Are people really that clumsy/unlucky/neanderthal/candygram for Mongo? I don't always put my bass away first but after 15 months my Precision still looks exactly the same as when I left the shop with it. No dinks,scratches, chunks of paint missing,holes,etc I'm not having a go at anyone but are some people more accident prone than others or something? [/quote] See how yours is after 40 years. Some of it may be down to carelessness, but accidents do happen. Maybe you're just lucky. I've had some corkers happen over the years and I tend to find the more careful I'm being the more likely I am to invite disaster.

Write. Record. Learn to play other instruments. Bass is my first instrument, but I'm not precious about it, it's just a brick in a musical wall. Look beyond it.

I write & play because I need to. Not financially, but because it's my outlet. I'm not sure I could stop if I wanted. The thought of playing something I don't enjoy simply for the money appalls me. I'd sooner not play at all. The thought of playing something I [i]enjoy[/i] for money is a different matter, but I do have to enjoy it and money isn't a motivator in any way, shape or form. For me, it's about creativity.

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1378456325' post='2200442'] also if you can find one, those '70/'80's cream pups from Dimarzio are ace. Sometimes go on ebags for just a few quid. [/quote] This. All my favourite-sounding Ps have had these in. In fact I'll soon be on the lookout for one myself....