XB26354

Very good stuff - I would only add that the example with swung rhythms can also be written as straight eighths (again, with an indication that the rhythm should be swung).

As far as I understand it, the S1 switch is both pickups on, but wired in series instead of parallel. As now have a one pickup bass, only the volume with the S1 switch works when it is pressed.

[quote name='Doddy' post='693089' date='Dec 24 2009, 05:40 PM']My only disagreement,was when you said that it was 'almost essential' to use the floating technique when playing a six string. I don't believe that it is essential to employ the floating thumb when playing on an extended range instrument.[/quote] Ah, a bit of a mis-quote (or my convoluted prose) - I said it is almost essential to avoid the B string rumbling, whichever method you choose.

I know where you're coming from. I think we both agree that with such a wide neck, if you don't stop the strings from ringing somehow, then you will get that rumble. Play a B or F♯ high up on the neck a few times with no dampening, then stop the high notes. You will hear the low B sympathetically rumbling (just like piano strings). The only reason floating thumb crops up because a/ the hand is totally relaxed, making it easier to play evenly, cleanly and over extended periods and b/ it's "free of charge", in that it is just there dampening the strings without having to move independently or take away from what the rest of the plucking hand is doing. Point (a) is really important because it is oh so easy to tense the plucking hand. Sound wise It's not really noticeable when one is playing but it tends to make the overall bass sound muddy and undefined. I've recorded a few bands in my time in studios and it was a common problem with a 5- or 6-string bassist. When you lay a bass track down onto tape (or hard disk!) and solo it at the desk, every little hesitation and string noise or unintentional sympathetic strings really jump out, and can actually make a professional mix harder to achieve (when time is money). Years ago I got shown the door in a professional recording session because I couldn't dampen the strings (and I made damn sure I went away and sorted it out). I liken anchoring the strings to a pick player resting a finger on the pickguard. It helps to balance your plucking hand but ultimately restricts how far you can take technique - which is academic if you plonk along with root-5 half notes all night

[quote name='Doddy' post='693032' date='Dec 24 2009, 03:41 PM']I disagree.. I've played a 6 string for years and never had to use the floating thumb technique to cure any ringing strings. As far as muting and damping technique goes-for me it is a combination of both hands. I explained it, basically,over on the 'string skipping and muting' thread.[/quote] But that's the point - it's all down to what works for [i]you[/i]. It's not good general advice. I tried the Gary Willis 3 finger thing but couldn't get on with it, same with the non-rest stroke floating technique. The point is to look at making the right sound as efficiently and easily as possible so you can play freely for extended periods, regardless what traditional technique may be. 6-string (and above) are exceptional instruments because of the width of the plucking area. Logic dictates that you have to pay more attention to damping. I've seen and heard a number of 6-string bass players say they've got damping sorted and when it comes to the crunch and their playing is exposed, they haven't. I respect your point of view, but I trust my experiences with bass as a player, teacher and engineer in a studio more.

I use floating thumb for 6-string but I came upon it by experimenting years ago. I didn't even know it had a name until other people spoke about it! However despite the chat on various forums nothing is new under the sun. It's actually an adaptation of the floating picking technique used by jazz guitarists such as Ivor Mairants. The only change for bass is the need for the relaxed thumb (which is now not holding a pick) to touch/brush the lower strings to aid right hand damping. The biggest hindrance is repeated skipping of two or more strings (which is also difficult with an anchored thumb). The only solution I've seen is to use three fingers a la Gary Willis, but as Mark has mentioned it is all to easy to get too tangled up deciding which finger is to play which note. If you play 6 string it's almost essential to avoid the big old B rumbling whenever you play higher up on the neck

Apparently back in the days when he wore the bee top he used to sing "500 Miles High" in the original key sung by Flora Purim

[quote name='XB26354' timestamp='1260990878' post='686689'] Hi, This one's a bit of a toughie but well worth working through. I'm not really a fan of the 'jackets but this track sticks out for the effortless groove, nice changes and a tasty bass solo! The only problem is that you'll need a 6-string with 24 frets to play at pitch as it goes from bottom to top. I've written the changes over the tune, except for the bass solo (which uses the same changes as the main melody) as it would look too cramped. The solo is also written one octave lower than played to a) fit it on the stave better and make it easier to read if you're playing on a 4- or 5-string. Don't be fooled by the linear-looking solo - it is pretty hard to get the definition and flow that Jimmy Haslip does, and there are several finger tangles that may require further practice (did for me!) He has a very unusual solo style, quite scale based but lyrical at the same time (doutbless due to playing "upside down"). Enjoy, and as always let me know if you find any mistakes! Cheers Mat [/quote] Hi, This one's a bit of a toughie but well worth working through. I'm not really a fan of the 'jackets but this track sticks out for the effortless groove, nice changes and a tasty bass solo! The only problem is that you'll need a 6-string with 24 frets to play at pitch as it goes from bottom to top. I've written the changes over the tune, except for the bass solo (which uses the same changes as the main melody) as it would look too cramped. The solo is also written one octave lower than played to a) fit it on the stave better and make it easier to read if you're playing on a 4- or 5-string. Don't be fooled by the linear-looking solo - it is pretty hard to get the definition and flow that Jimmy Haslip does, and there are several finger tangles that may require further practice (did for me!) He has a very unusual solo style, quite scale based but lyrical at the same time (doutbless due to playing "upside down"). Enjoy, and as always let me know if you find any mistakes! Cheers Mat

Interestingly The Deluxe 5 Jazz seems to have vanished from the Fender range - the P Bass Deluxe 5 disappeared a couple of years ago, then the Ash Jazz 5 deluxe, now the only American 5 is the Standard, or else an Artist or Custom Shop model. It's on the UK site but gone from the newer US site. Perhaps they're planning something...

I've had two, an ash one with rosewood board and alder/maple. The b string is darker sounding than other basses - not something that matters massively in a normal band situation but put me off enough to move both on. Would make a killer 4-string though... bit I agree that a decent setup makes all the difference. Funnily enough there was a us standard 5 at the gallery which had a really good b.

DR HiBeams or D'addario ProSteels. Both superb strings (if you like the tone rich and reasonably bright) and long-lasting.

[quote name='Major-Minor' post='672875' date='Dec 3 2009, 09:30 AM']As has been said already on this thread, one needs to have a firm and comprehensive grasp of traditional theory and harmony (as taught in the last 200 years) before looking at Modes, and I personally believe it is a mistake to teach bass players (or any young musos) about practical modal application until they are in their tertiary education (ie Degree level). But, as there appears to be many references to Modes in the early grades of BG tutor books, I feel we need to help clarify what all this means for the young player. If you teach somebody about modes, there has got to be some practical usage for this info to make any sense - and that is what seems to be sadly missing in these methods. The Major[/quote] What kind of musical education are you talking about here? Classical? If so then it doesn't really apply in the same way to musicians who play "current" musical instruments. There are no defined methods for playing guitar, bass or drums that are universally accepted. As these instruments are highly unlikely to be used for classical music performance the most complex music they're likely to play is jazz, and jazz is a notoriously difficult music to write down, as it is very much down to individual interpretation. That is why dynamics and tempo variance are virutally never indicated in jazz, other than accents or short/long notes. Most jazz musicians go to music college (if they go at all) which is already at tertiary level. As Mark Levine says in the Jazz Theory Book, classical music is ear and eye music but jazz is almost entirely ear music. To the jazz improviser the Dorian mode is just an available pool of notes to draw open over a certain sound. Kind of Blue fits that interpretation - there is chromaticism within each tune but then that is a basic hallmark of jazz.

Pile of sh*te. Sorry, Vic. And purple really doesn't suit him

I think I'd need to see you playing to be sure what the issue is - it could be a duff B or it may not be the strings at all I've got a 35" scale MTD and never had a problem with floppy strings, no matter which brand I've used. As I'm sure you're aware the extra scale length immediately makes any string of the same make and gauge tuned to pitch (on a 34" bass) more taut. Oh, one other thing - I recently switched from DR to D'addario and the long set wasn't long enough - does the B taper down before it reaches the nut? In the end only the super-long set fit (although many thanks to D'addario for sending me another set for free!)

Put heavier strings on - say 45-135 if you can and avoid nickel strings as I find they are a bit more pliant than stainless steel. Having said that I've got 40-60-80-100-130 on the top 5 strings of my MTD and they are very taut. Did you only notice this with the latest strings you bought or all the time?

I know I'm showing my age here (although I'm only 36 ) Kongo, but you mention 6-string bass, slap and two-handed tapping quite a bit in your post. As Bilbo mentioned, these things are really the icing on the cake as far as bass playing is concerned. The cake mix itself is foundational bass lines, lines that fit the music and flatter the vocals (or instrumental melody), on a 4-string bass. I've been playing 6-strings exclusively for years and I still believe that. Slap is cool but most of my favourite bass lines that do use slap require at best easy to intermediate technique. Wooten is a wonderful virtuoso but very little of his fripperies work in anything but the most self-indulgent instrumental music. He is also very, very good at them, and not many bassists can even approach his level of groove (when he grooves). Imitating him may be personally very agreeable but the two drunks and the dog you'll be playing to won't give a monkeys As far as theory goes - as long as you know what you're doing and can communicate that to others then find your own path. Books are like one hand clapping - unless you have someone there to go through it with you'll have lots of unanswered questions. Even the best books I've come across give you like 10% of what you need to know - the other 90% is up to you to work out. There are fabulous musicians out there that don't read music and don't know theory, but that is a different argument imho - if you genuinely want to improve your playing you can either play with lots of great musicians and learn from them (ie a college course, or just by gigging with musos that are better than you), buy books and churn through them, or get a private teacher. As I've learned through hundreds of wasted hours practicing, learning new things is not noodling!

One of the great Jazz albums, and a wonderful solo from such a young man. The tone is so individual, and the whole album reeks of quality. It had the same effect on me the first time I head Heavy Weather. I remember Paul Scott doing a transcription of this in bassist ages ago but lost it. Thanks a lot!

[quote name='Major-Minor' post='664083' date='Nov 24 2009, 05:53 PM']While I agree entirely that the ability to commit music to memory is essential for all musicians, really that is something different from transcribing. The clue is in the word - tranSCRIBEing - ie to write down what you hear. And that is an art in itself. And Bilbo - believe me it IS a great achievement to successfully transcribe a piece of music, regardless of how complex or simple it is, or whether you can't physically play it yourself. If you are trying to copy a virtuoso player's solos, then at least you know what you have to work on, even if you might not finally achieve that level of playing. After all, having something to aim for is what drives every player to work on their technique and their musical understanding. If you want to commit to memory what another player has already put down on record, then I would suggest putting away your manuscript and pencil, and copy it directly into your brain and into your fingers. It helps to "see" the written notes in your head, but its great training for your muscle memory and musical memory if you take it straight from the audio into your head. Then you can copy their every inflection plus all the things that are so difficult to write down. The Major[/quote] Whilst I'd agree with you in theory, in reality I never had the luxury of time to learn things one way then the other. I could read, but after my early wake up call (see above re the jazz gig) I had to transcribe and learn in quick succession (for some reason I didn't know about fake books or real books so took songs straight from the record with much stabbing of a cheap keyboard!). I don't believe that just transcribing something is the point when you are learning to do it. Transcribing entire sections of an orchestra is an advanced skill that comes much later. As an instrumentalist and someone [i]learning[/i] how to transcribe I feel there is more benefit to getting the notes under your fingers as you go (and the chords!).

One other obvious point is to get the full benefit of transcribing you need to [b]learn to play off by heart [/b]what you have transcribed.

You'd also have to ask what happened to the bass to get that kind of damage...

I don't agree that anchoring your ring and pinky on a lower string will benefit playing with a pick at all. It creates unnecessary tension across the picking hand and limits mobility across the strings - Ivor Mairants was one of the finest jazz guitarists this country has produced and his teaching manual on drawing all the fingers in, holding the pick lightly and allowing the forearm free movement has improved my picking no end. Bass has thicker strings spaced further apart, but the mechanics are broadly the same.