Bobthedog

[quote name='nukedukem' timestamp='1501778971' post='3347330'] Lloyd's didn't make £2.1 billion last year from paying out claims though I guess [/quote] A slightly unfair not in context comment. They actually paid out £ 2.1bn in major claims alone; up from £0.7bn the year before. That number above the is also the pre tax profit; made chiefly from investment returns and not underwriting. In other words they did not make that profit from premiums against claims. Their combined ratio was 97.9% - in other words for every £1 premium; 97.9pence went in claims / expenses.

I bought a pair some 5 months ago (sadly at full price ) for on the move iPod listening and love them. They are known for being bass forward but as a bass player, you know that kinda suits me! I have better sounding headphones for the real wired hi fi stuff, but on the move, would put these bad boys at the top. I hope you enjoy them.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1501001113' post='3341696'] I think the draw back for beginners is learning and having the ability to cop and mimick the bass line. But with limited theory or knowledge of panatonic scales, I'm afraid you'll fall into the habit of being able to play songs but not understand what your playing. That actually can be the kiss of death. Blue [/quote] Totally agree from my perspective. I spent the first two years of playing purely by rote and to be honest it became boring. My new tutor has spent the last few months blending theory and practical together and my appreciation of music and playing and wanting to play has increased dramatically.

[quote name='funkgod' timestamp='1500938723' post='3341252'] BoB, take the leap "go public" and join a band, what you hear in the bed room is not what you are going to hear with 4 or 5 other guys. all you have learnt and your tone and feel will all come together after a time playing with others. if you joining a band is too much of a leap then put an ad on something like JMB to get others local to play with it will pay you back 10 fold But enjoy whatever you do keep us posted how you get on, im sure you will be buzzing for days [/quote] Thanks FG and will do

I am not sure if these count as playalongs or tutorials but the bass section of the Brazilian CIFRA Club site has some seriously easy tracks to play along to and learn. All by rote and perhaps no music education, but simple for a beginner to pick up (dependent on the tune). Example below: https://youtu.be/mP9RoZiEMmk They also have an app and web page.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1500885830' post='3340742'] I communicate in metaphors. Think acting. Reading a script out loud is doing that and nothing more. The acting equivalent of Musicality would be in making the words mean something, communicating the emotions and intent of the author etc. One is mechanics, the other is Art. [/quote] I like this, it reinforces some earlier comments and makes good sense. Thank you

[quote name='sammybee' timestamp='1500843985' post='3340597'] You're about 1/2 an hour's drive from him if you fancied me putting in touch with him. [/quote] Thank you and perhaps in the future My current tutor whilst now a pro bass player has other instrument background and is doing a great job as well as being hugely musically and educationally qualified. I am very happy with him and have moved on hugely since I started with him.

[quote name='sammybee' timestamp='1500835838' post='3340519'] You need more than a drum machine, you need another player(s) (not bass) to play with, to bounce off, to groove with... Take a lesson with someone who isn't a bass teacher. You might be very suprised at the result! [/quote] Agreed re the drummer and have one lined up for a couple of weeks time. Re the bass teacher, I am not sure what you mean - my previous tutor was a guitarist and that was part of the problem for me. Do you mean with a player of something else from the rhythm section?

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1500818508' post='3340341'] What you're talking about is phrasing. If you had a conversation with someone, each word might be the right word, it might be exactly in the right place but if you don't put the right infection on each word, it will sound dull, it even might not convey the right meaning. Music is usually broken up into 2,4,8 or even 16 bar phrases. Concentrate on learning a tune phrase by phrase, sing it to yourself and get the feel for the rhythm and the accents before you pick up your bass. Don't worry too much if you can't pitch your singing correctly, it's the feel you are after. [/quote] [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1500820331' post='3340362'] This is a brilliant reply . One of my students is 79. He has no ambition to play with people, he just loves learning to play, and playing. We're looking at melodies, particularly those from standards. The guy's a huge fan of Frank Sinatra, so he's learning to play the melodies from a lot of the Sinatra songs, and a few Beatles songs. I keep telling him to sing the song to himself as he's playing, make a connection between the notes he's playing and the song. Phrase them like Frank would. It's feel that's lacking in the OPs playing, from what I understand anyway. Like I said earlier, how the notes are played, not what they're played on. Just mechanically playing the notes wont sound right. This is why classically trained musicians are so good, they don't actually just mechanically play the notes. Get up and dance, sing the song to yourself as you're playing, move about, get the 'feel' of the music, the spirit inside you. Often when I play, maybe jazz or whatever, or my own stuff, I close my eyes, and visualise the music that I'm playing. For jazz, which really is best played on an upright acoustic, I imagine I'm playing one, I think deep, and woody tones. Maybe sounds weird, but it works for me. [/quote] Lots of rally helpful stuff here from all, but these are especially helping me try and put a picture together. Thank you. Re post 44, I do use a drum machine too. In fact I have no excuses any more other than me!

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1500804538' post='3340224'] Have you tried playing your favourite lines to just a click, or unaccompanied? [/quote] [color=#ff0000]Yup and regularly too.[/color] [quote name='Yank' timestamp='1500808727' post='3340253'] I teach music on the side. When working with students learning to read, sometimes they play the notes in the right place but something is missing. When, for example, playing Bach's "Minuet in G Major" , a beautiful piece, it helps to think of the people of that time in their huge dresses. When dancing, they made small, stately movements. You have to let the piece breathe properly, instead of rushing through the notes. Sometimes a synth doing, say, a flute sound, won't sound right unless the keyboardist breathes like a flute player would. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's more to playing a part than just the note in the right place, or maybe I'm being too esoteric. Would a punk bass sound right if you play like you're happy instead of angry? [/quote] [color=#ff0000]I think this is quite key for me to work on. I am always still concentrating on the note and timing. Thank you[/color] [quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1500809644' post='3340267'] I'd suggest that you need to give it more time. You say you've been playing mainly by yourself for a few (is that 3, or 5, or?) years. Musicality, or whatever we call it, is a subtle thing and not instantly acquired. It comes with experience and must be worked for. It's a state of mind, not a physical skill and mainly concerned with understanding. If it could be bought over the counter, everyone would be playing for a living. Others suggest good things to try above. I'd add that you should learn some theory, so that you know why you're doing what you do as well as how. [/quote] [color="#ff0000"]Three years but the first two were literally just passing grades by rote. I never understood why I was doing things, I just did what I was told. My new tutor is mixing theory with practice and that is making a hell of a difference.[/color]

Thanks all. This is really helpful stuff.

[quote name='musicbassman' timestamp='1500748360' post='3339988'] Just a couple of ideas: Firstly, you describe yourself as a bedroom warrior. Do you play sitting down on the same stool in the same place in the same room all the time? Get a little plug in headphone amp with a beat box built in - (I've been using the little Vox AP2 BS lately and it's brilliant) and play standing up - in the lounge, in the loo , in the garden. anywhere different. A change of location and posture could possibly change your feel, and if you do want to play live, you'll need to get used to playing in the standing position. Secondly, I'm sure your teacher has told you about playing 'on top of the beat' or 'behind the beat' etc. Just try creating a groove on two or three notes - (my fave tempo to practice feel is a shuffle around 110bpm). Then keep slowly changing and developing the riff pattern. And listen to the effect on the feel of the riff by slight changes in finger pressure, damping and the exact note timing. Maybe suddenly it will just sound 'right' And then maybe play your riffs to your teacher for an opinion or get your teacher to play the same riffs - does it sound different and if so, why? Best of luck [/quote] I do play in the same room but a blend of (mostly) standing up, so I can some movement going, and occasionally sitting down. Will try other rooms too and have a PJB Big Head already. The beat stuff is something I have toyed with but will try your suggestions too, thank you.

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1500746027' post='3339970'] I think its already been mentioned but i would agree its more about gaining experience with other musicians. What i have found over many years is that musicians who play in orchestral type situations play exactly what the music tells them to and in perfect timing. That's great for what they are doing. Put them with guys who don't read manuscript and they are out of their comfort zone and don't generally blend with jamming musicians. Its the same when non readers are put with properly trained musicians they will also be out of their depth to a degree. They don't feel the music in the same way. I find they are more clinical in their playing. That's not a bad thing by any means but maybe the songs you've been playing along with the musicians are all playing with the feel of the song in mind rather than just playing dots on a page. Again its not a slight on those who have put the effort in to be able to sight read to a high level. Its just different requirements for different situations. I think if you start jamming with other musicians and feel the song change rather than rely solely on timing you should develop your "musicality" over time. Dave [/quote] clinical is how it all sounds and so a fair comment. It also applies to when I cook.

[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1500746007' post='3339969'] Some styles are actually tricky to get the feel. Reggae is probably one. Just stick at it, or possibly smoke illegal substances (more) [/quote] That was a comment my tutor made about playing reggae too!

Thanks all so far. I think posts 2 and 4 are onto something in as much I am concentrating too hard on getting it right and perhaps not getting into the feel of the song. The thing I am working on now is playing my own versions and that does seem to help. Re asking my tutor, I will do but have a couple of weeks between lessons so thought I would come on here first.

Okay, I have been playing a few years now as a bedroom warrior but more and more looking to go public. I have a great tutor who has brought me on leaps and bounds in the last 6 months, but one thing I struggle with is something I think people call "musicality". Irrespective of what I change / adapt in my playing, I do not sound like the original bass line. Generally I play all on my Roscoe 5, but have Fender P and Jazz bases and a Dingwall Combustion 5. I only play covers and always along to You Tube videos and CDs. How do you define musicality? Tone, note length, timing, attack / decay? A blend of all these things? Emotion / feel are they such a thing in shaping what come out to the listeners' ears? Are amps and cabs part of this (I switch between the Glock / BF BT II and my Markbass combo). I do know I play with a very light touch and need to butch up a bit on that, but what else can make a difference? Even on simple songs like Stir It Up where I match all the notes, when they are meant to happen and the right length, it still does not sound like reggae, just a collection of the right notes at the right time but without the love.

ACS Pro 17 user here, albeit of only three weeks. So far with only one use as an audience member, I am very happy with them. They seem to bring the bass further forward in the mix to my ears but then I am happy with that

Embarrassingly perhaps, the first commercial festival I went to was the Big Feastival last year. Assuming that counts. The first "festival" I went to was Bobfest - a private festival with a stage, full lighting and sound engineers, three bands, camping, food, bars toilets, magicians, jugglers and masseuses. My wife and I organised that one on our land, also last year, for 300 people. I am told that is also how Glastonbury started.

I thoroughly enjoyed, until I got tired of sitting in front of a television. Mrs Bob, who is not a fan, did say that she enjoyed Dave G's fronting of the band - good work with the audience. I did switch over for a few mins and caught someone called Nadia Rose. Not my music but she was very watchable.

[quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1497889987' post='3321154'] Just wondering if the recent warm weather has helped resolve this or whether the log is still in dire straits? And if the log is in Dire Straits, which instrument does he play? [/quote] I heard the log had left Dire Straits to join Wishbone Ash or was it Barkman Turner Overdrive?

All the time. My pinky gets to play equally alongside all of the other fingers with no special treatment.

[quote name='CameronJ' timestamp='1497654150' post='3319899'] In fairness it seems like any issues people have had with the system have been dealt with in a swift and professional manner by Chris. I don't have any doubts customer service wise. And there are plenty of folk out in the wild having zero problems at all so I won't stress about it. [/quote] This. I have had mine now for over a year and it is used almost daily. No issues whatsoever. Service from Chris when I bought mine was just amazing, including getting some new sticky foam overnight.

Welcome from a near local!

Oddly enough, 'tis Black for me this week. Simple but I am really enjoying the bass line

Roscoe Century Signature basses. The last one here appears to have been 2013 and I have not seen one in Bass Direct since my one. Plenty of Customs but no Signatures. Why? I suspect they are very rare over here and are also great to play. I can't see me selling mine for some time, if ever.