ubit

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1430730844' post='2764000'] Oh dear. This clip just keeps doing damage. The bass player in this clip is playing consistently and accurately ON THE BEAT. This is a clip designed to show our drumming brethren how to play ahead of or behind the beat, while the rest of the band deliberately plays with all the feel and swing of a cheap metronome. [/quote] Yes I realise the bass is constant and it's the drums that are changing, but whatever is happening, it sounds out of time and if I heard a band playing like that, I would think they are not very tight and I would walk out, music stand or not!

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1430580581' post='2762830'] This is behind the beat playing. You hear it a lot in blues. You also hear it in funk too. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7rv8pu-0z0[/media] [/quote] On the beat again . Ok, there is half beats thrown in but the basic beat is one and two and one and two and one ant two etc, the bass sits right on the money with all of this.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1430580829' post='2762834'] This may help? http://youtu.be/GlcSuJlOwJ0 [/quote] Ok man, I appreciate your links. This one is dead obvious. When the bass player plays behind the beat, it sounds dreadful and out of time and I'm sure jazz is the only medium where you could get away with this. To my ear, ON the beat is the ONLY way to sound completely in time. As I've said before,it has to be about feel. If you consciously play before or after the beat in most genres of music, you are going to sound like you have no clue what you are doing. Maybe it's because my background is rock and indie with a bit of traditional thrown in, which is regimental in its rules, that I stick to these rules. The "pretentious" musicians I am talking about do not play jazz. I tend to suspect the majority of advocates of the term have a bit of emperors new clothes isms about them . I'm not trying to start an argument by any means, so forgive me if my views fly in the face of yours

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1430580686' post='2762831'] Yes. I'd say this was definitely behind the beat, too: http://youtu.be/ABc8ciT5QLs [/quote] I'm really sorry mate but to me that's ON the beat . every bass note is on a drum beat. This is, if you will excuse my pretentious term, is what I'm talking about.

Geddy is my all time bass hero and I love Rush. His tone is one of the best I have heard, especially on the earlier material, although I still like his tone on the newer songs. I too, have a Jap sig. Jazz and it's a great bass to play. The neck is amazing!

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1430577774' post='2762793'] Do it! Loving my Super Twin! [/quote] Me too, best cab I've ever had, and so light!

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1430580124' post='2762822'] Still don't like the headstock though, perhaps they'll do a headless. [/quote] Argh! That's another one of my pet hates

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1430583726' post='2762884'] If you have an ahead guy and a behind guy, then someone is going to have to massively compensate and the chances are the rhythm section will sound awful... so they aren't a match you'd pick. [/quote] See this is what I mean. I have never consciously played before or after the beat, but we have made decent sounding music together for years, both aggressive and slow, so it's obviously a case of feeling the music. When someone says they do it consciously, I find it hard to believe . It's just a term I have not been used to hearing .

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1430581467' post='2762846'] I've always found this intuitive way of thinking about it much easier to get my head around. If I think too hard about playing ahead or behind then I'll just play out of time, but visualising it as a spectrum going from pushy/eager/urgent at one end to that laid back greasy feel at the other end seems to amount to the same thing. [/quote] I think this sums me up

Thank you all for your help in this matter. I have come to the conclusion that this is a thing that happens naturally , because there's no way you could consciously hit each bass note a fraction of a second before the drum hit or a fraction of a second after for that matter. It's a case of feel, which I do have, otherwise I would have got nowhere in my band career. I can play fast and aggressive and slow and moody without ruining the songs. I still find it pretentious for someone to say they consciously play in front of the beat all the time or vice versa, because I still think it's all down to natural feel for the piece. Sorry if I sound awkward, it's just that I have played for years with the thought that you play with the drummer and again, thank you for the explanations and links explaining this.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1430581140' post='2762841'] How can you like reading about pro players gear choices and then call them pretentious when they describe their playing styles? [/quote] Easy!

I am probably in the minority here, but I really enjoy bass guitar magazine . I especially like the little interviews with pro bass players about what gear they use, effects, etc. The one thing that annoys me is when someone says " I try to play just in front of the beat" or " just behind the beat" Maybe I'm being stupid, but when I play, I hit the notes at the same time as the drummer as I've always found that to be the optimum method for sounding together. Is this pretentious sh*te or am I missing some fundamental secret to unlocking my bass mojo? If so, I've been doing it wrong for 35 years!

They know their chops!

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1430554253' post='2762487'] When they're not hogging the limelight... [/quote] Or hamming it up too much

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1430508052' post='2762225'] [media]http://youtu.be/v1-YOmaAbZE[/media] [/quote] Outstanding in their field?

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1430514794' post='2762309'] Well, he hasn't really got it down anyway in the video...but his finger work is worth a listen... [/quote] Yeah, it's just that I get so cheesed off with YouTube players who demo basses by slapping on them. I admit, it tends to make me turn off. I'm sure this guy can play. I'll give it a listen after all

Perhaps I'm lucky, because I like death metal and opera. In fact I pretty much like any genre of music except perhaps jazz, although I like some jazz. I love Rush, Geddys vocals too, I'm not a big Oasis fan, but admit to really liking Liam's voice. I like the Smiths but agree that Level 42 are guff apart from the obvious bass playing. So obviously it's taste innit? I have a very wide taste in music, so tend to not be disappointed too often

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1430495355' post='2762073'] This is why I'm intreagued by the W&T one; if anyone can do it properly, Enrico can ☺ I actually agree with Discreet; I know I would just find the sweet spot for me then leave it there for good. I read the OP question as a quest for the most versatile bass (ie the one with most different tones, rather than one universal one) and the variable pickup bass sprung to mind, not least because I've been perving over the used one for sale at Bass Gear. It's a slightly clunkier looking prototype compared to the final version, but I like the semi-steampunk feel. http://www.bassgear.co.uk/product/wt-custom-single-cut-5/ http://youtu.be/1jfcZHu6_GQ [/quote] I haven't watched that clip because I can see from the thumbnail that he's slapping! Why do people demo basses by slapping? It annoys the pants off me. I want to hear the tone of the bass. Hrumph!

Yeah, no offence to anyone who owns one, I just think they are 'orrible. The brilliant Guy Pratt came out with a horrendous looking rail pup bass a while back, and whilst it might sound awesome, it looked fugly!

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1430468194' post='2761621'] https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=kh1geYG2V6Y That's got it!! [/quote] That was magic and if that's the extent of you dropping a howler then I positively have died on stage! You recovered perfectly. I was well impressed by that performance mate. Great sound for a three piece!

It's horses for courses innit? I mean one guys Hendrix is another guys Pavarotti. I, for instance, would be bored with pure instrumentals a la Steve Vai, but my mate loves him and goes to see him every time he tours. ( no offence to Simon as I've never heard your band) Entertainment is the key, whether the singer is amazing or not. I've seen poor singers put on a great show.

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1430419119' post='2761305'] I'd be tempted to look into the variable position (sliding) pickup basses that Wood & Tronics do. I'd love to try one to determine whether it's game-changingly versatile, or just a bit gimmicky. [/quote] It wouldn't matter to me if one of those had an amazing sound. They look horrible, so I would never consider using one. I think guitars have got to look cool, and a big slider up the middle would spoil it for me!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1430388872' post='2760876'] And why would they? Rock 'n' Roll wasn't about technical ability or sound quality, it was about the visceral joy of primal rhythms and abandoning oneself to them, preferably groping a bird with giant bangers while being off your head [/quote] How true, it's just proving that we here at basschat who spend thaasands on the latest gear to make us sound better than we did this time last year, are just as well using a Squire J bass with a cheap combo for all the good it does to accentuate the sound to the ears of the baying masses

It's true , most punters won't notice your sound. We played at a party a while back which was in a barn with dodgy electrics. My Ampeg valve amp kept cutting out ( turns out it was the poor electrics) at the break I DI'd straight into the desk, but the amazing thing is loads of people came up to us and said how good we were and how much they were enjoying it, so basically if the people hear a beat and a semblance of in tune sound with a vocal they can recognise, they are happy. We are playing at the guys wedding on Saturday , so they obviously did enjoy it! So unfortunately most drunk people can't tell if the bass has a great sound or even if it's in there at all, obviously there will be musos who can tell, but on the whole the vast majority of people haven't got a clue about the subtle nuances of live playing!

I find that 4 or 5 pints of lager brings out the best in my voice. Strangely, if I stay sober, I seem to get hoarse quickly. Its a cross I have had to bear for years now