josie

Low to high (which could be EADG or BEAD or BEADG or BEADGC depending on the bass 🙂 ) because I tune to the 5th fret of the string below as best I can, and only use a tuner to check and super-fine-tune it, or to put the same tuner on the lead guitar to be sure we're really together. I Am Not Going To Buy Any Pedals Ever. Honestly. Really. 🙂

Didn't work for me - that's why I went for the more expensive Pub Prop (see above).

The Sheepdogs (see my previous post on this thread) are opening for them on their next UK tour, so I'll stay on to see them 🙂 This happens sometimes - I only got into Jason Isbell - another nomination for this thread - because I wanted another chance to see Tift Merritt who was opening for him in Mcr last year.

Kind of depends what you mean by "new"... About six years ago Walter Trout headlined a showcase of new blues bands on a tour that included the Mcr Ritz. I got very bored and was thinking "What would it take for the next young band I've never heard of to have me on the edge of my seat thinking 'Oh $h1t!' within the first four bars?" The next young band I'd never heard of was Virgil and the Accelerators. And within the first four bars I was on the edge of my seat thinking "Oh $h1t!" They went on to be friends, I was on their permanent guest list until they sadly split up, and they headlined my 60th birthday charity gig. I've still never heard anyone play electric guitar with the full dynamic and emotional range that Virgil has. More recently, a couple of years ago, went to see the Temperance Movement at Mcr Academy. I really like their studio work, but live they're dreadful imho. But as always went in time to see the support band - The Sheepdogs, Canadian "retro-rock" band, old-fashioned sound, excellent musicians, great live show, perfect four or sometimes five-part vocal harmonies. I've now seen all four of their Mcr gigs, and looking forward to another Mcr Academy 2 Feb.

An example of BC goodness... Not naming names, but I found one member's avatar somewhat offensive, contacted him by pm and explained, very mildly without confrontation, why. Avatar changed immediately. Mods not involved. 🙂

I've occasionally been sad to see spelling pedants jumping on dyslexics, but on the whole... If you look at some of the deeply personal stuff on OT and the community of support there, BC is an oasis of civility compared to (what I hear of) most other social media. I've been in one other such (and left it for that reason) but comfortable here. Add my thanks and appreciation to the mods. Under-appreciated.

I've just re-strung my Jazz Aerodyne BEAD (with D'Addario mediums), and everything - the nut, the action, the tension - were perfect without any adjustment.

I'm finding it interesting, following this thread, how many peeps are trying to learn the exact bassline from a classic recording of a song. I guess if you're in a covers band, or even more a tribute band, that's what you have to do. It can also be a very good way to learn - I've had some wonderful "lightbulb moments" when I've figured out "Oh, that's how to play that riff I've heard so oftenl!" 🙂 We mostly play little-known early blues songs (and they're not all 12-bar!), and some others, and for me there are two stages to learning every song - (1) nail the root notes and the groove, so it's minimally giggable, (2) where do I take it from here? How do I develop this, decorate it? Which bass works best, do I want maximum sustain? Do I need a low B, or a high C string? And possibly (3) bass solo? We do Stormy Monday as a "signature" long free-flowing semi-improv (think Allman Brothers, though we're on a lower planet!) and I'll have a solo on that as soon as I've nailed exactly what I want to play, but I'll definitely need the 6 for it. At this point what I'm working on is becoming a confident creative musician. This is in no way meant as any sort of negative reflection on peeps who are working on classic lines! On the contrary, it would be good for me to do more of that 🙂

Wear a different belt when you're playing?? I occasionally wear a belt with a small but potentially scratchy buckle, and just slip it round so the buckle is on my hip out of the way. (As @Osiris just said while I was typing 🙂 ) Or pull my shirt or t-shirt out of my trousers enough to hang down over it. My 2002 Jazz is pretty much immaculate apart from horrendous buckle rash that looks like someone deliberately took a coarse metal rasp to the whole of the back. Can't understand how anyone could have such a gorgeous bass and let that happen to it. Credit for thinking about it!

Welcome!

Welcome! That's a fine instrument. I had never heard of it until I saw Tony Levin play one with King Crimson a couple of months ago. I haven't watched the video yet, but I will. Thank you for sharing it and being so open. Hope to hear more from you on BC.

Not first hand I'm afraid. There is some information on the Musicians Union website - you may have found it already, and I'm not sure if it will help. I do know someone who might know more, I'll ask him when I see him on Tuesday.

The band had a chat this morning and all agreed our collective resolution is to gig more this year than last. Which shouldn't be hard! Again it's partly a case of everyone making it a priority, and possibly letting other things be less important (little things, you know, like wives, or children, or jobs... 🙂 )

It's the same principle as having the basses out on floor stands rather than in cases (as per another recent thread). I play all five at least once a week, because they're all in close reach and remind me to play them. I wouldn't if they weren't.

We thought about that for our keys player (and the name made it very tempting as a 60th birthday present) but decided the Korg Mini was better vfm. I completely agree about having a separate piece of hardware. I picked up an old Boss DR-3 cheaply on fleaBay, run it through a tiny guitar amp that my son was throwing away, and it sits in the middle of my little practice rig asking to be switched on. I use it much more than I would use an app or a program. As seen here (the Marshall is my practice bass amp, not the drum machine amp!)

Our keys player has very many strong points, but they do not include perfect timing - we're getting him this for a big birthday next month: https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/14111111163358--korg-kr-mini-drum-machine We thought a metronome would have looked like an insult but this would actually be fun as well.

Welcome!

Welcome, and congratulations on a lovely bass!

I recently wanted to buy a piece of clothing (a rare event for me) in a local chain store and couldn't see it in my size. One of the staff helpfully had a quick look on her computer and said, "No, we don't have one here, but I can get one for you, we have it in stock", meaning in the warehouse. And phoned me three days later to say it was there for me. I thought that was fair enough, I wasn't in a hurry for it, and holding lower stock levels in the branch keeps their costs down. Good customer service helped too. No reason music shops shouldn't do the same, as long as they're completely clear about it.

I have exactly those strings on my fretless acoustic and my fretless electric - they sound and feel good on both.

That name isn't mentioned on the CheesyGuitars site, which is pretty extensive (but seems to have been inactive since 2010).

Anywhere near Stockport? Happy to help if I can.

Just back from seeing Kyla Brox and her excellent band and a carrousel of stunning guests at the BlueFunk Rhythm & Blues Club. Kyla quite rightly won the UK blues challenge this year, and this was a fundraiser for the band's costs to travel to the European and international blues challenges next year. (Crowdfunder link here) I'm incredibly lucky that Kyla and her legendary dad, Victor Brox, are local to me, I've seen them both many times, in tiny pubs as well as at the major blues festivals, solo / duo / full band, but this was something else. BlueFunk have a regular, very knowledgeable and appreciative audience, and we all knew that even by their very high standards this was something very special. Every time you thought it couldn't get better it did. Danny Blomeley on bass (Fender P) seemed a bit off his best at first, but by the end of the evening was back to his wonderful bubbly walking lines and huge dynamic range but always right for the mix. I'd honestly rate tonight higher than seeing Janis Joplin live in 1970.

I'm crying listening to this. Perfect minimal bass. Gorgeous emotional voice.

Thanks Cato! I'm trying to get used to headphones through my little Marshall practice amp, or through an Apogee Jam to Garageband on my Mac. The Zoom looks like another good option which I didn't know about, and I should really work on getting comfortable with headphones altogether. There's something that just feels wrong about bass sound shut inside your head, but if the only other option is not practicing...