musicbassman

JMB is really the best of a bad lot, but as others have said, a lot of dreamers and fools on there. The wording of the ads can usually set off alarm bells - for me, anyway. Bandmix is a complete waste of time - half the people advertising on there seem to misunderstand how to use the composition menus, so the search result says they are looking for a bass player, but their page reveals they are actually looking for a girl singer. Find a musician - a waste of time. Starnow - only recently found this, but seems to be the same ads up all the time with nothing new. I'm depping at the moment but have been looking for a decent permanent covers band position for over a year now. Maybe I'm too fussy - I've only chosen to do one audition in all this time. That was fine musically, but the rest of the band were all about 30 years younger, and who would want their Dad playing on stage with them? 😥

They're deluding themselves, somehow imagining that it's all going to work out somehow. Signs of an immature personality, a selfish streak and possibly an unravelling relationship with their partner. Avoid like the plague !!

We’ll have to agree to disagree on this, mikel. Yes, of course you learn your favourite bass lines from your favourite players – these will influence your fundamental playing style. You may also, like me , usually work in cover bands and have to learn a wide variety of bass lines and bass styles to suit your chosen set list. But if you sometimes try to learn something outside your comfort zone then all sorts of wondrous creative things can happen – and if you are in a band trying to write original material that doesn’t sound too much like something that’s gone before you can then bring a fresh approach to your bass lines as a result, and people maybe won’t say “Oh, they sound just like so and so” Just two examples – think of Louis Cole – he’s written some amazing innovative synth bass lines for Knower. And then along come Sam Wilkes (and Tim Lefebvre) and they use these as a kicking off point to play some really fresh lines (and most of these are completely beyond my capabilities!) And also think of the influence of Dilla beats on Hiatus Kaiyote – this affected the whole interplay between bass and drums on all their material and pushed things off in another new direction which other bands are now slavishly trying to copy. Just my opinion...

Sorry mikel, but if it has "techniques, phrasing or style that I would never use in the music I like to play" then that's every reason to learn it - to open your mind up to different ways of looking at the bass as an instrument and its musical role in a band.

Jeez - that is seriously quick !!

It's a generation thing. What is a 'standard' to one generation is a WTF to the next. In the early 70's I was in my early 20's and was living in London. I used to pick up dep gigs through the MU. A lot of this was function jobs with musos in their 60's and 70's who were the remnants of the old dance bands from the 40's and 50's. "What? You don't know 'Satin Doll' ??? What is the world coming to ???........ Well surely you must know 'Cherry Pink and Almond Blossom White ???" etc etc...... Plus ca change...

Thanks Ambient - for me, working out the line for myself entirely by ear is all part of the learning process.

So.... I've finally got round to learning Rhythm Stick. It's a monster bass line I've been meaning to learn for a while. Any other ideas for great bass lines to study? (I'm planning on 'What is Hip?' next)

Mononeon has also covered this in his trademark OTT style - I think the original bass lines here are equally God tier but more restrained.

Best of luck. I'm sure others can advise you re Jam/open nights, but although you may now have an Ozzy attitude to distance you'll have a job understanding the current problems of parking - you'll know it was difficult in 1990 - difficult at best of times, but now it's almost impossible in some big cities, even in the evenings. And as for London, forget it - you'll have to use public transport to get around now. I had some U.S. friends stay a few years ago and they were dumbfounded that you couldn't simply rock up to some venue to jam and simply park nearby. Sorry to dampen your enthusiasm, but best you appreciate this before you start planning things in advance. 😀

Two minutes in, and I have a gradual creeping realisation that this is NOT a comedy sketch. It's like Jazz Club but for heavy metal. This is pure horror gold - he's straight from Central Casting... So, he apparently bought seven 'Hyperfuzz' pedals - does he chain them? It couldn't sound worse...

Well, this thread just keeps on running... As OP, I stated I own just ONE - that still applies. A much loved active PJ. I play all styles - fingers, pick, slap, thumb, so technique combined with pup choice and EQ means I can get a huge range of sounds from just this one bass. What really puzzles me is how someone can change from one bass to another without taking a good period of time to get used to it - especially from four to five? Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Well, that looks seriously uncomfortable to play, especially seated.

Vietnamese language is all single syllable words - so maybe Ger Ald ? The bass clearly doubles as a hoe for use on the Glorious Collective Farms of The People.

Just back from a couple of weeks in Vietnam and Malaysia. Went to a 'cultural show' in Hoi An and the resident band were all on traditional acoustic instruments - except for this guy! (Sorry for poor quality - this was zoomed in from way back in the auditorium).

- so maybe at the next Bass Bash, instead of a range of basses there should be just ONE bass - but with half a dozen different competent bass players all playing the same line on it - maybe some standard like a Motown or Stevie Wonder line - then we'll see how much difference there can be just between fingers...

Really ???

Yoko Ono can apparently do whatever she likes - when you have vast wealth you'll always be able to surround yourself with fawning admirers who wouldn't dream of telling you how exquisitely awful your 'art' is. And Yoko certainly isn't the first: 1. FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS Florence Foster Jenkins was born in 1868 and made recordings in the first half of the 20th century. She wanted to be an opera singer from an early age, but was discouraged by her parents and later by her husband. Yet she still pined for the stage, and after filing for a divorce and securing an inheritance from her father, she set out to build her career. She performed a handful of concerts in New York, Washington, and Newport, where the audience was filled with loyal friends who encouraged her to pursue her dreams, as well as curious music lovers who felt compelled to witness the carnage. Jenkins could neither sing on key nor keep a rhythm, yet she loved performing, and her recitals included a number of elaborate costumes. Later called "The Diva of Din," she shrugged off laughter from the audience and less-than-stellar reviews, attributing them to jealousy. There is no evidence that Jenkins ever gave less than her best efforts. Many who knew the charming musician refused to discourage her as she led her deluded but happy life as a famous opera singer. Jenkins avoided Carnegie Hall for most of her life, but finally booked it in October 1944 when she was 76 years old. Tickets sold out weeks before the show, and she was enshrined as the worst singer to ever play the venue. She died a month later, still oblivious to the mocking reality behind her fame.

..........hang on a minute, did you write floutwounds ??? Everyone knows that only trainee prima donna guitarists can use these. Full on prima donna guitarists then move on to flouncewounds.

Thankyou, I was just finishing my breakfast... Anyway, how would this work in practice? Would you have to keep disappearing backstage between numbers ? I think a small tin of Vaseline might be quicker and less demanding...

Just back from a couple of days in London which included seeing the totally wonderful Natalie Williams and Soul Family at Ronnie Scotts. Musicianship at it's very best all round, and Rob Mullarkey is really just about the finest bass player you could ever hear - an absolute master craftsman at work. Strongly recommend you try to get to see them sometime if you can - a real night to remember - the atmosphere in the club was amazing and the band were on absolutely top form.

It’s great to see so many bass players on here having enough common sense and humility to realise that (from a punters perspective) exactly what equipment they are using is generally of no importance or interest. However, I think almost all bass players would also agree that when you manage to get ‘that’ perfect sound (whatever that is in your opinion) – then your playing immediately jumps up several notches, and the pleasure of experiencing all that wonderful bassy goodness at the ends of your fingers makes it all so worthwhile.

Well, this is all very well, but where's the rest of his kit ?

Maude, I put a set of these Olympias on my PJ about 8 months ago. They felt slightly odd to begin with - somehow slightly 'sticky' - as is there was excess friction between your fingertips and the steel. This has pretty well gone now. They hold their tune perfectly week in week out ( I play and gig quite a lot) and it's quite difficult to find fault. Mind you, these were my first flats after having used rounds since forever, so I can't really say how they compare against other flats.

Yes, I got both the Ricks, but in the wrong order 🙄