chris_b

So, moving on. . . . for the average player learning to play by ear and recognising shapes, patterns and intervals is a far more useful ability to develop. I got some scathing comments when I suggested that TAB (and even notation) in the Duck Dunn book was unnecessary, but Stax is the ultimate "ear" music. Listen to it and play it. Duck Dunn's chops are still the foundation of modern bass playing, in most genres.

It's all music. A good song is a good song no matter who wrote it.

I've been depping with a band on and off since the late 90's. They, and occasionally me, have been touring their original album for the last two years. I still run through the songs on the album before every gig to get up to speed. I know these songs backwards, but [i]nothing[/i] is going to screw up on my watch. I've just had to dep out the dep for a couple of weeks. The guy they are using to replace me is very good. That's a worry!!!

3 pages of people blaming the process of depping out gigs for the bad gigs, when they should be blaming themselves for choosing inadequate deps.

I don't see snobbery here. It's basically a discussion about effective forms of communication. I could read music, slowly, when I left school. It got me paid work in the beginning so that was good but I haven't done a reading gig since the early 70's. So sadly that's all gone now. Looking at the TAB above, looks like someone is trying to address the shortcomings by adding all the missing musical information and in the process making it look so much like the dots. If you have to learn that much you might as well learn the final 10% and actually read the dots. If I get stuck on something I'll look at TAB sites for a clue, but I am so often disappointed that TAB fans do such a poor job of transcribing their music in this way. Thinking original bass lines are better than covers bass lines. . . . now that really is snobbery in action. I play covers and originals. All covers start out as original songs so there is no difference between one or the other.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1503691377' post='3360402'] Oh god. Another thread of getting the cover exactly like the original. Just play the bloody tunes guys![/quote] No not really, and yes, that's what we do but this is a discussion about some simple differences in playing that can enhance or detract from particular songs. I see you have experience of 2 numbers yourself.

Just some thoughts. . . . The one question that always comes up is, "How do I get XYZ's sound?" A list of every piece of gear that XYZ has been pictured using then appears. Most of it being irrelevant to the question. As I understand it pass filtering is a significant part of recording every instrument and filtering at the mastering stage is used to correct mistakes and shape the whole track. This filtering is a critical contribution to every record we've ever heard and to every bass players sound, but hardly gets a mention. If pass filtering is such an important feature in the studio maybe it's time it became an important tool on stage. DSP is coming. . . doesn't that utilize pass filtering. I hate loose, muddy and uncontrolled bass frequencies. Which is why the Bergs and now BF cabs work so well for me. An HPF can be a means of squeezing a quart into a pint pot but I think it could also be a useful tool and a positive way to influence and improve the balance and presence of the bass on stage. Yes? No?

What Brown Sugar gets from Keef, and no one else, is the riff played in an open tuning. Everyone else is playing in standard tuning which doesn't make it wrong, but it still isn't [i]right[/i]. Like All Right Now. Most guitarists are close but don't play the correct riff. Then try playing a Who song in a different key (no capo), with a different chord inversion. Same song and OK. . . . just not [i]right[/i].

TAB isn't evil, but it just tells you where a note is (or not, depending on the person writing it!). There is so much information lacking in TAB that it's use stops beyond being a practice tool. The Nashville Numbers system is also limited to a specific and simplified way of writing a chord chart for guys who know the feel of the song but not the chords. Some modern country is moving beyond the capabilities of the NN system. You can (and they do) play any music of every complexity, from solo to multiple orchestras, straight off from the dots. That is why TAB can never be a substitute for the dots. It might work for untrained people in limited circumstances but TAB is not an alternative to any other system of notation. TAB isn't evil but unless we understand it's place in the scheme of things we shouldn't be making unrealistic claims for it.

[quote name='oldbass' timestamp='1503654128' post='3359936'] Anyone else have a similiar experience with other tunes etc. [/quote] It's the way you play 'em. There are no bad tunes, just bad versions.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1503325924' post='3357255'] . . . . but don't pretend that classical music notation is the complete solution for everything. [/quote] It is. Everything else comes in the form of notes from the writer or arranger.

So far I've never owned a pedal or played in a band or style of music that required one. My tone is me~bass~amp~cab.

[quote name='giamma' timestamp='1503563629' post='3359116'] Could the Barefaced be a good option for replace the GK? . . . seems I'm looking for something that simply doesn't exist. . . [/quote] There are always options. Barefaced would certainly be a good choice and easily replace your GK. They have a 1 month trial period after which you can send the cab back. IMO if the One10 doesn't work then the SM will. There's also the Genzler Magellan series, AER Bass One combo and the smaller Aguilar cabs. All great products. One thing that you really shouldn't expect is to replicate the sound of your old rig when you change parts of your signal chain. Change an amp or cab and you [u]will[/u] sound different. Upgrade to the right cab and that difference will be an improvement to your sound. Edit to add a Bergantino 112 to the list

As I said I know the guy, have played with him in several pickup bands and when he's depped in my bands and know he is a very serious player. You wouldn't find a guy more professional attitude. It was a very clever and humorous put down to someone, who I don't know, but who sounds like they needed to be put in their place. My point is that some of the responses to the story says more about some of the Basschat posters than this drummer. That's all. Let's leave it there.

The story is true and a pretty good put down to a smart-arse dick-head of a band leader. You guys are killing me with all your huffing and indignant puffing.

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1503502391' post='3358773'] That's a slightly sweeping statement there chris_b, but in the main I'd have to agree. [/quote] Oh yes. . . . what's the internet without a little hyperbole and a sweeping statement or two?

All my basses for the last 20 years have been over 7 years old. If that's considered old for a bass then it isn't one that I want to own. The warning bells here are, "unseen", "unplayed" and "in a foreign country". You can find another bass as good as this nearer to home.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1503488424' post='3358612'] IMO if he wasn't prepared to do a proper job for £50 then he shouldn't have taken the gig in the first place. If that had happened to my band I'd be naming ans shaming the drummer in question.[/quote] This guy is a fantastic drummer. Naming and shaming is not appropriate. His £50 listen would have turned in a better performance than most of the drummers in the fully rehearsed bands on Basschat.

The problem is Alex is wants to produce HIS take on an amp. All the advice he'll get from here will be. . . can you make it like this amp or that amp. Just buy those amps.

Context is always the issue. What the right wing community in some parts of the US still considers acceptable treatment of back communities beggars belief in a modern democratic country. Many of the past and present injustices suffered by black people in the South are still represented by the confederate flag. The Cross of St George was appropriated by the hard right but it's the flag of England so no one in this country should be ashamed of flying it. But many are. I think we're slowly getting it back. I'm not sure the Swastika will ever be rehabilitated, though.

My Dad would have been ecstatic if I'd gone into Accountancy or the Civil Service, rather than being the rock musician I became. His taste in music was West End Shows. Mine was anything on the Chess and Stax record labels. I've been asked to help beginners on several occasions and all I say is, what was the last song you listened to that you'd like to play. And that's where we start.

I didn't give my son a list, but I helped him workout and play all the songs he chose. I'd tell people starting out to try lots of instruments until they find one that "speaks" to them and start learning to pay their favourite songs. After they do that, and if they are succeeding, get lessons.

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1503312959' post='3357042'] We have an Americana show/image, we advertise ourselves as "The North Wests only cowboy rock band". It's all cowboy boots, cowboy hats and "howdy y'all" we dress up and put a show on that's generally very well received and it's tongue in cheek. . . . Is it time to lose the flag ? [/quote] The flag is only a prop so I guess another would do just as well, how about the Lone Star flag of Texas? But if your audience only sees the flag as a design you'd probably be OK to keep it.

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1503309204' post='3356997'] As above really there used to be some really funny people on the forum and you could always crack a joke but now some people seem so grumpy and just seem to want a row sign of the times? OK rant over lol [/quote] I'm still here ya bastard!! [font=P22JohnstonUnderground , sans-serif][size=4]I stayed over at a friend’s house in Kensington last night. This morning, his kids were playing around in the kitchen while we had breakfast and, who knows how, I managed to swallow a few Scrabble squares.[/size][/font] [font=P22JohnstonUnderground , sans-serif][size=4] [/size][/font] [font=P22JohnstonUnderground , sans-serif][size=4]My next trip to the toilet could spell disaster.[/size][/font]

One of the many fantastic musicians to come out of the Mad Dogs and Englishmen project.