chris_b

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1473943597' post='3134346'] . . . . or possibly someone with crushed confidence... [/quote] That's my point.

After Wings had been going for a few years McCartney was asked why he wrote better songs in the Beatles. He said, you had to make sure you'd written the very best song you could before you played it to John Lennon, because you knew what sort of reception you'd get if you didn't. I think George took a back seat because he wasn't enough of a fighter to battle the other two, especially Lennon.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1473930938' post='3134189'] Which proves nothing at all [/quote] Other than changing the neck does alter the sound of an instrument.

You mention some great drummers, but they didn't change the [i]concept [/i]of drumming. I saw him play in Brussels in 1969 and he lit up the room, but what was different after or because of Jo Jones?

As I said in the other post, on his own or with help (doesn't matter) Ringo changed drumming. Before him there was rhythm drums. Accents on 2 and 4 (Earl Palmer's contribution and drum world game changer) and variations around that. Even the likes of Sandy Nelson and his drum solo records were basically rhythm drums. Ringo changed drums up to also take a lead role. But for his Tomorrow Never Knows, A Day in The Life, Come Together etc etc drum patterns I don't think there would have been the likes of Steve Gadd's 50 Ways drum pattern and the rest. Ringo showed the way for all the creative drummers who came after.

Nice one, BA.

. . . . and don't forget. . . . the TV should be in the pool no longer than 10 mins after you've booked in.

[quote name='zero9' timestamp='1473858465' post='3133612'] Shame you pulled out, possibly an opportunity missed. [/quote] I'd agree. I've learnt some stuff for auditions and deps that I didn't like and were hard to work out, but I figured that successfully negotiating the challenge was good practice and, if I did it right, was going to leave me a better player.

Not my taste but whatever VW does he does well and sounds good doing it.

Minute differences can be heard in the best studios and by those with good ears. On a stage? Not so much. I would guess most of those differences wouldn't be relevant to any of us here.

This type of song isn't to my taste and a band playing it wouldn't be one I would care to join either, but some advice for the future. If you de-construct songs, ie break them up into sections they are much easier to understand, learn and play.

Good video. Everyone on a stage should be supporting the song. This video illustrates good drumming very well and Ringo is an excellent example of a good drummer. IMO there are 2 drummers who changed drumming. Not Buddy Rich, Bonzo or even the usually out of time Keith Moon but Earl Palmer and Ringo Starr.

I would expect that everyone should understand that limitations arising from any medical condition are excluded from the intentions of my comment.

[quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1473531040' post='3131061'] I know, they are iconic, I know they are a part of bass history. Help me here..............I just don't get it. [/quote] Not to many of us, they only have a walk on part and. . . . you don't have to.

As a general observation I'd say if anyone can't get around on a 5 string bass then they need to work on their technique. If you need to use different open strings to standard tuning then even a 5er might not be the best option. A better approach seems to be a bass tuned down to the tuning you want. Multiple tunings seems to indicate multiple basses.

[quote name='catmanhog' timestamp='1473613375' post='3131667'] Been using a TH500 for about a year and at times, it lacks punch - i play mostly old school soul through the TH500, 2 Markbass 2x10's and mostly a jazz bass but at times, it becomes impossible to dial in a sound with punch and it honestly sounds nasal rather than anything else.... [/quote] I read the first page of this thread and decided to skip the rest. I apologise if this has been covered. "At times" seems to indicate that at [i]other[/i] times the rig sounds fine. How often does this problem occur? What happens when it doesn't sound good? Is it in a particular room? A particular band or song? If you can work out where the difference is then you got this problem sorted. For any amp, if you want to get a less nasal tone dial out the high mids; more punch, dial in low mids. As others have said, the pairing of the TH500 and your cabs or the tone out of the J could be the problem. You have good gear but some pieces sit well together right out of the box and others need working on to dial in the sound you want. I've heard players getting a great sound with MB cabs and an LM2/3, but IMO the Travellers can sound "thinner" than the Standard cabs. Where do you play the strings? Closer to the bridge could be more nasal. I play over the P or J neck pickup and the sound is fuller and rounder. My amp TH500 usually sounds great but in some rooms I can't get a good sound. On those gigs you just do the best you can and accept that if it sounds good out front then that's got to be good enough. I've used a TH500 for a couple of years and I can find tone and punch for days. IME the only thing the TH500 doesn't do is zing. I used Bergantino cabs and now use Barefaced. I play either a Lull PJ5 (flats) or a Lakland 55-94 (rounds). Totally different basses which get a great sound in a Soul band, or any other genre. If this is an occasional problem then the sound is in there you've just got to find it on the bad gigs, but you've got a good starting point for Duck Dunn bass lines.

[quote name='luckydog' timestamp='1473068179' post='3126474'] Oh, I think we can. [/quote] Really? Mustang Sally and Sex On Fire are original songs by writers who cared about what they did and wanted success by reaching the largest audience possible with their songs. They are exactly like every other pub band who write their own songs. . . . except their songs are successful. Isn't that what every song writer wants? Who has a hero in their field of interest who is a failure? As I said, if you are playing to empty rooms then you are the only one who can fix this. Change where you are playing or change what you write. Remaining the same should not be an option. Unfortunately much of the new music on the British club and pub scene is not "fresh and unique". Too much is dull and derivative. The good guys [i]are[/i] playing to full rooms.

You've got agreement in the band and a better player on the bench. What's keeping you?

If an audience doesn't turn up you have to ask why. Maybe it's a crap venue. Maybe it's the economy. Maybe it's the competition. Maybe the band isn't very good. The truth can hurt but you have to know why before you can do anything about it. What ever the reason only the band can make it change. Original music might be very worthy but is it interesting to an audience? You can't slag off more popular music. There's nothing special about new or original music. It takes it's chance and as the gigging world is a meritocracy you can't complain if you're not wanted. Playing to empty rooms usually means the audience isn't bothered about what you're offering and if even you're mates don't turn up you've got to start recognising that change is needed.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1473009834' post='3126019'] But remember the impact of The Beatles was a lot bigger in the US than in the UK. [/quote] The impact in the UK was seismic. Nothing was the same after 1963.

I'd just play along with songs. Start with the medium tempos first and build up. Don't move on until you've mastered what you're trying to play. 16th's? I haven't played any of those in years. Figure out something better and less frantic to play. I learnt with 2 fingers but play with 1 finger more and more these days. Another thing I've noticed, my style is changing. I used to be a lot busier. As I get older I'm playing fewer notes.

Reggae isn't complicated, but if you want to do it properly then you have to put a different head on. Play with a Jamaican drummer and your perception of groove changes dramatically. The beat is on its head but when you've worked out what's happening it makes complete sense. The best Reggae bass lines are Intelligent, fat, solid, relentless and totally locked with the drummer. I did a Reggae gig as a dep last night with a Jamaican drummer taking care of business. We were a trio, playing mostly original songs, and we had the whole place dancing all night. Reggae is happy, good time music. I love these gigs when I do them, which isn't often enough.

Now put some flats on it, and make it sound even better.

I think you need to explain that post.

If anyone is dragging the band down they have to go. It's the only way the band will survive. Is it worth saving? The axe has to fall.