chris_b

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1472467868' post='3121263'] A lot of time, people give up on 5s because they have the wrong mindset from the start. We tend to think too much, instead of just letting go and playing, we're looking at the bass as a 4 string with an extra string. It's not that, it's a 5 string. I play most of my lines starting at the 5th fret on the B string, so that's my low E note, low F I would play at the 6th fret etc. Bb at the 1st fret on the A string I'd play at the 6th fret on the E string. If I have to play anything high up on the G string, then it's all there under my fingers. Scale length in my opinion makes little or no difference. I gave up on 4 string basses about 20 years ago, I've since played a myriad of basses, some 34", some 35", even a friends 33" scale 6 string. Again we're thinking too much about the instrument. It just requires a slight alteration of finger pressure to adjust across the strings. One of my students has an Ibanez 6 string that cost him something like £500 brand new, it's an amazing instrument, cost doesn't really factor in to it too much. A well designed bass is just that. Ibanez and Yamaha make some amazing 'budget' instruments. We tend to be quite lazy, and also tend to play patterns, get away from playing patterns, and play notes. Know what the notes are in the lines you're playing. I bought my first 5 string on one Saturday, and used it the following Friday. I'd mentally bought it weeks previously, and had just visualised playing lines on it. It made the whole process a lot easier. Plus I was playing notes on it, not just patterns. [/quote] I wish we had a like button. This is exactly right.

I hope you all did the dance moves.

The only time I've played with an electronic kit the player didn't have proper monitoring and I was straining to hear him from the PA speakers. That was a very poor stage sound. It's left me with an ambivalence towards electric drum kits. This is one of those "if it ain't broke. . . . " subjects for me. I love the physicality of a well played traditional kit right beside me. I used to play with a very loud guitarist who insisted that my amp was equally loud. I used 6 10's and had FOH in that band. I was happy with a level coming back through the monitors, but he wanted to [i]feel[/i] the bass behind him. I've just done my first gig with the drummer to the side of the stage facing me and now I get it. The feel (the Oomph) of the bass drum pointing right at me gave a huge boost to my playing.

These sorts of ads were common in the Melody Maker in the 60's. And so I guess every decade since. It seems to be a general requirement that bands need like minded members so this type of ad is one way of achieving that. Bands always have specific requirements and for some that includes appearance and attitude. I'd like to know that I'm going to fail the physical before I drive 60 miles for the audition. I just did a gig yesterday where they dictated the shoes. Black ones. . . and trousers etc. . . . it was a wedding and the dress code requirement was entirely appropriate for that gig.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1472357006' post='3120531'] Many big successful groups still have gear onstage. [/quote] Many of the bands that don't have gear on stage, ZZ Top, U2 etc have the amps by the side of the stage, being operated by their sound crew.

There's not much room in many pubs these days but 20 years ago Steve Waller used to gig with two drummers, although one was playing percussion.

This is one of my, so far, unfulfilled dreams. I'd love to play with 2 drummers. The Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Allman Brothers Band and the Doobie Brothers all sound great with 2 drummers so it can be done.

How about an email to Paul Herman at Wal for a replacement?

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1472206145' post='3119399'] just fiddle with stuff until you get a sound you like [/quote] +10

When it comes to the internet I never cease to be surprised by the absolute self confidence of the immature, inexperienced and logically challenged.

I'm tempted to say that, like there's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing, there's no such thing as too loud - just inappropriate gear. If your amp can't be heard, get a bigger amp and/or cab. If you can't hear your vocals, get monitors or IEM's. If your ears are ringing, get custom earplugs. You can't say 350 watts [i]should[/i] be OK. Either it is or it isn't. If it isn't you need more. Of course you could always fire the loud ones or leave. I been in many bands trying to rein in bloody guitarists by not joining in the volume wars. It usually had no effect other than I was told that the audience couldn't hear the bass. I was always playing in good bands with good players and didn't want to leave so I joined up and went as loud. The bottom line is, if the gig tells you you're too loud, you're too loud. If they don't then you're not. You might want to play at a quieter level, but that's a different issue. Leaving is always an option but IMO there would have to be another, more important, reason other than being "too loud" for me to leave a band.

At 16 my favourite band was John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, with Eric Clapton.

Where does Oomph start and end, then?

IMO it's not the size of the kit or the make that is the difference but the player. If your guy doesn't like rods he'll have to play sticks quieter. If he can't do that then, sorry, he's not as good as you think.

If you find a really great bass that needs you to adapt your technique in order to play it then why not. So far I haven't found a bass that is that good. All my great sounding basses are 18-19mm and there are a lot of even better basses out there with the same string spacing so that's what I require in a bass.

You will notice as much difference playing 34" and 35" scale basses as you would black or white basses.

Do any bass manufacturers actually make strings?

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1471933045' post='3116991'] Can someone convince me otherwise . . . . ? [/quote] Why? He's not for you so that's that. I don't much like Jaco or Mark King. Why should anyone else care about that? VW is a cracking bass player who plays to the situation he is in. His clinics and display gigs are full of "circus" bass because that's what is required. His other gigs range from Bela Fleck, through to Chick Corea and pretty "normal" bass lines on Keb Mo's record of a few years ago. VW isn't a one-trick pony. Non of those guys are and, having met him, he really is a nice guy.

I played through a Staccato and then upgraded to an RH750. I thought, and was told by a few people, that I sounded pretty good. I also sat 5' away from Nathan East for an evening listening to his amazing playing and great sound through TC gear. It's not for everyone, what is, but in the right hands TC sounds pretty good to me.

What about Clackers?

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1471785618' post='3115816'] And what a difference! My £550 bass now sounds like a £1,000 instrument. [/quote] Good move.

How about going passive?

I put GHS flats on my PJ5without knowing anything about them. They've been on for almost 4 years and I'd recommend them to anyone. The black tape La Bella's on my briefly owned Rob Allen were very good as well. Edit: PS The only thing I'd say is embrace the change. Flats are not rounds and will never sound close so don't try to keep your bright sound. Modify your expectations and leave the twang behind.

I was proud to put Musician my passport. I didn't always do union gigs but back in the day when the entertainment businesses were "protected" and quota systems existed it caused problems getting into France. Germany got very sniffy as well.

Some very fine dividing lines here. I call myself a bass player and musician. In that order. I don't worry about definitions except for the working/not working one.