chris_b

I don't get why this is a problem. It's a straight 4 count. The chords in the intro are just anticipated.

More gigs. . . . better gigs.

On a pub gig, last week end, I used a 700 watt amp and 2 very good 112 cabs. It wasn't a particularly loud gig so the amp wasn't turned up high, but I want a clean sound so headroom is important. Watts are cheap. You can always turn down but you have wasted your money if you find your amp isn't loud enough. I haven't done a gig with less than a 500 watt amp in 25 years. 180 watts wouldn't cut it for me. 2 112 cabs gives you the option of taking 1 or both, depending on the gig.

I've been playing since the 60's and the three things that made the biggest difference to my playing was solid practice (including high standards), gigging with people who were better than me and good gear.

Connect an amp into each cab and run an instrument cable from the Send on one to the Return of the other. Job done. The preamp on the first (Send) amp will drive the power sections in both amps. Only the Master will work on the second (Return) amp.

Maybe you would need fewer weights if they were on the edge of the bass, just below the strap button.

You go to audition for a pub rock band and play them a Charlie Parker tune!!! And the they said no thanks. Not a surprising outcome at all.

This. In fact if a beginner plays a good bass rather than a "beginner" model they might find they learn faster and easier.

I saw Stanley Clark at Hammersmith Odeon and he had a bass player in the band, for that very reason.

You're doing that old thing. . . . discovering a solution that suits you and thinking you've found the answer for everyone else. Amps are not obsolete. Last year I did gigs with 20 different bands. From fully pro to rank amateur and from festivals to the Dog and Duck. This appears to be my new normal. If I want any consistency in my stage sound I have to provide my own backline. You're suggestion does not even come close to being a solution for me.

Jerry Scheff, Elvis's bassist, played a bum note on a song and they didn't have enough time to play the song again, so the offending note went out on the record. Jerry said he was driving, many years later, when a cover of the song came on the radio and the bass payer played the bum note! Jerry nearly drove off the road laughing! If you have to play the original line, and there is an obvious mistake, play the right notes. But then I'd say in many songs the original line is only a guide. Play your line.

We mature.

My thoughts. . . . music is all about rules. The "no rules" thing is describing when someone puts together a new set of rules. Even Archie Shepp and Sun Ra had rules. IMO overplaying is an easy way to make bass playing sound bad, but to some people bad sounds good.

I've watched this video a hundred times. Love that bass playing.

I've been using NYXL's on my 5 string Jazz for 5+ years. They really work well on a Jazz bass.

I love every note that Chuck Rainey has ever played. He's not perfect but he's so musical and that's what matters. A couple of weeks ago I had to play one of his lines in Aretha's Rock Steady. The simplest of parts, but I sweated over that line the most. I can play the notes, but grooving like Chuck. That was the difficult part.

Play it where you can easily reach the notes. I can't be bothered with the stretch up to the 19th fret so I play it an octave lower. No one has ever commented.

Did you post a pic of Juan Nelson? I wouldn't worry. He's not fussed.

Nor Juan Nelson and Travis Carlton. . . . . . . . yet! Ooops. Just checked and Juan Nelson died in 2021 at the age of 62!

Sounds fun. Good luck.

In increasing importance. . . . shorten the strap, lengthen the strap, sit down when you play, don't look at the neck, loose the gut. Sorry to be boring, but bass playing is the least of your problems.

George is also on Lady Marmalade.

IMO power isn't an issue unless the amp doesn't have enough. Having more than you need is the goal because, if you like a clean sound, you need more power than you're going to use in order to get the best tone. The AG700 still sounds special in my front room when practising at talking volume. The most I've run the Master is at 1 o'clock for loud bands and it's usually at about 10 o'clock for regular bands. The reason I use my AG700 is for the tone.

I've got a lot of Danny Thompson on Alexis Korner records. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sreIXSY6Qk Fantastic player. I learnt electric bass copying DT's bass lines. Here's a more recent session with Eric Bibb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds1faZB4QSc