chris_b

The band will be listening to, and feeling, the bass. I read a Bebop player, whose name escapes me, describe the bass as the heartbeat of the band, and another describe bass as the link between rhythm and melody. Critical functions that any good musician will be aware of. Bass is still a critical part of the music, even if you only notice when it stops. By the time I left school I had taught myself to read music. I wasn't great and was slow, but I got reading gigs, and did some recordings reading the dots. I managed that because I could hear where the music was going and that papered over the cracks in my reading. Most band leaders and arrangers were happy. Then Rock came calling and I stopped reading. Now I'm so rusty I'm effectively a non reader. IMO if playing bass is the equivalent to a round of golf on the weekend, playing by ear is your greatest asset. Anyone else should be able to do both.

I don't dislike any music. On the other hand I wouldn't listen to most of it out of choice. Funnily enough, I can watch most music, even stuff I don't like, being played. I just prefer live music performances and watching musicians at work.

Those Precision basses are just fad. I said at the time they'll never catch on.

Definitely not a good idea. Do you know what a BF cab looks like inside? There is a complicated bracing system which maintains the strength of the cab. BF cabs are built in a way that every side supports the other. Cut a chunk out of it and you could upset that bracing and reduce the rigidity and strength of the cab, plus reducing the internal volume might change its sound.

How about selling on commission through Bass Direct or The Gallery.

. . . . so you can mime!

A few years ago I was doing some gigs with a very popular local singer/band leader. I always wondered if it was my hearing that was wrong or was he slightly off key for a large part of the set? No one else commented and the packed audiences didn't seem to notice or mind! They were good gigs. I can make a lot of allowances in a good band.

I would imagine the audition piece is only a small part of the process. I guess they will expect a potential student to be able to play, count time and have a plan to use what they are about to learn. In their place I would be looking for someone who would benefit from 3 years at ACM. Someone who is flexible, open minded and motivated. Who would be able to grow and evolve while on the course, and project a positive and successful image of ACM at the end.

I won't blindly buy everything an artist puts out. Even the best can release stinkers, but I have nearly all of the recordings of The Band, Little Feat, Delbert McClinton, Keb Mo and Robben Ford. PS I forgot Stevie Wonder. I have all the good albums.

You've got a two phase solution. Warm up properly. If that doesn't work, get another bass. . . . but keep doing the warm up.

I've been in several of those and there's always a them and us feeling.

Do they have a full diary? If so just play along with the drummer and enjoy the rhythm section.

Congratulations. I was going to do this course but pulled out when they told me Green Onions wasn't a good audition piece. ps Not really!

I have several cabs to choose from but my one cab, cover everything, solution is my Super Compact.

Start up one of the online metronomes and play to it.

I bought my first BF cab in 2013 and have used them exclusively since 2015. I'm gigging with either a BB2, SC and/or SM. What cabs are you currently using? What are you looking for in a new cab? I can't guarantee that you will like the BF cabs but I haven't heard better. These cabs will see out my playing days. Buy a new cab and you get 30 days to return it. Buy a used one and you'll find they keep their prices if you want to move it on. It's a no risk move.

Got a photo?

Sadly Roger Hawkins died yesterday. You might not know his name but you've heard his work a million times. He was the drummer at Fame and Muscle Shoals studios, and played on 1000's of classics, including When A Man Loves A Woman, Mustang Sally, Respect Yourself and many more. Another large part of my history has gone.

If someone phoned up tomorrow and asked me to play Wembley Stadium, the last thing I'd do would be to use a rig I'm not familiar with. So I'll bring my usual rig. I want the stage sound to be as per usual, with monitors for the other instruments and I'll DI through the FOH.

So you haven't got a Ric. I don't see why that means you're missing out on anything. More players haven't got one than have. I'm not a fan of Rickenbacker basses (the look or sound), and I've noticed that none of my favourite bands feature Ric's, and none of my favourite bassists play them. This is just a symptom of cabin fever. Now the lockdown is ending you'll get over it.

Selling my Wal paid for the patio.

Bending strings doesn't feature in my bag of bass tricks. I use the fattest strings I can find.

GHS Precision Flats feel good and make a great sound.

I've just been in the shed. . . . and I'm loosing my memory and marbles. It's the Mike Lull bag that is crap not the Sadowsky one. Sorry for the misinformation. I think I'll be keeping it now.