leschirons

Absolutely brilliant. Unfortunately for the world of music, it was a "give the masses what they want" gig. It's Fete de la musique week over here and we were on the main stage in Chateauroux along with another 3 bands. All of which were really, exceedingly good and original, except that they apparently didn't deliver what the audience was looking for. We did, with the worst setlist ever (to my mind) and we stormed it. Finished up with about 2,500 in front of us, screaming for more. Real shame when you have really good musicians, playing to 100 people and we crack it with Little wing and Highway to hell

You're a real musician when... You hear yourself saying "FFS, we're not changing in the toilets again are we?"

I suppose you'd need to consider what style of music you're playing although some guitars will do pretty much anything nowdays. If I was into blues/rock for example, I would probably go for a humbuckered Strat or a maybe a Les Paul if the weight were not an issue. If it's jazz, then maybe a 175 or something like that. Maybe an Ibanez or an 80's Kramer Baretta if I were into something heavier. PRS are great of course but for me, not different enough to justify the cost. If I could only have one that would probably do anything (and the looks didn't bother you) I'd have a Parker Fly. Great guitars, great sound and unbelieveably light. Had one a few years ago and regret selling it. Good luck with whatever you buy, sounds like it'll be fun looking and trying with that sort of budget. At least they won't ignore you in the shop

Welcome to basschat B-string. I know Roosendaal well. I have lots of friends near Bergen op zoom.

We'd put an ad out for a keyboard player for a new band but had been rehearsing with vox, guitar, bass and drums to get song structures sorted. Mainly doing laid back jazzy - blues and pop stuff. Some Sade', Carole King, Cyndi Lauper, Robben Ford etc. Guitarist announces he's found "the one" he'd been round her house to chat the night before and whilst she was making him a coffee, he'd looked through her music folders that were by her keyboard (an 88 key Yamaha) It was all there, Stuff by EW&F, Weather report, Tom Scott, and even a couple of Dave Grusin numbers plus, a load of classical pieces. Three weeks later, she arrived at my place, set up the keys, we'd given her 6 numbers to learn. She turned it on, pressed some buttons, the drum machine started, and then she spent 20 minutes trying to turn it off, eventually pulling the mains plug out the back. She couldn't play the songs, had no idea about timing, was totally unaware of what the rest of us were playing so, as a last resort, we decided to jam a slow blues in Am. She asked if we had the notation for the song!! "It's not really a proper song, just a slow 12 bar jam in Am" "Yes but where is the music?" "What music? there is no music, we'll make it up as we go along" "I thought I would be playing with proper musicians so I don't really think it's for me" "But you can't play the songs we asked you to learn" "This keyboard stand is not the same as mine, it's putting me off" "You're right, it's not really for you is it, goodbye"

[quote name='thumbo' timestamp='1336669340' post='1649283'] Inspirational stuff He's got a new album on the way. edit: it's out on the 14th [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvLAKrVbCBM[/media] [/quote] Catchy tune, no doubt I'll be whistling that all day tomorrow.

I use 6 and 5 stringers most of the time and have noticed no difference at all. E strings sounds fine. Can't really see what Mr Turner is getting at.

[quote name='ceilidhswinger' timestamp='1336576646' post='1647802'] Maybe they were Sinti Gypsies? these guys are amazing! if their adding accordion, maybe going to sound like French MUSETTE, I play quite a bit of this stuff which sometimes morphs from 4/4 swing to Parissian waltz. [/quote] Yes basically it will be Musette when the accordion is in there. They just use the term Dansette here for the little get togethers for the "find a partner" evenings in the local villages. We are after all in La Creuse where dress up for the evening in your best clothes usually means a slightly less smelly pair of blue overalls that you've only worn for 4 months

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1336509364' post='1646775'] How odd. I played with a drummer who couldn't play in 3/4 and anything in 3/4 morphed into 4/4 but I'm struggling to see how Honky Tonk Woman fits into 3/4. Jumping Jack Flash maybe.... [/quote] Quite easily, all the phrasing fits spot on. He had no problem with the vocals and there were no drums involved. They just had a weird idea to do a melange of R&Roll and "Dansette" (Tea dance type of stuff over here)

[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1336507996' post='1646742'] I played Honky Tonk Woman live last year on a Pedulla fretless and I was free to have a bass solo.. I added some distortion and it was great fun..still in 4/4 though.. [/quote] 4/4? No possibility of a Waltz and no accordian? You just don't understand Rock & Roll over there do you

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1336506951' post='1646707'] I think we need to hear it. [/quote] They promised me a copy when it's done so I may just put you all through the trauma.

Just said goodbye to a couple of French guys who have a blues duo (two guitars) They'd called and asked me put down a bass part for a CD they are recording. Said it was something I'd know so they came over with a laptop and an Edirol racky type thing. I have a small studio with all my gear in so in we went. I've just put down the bass to Honkytonk woman, in 3/4 time, and they wanted fretless. About the same tempo as "You picked a fine time to leave me" by Kenny Rogers. They're now on their way to get the accordian part put down Strangely enough, it appears to work although I'm not sure Mick & Keef would approve

Reading these replies, it seems I'm not alone. Maybe at last, I've grown out of GAS. Must be my age. Expensive gear is nice to ponder and own if possible but I get depressed when I think of how much I've spent over the years only to come back to my £150 comfort zone bass (weird that it's a six stringer!!) I think it's partly the weight as it's very light, and has a great neck with no dive at all. Give up the GAS, you know it makes sense.

I recently sold my Spector 6 thru-neck as it wasn't getting out of the house much, have a KSD705 and Custom shop Fender jazz but for some reason I keep going back to an old Far Eastern Aria Pro 6 string for gigs / rehearsals and practice. It's just like an old pal, stays in tune, sounds nice for a passive cheapy and is so easy to play. I paid about £150 for it secondhand and it's covered in scratches. Same when I had the Fbass, kept using the Aria!! Really starting to think about being happy with what works for me rather than wasting more money on "nice" basses.

Tears of a clown, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for me.

Played mine last weekend at a Dutch birthday party we'd been invited to. Had the lot there, acoustics, Celtic pipes, washboard, violins, tin whistles, Hurdy Gurdy, Cajon drum, accordians and harmonicas. Brilliant evening. Fitted in well with all the French & Dutch traditional folk music that was being played but it made me realise I need to put some work in to sound anywhere near competent.

Yes, he's got it spot on. He's a good player, he's different and this is about the 50th time we've found ourselves talking about him. You can't buy publicity like this.

Personally, I quite like the song (Manson version) However, send me your address and I'll post you all my Liza and Dusty albums. There's some great tunes on those for your band.

I can see your point sort of about songs you know already but in my view, if you learn their choice of numbers, it will tell the band something about who you are. It will give them an idea of how thorough you are in learning material. Their choices may include particular numbers to see how you cope with different tempos, grooves etc, and will also show them how accomodating you are. If we were auditioning a new member, we would pick the numbers in order to see what the auditionee can cope with. I don't think they're being unhelpful at all. They just need to make sure they pick the right person for their band.

I never get any comments from the bands I'm in about tone or equipment other than, can you turn it up a bit or point it my way a bit more. This could be for one of two reasons. Either, my choice of tone and equipment is absolutely unquestionable as I'm so highly regarded as a band member and musician or, I'm just the bassplayer who organises the coffees in the break and no-one cares a sh*t about what I play or sound like as they're too wrapped up in what they do. I suspect it's the latter.

Whatever you do is going to need to be a little eye catching and different or you run the risk of it not being a crowd pleaser. An example of something that worked for a mate of mine (as a party piece)was a fairly brisk slap version of Stand by me. Works really well with just bass & vox.