diskwave

I would have thght more important would be the way you look, not sure the mush pit would be too bothered bout the type of bass ur playing.

Still wondering whether to show the one and only photo from those first gigs....what was I thinking...

Well this type of thread cetainly highlights all the different thinking and styles of playing. I personally prefer four because Ive always played down ny the nut where the tone is plus I have no problem leaping all over the board if I have to ... In a strange way its kind of fun.. dare I even say.... more show biz?

Here too, tho with the BA-110 and my laptop speaker which is enough for practise. I'm wary now of squirting sound into my ears.. Too many yrs on stage has left them in very poor condition.

1978, Deni Deni by Blondie in a dark and dingy basement night club on the Isle of Wight. Im 17 and incredibly nervous. Our girl lead singer didnt help either in stockings, heels, and wearing an unbuttoned blokes shirt. She really did think she was Debby Harry! We'd gone straight from the guitarists bedroom to that mush pit and my abiding memory of that night is not being able to hear a thing as I was using the main acts pair of Orange bass bins and had never been on a stage before. Guitarist was to low, vocals and drums to loud and the keys player and myself got horribly lost. What a car crash. Ive never seen a dance floor empty so fast! ...haha. But I think back now of all the different musical experiences I've enjoyed since that first, crazy terrifying night and feel blessed to have a had a life playing bass....Still loving it now.

Oh dear. ...

A change is always good so thght Id have a go at a load of those old American cop themes and Ive got to say the Kojak one is a stonker to play, taken a bit of figuring without a chart but Ive just about got it...big fun indeed. Anyway, Magnum, Streets of San Francisco, Bullit, Cagney & Lacey....really exciting stuff to play.

Whats really extraordinary here is if I was to ask a question or make a statement about 'practise'.. it'd be lucky if it ran to a couple of pages yet this subject of 5 v 4 strings appears to occupy so much thinking? My moneys on practise..,Practise enough and you can sound great playing anything and forget about how many strings you have.

In case all the above is just a tad difficult, try using a small amp live and kill all the bass with just a smidge of mid push then turn volume down a bit. You'll be surpirsed just how short a distance that configuration actually travels. Oh and letting everyone know who you are etc is solid currency and likely to give you some positive credit with ur fellow tenants.

Reading back thru this thread. The only person who cares about how many strings you play is you. Ive worked with band leaders that have never even heard of Fender/Gibson/Ludwig/Tama etc.. tho in the main they do know their keys etc etc. At the end of the day if your groove cannot fill the dance floor then its time for a re-think.

I suppose if you play in a modern pit, or on a boat where everything is in Eb for the horns then yes a five is gonna make sense. Personally Ive never liked either the look or the feel and during the short time I did both I muddled thru rather well on my ole P bass.

For a lesson in just about everything live.. Joni Mitchell at the IOW last night. Superb.

As already mentioned bass lines add structure but do they make you feel emotional? I dont think so..never really thgt about it that way before. I love many many bass lines but its the lead melody that pulls my strings. Still it has got me thinking, I'll get back to you if I find one. Having said all that the question of how to make a bassline does sound a bit naive. Ive always been of the mind youve either got the talent to do it or you haven't. I'm not that creative but I do like playing other peoples ideas.

Broke my SD PU and to tie me over I bought an el cheapo no name Chinese thing off ebay. Its still in the bass, the Duncan is still in the draw.

This 100%, but not forgetting also and just as important, this too which has always given me great punchy tone. What ever cab you buy or use and in whatever situation you use them none of them will perform at their optimum unless you dial back the amps bass a bit and push the mids a bit.

You win. Congrats.

I think I really do need to redress the balance here a bit. Yes I read as do many others, but yes I also play by ear .. a lot and Im sorry my input has caused so much offence to so many. To the OP. There are many ways to learn bass guitar, and what ever suits you will be the best way for you...

Its not "my music" its just music. What I meant to say was. If you are able to study charts/jazz etc it will make you a better musican, period. It does seem just a little bit silly that on this particular site for musicians, Im having to defend a process that thousands of serious musicians use. Pity really.

Agree, and its all fun. I use YT cause for me personally it seems easy to see whats coming but any platform works. I prefer specific genres but only because I'll probably have some handle on whats coming but yes its so satisfying not to have to mess about with charts and just play... Playing by ear is fun indeed.

Please read my first post. This all started when someone offered up a sad emoji. All I tried to do was help someone out, but what on earth is the point. And if you think Im the only one who talks straight, try reading a few more.

And there you have it more evidence that 'woke' is destroying what used be just normal discourse. So lets go back to my original post on page 1. Where on earth does it read Im being "snarky".. or sarcastic"? I stated a couple of helpful bare faced facts.. thats all. If you need to find a "safe space" because someone with a bit of experience is happy to impart some knowledge.. then heaven help us all.

Get back to me if you ever want to play in a groovy modern Jazz unit, or big band, or theatre pit, or.....I can go on but probably dont need to. But sure, you can learn the easy pop stuff by ear no probs .... been doing it for ever, but a lot of musicians whilst busking the tricky styles etc will have learnt the stuff off the page.....It's quicker and just plain more sensible and fun too and also improives ur chops because of the accuracy needed. As I said to that other bloke.. Just trying to pass on some age old wisdom even if its deemed "sad" for doing so.

We're all here trying to help this fellow and you plonk a sad emoji on my comment? Dont mean to be rude and pass judgement but reading the above, I think I might just b a smidge more experienced than yourself.

This very minute? Mrs Disc just clicked on this as we potter in the lounge. Super tune.

Bin the tabs and learn notation.. Without notation you'll always be stuck playing in pub/club bands. Also... try and study Jazz. The shapes and patterns in jazz can be applied to all other styles. If you can play jazz then everything else is a piece of cake.