TimR

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1365585701' post='2041297'] It's just music. And when did micro-timing become more important than note-choice for bass players? [/quote] Bass is part of the rhythm section. You should be able to make a song groove just playing a mix of 8th and 16th root notes. If choosing to play roots is note choice it's very basic note choice

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1365583077' post='2041240'] what is a groove by the commion consensus here? [/quote] That's the big question. I think if you're looking specifically at rock that is 8th or 16th notes and played on the beat then that isn't grooving. But lots of rock isn't like that. Loads of rock has the drummer playing with feel, sometimes moving ahead of the beat and sometimes playing behind it. The bass player has to sit in that groove. Funk is different. Not sure what the OP is asking. Does the OP know what he is asking?

What's this 16th note? I only know three!

I think 'finding' you've strained your tendons is still misleading. When ever I've damaged something it's severe sharp pain immediately. I still think it's overuse. Rest it. Your Bass playing wont suffer from 2 weeks of not playing. Don't worry about it too much. Especially if the pain is receeding. I strained my finger tendon. Classic mallet finger. 6weeks of one finger right hand playing. I knew I'd done it instantly. Straight to hospital and into a splint. When I strained my achillies my foot went floppy and toes dragged on the ground. That took about 10years to fully recover.

See what it's like Tuesday. I've been sawing up trees and pulling branches about all morning. My right arm is knackered right now. Just muscle soreness from muscles I don't usually use. Man up!

You're all a bunch of Focurs.

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1365342634' post='2038227'] Sounds a bit sad and desperate. Like they have no faith in their own ability so are trying to get a lift on the back of others peoples efforts. [/quote] I think it's just laziness. I found getting the whole band together on a Saturday or Sunday to record video, sound and get pics taken can be a nightmare. Getting everyone onboard, agreeing a look and which tunes to do is another stumbling block. A lot of 'musicians' just want instant fame. Which is odd considering how much effort you have to put in to learn your craft.

I think you raise an interesting point. Pictures are easy to get with a bit of thought and a few quid. Depends on the level of professionalism the band is after. Personally at my stage of playing I would be prepared to pay £200 for good pics. Others are happy with their mates taking pics and s bit if amateur photoshopping. But is simple to hire a rehearsal room and get some action shots. No excuse. Demos are different and an entirely different subject on their own. I think there's a move towards YouTube videos, live feed from the mixer with a few cameras mixed together. When I was in a wedding/function band we decided to get some packs from local bands to see what we were up against. The demos where all flawless and professionally recorded with effects etc. Very high studio production values. It's doubtful that any of them could possibly have sounded like that live. Especially as more than one of them had multitracked vocals and guitars. The pulic are swayed by the pics and the demos. Quite a few gigs are taken on the basis of the pack and more people are swayed by the setlist contents than the standard of playing. While people are recommended to see a band play before they book them, quite often they don't. My wide wanted a disco for our wedding and we just went with the hotel resident DJ. After all a band is a band, and a disco is a disco. Our sax player was p.ss.d off when the band she booked for her wedding, and she had been to see them, turned up with only the original singer and guitarist. Mad, everyone knows it's the bass player everyone dances to!

[quote name='Mikey R' timestamp='1365100316' post='2035412'] How does a 2x10 compare with a 4x10 on axis? Is it just more sensitivity and power handling? [/quote] In theory you'll get a boost in the lower frequencies. The frequencies affected depends on the distance between the speakers. The closer the speakers, the higher the frequency that the boost starts to have an effect.

[quote name='thunderider' timestamp='1365109419' post='2035601'] in my head i got some great moves...in reality im stuck to the spot,afraid to make mistakes!! some times i forget to breathe while playing,or if i move i cant hear my monitoring,but some of our best gigs are after i made mistakes and i dont care then!! but i cant move to far as im behind a box containing midis...im not operating them singer is! as for dressing up im up for it,i have goggles,wich im not allowed to wear...i also have a emulsion suit and face mask but the rest dont want to wear them!!,i wear black tshirt n cargo pants in black,i tried to get the others to do it but they wont one wears tees with stoopid slogans on,on stage due to the box it dont leave much room to move,but being techno rock we couls adapt a cyber kind of image,but we would be better with lights and visuals...anyone know any cheap ones? also we would like a dancer or 2 like hawkwind! [/quote] Do you like the music you play? Just move to it. You don't need killer moves, just don't stand with your feet flat on the floor. Get on the balls of your feet and this will force you to reposition your feet every few seconds. Do you make mistakes in practice? If you do, practice till you don't. If you don't, why would you make them on stage. People have come to see you, they want to be entertained, they want to be happy. No one has come to see you fail. If some have, and you make a mistake, then you've made them happy too. Why are your band mates clothes bad? Go with the flow, get your own slogan t-shirt "The singer's a w.nker" would be a good one. You can get LED effects and PAR cans that do sound to light from about £50. Have a search of the forum. Good luck, enjoy yourself, why do it otherwise?

I subscribe to the view that if you're concentrating on your playing, you haven't practiced enough.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1365064683' post='2034648'] Because it's better to have all the conversation in one place rather than many [/quote] Not when there is no conversation and it just consists of people's opinions. Maybe after 6months something should have changed. Maybe not. Even have a comment in there somewhere about disproving dispersion theory because at one gig someone on the other side of the stage couldn't hear his GUITAR. 4x10s are seriously out of date now. There are far better configurations out there.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1365013883' post='2034202'] I can't beleive there has been 18 pages of this sh*t! [/quote] Well 1 page this year. Why do people resurrect these dead threads?

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1365018873' post='2034286'] Strangely enough my "Brothers In Arms" CD has gone MiA; what makes me even more uncomfortably a typical radio 2 listener is that it was my fist bought CD . Second was a Slade US import. I'm also missing a Georgia Satellites CD which an ex bought me Haven't heard "Battleship Chains" in years come to think of it. [/quote] Brothers in Arms was the first CD. Or is that just one of those urban legends or whatever they're called? I'm trying to work out if they're the Albums that the 'Best' singles were from. From memory they played Led Zepplin - Rock and Roll, Police - We are Spirits. It's probably on Listen Again.

I have 23. I may buy some more from that list in particular Kate Bush's - The Kick Inside. I listened to sections of it in the car on my trips to the dump. They played some classic tunes (Singles) from the albums. Was quite a good run down. I suspect it is aimed at, and probably compiled by people of my age (43) and it's my station of choice.

That's crossroads! The guitarist and bassist are in the wrong band.

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1364929722' post='2032914'] ... performing ... [/quote] Indeed, we have a winner.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1364922212' post='2032699'] To be perfectly honest with you , I've got a little bit too much stage prescence . I've got it even when I don't want it , like when I walk down the street or go to the supermarket . People notice me wherever I go . It gets to be a bit of a problem , especially when this stage prescence is perceived by the local constabulary as grounds to stop and search me on a regular basis . [/quote] I think that's probably more due to the fact you bear more than a passing resemblance to wee Jimi Krankee!

I think I do. I'll echo the comment it's all about confidence. I've played with a singer who hadn't gigged for a while. She said afterwards that whenever she started to get a bit nervous she would turn and look at me and see me there smiling and looking relaxed and she knew everything was going to be ok. Unfortunately the two guys on the other side of the stage still look petrified, go stiff, stare at their fretboards or music and start making mistakes as soon as anyone as much as looks at us.

[quote name='The Hat' timestamp='1364760786' post='2030631'] I love most kinds of music but the reason I'm attracted to bass is that I love 70's funk, Jamiraqui, and my Norman Watt Roy and Ian Dury and the Blockheads. I've probably picked the hardest types to get into aint I ! [/quote] Yes. But you'll struggle to find musicians who want to play that type of music at beginner level. I was in a band before I could play bass. The guitarist taught me as we went along. He would show me what notes to play. We started with simple single 8th note rock tunes. We did our first gig at my mates party after about 6 weeks. Just pick some simple tunes from YouTube to start with. Learn them and look for some beginners. Good luck.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1364256915' post='2024085'] That's correct, 2 fingers! SO much easier with 3 though! [/quote] He also has plenty of amplification and a very light touch.

What frustrates me in life and bass playing is that I'm fickle and hate routine. Some things I do stick to a routine - getting up and going to work, running on Wed, Fri and Sun. But that's more because I have to. My work isn't routine I'm reactive to changing situations. So music wise I'll join a band and immerse myself in learning all the material. I'll get really good. I'll do a few gigs then... There's hundreds of thousands of tunes out there. Gigging bands play 12 of them plus a few others. The audience want that but I would like to play 3 or 4 new tunes each gig and have a high turnover of tunes. I can do that but finding a band of others who want to do that, are flexible in their choices and willing to play tunes that they don't particularly like for a couple of gigs because their choices will get played is kind of frustrating.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1364150334' post='2022558'] That's online though, none in the laminated book of dreams! [/quote] Everything's online nowadays. If you know where to look, you don't even need to use the ladies underwear section anymore.

And relax... http://www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Search/searchTerms/BASS.htm

Regards setlist order. Pick an order and do couple of 'dress' rehearsals. ie play your songs in order as if it were a gig. You'll get a good feel as to whether songs sit well together. Regards 12 bar blues. They're usually fairly tedious and the way to lift them is to build from start to finish. Start the song with a simple bass and gradually add in breaks until the final chorus where you (and the rest of the band) pull out all the stops. Although don't over-do it.