risingson

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1326836' date='Aug 4 2011, 12:56 PM']This forum is mostly older players discussing older players and old music. But I don't know if that's because young players simply have more interesting things to do than work on their bass anorak credentials, or whether they came here, found it was mostly threads about funk or prog bands from the '70s, rolled their eyes and closed their browser.[/quote] I'm young and I can think of quite a few other players on here of a similar age, although I would agree it's mostly an older contingency. The reason I like this site is for being able to discuss music from a bass player's point of view, although the gear chat doesn't totally interest me so I don't get too involved.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1326309' date='Aug 3 2011, 11:26 PM']I'm not irate - you made a point and I agreed with it.[/quote] I get the impression I made some other points with which you didn't, but okay. Back to the magazine, reading Anthony Jackson's opinions are always interesting. His passion for the instrument and music in general is infectious but you help feeling like you wouldn't ever want to mess him around unless you wanted a pasting with a Contrabass.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1326304' date='Aug 3 2011, 11:21 PM']You're making stuff up again....[/quote] It's just the comment led me to believe you were a little irate at my point of view. No harm intended of course!

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1326281' date='Aug 3 2011, 11:01 PM']Yeah.. I thought so too.[/quote] So I'm not allowed to post my other thoughts on it? Interesting.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1326274' date='Aug 3 2011, 10:54 PM']Who said it was great?[/quote] No one, I was saying it's not so great. Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting read for those who haven't seen the original articles but I think it's pretty lazy journalism. edit - ah see what you mean, amended

Nothing is wrong with the content of it but it's been hashed together from interviews that are many years old now, and they haven't done it convincingly (Bob Glaub's interview for example, he's answering questions that were originally part of a Q&A and it makes for a weird read). Also it doesn't accurately represent the current climate of session musicianship very well. Interesting a read as it may be for those who haven't read the interviews before it's really lazy journalism and I can't help feeling like they should have come up with new interviews discussing the session climate as it exists today. Sorry to be harsh, but i don't think it's particularly great!

I've played a few Dingwalls now and the fanned fret thing just isn't for me. I'm always a little drawn to them though... I can't say I like the look of them either, that headstock on the Jazz is quite frankly a bit nasty and it looks absolutely crazy. But they sound brilliant. An acquired taste all round I suppose, and I still find myself not ruling them out to buy in the future. Not too sure what I'm to conclude from all of this, but I'd very much like to try this one out.

[quote name='Doddy' post='1324730' date='Aug 2 2011, 07:34 PM']So if you turn up with a Jazz or a Precision does it mean you don't take pride in your performance? Let's be honest about it,the reason people use Fenders is because they are good working instruments that sound great and can take a beating. Just because I favour my Fenders(especially the Jazz 4 and 5) over my more expensive instruments doesn't say anything about the quality or pride of my performance. I don't care if someone turns up with a custom whatever- I'm more interested in if they can play than how much money they have.[/quote] I had a similar response lined up but couldn't really be bothered with it as I think the original statement speaks for itself really.

View to a Kill is a brilliant, brilliant bass line, the way he moves under the chords and manages to pedal interestingly over that C is very clever playing indeed.

Hi there, the gear looks fine for a beginner but I can't help feeling the guy doesn't know what he's talking about (it seems a trivial point but the string that's missing from the bass is the D string and not the G, just stuff like that) and that the gear looks a bit 'scrappy' for my liking. The bass guitar is a Yamaha RBX of some kind. I've played a few of these basses and they are perfectly functional, it would provide a good starting point for a beginner bass player. The amps are Laney, again very functional providing everything is working on them. Finally the Digitech effects pedal would give you some interesting effects to toy around with also. My advice if you would have it is to either a.) ask to meet up with this gentleman if he is local and to make sure to the best of your ability that the gear works or b.) look elsewhere. This might look like the bargain of the century for £50-100 but I think you might be happier off looking elsewhere. There are a few starter packs for bass players available from the likes of Fender (Squier) that would suit you just fine as well. You'd pay more money but then at least you could have a fallback if anything did go wrong with your gear... it would just be a case of taking it back to your local music store. Also if you did elect to purchase new gear from a music store then you can be happy in knowing that you'll get some sound advice as a beginner player from the guys in the store. Maybe some of the Swindon guys on this forum might be able to point you in the right direction as to where to look for such a store. So like I say... if the gear all works then it's worth a punt. Never be worried about asking questions, as a beginner you're entitled to probe a little deeper with people like this. Maybe the replies you get through you could post up here on this thread and I'm sure I and many other players will be able to verify information that you might be unsure about. Let us know how it turns out!

If I had your money I'd commission a Roger Sadowsky to make me a 5'er, but I'd consider Alleva Coppolo, Celinder and Pensa as well. I've never been a fan of the look of the Seis, however a friend of mine owns on of the Jazz 5 and it does sound quite brilliant. There are quite simply a staggering amount of options here! I'm a sucker for U.S stuff but there's plenty of homegrown luthiers that could make you a great instrument.

Amazing article, thanks!

Funny this guy at my gig tonight asked me about my Lakland, but he was also quick to point out before he asked about it how many basses he had and what kinds they were without me prompting, like some kind of pissing contest. To be honest I don't care about what kind of bass/amp/cab I use. I own an Eden rig but would be just as happy using something a third of the price if it sounds good and suits the venue I'm playing, e.g. Tonight I used a Fender Rumble 350 and it was more than sufficient and sounded absolutely fine. Bottom line is that gear is nothing if you're not a good player.

[quote name='4000' post='1320038' date='Jul 29 2011, 08:20 AM']The only thing that ever prompted me to have LEDs as fretmarkers (and I've had 3 basses with them) is so I can see where I am on a darkened stage! Nothing to do with attention seeking. It actually really helps you know....[/quote] I was just joking I was in fact toying with the idea of doing it for a time back in the days when Stuart Zender was my bass hero

[quote name='Doddy' post='1319702' date='Jul 28 2011, 08:11 PM']You can get a lot of dynamic range when slapping. Contrary to popular belief,you don't have to hit the strings as hard as you can in E minor. The problem is that lots of people don't seem to realise this. It says more about the player than the technique.[/quote] I understand but you are definitely dynamically limited when slapping, after all the necessary force required to get the desired attack from the note is more substantial than when playing with your fingers. Often the impression of dynamics comes from the space that the good players leave in between what they're playing. Case and point would be F Washington's groove on 'Forget Me Nots'. It's a bass line that breathes instead of being clogged down with the kind of rhythmic nonsense that other players you hear in shops on a Saturday afternoon like to play for everyone to hear.

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' post='1319714' date='Jul 28 2011, 08:24 PM']Everyone has their own reference ppiints. For me, it's always been Pino Palladino. Saw him live on New Years Evw 1981 and it changed my perception of how fluid a bass player could be. And, even though he's now a friend of mine, I am still inspired by his playing.[/quote] + a zillion Kev (you need to hook us up sometime! He's my bass playing hero). Also love Adam Blackstone.

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1319627' date='Jul 28 2011, 06:47 PM']ha ha.!!!!. love this..[/quote] Don't get me wrong, slapping is fine but only when it's done properly. My personal issue is that it kills all known dynamic intricacies stone dead, but it has it's place and I do sometimes like to use it myself.

It's the MacDonalds of bass playing. Impressive how quickly it fills you up but ultimately violating.

[quote name='silddx' post='1319604' date='Jul 28 2011, 06:28 PM']There's always that little bastard on your shoulder that screams "you boring twat" in your head when you've you've played something unmusical and purely technical. This bugger is always there and it's wise to listen.[/quote] Some bass players seem to suffer from the idea that they'll be forever under-appreciated and have to compensate. I think it's the same mentality that you describe here that drives people to put LED's in their fretmarkers. After all no one can be accused at the end of the night to have not paid attention to you as your fretboard has been lit up like a Christmas tree for the whole evening!

I now want a Sadowsky again as well Wayne, after being a little underwhelmed at a few models I've played, I had a go on an MV-5 the other day down in Camden that blew my face away. Also after a very particular '63 P-Bass I played in Stockholm a few weeks back, hands down the best P I've personally played. Steep asking price unfortunately.

[quote name='algmusic' post='1317715' date='Jul 26 2011, 10:17 PM']Not quite, I never said all technique and no soul. If you have good technique it can help you achieve what you play from your heart with less effort. Most of the time the simple things are things that make a difference in music, just because you have been taught something complex, it doesn't mean you play exactly that, you interpet the technique for what you have learnt to play what comes from the heart. I'm self taught for serval years, then I got some technique down and I found the missing pieces to play the simple things well and to improvise better. On a gig, the theory, technique is almost forgotten and just play what feels good and sounds right, but the technique is what helped you get there. Also I think people think people like Bowie just play and then it's there.. they have 100's of ideas and use only one.. it's all really a form of technique trying to understand what works.[/quote] I agree almost completely. It's just that sometimes after a certain point, technique becomes redundant in the wider picture of performance. I have practiced technique on the bass for years and have worked hard to get it down for the same reasons you describe, but my point is that with a Bowie record or a Beatles record, two artists I consider to be greatly influential, the mistakes and sometimes lack of technical ability colour the track and give it the idiosyncrasies that make it unique. I like good technique, but sometimes in some cases musicians who have practiced good technique are actually quite uninteresting to listen to (in my view at least). Example: Toto, a band of the tightest L.A session guys going. I like listening to some of their stuff because of their technical competency and the fact they've written some very decent tunes, but prolonged listening often makes me think that they're too tight. Their music can lack character because of it, and this isn't helped by the fact the production values are so highly polished either. I'm in general agreement that technique allows you to move forward as a musician and express what you feel on an instrument with increased ease, but it's not the be all and end all.

A lot of misinformation flying round this thread The short and tall of it is this: I've used a number of different kinds of jazz basses as a gigging musician for the past 5 years and never have I once had a problem being heard, on stage or off. If you're having problems being heard, adjust your EQ, that's what it's there for. If you've been a P bass user then playing a jazz bass live will come as a bit of a shock to you, but you'll soon get used to it. The jazz bass, just like the P bass, is a great design and they both have their merits.

I've opened my ears to a lot more folk style music recently since my attention has come to playing guitar more and more. Aside from that I've never dropped a style of music in exchange for a different kind as such but like a few people have mentioned, my taste in music has evolved an unbelievable amount since I started playing bass 10 years ago. I tend to be a bit of a sponge when I listen to music and have a voracious appetite for everything.

[quote name='algmusic' post='1317452' date='Jul 26 2011, 06:48 PM']but you'll be limited by your technical ability to play what you want at some point.. it's why we practice[/quote] Of course, but you don't need brilliant technical skills as a musician to get across your point. Just look at David Bowie. Good technique is enough. Brilliant technique is great but past a point it detracts the focus away from the music and all of a sudden what could have been a nice night at the theatre becomes a night at the circus.