risingson

Funny you posted this Gust0o as I was only thinking about this today. I play guitar as well, in fact I took it up before I started to play bass but as time went on I became more interested in the latter. Now I've reached a stage where I'm writing more and more and yes, being able to play guitar is indispensable as a writer as it's easy to evolve melodies over chord progressions and you can write for an entire band on it. Chords mean everything when writing, and whilst I love the bass guitar, the way I see it is as an instrument meant to be used monophonically to bed a track and support every other instrument that surrounds it. With a few exceptions, it's rare to hear a bass hook that constitutes a good pop song (not unheard of! Billie Jean of course). Having said that, many of the world's greatest producers and MDs are bass players, and I think the reason why has everything to do with the birds-eye view of everything else that is going on in the band. Being the person that helps pull everyone together is just as important as anything else. But being able to play guitar and keys offers the best means of translating ideas IMO.

[quote name='chris_b' post='1307598' date='Jul 18 2011, 11:09 AM']Successful players successfully network to get a gig, but do you really think the likes of Herbie Hancock, Chic Corea and Jeff beck are going to choose their musicians based on their living arrangements? Get real!![/quote] My thoughts exactly, all this crap flying around about how she could never possibly get a gig without Vinnie is total rubbish.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1307152' date='Jul 17 2011, 10:11 PM']Why the negative comments? She's obviously a great player. [/quote] Because she's a woman. Not aimed at anyone in particular who's so far commented as we all like different players but every time her name gets mentioned all I get reminded of is how embarrassingly chauvinistic and jealous some men can get.

Wow, actually more people than I would have thought on here! The drumming thing I struggle with, whenever I go to play our drummer's kit (a righty) I always feel like I'd want to reset his drums up for a left hand player... but he always insists if I learn then I should play open handed (like John Blackwell... incredible player [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcjbP_lUwdU)"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcjbP_lUwdU)[/url]. The Jimmy Haslip way confuses the hell out of me. One of the most competent bass players in the world right now though.

Just purely out of interest really. When I started playing bass my Dad asked the left handed guitar player in his band what bass he should buy me. He was advised to go with the right handed option, and I couldn't be more grateful in hindsight. Do any left paws mind having to play a left handed bass/or vice versa?

[quote name='silddx' post='1304169' date='Jul 14 2011, 11:18 PM']Know any decent oud players from huddersfield?[/quote] One, but he's all booked up till 2014. Quite the niche market he's tapped into

So many times have I heard bands try to play funk numbers for example and for it to feel totally contrived, almost like they are hoping for it to be some kind of formula that they can just plug into and play... but of course there's more to it than that. It has to be something that is natural to you, either because you have been raised in an environment where certain kinds of music are commonplace, or because you've been listening to the music all of your life. I don't think it has a lot to do with your genetic makeup so much, although I have seen people try to prove this to be true.

[quote name='ToneDeluxe' post='1301814' date='Jul 13 2011, 02:04 AM']you thought i was going to say what is best?... my curious Q is, have you ever switched styles for genres... i could, or some may say, that pick is for rock type stuff, and fingerstyle is for funky style bass playing.. obviously this is nonsence.. you could say that a pick cuts through way better for Rock,... i have never seen a funk player play with a pick, but ive seen loads of rock players play with there fingers... go figure..[/quote] I use both, for many different reasons. I had a guy come up to me the other night to compliment me after a gig but he mentioned he preferred my sound when I played with fingers as opposed to a pick. I think his point was less to do with the fact that he preferred my finger style playing and more to do with the fact that he didn't see the point in why I was swapping back and forth from pick to fingers. Both offer different things, and I find that for certain rockier tunes and maybe a sound more geared towards MacCartney/Carol Kaye sound can only be properly achieved with a pick.

[quote name='Dandelion' post='1301458' date='Jul 12 2011, 07:20 PM']Can extensive practice ever make up for lack of talent?[/quote] The situation is a bit of a paradox I think because as you practice, any raw and basic talent you might have as a natural musician becomes refined and focused. People are put together differently and some people I'm sure are more musical than others but assuming you have as much drive as Jaco Pastorius did when he practiced then who can say what kind of dizzying heights you can achieve as a musician!

More proof that you can understand as much theory as you want but never be able to see the broader musical picture.

Guy Berryman's red P-Bass, easily!

[quote name='cycrowave' post='1283339' date='Jun 26 2011, 08:47 PM']MICHAEL EAVIS IS SECRETLY KILLING OFF TORIES[/quote] Classic Daily Mail headline if ever I saw one

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1283027' date='Jun 26 2011, 03:12 PM']What do you guys see as being the difference in skill and knowledge between amateur musicians and professionals?[/quote] Experience. That's the key IMO. Those people you see in the videos are great, MarloweDK has chops to kill for but unless those kinds of people can play in a band then their skills are redundant in a professional environment. A great blueprint for success is Pino Palladino. He's been playing non-stop for over 30 years and he's constantly still in demand because he has the experience and skill of his craft down to a tee. The guy doesn't even read that well as far as I know.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIDR4YZU5Zc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIDR4YZU5Zc[/url]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1281847' date='Jun 25 2011, 08:59 AM']What about some Rage Against The Machine?[/quote] I learned Timmy C's stuff back to front and inside out when I was a bit younger. Great fun to play! I was really looking for something on the challenging side, a bit more like Lowdown's Chick Corea suggestion except something that doesn't require 6 strings to play. [quote]Echidna's 'arf (of you) Zappa from Roxy & Elsewhere.[/quote] Much to my detriment I've never been a huge Zappa fan, although it has been a while since I tried last so maybe it's time to return.

Respect, you've got to get your music out there somehow so congrats. My girlfriend watches this so no doubt I'll be roped in to watching as well, I'll keep an ear out.

[quote name='Roland Rock' post='1281826' date='Jun 25 2011, 08:31 AM']RS, is that a diplomatic way of telling me that I have bad taste? As you say, it's a keeper, and it's already stripped to the bare wood, so if need be, i can always break out the Nitromors[/quote] No no, if anything it's me trying to tell you that you have impeccable taste! Sonic blue is one of my favourite Fender finishes, any man that owns a bass with such a finish I'll certainly envy

I don't know what year Graffiti Yellow came about, I have a feeling it was the early 80's but that was one of my favourite finishes, seldom seen nowadays too. Sonic blue is a great colour though, I think if you intend to keep the bass forever and aren't worried about the resale value then go with whatever you fancy!

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1281650' date='Jun 24 2011, 11:14 PM'] This one, my only one righ now. It took me long enough to get it![/quote] Wow, that is really, really smart. What is it? EDIT - a John Birch! Could just about make it out on the headstock.

[quote name='burno70' post='1281230' date='Jun 24 2011, 04:51 PM']Yes 2 - A 70 something Fender precision in Dolphin, Liverpool, going for £2500 a couple of years ago. Probably the nicest bass I've ever played - and I generally dislike Fenders! The other was my friends Shuker Jazz, he bought and sold it really cheap, another fantastic bass but I just didn't have the spuds. Someone on here got a real bargain.[/quote] I played a '79 in there a while back, one of the nicest P's I've played but a wildly optimistic asking price of almost 2 grand. Maybe the same one!

[quote name='4 candles' post='1280226' date='Jun 23 2011, 09:52 PM']Howdy Im listening too michel camilo "one more once" live album- get some of this down[/quote] Hi Mark, I tried my best to get 'Not Yet' down... I know a good workman never blames his tools but I definitely could have used a 6 string for it! Me stuck with my measly 4!! Thanks for the recommendations everyone. I might try and post up some results to show how far I got with a few of them.

Really cool! I love the idea that you can go through life with one instrument that is inherently yours and yours alone. I love it!

I love Squarepusher and have been listening to him since I was 17 but I've never listened to him for his bass playing. Not that I consider him to be a bad player or anything, but in the broader context of his music, I often forget he's a bass player because his bass sounds so far removed from what I associate the sound of a bass to be like. I find a lot of his music really inspiring. He owes a hell of a lot to Daft Punk for that LED mask though

I do not get Ritters. Obviously they weren't made for people like me though, so that's fine! [quote name='silddx' post='1281160' date='Jun 24 2011, 04:04 PM']Er yeah! [/quote] That's not a bass, that's a toothpick!