risingson

Great playing mate, I'm sufficiently impressed! In fact you've just inspired me to go and record some Steely Dan stuff later on.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1191490' date='Apr 7 2011, 10:34 AM']I would hazard a guess that the people who play more than just bass are also songwriters? It would be interesting to know how many of the people who are strictly bassists only are also writers, in that they come up with the initial ideas that start of the song writing process.[/quote] This applies to me. I'm a bassist first and foremost, it's where my strongest skills lie, but I've been playing guitar for a tiny bit longer and I almost exclusively write using one! Also love playing rhythm and lead when I get a chance.

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1190877' date='Apr 6 2011, 07:28 PM']For me its always been the lack for dots or markers on the fretboard thats put me off. Funny enough in the same day, at the same shop i played my first Sandberg and Lakland, and ended up getting the Lakland.[/quote] The no markers thing has never for to me but aesthetically I do prefer them definitely. Which Lakland did you opt for Dave?

Bought a shockmount case from them a while ago, can't fault them.

I put off looking at Sandberg's initially because I didn't like the look of them, but I was really stupid to because for the money, you simply cannot get a better bass. They are utterly superb. I would have got one recently had I not just bought a new Lakland.

[quote name='MB1' post='1189555' date='Apr 5 2011, 07:53 PM']MB1. ....Wearing Silk Gloves makes you perform better in bed? [/quote] Think it had more to do with how much his hands were sweating more than anything too suspect. Also it apparently keeps your hands looking young and to stop 'em drying out.

[quote name='skej21' post='1189470' date='Apr 5 2011, 06:54 PM']Was teaching a private lesson this afternoon and one of my pupils turned up wearing fingerless gloves. It was cold outside, but surely full gloves to keep your hands warm and then take them off when you begin playing would be the 'norm'? However, she didn't take them off at the start of the lesson and I asked her why she was wearing them, to which she answered with a *shrug* I've seen quite a few players who either play with fingerless gloves or full gloves and even sometimes wrist-supports. I understand wrist-support, but as for the variety of gloves, I fell like I've missed something. Does playing with gloves protect your bass? Does it make you play faster, etc? Does it feel more comfortable? Is it just some new fashion, like sweatbands? I'd love to know what people think, or if anyone has experiences to share [/quote] I think in her case, she's probably wearing them because she thinks it's cool, maybe also the practical reasoning that it will keep her hands warm and muscles perform better when they're warm. I'll wear gloves in the winter before gigs for this reason, but never when I play live. However, Etienne Mbappe wears silk gloves when he performs. It started when his wife made him wear them in bed (kinky) and evolved into him believing that they made him perform better and made his strings last longer. Check him here [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5scoddRycs&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5scoddRycs...feature=related[/url]

A quick scan of this guy's posts reveals him to be a serial spammer.

[quote name='dlloyd' post='1189112' date='Apr 5 2011, 03:21 PM']Is it a paint job? I was assuming it was a vinyl wrap.[/quote] That would make a whole lot more sense actually.

Absolutely incredible paint job! I do not like Ritters but that's really something else.

The Stingray 5 is a great instrument, I've played a lot of them and came very close to buying one myself recently. But I'd also look at the Lakland 55-02's like BB5 mentioned, those things are incredible, I can opt for the Lakland Skyline build quality being very good as well IMO. Alternatively, check to see if you can find any Lakland Darryl Jones 5's around, they've been discontinued but are brilliant, brilliant basses.

[quote name='silddx' post='1188497' date='Apr 4 2011, 11:20 PM']Ahh mate, that's great news! Thanks! [/quote] I know it's not quite the same as what you're after, but I know someone selling a Warwick Corvette passive, ash red stained body, bought in about 2004/5 maybe at a guess. It's a cool bass, really punchy and has that lovely Warwick sound. If you're interested then let me know, I can see what he thinks about it

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1188404' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:58 PM']@ risingson . . . Yes, that's pretty much the scenario I was envisaging. But my current frustration is not that I'm personally bored playing the same old songs. My own feeling is that we should play them more often because I don't feel we're performing to our full ability, but clearly some of the other band members are happy with our current level. I appreciate such issues probably arise in all bands (and I also accept that I might also get bored with repetition after a certain point), but I was just curious how professional touring musicians deal with the same issue - especially as I can't envisage myself ever having first-hand experience in a touring band![/quote] Do you take any sort of leadership role in the band, i.e. do you call practices, get the gigs etc.? Because if you do then maybe it's worth galvanising your band by organising more rehearsals, if that's what you feel like you're lacking. Bands are made at gigs though, their ability to be as tight as possible comes from being in at the deep end too, so maybe it's worth filling your gig calendar up a little more.

No, but I'd really like to see him, the guy is amazing! Can't help feeling Pino Palladino had that Sei 8-String made for him after seeing what Charlie Hunter could do with his whilst working with John Mayer.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1188351' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:20 PM']I don't know what your creative input has been in these songs, but in all my previous bands where the majority of the music had been written my me I could quite easily have the enthusiasm to play all the songs in the set at least once a day if not more often.[/quote] Say I wrote 'Yesterday', and 80-90% of the people that came to see me live were waiting to hear this every night on an 8-9 month tour. I prefer 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer', another tune I wrote, but only 5-10% of the audience that have come to see me want to hear that. Hypothetical, but still I can fully understand the monotony of repetition in this context. There are a lot of considerable writers that became very tired of playing the same stuff over and over.

It depends what you mean by pro musicians. The term often lends itself to someone thinking about session players, but in reality it probably covers a multitude of different kinds of players including players in well known bands etc. Everyone's interest levels wane over time. What makes you a good player aside from the theoretical and/or technical skills you might have is being able to create energy out of nothing. If you're appearing in front of a new audience that have never seen you or heard you before, you want to be able to leave the venue that night with everyone talking about you, and creating that energy from nothing to something has got to be one of the hardest things to do as a player, especially when you have played the same set night in and night out for a long time.

Thankfully I've only ever had successful dealings with sellers on this site, in fact just yesterday I bought a lovely DJ Lakland for dirt cheap from a really nice guy on here! However, as a seller myself, I've experienced some people that seem to be lacking in some serious common sense, and also some big time wasters. I'm usually a fairly good judge of character and I would much, much prefer to talk on the phone with someone directly instead of toing and froing with someone via PM, but as a seller, you'll usually have to deal with a few people that think that they can take the piss. I can only imagine what a frustrating experience it must have been for you. As a buyer I would of course want to try a bass out before I bought it but I definitely wouldn't bring my GF (she'd be bored to death anyway) and I certainly would give you an answer straight away instead of wasting your time. I must say though, almost overwhelmingly everyone I've traded with on this site have been absolutely brilliant guys, friendly, informed and enthusiastic. I will continue to happily buy and sell using the forum, no problems. I think you've just got to have thicker skin about it all and take a lot of stuff on the chin.

No, there are some players that use a similar technique but it's probably worth looking into why you're doing this as most of these players are able to play both ways and it's not a particularly normal way of playing.

[quote name='Spike Vincent' post='1185443' date='Apr 2 2011, 12:05 AM']Agreed,and I don't,but if the tune requires 360 BPM E string then that's what I play.It has it's appeal..[/quote] 360BPM?? What kind of music are we talking here??

No, not at all. It came as a surprise to me that so many people avoid using open strings, and equally it surprises me that some choose to abstain from ever playing your G. I'm a positions player, so that I can allow for everything to fall under my fingers anywhere on the neck. I can understand if the music you play dictates that you should take on role that comprises of you playing in a lower register, but the 4 strings on my bass all get equal use and as someone said a little further up in the post, it's a great thing to be able to be unhindered by the full fret board of both guitar and bass.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='1185297' date='Apr 1 2011, 09:37 PM']Excellent post, Pete.[/quote] I thank you [s]Pete[/s] Steve [quote]But often it's the opposite, very formal: we play the tune, everyone takes a turn at playing a solo, then we play the tune again. And it's that context that you're likely the find the least inspiring solos - bass or otherwise.[/quote] The formalities of Jazz certainly exist, but I would be very turned off by listening to a group of musicians that worked in the way you describe. It's not a prerequisite for [u]everyone[/u] to solo, and I know many, many good players who are good at knowing when to hold back and say as little as possible and get across what they mean without having to take a solo. It's about good musicianship, and not about just rolling out on the formalities of going round the stage and making each player take a solo.

It's not 'sacrilege' to dislike a bass solo, I'm sure there's just as strong a contingency of people on this site that would agree with you. But jazz is about freeform and expression, and there have been some serious theoretical and technical jumps from people like Paul Chambers, Ron Carter and Charles Mingus who have been able to push the envelope with their formidable soloing skills. It's up to you what you like hearing from music though, what you're stating is purely your opinion, some might agree, and I'm sure some others won't.

I love the particular sound you're talking about, particularly the likes of Carol Kaye who was just such a great player. The production values of the time as well were really incredible. British bass players have never really done the same thing for me, apart from MacCartney's bass playing, who, together with George Martin, actually put a lot of thought into his bass parts and how he would be received by audiences listening for his bass parts. John Entwhistle had his place, I think he was a great player but really the polar opposite for what I look for when I listen to records, his playing could be way too brash for me. This isn't knocking the guy, it's just the way he liked to play, but it's not my thing.

They should find where Expert Village is and blow it the hell up. They are completely useless and best and at worst actually damaging for those trying to learn stuff from them.