EssentialTension

I wonder if Clarky has bought himself a birthday present.

Happy birthday Clarky, I thought you were only 30.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1374305943' post='2147325'] haha plenty of pics in interwebsland of jaco with his J wonder why he never played a P? [/quote] Jaco had a Jazz bass with a Precision neck which he used for practise. I think you can see it in the video in post #8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mPNPIfEPNk

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1374304428' post='2147305'] Marcus you could always try another beatles thread just to distract everybody from this one [/quote] Why not combine the two? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd6DTRywF7Q

More here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/206212-heart-stairway-to-heaven"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/206212-heart-stairway-to-heaven[/url]

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1374268992' post='2147164'] There's a phenomena of human achievement which is that it takes much, much more effort to break a boundary than copy it. We can all play 'Teen Town' now ... [/quote] Speeak for yourself. I'm confident I can't play Teen Town now, not that I've ever tried. I'll have to dig it out and have a listen or perhaps I won't bother. More importantly, it really is quite ridiculous the way people keep alotting their own experience to everybody else. [quote name='visog' timestamp='1374268992' post='2147164'] .. .but it took some real talent to write and play it when most other people were struggling with the latest ACDC riff. [/quote] I've never had any interest in AC/DC and I couldn't recognise their latest riff if you paid me. [quote name='visog' timestamp='1374268992' post='2147164'] ... In fact, most people didn't conceive or think in terms of entirely 16th note bass lines at the time. [/quote] So, who were Pastorius's influences there? Jerry Jemmott? James Jamerson? Who else?

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1374265064' post='2147103'] What a shame. Not to worry. [/quote] I'm not worried and it's not a shame.

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1374245553' post='2146880'] It is unreasonable & wholly unrealistic to expect everyone's experience of Jaco to be the same. [/quote] Yes, that's right.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1374244209' post='2146849'] I agree. My point was that if you are playing strictly by ear, i.e. copying exactly what is being played in a song, you dont necessarily need to know theory, or for that matter, the actual notes you are playing. [/quote] As well as with so-called covers, that would be true if you're making it up yourself - no need for theory or knowing the notes, just play by ear. The reason I point this out is that, in my experience (but yours may differ), people who play or copy merely by ear have a tendency to get it wrong or at least to copy inexactly.

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1374239014' post='2146757'] ... If you weren't around at the time it's probably hard to understand the impact ... [/quote] I was around at the time and my experience of Jaco was not as you describe.

It's not essential but the more your fretless bass is like your fretted bass then the better your muscle memory will serve you when you change over.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1374231358' post='2146652'] I suppose it all boils down to what a person wants (i.e. their goals). If the preferance is to play covers, then it is possible to get by with little or no theory knowledge. However, I have come across, in this and other forums, people who grow tired of the confines of playing covers. They find themselves in a rut and want to "spread their musical wings" a little. The only way to do this is through learning some theory. [/quote] Theory is the same whether you're playing someone else's song or your own.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1374236213' post='2146725'] I'm still trying to process "...in his own modest way..." [/quote] Yes that was strange, it must be a joke.

[quote name='rk7' timestamp='1374229318' post='2146608'] Ok, hands up, who has googled 'autodidact'? apart from me, that is. [/quote] So now you are an autodidact.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1374231307' post='2146650'] Why has this thread gone on past this post? [/quote] One reason is that you and several other people have responded to that very post. A second reason is there are other things to say.

[quote name='merello' timestamp='1374222583' post='2146520'] It is always daft to have a pissing contest over how great someone is. Here is my opinion, and remember, you are all entitled to my opinion! I was in a flat in Glasgow when, late at night, a channel put on live music. At that point, I only really listened to The Stranglers and Genesis and had started playing bass in a band for a laugh. The height of bass was JJ and Foxton with their great, driving, thunderous bottom lines that drove songs on. It was Shadows and Light by Joni Mitchell. Not really my scene but as the evening progressed, I drifted closer and closer to the telly and further from the beer. I was hypnotised by the tic-a-tac and low smears. The lack of slavish root note playing and the way that everything served to make the song better enthralled me. This was the early to mid eighties and there was no easy way off finding out who he was. Eventually I ordered a Japanese import of the record at great cost. I think an album was about £4 and this was £16! Whatever anyone thinks about him, he is one of the few musicians ever to sear himself on my life from one performance. [/quote] I do love Shadows and Light.

I had a USA L2500 which was fantastic in every way - except I should have bought an L2000.

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1374195326' post='2146420'] My favourite track with Jaco wearing his sideman cap. This is one sweet groove The outro is pure Jaco. You can almost see the mischievous grin on his face, knowing that it's going down on a track hoping to be a top 40 single http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgGjg9FLq74 [/quote] I liked that.

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1374192104' post='2146411'] No I wasn't. Ask a cross section of joe public to name a bass player and I'm pretty sure he'd be way down the list after, for example, Paul McCartney, Sting, Phil Linnot, Chris Wolstenholme, and probably after John Entwhistle as well. Most people have never heard of him. [/quote] Most people wouldn't recognise any of those people as bassists let alone know Pastorius.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1374221030' post='2146497'] I think it may depends what circles you move in. The only people I know who've heard of Jaco have done so because they're either already jazz fans or I told them. Most people I know have no idea who he was. [/quote] Most people have no idea what a bassist is ... and why on earth should they?

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1374168379' post='2146091'] I understand the respect for Jaco on here. However, I have tried to listen to his playing objectively, but its just not my thing, just a bundle of notes really. [/quote] I only ever like him when he's playing with someone else - Joni Mitchell, Weather Report (although I prefer them with Miroslav Vitous). I don't get it at all when he's solo.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1374167694' post='2146082'] ... Clapton can't do what Eddie Van Halen does ... [/quote] Surely that's a good thing isn't it?

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1374156663' post='2145906'] ... you all think its better to learn theory ... [/quote] Wrong. I expect you'll find most if not all people in this thread think it's best to do ear training and to learn theory. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1374126565' post='2145485'] ...and there are some even better ones around today. [/quote] If so, they must be standing on the shoulders of giants.