AttitudeCastle

[quote name='icastle' post='1082476' date='Jan 8 2011, 07:20 PM']A few things spring to mind here. Playing an instrument that isn't producing the sound you are trying to achieve is always going to be disheartening. You've had a few musical 'upsets' with bands recently (as have many others on here) and that can perhaps lead to feelings of doubt and a lack of musical direction/purpose. I've always found that writing a bassline is easy [b]IF[/b] you have a tune to write it against - writing a bassline as a stand alone piece isn't quite so easy. Don't let it get you down - you're still young and have many years of playing ahead of you. Why not spend some quality time playing with your gear to get the sound you are looking for - perhaps that'll give you the kickstart you are looking for? [/quote] Thanks man I think i'll start to focus and getting a tone that sounds right to me first I've always thought when it comes to writing music. Listen to the music you like and want to write, and find the common thread between the bands and songs you like and use that as a spring board, I still haven't found that thread yet but i will

In no particular order, Billy Sheehan (Solo work, Mr.Big, David Lee Roth band, Niacin, Talas) John Myung (Dream Theater, Jelly jam, Platypus) (they are my top two!) Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) Dave Ellefson (Megadeth) Troy Sanders (Mastadon) Special mention number 6ers are Cliff burton, Chris Wolstenholme, John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Roger glover, Les Claypool and Juan Alderete

Hey Guys! Here i something i think i would like some advice on, or at least to speak to someone about it! I have been in the last few months had major problems writing music, not just writing whole riffs and such like but even writing simple basslines, This hasn't always been the case, a few demos from older bands and to my ears and to others who have listened who are fans of the same kinds of music agree that it all works and even sounds good at times I play almost entirely progressive metal, though i have a soft spot for jazzy solo bass work though all band work has been in the prog metal vein. Though recently nothing seems to come to mind when i pickup the bass, and after a usually half an hour of unsuccesful "noodling" i tend to get a little disheartend and either play along to tunes on my ipod or just practise a little mechanically as this spell has also lead to me feeling slightly 'inadiquate' with my playing. I have recently made a total switch from 4 and 5 strings to almost entirely playing a 6. I had played a six before but never owned one but have played in depth and played in a dream theater cover band for a week with one doing shows everyday (nothing big, opening for orginal bands or filling slots in a nights program) I'm thinking positive and putting this down as a "phase", linked to possibly : Playing less metal, listening too much to a small group of artists, playing to many covers and play alongs at home instead of practising and focusing on writing, and maybe trying to run before i can walk as it were in the recent complete transition to the 6 string. Also i haven't been in a band which felt "right" in a good while which i think may be a large factor also, aberdeen isn't really the largest metal scene around =S and the last band i was in which felt rather promising as the guitarist and i are into totally the same music but the drummer left as he decided metal wasn't his thing, then i felt our music wasn't prog or metal enough (not great for a prog metal band ) and he decided to join a paramour cover band so something which felt promising and good sort of fell apart... Edit: Also found i've not been happy with my tone in the same time scope, adjusting to the new bass, though today i found something i liked tone wise and that really made me a bit more confident Now i know this is more of a let out than a discussion thingy but i would like someones views and words and if anyone has been in a similar situation? (as i'm sure even Mozart may have suffered from "Musicians block"!) I find bands a little hard to come by and get into at my age finding bands is a little hard especially in a city with a smaller music scene, Any Views? AC NB For reference for time scope i mean last 4/5/6 months and for age i'm sitting my Standard Grades (Gsces) in june and i've been in bands rather sporadically Many Many thanks to anyone who took the time too read all of that

Oooooh! That MB410 combo just threw a spanner in me works! Wait and save some more for the MB410 OR Get the MB212 =S =S Ahhhh what to do? What to do!? haha Looks cracking, and the MBP stuff is pretty cool! you can have a 410 combo + 410 extension cab for 1000W and just under 100lbs!

Loving the look of the silver single H one! Wouldn't mind a Red PJ ala the first picture, or a Silver single H ala the last picture Already toying with the idea of getting the Silver H and adding a Precision Pickup, and considering i'm broke and saving for an amp...

I wonder whose it is! I'm not a Gibson fan but i am an Aberdeen lad

[quote name='dood' post='1076240' date='Jan 3 2011, 01:08 PM']When I spoke to Billy recently, it wasn't so much [i]where[/i] Ampeg gear was made, it was more [i]how[/i] it's made. He certainly wasn't happy with the performance of newer Ampeg gear.[/quote] Dooood! You know how much i've always wanted to meet Billy! And you speak so casually! haha Back when i were a "little" younger i started to take bass 1000% when i saw this Billy sheehan playing a solo piece (The suspense is killing me, EPIC TUNE ) in 2006/2007, Note the Hartke rig as well as the Ampeg rig! (Anyone name the amp he used?) And i believe he used Hartke on his latest solo album and on the New Mr Big album he defo did, in the "Undertow" Music video he has a Hartke rig behind him (not certain, but i'm pretty sure he has two Hydrive 410 cabs behind him) Edit: The suspence is killing me [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9bG8hwZ9Bo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9bG8hwZ9Bo[/url] Link as my browser is being annoying and won't let me big-ify it for some reason,

[quote name='redstriper' post='1074858' date='Jan 1 2011, 10:55 PM']Have you enabled the VST inputs in cubase and the Alesis is the default sound card ? Does audio from the laptop playback through the multimix ? Is it a firewire or usb connection ? If it's firewire, are you using the mini firewire connector on the laptop ?[/quote] +1, yeah, it could be todo with connections, we use Cubase 5 at school Haha! Yes, i did something similar with my itunes back up disks! Lessons learnt!

Mark e-mailed me back in minutes, and well past usual bed time too! He runs out standing customer service, been meaning to make a trip south next year if i can!

Detuning? To make you bass lower! i often play A-A# (6 string dropped a tone, like Thombassmonkey said) On guitar dropping the E to a D (Drop d, same a D-A-D-G for those who don't get what i mean) Makes sense as you can then play power chords and such like as a barre chord, and i genuinely think drop tuning on bass developed from the guitarists forced to play bass not having to ask and work out the "note" but instead can just see 'oh right, thickest string, fret 5' But it also gives a different tone, like The dropped D to me sounds killer, and nothing like the 3rd fret of the B, On the note of alternate tunings though, why is the like 7 string ERB have a similar range of the cello which has 4 strings? Surely if you tuned a bass in 5ths like a cello the range is the same? haha

I would say it was almost certainly a one off

I've tried one, and i liked it, which is odd considering i don't like Active basses a huge amount of Jazz basses! It was the first Asymetrical neck i've played which i found wierd but thats a personal thing! It doesn't have an Active/Passive switch, and if you ran it passive it may be a bit of a waste of the 18V of electronics, you could put one in which would be easy if you swapped the pre-amp, but then how much of the almost £2000 has fender put on those electronics? You could get a passive J 6 built? Sorry if that has made things worse

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1063422' date='Dec 19 2010, 12:13 PM']Billy and Paul are amazing together. The stuff they do from 04:21 onwards in this video is absolutely incredible...what a tune! [/quote] That is an amazing thing they did, it was great in London! That show changed my life, 100% Mr Big has completely changed my life, and its thanks to them i even play bass! as i loved Lean into it, having heard two tracks off it i decided to buy it! And thanks

Yeah, i saw this when it was first up too, and i agree, Billy and Steve Vai are an amazing team, as are Billy and Paul, Though there is something about Mr. Big for me y'know? But Billy and paul also have amazing solo work

I am a HUGE Mr. Big fan, i missed a week of school to see them in London for my birthday and also in Belgium! People find that odd, considering their hit which reached 3rd? in the charts here in 1992 is three years before i was born! Mr. Big have always meant something to me, the year i "discovered" (as it were) them, they decided to get back together after that, then Billys Attitude 25th edition was annouced the week after i had found out the UK waiting list for the Red ones is 7 months! (But Thanks to Alex at Yamaha Customer support i already knew about them xD) Fantastic band, amazing musicans, nice people and they are back, and i HOPE to stay! The song "Around the world" is on Youtube as well as part of an interview [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1mJw8CBeDo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1mJw8CBeDo[/url] Which has amazing riffage! Haha bit of a Fanboy rant! But thats what i am! Long live Mr. Big!

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1059008' date='Dec 14 2010, 09:16 PM']Seafoam Green is the best colour![/quote] Damn Straight! xD

[quote name='molan' post='1058893' date='Dec 14 2010, 07:46 PM']Billy S casually pulled it out of a case at Bass Player Live in LA a few weeks back. He said he wasn't supposed to show anyone but felt he was among friends - could have been a stunt but it did seem like he was just excited to show it off. I can't really remember that much other than it was light blue and had really heavily angled neck retaining bolts to make the neck/body joint even stronger. I think he may have mentioned playing slightly with pickup positions but not 100% sure about that bit Loads of people took pics and were filming on small cameras so may be some footage out there on YT.[/quote] Is it the long awaited new Yamaha Attitude LTD III? Back in the colour from the LTD I series? which i named "excalibur blue" as i played one and knew nothing would match the tone! (and nothing has!) If ANYONE hears ANYTHING, even rumours, about the Attitude, PLEASE PM with everything you know

I thought the Warwick rockbass corvette $$ was closer to £550 - £650 I've tried one, its not as monsterous as a full on warwick $$ but pretty close!

Juan Alderete (or john Alderete ) is a GREAT guy Met him last year? Love his work with Racer x and The Mars Volta! Will check out Big Sir, i've always liked his playing and he has some 4 string skills!

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1057880' date='Dec 13 2010, 09:43 PM']Does anybody actually use the scalloped frets on the Attitude?[/quote] Oh yeah definately! I couldn't live without them, I am saving up to get all my basses scalloped, (and i am going to try scallops along the entire neck on my P-bass! and that includes my 6 string, and doesn't inclue the Attitude! haha) I feel like a thread stomper/hijacker Sorry guys!