yepmop Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Hi All Not sure if this has been covered before but..... When you go to a music shop to test out a bass/amp etc what do you play? For me I find the music shop experience a complete and utter nightmare, I'm not sure what to play, what I do play, sounds really crap (well to me at least). Anyone else suffer from this or similar. Cheers Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 There used to be a period in the 80's when 'Dune Tune' got played a lot (as well as the general 'slap fest'). Although I haven't been to a shop for ages, these days I'd play scales up and down the neck to get the feel of a 'new' instrument, rather than play a particular tune. If you're into playing a particular style, I'd recommend trying that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 (edited) Apparently it's compulsory to perform a whirlwind of slapping that sounds like an explosion in a cutlery factory... Seriously though, I don't try out gear in shops. There's no way of telling what it's going to sound like until it's played in a band context. Alex Claber at Barefaced offers a One Month Free Trial, which is a great idea. [url="http://barefacedbass.com/why-barefaced.htm"]http://barefacedbass...y-barefaced.htm[/url] Edit: *zero9 got in before me!* [color=#ffffff].[/color] Edited January 11, 2013 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellyfish Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I usually jam for a bit. Something simple like an A minor pentatonic up and down the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I play really hard stuff to show everybody what a badass I am. I do it every weekend because showing everybody what a badass I am is the most important part of my involvement in music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 i have a complete mental blank and forgot every song i know, so i end up playing my own bands stuff.. using the logic that its what i will play most with the instrument so would be a good test Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 (edited) [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1357912165' post='1930453'] I play really hard stuff to show everybody what a badass I am. I do it every weekend because showing everybody what a badass I am is the most important part of my involvement in music. [/quote] Haha! So YOU'RE the 14-year old kid who goes into the music shop and harasses the staff to let him try (show off on) the vintage Rickenbackers... But yes, I'm much the same as Jellyfish; my default setting seems to be to dance up and down the neck in a pentatonic scale. Or a minor if I'm feeling flash. (Though if anyone else is trying a bass at the same time I have been known to get childish and wheel out the Bach or the Grieg.) Edited January 11, 2013 by EliasMooseblaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WonderHorse Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1357912313' post='1930457'] i have a complete mental blank and forgot every song i know, so i end up playing my own bands stuff.. using the logic that its what i will play most with the instrument so would be a good test [/quote] Generally this and a walking bass line which was one of the first things I ever learnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 (edited) My band's stuff (Some of them have some technical sections too so i can show off with them if i want) as well as some of the stuff i like to play, whatever comes into my head at that moment in time. I've played the Braveheart and Ghostbusters theme tunes often too, no idea why. The best experience i actually had was trying a guitar with a friend. There was another guy on the opposite side of a pillar testing a PRS and i decided to join in with the song he was playing (Trivium's Dying In Your Arms). Sat there for 4 minutes and played through the entire song with a guy i couldn't even see. Liam Edited January 11, 2013 by LiamPodmore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I pluck an open E, let it ring for a few seconds, then hand it back to the assistant and say "it's not for me." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Steve Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Usually just play two octave scales or Sailor's Hornpipe (starting at the octave on the G string) when trying a bass (note I'm in Portsmouth) and those two and 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick' when trying amps - the latter is good because it needs a fair bit of definition and is a good low-down (not as in badass :-)) workout for the speaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick's Fine '52 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Should I stop playing a slap version of 'smoke on the water' then?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 [quote name='yepmop' timestamp='1357911580' post='1930435'] Hi All Not sure if this has been covered before but..... When you go to a music shop to test out a bass/amp etc what do you play? For me I find the music shop experience a complete and utter nightmare, I'm not sure what to play, what I do play, sounds really crap (well to me at least). Anyone else suffer from this or similar. Cheers Tony [/quote] Is that why Rimmer is you're profile pic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Plenty of slap,pop&tap plus a few hammerons. Playing in the key of Les Dawson impresses the staff of every shop in Denmark Street Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin E Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 It's even worse when you get to my age, I look like an elderly gent who's mistaken the music shop for the local library. Things get even worse when handed an instrument, my mind goes a complete blank. A bit of fumbling around a blues riff at best which coupled with fact that many basses are virtually unplayable off the shelf makes the whole thing a complete nightmare. I could play a three hour set with my covers band but fail to impress miserably in the music shop which I find a far more daunting experience . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yepmop Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 [quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1357913384' post='1930489'] Is that why Rimmer is you're profile pic! [/quote] Oh Smeg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 open e for half an hour, 4 to the bar 15 bpm, then A, then D, then G. Repeat until somebody throws you out..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1357916002' post='1930555'] open e for half an hour, 4 to the bar 15 bpm, then A, then D, then G. Repeat until somebody throws you out..... [/quote] The advantage of this is you can fend them off with your left hand at the same time...good for about twenty minutes, which is usually how long it takes for the bloke with the tranquilliser gun to arrive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerley Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 This is where a shop like Absolute Music in Bournemouth is useful. They have 4 dedicated rooms to go and try and instruments (only one with bass amps in it) so you can sit and play anything you want without any feeling of nerves/stressing out what to play coming in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 If I see a bass I might like and it look interesting, I might give it a closer look to see whether I could even play it. If I can play it..then I might go through a few motions, but if it is going to be any sort of struggle, I put it straight back. As for what I play..?? whatever comes into my head which will probably be a few default exercises that I am going through at the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Shake a tail feather, then gradually the whole street joins in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Pfft you guys think you've got it bad? I usually play in Drop C! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 If i'm playing an electric thats not plugged in i play my slap guilty pleasure, if plugged in basic scales in a very self conscious way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1357916002' post='1930555'] open e for half an hour, 4 to the bar 15 bpm, then A, then D, then G. Repeat until somebody throws you out..... [/quote] That'll explain the sign in most Devon music shops that has your picture on it with "DO NOT LET THIS MAN IN!" written underneath then. Edited January 11, 2013 by Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1357922721' post='1930722'] Shake a tail feather, then gradually the whole street joins in [/quote] Genius. Another blanker here, same as soundchecks, then it's comedy bassline time, Good Times, Under Pressure, You Can't Touch This etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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