xilddx Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1423091835' post='2680804'] A bowl of heroin?? What do you think you are doing?? [/quote] Heroin is a crutch best avoided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 [quote name='The Badderer' timestamp='1423091928' post='2680806'] My personal favourites [/quote] Uncanny! Those are the three! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1423092035' post='2680808'] Heroin is a crutch best avoided. [/quote] Horse for course... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1423092081' post='2680810'] Horse for course... [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Badderer Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 [quote] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Heroin is a crutch best avoided. [/font][/color] [/quote] PMSL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) - Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 There is already enough knowledge on basschat to last me the rest of my life , experienced players , theory , practice , bass maintence , gear tech and do on, should I seek it (which sometimes I don't) Of course it would be lovely to hear the thoughts and story's of named players , but I don't think it would make a lot of difference to what I get from here, or more to the point could get from here if I asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) I missed out on the whole compression/Vail Johnson thing as I was away over Christmas and had no computer access. Interesting situation! Some of the responses on that thread made me see certain members in a different light when I had respected their input previously... I think there is certainly a hard-core in the membership here who think of themselves (rightly or wrongly) as experts. Whether their experience backs up that personal [b][i]view[/i][/b] is open to conjecture, but they don't like their views being challenged by anyone - even top [i][b]professionals[/b][/i] in the same field. To be fair, those same top pros also hold views - but at least theirs tend to be supported by lots of real world experience. That kind of makes it more valid in my book! I'm no hagiographer, and yes - I do know who Vail Johnson is, having been of that age in the 80s and 90s where I was listening to a lot of US "soul" and "funk" music. Vail played on a lot of those recordings. This doesn't raise him to deity status of course, but it certainly beats most of the collective experience on here! That said, you don't always know what someone's experiences are, and there are several "ordinary" members on here who have played on a number of recordings that were influential in my musical history I think the badderer (odd username!) summed it up perfectly. And if Vail had used a couple of judicious smilies in his opening foray then maybe none of this would have happened. What can pros add? Well, maybe in terms of factual knowledge, not much - but it terms of having been there and done it, plenty IMO. Edited February 5, 2015 by Conan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Badderer Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] the badderer (odd username!) [/font][/color] [/quote] It's what the guys in my 1st band called me. they said that when i played i baddered the string.... like, badd-er badd-er badd-er badd-er .... so they called me the badderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzneck Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) A few years ago a guy "retired", moved into our village and to cut a long story short we met in the pub and it turned out he could play guitar. He was asked by the landlord if he wanted to do a gig, so the guy rounds up his drummer mate and asked me if I would play bass. I ask for a list of songs we're going to do and his answer was "bollocks, we'll wing it!". The Monday night in question we played. This guy is a human juke box and he can sing, too. Everything from BeBop through to modern chart stuff. I was about six million miles out of my comfort zone, cocked up big time but I got a load of encouragement and guidance not only at this mess around but since. The guy in question, I quickly discovered, was a go to studio session guitarist who has also toured the world a few times with some very big acts. We are now very good friends but he is opinionated, arrogant but he certainly knows his stuff and makes me laugh at what I think. What he did teach me was to use (in a live situation) just a bass, a lead and a good valve amp and develop my technique by practice, practice, practice, along with asking questions and listening. Yes, he will have me playing in a small occasional fun gig with him but he told me categorically that I am still good enough to play a proper gig or session with him or his mates and I'm never likely to be. (I have played some pretty big gigs and recorded with various bands over the years). Do I take offence at all this honesty and arrogance? No, because I can hear his voice, inflections and see his face when we talk and play. And there I feel is the problem. Unless you are a master of language, the subtlety of expression and meaning disappears in the written word: hence the risk of misunderstanding and conflict. All IMHO and appalling English of course. Edited February 5, 2015 by Jazzneck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1423126661' post='2680974'] .. I ask for a list of songs we're going to do and his answer was "bollocks, we'll wing it!". ... [/quote] I love gigs like that. You know you're going to be in a pair of safe hands. No drama queens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1423044682' post='2679843'] I've skipped a lot so as far as the OP goes.. I've met a few world class musicians and played with one or two, IMO, and I can say that musically I think they are on another planet. You wont get to where those guys have unless you have something Special.. Of course, some guys fluke a fantastic career but you don't get to 1st call status in a top muso town without being very decent indeed and that level and what it takes is not likely to be recognisable by most. So, you certainly learn from their skill levels and their inate musicality, plus if you delve deeper, you'll likely find a massive amount of practice and sacrifice... but that wont amount to that much unless they have something else...which the top guys have. Whatever is it, they have IT, IMO. [/quote] Good post that sums it up very nicely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I played with an "elite" guitarist many years ago and what I got from that experience was invaluable. We never discussed the hardware. You were expected to have a certain level of equipment but gear wasn't even in the top 10 of interests. I learnt to focus, strive and shine, be original and reliable. I learnt that thinking about bass lines was more important than playing them. You learn to quietly and quickly raise your game or you know the phone calls will evaporate. If you have the ability and right mind set a good pro player can push you to be a far better player than you'll ever be on your own, and none of it ever relates to frigging speaker sizes, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1423131168' post='2681051']If you have the ability and right mind set a good pro player can push you to be a far better player than you'll ever be on your own, and none of it ever relates to frigging speaker sizes, etc. [/quote] Oh no!! What will we have left to talk about on here?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 The skills that posters who've played with "pros" are mentioning seem to me to be the skills you need as a musician if you are going to anything more than simply learn how to play covers by rote from Guitar Pro. Maybe those skills are more developed and refined in a "pro Musician", but I wouldn't dream of getting involved in any kind of creative musical project if I was able to listen, react and play and subsequently modify what I was doing as a result of feedback from my fellow musicians both in terms of the notes I played and the sound(s) I used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1423137449' post='2681178'] I wouldn't dream of getting involved in any kind of creative musical project if I was able to listen, react and play and subsequently modify what I was doing as a result of feedback from my fellow musicians both in terms of the notes I played and the sound(s) I used. [/quote] Then maybe you are a pro? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1423132100' post='2681064'] Oh no!! What will we have left to talk about on here?? [/quote] Haemorrhoids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1423138567' post='2681205'] Haemorrhoids? [/quote] Naaa... to hard to spell! Anyway, I got rid of mine with one of these... [url="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=nobby"][/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) A pro would tell you that there is a big difference between piles and bumcrumbs Edited February 5, 2015 by Roland Rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) I got to thinking: What did I learn from the pro bassists that I have met [u]in person[/u] at BC Bass Bashes? Dave Swift: Reckons a flatwound B-string sounds like a football hitting a sheep. Good point. Jake Newman: Whatever makes a bass part easier to read (e.g. choosing the key signature to minimise the number of accidentals) is good - you don't want to be making [i]any [/i]mistakes in front of an audience who have paid £80 a ticket! Edited February 5, 2015 by JapanAxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1423139831' post='2681234'] Dave Swift: Reckons a flatwound B-string sounds like a football hitting a sheep. Good point. [/quote] Yeah, I can sort of hear that! Even the best of them are far from that defined, piano string sound that some people like from a B string. Then again, if you play further up the neck it can also do a good impersonation of how a flatwound E sounds on a short-scale, which has its uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1423131168' post='2681051'] I played with an "elite" guitarist many years ago and what I got from that experience was invaluable. We never discussed the hardware. You were expected to have a certain level of equipment but gear wasn't even in the top 10 of interests. I learnt to focus, strive and shine, be original and reliable. I learnt that thinking about bass lines was more important than playing them. You learn to quietly and quickly raise your game or you know the phone calls will evaporate. If you have the ability and right mind set a good pro player can push you to be a far better player than you'll ever be on your own, and none of it ever relates to frigging speaker sizes, etc. [/quote] Bang on from my POV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1423089765' post='2680756'] Nobody's mentioned Ed Freidland. Again his welcoming lasted about 3 weeks and ran to about 12 pages. He now gives live q&a sessions on the Scottsbasslessons site taking turns with others like Anthony Wellington. We do get a smattering of stupid questions though like how many basses do you have. I liked it when Anthony Wellington was asked about his EQ settings. He replied "I don't play $10,000 basses and correct the sound electronically". [/quote] Didn't know about Ed F.. But Anthony W is right... and the premise is, the bass is set-up and sounds right, all I need is an amp and cab to compliment it, but too often people want to fight it. If you don't sound right, then its what is coming out of the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1423126661' post='2680974'] A few years ago a guy "retired", moved into our village and to cut a long story short we met in the pub and it turned out he could play guitar. He was asked by the landlord if he wanted to do a gig, so the guy rounds up his drummer mate and asked me if I would play bass. I ask for a list of songs we're going to do and his answer was "bollocks, we'll wing it!". The Monday night in question we played. This guy is a human juke box and he can sing, too. Everything from BeBop through to modern chart stuff. I was about six million miles out of my comfort zone, cocked up big time but I got a load of encouragement and guidance not only at this mess around but since. The guy in question, I quickly discovered, was a go to studio session guitarist who has also toured the world a few times with some very big acts. We are now very good friends but he is opinionated, arrogant but he certainly knows his stuff and makes me laugh at what I think. What he did teach me was to use (in a live situation) just a bass, a lead and a good valve amp and develop my technique by practice, practice, practice, along with asking questions and listening. Yes, he will have me playing in a small occasional fun gig with him but he told me categorically that I am still good enough to play a proper gig or session with him or his mates and I'm never likely to be. (I have played some pretty big gigs and recorded with various bands over the years). Do I take offence at all this honesty and arrogance? No, because I can hear his voice, inflections and see his face when we talk and play. And there I feel is the problem. Unless you are a master of language, the subtlety of expression and meaning disappears in the written word: hence the risk of misunderstanding and conflict. All IMHO and appalling English of course. [/quote] Yes, but first off...he's cool with you playing with him.. That is a start. Imagine what you'll feel like if and maybe, when, he asks to do the next gig up. There is no better endorsement than from a guy who has got the best tee-shirts out of a 15 year career at the TOP... and they say you can play...and they aren't just being polite. As for arrogance... I think this is a little bit misunderstood. You have to have the belief that you belong there and after a time, even the most humble person knows that they are actually pretty damn good and they excel at a job that an awful lot of people can only dream about and lust after. Now imagine that you feel you can play a bit and you get the top gig going ..and you know who else .(.who are also at the top of their tree..) was going for it and you've been choosen..?? Or course, you are going to be pleased about that. I never worry about ego in a musician as I know most have one...and that is ok as long as they deliver on it. Edited February 5, 2015 by JTUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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