Lazurus Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 :shok:I have been having lessons since last Autumn, stopped them recently due to getting married, honeymoon etc. now I have lost my motivation to get back at it....... my teacher is really good and I was making good progress albeit he is orchestral and I want to slap!!! There are no slap teachers that I can find in darkest Norfolk, so any suggestions how to get going again, I have not touched the bass for couple of months........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 I suspect that however good your teacher is, if he's not teaching you what you want it's a recipe for losing your motivation. Lots of people on this forum can have extensive time-outs, including me. The bass isn't going anywhere, don't worry and good luck with finding the right teacher. Can you find any you tube lessons to keep your interest up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Think that is the way forward at this time........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy109 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Get an advert out there and find some other rockers to play with - that will get your mojo working again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philparker Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Be prepared to travel - it's often necessary with DB. Travel can be eased if you have lessons once a fortnight or even once a month, just concentrate on finding a really good teacher and accept you may have to drive for up to 2 hours - it's not that uncommon. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaconCheese Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Buy "Rockabilly Slap Bass" by Lee Rocker and go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Have you grown a quiff? Once the quiff grows you'll have it nailed, it's ALL in the quiff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 (edited) Did the flat top and quiff in my younger days, long since passed....... I think this picture was round 1980 or so Edited July 11, 2017 by Lazurus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 As has already been said - we all lose a bit of motivation from time to time.... it's just natural I had a painful condition with my foot, a short while back - that really did for me. I just couldn't stand while playing and my "mojo" just seemed to ebb away very quickly. However, it did come back... then the band I was playing slap DB in folded - well, we got a new "lead" member, but the new style doesn't involve so much slapping... however, the bass is still there, still being played, and I do a bit of slap from time to time If I were you, just play some rockabilly or Rock & Roll tracks on CD / MP3 or whatever - listen to the music when in your car, or out & about... that should make you want to get home & play your DB Good luck with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubsonicSimpleton Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 If you are not playing your DB with other people, you should make it a priority to find others to play with - don't worry that you haven't been playing a long time, DBs are in short supply, so most people will be quite forgiving (moreso if you let them have a go at playing your bass). I always find it helpful to listen to music that inspires me when the motivation is low. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34cAe2LDfrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 [quote name='Lazurus' timestamp='1499610949' post='3332482'] There are no slap teachers that I can find in darkest Norfolk, so any suggestions how to get going again, I have not touched the bass for couple of months........ [/quote] I am not a teacher, but if you are passing by sunny Ipswich I am more than happy to show you what I know, which will probably take all of 10 minutes, ha ha. I'm on holiday for a few days, drop me a PM if you're interested and I'll get in touch when I get back. SubsonicSimpleton, that is an outstanding clip. Got any more like it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubsonicSimpleton Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Well worth checking out Nicholas Dubochet - loads of performance and tutorial vids on his channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEcQnF_pIAA I found these guys randomly surfing youtube a while back - really tasteful and musical use of slapping IMHO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seKAfbWFWCM There is so much music now on youtube, just get listening and discover things that excite you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted July 14, 2017 Author Share Posted July 14, 2017 Thanks for all the suggestions, I think I came to the reality between my ambitions and my abilities and lost a little drive. I will climb back on the horse and see if I can find a local rockabilly / blue grass player who wants to earn a few quid, learning later in life is definitely harder................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 There is a slap guy in or around Ipswich - plays with JS and the Lockerbililes. I am sorry but I don't know his name. May be worth you getting in touch with him if you want to try slapping. PM if you can't find him and I will put you in touch with the bandleader whose details I do have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy109 Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 There's some good tutorials on YouTube. Once you have got your head around the basic technique then play along to some early Rockabilly tracks. Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBass Posted July 15, 2017 Share Posted July 15, 2017 Here's my suggestion to learn slap: 1.buy/borrow The Ungentle Art and Slapology 2.practice lots. Practice the techniques first, then practice them along to stuff 3.when youre 90% happy but there's something you've seen/heard that you can't do, find a slap player who can do stuff the way you want to and cajole them into giving you an hour of their time to get some pointers 4.practice that stuff Done. Then when you realise there's nothing left to learn, convince yourself you don't sound good enough and spend ££££s trying to find the perfect set of strings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 [quote name='AndyBass' timestamp='1500134988' post='3335856'] .......Then when you realise there's nothing left to learn, convince yourself you don't sound good enough and spend ££££s trying to find the perfect set of strings [/quote] Feeling (partly) the same as the OP, as since my last reply, The band I was playing DB in has folded - that's the 3rd one in a year I'm in several bands I play bass guitar in, but I know my DB playing and my slapping will wane if I'm not doing it in a band.... Then I saw AndyBass's reply above and it cheered me up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1500032783' post='3335245'] There is a slap guy in or around Ipswich - plays with JS and the Lockerbililes. I am sorry but I don't know his name. May be worth you getting in touch with him if you want to try slapping. PM if you can't find him and I will put you in touch with the bandleader whose details I do have. [/quote] That would be Murray Collins. Josh himself is not bad either. The other thing to think about is your setup. If you've been taught and set up by a classical player, it might not be helping you play slap. Edited July 19, 2017 by pete.young Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted July 20, 2017 Author Share Posted July 20, 2017 I think the setup is ok, 7 - 10mm under the strings G to A, Innovation silver slaps. I had a couple of hours with Ian from the Houndogs [url="http://www.thehoundogs.co.uk/"]http://www.thehoundogs.co.uk/[/url] as we had them at our recent wedding, he sure made my bass sound pretty fine so the setup works for slap. I think it is more an attitude set up required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 [quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1500484695' post='3338196'] That would be Murray Collins. Josh himself is not bad either. [/quote] I did a support gig with them and we talked up ⬆ didn't get his name. Josh introduced himself to me as a.bass player when we first met so I knew he played but I have never heard him. They are working all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 With good reason. They are excellent at what they do, and everyone loves that music! I'm a huge fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Ok picked the bass up again at the weekend, I have decided to learn songs from genres that i like and play them in the style I want to. I am determined to keep learning sheet music..........So what I need now is some simple sheet music for well known country or rockabilly / rock& roll songs that I can play. I have scoured the www. and none of my books have anything suitable. Can anyone help out with some simple scores? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 [quote name='Lazurus' timestamp='1500978533' post='3341401']...Can anyone help out with some simple scores? [/quote] Would Guitar Pro be of any help there..? It's not expensive (75€...), and there's a huge catalogue of pretty well all styles and periods to choose from. I've a collection of 23,000 files, for instance, weighing 900Mb; most of these files have an excellent bass part (plus the other instruments...) in both tab and dots, correctly annotated and easy to read. I'd send it to you, but you'd need GP to be able to read 'em. I've attached a couple, taken at random, in Pdf format as 'teasers'. Any use to you..? [attachment=249811:Cats, Stray - Rock This Town - Bass.pdf] [attachment=249812:Harper, Ben - Diamonds On The Inside (Intro) - Bass.pdf] [attachment=249813:Presley, Elvis - Fever - Bass.pdf] (Save to disk, then rename to ... Cats, Stray - Rock This Town - Bass.pdf Harper, Ben - Diamonds On The Inside (Intro) - Bass.pdf Presley, Elvis - Fever - Bass.pdf ...respectively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazurus Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 That's the sort of stuff, never considered searching guitar type progs and sites, my thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 [quote name='Lazurus' timestamp='1500983485' post='3341448'] That's the sort of stuff, never considered searching guitar type progs and sites, my thanks. [/quote] Let me know if you want more (titles..?); if you can get to read native GP files I could send you the lot..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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