andy67 Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 What a blast from the past...Nearly four years ago! Ta for reminding me of this. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Sam Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) Hi, I am 55 and have been an alcoholic for - sorry wrong site. Hi, I am 55 and have been playing bass on and off for 40 years. I was playing in blues/rock bands in the '70's in Glasgow then London but gave it up when the 1st wife came along. I gave the synth a try in the '80's but soon went back to bass. During the '90's I got back into live gigs with an Indie band who just miss out on a contract with a couple of labels when the singer/songwriter in the band got serious stage fright and couldn't cope with live gigs anymore. I left as i didn't want to be stuck indoors but love live playing. Later in the '90's joined a tribute band for a laugh and stayed on for 5 years until love struck and I moved to The North West. At the moment I am doing gentle practise after 4 years of not playing due to arthritis. I am not good at practise for the sake of it but if I have a new project, I give 100% until I have it nailed. Love to get locked in with a drummer and jump about a bit. Have I rambled on too much? Edited January 31, 2011 by Bassman Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy67 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='Bassman Sam' post='1108904' date='Jan 30 2011, 11:44 PM']Hi, I am 55 and have been an alcohli - sorry wrong site.[/quote] I hear you brother! andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 It's interesting to see the number of people who rarely post anymore. Right then........ I'm 30,pro and been playing electric since '96 and upright since 2000. Played all over the place-UK,Europe,America- with various cover,tribute and original bands and people that you've never heard of and people that you may have heard of. I've got some chops and really enjoy soloing,even though the vast majority of gigs don't require it.I still play pretty busily though, but as long as it's in the pocket and I keep getting hired,it's cool.I'm also pretty animated on stage. I really enjoy sitting in a theatre and reading charts aswell. I've got far to much gear and loads of Bass books,DVDs/Videos and magazines. I'm also more knowledgeable about drums and drummers than most of the drummers I've met,even though I rarely play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayn Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Started on a Columbus Tele Bass, back in the 70s. Sold my racing bike to get it. Very influenced by melodic bassists, like Chris Squire, Martin Turner and Macca. Played in many bands, mainly rock based outfits. Up until very recently, I was a confirmed 4-stringer. Love locking in with the drums but also see the strong value of counter-melody and the expansive effect, a good bass line can have. Had a break from bass (7 years(ish)) and concentrated on steel-string acoustics. But back where I belong now. Mainly inspired by songwriting, so even when I wasn't a bassist, I was always writing bass lines, anyway. The Rickenbacker was my main love, in my teens and 20s. After that though, I preferred the Fender design. Recently acquired an Overwater 5-string Jazz bass and now I know I am home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raslee Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Late starter at 21 ish, although i had dabbled with a few chords on geeetar for a year prior. First joined some Salopian/Welsh hippies band and was asked if i wanted to play bass doing cheesey covers; my first bass was a Ibanez TR bass. Then I was put on a funk apprenticeship when a bassist left a mates funk band, my mate showed me the basslines and i was in at the deep end but listening to P-funk/Funkadelic etc was my saviour. Bought a Musicman and Trace amp-joyness. Was tought the tunes and spent 5-6years flying the mothership in both UK and Europe....was never one for practicing so never got any good really...could just about play the bands tunes. Moved to Devon, did a music course for a year learning some theory and joined the university of Dub reggae, graduated with herbers. I'm also a youthworker so I did a stint teaching bass which was great for me too as it gave me an opportunity to learn how to play Discovered basschat a few years ago, change my bass guitar and rig with what seems like every week as a result , not because i'm searching for the ultimate bass/rig (is there such thing?) but the fact i love trying different gear when i can. I still dub the low notes today with a few local reggae players although admittedly throughout my days i've also always loved bands like Ozric tentacles and Gong and therefore dabble in a bit of the psychedelic prog now and then; actually got a band going at the mo with a few local festies lined up.....niceness. Currently am loving my custom Fender Jazz bass, Lakland JO5 and Musicman Stingray to deliver all this. Jazzfunkfusionreggaedubprogrock player i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bozzie Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='Rasta' date='Jan 31 2011, 09:54 AM' post='1109103 Jazzfunkfusionreggaedubprogrock player i guess [/quote] in a word then; diverse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyd Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 OK, here goes... I'm 44, and I've been playing since I was about 15. I started off playing with a pick inspired by the likes of Stranglers, U2 and The Cure, then I discovered finger-style playing via John Taylor. To me, the whole point of bass is to hold down the groove in the most economical way possible - this doesn't mean that the lines have to be boring, or even simple, but just that they should never be busier than the tune can support. IMHO if you spend too much time up the fretboard you might as well be a guitarist - but that could be because I've always been crap at the flashy stuff I've been playing a Japanese Fender Jazz for nearly 20 years and haven't seen any reason to replace it for anything else. I've also started playing double bass in the last 3 years and I'm trying to get better at playing Jazz and Latin music. My biggest influences on BG are Robbie Shakespeare, Paul Jackson and Sweet Charles Sherrell and on DB there's a long list including Dave Holland, Paul Chambers and Cachao. Oh, and the bass playing on Fela Kuti's stuff is amazing but I've never been able to find out who actually played on those records, so perhaps someone can enlighten me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Aged 29, started playing when I was 15 - my first bass was the world's heaviest Encore P-bass, which I could never keep in tune. Nor did I really know a great deal about tuning, at the time. I played metal back then, as that was what I listened to - Coal Chamber, Sepultura, etc - we'd meet in the school music room, or the cloakroom next door, a few of us who were learning to play and share what we knew. My playing gradually progressed, and I upgraded to a (then) lovely Aria Pro II Magna, which I still reminisce about. My Encore made it's way to a namesake, and another starter player. Early idols included Jason Newstead, Cliff Burton, Rex Brown, Paulo Jo. I went to uni in 2000, which would have been an ideal time to play some bass - except for a combination of everything else! I broke my right-hand (2002) and right-arm (2003) leaving me with nerve damage and a real disinclination to go back to playing. Sometime early in 2008 I got the bug again. I had no bass gear this time, and some pain in my hand, but the mission began again - I spoke to my doctor who thought it might be a great idea, theraputive indeed! A quick scour of Ebay found me something suitably cheap, and I was off again... albeit slowly at first. I'm now back in a band and regularly jam with mates. I have the odd niggle, such as our freezing rehearsal room plays havoc with my old breaks, but am very, very happy to be back I'm currently a finger play, trying to fall back in love with the pick and failing. I have a personal penchant for an odd combination of sludge and the blues, and my band play what could only be called rock and roll. The added advantage of being older, and being salaried, is that the gear is much, much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I'm a 4-string fingerstyle player. Started off in my teens (late 1980s) as a Cliff Burton wannabe: all long hair, denims, bangin' head and blazing away 'lead bass' style with fuzz and wah. Now back playing after an 18 year+ hiatus...! Still a Cliff Burton wannabe, only with shorter hair and a newly found respect for Jaco Pastorius as well as Mr Burton (what is it with dead bassists??). Though now heavily influenced by dub, drum 'n' bass and electronica too: still 'heavy', but no longer solely metal... And I'm still very much a beginner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 53 yr old 4 string pick player. I played guitar in my teens, stopped in my early 20s. Bought a bass in my mid 40s which I played every day for a week, every week for a month then abandoned. Then at 50 I picked it up again, started practising seriously and looked for bands to play in. Had my first gig at 50 and the whole thing feels like I have now found a small piece of my soul that has been missing all these years. I play in 2 bands - one is largely lightweight modern pop rock and we generally have a blast - a couple of the guys are fairly well connected and we seem to get some good gigs, though mainly charity non-payers. We've been going in this incarnation for about 18months. The other band is heavy classic rock covers - the kind of music I grew up with in the early-mid 70s. Only been going for about 10 months and just started gigging but playing to a much higher standard. The guitarist and drummer are both pretty hot. I don't have chops, can't read music, can just about read tab but generally don't bother. In my favour - I have a good ear, good touch, good sense of rhythm and timing, am a quick learner and have so far been able to do a passable version of anything I have been asked to. But I am seriously aware of my limitations and feel it is only a matter of time before I get found out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I've played bass since I was 16 - the people who inspire me have largely been up-front, aggressively melodic players - JJ Burnel, Foxton, Dennis Dunaway, Geddy Lee, Entwistle, Tony Butler etc. I've also played guitar since I was about 18 - I'm not great but good enough to be able to record my song ideas adequately. This meant that, apart from my very first gigging band I've always been the main writer in any project I was involved in. I'm not therefore at all good with stereotypically arrogant guitarists. As a writer I like to think that my bass parts do what the song requires, rather than being upfront & showy for the sake of it - however my chosen musical idioms do give me the opportunity to be quite flamboyant, when necessary. I've always loved the dynamic of the bass/drums/guitar/vocal line-up and always attempt to make the bass a necessary bridge between the rhythmic & melodic elements, supporting & complementing both ends. It's not for me to say whether I succeed or not but it feels like it works. Make up your own mind [url="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maya29/190452804313584?v=app_2405167945"]here[/url]. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='Paul S' post='1109426' date='Jan 31 2011, 01:31 PM']I don't have chops, can't read music, can just about read tab but generally don't bother. In my favour - I have a good ear, good touch, good sense of rhythm and timing, am a quick learner and have so far been able to do a passable version of anything I have been asked to. But I am seriously aware of my limitations and feel it is only a matter of time before I get found out... [/quote] Wot he said!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote]But I am seriously aware of my limitations and feel it is only a matter of time before I get found out[/quote] Haha, I am pretty sure most of us on this forum feel like that! I know I do, each and everytime I play with other people - and then I come away surprised, if not doubtful, when people pass compliments. I think we all like to imagine other people are better, but maybe that's the elephant in the room - that everyone else in the band is blagging it too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Good name for a band, then - The Blaggers? I couldn't believe it when I auditioned for the heavy lot - they were all widdling away and thought, Christ there's no way I can hold my own with this lot. We went through the half dozen or so tracks we'd agreed then jammed on a couple more and the main guy said - so, see you next week if you want to come along? Couldn't believe it then, still can't now. Edited January 31, 2011 by Paul S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 The Blaggers! Yeah, that rings for me My guitarist is a big fan of widdling, to the extent that I had a suspicion he must be amazing - like a latter day Satriana, or something, just with a penchant for heavy rock. I've since discovered the widdling is a smoke screen for inability or inexperience - easier to widdle than admit to your limitations and get on with the rest of the band. Hence my thought that it's a lot more common than we think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Me? I am a complete and utter caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='Gust0o' post='1109636' date='Jan 31 2011, 04:09 PM']The Blaggers! Yeah, that rings for me My guitarist is a big fan of widdling, to the extent that I had a suspicion he must be amazing - like a latter day Satriana, or something, just with a penchant for heavy rock. I've since discovered the widdling is a smoke screen for inability or inexperience - easier to widdle than admit to your limitations and get on with the rest of the band. Hence my thought that it's a lot more common than we think.[/quote] + a big 1 to that. The guitarist in our old "band" did all the widdly-diddly (not ned flanders) sort of stuff all day long but when it came to actually being anywhere near the beat he just totally lost all his credibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) [quote name='acidbass' post='45789' date='Aug 15 2007, 12:31 PM']I'm 20 and play only 4 stringers I'm quite a busy player but always have groove at the forefront of my mind. My role model is John Entwistle, specifically from 1965 to 1978, as I don't care much for his style or tone from the 80's onwards (all that tapping and synthy stuff) I like to think I'm quite a melodic player too and know my fair share of music theory to this effect! So....that's me really![/quote] I am, 40 years old and only play 4 string fretted and fretless. Part of me is melodic and very influenced by 80's bass players like Derek Forbes, Paul Webb, Pino, Peter Hook etc. Another part of me loves the driving fat full sounding driven 8 that you find in bands like U2, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Green Day and other guitar rock/punk bands. I also grew up listening to a lot of Jazz, especially swing Jazz so I tend to find I do a lot of walking bass lines or runs where I can. To sum up my bass line, the verse would be some kind of melodic hook, the bridge would be a walking bass line that would lead into a driven chorus playing driving 8's. Edited January 31, 2011 by Linus27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipperydick Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='Vinny' post='1109602' date='Jan 31 2011, 03:45 PM']Wot he said!![/quote] Me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 A picture is better than a Kiloword. [attachment=70565:Albarhouse.JPG] [i]That[/i] kind.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstreet Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I'm the sort of bass player you don't notice until they stop playing. That's when the song starts to sound OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Middle aged Punk Rocker.Leo may have called it a rib cage cutaway,he was wrong,it's a b*llock rest.Precision as low as I can get it,hammer the 4 strings of fury and surprise people with the ( very ) occasional moments of subtlety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Frustrated bass player! I play in time and in tune, am punctual, don't smell that bad, gear sounds ok, I read, am house trained and can observe the social protocols required to rehearse and gig, but I live in the cultural vacuum that is Herefordshire, where the live scene and artistic input is basic and at the absolute opposite of what I'd like to be doing. Trying to get a band together of a decent standard and keep it going is a nightmare. I love living here, but I need a regular gig that isn't pit work or ceilidh bands! Edited January 31, 2011 by scalpy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) 50yrs old been playing for 35yrs. Played in mostly rock / blues bands. Started with a pick and listened to a lot of Kansas (great pick technique). Moved onto finger style when I got into Jack Bruce on the Cozy Powell albums. Have been a fan ever since. Spent a lot of time listeneing to jazz / Jazz Rock styles to improve my technique and speed when I was 20 ish. Influences over the yrs:- Jeff Berlin, Richard Sinclair, Percy Jones, Geddy Lee, John Giblin, Mo Foster, Pete Hurley, Jimmy Haslip, Neil Murray, Trevor Bolder, John Wetton to name but a few. Prefer listening to Prog Rock but never managed to get a Prog band together even after all these yrs. Like most of the guys on this thread I believe the bassists main function is to gel with the drums and hold the band solidly together. It's always nice to add a few tricks and frills into the mix on occasion. I'm not a Berlin, Pastorious or Mark King bassist and don't imagine I could ever reach that level but its nice to dream and have a goal. Haven't played live for few yrs now - probably too long. Recently started playing occasional jam session with old friends - no pressure, no commitment and fairly relaxing. Its made me realise how much I've missed playing in a band. Maybe time to start looking for a proper band. Cheers Dave Edited January 31, 2011 by dmccombe7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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