No Pain, No Gain?

[Bilbo]

And it was going so well.....

Got home after a gig last night and, in taking my bass out of the car, managed to break the bridge in half . Now need a new bridge and a full set up I can't afford (but will, somehow). And, to make it worse, I have a gig tomorrow which, whilst I can do it on the Wal, is based on an acoustic concept that is entirely compromised by the absence of the double bass.

I'm going to re-name the double bass 'The Money Pit'...

[Bilbo]

Finally got it booked in. My luthier (Steve Laws) was on holiday and only got back last night. I have to take it to him on 28th April and leave it there over that weekend (I am away anyway so won't need it any quicker).

What a palarva!

[thisnameistaken]

How did you manage to split the bridge?

[Bilbo]

Taking it out of the car sideways and it must have clipped the side of the car door (Rear door of a three door Jimny). Carelessness on my part.

[nobodysprefect]

Having split my bridge once - my condolecenses. The upright, she is a harsh mistress. And it's almost never worth it. Must be wrong in the head, must I.

Edited April 22, 2011 by nobody's prefect

[Bilbo]

New track recently recorded. The bass is recorded through a K&K pick up and a Fishman Platinum Pro and simulatneously through a Rode NT1A microphone. I am quiet pleased with the results (more tracks to follow when they are properly mixed).

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=135296"]Witchcraft[/url]

My bass has been out of commission for a month (see above) but I am getting it back on Friday in time for a trio gig on Saturday. New bridge and soundpost. Can't wait.

[Hector]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1227299' date='May 11 2011, 11:21 AM']New track recently recorded. The bass is recorded through a K&K pick up and a Fishman Platinum Pro and simulatneously through a Rode NT1A microphone. I am quiet pleased with the results (more tracks to follow when they are properly mixed).

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=135296"]Witchcraft[/url]

My bass has been out of commission for a month (see above) but I am getting it back on Friday in time for a trio gig on Saturday. New bridge and soundpost. Can't wait.[/quote]


Sounding great Rob! How long since you first started on upright? Some disgustingly short amount of time I expect...

[bassace]

Yes, very good bass playing although your drummer a bit careless with the cymbals at times. Only thing worries me; I understood from your posts that you were terribly cutting edge and had a downer on 'The Great American Songbook'. So why Witchcraft? Glad to see that you're not above doing what the rest of us do.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='bassace' post='1227653' date='May 11 2011, 03:32 PM']Yes, very good bass playing although your drummer a bit careless with the cymbals at times. Only thing worries me; I understood from your posts that you were terribly cutting edge and had a downer on 'The Great American Songbook'. So why Witchcraft? Glad to see that you're not above doing what the rest of us do.[/quote]

I just played the gig

There's the me that I want to be and the me that I am. They are not necessarily the same thing.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='Hector' post='1227647' date='May 11 2011, 03:26 PM']Sounding great Rob! How long since you first started on upright? Some disgustingly short amount of time I expect...[/quote]

I borrowed a bass from Jakesbass in December 2009 and got my own last March so say 16 months? The lines I am playing are not that different to those I would have played on the Wal so all I really had to do was learn the mechanics of playing the double bass and to build the stamina (still working on that). It also helped that a short while before this session, I had my bass set up properly (it was set too high before). It all came together at that session.

[Bilbo]

Got my bass back from the luthier as promised and, with the new bridge and soundpost, it sounds great. Can't wait to get playing this afternoon (wedding gig - sax, bass, piano trio - just as well there are no drums as this is the first real oouting since the breakdown four weeks ago. I am expecting stamina to be an issue although the action on the bass is so much more user friendly so that will help a lot). Still, the other guys are good musical players so I am in safe hands!!

[Hector]

Had a lengthy session with a luthier today, making soundpost adjustments and whipping on a new set of spiros (weich). Everything seems to have come together - she really sings now, with a resonant low end that had me grinning. Not had much time on the spiros yet, but they show a lot of promise. Weren't half as bad under the bow as I was expecting. Shame about those pesky finals getting in the way of my precious playing time!

[derrenleepoole]

I really wish I could get a proper upright again, there's just no room at all at home until we move house! Hearing your great playing Bilbo makes me realise just what I'm missing The NS Wav is nice and all, but it's long way from the real deal!

[Bilbo]

I love this instrument. That's all

[ZMech]

Have just borrowed one of these from my mate, so that I can build up the left hand strength and stamina whilst watching tv.

Just spent an hour whilst watching Dr Who doing some slow cycles with them, omitting the index finger, and now my pinky is feeling the burn. I think this could be a good way to get the left hand strength/stamina back up, since I've hardly been playing due to revision.

Edited June 6, 2011 by ZMech

[thisnameistaken]

I always thought those things would just develop your tendon problems faster. You have to use a lot more force with one of those than you do to stop a note on a bass, surely?

[Bilbo]

I am finding that the best way to build up your left hand 'muscle tone' is to play the thing. I don't think you need strength as such, just finesse. If all the muscles in your left hand are working together efficiently, you probably had enough strength in that hand before you even started.

PS I got three hours double bass practice in yesterday with no tension in my hands at all. A good action and tried and tested technique and it all comes together. Gain without pain

[Mike]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1201842' date='Apr 16 2011, 02:42 PM']And it was going so well.....

Got home after a gig last night and, in taking my bass out of the car, managed to break the bridge in half . Now need a new bridge and a full set up I can't afford (but will, somehow). And, to make it worse, I have a gig tomorrow which, whilst I can do it on the Wal, is based on an acoustic concept that is entirely compromised by the absence of the double bass.

I'm going to re-name the double bass 'The Money Pit'... [/quote]


Ah, never saw this post. How annoying. You would have been very welcome to borrow mine, set up by Martyn Bailey. Let me know in future!

[ZMech]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1259281' date='Jun 7 2011, 08:09 AM']I am finding that the best way to build up your left hand 'muscle tone' is to play the thing. I don't think you need strength as such, just finesse. If all the muscles in your left hand are working together efficiently, you probably had enough strength in that hand before you even started.

PS I got three hours double bass practice in yesterday with no tension in my hands at all. A good action and tried and tested technique and it all comes together. Gain without pain [/quote]
Yes that's true, but the engineering exams kinda get in the way of practise, and will carry on to do so for the next two weeks. If you can play double bass whilst revising fluid dynamics I'll be very impressed!

and TNiT, noone makes you squeeze it fully. Have been doing so up to just a slightly stronger grip than I need to stop the buzzing when fretting with my little finger. Even with the correct technique I was taught it seems to happen, and whilst practise would indeed be the more ideal trainer, this will at least help in the meantime.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='Mike' post='1259293' date='Jun 7 2011, 08:22 AM']Ah, never saw this post. How annoying. You would have been very welcome to borrow mine, set up by Martyn Bailey. Let me know in future![/quote]

I will, Mike. Many thanks (likewise the other way around - although mine is a five string so be warned!!)

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='ZMech' post='1259435' date='Jun 7 2011, 10:48 AM']and TNiT, noone makes you squeeze it fully. Have been doing so up to just a slightly stronger grip than I need to stop the buzzing when fretting with my little finger. Even with the correct technique I was taught it seems to happen, and whilst practise would indeed be the more ideal trainer, this will at least help in the meantime.[/quote]

Well, be careful, poorly tendons are no fun.

[TPJ]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1259504' date='Jun 7 2011, 11:39 AM']Well, be careful, poorly tendons are no fun.[/quote]

+1

[Mike]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1259466' date='Jun 7 2011, 11:14 AM']I will, Mike. Many thanks (likewise the other way around - although mine is a five string so be warned!!)[/quote]

Cheers Bilbo - When I have sat in a few times with Bernie I always get a bit confused by his 5th string!

[Bilbo]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1203293' date='Apr 18 2011, 09:57 AM']I [i]knew[/i] it!!

I did a trio gig last night at The Fox Inn in Bury St Edmunds. It was tenor sax, bass and drums. I have played this venue on an off for about three years with different bands and know the landlord and the bloke she uses to book the bands reasonably well. The bloke approached me about putting something together for last night and I asked him if I could do this trio thing as I had wanted to do it for years. He was a bit 'ooooh, Shelia (the landlord) won't like it' but he agreed to let us do it.

Anyway, sorted the line up and set about getting some charts together based on the fact that I would be playing double bass and needed to pace things so I wasn't a spent force at the end of the first (of three) set. Charts done and sent to the sax player and drummer. All set to go when, on Friday at around midnight, I was unloading my double bass from the car and clipped the bridge on the side of the vehicle, causing it to explode into three pieces. So I had to do the gig on electric and most of the charts were inappropriate. I have to admit that I was feeling more than a little nwevous before we started, something that has not happened in decades. So, gieven the forced change of plan, we knocked up three sets of old faithfuls on the day. We were doing funk versions of standards, some hip hop derived stuff (with a hint of reggae), the odd shufffle, some fast 'sh*t off a stick' be-bop, some Latin tunes and a couple of ballads per set. Damned hard work for a trio and a lot of really focussed effort by all involved. More to the point, and herein lied the risk, it demanded something of the listener.

The gig was not only a 'musical/artistic' success but the (hard to please) landlady loved it, the punters loved it and we got an immediate re: booking in June. The clincher though came to me third hand from guy who told me that another regular (who really knows his stuff) said it was 'exceptional' and 'by far the best thing [he] had ever seen there'. It had its flaws and I would do some things differently next time but, for a first gig. it felt like a real affirmation. I have always believed that the punters will respond to the energy and the quality of an intelligent performance and didn't need to be spoon-fed 'smooth jazz' or 'the Great American Songbook' to be engaged. What we did last night was 'commercial suicide' in conventional terms and many venues/bookers would balk at the idea of a 'harmony-less' trio but it nevertheless went down a storm. Left with a very big smile on my face.[/quote]

Have another gig with this trio lined up in Bury St Edmunds on 10th July. The drummer I used last time cannot make it but I jave got Nic France, ex-Loose Tubes, to do it so it shoudl be ok. I played with Nic once before but it was a more 'structured' setting. I am hpoing that this more relaxed, blowing environment may allow for some creative and exciting stuff!! This is off Nic's website:

[i]In 1980 I moved to London to work as a freelance session drummer and started playing with Ian Carr's Nucleus. This lead to playing with many other established London based musicians including Ronnie Scott, John Taylor, Allan Holdsworth, Jim Mullen, Tim Whitehead and Bobby Wellins. International artists included Mose Allison, L. Shankar, Hank Crawford and David Fathead Newman and an appearance on BBC tv with Billy Cobham. I was a founder member of Loose Tubes alongside Django Bates, John Parricelli, Chris Batchelor , Mark Lockheart and Iain Ballamy.

By 1984 I had joined Working Week, toured Europe extensively and recorded 3 albums. In 1988/89 I had the great pleasure of playing drums and singing backing vocals with Bill Withers on two UK and European tours. From 1989-95 I played with Tanita Tikaram, involving several world tours and albums. From the mid 90's I played with Antonio Forcione, Ian Shaw, Christie Hennessey and toured and recorded with Tim Garland's Lammas. In 2001/2 I had the good fortune to play with David Gilmour with guests Kate Bush, Bob Geldorf and Robert Wyatt, appearing on the David Gilmour Live DVD recorded at the Festival Hall. I played with Andy Sheppard, Nigel Kennedy and Barb Jungr over this period. I have been playing drums for Terry Callier since 2005. I currently play with Mbawula a South African Township band, and Jazzinho a contemporary Brazilian band. In 2009 I played with the Charlie Haden Liberation Orchestra I have also played for the NDR Big Band and the Birmingham Royal Ballet.[/i]

Should be good

[Clarky]

Towards the end of our 75 minute set at the Upton Blues festival yesterday I got cramp in each hand and my left hand curled up like a claw - I had to really use ingenuity to keep playing (used the side of my right hand thumb to pluck for most of a song and to use one very mobile left hand finger to keep the riff up!) Managed to stretch my hands after the song and just about got through the rest of the set. I obviously need to do more hand conditioning if we are going to play longer sets more often.

Has anyone else experienced this problem with a DB and - building up hand strength aside - do you have any tips for alleviating the issue if it strikes?