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#147530 by PaperDog
Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:56 pm
nazz315430 wrote:It is very strange. I have been trying to put a band together and couldn't get a single bass player. I went onto craigslist and found 8 there, and already got replies. So hopefully i will have a bass player soon.


I really wish you the best of luck... In your case, You'll probably fare out well...if you are offering to provide Gig opps.. In my case, its strictly an artistic cause, a recording project... Not paying anybody (I would If I could) but I'm funding/producing the project (Studio time, etc) at no cosdt to other members. The best I could offer was bragging rights for participation (And royalties, of course) if the CD receives any monetary acclaim...

#147798 by BassBastard
Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:48 pm
As a bassist, I get no less than 3 offers a month at least without looking. I am currently considering 4 offers that actually appeal to me.

The problem is finding the type of musicians I want to work with and keeping them together. I just wish guitar players out there understood the idea of TONE... the last two guitarists I worked with (Both in Year of the Moth) had amazing tone. Raw Tube power, Gibson Les Paul guitars and a Gibson Explorer. Mesa Boogie, Marshal and HiWatt ...

It spoiled me and that is part of what I am looking for.

#148152 by AirViking
Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:13 pm
fisherman bob wrote:Ask a guitar player to switch over to bass...

Oh come on...
thats like asking a violin player to switch to up wright bass, They are to different instruments. Basics and fundamentals apply to the grouping of instruments (ie: strings, brass, etc.) But finding someone who is good at their instrument is whats best. I know some people are good at both, like buckethead, but you can't expect someone to just jump from trumpet to tuba and get the full technique and quality out of them.

Thats just one bassist opinions.

#148153 by AirViking
Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:19 pm
BassBastard wrote:As a bassist, I get no less than 3 offers a month at least without looking. I am currently considering 4 offers that actually appeal to me.

The problem is finding the type of musicians I want to work with and keeping them together. I just wish guitar players out there understood the idea of TONE... the last two guitarists I worked with (Both in Year of the Moth) had amazing tone. Raw Tube power, Gibson Les Paul guitars and a Gibson Explorer. Mesa Boogie, Marshal and HiWatt ...

It spoiled me and that is part of what I am looking for.


This is pretty much my exact story too.
It seems like the guitarist I have worked with care a whole hell of a lot less about the overall project than I do. If it's not tone, progressions, tuning, difficulty, its something else like, attitude, or persistence. We had one guitarist come to practice drunk.

Another thing that REALLY bothers me is mislabeling.
If you are a hard rock band DO NOT PUT metal.
If you sometimes play in 3/4 or 5/8 THAT DOES NOT MAKE YOU PROG.
I get adds all the time for prog or math rock, and they are neither. usually they are just slightly more difficult metal than the rest. i'm not that into metal, im a prog head.

#148265 by MikeTalbot
Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:40 pm
I'm having a devil of a time since I switched from bass (after many years) to lead guitar. My hope has been to find another player that does both since I've come to love both instruments.

but what do people write to me about? "I need a bass player..."

I might do it too. Project taking too long, need to get in front of an audiance again.

Talbot

#148369 by FunkDealer
Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:41 am
I am right here. What do you need?

#152652 by jyarddog
Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:53 pm
Or.... like me, a bassist is way up here in Ione, WA.

It is possible to have a guitarist switch to bass, but he/she must realize he must not play lead guitar on it. Too many do. So many think they have to play fast, fast, fast all the time. Give the guy time to adjust to playing bass. It's a feel from inside, work with the drummer. Listen to his bass drum. What and where you don't play is as important as what you DO play.

The hammer and snap technique is nice but do not make it a requesite for a possible bassist. Can he play without rushing or dragging? Does he pay attention to dynamics? Can he sing?

Using a pick is ok if it gets the sound you want in this or that tune. Can he use his fingers. Do the fingers of his left hand fly all over the place while playing or do they stay close to the fret board? Is his thumb at the back of the neck with wrist forward so his fingers are directly over the fretboard, or does he grab the neck like he's cliimbing a pole? :)

Does he have his bass right there where his hands can reach the entire neck or does he wear the bass low, down by his knees because he wants to look COOL!!!!

Do his right hand fingers bend too much and pick lightly at the strings to go as fast as he can to show off, or do his fingers stay slightly bent and attack the strings like he means business?

There may be times when he can shine and play a few licks till the next turn around. Can he refrain from doing so and not 'step' on someone else's licks?

Someone in the band wrote a tune. He wants bassline A to be played. Bassist wants to do bassline B. You try both. Song writer hears both and still decides on bassline A. What does the bassist do? Answer- do bassline A. Leave egos outside the bandroom.

The above is the result of 40 years experience playing bass in bands. With all the hassles you get in music... would I do it all over again? ................ You betcha! Bob

#152812 by MikeTalbot
Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:03 am
jYardDog

I agree with much of what you wrote. Though I have to admit I'm hanging my instruments much lower that what I used to.

not for looks - but to get a certain feel with the pick where I can 'gallop' and really max out rythyms - on both bass and six string. I worked for years on my picking style and finally got it right.

I've found the exact sweet spot is where I can hit the highest note on the neck with my pick or fingers without straining - while holding it as low as possible to make it easy on my right hand.

Some do it for looks I suppose.

Have you seen Truhillo in Metallica? That fellow is a Chiropractor's retirement plan and maybe a boat thrown in. It does seem awfully silly to play an instrument holding it in a way that makes it hard to play?! But he makes more money than I do...

Talbot

#152814 by jyarddog
Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:27 am
Talbot- No argument here. That's where you are getting your pick reaction and all- cool. Throughout the years I've heard of some guys looking down their noses at guys who use a pick playing bass. I learned - it's the sound you're looking for.... I'd use my elbow if it got the sound I wanted. bwahahaha! In other words.... it 'don't matter'.

I learned something from watching a violin teacher with the son of an old girl friend of mine. What she taught him I found most of these things I was doing... part of it being easier and part from some advice throughout the years. - 1. She had him keep his thumb dead center behind the neck. 2. push the wrist outwards. 3. Bring the elbow in to the body.

What this did is place the fingers (especially the little finger) right on top of the fretboard! Wow! So much easier to reach certain notes- especially with my short fingers! Yeah- my thumb migrates around the neck now and then especially when doing some double-stops, but when I need to go "a-reachin' " I get back to where I belong. :)

I guess the hanging guitar or bass is partly due to me being on the very short side- only 5'4" so it's beyond me how an axe can be played that way, but I guess they do it. What the hey.

My Fender P bass seems almost as tall as I am. :) I play it through an old Sunn Concert Bass 200 watt amp with a Peavey 1820 cabinet. (18' and 2 10's) Seems like a nice combo.

I used to have an Accoustic 360 for many years. Sold it for cash to go see an old girl friend.... we all make mistakes- right?

BTW- This may seem a likely story, but I bought the Accoustic from Jack Ely of the old Kingsmen. it had a hand painting of two horses and dream catchers on the front which I very stupidly scraped off. Jack live in Bend Oregon raising horses. I e-mailed him and he remembers the amp even though he owned several throughout the years.

I used to run the volume about 1/4 to 1/3. I remember at an outdoors concert when I was in a blues band. He showed up with his band called Thanx. He walked up and asked- hey Bob- can I use my old amp? and I said why of course! Have at!!!! ...... He got up on stage- got ready - turned around and cranked that volume knob up to 3/4 of the way! Gawd I thought he was going to blow that thing sky high.

The amp never grunted or whined a bit! And here I had been babying it for years!

Well enough war stories from this side for now I guess. And you? Bob

#152830 by blues edge
Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:08 pm
I wish I knew where the bass players have gone ? especially where I'm located its hard to find a great bassist. been looking for ever for some one that understands the bottom line groove

#152837 by Starfish Scott
Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:23 pm
This one guy just said it pretty well. He said, "these days you have to teach your of your non-musician friends to play bass".

(Just strike me repeatedly in the head with something heavy)

#152843 by jyarddog
Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:55 pm
It's kind of like a sense or feel. But then once 3 white Russians were feeling more than I was. I was singing, we went into the bridge. We came back out and I went right into the verse of a totally different song which had a similar progression! The heads of the guys snapped around, looking at me but they went right along with it. I didn't real believe them what I had done until the next morning. Turned out it was a good segway. From then on I figured 2 white Russians was my limit. :) Bob

#152879 by MikeTalbot
Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:30 pm
Bob

I loved the Acoustic 360 since I saw a female bassist kicking it with a P-bass. incredible sound. Never had the money and the opportunity come together but used a Kustom I called Gorgo (2 cabinets each with 3 15inch speakers) which never sounded quite good but ALWAYS worked. I used to sleep on the cabinets in the back of the van.

Ampeg SVT was pretty good but ended up using the cab with a Marshal head. Then I retired (from playing pro) and used an old B15 Ampeg for prac for a long time. Owned the amp twice over the years - sold it to a drummer who pawned it to a dentist for his bill - then I bought it from the dentist ten years later and found out it was my old one!

Now days I'm getting back to it and use a working man stack with an overdrive pedal so I don't have to turn up to 11 to distort. Ain't bad but ain't great.

Talbot

#152884 by MikeTalbot
Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:02 am
jyardDog

Sorry - I meant to point my post at you not Bob based upon my interest in your comments.

Talbot

#152887 by jyarddog
Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:36 am
Mike- My error. I am Bob.... aka jyarddog. Your set up sounds like it does the job! Might be able to even get a nice growl out of it like a doghouse bass. :) :)

I loved that Accoustic, but the highs did get lost in the cabinet. I was told that seems to be the characteristic of a folded horn cabinet. didn't really bother me too much.

What did bother me was ..... if you were standing to the side of it my bass would tend to sound loud and boomy. I was always being told to turn it down by my rhthym guitar who stood right there. People on the dance floor would say to turn it up! hahahaha! The tings is the sound from a folded horn cabinet tends to meld or come together about 32 ft out in front and boy is it punchy right there.... and that's where the dance floor is! After he left the group - no more complaints.

That is cool! Get your own amp back after 10 years! Can't beat that! Bob aka jyd jyarddog

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