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Now a reply:
What I actually said:
There’s no way I’d spend 1000e on an amp and cab and only have a 10″. I’d want a 12″ driver even for home use just for the feel of playing with a driver that shifts plenty of air.
Which is not the same as:
I only interjected because someone was being told that they needed a 12” speaker for proper bass sound at home, and the thing is, that remains complete and utter rubbish.
I didn't tell anyone to do anything, that's not my style. I wouldn't spend 1000e on a bass amp + cab/combo with a 10" for a home set up. I'd aim for something more balanced between amp and cab in spec. It's like one those familiar questions about what gets the best sound, money in the guitar or money in the amp/cab. A Harley Benton Tele into a boutique amp or a Custom Shop Tele into a harley Benton amp. Somewhere between the two is the best playability/sound compromise.
I don't worry too much about what I plug my bass into at home. If I had nothing I'd look on the local second-hand site for something like a recent Fender Rumble 500. I'm not the OP, I'm not chiefgroveguru, that's just what I'd do. All hypothical and all.
“Chiefgrooveguru – did you/do you post on Basschat.co.uk?”
I used to but the behaviour of a select group of bitter middle-aged and older men attempting to shoot me down for having the audacity to both tell them they’re wrong and have a successful* little business in that sector got too hard for my mental health. There’s nothing like a British success story for bringing out the other Brits who need to “take him down a peg or two”. I post on talkbass now and then because that American-dominated forum doesn’t suffer from the same weird hatred of apparent success or younger people (though I’m less young now!) knowing stuff.
*If your idea of success is still being in business after 13 years and making an ok living doing something you really care about - but not if you’re expecting great riches!
The speaker size thing has annoyed me since I started learning about speaker design. The problem is that the only thing you can really see about a speaker is how big it is, so everyone focuses on that. But look at it like this:
With guitar and bass speakers in gigging gear you’ll mostly encounter 10”, 12” and 15” speakers. That’s only a 50% increase in nominal diameter and a 140% increase in actual area. But you’ll encounter Xmax going from under 2mm to over 10mm (>400% increase), power handling going from about 20W to 600W (almost 3000% increase).
And then there’s all the other parameters like Mms and BL and Le and Cms and Rms etc. They vary by massive percentages. And that’s just LF behaviour, then there’s all the complexity of cone shape and stiffness and damping and dustcap likewise, and surround and spider and voice coil former and magnetic behaviour and thermal behaviour and even the glue joints. It goes on and on and everything makes a difference. And that’s just speakers - enclosures matter tons too.
Talking about speakers by just referring to nominal diameter is barely better informed than talking about bikes or cars by just referring to their colour!
Ah - I think I remember you from around back then. Not been on the site - probably for a good decade or so. I think I know what you’re alluding to. There were a few really decent people on there from what I remember, though. Some very opinionated as well.
Anyway - just to join the thread as a bassist. Just getting back into it again after a long break. Have had a variety of basses over the years, but recently sold my Overwater 5 and picked up a 4-string jazz to get going again.
Keep it up - if it works, it works. Beauty in the ear of the beholder and all that. My favourite tone I ever has was from a highly stressed Ashdown ABM powering a Schroeder 1210 at full tilt as we’d run out of XLR cables to DI with 😂. I appreciate that it wouldn’t have been to everyone’s tonal taste…
“I guess I pissed Chiefgoveguru off, he had a sale then I suggested something a bit more expensive”
Hard though this may be to believe, the thing that annoyed me was your anecdotal evidence regarding nominal diameter being passed off as fact.
I was excited about this thread because I wanted to talk about bass playing and writing music, not because I’m desperately hunting for customers. I love it when people’s research (and budget) leads them to us because I honestly believe we’re making some of the very best bass and guitar cabs that have ever been made. I like to try to spread the knowledge and you can do with it what you will. Obviously you may think that’s an elaborate Machiavellian marketing strategy and if so then I’ll just pretend that it is indeed a very cunning plan…
Did anyone listen to that song foundation (that’s what I call the bass parts I build songs on) that I posted a while back? I’m bored of speakers, that’s my job!
“ There were a few really decent people on there from what I remember, though.”
A lot of really decent people and I miss interacting with many of them. Bass forums are lovely places much of the time - just don’t start a UK business when you’re a Brit posting on a UK forum, whatever your market sector, the trolls are like moths to a lamp!
This is the one that gets me:
“and halved the excursion your drive needs”
Because it has a resonant system that adds the back wave output to the front wave.
No amount of clever baffles and ports is going to double the sound energy going forward. I fully understand what your aiming at but you are never going to get all the sound waves going out of the back of the driver to go forward and in phase in such a way that the sound energy going forward is doubled. There will be dispersion, absorbtion and some cancellation however clever your design. Why claim an implausible doubling when you could present something more realistic perhaps obtained by measurement?
Refering to anyone who finds your claims implausible as a troll, bitter middles-aged old men really isn't going to make friends and influence people.
There are owners of: an art stall, bike shops, outdoor center, language school, flower shop... who get on fine here - teachers come in for some abuse though.
I did listen to your soundcloud, Chiefgroveguru. I didn't comment like most people. A Youtube on the guitar threads generally gets about 20 hits straight within a day of a link from here but there are sometimes zero comments and usually only one or two. Myself and Simon are the most prolific, neither of us does perfection, I just post what I'm doing to add interest to the thread, I think Simon does the same, we ain't Hendrix. There are some proper guitar heroes on here who occasionally put something up but even then comments are few and restrained. I think all that shows social skills, everyone welcome to post, most people keep their thoughts to themselves, a few comments. It's not unusual, you'll find everything abot Telecasters on the Telecaster forum except people actually playing the things and if ever they do it'll be "nice Tele". I wouldn't come here to ask for criticism either constructive or destructive - people are too nice, even the bitter middle-aged old men.
“ No amount of clever baffles and ports is going to double the sound energy going forward. I fully understand what your aiming at but you are never going to get all the sound waves going out of the back of the driver to go forward and in phase in such a way that the sound energy going forward is doubled. There will be dispersion, absorbtion and some cancellation however clever your design. Why claim an implausible doubling when you could present something more realistic perhaps obtained by measurement?”
This is how all ported speakers work, it’s nothing new. Same for passive radiators and open-ended transmission lines. When properly executed, all these designs can move twice as much air at low frequencies as sealed cabs. It’s not an implausible claim, it’s just the norm.
Open-backed aka open baffle cabs swing the other way vs sealed cabs - rather than keeping the backwave contained so it doesn’t do anything, the backwave escapes and partially cancels the front wave. Total disaster for low frequency output and efficiency (although it can sound very good for home audio with loads of amp power and speaker volume displacement).
You aren't going to give an inch are you, Chiefgroveguru? You're standing by doubling so far. Why? This is your cross, I'm not a speaker designer going out on a leg on rather ambitious claim.
We all know what happens when we wire stereo speakers out of phase, there is some cancelling but the sound isn't halved, it's louder but not twice as loud in phase. Some frequencies suffer more than others. Out of phase is louder than only one driver, somewhere between one on its own and two.
Junior has produced some techno albums and talked me through some of what he was doing. The albums get played in clubs and the bass needs to sound really good - the low bass is mono. Below a certain frequency the cancellation of some of the freqencies makes the sound patchy, they are slightly louder in some places than others due to cancellation - so they use mono to avoid the problem. He did me a demo in the studio, the adding and cancelling did indeed perceptibly change volume of some fequencies, but half or double, no.
There are bass ports on my stero speakers. They come with bungs. With or without bungs makes little difference.
Another example, car induction sytems. You can use the resonant standing waves in the inlet tract to increase the pressure of admission and improve scavenging of exhaust. This works at some rpm but not at others, you gain power at some revs but lose at others. In your speaker cab if a reflection dimension allows you to reinforce some frequencies it'll decrease others.
Bed time.
There’s a large pile of basics you don’t understand about acoustics, which is why this is proving such a painful discussion:
“We all know what happens when we wire stereo speakers out of phase, there is some cancelling but the sound isn’t halved, it’s louder but not twice as loud in phase.”
Mistake 1: You’re talking about broadband output, I’m talking about low frequencies as they’re the limiting factor with bass.
Mistake 2: A doubling of output does not sound like a doubling of loudness because the human ear has logarithmic response to SPL. You need a tenfold increase in output to have a perceived doubling of output.
Anyway, this is why I don’t spend time discussing speakers on forums anymore. It’s a waste of my time to try to argue with one person when I don’t know their level of expertise and understanding.
Just stumbled on this thread and not sure I understand a lot of what’s been said so far!!
Anywho, my eldest started learning the guitar and having always fancied giving it a go I said I’d learn the bass at the same time.
That was Sept 19 and one of us is still playing 🙄
I’ve not much of a clue on the theories etc but I’ve got rhythm and have been using tabs to pick up songs I like - with varying degrees of success. Got Mr Brightside nailed this week.
Kit wise I’ve an Ibanez SR370E (in lovely whisky burst) and a Fender Rumble amp.
Did anyone listen to that song foundation (that’s what I call the bass parts I build songs on) that I posted a while back? I’m bored of speakers, that’s my job!
I did! Didn't post at the time because I was away, but it's an interesting piece. The sense of building drama (menace even) works well as you work up through the modulations/key changes. The urgency in the repeating riff adds to that, and even the string squeak forms part of the feel to it. I like it because it works like a classical piece.....it would be great with some orchestral add-ins.
Those two open E's are definite anomalies ......... but work in context to an extent. My mind/ear wants to hear why you play them....... in other words are they a feature you're going to build into the whole piece (ie a developing theme) , or do they remain as they are, a bit of a puzzle?
what a shame, that a nice positive thread about basses has turned into a peak STW knobend-fest, some people (mentioning no names) really need to realize that in their desperate need to shout loudest and be the most correct, (even if their understanding of acoustics and A-weighted decibels and SPL are bit iffy) that any points have interest are just lost in haze of noise and seen by most others as just endless "blah-blah-blah-dickhead"
Got Mr Brightside nailed this week.
That song is my nemesis. It's such an iconic sound I love and I just can't get it sounding good (the guitar part, anyway). Kudos.
I'm debating buying a cheap bass. I've been messing around using a guitar to do bass parts for some loops I've been working on - nothing major, just for fun. How different is playing, say, a Squier P-Bass compared to a Tele + Octaver. I realise this sort of comparison will probably upset a lot of bass players! Or maybe I should get a Baritone 6-string. Half way house? Or worst of both worlds? I'm running it into a Helix (with bass amp sim) so it's oney the guitar I need (not a cab 🙈). My wife would probably kill me either way.
Any Scott's Bass Lessons students on here - I see there's a promo with $50 a year off the sub and I'm tempted. I have a teacher that I see half an hour a week, but I'm wondering if SBL would be good for just doing a quick lesson when I have 30 mins free?
On the same theme, anyone using the Beginner to Badass course?
I’m debating buying a cheap bass. I’ve been messing around using a guitar to do bass parts for some loops I’ve been working on – nothing major, just for fun. How different is playing, say, a Squier P-Bass compared to a Tele + Octaver. I realise this sort of comparison will probably upset a lot of bass players! Or maybe I should get a Baritone 6-string. Half way house? Or worst of both worlds? I’m running it into a Helix (with bass amp sim) so it’s oney the guitar I need (not a cab 🙈). My wife would probably kill me either way.
I'd just keep an eye out for something on Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace. You can usually pick up a Squire Jazz or P for around £150 or Ibanez/Yamaha a bit cheaper. That's how the ride down the slippery slope of BGAS starts 🙂
How different is playing, say, a Squier P-Bass compared to a Tele + Octaver.
Worlds apart........ a bass is set up to be played essentially one string at a time, and the way you play it has a spectrum of techniques that gives a spectrum of tones and "feel". You can replicate the notes, but not the overall effect. You've mentioned Squier basses, and they're fantastic value options.... but don't buy a P bass until you've tried a J Bass alongside it.
If you're only after a bass to DI into your recording then as long as the thing holds tuning and intonation there are thousands of really cheap options out there (Harley Benton springs to mind)
Don't forget that N+1 is even worse with guitars......
Any Scott’s Bass Lessons students on here
I did it for a year. It's worth a look but it's very in depth and there's a lifetime's worth of lessons on there. I found that the basic stuff was very basic and all the interesting stuff was way over my head as a complete beginner.
For me, I found there was no point going overboard on the theory and trying to memorize a lot of information before you can actually play. I really struggled to concentrate on both the exercises and the knowledge while struggling to physically play it.
I went away from it to just play for fun and try to get some speed and dexterity built up. I've mentioned Yousician earlier but you might have missed it amongst the pissing contest. That's great for just building speed and accuracy and I can mostly do an impression now of someone who can play along with some very tricky tunes.
I'll definitely go back to SBL when I've got time to concentrate on the lessons. With a young baby in the house I've really gone backwards in the last few months.
I’m debating buying a cheap bass.
"How different is playing, say, a Squier P-Bass compared to a Tele + Octaver."
Loads of tonal differences but I think the dominant one is that there's a really different shape to the note envelope, loads more punch and thump from a real bass. I suspect you'll also find quite a different change in mindset when playing a bigger instrument with thicker strings and more string tension (and you don't have to worry about the octaver failing to track!)
The joy of the P-bass is that it's not expensive to build a great sounding one, just needs a stiff wood for the neck, a resonant wood for the body, and a simple passive pickup. The one we have for testing/demoing was someone's DIY project, didn't cost a lot, sounds great! Buy a secondhand one like that and if you find you don't play it you'll move it on with minimal/no loss.
I'd argue that a great Jazz bass is harder to do on the cheap - the sound has a wider bandwidth with more highs available and with both pickups on full the more subdued mids means you need more growl or texture through those harmonics to stop it getting lost in the mix, plus the slimmer neck needs better wood to have the stiffness of the Precision's chunky neck. Also because the P-pickup is split you can adjust the string to string balance precisely whilst with the J-pickup you're reliant on the poles and windings being correct and suiting your string choices and action.
Thanks, I have Fender Play, as well, but I think I'll have a look at Yousician as well (sounds like a scouse word).
"The urgency in the repeating riff adds to that, and even the string squeak forms part of the feel to it. I like it because it works like a classical piece…..it would be great with some orchestral add-ins."
Thanks for listening/commenting! It's actually part of the massive pile of songs in various states of completion I have for a new project that was just getting going as the last lockdown hit and then more recently I've been doing a lot of building works on our studio at work so that's been out of action. It's going to be just bass, drums and vocals, with the bass an electric one (not this acoustic bass), a load of FX to add texture, and the vocals layered with plenty of harmonies to fill things out. Hopefully it'll sound good, it's a new direction for me to have to fill quite so much space with the bass. It's reassuring that the strings squeaks aren't too problematic - they'll be much much much quieter with my StingRay but they probably won't be totally inaudible.
"Those two open E’s are definite anomalies ……… but work in context to an extent. My mind/ear wants to hear why you play them……. in other words are they a feature you’re going to build into the whole piece (ie a developing theme) , or do they remain as they are, a bit of a puzzle?"
The bouncy chorus section that this ends with is also how the piece starts - it feels right to me but I know I'm weirdly tolerant of dissonance! Will see what my vocalist says, she's more consonant for sure. Actually it starts with the chorus changes but basically played quietly in 8th note roots, and then a crescendo to the loud chorus riff. Then it quietens down when it changes into the first part of this recording, and then the tension (and loudness?) builds, as you've observed. If that makes sense?!
i use scott's bass lessons. there is literally a lifetime's worth of stuff on there. considering the quality of the material on there i don't feel the price is unreasonable. however, you've got to put the time in to get the results, shock horror.
a key consideration with learning anything, including bass, is being focused on improving one thing at a time. don't dip in and out of loads of different things at once, however tempting it is.
the other thing is starting at the beginning. i've been playing for 20 years and am currently doing the 26 week accelerator course (its a standalone thing outside the standard subscription). it starts with the proper basics (a month of right hand exercises!), so its tough going at times. however, nobody is above this stuff, and it makes you a better player. even after just a month of it i feel like i'm playing with much better consistency. sadly i think he only opens that course once a year or so but keep an eye out for the next one.
this is the way musical instruments should be taught - give people the tools to build solid technique above all else, then hang everything else off that. wish i'd done it years ago.
If you want to play along with an app I can highly recommend Yousician. It made the biggest, fastest difference to my playing that I’ve ever achieved. It’s simple, repetitive and quite addictive. If you sit down and play for 2 hours, that’s 2 hours of actual playing, not 90 minutes of surfing Youtube and 30 minutes of playing along to tabs.
Cheers, will have a look
For online lessons, take a look at Jim Stinnet’s ‘real bass lessons’
He sadly passed away earlier in the year, but has a wealth of free lessons online. He was a professor of music at Berklee and taught YouTube virtuoso Charles Bertroud.
Always smiling and a real passion for the bass. Rip Jim.
Nice on Mudmuncher, I've wondered about where would be a good point to get started on proper bass techniques rather than just guessing, that looks spot on
The amp issue is sorted (for now). I'm picking up a Fender Rumble 500 V3 500-Watt Bass Amp Head and a Fender Rumble 115 V3 Bass Cabinet for a price it would be rude not to.
I'm still tempted by one of @Chiefgrooveguru's cabs though 🤔
I used to play in my teens and early twenties but was never any good. Had a Fender jazz and loved playing funk more than anything else. Hence the username! Keep thinking about picking up a cheap acoustic and just messing about.
I meant a really basic knowledge, like how to find the root of the key and where to find the roots of the other chords in the key.
That reminds me of the Mudhoney story. Someone, can’t recall who, asked to jam with them and said “what key are you playing in” the baffled response from (I think) Mark Arm was “What’s a key?”
All the cool kids pretend they don't know any music theory. It's like a badge of honour.
I work with a guitarist who scoffs at the very idea of taking lessons or learning theory. But, I've seen him in conversation with his band mates and he knows it inside out.
I don't know how you could ever get anything done if you knew literally nothing. How would you control a full group of people who all knew nothing other than playing random notes?
Some pretty wise words on music theory from bass legend Victor Wooten that’s worth a listen
Jump to 3m30 onwards…
That's an interesting video, I'll be watching that again.
I wish I knew more about the theory, but as said that doesn't mean you can play. It's like language; and the mistakes we do and don't make when teaching language.
When we're little kids we just pick it up. We improvise, we use what we have and we see what fits together to get the effect we want. The words, the volume, etc., all by trial and error and gradually we refine it and get better at it so we start to more closely mirror what is accepted as proper use of language. And instinctively we learn stuff like when to use flowery language, and when an expletive is and isn't useful to create an effect....
When we're older they give us a text book and teach us vocabulary and subject verb object, and don't forget that the genetive case has to follow the use of that preposition which means you need to add an 'S' on the object and the verb must always be second position in the sentance unless in certain cases where it has to go to the end....and no-one's got a clue how to make it work.
In music there's only 12 notes but an infinite way you can put them together once you consider timing, volume (and the instruments you use to put them together). And then an acceptance, that certain things go well together and certain things don't. That major chords are happy and minor chords sound more dangerous. It should be way easier compared to the average adult who knows 25-30K words. I'm astounded actually that we haven't run out of tunes, and that you can hear a few notes (no vocal) of a new tune and 'know' that's a Beatles or a Stone Roses or a whoever song even if you haven't heard it before.
So do we do it like kids, try it out and see which pairs and sets of notes work well and which make us wince. Or try to understand how it all fits together. I wonder if there is an optimal time to learn music but I suspect it's before 52 - I suspect it's similar age where kids sing nursery rhymes together and understand scales and so on from there. They instinctively know what notes are in each scale, or what the IV or V is from a root note, even if they don't know what IV or V means.
But how do I teach my fingers what my head seems to know.......
But how do I teach my fingers what my head seems to know…….
That will come with time.
I took the bass up in later life around 5 years ago. I started out using tabs and was learning and memorising songs in a mechanical way. Ie learning what frets/strings to press, consequently I really struggled to hold more than a few songs in my head at anytime. Over the years my brain has gradually adapted so I’m learning the actual bass line in my head and I’m getting to the point where I don’t have to think so much about what fret/string to play, it just kind of happens subconsciously. I still do need to initially learn what frets to play but this is made much easier by hearing the music in my head and sometimes I’ll be playing a song and realise I’m playing the bass line on a completely different string/position on the neck than what I have learnt because I’m recalling the bass line rather than what frets to press.
The biggest tip I can give if you want to get better is to join a band and start playing with other people. I had a couple of years of slow progress playing alone at home, but my skills went up another level within a few months of joining a band.
The biggest tip I can give if you want to get better is to join a band and start playing with other people. I had a couple of years of slow progress playing alone at home, but my skills went up another level within a few months of joining a band.
That's what I'd like to do eventually. I know a drummer who lives in my street who's been badgering me to play with him. The trouble is I know he's very good and I'm a total amateur. It won't be much fun for him when he hears my slow motion noodling.
I've never played outside my own living room yet. Any tips for jamming with a drummer for the first time?
I’ve never played outside my own living room yet. Any tips for jamming with a drummer for the first time?
To be honest, he probably just wants to hang out. I remember bashing out power chords with a band in my teens. I'm sure it sounded terrible but it was good to hang out with mates. A bit like going for a ride with a friendly who's new to MTB. They might not be up to your level of skill, but you can both enjoy it for what it is.
I started out using tabs and was learning and memorising songs in a mechanical way. Ie learning what frets/strings to press, consequently I really struggled to hold more than a few songs in my head at anytime.
God, this is so true. I spent YEARS learning tabs and being a very mediocre guitarist (but being able to play a few cool tunes). Now I have done a bit of formal reading and can understand keys/scales/harmony a bit more, I'm a slightly less mediocre guitarist! Although this is the bass thread, and I'm only here to be nosy, I'm sure it's the same thing.
In music there’s only 12 notes but an infinite way you can put them together*
This guy has copyrighted all the melodies (but not for the reason you might think).
* I know you actually caveated that statement, but it was an excuse to post a sort-of relevant interesting video.
"Some pretty wise words on music theory from bass legend Victor Wooten that’s worth a listen"
This is a great video! Victor is as brilliant a teacher as he is a bassist!
The points about theory being like tools that you use only when you need to and that right or wrong notes being all about context, everyone needs to remember that.
When I write stuff it often starts from almost random noodling and I just go where my head/ears/fingers take me - but if I get stuck then some theory gets thrown at it.
Listen to some bebop or some Motown and you'll hear so many bass notes that aren't in the key or the chord that's being played. But they work because of context.
"I’ve never played outside my own living room yet. Any tips for jamming with a drummer for the first time?"
Jamming with just a drummer is the best, especially if you're a beginner. You can barely play a wrong note because you're the only pitched instrument. Ask him what he's into or tell him what you're into and go in armed with a load of basslines/riffs you've learnt (or make up some of your own but that might be quite a big step). If you're used to playing along with recordings, try playing along with just a drum beat (I'm sure there's stuff on the web for that), or a metronome, or just own your own (and focus on making a groove happen).
Don't be scared, it's fun and you'll learn tons. The most important thing when playing with just a drummer is to keep grooving, don't worry about the notes, he won't care, he just won't want you to stop mid-groove!
The drummer I know is a Jojo Mayer fanatic but he's currently in a band that plays really slow, ambient, droney stuff and he finds it boring. He really wants to attempt some D&B, jungle style stuff which sounds great to me.
I'll just go in with a few butchered Rage riffs and a minor pentatonic and do my best.
I can actually practice in advance as the virtual drummers on Garageband are great.
That’s what I’d like to do eventually. I know a drummer who lives in my street who’s been badgering me to play with him. The trouble is I know he’s very good and I’m a total amateur. It won’t be much fun for him when he hears my slow motion noodling.
I’ve never played outside my own living room yet. Any tips for jamming with a drummer for the first time?
The key thing to remember is the bass is a rhythmical instrument, you can kind of think of it as drums with pitch, so you should focus on locking in with him and getting a good groove going.
You won’t impress a drummer flying up and down the neck with hundreds of notes, much better to play a simple repetitive groove that is really locked in. Trust me, if you nail that you can play the simplest repetitive line for hours on end and neither of you will get bored.
If you want to practice just type drum backing track with the bpm you want in YouTube, there are loads available.
"You won’t impress a drummer flying up and down the neck with hundreds of notes, much better to play a simple repetitive groove that is really locked in."
This, this, THIS! You can also replace drummer with band, engineer, producer, singer, audience, in fact anything other than the phrase "other people who play that instrument who are browsing instagram".
Interesting that that Victor Wooten guy up there ^^^ said playing the bass well was to make other members of the band sound good.
That’s one of the reasons I love the bass so much. Some of the grooviest, downright dirty bass lines of all time only consist of a few notes or are just one line with little variations. Doesn’t need to be complicated and still sounds absolutely fantastic.
Interesting that that Victor Wooten guy up there ^^^ said playing the bass well was to make other members of the band sound good.
Yeah I've never been in a band but I've always thought that all music is drums and bass. Everything else is garnish. If the beats and the booms sound good, then that's the platform that everyone else builds on. Let them show off and hog the limelight. We know who's doing the heavy lifting!
This thread is great.
I'll introduce myself. I'm Sam and have played bass since mid teens... I all but stopped mid twenties but have recently (past three/ four years) got back into bass in a big way. My favourite bass players, in no particular order are as follows:
Jaco Pastorius
Les Claypool
Steve Bailey
James Jamerson and Caroline Kaye
Flea
Victor Bailey
Kinga Glyk
Bakithi Kumalo
(basically all the classics when you google 'great bass players')
I'm currently studying for my grade 5... in bass and grade one in vocals. Currently I'm looking to join a band in the Huddersfield(ish) area (I live in Holmfirth).
My gear is a follows:
Fender American Deluxe V Jazz
Yamaha TRB 1006j
Fender MIJ Limited collection Jazz
Squire Classic Vibe Fretless
Fender 1987 MIJ P bass
Trace Elliott GP7 SM head with SWR 1 x 15 cab.
I'm looking forward to many a discussion on here...