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After contemplating for 2 years I finally picked up a bass and amp. I have played guitar for 4 years and I already can pick with my fingers. Also I figured out how to slap and pop the first day I got my bass. My gear is a Fender Affinity P-bass and a Hartke B900.
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Jan 12, 2012 04:55
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Jackson1160 posted:After contemplating for 2 years I finally picked up a bass and amp. I have played guitar for 4 years and I already can pick with my fingers. Also I figured out how to slap and pop the first day I got my bass. My gear is a Fender Affinity P-bass and a Hartke B900. why is slapping the first thing a guitarist wants to do with a bass? this happens every time a guitarist wants to play my bass.
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Jan 12, 2012 18:41
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Dyna Soar posted:why is slapping the first thing a guitarist wants to do with a bass? this happens every time a guitarist wants to play my bass. I've been playing bass as my main instrument for about twelve years now, and I still don't consider myself able to slap. It's one of the most difficult techniques to properly learn on bass, yet every guitar player who's tried my bass (and non-bassist, for that matter) think it's easy to do.
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Jan 12, 2012 19:47
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I never found it that hard and almost every guitarist who's ever picked up my bass was able to do it instantly, much to my chagrin. I really wouldn't call it one of the harder techniques to learn. It's mostly larger muscle groups doing the work.
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Jan 12, 2012 20:45
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Problem is, most people will try and learn it off the bat and neglect much more important things like timing and phrasing.
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Jan 12, 2012 21:18
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Scarf posted:Problem is, most people will try and learn it off the bat and neglect much more important things like timing and phrasing. Exactly. Having a good internal metronome and the ability to play melodic, interesting lines, in addition to the ability to follow the form of a song or chart through the most ridiculous sax solo for example, are a far more important base to build your skills upon than quick flashy slap playing in my view. Also, the way I am approaching it, I will consider myself proficient at slapping when I can do it as cleanly and unconciously as I can when I pizz, so the way I think of "being able to slap" might be a bit more complex than that of others.
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Jan 12, 2012 22:15
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Scarf posted:Problem is, most people will try and learn it off the bat and neglect much more important things like timing and phrasing. Well, whatever, that's their problem. I still don't agree slap is one of the more difficult part of bass playing. It's also an essential skill for any gigging bassist worth his salt.
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Jan 12, 2012 22:49
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Ed Friedland has a great setup but man do I hate that horrible electronic ringing/buzzing sound you can always hear when he plays
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Jan 12, 2012 23:08
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I don't neglect the basics. All my practice to a metronome. I didn't mean to come off as a stereotypical guitar player. Keep in mind I didn't try and learn slap first I was just messing around and it came to me. After a little more research on slapping I found out popping and proper technique.
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Jan 12, 2012 23:11
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cactuscarpet posted:Well, whatever, that's their problem. I still don't agree slap is one of the more difficult part of bass playing. It's also an essential skill for any gigging bassist worth his salt. Oh I'm not saying it's difficult at all. And I get the attraction to the technique that new players have. But learning the technique, and learning WHEN to use the technique are completely different. And you really need to learn the latter at the same time as the former. It's honestly one of the reasons I have so much disdain for Wooten. Yeah, he's technically an amazing slapper, but often I think his attempts to make something as technical as possible sacrifices some cohesiveness of the song and it's rhythm.
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Jan 12, 2012 23:23
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Slapping is pretty much guaranteed to make me hate you. It's almost never used in a tasteful way and almost always used by high school kids trying to sound like Flea, in my experience. In my years of playing I have written exactly one small slap part in one song and I don't know if I ever will again. Slap is poop
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Jan 13, 2012 00:24
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^^beat me to it^^Scarf posted:Oh I'm not saying it's difficult at all. This. Every young bass player I know faps over Wooten, and thinks slapping is the pinnacle of badass bassitude. I like some stuff Wooten does, don't get me wrong. But it kills me to see a band with young players take on a song with some slap parts, and the bassist tries so hard to play fast and ends up loving it up. I'm thinking of 2 bass players in particular, and neither one can really do good finger playing either. Good finger technique is infinitely more impressive to me than crazy slap stuff. In my opinion its harder, and something that is much more useful in 99% of bands. My advice for new bassists, don't even waste your time trying to learn slap techniques until your plucking game is good.
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Jan 13, 2012 00:29
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Scarf posted:Oh I'm not saying it's difficult at all. Wooten's technically an amazing everything. You really can't fault the guy's timing. It's just a shame he doesn't have any taste. I went to see him and two of his brothers perform one time, what a loving nightmare. They're just the same as him, just different instruments. Still he is occasionally capable of absolute genius: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q50xzhDO9lI I do have to say though that there tends to be a lot of haughtiness and ho-hum amongst bass players, moreso than other instrumentalists, when it comes to doing anything modern or sort of pushing the envelope. If I had a nickel for every time I've heard "well I can't do all this flashy stuff but I play tight" I'd be a rich man. And really, it's similar to the songwriters who say "I don't know any theory and I don't want to learn any, because I'm more creative without it". Both groups tend to be the opposite of what they proclaim themselves to be. I think it has to do with the whole sort of self-deprecating 'I'm just the bass player' culture. It's almost like the motto is "bass should be heard and not seen", if you know what I mean. Bass players more than any other person in the band tend to be aware of what their playing can do to the sound of everything else and that can make them a bit hesitant to explore new territory. If you want to just play your bass lines and stick to the role of 'band motor', that's fine, but don't rag on the guys who are trying to break out of the background. It's just stupid, like the dudes who leave youtube comments like 'that's not what a bass was designed to do'. cactuscarpet fucked around with this message at 10:11 on Jan 13, 2012 |
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Jan 13, 2012 00:47
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cactuscarpet posted:Wooten's technically an amazing everything. You really can't fault the guy's timing. It's just a shame he doesn't have any taste. I went to see him and two of brothers perform one time, what a loving nightmare. They're just the same as him, just different instruments. Still he is occasionally capable of absolute genius: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q50xzhDO9lI I'm not trying to make that argument at all. I think you can be flashy AND tight. Wooten just... I dunno. I hate to use the word "groove" but it just doesn't groove with me. Like, just because you can throw in some 1/32 notes into an otherwise great sounding slap phrase, doesn't mean you SHOULD. I guess it just boils down to me not liking his phrasing most of the time. No accounting for taste I guess. I mean, there's a lot of really talented bass players out there whose playing I just don't care for. Wooten is near the top of that list. Scarf fucked around with this message at 01:31 on Jan 13, 2012 |
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Jan 13, 2012 01:29
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I've never tried to learn slap, and have never really cared for it outside of the use of it by one player I'll get to shortly, so I'm secretly pleased to see that the general consensus on slap bass in the thread is the same as mine. Many of my music buddies seem to see bass as an instrument to be primarily slapped and always ask me when I'm gonna start learning how to do it, when I'm more focused on simply learning technique, speed and theory. Maybe I'll get into slap technique if I buy a fretted in the future but for now, well, no thanks; there's only really been one bassist I've listened to that used a liberal dose of slap in most of his songs which made me think, "wow, I'd like to apply that to my playing style some day!" and that's Marcelo Perez Schneider for Presto Vivace. What I like most about his usage of it is how he uses it to add a quick burst of energy to a segment of a song (1:45), to act as a contrast to a softer section during a solo (5:20 - 5:30) or just to play some neat rhythm (6:40 - 7:05)*. I mean, I'm not at all familiar with Wooten besides from the all-star bass machine videos people post of him on youtube and know that he's played in a fair number of bands I should probably listen to before I begin discussing him, but from what I've seen he's never really been my sort of thing. Sure, he's amazed me, but he's never made me think "Wow, I would love to be that kind of player". Same with Flea and Claypool. * Yeah, I really like Schneider a lot and basically wish to be him in 10 years. Goofy fun-loving stage charisma and everything.  edit: I think it would be better phrased if I said that I can more clearly identify how Schneider's style benefits the style of music that he plays and and, equally, can positively influence the playing style I wish to take into my projects (if I ever get into any that are to my taste). In a few years when I develop more of an understanding of how bass works within the context of a band, maybe I'll better comprehend how Wooten's style works for me and see Schneider as just some dumb goofy idiot whose influence was holding me back (I hope not!), but for now I'm just relieved that I'm not alone in being mostly bored by slap bass save for a few exceptions. I'm not alien after all! an_mutt fucked around with this message at 02:08 on Jan 13, 2012 |
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Jan 13, 2012 02:01
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cactuscarpet posted:It's also an essential skill for any gigging bassist worth his salt. No, it's not.
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Jan 13, 2012 05:27
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baka kaba posted:Ed Friedland has a great setup but man do I hate that horrible electronic ringing/buzzing sound you can always hear when he plays He's also a great bassist but his go-to phrasing is annoying as hell, he has this habit of doubling notes a LOT and it does absolutely nothing to contribute to the rhythm or the groove or anything argh 
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Jan 13, 2012 10:07
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Scarf posted:I'm not trying to make that argument at all. Nah I know, I was speaking in generalities. A few other posters were acting like that though. It's something I've heard a lot. DEUCE SLUICE posted:No, it's not. Try auditioning with any succesful coverband without knowing how to slap then. Barring AC/DC tribute acts. Really, slap is just another sound, like playing with a pick. It can be used for good or evil. I'm sure most of you are aware of Marcus Miller but here's an example of someone who slaps almost exclusively and makes all kinds of pretty music with it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtNIFJMwhas cactuscarpet fucked around with this message at 10:20 on Jan 13, 2012 |
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Jan 13, 2012 10:15
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cactuscarpet posted:Try auditioning with any succesful coverband without knowing how to slap then. Barring AC/DC tribute acts. Well there's also a difference between a "gigging" bassist, and a "bassist gigging with a cover band." If you're out playing with a cover/variety/party band, then yeah, you should probably know the basics of slap/pop and be able to hold down some slap lines (Brick House, Sly and the Family Stone stuff, etc. etc.). It's a useful technique yes. But by no means necessary in order to be considered a good stage/studio/wherever bassist. Billy Cox and Dusty Hill come to mind... It's kind of like saying a guitarist wouldn't be "worth his salt" if he wasn't able to sweep-pick and "shred."
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Jan 13, 2012 15:08
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Scarf posted:Well there's also a difference between a "gigging" bassist, and a "bassist gigging with a cover band." Fair enough but if you want to make a living you gotta expect having to play Like The Way I Do and Forget Me Nots at some point. Also, imagine a Billy Cox or a Dusty Hill trying to make it big these days. Also, isn't it more like a guitarist without a distortion pedal?
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Jan 13, 2012 16:13
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cactuscarpet posted:Fair enough but if you want to make a living you gotta expect having to play Like The Way I Do and Forget Me Nots at some point. Also, imagine a Billy Cox or a Dusty Hill trying to make it big these days. Plenty of bassists still do! And not just in the traditional rock genre. Chris Wood is a good example. Granted he's a far cry genre-wise from Cox and Hill... Granted he probably CAN slap/pop. But it's certainly not necessary and does not come up in his music. quote:Also, isn't it more like a guitarist without a distortion pedal? God that just reminds me of how much I love a clean, unaffected guitar pushed into overdrive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vuadh1o0yC8 EDIT: I think we're getting into another circular discussion  Again, it's useful and a good tool to have. But it's definitely not necessary to be successful in music. Scarf fucked around with this message at 16:39 on Jan 13, 2012 |
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Jan 13, 2012 16:37
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cactuscarpet posted:Well, whatever, that's their problem. I still don't agree slap is one of the more difficult part of bass playing. It's also an essential skill for any gigging bassist worth his salt. i'm a gigging bassist and i dont know how to slap nor do i have any interest in learning it.
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Jan 13, 2012 18:27
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cactuscarpet posted:Also, isn't it more like a guitarist without a distortion pedal? You must have an ubelievably narrow view of music to think every guitarist needs distortion and every bassist needs to slap.
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Jan 13, 2012 19:41
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Space human being posted:You must have an ubelievably narrow view of music to think every guitarist needs distortion and every bassist needs to slap. I'm saying if you want to make a living doing music you'd better know what the people want to hear.
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Jan 13, 2012 21:00
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cactuscarpet posted:I'm saying if you want to make a living doing music you'd better know what the people want to hear. Well its a good thing that not everyone likes listening to or playing the same type of music then
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Jan 14, 2012 05:24
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I'm thinking about selling an expensive Warwick and I'm a bit concerned about shipping it. Would you leave the strings tuned tight or just let them hang loose? The former would put some tension on the neck but the instrument will be in that state 99% of its time anyway. Not sure if the neck is more prone to snap then though. I'm planning to put the bass in a hard case, put some bubble wrap around the case itself and put it inside a cardboard box. Just the idea of the instrument arriving with a broken neck or something makes me feel all queesy. And yes, I'm going to insure it but I'd rather not have it break down.
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Jan 14, 2012 16:32
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These Loving Eyes posted:I'm planning to put the bass in a hard case, put some bubble wrap around the case itself and put it inside a cardboard box. Just the idea of the instrument arriving with a broken neck or something makes me feel all queesy. And yes, I'm going to insure it but I'd rather not have it break down. This is how my bass arrived. A hard case packed in bubble wrap and cardboard. The strings were flat by a half step most likely due to shifting during transport. Granted, my bass surely wasn't near as expensive as yours but I reckon you'd have no problem. If you're really worried you could ask about how insurance works with the courier. Edit: Didn't see you mention insurance.
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Jan 14, 2012 18:04
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These Loving Eyes posted:I'm thinking about selling an expensive Warwick and I'm a bit concerned about shipping it. Would you leave the strings tuned tight or just let them hang loose? The former would put some tension on the neck but the instrument will be in that state 99% of its time anyway. Not sure if the neck is more prone to snap then though. I just shipped a Warwick. It was a bolt-on neck, so I just took the neck off and shipped 2 separate boxes. It was easier to package that way, seemed a lot safer.
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Jan 14, 2012 20:38
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JohnnyMondo posted:I just shipped a Warwick. It was a bolt-on neck, so I just took the neck off and shipped 2 separate boxes. It was easier to package that way, seemed a lot safer. Yeah, it seems pretty common to ship them separately. You don't have to loosen the strings. One other thing I would suggest is making sure you wrap the body up tight so you keep out as much humidity as possible.
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Jan 15, 2012 00:05
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Achtane posted:Yeah, it seems pretty common to ship them separately. The idea of taking the necks off my basses makes me pretty nervous. I guess with newer basses, it should matter much. They would be less likely to have wedges or other fine adjustments like that. I guess it could just be me. I don't mind working on the electronics, but I don't know much about adjusting necks. Most basses I've gotten in the mail were all in one piece without the stings loosened. As Mincher mentioned, don't forget the insurance.
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Jan 15, 2012 02:05
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The bass is a Warwick Thumb Bolt-On so the neck could be removed but I think I'll leave it intact. The reason is the hard case: if the neck is off, the parts could move around too much and I don't want to risk any dents or other mishaps. It's just easier if a tiny bit riskier to leave it at its normal condition. I'm going to try to pack the thing today. Thanks for all the replies! I'll try to leave as little room for the bass and the case to wiggle as possible. Speaking of the whole deal, I'm going to spend all the money I'll get to upgrade my head and cab. I've been strongly considering the Ampeg SVT-7 Pro and pairing it with an Ampeg SVT-410HE. If I had the dough, I'd pick up a full tube head but the money seems to be just too tight for that. Oh well, maybe I'll keep on browsing used stuff until something great comes across. I'd love an old SVT or even that V4B if I first got a chance to test the latter (I've heard they're a bit too underpowered). These Loving Eyes fucked around with this message at 11:07 on Jan 15, 2012 |
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Jan 15, 2012 11:01
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It's not common to ship instruments with the necks detached and I'd be furious if I got a bass that way. It will screw up the setup. If you have a local music store, ask someone what day they get their shipments and if you could snag a shipping box from them. Typically low end instruments are just shipped with a plastic bag over them in a tight fitting box with some foam. I've always been able to snag them from the Guitar Center down the street.
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Jan 15, 2012 18:21
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DEUCE SLUICE posted:It's not common to ship instruments with the necks detached and I'd be furious if I got a bass that way. It will screw up the setup. Thankfully I have one big Fender instrument cardboard box left over from my summer eBay deal. I just got to stuff it full of newspaper etc. to stop the hard case moving inside the box.
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Jan 15, 2012 18:41
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I'm getting ready to ship out my hollowbody for some repairs. And I got a dose of some quite refreshing honesty from Lakland... Since my bridge pickup died, I'd been in contact with Lakland about getting a replacement sent out to me. The bass is just about two years old at this point, so I was expecting it would cost me at least a little bit of cash (maybe my endorsement discount would count for parts/pickups as well?), but they're known for having great customer service/support so I was hoping for the best. From a few back-and-forth emails, it sounded like it was going to be covered, sweet! But then I didn't hear anything for a good while, but this was right in the middle of the holidays, so I didn't really think too much of it. I shot another email yesterday and got a pretty awesome response (and here's where the refreshing honesty comes in). They basically told me they want to switch me over to single-coil pickups (they were originally humbuckers w/ a push-pull pot for single-coil mode). They said that they feel like the single-coil versions sound better, are still super quiet, and seem to be more reliable. They come in the same housing, so no routing or body-work needs to be done. And if I can cover the cost of shipping, they'll switch them over for free. In short, yay Lakland \ /Edited for beauty:  
Scarf fucked around with this message at 19:52 on Jan 18, 2012 |
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Jan 18, 2012 17:19
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Scarf posted:I'm getting ready to ship out my hollowbody for some repairs. And I got a dose of some quite refreshing honesty from Lakland... That's great news! Also, I sold and shipped the bass I mentioned a few posts ago and got the money today. The buyer texted me and told he was really happy with it. Yay! Now I just got to decide what amp and cab I'll order. I'm 99% sure I'll go with the Ampeg SVT-7 Pro and SVT 410HE.
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Jan 18, 2012 17:38
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These Loving Eyes posted:That's great news! Should be a good setup, but just be careful you don't push things too hard. The 7-pro is rated at 600w RMS at 8ohms, and the 410HE is rated to handle 500w RMS.
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Jan 18, 2012 17:55
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Quick question: I have an old Ampeg B2R lying around that I might use at home simply for the direct. It's solid state. Can I use it without connecting it to a cab, or will I damage the amp (as in a tube amp)?
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Jan 18, 2012 21:49
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vas0line posted:Quick question: You sure can. Solid-state amps do not need a load. It won't cause any damage.
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Jan 18, 2012 22:31
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Scarf posted:You sure can. Solid-state amps do not need a load. It won't cause any damage.
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Jan 18, 2012 22:45
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DEUCE SLUICE posted:It's not common to ship instruments with the necks detached and I'd be furious if I got a bass that way. It will screw up the setup. Is there any actual danger in taking off the neck?
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Jan 19, 2012 00:28
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