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edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1641
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 1:50 pm:   Edit Post

No need to slap, in my opinion. I got into it in the early 80s and by the mid 90s was pretty much over it. It has its place every now and then, although those chops are pretty weak these days.

At this point, it seems like it's something that every bass player coming up does. I have a student who has all the Victor Wooten stuff down. If he had been around when I was learning it, well, let's just say that he makes me feel pretty primitive. It used to be something I taught, but now I just teach strategies to find the right notes.

(Message edited by edwin on October 22, 2013)
jazzyvee
Senior Member
Username: jazzyvee

Post Number: 3674
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 3:52 pm:   Edit Post

I have slightly different neck widths dimensions on all my basses, from a narrow almost parallel neck on my 5 string black Europa to a short scale 4 string bass with standard neck taper.Apart from the narrow neck the rest feel like they have the same string spacing.
In my experience jimmy's advice and Edwin's ring true. I can move between any of the basses without having a problem. After a while your fingers just seem to know which bass you are playing and calibrate themselves to suit. Moving from a short scale to a long scale 5 string isn't a problem. I think the narrow string spacing takes more of an adjustment than the shorter scale length for the right hand but in no time the difference is unnoticeable unless you try some victor wooten style slapping on the narrow 5 string then the close strings get in the way. Regular slapping is fine for me.

Jazzyvee
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2059
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 10:53 pm:   Edit Post

I'd agree with Jimmy: You don't want to crowd your right hand, it's a lot busier than your left.

I'm confused: WHAT do you want me to measure?

J o e y
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1000
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 1:57 am:   Edit Post

J o e y, I was asking about your string spacing at the bridge. Each string slot has 2 sides to it with the width of the string separating the sides, so I was wanting the measurement from the side of the B string slot closest to the E string over to the side of the E string slot closest to the B string.

Jazzyvee, how wide is your neck on your black Europa at the 24th fret?

Edwin, I agree, there IS a place for slap, but these days many up & coming players play it on everything & have no clue what a solid foundational bass line is!
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1001
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 3:00 am:   Edit Post

J o e y, I was basically asking for the measurement between the adjacent edges of the strings. The string centers will vary due to the width of the strings, but the space between the strings should be the same across the bridge.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1002
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 3:07 am:   Edit Post

Jimmy, I spoke to Susan last night & she going to give me your string spacing after Mica looks it up today. She told me the story of when you made the 5 pin cable for Stanley & made an extra 1 foot long one as a joke! I bet the look on his face was priceless when you gave it to him! What kind of wire do you use to make your cables? Where do you get the connectors from? I would like to make me a spare for my new bass when I get it.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1003
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 3:29 am:   Edit Post

I just realized the perils of posting too early in the morning when I'm half asleep, I have now passed 1000 posts & didn't even notice! I can't think of a better place to celebrate my 1000th post than on Jimmy's thread! Jimmy, your tone is the standard I use when I set my amp up! Thank you for being such an inspiration!
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2060
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 7:13 am:   Edit Post

. . . . 'eyeballing' it with the trusty steel ruler, it looks like the skinny side of 1/2", inside shoulder of the B to the inside shoulder of the E string. Again, mine is built on Alembic's Classic taper.

Remember that when it comes to a build, there's 'custom with a little c' (standard features they already have templates for, etc.) and 'Custom with a big C' (something completely unique to your axe, as in 'Sure, we can make you a doubleneck that looks just like the Batmobile') where the latter can be much more $$$ and time than the former.

J o e y
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 1914
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 7:40 am:   Edit Post

Rusty,
Obviously I'm not Jimmy.

My last Alembic cable used Belden 1192A for the cable. Personally I like Canare and use their L-4E6S cable for my own cables. The Canare is a bit more slinky than the Belden. Both of these use braided shields. Mogami also make a quad cable but I believe it uses a spiral wrapped shield which I don't care for.

As for connectors I use Neutrik gold plated 5-pin XLR's.

I've had good luck buying my stuff through Markertek. Prices are decent and I've not had any problems finding what I need.

Keith
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1004
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 8:11 am:   Edit Post

Thanks J o e y! I spoke to Susan last night about string spacing on a Classic Taper & she was going to have Mica spec them out & send them to me. I think that is the neck I would be most comfortable with. It is slightly narrower than my Schecter which is 2.694" at the 24th.

I have also become aware of the differences in the little "c" & big "C" options. I'm waiting on pricing now for some additional options I want!
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1005
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 8:15 am:   Edit Post

Thanks for the info Keith! I'll look into ordering the parts to build me an extra cable.
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1006
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 8:29 am:   Edit Post

Keith, I just looked up the Canare L-4E6s cable & it is a 4 conductor cable, what do you use for the 5th pin?
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1007
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 8:31 am:   Edit Post

Keith, I just looked up the Canare L-4E6s cable & it is a 4 conductor cable, what do you use for the 5th pin? Mica's wireing diagram shows 5 conductors - http://alembic.com/club/messages/16271/106683.html?1307664475

Do you use the shield for the black conductor?
rjmsteel
Advanced Member
Username: rjmsteel

Post Number: 209
Registered: 7-2008
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 10:06 am:   Edit Post

Rusty,

I had 5 pin cables made up for me by the fine folks at Best Tronics Manufacturing (Guitar Cable.com). I had them produce two cables to supplement my OEM cable from Alembic. They made up one eight foot and one twelve foot long cables, with one end at a right angle, of flexible materials (insulator) and have been working great for two years now. I use the short one most of the time going from my floor rack mounted DS5R or the DS5 box placed anywhere.
Contact Jim at Guitar cable (in Tinley Park, IL) and mention that he made the cables for Rich`s Series Alembic if you`re interested in going that route, (they were very reasonable), he should remember. I can call him if he doesn't.

Best Tronics

Rich
jimmyj
Senior Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 484
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 10:38 am:   Edit Post

Wow, I look away for a minute and I miss all this action!

I have deep respect for Marcus, Victor, Mark King, Larry Graham (the guy who may have started it all) and everybody else who can really play using thumb technique. I just never got it going myself so it's not something I can bring to the party… All good though!

I'm still using Belden 8424 to make cables. (Yes Rusty, the shield is the 5th conductor.) For connectors I use Neutrik black w/gold contacts. Even the basses have Neutrik jacks. Not cheap parts but they've been very reliable and I don't often need to make new cables. And if I make them myself there is nobody else to blame if they break. Ha!!

Happy 1000th post Rusty! You're way ahead of me.

String to string spacing… I've just been looking at mine and it seems that at the bridge 7/16" is about what I've got from the edge of one string to the edge of the next. But the funny thing is, on my "live" bass I've only just discovered that the spaces are not consistent. It seems the B and E strings are a bit tight and the G and D are a bit wide. And it's not "center to center" either. I've been playing that bass since … 1989? … and this is news to me, which is rather embarrassing! HA! I sense a visit to HQ and possibly some new saddles in my future……..

Carry on everybody. Good luck with the new build!
Jimmy J

(Message edited by jimmyj on October 23, 2013)
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1009
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 10:45 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Rich! I found a 100" roll of the Canare L-4E6s cable Keith suggested on EBay for $54 & the connectors are $7 or $8, so I can get 4 25' cables for about $30 each if I build them myself.

I feel like I'm hijacking Jimmy's page here with my discussion, so if you have any other replies concerning my new Europa or cable, please post it on my Europa thread - http://alembic.com/cgi-bin/alembic-club/show.cgi?393/178439

Thanks!
Rusty
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1010
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 10:59 am:   Edit Post

Hey Jimmy, thanks so much for the reply! It seems you & I were replying at the same time when I posted my last reply, so I hadn't read yours yet. I used to make all my own 1/4" cables & mic cables, so the 5 pin should be no problem. I do want to have at least one spare, & possibly a couple of different lengths for different size stages. Where do you get your Neutrik connectors from? I did a search for right angle 5 pins & it pulled them up but the picture shows a 3 pin connector.

Sorry to embarrass you with your string spacing discovery, but I'm honored to be the one who made you discover it! LOL! I'm sure Susan can fix you right up with new saddles.

Sorry for temorarily hijacking your thread, it wasn't my intention. I have redirected my discussion to my thread.

Rusty
jzstephan
Advanced Member
Username: jzstephan

Post Number: 204
Registered: 1-2012
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 11:12 am:   Edit Post

Jimmy, now that you are aware of the spacing, you'll always play that bass with suspicion, even after 20 years of playing it like it is. Time for a trip to the mothership!
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1011
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 11:14 am:   Edit Post



(Message edited by rustyg61 on October 23, 2013)
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2061
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 10:34 pm:   Edit Post

OK, so now back to a Jimmy question:

Since you've certainly had your five axes for this long, and played them in so many circumstances, do you have any insight as to why this one is a 'live' axe and that one is a 'recording' axe?

Lots of guys who've never done much recording (certainly includes myself) have never thought about this. Here in The Nash I've known more than a few guys who spent lots of time in studios, and have 'recording' and 'live' axes: A favorite axe they've played out with many times just doesn't record well, and vice versa. And not just solid-body electrics: I had a friend who was a terrific fiddler who had violins (incidentally, several were five-string viols, with a low C) with pickups that sounded fine plugged in, but stank up the joint 'unplugged', they were too dampened. Conversely, he had symphony-grade violins he'd record dry thru the AKG he carried that just sang, but were entirely too fragile and alive for an electric stage.

What have you found over your time behind the wheel? Does James run across this as well, he obviously KNOWS his box guitars.

J o e y
jimmyj
Senior Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 485
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2013 - 3:35 pm:   Edit Post

H e y J o e y,

Here's a pic of the 3 fret brothers so we can play "spot the differences". Ha! From left to right; studio, live, and practice.

Their characters?
I would have to say the studio bass has the most open and natural tone of the 3. Something really nice about the top end and just the overall sound across the whole range of the instrument.

The live bass has a darker sound BUT it has a stronger low B string than the studio bass, I've never known why. There have been occasions when someone sends me a track which is all low Ds and Cs that I'll opt to record it on this bass. I've also used it for tracking while on the road.

The practice bass (yes, I know that's an insane concept!) is just not quite up to the level of the other two. A little uneven. A little … spongy? I carry it as a backup on the road and there have only been a couple times when I've used it on the gig. Otherwise I use it as my daily player to keep the fingers moving.

I know you're not supposed to have a favorite child (don't tell the others) but I really do like this studio bass and tend to want to leave it home in the closet as opposed to handing it to TSA and the baggage handlers. I'd hate to lose the live bass too but somehow he seems more tolerant of travel. It's not quite the same as using a Stradivarius in marching band - violins and uprights are a different world all together.

I believe JT has 3 main Olsen guitars which all come out on the road. Sometimes he's out there playing it in the rain! The guitar tech does a great job of looking after our axes on tour.

thanks for the gear chat,
Jimmy J
mtjam
Member
Username: mtjam

Post Number: 95
Registered: 11-2011
Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2013 - 3:45 pm:   Edit Post

Nice trio, Jimmy!
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 1916
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2013 - 4:04 pm:   Edit Post

With that seismic pattern on the live bass it doesn't surprise me that it has the stronger B string. ;)

Keith
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 11213
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2013 - 7:31 pm:   Edit Post

The big visual differences I'm seeing are first, the bridge block on the studio bass is much larger, and second, it appears to my tired old eyes that there may be pickup spacing differences, relative to the neck, bridge, and each other. Also, the practice bass doesn't have a tightness control knob at the 14th fret like the live bass does.
oddmetersam
Advanced Member
Username: oddmetersam

Post Number: 326
Registered: 7-2008
Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2013 - 9:24 pm:   Edit Post

These are all unreal. This is still the quintessential Alembic body shape. And given their age (and who's been playing them!), the amount of mojo represented in this one picture is off the scale.
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2063
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2013 - 9:53 pm:   Edit Post

Yeah, Dave, I'm really floored he plays like that with that knob sticking out of the fingerboard !

Thanks, Jimmy.

J o e y
jimmyj
Senior Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 486
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 12:02 am:   Edit Post

Ha. You guys. That's the key for the short 6th "banjo" string.

Yes Dave spotted the double size bridge block on the recording bass. Tell him what he's won Bob! The blocks are also aluminum, which I can explain later if I haven't already done so somewhere in this lengthy thread. Slightly different versions of my quick change tailpiece too.

Interesting observation about the varying pickup placement, yet another thing I never realized. But this is the nature of these hand made axes.

Also … I may recall having a conversation with Susan years ago about string spacing. It's possible I requested equal "center to center" spacing on the live bass. Makes no dang sense to me now but as I said it seems our hands can adjust to almost anything.

In addition to being a bass player my dad was a piano technician. He once explained to me that Steinway pianos varied quite a bit. There were good ones and there were absolutely GREAT ones. This is why the solo piano Artists always went to the Steinway factory and played all the pianos available before choosing their favorite. (Horowitz took his own on the road with him). Yamaha also makes fine pianos, extremely reliable and consistent. In fact they're all exactly the same.

I think of Alembic as the Steinway of basses (or maybe now the Fazioli). The main difference is Alembic's customers get to choose wood, dimensions, electronics, essentially every aspect of the instrument. Sometimes it takes some experimenting to find the exact combination of ingredients that work perfectly for YOU. But when you find it, no other instrument comes close.

Thanks,
Jimmy J
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 3445
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 12:43 am:   Edit Post

Beautiful trio Jimmy. Did you ever get the finish 'checking' problem sorted out?

graeme
fc_spoiler
Senior Member
Username: fc_spoiler

Post Number: 1491
Registered: 5-2006
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 1:06 am:   Edit Post

Awesome trio indeed, thanx for sharing!
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1013
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 5:49 am:   Edit Post

What a fine family you have there Jimmy! Thanks for sharing! I see what you mean about the string spacing on your live bass. With equal center to center spacing the width of the strings affects the spacing between the strings. You are right though, our fingers can indeed adapt to the different spacing over time. I'm sure it's similar to the way you can hit the exact notes on a fretless without having a fret marker. Your fingers instictively know where to go.

I notice your knob layout is different than most Series II's, is the knob closest to the bridge with the markers on the body your master volume, or is that a pan? I thought with the markers maybe it was a pan & those were the 2 settings you use to favor the neck or bridge pickup for either a fatter or more midrange tone.

How do your strings attach on the tailpiece? Is it slotted like most Alembics? It almost looks like the ball of the string is on top of the tailpiece instead of inside a slot.

What brand & guage of strings do you use?

I know it's been said before, but I want to thank you again for taking the time to answer our questions & share your knowledge & experience with us! We REALLY appreciate it! You entertain, inspire, & educate us & we are better players by knowing you!

Rusty

(Message edited by rustyg61 on October 25, 2013)
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2064
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 5:54 am:   Edit Post

Jogging memories from all those years I played pianos (and occasionally I got to play some great big Steinways, Yamahas, and even a Bosendorfer or two) I find a parallel with Alembics:

As well as they were built, I could never stand Baldwins. They were just too tame sounding, as if the hammer felts never hardened, they just sounded very evenly dull to me. I always preferred a Steinway or Yamaha as they always had some snarkiness to them if you pushed them, yet if you backed down, they'd smooth out. I could do this with my hands. But no amount of beating them like Jerry Lee on a meth binge would 'wake up' a Baldwin.

Ron's genius with the filters (and it is a different tone than conventional tone pots turned downed to zero) is that you can go from a thumpy, almost organ pedal tone to in-your-face just that fast.

And now Yamaha owns Bosendorfer ! I know several samples I WISH they'd load into their next round of digital pianos . . . . I got to hear Horowitz twice, and Rubinstein three times, just scary awesome, what giants they were. I still look up on YouTube the excerpt from the Mike Wallace interview from 60 MINUTES where he interviewed Horowitz at home in Manhattan and he persuaded (with his wife coaxing him!) to play 'Stars and Stripes' forever, what a hoot !

Geez these threads run all over the map, sorry !

J o e y
jimmyj
Senior Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 487
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 11:27 am:   Edit Post

Let's see how many questions I can answer with one pic:



Yes Graeme, the bass was refinished at the end of last year and we added these little triangular inlays as preset level marks for (Rusty) the master volume control.

I set the preamp output levels high on my basses and warn the engineer that it's coming at them around line level. If they say "oh, I wanted to run you through this preamp" then I'll set the master to the lower mark and send them mic level. As we know adjusting the output level of our basses doesn't effect the tone as it would on a passive instrument. My "high" mark is also not at the top of the pot's travel. I like having a bit of extra headroom in case for example I need to swell a note at the end of a song. This lets me go past 0 - to eleven if you will!

As you see my tailpiece is a series of pins which pass through the ball-ends of the ghs Boomers. Makes for a really simple string change. This also is based on me never changing string companies or ghs never using a smaller ball. Ha! So far so good. Standard 5-string medium set; 45, 65, 85, 105, 130.

J o e y, all good, I'm enjoying the thread's twists. I remember that Horowitz interview too. Turns out the guy could jam. Ha! Yes, it's as if Yamaha knew that their concert grands could never go beyond a certain point and they decided to buy Bosendorfer to achieve it. Interesting. I hope we don't get to the point where we ONLY talk about samples of these instruments….

Cheers,
Jimmy J
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1014
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 11:50 am:   Edit Post

Thanks for the quick reply Jimmy! The markers are a great idea! I have asked Susan about getting CVQ controls for my new Europa with a center indent like their pan controls have so I can have a point of reference other than full on & full off, but I had also thought of having an inlay on the body at the mid point if they can't make the center indent control to serve the same purpose. I love the idea of having a bass that goes to 11!! Good call!

Thanks for the close up of the pins & for removing the G string for clarification. I've never seen a setup like that!

Rusty
edwin
Senior Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 1644
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 1:01 pm:   Edit Post

Interesting idea with the pins. Do you ever find out that you have to be careful not to have the string twist while you load it on to the bass? I've discovered weird sounding strings that have the oddness go away when I loosen them up, and then let the ball end untwist. Apparently the strings sometimes twist while winding them on.
jimmyj
Senior Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 488
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Friday, October 25, 2013 - 8:02 pm:   Edit Post

Rusty,
If you use a center indent pot then your bass would go to 20! Oh, not for volume, never mind. Actually, a center indent in the Q boost control would act like a Series-I's 3-way toggle. A Series-1.5?

Edwin,
I change strings a lot. Here is my method:
One at a time I remove the old string. Align the tuning peg's slot parallel to the strings. Hook the new string on the tailpiece pin, pull it taught, wind it by hand 1-1/2 times around the tuning peg, bend it down through the slot and bend the excess in the opposite direction.

Then before I pull it up to pitch it has been my habit to put a twist into the string from the ball-end side. I slip it off the pin, turn it 1/2 turn or so and put it back. Another reference to my dad - when he restrung pianos he would always put a twist in the bass strings in the direction of the winding. I don't know if this was taught to him or he just made it up, but the idea was to keep the winding tight.

But piano strings are simply one winding around a core and our strings are multiple windings. So generally I twist G, D and A in the direction as their outer windings, the low-B I "relieve" and then turn slightly the same way to get it on the pin, and the E usually gets a turn in the opposite direction. And it doesn't always work… But if you have an E that rattles on its own - not a fret rattle but a built in rattle in the string - you can often get it to stop by putting a twist in one way or the other.

I would imagine that too much twist would cause the string to act squirrelly so relieving them as Edwin does is probably smart.

Oh, once the strings are up to pitch I either trim off the excess or bend it around so the sharp end doesn't get me.

That's tonight's tale.
Jimmy J
rustyg61
Senior Member
Username: rustyg61

Post Number: 1015
Registered: 2-2011
Posted on Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 9:02 am:   Edit Post

Hey Jimmy, that is exactly my reason for wanting the CVQ with a center indent. I couldn't decide if I wanted a Series I or II so I thought if I get a II with the center indent it would be the best of both worlds! My SCSD has Q switches set at +8dB so if I can get the center indent set at +8dB it will be what I'm used to hearing, then I can fine tune up or down to get the sound I want.

That is interesting about twisting your strings. I have never heard that but it makes sense!

Rusty
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 3464
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2013 - 6:29 am:   Edit Post

looking forward to seeing which alembic Jimmy is playing when James Taylor brings his band across to Glasgow next September. We've scored seats in the first couple of rows (actual seat allocations will arrive by email soon) WooHoo!

Graeme
cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member
Username: cozmik_cowboy

Post Number: 1632
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2013 - 7:56 am:   Edit Post

Enjoy, Graeme; we saw them a few years ago, and it was amazing!

Peter
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2086
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2013 - 11:31 am:   Edit Post

Jimmy, I need a little advice, and with your experience, and with your brother being an upright player:

Not that I play a lot of this stuff, but I would like to work on my walking lines, Ray Brown kind of stuff, but I run into a problem I once heard Will Lee remark about: So many of these classic recordings, the upright is just not very focused nor easy to hear. Will remarked that a lot of these records, the bass was 'felt more than clearly heard'. I love classic Sinatra (those Nelson Riddle arrangements!), but it's clear they're speaking a language I can barely make out.

I am using every one of those beginner steps, and inevitably wind up playing arpeggiated chord forms instead of actually playing the tune. Any advice, any recordings you could recommend?

Thanks!

J o e y
jimmyj
Senior Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 489
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2013 - 8:28 am:   Edit Post

Hey Graeme,
You knew about that gig before I did! Thanks for making the arrangements, I look forward to seeing you and the Mrs in the fall.

J o e y,
Yeah, well, I'm certainly no "walking" expert myself. It's a joy to hear the guys who can really weave a bass line together. It's also another one of those things (like reading) that you can't really practice. Ray Brown is a great choice to study. I think there are a few method books from him that are probably good. And the Nelson Riddle arrangements are classic - those bass lines were probably mostly written out to hit with the band exactly right.

What Will said is true, there was a time when the bass player's job was more that of a kick drum than of a tonal center. Drummers would ride the cymbal and use snare and kick only for accents while the bass kept the time rolling along. Later when things got bigger and more driving the kick joined in with "four on the floor".

My dad played in a few big bands back in the day, with no amp, and his style was high action, two-fingers on the right hand (like he was shooting arrows!), a very short note and amazingly loud. More percussive than pitch although he also found his way through the chords really well.

My brother is amazingly smooth but he does it a lot and I think that's the only way to get good at it.

So yeah, Ray Brown books maybe? You can probably still find some "music minus bass" somewhere to play along with (I suppose there's an app). Beyond that I don't know what to tell you because my operating license doesn't include that area. Ha!

Jimmy J
tubeperson
Senior Member
Username: tubeperson

Post Number: 453
Registered: 5-2005
Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2013 - 8:51 am:   Edit Post

In addition to the Ray Brown books, there are books published by Sher Music dealing with Walking Bass techniques. You could also look at the Jamey Abersold series of books such as the music minus one series. I have a three volume set of Oscar Pettiford walking bass lines, transcribe by someone who got his PhD in Music for this set. Very analytical. Finally, go to Bassbooks.com, They have many titles available for Walking Bass. And, don't forget, Keep Walking!
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2089
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2013 - 9:17 am:   Edit Post

Thanks !

J o e y
sonicus
Senior Member
Username: sonicus

Post Number: 3143
Registered: 5-2009
Posted on Wednesday, December 04, 2013 - 9:18 am:   Edit Post

I am a long time fan of Leroy Vinnegar's walking bass technique and sound.

http://home.earthlink.net/~joflee/Leroy.htm
hankster
Advanced Member
Username: hankster

Post Number: 346
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Saturday, December 07, 2013 - 3:54 am:   Edit Post

I'm a big fan of the Ray Brown book. I'd played bass for 35 years and thought I sort of knew how until I got that book.
Rick
mario_farufyno
Senior Member
Username: mario_farufyno

Post Number: 1027
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Saturday, December 07, 2013 - 4:20 am:   Edit Post

Ray Brown was the ultimate cat, solid groove!
gbulfon
Member
Username: gbulfon

Post Number: 57
Registered: 4-2010
Posted on Saturday, December 14, 2013 - 3:51 am:   Edit Post

JJ! Unusual musical environment for you here!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjfprFxxU1A

Stunning! :-)
Gabriele.
jimmyj
Senior Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 490
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Saturday, December 14, 2013 - 4:43 pm:   Edit Post

Well spotted Gabriele. That videographer is really talented, made it look like it was one live take...
Some decent drumming too, right?

Jimmy J
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 2097
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Saturday, December 14, 2013 - 9:55 pm:   Edit Post

Dynamite. Now . . . . IF this was one take, everyone playing at once, WHICH drummer would you follow, or would you just 'sum' the two of them internally?

I've never worked with two drummers at once, but Ive always wondered. . . . . I've seen some bands (like the Dead) where one guy was the metronome and the other was the flourishes, or others (like the Allmans) where both guys were left and right hands of the same thoughts, almost blurred (at least only hearing the recordings and not seeing them as you would on stage to get some sense of who's doing what), maybe more jazz-like inasmuch as a big backbeat isn't as obvious . . . .

BTW, when do you have time for this, racing in NASCAR all those weekends?

If I never told you: I can not tell you how I appreciate your having a go at my questions. Best of the Holidays to You and Yours.

J o e y
jimmyj
Senior Member
Username: jimmyj

Post Number: 491
Registered: 8-2008
Posted on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 9:34 am:   Edit Post

Hey J o e y,
Yeah, the race car driving is really tiring but it was worse when I was coaching the Dallas Cowboys......

The double drummer thing is unusual for sure, I've only done it a couple times. Although Steve Gadd occasionally likes to overdub a second pass so it sounds like he has 4 arms. I've done some double bass player work too, but that's another story.

Usually in these situations the drummers work it out so what they play compliments each other and the outcome sounds like ONE extra complicated drum part - hopefully together. The Allman Bro's approach is odd in that I think those guys play the exact same part. The inevitable flams here and there are part of that sound I guess.

I think the main point of this Weckl thing was the solo trading near the end. Dave and Chris Coleman are both amazing players.

Jimmy J
cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member
Username: cozmik_cowboy

Post Number: 1641
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 8:39 pm:   Edit Post

At least you find time to play blues guitar in Chicago........

Peter

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