Hello,

I am a drummer turned bass player. I have played the drums since i was 8, never took a lesson and taught myself. Because of my job, and moving so much, I had to give it up. i do thrive to play the drums again, but about 8 years ago i took up playing the bass. a natural rythmic move. I took the same approach with bass, never taking lessons. Which is probably my best and worst enemy. I cant thrive on playing other peoples things and it gives me more pleasure for the myself to come threw the instrument. I know at some point I would like to learn some theory, but staring at a piece of paper, computer, or mag drives me mad and takes the enjoyment out of playing.

when i started playing the bass, i bought the odd cheap bass amp combo, to see if it sparked my intrests, before i invested alot of money....and before i knew it I was hooked. although still to this day I feel confident the my drum playing is and allways will be better then my bass playing I for some reason enjoy it more.

Now for some help.........................
I play " as I stated before " my own style, but my influences would be all the obvious players. I enjoy listening to anything pushing the limits. I find myself lost in all the bass dvds I have and the wonderful resource of you tube, but dont find myself copying them just absorbing them. My dvd collection consists of larry, marcus, les, flea, stanley etc......

sorry to fill you with so much nonsense, but i guess i feel it is necessary to understand my past, to take me to the future.

My needed help is that I can never acquire a sound I just feeled floored by. Something that is just "thats it". THat is my sound my adjustments..........

I get lost with all the flickering of knobs and am allways finding myself bying the next best thing to improve my sound, which they all seem to do, but if I nail my low end, my mids suffer, my highs and vice versa. No matter were I am something is missing. I watch these guys, and they just seem to have the whole guitar perfect. I just feel that there is a simple answer to my problem and moving knobs and eqs isnt the answer, because I do and do, and the moment I think i am happy, i find a fault, and never stay with the same settings for more then a week,

equipment::::

I play a warwick corvette double buck
trace elliot ah500 (new version) eq set to smiley face
4/10 trace ( old version )

threw my loop

-boss eq, ( wavy pattern statin with boost on lows dropping to a boost on highs
-dod envelope filter ( don't use to much, not much of a effects guy)
- ebs multicomp
-digitech jam man


pre -pre amp

digitech bass driver ( again dont use much )
sansamp bass di ( used as a pre amp. )


I use dr strings

and thats my rig..

please help

Welcome to being a bassist.

:x

It's all in the fingers and how that translates from what's inside you.

S.

I would recommend experimenting with practicing unplugged. Find out how much tone you actually have in your fingers. You can hear it very clearly when it is unplugged. Make a conscious effort to play soft enough so you can feel the whole bass resonating. If you get to the point where you can feel it things make so much more sense. I played a sessions with a drummer the other day and I didn't have to listen for his kick because I could feel the vibration in my feet through the floor. Ignore electronics for a while. If you haven't found it in your fingers they won't help. Move your right hand around all different positions, and experiment with how hard you play. Just have fun you will surprise yourself.

When you say "through my loop" do you mean effects loop or a loop pedal?

Any why the need for an eq pedal if you eq on your amp? Just curious.

I would recommend experimenting with practicing unplugged. Find out how much tone you actually have in your fingers. You can hear it very clearly when it is unplugged. Make a conscious effort to play soft enough so you can feel the whole bass resonating. If you get to the point where you can feel it things make so much more sense. I played a sessions with a drummer the other day and I didn't have to listen for his kick because I could feel the vibration in my feet through the floor. Ignore electronics for a while. If you haven't found it in your fingers they won't help. Move your right hand around all different positions, and experiment with how hard you play. Just have fun you will surprise yourself.
To be honest dogs play bass, I have played more with my amp off, then on. For the first couple of years i had such a ****** amp that, i would rather just practice patterns, and build finger strength threw playing, and it wasnt until about a year ago that i got this amp. And due to my hours of work and my living situation, I tend to upset lots of people. but, thats life.......

but, i due think you are very right, i think i need to just play and forget all that nonsense, because the way i play is individual enough, and my lack of knowledge has really been able to develop my own particular vibe. Its not necesarry technique i believe is the problem, and I think the best way for my satisfaction would be to have somebody else play threw my equipment and would open my ears to the satisfaction, by thank you very much

When you say "through my loop" do you mean effects loop or a loop pedal?

Any why the need for an eq pedal if you eq on your amp? Just curious.
effects loop

When you say "through my loop" do you mean effects loop or a loop pedal?

Any why the need for an eq pedal if you eq on your amp? Just curious.
i use the eq, cause i have it to honest.......... I had it from a previous amp, that i by passed the amp eq. I moved to the uk from the us, 3 years ago. coming back very soon, but to answer I bought it with a little fender rumble, when i got here, just to have something. When I originally came I was only going to be here for a year, so shipping my amp from home was not cost effective and the voltage change as well. No that I have this trace, I will send it back with me, with a voltage converter. I use it now, i ahave my amp as a smilily face and it just brightens up a bit of the mids.

It's all in the fingers and how that translates from what's inside you.

S.
thanks man, and I am starting to believe it to, trying to look past all the bull......... thank you

Try playing with your amp EQ set flat and without using any effects. The Double Buck is supposed to be a fairly versatile bass tonewise-at least according to the reviews and video clips that I've see. Experiment with the bass controls and pickup switches to find some appealing tones that the bass produces and not so much the amp and effects.



A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste! :cool: