So what's your guitar store set-list?

[Fret Boiler]

I was recently at GC trying out some 5-strings and I got to wondering as I plucked away what others here have as their routine for trying out new basses.

I always start by playing every fret and noting the sustain (particularly on the G-string). Then I play some two octave arpeggios (major and minor) followed by some two octave scales & modes. Then I start screwing around with some standard 12 bar blues and jazz sequences at the high end of the neck, and finally run through a couple of riffs from some songs I like (Grey Street by the Dave Matthews Band, some REM, and finally I "try" to play YYZ to see if its any easier on this bass).

Just curoius what everyone else does when trying out new bottom feeders.

Cheers

[jammadave]

Always the same few songs to try and tackle a couple different tones and techniques, for me... In no particular order...

Primus - Sgt Baker
Rush - Red Barchetta
Tool - Schism
Gruntruck - can't remember the track name
Faith No More - Kindergarten (the bridge and the bass solo)
plus a few just interesting runs/fills all over the neck. I also try real hard to play Roundabout but I'm no good at it =0)

If it's got a low B, I add some Aerials by System of a Down

And if it's got a high C I throw together some chords and see just how jazzbox-guitar I can make it sound =0)

[superbassman2000]

well, first i start out with smoke on the water, than i do a little sweet child of mine. after that i do a little skynard with sweet home alabama, and cap it off with stairway to heaven.


sorry, just kidding...i usually play the slap part to RHCP's aeroplane, and maybe that cool part in pretty little ditty (the part also found in that crazy town song).
i've played some RATM, like sleep now in the fire, calm as a bomb, or know your enemy. i've also been know to do some tool.
but like you fret boiler with yyz, i try something on a new bass to see if it makes playing it any easier, only i do more technique stuff, like double thumps and all that stuff, especially tapping. (not saying i'm any good at it though!!)


Charlie

[McHack]

Originally Posted by jammadave

Always the same few songs to try and tackle a couple different tones and techniques, for me... In no particular order...

Primus - Sgt Baker
Rush - Red Barchetta
Tool - Schism

If it's got a low B, I add some Aerials by System of a Down =0)

Mine's very similiar, except we differ in our Primus choices... I'll go w/ Here Come the Bastards or Shake Hands w/ Beef.

Oh, I'll throw out some RHCP, too.. Suck My Kiss, Californication, HIgher Ground,,, others, too.

Maybe Alice In Chains - Rooster... or Soundgarden Spoonman.

[quallabone]

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

i usually play the slap part to RHCP's aeroplane

Aeroplane IS Stairway for bass players. It just never goes away.

When I try something out I first steal an allen key and make sure the setup is what I want. Next I play blues using the entire range of the bass (normally blowing on sym dom. scales so I look ultra cool). I'll then play through a couple of standards just to see how I like the feel of the neck. I'll give every single eq and P/U combination a whirl during this time. I check for balance between strings by playing through arpeggio's and scales. After this if I'm happy with what I hear it turns into an all out fingerstyle wank fest for no reason at all. If I'm inclined I'll slap around and play some greasy funk but usually it's just a fingerstyle outing.

I really hate going to guitar stores though. It really brings out the worst in me. Plus I haven't played a bass from a store that impressed me in probably 3 years.

[jammadave]

ooo, speaking of RHCP, I like to play Soul To Squeeze too =0)

[vacman]

I play Hell Awaits by Slayer through the largest SVT stack in the store Nah, Seriously I play it with no amp for a least 15 minutes. Its got to have the right feel....When I do plug in I always make a half hearted attempt to play Blue Sky by the Allman Brothers. I get a kick out of the kids saying, "Dude, is that like a Dead song?"

[byrdsfan]

As many times as I've been to GC, I've never heard someone playing a bass. They just sit there whacking them with an open hand. Maybe the bass misbehaved.

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by byrdsfan

As many times as I've been to GC, I've never heard someone playing a bass. They just sit there whacking them with an open hand. Maybe the bass misbehaved.

Ba-dum-dum.

[embellisher]

I crank all the knobs on the loudest amp that they have to 11, and then play Higher Ground. Very poorly.

[Crazy_Fingers27]

i play for whatever mood im in. i try to do some two handed tapping (ie moonlight sonata, some primus), then i tend to slap it up a bit with a littl more primus, or some funk riffs that i have been working on, then i like to just shred the crap out of it with some dream theater.

[quallabone]

Originally Posted by embellisher

I crank all the knobs on the loudest amp that they have to 11, and then play Higher Ground. Very poorly.

Wow I hate you!

[BillyB_from_LZ]

1. Situation by Jeff Beck

2. I'm your Captain/Closer to Home GFR

3. (if no one is around) Thankyou falletin me be mice elf agin Sly...although I've been caught and complimented.

4. Randon bits of songs that pop into my head.

I'm not much of a slapper and don't try, especially in the store because that's about all anyone else will do.

[superbassman2000]

Originally Posted by BillyB_from_LZ

I'm not much of a slapper and don't try, especially in the store because that's about all anyone else will do.

yeah, i know what you mean, thats why i don't plug my music store's only 5 string bass into the biggest stack the store has and pedal the low B for 35 minutes.

believe it or not, i bet you i could play any of the most hated songs a bass player could play in the guitar store i go to, and i could get away with it, not because they like me, but because nobodyhad ever heard of any of the songs everyone here seems to hate. here, there's only two kinds of music...punkrock, and emo...


Charlie

[HeavyDuty]

Moved.

[josh_m]

I normally play along to whatever is on the radio in the store. And if one of the many fleas that are there (that either work there or are 'browsing') shoot me a dirty look I turn the amp up a bit and start messing around with differant minor patterns, harmonic minors normally get me a few compliments about how cool it sounded.

[Chapbass]

Im gonna have to go with the whole punk/emo crowd here too....anything not on the radio / more than 5 years old (nirvana an exception, and possibly Jeremy by PJ, everyone recognizes that one) no one will know what it is, maybe besides those working there.

HeavyDuty probably knows what im talking about. us silly chicago folk... what town are ya in by the way man?

Or did that moved mean that you moved out of chicago? : (

[Freaky Fender]

I play sonic youth. Very loudly. With a Black And Decker Drill.

[Mike Money]

Meh....

Sex in a Pan

Sinister Minister

Greed

Chuck"s Overnight Funk Machine

Carousel

Children of the Grave

Route 66

River People

Here come the Bastards

etc...

[Matt Till]

Bedele bop bad a doo wah, bowp bow.