Recent content by interp

If you’re thinkin’ you’re stinkin’.

A “good drummer” whose timing is questionable and who often forgets parts? Nah, he’s not a good drummer.

Soloing is probably the least strong of my skills, but I generally don’t mind it IF I feel I have something to say. To me soloing is about communicating a feeling; there is nothing more tedious than listening to a soloist who doesn’t really have anything to say.

This is such great advice! I cannot agree more.

IMO you don’t need to transcribe the whole song but you should.

To each his own, of course, but there is no gig I can imagine paying enough for me to spend an evening in a smoky bar.

Wow, I was just about to post that a 55-94 is the solution. I’ve owned three of them (never paid more than 2000 for one) and all of them struck me as close to a P/J/Stingray in one bass as one could possibly get. I guess to each his own.

I sand down the necks of nearly all my basses and apply a tung oil or boiled linseed oil finish. I highly recommend it.

I had a 1962 Jazz bass that I was planning to give to my son, a professional bass player. Before doing so I had a chance to meet and hang for a while with Steve Swallow, who signed the top front bout of the bass with a brief personal message. The bass is now in my son’s hands. He and I are both...

Nearly new Jule Amps “Dove Cage” offered for sale. Set up for 230V operation. Absolutely perfect functional and cosmetic condition. Comes with custom gig bag. 1000 Euro, includes shipping/insurance within EU. If you know this piece of gear you know how good the price is. This unit has lived...

I’m not a fluent reader of musical notation, but many years ago I learned to read Cyrillic (Russian) and still read a lot of it every day. In the process I absorbed a principle mentioned by other posters that applies equally to written language and musical notation: the goal is not to read...

If you can, arrange to leave the States two or three days earlier than originally planned. Jet lag, especially on a short trip of less than two weeks, can be debilitating mentally and physically. You’ll perform much better if you have a couple days to adjust before you start doing shows.

Playing for many years in a horn band? i.e. in F, Bb, Eb and Ab.

I’ve owned about 40 basses altogether. My current favorites: 2015 Marleaux Contra five-string 1982 DeLap Jazz-style, currently fretless Past favorites: 1958 Fender Precision 1962 Fender Jazz (my son now owns it) N. Zaganin Asema five-string (Not sure what year, my next-door neighbor now owns...

Here’s my opinion: In both cases it’s not a question of ethics but rather of clear communication and not making assumptions that the other party will act in the same way you have in the past. In both cases you and the other party should have taken a few seconds to be a bit more specific about...