- Jun 25, 2007
- 4,531
- 135
- 63
- Disclosures
- Artist:TC Electronic RH450 bass system (original test-pilot)
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Dear Jonathan Herrera (friendly suggestions for BP)
- Thread starter bearclaw
- Start date
I would love to be able to download the transcription in a PDF format.This would be cool.
If I were you this is what I would do to increase revenue.
Make bassplayer TV (or rename it doesn't matter) into a small monthly service and add EVERY article you have ever written searchable. In addition have all the lessons you've ever had searchable with a GOOD search/sort option. Also add special content on this webservice as say a "masterclass" series where you pick different players have them sit down and write as long an article as they want about their playing and what drives them and allow them to make a video to go along if they want. Also your gear reviews would be significantly improved having audio/video to go along with the reviewer's impressions. I'd probably add a user comments section or user rating to all lessons/articles/gear reviews as well.
With a business plan similar to that if done CORRECTLY I'd be willing to pay $5 a month for it. And your overhead for it would be significantly less. In addition you could add far more content making the service more desirable to people who # 1 - don't play jazz or # 2 - get sick of your articles on the same people over and over again. Tablature might be the only issue I would foresee with this, however, it would be made up for with the lessons and special videos.
You could also do a pricing plan that included the physical magazine and the online content.
Just my 2c.
Make bassplayer TV (or rename it doesn't matter) into a small monthly service and add EVERY article you have ever written searchable. In addition have all the lessons you've ever had searchable with a GOOD search/sort option. Also add special content on this webservice as say a "masterclass" series where you pick different players have them sit down and write as long an article as they want about their playing and what drives them and allow them to make a video to go along if they want. Also your gear reviews would be significantly improved having audio/video to go along with the reviewer's impressions. I'd probably add a user comments section or user rating to all lessons/articles/gear reviews as well.
With a business plan similar to that if done CORRECTLY I'd be willing to pay $5 a month for it. And your overhead for it would be significantly less. In addition you could add far more content making the service more desirable to people who # 1 - don't play jazz or # 2 - get sick of your articles on the same people over and over again. Tablature might be the only issue I would foresee with this, however, it would be made up for with the lessons and special videos.
You could also do a pricing plan that included the physical magazine and the online content.
Just my 2c.
I have been reading the mag since the day I discovered it and I just want to give a +1 to more technique articles. My FAVORITE part of the interview is when a great player is talking not just about their crazy one-of-a-kind custom gear or their wild escapades or how they got around to writing that one song that one time (which are nice to hear in moderation) but their tips on playing, practicing, and just being a good musician.
This may just be a personal preference but my favorite parts of the mag are the ones that help me grow as a player or give me real and usable gear knowledge. I'm ordering BP, not People Magazine.
+1 on a subscriber only online presence. I would love to be able to download old articles or print off transcriptions from a PDF. There are great articles and interviews that people I know are still circulating photocopies of because they hold great information that is very hard to find.
This may just be a personal preference but my favorite parts of the mag are the ones that help me grow as a player or give me real and usable gear knowledge. I'm ordering BP, not People Magazine.
+1 on a subscriber only online presence. I would love to be able to download old articles or print off transcriptions from a PDF. There are great articles and interviews that people I know are still circulating photocopies of because they hold great information that is very hard to find.
I would love to see a featured article on MarloweDK / Play Bass Now. http://playbassnow.com/
His stunning skills and well crafted instructional vids have inspired countless members in the bass community.
His stunning skills and well crafted instructional vids have inspired countless members in the bass community.
Keep the tab, old guys like me need all the help we can get and it expidites reading notation.
Some online content seems to be the future but I am NOT taking my computer to the bathroom.
Loved the tech section! Need to know how things work.
Marlowe is fun to listen to.
Peace
Some online content seems to be the future but I am NOT taking my computer to the bathroom.
Loved the tech section! Need to know how things work.
Marlowe is fun to listen to.
Peace
The one thing I miss most is the "Meet the Players" section, I think thats what it was called. It was just a short segment about a bassist that isnt in a professional touring band, or one that doesnt have million dollar endorsements. It showed me that things could happen if you try, and being 16, thats a great message.
I also like it when the bassist in question was below 16.
How about an interview with the bassist from The McLovins? Just released their first record, which is incredible, and it would be a really cool article.
I also like it when the bassist in question was below 16.
How about an interview with the bassist from The McLovins? Just released their first record, which is incredible, and it would be a really cool article.
CrashClint
I Play Bass therefore I Am
I always liked the introduce yourself section as well.
Maybe Bass Player and Bass Gear Magazine should come together. BP handling interviews, transcriptions and layout while BGM handles all the bass and gear reviews.
Honestly, I would pay more for BP if it didn't have a bunch of ads. I pay extra for the printed version of BGM because I can carry it around with me and can read it during a flight but I love the option of reading online as well. I think for you guys it is really hard to give a piece of equipment an honest review when the manufacturer is purchasing a large ad.
Maybe you can do a little more for hard copy subscribers, like a cool area of the website that only hard copy subscribers have access to, stuff like backing tracks we can add bass lines to and stuff like that.
Just my thoughts. I will be renewing my subscription as well.
Maybe Bass Player and Bass Gear Magazine should come together. BP handling interviews, transcriptions and layout while BGM handles all the bass and gear reviews.
Honestly, I would pay more for BP if it didn't have a bunch of ads. I pay extra for the printed version of BGM because I can carry it around with me and can read it during a flight but I love the option of reading online as well. I think for you guys it is really hard to give a piece of equipment an honest review when the manufacturer is purchasing a large ad.
Maybe you can do a little more for hard copy subscribers, like a cool area of the website that only hard copy subscribers have access to, stuff like backing tracks we can add bass lines to and stuff like that.
Just my thoughts. I will be renewing my subscription as well.
That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me
So I'm not the only one.
hey jonathan......recently i asked the guys what they thought they would like to see in bp,and it was asked if i would put that together in a poll....i wonder if that theme would be something of interest in the mag itself.....
I think the whole power cord issue is a sensitive one for JH, and was beaten up pretty hard in a few threads awhile back. Maybe we should let that go and focus on improving going forward.
How about a subscribers only web site that has video lessons and demos like DKMarlowe is doing?
How about a subscribers only web site that has video lessons and demos like DKMarlowe is doing?
throw in downloadable pdf transcriptions from back issues i would be down for a sub
I'd like to see less emphasis on gear and more on music too. My favorite interviews were any of Daryl Jones' and the Charlie Haden/Flea one. Where people talk about WHY they play bass, how they learned, what they think when they're creating a bass line, how the interact with the others.
Bass is a very communal instrument in that most of what really counts in the context of the whole band. So, hearing what Steve Jordan, or Chick Corea, or Eric Clapton has to say about what they look for in a bass player would be a lot more useful than reading about Fieldy's tennis shoe collection (OK, that's a cheap shot and it was a long time ago, but jeez!). And producers- how cool would it be to pick Quincy Jone's brain about bassists and the bass' role!
I could live with more written music, and don't waste the space on tab unless fingering and location is critical to the lessons. But showing tab for a study of harmony really is counterproductive.
As for reviews, I do have to agree that the hype on that power cord was a bit much. However, I don't see any reason to review crappy products just to publish a negative review. Just review good stuff... but take a page from the old Alembic Reports in Guitar Player where you have a consistent set of standards, and you give some real details. If two amps are rated at 400 WRMS @ 4 ohms, put them on the the bench and tell us what they do under identical measurements. Same THD, same voltage, same speaker load, etc. Do this for every amp so people can get a better sense of advertising versus reality.
And don't be swayed by the folks who disparage the articles on bassist for artists or genre's they don't respect. I figure if someone's got a full-time gig as a bassist, making contacts and money with their bass, they're doing what many of us aspire to (at some level anyway). So that article on the bassist for The Jonas Bros. was more useful to me than reading about another book of bass tabs.
BTW, thanks again for your help on fixing my subscription!
John
Bass is a very communal instrument in that most of what really counts in the context of the whole band. So, hearing what Steve Jordan, or Chick Corea, or Eric Clapton has to say about what they look for in a bass player would be a lot more useful than reading about Fieldy's tennis shoe collection (OK, that's a cheap shot and it was a long time ago, but jeez!). And producers- how cool would it be to pick Quincy Jone's brain about bassists and the bass' role!
I could live with more written music, and don't waste the space on tab unless fingering and location is critical to the lessons. But showing tab for a study of harmony really is counterproductive.
As for reviews, I do have to agree that the hype on that power cord was a bit much. However, I don't see any reason to review crappy products just to publish a negative review. Just review good stuff... but take a page from the old Alembic Reports in Guitar Player where you have a consistent set of standards, and you give some real details. If two amps are rated at 400 WRMS @ 4 ohms, put them on the the bench and tell us what they do under identical measurements. Same THD, same voltage, same speaker load, etc. Do this for every amp so people can get a better sense of advertising versus reality.
And don't be swayed by the folks who disparage the articles on bassist for artists or genre's they don't respect. I figure if someone's got a full-time gig as a bassist, making contacts and money with their bass, they're doing what many of us aspire to (at some level anyway). So that article on the bassist for The Jonas Bros. was more useful to me than reading about another book of bass tabs.
BTW, thanks again for your help on fixing my subscription!
John
Commreman
Faith, Family, Fitness, and Frets
More transcriptions. Bring back more of the instructional columns. I love Jonathan Goldsbys' column. In the thread dealing with this months' issue, a couple of us spoke of bringing back guys like LaRue, Jeff Berlin, Will Lee, Ed Freidland, etc. for more playing content.
Doing the story on Scott LaFaro this month was great, and WAY overdue! Even though I'm an electric bassist, I really enjoy and get a lot out of the interviews with the double bassists.
I also really enjoyed the soapbox feature as well. In terms of "players that others don't respect", well, my attitude if it's a guy (or gal) that is making a living at this full time, I don't care what genre they are in. There is always something relevant that I can learn from them. Hell, I'm having a good time sharing the articles on the newer artist with my 16 year old daughter - we've seen many of the bands together!
Keep up the good work, and keep the mag improving. I know the economy sucks and ad revenues are down, but please keep striving to make the mag better. I constantly refer back to my old issues, and learn from the players and the columns.
Doing the story on Scott LaFaro this month was great, and WAY overdue! Even though I'm an electric bassist, I really enjoy and get a lot out of the interviews with the double bassists.
I also really enjoyed the soapbox feature as well. In terms of "players that others don't respect", well, my attitude if it's a guy (or gal) that is making a living at this full time, I don't care what genre they are in. There is always something relevant that I can learn from them. Hell, I'm having a good time sharing the articles on the newer artist with my 16 year old daughter - we've seen many of the bands together!
Keep up the good work, and keep the mag improving. I know the economy sucks and ad revenues are down, but please keep striving to make the mag better. I constantly refer back to my old issues, and learn from the players and the columns.
I'd like to see more articles and instruction targeting beginning and intermediate bass players. Also, articles delving into musical trends both internationally and nationally as well as a more in-depth look into upcoming bassists and bands. Maybe some collaborative work with sister pubs and gear manufacturers would be interesting as well. Something that could be interesting is seeing how non-bassplayers view the bass in their music (IE, how a drummer views the bass and how it influences their playing.)
Oh, and keep the TABs. I don't use them myself but feel they can be a great learning tool and can help people understand the music a little better. It's all in how it's used.
Oh, and keep the TABs. I don't use them myself but feel they can be a great learning tool and can help people understand the music a little better. It's all in how it's used.
i've got all the questions,but i think i'll need some help setting it up.....i want to be able to get responses based on order of importance without having to write a book.ie;...
what is better
A. 3
B. 1
C. 2 etc.
and be able to correlate them somehow if that is possible to show that x% rate B as most important......
Benjamin Strange
Commercial User
- Dec 25, 2002
- 9,737
- 310
- 49
- Disclosures
- Owner / Tech: Strange Guitarworks
I used to subscribe to BP years ago, and gave up on it when it ceased to be a magazine and became a pamphlet. Methinks the reason that there isn't that much advertising revenue coming in is because there's so little CONTENT. How is it that Modern Drummer can be three times the size of BP, when all they are discussing is about hitting things with sticks?
BP's articles aren't deep, nor engaging enough. Gear reviews are FAR too short, have almost no real content that matters, and are far too generous with praise. Modern Drummer can fill a whole page talking about a single cymbal - how is it that BP can't fill 3 paragraphs about a $5000 bass? Interviews and features also aren't long nor interesting enough - ask difficult questions! Get in DEEP! We want to know more about what makes these musicians tick - not only musically, but personally as well. Musician's lives and their musical careers are intertwined - it would be wise to explore this a little better.
BP is far too milquetoast and safe for my tastes these days. Your reviews of gear and music used to have some teeth... now there is rarely a disparaging comment or a sentence with any personality whatsoever. I'd like to see more wit, humor, and sheer bludgeoning when necessary.
A good music magazine CAN exist: check out Modern Drummer and Sound on Sound. I am always impressed at their offerings - surely BP can aspire to the same level of excellence?
BP's articles aren't deep, nor engaging enough. Gear reviews are FAR too short, have almost no real content that matters, and are far too generous with praise. Modern Drummer can fill a whole page talking about a single cymbal - how is it that BP can't fill 3 paragraphs about a $5000 bass? Interviews and features also aren't long nor interesting enough - ask difficult questions! Get in DEEP! We want to know more about what makes these musicians tick - not only musically, but personally as well. Musician's lives and their musical careers are intertwined - it would be wise to explore this a little better.
BP is far too milquetoast and safe for my tastes these days. Your reviews of gear and music used to have some teeth... now there is rarely a disparaging comment or a sentence with any personality whatsoever. I'd like to see more wit, humor, and sheer bludgeoning when necessary.
A good music magazine CAN exist: check out Modern Drummer and Sound on Sound. I am always impressed at their offerings - surely BP can aspire to the same level of excellence?
Jonathan,
I subscribed to BP when I started playing in 2001. Back in the day, I couldn't wait for the next issue to arrive in the mail. In 2008 when I let my subscription lapse, I felt the magazine had lost all value to someone who was not always shopping for new gear, and focused very little on the players and their playing, but rather the gear they used.
If I wanted to see ads for gear I couldn't afford and didn't need, I'd read through the Musician's Friend catalogs every day like I used to. But now, I prefer to read about players, their mindset and role within the group. There was an issue where the Soapbox was a drummer and bassist discussing how they worked together. THIS is what is more beneficial to the players.
Also, a feature of a studio dog each month would be great. The one pager on Chris Chaney a while ago was great (thanks for running that anyway) but making this a regular feature would be nice, getting to know the studio players that we all listen to each day, but don't know much about. And especially the older guys like Pino who are a great influence on us and our influences.
And please bring back the introduce yourself section. It's nice to learn about the non-professionals as well.
From a former (and hopefully future) subscriber,
Timothy Lyons
I subscribed to BP when I started playing in 2001. Back in the day, I couldn't wait for the next issue to arrive in the mail. In 2008 when I let my subscription lapse, I felt the magazine had lost all value to someone who was not always shopping for new gear, and focused very little on the players and their playing, but rather the gear they used.
If I wanted to see ads for gear I couldn't afford and didn't need, I'd read through the Musician's Friend catalogs every day like I used to. But now, I prefer to read about players, their mindset and role within the group. There was an issue where the Soapbox was a drummer and bassist discussing how they worked together. THIS is what is more beneficial to the players.
Also, a feature of a studio dog each month would be great. The one pager on Chris Chaney a while ago was great (thanks for running that anyway) but making this a regular feature would be nice, getting to know the studio players that we all listen to each day, but don't know much about. And especially the older guys like Pino who are a great influence on us and our influences.
And please bring back the introduce yourself section. It's nice to learn about the non-professionals as well.
From a former (and hopefully future) subscriber,
Timothy Lyons
The WEB Site until recently has been really bad - there have been improvements - but you guys really need to dump some cash and attention there - because with all the history and content compiled in Bass Player over the years - if you digitize it and offer it up to subscribers you could really own in that space for real.
My subscription lapsed recently and I have not been compelled to resubscribe - but I will eventually - I like the magazine and have a loyalty because when this magazine came on the scene it was so great and has made such a huge contribution since - that I have to support it. Get the WEB Site up to snuff and the video feeds have to be solid and timely I can't wait all day for a video to load. Take the feedback offered here and make a great magazine better!
My subscription lapsed recently and I have not been compelled to resubscribe - but I will eventually - I like the magazine and have a loyalty because when this magazine came on the scene it was so great and has made such a huge contribution since - that I have to support it. Get the WEB Site up to snuff and the video feeds have to be solid and timely I can't wait all day for a video to load. Take the feedback offered here and make a great magazine better!
