Do you use a ramp on your main player?

[KevInDaBassment]

again what ever works.. although I doubt very much a ramp will make you or anybody a better player.. it mite help make it more comfortable or easier to play certain lines but one should learn the proper techniques and not rely on some peace of wood in between your pick ups to be a better player.

Ok let me attempt to analogize this in a way you might understand...


I see you own several basses with frets and dot inlays. Hey man, it's whatever works, your thing and that's cool. People really shouldn't rely on frets and inlays for their playing and correct intonation though, you just need to practice your ear training and technique more. A good player doesn't need fret lines or any of that junk, they just use their ears. It's really just a crutch for people who don't wanna practice and develop a good ear.


Now please don't keep us waiting in suspense to hear you say "It's whatever works", "It's my opinion", and then deride people's technique for using ramps like you have a solid case. I'd also like to add (again) that Jamerson used one finger to pluck and you are in fact a pansy if you EVER use two or three fingers to pluck. Jamerson did it so therefore it must be law.

 

[Raw N Low]

I'm too crappy of a bassist to properly use one. I had a Gary Willis GWB35 that had one and it felt great. I never had a problem digging into the strings because I don't technically play scales and progressions fast enough to justify one. Out of curiosity, is it more of a Jazz/Prog thing on basses? I noticed that most ramps tend to be on boutique basses I would normally see in Jazz setups. Please forgive my ignorance in advance.

 

[madbass6]

Ok let me attempt to analogize this in a way you might understand...


I see you own several basses with frets and dot inlays. Hey man, it's whatever works, your thing and that's cool. People really shouldn't rely on frets and inlays for their playing and correct intonation though, you just need to practice your ear training and technique more. A good player doesn't need fret lines or any of that junk, they just use their ears. It's really just a crutch for people who don't wanna practice and develop a good ear.


Now please don't keep us waiting in suspense to hear you say "It's whatever works", "It's my opinion", and then deride people's technique for using ramps like you have a solid case. I'd also like to add (again) that Jamerson used one finger to pluck and you are in fact a pansy if you EVER use two or three fingers to pluck. Jamerson did it so therefore it must be law.

 

[madbass6]

Ok let me attempt to analogize this in a way you might understand...


I see you own several basses with frets and dot inlays. Hey man, it's whatever works, your thing and that's cool. People really shouldn't rely on frets and inlays for their playing and correct intonation though, you just need to practice your ear training and technique more. A good player doesn't need fret lines or any of that junk, they just use their ears. It's really just a crutch for people who don't wanna practice and develop a good ear.


Now please don't keep us waiting in suspense to hear you say "It's whatever works", "It's my opinion", and then deride people's technique for using ramps like you have a solid case. I'd also like to add (again) that Jamerson used one finger to pluck and you are in fact a pansy if you EVER use two or three fingers to pluck. Jamerson did it so therefore it must be law.

Hey What ever works (for you.. )
all I'm saying and again its just my opinion ..
if one must rely on a ramp to play faster or not to loud then obviously you need to improve the plucking hand technique to prevent from plucking or playing to hard ..
(or what ever the issue is)
instead of relying on a ramp to fix the issue.
Again a ramp mite be more comfortable but it won't make you a better player.
Now heres my way of explaning it to you
hopefuly youll get it..

It's like sweeping the dust under rug ..
the dirt is still there just covered up! Doesn't mean the room is cleaned.. why not just work on your cleaning techniques and just do it rite instead on relying on that carpet to cover it up.
so I know u don't want to hear it
but "what ever works" here's something else that works just as well..
relax !! dont agree? thats kool..
just agree to disagree..

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Hey What ever works (for you.. )
all I'm saying and again its just my opinion ..
if one must rely on a ramp to play faster or not to loud then obviously you need to improve the plucking hand technique to prevent from plucking or playing to hard ..
(or what ever the issue is)
instead of relying on a ramp to fix the issue.
Again a ramp mite be more comfortable but it won't make you a better player.

So glad you didn't disappoint on your reply that I predicted...I can now die a happy man. Same old mantra about people not being good enough players and relying on ramps as a crutch. All the while disregarding (maybe intentionally, maybe not) that you'll never be as accurate as a hard object limiting depth. But forget all that about precision, that's for losers.

Now heres my way of explaning it to you
hopefuly youll get it..

Oh boy, let me hold onto my temples so my head doesn't explode. Okay, I think I'm ready now....

Oh before we start, it's "here's", "explaining", "hopefully", and "you'll". I wonder if this will be the prelude for what's to come...

It's like sweeping the dust under rug ..
the dirt is still there just covered up! Doesn't mean the room is cleaned.. why not just work on your cleaning techniques and just do it rite instead on relying on that carpet to cover it up.

Nothing short of poetry...ok to fix your analogy and line it up with your logic, you shouldn't be using a broom to sweep at all. You should be blowing all that dust around with your mouth and those dust particles better not fly somewhere they aren't supposed to. If they do, then you have bad cleaning technique and need to fix it immediately. Don't use a pansy broom or vacuum cleaner, that's for people who just ignore the root issue of how to move matter!

so I know u don't want to hear it
but "what ever works" here's something else that works just as well..
relax !! dont agree? thats kool..
just agree to disagree..

Ok, it's been fun trolling you and seeing you try to defend your stance with valor and using logic void of congruence. However it's lunch time and this will have to wait until this afternoon when I'm bored again.


Oh, and it's "Don't", "That's", and I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume "kool" was spelled that way to seem hip or stylish. That or you are mistaking me for a pack of these:

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Hey What ever works (for you.. )
all I'm saying and again its just my opinion ..
if one must rely on a ramp to play faster or not to loud then obviously you need to improve the plucking hand technique to prevent from plucking or playing to hard ..
(or what ever the issue is)
instead of relying on a ramp to fix the issue.
Again a ramp mite be more comfortable but it won't make you a better player.
Now heres my way of explaning it to you
hopefuly youll get it..

It's like sweeping the dust under rug ..
the dirt is still there just covered up! Doesn't mean the room is cleaned.. why not just work on your cleaning techniques and just do it rite instead on relying on that carpet to cover it up.
so I know u don't want to hear it
but "what ever works" here's something else that works just as well..
relax !! dont agree? thats kool..
just agree to disagree..

So the moon is made of cheese.

You can have that opinion. It's inexperienced, uneducated, and completely false though. You cannot replicate what a ramp does without a ramp, other than using another device in the same fashion (playing over a pickup or fingerboard, etc). It cannot be replaced by technique. It's not intended to fix anything- it can simply enhance things. And that 100% can make some people a better player. Not everyone, and not even a lot of them, but it can.

This is simply a matter that you are attempting to speak an opinion on when you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[Bass4LifeRS]

... not rely on some peace of wood in between your pick ups to be a better player.

Herein lies your great misunderstanding of the ramp's usefulness or feel improvement for some people.

If you noticed that your 5-string bass made you play better than you do with your 4-string, and you posted that feeling on here. What would your reaction be to a comment that contains something similar to your comment i.e. "one should learn the proper techniques and not rely on on an extra string on the neck to be a better player. "

 

[madbass6]

So glad you didn't disappoint on your reply that I predicted...I can now die a happy man. Same old mantra about people not being good enough players and relying on ramps as a crutch. All the while disregarding (maybe intentionally, maybe not) that you'll never be as accurate as a hard object limiting depth. But forget all that about precision, that's for losers.




Oh boy, let me hold onto my temples so my head doesn't explode. Okay, I think I'm ready now....

Oh before we start, it's "here's", "explaining", "hopefully", and "you'll". I wonder if this will be the prelude for what's to come...



Nothing short of poetry...ok to fix your analogy and line it up with your logic, you shouldn't be using a broom to sweep at all. You should be blowing all that dust around with your mouth and those dust particles better not fly somewhere they aren't supposed to. If they do, then you have bad cleaning technique and need to fix it immediately. Don't use a pansy broom or vacuum cleaner, that's for people who just ignore the root issue of how to move matter!



Ok, it's been fun trolling you and seeing you try to defend your stance with valor and using logic void of congruence. However it's lunch time and this will have to wait until this afternoon when I'm bored again.


Oh, and it's "Don't", "That's", and I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume "kool" was spelled that way to seem hip or stylish. That or you are mistaking me for a pack of these:

I was intrigued by ramps so I had one made for my Ken Smith. I found it didn't really make any difference. I play with a light right hand touch and I'm constantly moving my thumb around so the extra anchoring area wasn't a plus.

good for you!! perfect example of a bass player not depending on a Ramp to play with the rite touch!! just dont need it ! please share with Plucky the bassist your secret who could probably use a tip or two on how to pluck with out depending on the ramp.

 

[madbass6]

So glad you didn't disappoint on your reply that I predicted...I can now die a happy man. Same old mantra about people not being good enough players and relying on ramps as a crutch. All the while disregarding (maybe intentionally, maybe not) that you'll never be as accurate as a hard object limiting depth. But forget all that about precision, that's for losers.




Oh boy, let me hold onto my temples so my head doesn't explode. Okay, I think I'm ready now....

Oh before we start, it's "here's", "explaining", "hopefully", and "you'll". I wonder if this will be the prelude for what's to come...



Nothing short of poetry...ok to fix your analogy and line it up with your logic, you shouldn't be using a broom to sweep at all. You should be blowing all that dust around with your mouth and those dust particles better not fly somewhere they aren't supposed to. If they do, then you have bad cleaning technique and need to fix it immediately. Don't use a pansy broom or vacuum cleaner, that's for people who just ignore the root issue of how to move matter!



Ok, it's been fun trolling you and seeing you try to defend your stance with valor and using logic void of congruence. However it's lunch time and this will have to wait until this afternoon when I'm bored again.


Oh, and it's "Don't", "That's", and I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume "kool" was spelled that way to seem hip or stylish. That or you are mistaking me for a pack of these:

lol.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

...please share with Plucky the bassist your secret who could probably use a tip or two on how to pluck with out depending on the ramp.

Please do share it with me, I need something to do since I can't figure out how to remove all the ramps I never had installed on any of my basses.

And for the record, I do not own or use ramps on any of my basses. I have many players that I admire who DO use them though, so I can't exactly say I don't respect people who do use them...

 

[madbass6]

In my experience using a well crafted ramp is enjoyable, with many benefits. If you think that you wouldn't enjoy using a ramp, or that there are no benefits to using a ramp, it's OK that you don't use a ramp. No ramps are good. Ramps are good. It's all good.

The most interesting thing about this thread is the poll, whereby about 15% of those surveyed (at the time of this post) use ramps. I anticipated a lower rate of ramp users, thinking most would have no interest, desire, or need for ramps.

Trivia questions: Which established bass manufacturer and innovator recently introduced a production bass with a ramp? Which model? What make and model was a major influence to its design?

If I'm not mistaken I believe Ibanez has a signatureg Garry Willis Bass with the option of a Ramp. and from what I've heard i think it was Garry Willis who came up with it or at least one of the first.

 

[NoiseNinja]

No, and not only because it looks silly or because I mainly use pick.

Even when I do use my fingers I find a ramp kind of useless and more in the way than anything else.

But whatever floats your boat I guess.

 

[henry2513]

You guys are really arguing about a block of wood? No one listening is going to know or care if there was a ramp on the bass.

Who cares what Jaco did or didn't do, he is 30 years gone and bass playing at the world class level has far surpassed what he was doing when he was "king". In fact, there were bass players who had already gone higher than he'd ever reach in his "prime". Listen to Scott Lafaro, Eddie Gomez, NHOP. Those dudes tore up Jaco when it came to jazz.

If you don't like the ramp don't use it, simple.