Get off my LAWN! "Grumpy Old Farts"

[LBS-bass]

While unlikely I'll be recording anything I'm happy with anytime soon, I make a video recording every other week. It's humbling, and instructional, and what the sam hill am I doing recording myself

I just went back to a recording I made last year because I started playing the same song and remembered playing it differently from what I was hearing on the record. Sure enough, I was playing something at the wrong octave in the video. Man, I was really proud of that video and now I'm going to have to make sure no one else ever sees it again I'm such a hack it's not even funny.

 

[GwenOnBass]

I'm doing technical pewp with right / left hand gloop. So hardly engaging. It does sound like an electric bass, will concede that.

There's a night at a hotel coming up soon where people vote on who is on stage for this year's blues fest. Foot surgery is delayed (have to contact the doctors tomorrow tomorrow, I mean, today I finished a task that I've been putting off since November, and took me 15 minutes to complete, and what have I learned? NOTHING) well right, so I put on a nice frock, go down and listen and talk to peeps, pass my card around, hey. Last time I played out was before that whatever it was took me out for a month, and again five months later. Really, what we go through.

And I'm gonna say it out loud, and only once, the expectations for a lady with a bass are pretty high. It's nothing at all like the "if you have a breathy voice and can strum an acoustic, Starbucks will play your CD" deal.

 

[Jeff Scott]

March 4 is National Marching Band Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/marching-band-day/
(speaking of student instruments)

So, that's what I was hearing way off in the distance.

My SO's brother plays tuba; used to do so in the OSU Marching Band, even dotted the i once, and he did the Rose Bowl at least once.

I thought the Baldwin factory was in Eddystone, PA. Different Baldwin?
View attachment 3731600 (Baldwin Locomotive Works)

Must be!

Baldwin Piano Company - Wikipedia

It's Wednesday and I just got back from my Periodontist appointment. My Gentle High Dentist said that everything is good! She asked me if I was still playing in a band and for the first time since I've been going there, 30+ years, I said no. She asked if I missed it and I do, very much so. Playing my bass has been a foundation of my life since 1962. Even coming here to offer what advice I can, I feel like a fraud!!

It's never fraud as long as it is sage (green) advice. Think about all those gurus up on their mountaintops; what else are they doing besides giving out wisdom, these days?

I've looked about and responded to some ads on Craigslist and have yet to receive a reply from anyone. Perhaps this is how my musical career ends. Not with a triumph but with a whimper!!

Could be worse!



Think, John Entwistle. Oh wait, didn't he die with a hooker on each arm?

Edit: fix those typo!

 

[chupacerveza]

When I saw Chick Corea in '82 (with Bunny Brunel) he was touring with his own Yamaha concert grand. While I was taking a berimbau lesson with Naná Vasconcelos in the back alley I saw the road crew putting the piano in the truck.
Did they start making those (saxes), too, in 1833?

Isn't that facing the wrong direction?

I’d be interested to hear more about your Brazilian experience. My fiancée is a pianist and singer from Río and her sister is visiting now. Timely subject.

 

[GwenOnBass]

A ladies' Brazilian experience is understandably memorable. [emoticon]

Brazil is one of those rare places in this world with which I hold well with. It feels a long time ago, but always carry it with me.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I just went back to a recording I made last year because I started playing the same song and remembered playing it differently from what I was hearing on the record. Sure enough, I was playing something at the wrong octave in the video. Man, I was really proud of that video and now I'm going to have to make sure no one else ever sees it again I'm such a hack it's not even funny.

I wouldn’t let it bother you. Bands sometimes play songs differently live than they did on their record. The Stones are a good example, they relearn their songs differently. Other times bands simply can’t reproduce the song live. As they age they shift the key down.

I was relearning an old song a while back and realized that I always played it different than the record. I think that is sounds better the way that I play it and those that wrote probably made a mistake in the studio and couldn’t be bothered to fix it.

So if anyone asks, just say
A) I prefer it that way, or
B) What can I say, I’m high strung.

 

[the harp unstrung]

I fall Squarely into the ‘make a cover your own’ camp.

You are You, the bassist.

Make your ears happy.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Think about all those gurus up on their mountaintops

Discworld readers recall the theory that there are a finite number of people with many copies, e.g. Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler; Disembowel-Meself-Honourably Dibhala; Swallow-Me-Own-Blow-Dart Dlang-Dlang; May-I-Never-Achieve-Enlightenment Dhiblang &c &c

Entertain the possibility there is only one Gene Simmons, and many copies including copies in the spiritual crowd

 

[Jeff Scott]

I’d be interested to hear more about your Brazilian experience. My fiancée is a pianist and singer from Río and her sister is visiting now. Timely subject.

My Brazilian Experience was in the back alley of the Agora in Columbus, Ohio, across the street from OSU.

We happened to be hanging out there when Naná came out the stage door with berimbau in hand. We got to talking about it and he gave us a lesson.

Funny, now that I think of it, my first Brazilian Experience was when I met Flora Purim in the back alley of the Agora in Cleveland, Ohio. Mid '70s, when she was pregnant with Diana. She was giddy as a little girl when she told us that she was pregnant.

Discworld readers recall the theory that there are a finite number of people with many copies, e.g. Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler; Disembowel-Meself-Honourably Dibhala; Swallow-Me-Own-Blow-Dart Dlang-Dlang; May-I-Never-Achieve-Enlightenment Dhiblang &c &c

Entertain the possibility there is only one Gene Simmons, and many copies including copies in the spiritual crowd

I am so happy there is only one of him.

 

[Al Kraft]

It's Wednesday and I just got back from my Periodontist appointment. My Gentle High Dentist said that everything is good! She asked me if I was still playing in a band and for the first time since I've been going there, 30+ years, I said no. She asked if I missed it and I do, very much so. Playing my bass has been a foundation of my life since 1962. Even coming here to offer what advice I can, I feel like a fraud!!

I've looked about and responded to some ads on Craigslist and have yet to receive a reply from anyone. Perhaps this is how my musical career ends. Not with a triumph but with a whimper!!

I see my dentist tomorrow. <sigh>

Don't feel bad Paul. We've all been beteeen bands at some point over the decades. You're still bass player with a lot of experience - no different than you were a month or a year ago. Somewhere there's a group of musicians uttering the words "if we could only find a bass player we could make this band thing work". You just need to find that group of despondent musicians and make their day.

 

[the harp unstrung]

^^^F¥£€><g A!

 

[beans-on-toast]

^^^F¥£€><g A!

This is what happens when the cat gets access to your TB account.

 

[GonePlaid]

It's Wednesday and I just got back from my Periodontist appointment. My Gentle High Dentist said that everything is good! She asked me if I was still playing in a band and for the first time since I've been going there, 30+ years, I said no. She asked if I missed it and I do, very much so. Playing my bass has been a foundation of my life since 1962. Even coming here to offer what advice I can, I feel like a fraud!!

I've looked about and responded to some ads on Craigslist and have yet to receive a reply from anyone. Perhaps this is how my musical career ends. Not with a triumph but with a whimper!!

I see my dentist tomorrow. <sigh>

Dunno your area but look for open mic/jams. Sit in with other people. Ya never know what ya might stumble across.

 

[GonePlaid]

I just went back to a recording I made last year because I started playing the same song and remembered playing it differently from what I was hearing on the record. Sure enough, I was playing something at the wrong octave in the video. Man, I was really proud of that video and now I'm going to have to make sure no one else ever sees it again I'm such a hack it's not even funny.

The group I'm assisting as they continue their bassist search does a song* in A(I think the original is in F) that puts me either too high or too low. The bass line is quite specific, in both note and pattern. It's the key that fits the singer's voice. 90+% of the audience won't know the difference, so I live with it.

ETA: So I googled and listened to it. I'll be dipped: it's in A!! Just doesn't 'feel' right in that range but doesn't fit the pattern down. Aaaaarrrggh

Oh, well, I'll hit the open A on the ending(sigh)

*Stand By Me

 

[GonePlaid]

While unlikely I'll be recording anything I'm happy with anytime soon, I make a video recording every other week. It's humbling, and instructional, and what the sam hill am I doing recording myself

I had to read a few replies ahead then come back to this.[full disclosure: I don't record myself-no recording gear] I try to do my bass line pretty much the same each time where it matters, esp. to the other band members, like if they are expecting a cue of some sort. Otherwise, I may add a little 'twist' in there for myself to minimize boredom or whatever. A 3-4 note run, a 'walking' line, a non root note(F# on a D chord for example). [One of our guitarists wanted to "correct" me for doing that on one of the songs he sings(Always on my Mind-W. Nelson). I said listen to the record, that's what Willie's bass player is hitting.]
We each play a little differently(unless we're copying a recording note for note). I generally try to stay below the guitar's range. That's my territory-that they can't go into-and keep outta their way. I'm the base(sic). Let them build on top o' that.

 

[Jeff Scott]

...I may add a little 'twist' in there for myself to minimize boredom or whatever. A 3-4 note run, a 'walking' line, a non root note(F# on a D chord for example). [One of our guitarists wanted to "correct" me for doing that on one of the songs he sings(Always on my Mind-W. Nelson). I said listen to the record, that's what Willie's bass player is hitting.]

That guitarist had probably never even listened to the bass line of that song, before!

 

[GonePlaid]

That guitarist had probably never even listened to the bass line of that song, before!

Yup.

 

[beans-on-toast]

In the old days, a mistake on the record often meant redoing the song. Mistakes were tolerated and years later players adhere to the record, including the flubs. Even with multitracks today, people let mistakes slip through. Sometimes the performance was good and they didn’t want to change it, other times it’s just a matter of moving on. Today mistakes can be fixed in the DAW and most songs are too perfect. Not always a good thing, some character is good.

Around 7:30 in this video, Cameron talks about drumming errors when Motorhead was tracking. They fixed them but this doesn’t always happen.

 

[Bard2dbone]

I remember being really bothered by a couple/few major background noise type mistakes on Saturday Night Fever. It amazed me that none of my friends seemed to notice them. One sounded like something being knocked over in the middle of a song. But they (apparently) kept the tape rolling. I remember that was how my favorite high school girlfriend and I got together. She was equally annoyed by it. We were each the first person either had met who'd noticed the mistakes. You could say we were bonded by pickiness. But the level of concern didn't require pickiness, just listening at all.

 

[GwenOnBass]

^^^F¥£€><g A!

OTOH this is about baseball.