Get off my LAWN! "Grumpy Old Farts"

[GonePlaid]

One more comment from me on bass solos. On the jazz gig, I'm sight reading charts of tunes I'm generally unfamiliar with, either hearing or playing. We don't rehearse for these things, or use a set list, so no opportunity to work out a solo. I'm not a melody player. I can play an appropriate bass line, walking or otherwise, to pretty much any song I've heard, and something that fits on new-to me-tunes that I'm seeing/hearing for the first time. But I'm not a soloist. You hear me solo on a tune and the next time I solo on another tune it'll be pretty much the same, just in a different key/tempo. Besides, if ya think about it this way, as the only bass instrument, I'm playing a solo all the way through.

 

[12BitSlab]

Speaking of hi-fi, I recently learned about someone who always pronounced wifi as wee-fee. She now knows better!

Long story short:

Before I retired, I did a fair amount (i.e., too much) travel for speaking engagements re: computer and information security. Most of my speaking gigs were for security trade shows or for specific professions that needed to understand the basics of security.

One of my gigs was very private. I spoke to a group of senior counter espionage people who theoretically should have, at the very least, as much knowledge as me. I always tried to mingle with some of the audience before I walked to the podium to speak. I did that so I could tailor the depth of my presentation to the audience’s knowledge level.

During the mingle phase of the gig, I found something that scared the heck out of me. Almost every single one of these senior “experts” pronounced tcp/ip as Tee See Pip. Unlike you, helping them to “know better” was beyond my skill level.

As you can probably guess, knowing that the Tee See Pip Warriors are protecting us doesn’t make me sleep better at night.

 

[notJaco]

You are looking at it through the eyes and ears of a musician. Most other people want to unwind and be entertained, if they listen to the band at all.

Not sure that I see your point...and especially with the bass these days where people, not necessarily musicians, will cheer on a funky, slappy bass solo as the rest of the band drops out. (incidentally, I can't play a single note in this manner). A guitar or sax solo may go unnoticed because they so commonplace. Guitar and sax can spend endless bars with sustaining and bending two notes. (Ask Carlos Santana). Ho hum.

 

[GonePlaid]

Not sure that I see your point...and especially with the bass these days where people, not necessarily musicians, will cheer on a funky, slappy bass solo as the rest of the band drops out. (incidentally, I can't play a single note in this manner). A guitar or sax solo may go unnoticed because they so commonplace. Guitar and sax can spend endless bars with sustaining and bending two notes. (Ask Carlos Santana). Ho hum.

Up to a point they're cheering, then it becomes an indication of "enuff awready".

 

[GonePlaid]

All the Jewish weddings we played, the dance never went that long. Lotta energy there.
ADDENDUM: The band I was in in Miami(large Jewish population)did a ship(sp?) load of weddings in the 70's. I'd hate to be a wedding band now with the 'first dance' being some hip-hop/rap "song". When we did a lotta those it was often "We've Only Just Begun" by The Carpenters or maybe "Colour My World" by Chicago or something like that.

One other favorite first dance song was "If"(in F). On the the last chord, we used to have 4 part harmony. My note was:

(I have a stupidly high falsetto).

 

[gtmalone]

You are looking at it through the eyes and ears of a musician. Most other people want to unwind and be entertained, if they listen to the band at all.

I've also found that people remember the start and end of a song and not so much what happens in the middle. Muff the start or end (and breaks), and you'll probably hear about it. That's not just a bass player thing either.

Most folks don't pay attention to the bass unless something goes wrong. Drop one note on a walking line or any repetitive line and watch where every eye turns. Uh, the cord was bad, something happened to the amp...yeah, that's it, that's the ticket!

 

[notJaco]

Up to a point they're cheering, then it becomes an indication of "enuff awready".

I think that goes for anyone's solos. Bands often use extensive solos to compensate for the lack of material.

 

[gtmalone]

I assume that you ruled out your hi-fi amp. Trying it on another circuit breaker circuit, measure the voltage at the wall outlet. If that circuit’s voltage is lowered, it’s the amp. Many amps have what is called a death cap on the primary side of the power transformer. If this capacitor is partially shorting, it can account for the lower voltage.

Definitely not the amps. The voltage drops if I turn on the outside lights that are on that circuit and nothing plugged into the outlet. Neither amp has the death cap and work fine on another outlet.

 

[gtmalone]

No further comment needed.

Moderately Confused by Jeff Stahler for March 12, 2021 | GoComics.com

 

[SoulReflection]

Had to share this one with you GOFs...@iagtrplyr mentioned to me that he didn't think we were all that grumpy, to which I said:

"Us GOFs are quite pleasant to each other…it’s those young whippersnappers who really pi$$ us off ."

 

[G-Dog]

One other favorite first dance song was "If"(in F). On the the last chord, we used to have 4 part harmony. My note was:
View attachment 4200179 (I have a stupidly high falsetto).

How's your "Tiptoe Through The Tulips"?
.

 

[lowplaces]

How about the Macarena???...........

Worst song ever imo

A fave at wedding receptions it seems. I usually step outside or something .... just can't handle it

 

[gtmalone]

Had to share this one with you GOFs...@iagtrplyr mentioned to me that he didn't think we were all that grumpy, to which I said:

"Us GOFs are quite pleasant to each other…it’s those young whippersnappers who really pi$$ us off ."

I better not catch him stepping on my grass! If his baseball lands in my backyard he won't get it back.

 

[Deleted member 268085]

One other favorite first dance song was "If"(in F). On the the last chord, we used to have 4 part harmony. My note was:
View attachment 4200179 (I have a stupidly high falsetto).

So do I. Only problem is, mine only kicks in after missing the nail and pounding my thumb with the hammer.

 

[Deleted member 268085]

Add Stanley Clarke to the mix. I saw the 30th anniversary tour by Return To Forever, sitting 5 rows back from Chick (RIP) stage left. His combined acoustic/electric solo was killer. Here's the same stage setup. Looks like the same tour. Comes in at 46 minutes when his solo song starts. Solo starts around 58 minutes.

I think I got really lucky with his solo at the Dodge Theater in Phoenix. All of the videos of that tour only have the acoustic solo. We got an extended version with a super electric solo as well. I'll keep looking, in case there's a vid from a different show that includes it.

 

[GonePlaid]

How's your "Tiptoe Through The Tulips"?
.

I could.


I won't.

 

[GonePlaid]

Worst song ever imo

A fave at wedding receptions it seems. I usually step outside or something .... just can't handle it

Playing wireless?

 

[lowplaces]

Playing wireless?

Playing home alone if bandmates ever add it to a set list !

 

[GonePlaid]

Playing home alone if bandmates ever add it to a set list !

We do a lotta requests if we know 'em. "Achy, Breaky Heart" is another 'fave'. I just go on 'oom-pah' autopilot and think of something else-like the wimmins's dancing.

 

[gtmalone]

One more comment from me on bass solos. On the jazz gig, I'm sight reading charts of tunes I'm generally unfamiliar with, either hearing or playing. We don't rehearse for these things, or use a set list, so no opportunity to work out a solo. I'm not a melody player. I can play an appropriate bass line, walking or otherwise, to pretty much any song I've heard, and something that fits on new-to me-tunes that I'm seeing/hearing for the first time. But I'm not a soloist. You hear me solo on a tune and the next time I solo on another tune it'll be pretty much the same, just in a different key/tempo. Besides, if ya think about it this way, as the only bass instrument, I'm playing a solo all the way through.

I didn't really care for soloing that much since I'm usually improvising a line anyway playing the changes. It's only the past few years where I've felt comfortable with soloing and I'm still learning. I have improved with looking ahead and seeing patterns in the progressions where I don't have to stop and think about every single chord. A little music theory is a big help!

I had a light bulb moment about 20 yrs ago with jazz. At the jazz camps, the staff was always talking about ii-V and ii-V-I progressions and how important they are but no one really explained why. Then I was playing some tune and realized I knew the next six chords without really thinking about it - a series of ii-V changes. Then I found I could generalize that even more across more measures depending on the tune of course. Then there are some tunes where the chords are "too close together" for me.

"All The Things You Are" is a great example of ii-V progressions. I also call this tune "All The Chords You Know". Here's a pretty good analysis of the tune:

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