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Thunderbird Club

#124,348
Miles_ONeal said:
I started out playing bass with a pick. Then I started using my thumb. I've been working on using my fingers, but it's slow going. Part of that is just my fingers, but I would love to have a couple of resources to improve as much as possible as quickly as possible. And yes, I know it won't be overnight; I just feel like my progress is plodding through three feet deep, wet Georgia clay. It's better than being in quicksand, but that's all you can say for it.
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I recall a Scott Devine vid some time ago that seemed to be pretty good. Sorry, you’ll have to search for it. It’s hard to learn new tricks.
 
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#124,349
PillO said:
I started with one finger. And stumbled a bit trying two fingers. I spent some time thinking about it - do I want to be like Geddy and remain a 1 finger player (but doing up and down strokes) or do I want to go 2 fingers. I decided that 2 fingers was going to be more flexible and them made appoint of ALWAYS using two fingers and it eventually became natural. I learned to type the same way.
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I sometimes play that way on songs that aren't pushing me too hard[2]. If the part's at all tricky for where I'm at, my dynamics are all over the place. I know part of this is practice, but I'm pretty sure there's some technique I'm missing, or some ways I could practice that would be more effective.

I have the least bass experience of our bass players, and less time on instrument than almost anyone else on the team.[1] I don't count time playing guitar because I never got past "decent player", and that was years ago.

Everyone else seems happy enough with my playing, but I'm not. I'm not beating myself up; I just want to see real progress.

[1] I play at church, and we mix and match each week's team from our pool of musicians. We have at least 2-3 people each for bass, drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, synth, piano, and vocals. Only one violinist; no other bowed instruments- yet. Several really good sound peeps. I'm pretty blown away by how many amazing worship musicians we have for a church our size. I'm thrilled and honored to get to play with them. My favorite part? Each of us brings what we bring. So any given song may not sound anything like the way someone else plays it. I can bring in a part influenced by anyone I like, or just make one up. Only three times in ~5 years was I asked to play a specific part, and I play at least 40-50 ~45-60 minute sets a year between Sundays and special events.
[2] (This has probably been here before. Oh, well.[3] But the bass player gets camera time, probably because someone was confused.)
[3] I was tempted to link a Fleetwood Mac video, but won't for now.
 
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#124,350
GBassNorth said:
Canadian Airborne Regiment (Canadian armed forces)
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I was in Petawawa, the home of the CAR, for the bulk of my (military) career and served in the Special Service Force (SSF), the formation of which the Airborne regiment was a part.

The Regiment was disbanded in the wake of the failed Somalia mission; a mission for which they were ill prepared. At the time, the commander of the SSF reported that the regiment was not appropriately prepared from a disciplinary point of view. His view was unpopular with a number of superiors and as a result was "offered" an unfavourable posting and instead took his retirement (or as we in the officer's mess rightly put it, he was fired). In the wake of events in Somalia, it is clear that the General was correct and that the fiasco could have been avoided. Unfortunately, many of the bad elements that lead to the events escaped justice by the protection of officers high up in Ottawa that feared that they too would be implicated. The only soldiers tried for their crimes were at the lowest levels.

This was not the item that made me decide to leave the military, but it played a part. It demonstrated to me that the military is no different from any other organization. That being politically well connected could protect you even from very serious criminal charges. It is a part of why I have an essential mistrust of all those that have been trusted with the use of force - military, police, and their political masters.

I'll end there before I end up on a rant that results in my being banned or worse having to worry about the white vans that follow me around.
 
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#124,351
dagrev said:
You sound like me. I'm not wanting the angry piano sound but am needing more mid punch and even some brightness (really odd for me loving flats), I think that what the VP needs. But the Markley Blue Steels weren't magic. Really nice, but not "Wow!" I thought all weekend about trying Rotos 66s again. Haven't used them in 30 years, but that might be the thing and you aren't helping!:D I have some Roto flats on it right now but haven't used it yet. I might but the rough bright strings that came on it new back on just to see what that does.

And....tell the guitar player to not get in front of you!:laugh: You are the Bass Player.
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Hmmm. All these discussions (and having seen Steve Harris) is making me think I should have a go with Roto 77s on my `bird (Ahem).
 
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#124,354
Found me some NOS parts that came in :hyper:while down south...

the guitar in this Sears combo was redone by my buddy Dave and I gotta finish the amp....i’ve yet to understand why it feels so satisfying getting this old stuff to work to spec again..
F2D346CD-18A6-45E0-8085-59E994194751.jpeg
 
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#124,356
GBassNorth said:
My bad, that makes perfect sense.

My anniversary TBird doesn't have the same bright top end the VP has even if I max out the tone knob. If you want a sharp top end without sacrificing the bottom end try one of the Eppi VP basses or maybe install the VP pups in your TBird.

As a point of reference - when my VP tone knob is set on zero it sounds about the same as my Anniversary Bird on 5 or 6. I'm running Fender 7150 rounds on my VP and Optima Gold rounds on my Anniversary Bird. Both string selections were made to maximize the bottom end, and in the case of the VP to tame the top end.

As for TBirds with a super range of tones I'd put the VP and 2015 TBird at the top of the list. The 2015 is a beast, but can be a handful to dial in on the fly. The VP is half the price and is exceptionally linear and intuitive on the tone range. I don't think there's a song out there you couldn't play with a VP and a set of Cobalt flats. JMHO
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I might be the one you're thinking of doing the string search on a VP. We're seem to like a similar big and thick tone (no clank zone for me). Hence most of my basses have flats. Oddly enough, I don't consider my VP to be in the very bright category, not in a live setting anyway. I have a few other basses that are brighter with the same strings.

I might have to try the Fenders. I do like their Pure Nickles for thick with some punch and pleasing and calm highs. Not tried those yet, but who knows.
 
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#124,358
dagrev said:
I might be the one you're thinking of doing the string search on a VP. We're seem to like a similar big and thick tone (no clank zone for me). Hence most of my basses have flats. Oddly enough, I don't consider my VP to be in the very bright category, not in a live setting anyway. I have a few other basses that are brighter with the same strings.

I might have to try the Fenders. I do like their Pure Nickles for thick with some punch and pleasing and calm highs. Not tried those yet, but who knows.
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If you're talking about the Fender Flats............. I love those as well, one of my favs in fact. But super high tension.
 
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