Introduce Yourself

[Next Level]

Originally posted by jeremyc:

James Brown has had many different bass players.

 

The Brothers Johnson bass player is Louis Johnson. Check out his early work on various Quincy Jones and Patrice Rushen records. He also played on nearly all of Michael Jackson's records and many, many other recordings.

 

Welcome to the Lowdown, sounds like we have a lot of common musical ground.

Thank you for the welcome. I will look for Patrice Rushen's records. I saw your "resume" while reading another topic. I hope to accomplish even a third of what you have accomplished.

[Ninja]

Pictures of me, at last!

 

http://lnx.mod107.com/albums/ninja.jpg

 

http://lnx.mod107.com/albums/bandstudio2.jpg

[Jay Pierce]

Hello, everyone. My name is Jay and I'm from Alabama. I've been playing bass for about five years now. I also play guitar and I sing a little.

[ModmanQ6]

Hi Jay! Welcome to the LowDown!!

[butcherNburn]

Ok, I've been here long enough... here's a little about me

 

I've been Bass playing since about 1991. I've played a few instuments before the bass but it never lifted my spirits. I played (in order) Trumpet, Marching Drum, Fife, and even tried the Bagpipe... What I didn't like was sitting there trying to learn Twinkle Twinkle Little Star..It never moved me... Then at the ripe old age of 20, after I realized that in one way or another, I've always been a bass player..ALWAYS.. I had a few friends that played various instruments that were always saying they could help me out, show me a few things etc. (They all disappeared after I got a bass) So, when I got my tax refund I went to the local music store and bought my baby.. A black Fender Mexican P Bass... I've had a bunch of others over the years but THAT BASS beats all... at any price... It has the best tone and feel of anything I've seen or heard. Maybe I just got the magic one. Others have said it's damn good too... Not just my biased ears.

 

Now about me..Probably not your typical guy here, stylewise..

 

- I play with a pick, almost exclusively.

- I have no desire to play for anyone but myself. No professional asperations.

- I don't get too much of a chance to play. I think about it 10 time more than I do.

- I like to turn the Tone pot WAY down.

- Most of the songs I jam along with range from Muddy Waters to Motorhead. Not playing what's on the CD.. But MY part added. The stuff I write is no where near anything.

- I don't sing (by popular demand).

- My hands (dexterity)are somwhat limited.

- I love to play. I don't care for anyone's opinion because I love to play. So eat me.

[butcherNburn]

Oh, forgot to add:

 

Nerver took a lesson, never looked at a book.. I just picked it up, Started tooling around until I did something that sounded good and expanded on it from there. Years later when I did look at some info I found that I had actully was doing quite a few things right. But the lessons I learned were mine and never forgootten.

 

SEM

[Basshappi]

Been a while so...^BUMP^

[haggard]

Hi I am Luis, a bass player originally from Mexico City. I started on bass (directly on bass) 21 years ago, and had my first rock band 1 year later. I live in Switzerland since 8 years ago. I was musically inactive during 3 years, and 6 months ago joined a blues quintet, which turned to quartet and now to trio after I left before dissolving. Just a try. I am auditioning a band next friday and another one in a month. I play on a Rickenbaker signature (Chris Squire) and an old '63 Vox (my first bass...).

I am married to a swiss, have two kids and make my living as a veterinary surgeon at the university of Bern. But music is prioritary to me. Nive meeting all of you, guys! Greetings from Europe!

[haggard]

Originally posted by jeremyc:

Hi, if 2000 posts isn't enough to tell you,

I'm Jeremy Cohen. I began playing bass in 1966. I've been a professional musician ever since. Before that I played clarinet and sax, so my professional career actually started sometime around 1963 when I was 15.

 

I've also been teaching bass for 30 years. You could find me through my website, basslessons.com or Carol Kaye's website. I studied with her for a while and am now on her recommended teacher list.

 

I have a bunch of gear most of which I use all the time.

 

You could have found out a lot of this info on my website which has been given at the bottom of all 2000 of my posts.

 

I play with all kinds of different bands, whoever calls me first. This includes Motown, r&b, jazz, jazz fusion, Israeli music, klezmer music, music for Jewish worship services, Mizrahi music, and of course rock, folk-rock, disco, whatever comes around the block next.

 

You can find me on various recordings.

 

I also like walks on the beach, sunsets, and hiking in the mountains.....oops, wrong forum.

 

But I do like those things.

 

In other parts of my life you can find me swimming competitively, teaching computers at a jr. high school, being happily married and the father of a 23 year old who is a programmer at Microsoft.

 

See you around the forum.

OOOooops! Wrong finger! That is a signature Fender, is it? Nice instrument!

[Gord -B]

I'm so proud of this thread

[STRAWBALLS]

My name's Alan, I'm already 44 years old and I live in South Wales UK.

 

I've been trying to play bass for six weeks and have just about mastered the old LEVEL 42 number DUNE TUNE.

 

Bass playing is something I've fancied doing since seeing MARK KING performing up close and it's taken me 20 years to get started.

 

I'd love to find a few folks with which to jam as I think that would bring me up to speed that much quicker than practising on my own.

 

I've generally got plenty to say for myself even when I've little idea about what I'm talking about but in this instance I'm going to keep it short.

[haggard]

Oooh! I forgot to say:

I learned playing after LP's, again and again and finding out what the guys did: mainly John Paul Jones and John Entwistle, and Chris Squire afterwards. After some years I attended music school. I've played with several bands, from hard rock and prog to bossa nova, jazz, blues, pop, etc. I am much more musically active in Switzerland than I was in my country. I use currently a Gallien Kruger 300W and when needed a PA.

[TShakazBlackRoots]

Yes people! I'm TShaka. Born in Uganda (East Africa), living in England among other nations.

I am a Roots Reggae artist, for 15 years now. I started playing bass a year ago. I've taught myself playing along all the Reggae songs you can think of. I'm quite useful now. I play drums and keyboards too.

 

I just exchanged my Yamaha RBX370A for a brand new, spanking Yamaha BB604....it's lovely.

I've written well over four hundred songs (lyrics and all). Of recent, I'm writing tracks only, in a bid to record an instrumental album.

[STRAWBALLS]

Sorry I forgot to say pleased to meet you all folks.

[AndyJ]

Hi all, nice to be here.

 

My names Andy, im happily married and just over a month away from 30

Ive been playing bass a little over 10 years, unfortunately never done it in a band due to old lifestyles and now after about 7 years of not playing im back. Im hoping to re-kindle my love affair with rock and improve my technique by learning some jazz, also to jam a bit to get my band experience up a bit.

When im not playing im a self employed IT consultant who specialises in data/email migrations but covers other aspects such as network security and network infrastructure.

 

Its nice to be here

[jeremy c]

Reply to Haggard,

My Fender Jazz bass is a '71. I bought it brand new in January 1972.

 

Reply to STRAWBALLS,

The first thing you chose to learn was Dune Tune? That's a challenging tune! Good for you!

 

Reply to all,

Welcome to forum everybody! Glad to see you here! Don't let us old guys dominate the posting, join in the fun!

[Lugsailer]

Hi, my name is Russ. I started palying guitar in 1967 and the bass in 1971. I don't play the guitar anymore because the bass is too much fun. Currently, I sit in with an 18 piece big band.

I play Washburn basses because they're just the right neck radius. I once had an upright, which I sold before getting married. I think I like palying electric bass better.

[Mr. Phil]

would that be a Fretless washburn? since you used to play URB.

[daofktr]

Hi...my name is Dixon Creasey, Jr.

I've played, off and on, since 1979, starting on URB inna bluegrass band in college, after playing trombone and bari horn in HS. I also played tuba in college, where I got to play behind George Beverly Shea when he came to Trinity College (IL).

I play a Conklin GT-7 through an Acoustic 370 head with a Trace Elliot 1048 300W cab.

My last band, the Mike Hallal Band, made a CD last year that's gotten a bit of local (Boston) airplay and some nice reviews inna paper and online...yaaaay!

I'm between bands right now, but in a bit over a week, (Monday, Mar. 8) I go to show my ass at B. B. King's blues club at a musician's night I was invited to...and I'm nervous as hell!!!

Then, the next night, I'll be going to a jazz jam with the same feller whut invited me, Steven Roper, the front man for BB's house band.

My normal genres are blues, rock, lickle bit reggae, and jam/improv stuff, so the jazz thing's bound to slap my ass and call me Sally, but what the hell. The worst could happen is I get impaled on my axe and torched by angry mobs...

If any of you Nashville cats happen to be out there listening/critiqueing, cool, as long as you know that I know that you know that the more strings, the fewer inches....

[STRAWBALLS]

Thanks for those words of encouragement JeremyC, I'm pationate about DUNE TUNE so it's been a real labour of love, the part's Ive found most difficult have been the interlude and the outro.

 

The interlude just because I think it's a bit monotonous campared to the fantastic melody that surrounds it, therefore I struggled to bring myself to spend long enough on it to start with and the outro simply because played without the rest of the production it sounds bare to me and I tend to lose interest then.

 

I'm 'almost there' though, (spot the Level 42 song?)

 

Oh well back to it!

[aeroplane]

Hi everybody,

My name is Mikael and I come from Sweden. I am 16 years old and have been playing bass for 9 of them. I'm in a 3 piece cover band without a name, who play everyhing from Jazz to Heavy Metal.

Nice to meet you all!

[Steve Force]

Thanks for this thread--very informative, entertaining, with excellent postings! Refreshing..

 

Steve here--48 yrs old and have been playing bass since 1968(ish). First bass was a Harmony hollow body. Second bass was a 1962 Fender Jazz (which I foolishly sold...). Have owned several basses and currently have:

1. 1965 Fender Jazz bass (almost makes up for that 1962 mentioned above..)

2. 1976 Stingray fretless (luv it..)

3. Peavey Midibase (fun to dink around with)

4. New Stingray 5 string (maple neck--great for funk, slap, etc).

5. Kay bass

 

Mainly play the stingray 5 string (and the fretless). Use the Kay sparingly would never get rid of it--looks cool in my studio, and that double bass sound..

 

Gear has rolled in and out--some sticks, most doesn't.

 

Current rig (rack):

 

1. SWR Grand Prix preamp

2. Korg tuner

3. Alesis Midiverb

4. DBX limiter/compressor

5. Mackie M1400i (eying a Stewart World 1.2 tho..)

6. Eden 410 XST (gigging bottom) with TUKI cover,

7. Eden 410 XLT (home and gigging)

 

Various pedals (several Fulltone).

 

Professional computer type (25 years now), married, 3 kids, 2 granddaughters. BS and MBA degrees. LOVE playing bass and now have the time to do it..

 

Love playing in a semi-serious cover band (motown, funk, etc, etc), and being around musicians, etc. Very understanding wife (I know..lucky!) Our band is planning on starting to gig in April (need a tad more rehersal for that polished sound).

 

Regards,

Steve from Motown.

[No, I Wont Just Play Root]

Hi All,

Been bouncing around the forum for a few days now, upsetting lots of people , so thought it was time to introduce myself.

 

From Glasgow, UK: 27 years old, been playing bass for a little under 13 years (makin me feel old)

 

Bass was chosen as my instrument at high school because they wouldn't let me choose sax : the best accidental choice I've ever made.

 

High school was a succession on orchestras, jazz bands, swing bands, "rawk" bands and too many others to mention, as I was the only bassist in the school (well, there was one other, but he never really advanced much past the intro line to "sweet child o mine"- still hate that song!), I basically fulfulled the schools bass needs, electric and upright for a while.

 

Meantime, was performing social clubs, weddings, parties etc at the ripe old age of 15, with a group of other 15 year olds, learning my trade (our youth was our USP!).

 

This continued, and I managed to get through university without a part-time job: our "wedding" and covers band was out mostly 2-3 times per week, providing enough cash for my studies.

 

At this time, I was also lead singer in the band. Having played bass for only about 3 years prior to becoming singer, playing the bass and singing the songs, whilst trying to be "entertaining" certainly took a while to get used to, but i mastered it eventually. Problem was, my fledgling Bass technique suffered.

 

Ok, so we split the covers band up and the grand old age of 19, citing "musical differences" (things are all so idealistic at that age, eh?), and since then, I've been writing and recording my own material, and playing bass in about 3-4 different bands, all the while spending lots of time with my bass working on my technique: something i think that no bassist should ever stop doing.

 

I stand in with the occasional country or jazz band now and again, and generally love playing. My job takes me overseas a hell of alot, so i don't get the chance to play as much as i would like, nor can i justify the cash tho spend on oodles of new gear.

 

My personal influence differ for songwriting and bass... songwriting, i'm influence by Paul Simon, Counting Crows, The Beatles, to name bu a few. On the bass side, my mainstays are Stanley Clarke, Doug Wimbish, the Flea-man (much maligned, but extremely inventive and meoldic IMO), and a few other local bassists you wouldn't have heard of.

 

Having recently taken on a large apartment and going through a rather messy "break-up", my gear is now down to my trusty Peavey TNT115, and a Peavey RSB 4 string (no, I don't wear a Peavey T-shirt when playing!). As you may have seen from the threads on here, I'm also looking at purchasing a new 6 string.

 

My website is where I keep my songwriting head, and you're welcome to check it out: again, not so much on the bass side here, the songs are just that: songs: versions where there is the full band set-up playing give me the chance to bounce basslines off others, but i tend to keep it simple on my own recordings.

 

I look forward to being part of the forum for many years to come!

 

my site

 

www.thegambinoproject.com

[No, I Wont Just Play Root]

noticed a few newbies recently who haven't introduced themselves: thought i'd bump this up!

 

Make with the info!!!

 

[brit3915]

I'm Derek. 34 year old newbie bassist and 8 year Paramedic from NYC. Drummer first but tooled around with friends' basses for years before my wife got fed up and bought me a Squier P bass (black) for Christmas. So now I'm looking for and buying as many decent method/instructional books as I can. Any advice is like a jewel to me....Tx all....

[titrek]

Hi, all. Thanks for every penny you have thrown hear. This is most beatiful place on the net I have ever encountered

 

1 hour for reading the previous posts in this thread and now I'm tired, sorry for all the potential mistakes below.

 

I am a 24 years old guy from Turkey. (between the middle east and europe I may say to give a clue) I think it has been four months I have been lurking around enjoying myself. The forum give me back the hope about being a 'bass player.'

Anyway musically

 

10 years ago I bought my classical guitar, used. Me and the guy who is still my fellow drummer decided that we should begin playing the music we like to hear. (shame) I was Guns'n Roses (I haven't read anything bout Duff McKagan yet)and Metallica boy. Taking a few lessons for the guitar, I took the classical guitar lecture at the high school. It was really bad that our teacher was knowing just a little about the instrument. (at the end of my second year I was playing classical pieces that both my classical guitar teachers can't manage. However I've never become a good classical guitarist, although still I divede my time to bass and classical guitar equally.

The second year me and the fellow drummer found two guitarist willing the play guitar (thrash and hard rock was the common points). We solve the problem of three guitarists by making one to play the bass. (by the time I have recognized the fact that I need not to show off while playing the bass. I always liked playing back, there.)

So I have been playing the bass guitar for 9 years that includes no teachers. I collected many of the methods I can find in my country but most of my playing is developed during gigging. Several concerts at the high schools, small performances here and there, a lot of time in the studio, small gigs in bars etc.

I played mostly rock, metal, just a little bit blues when I can persuade the guitarists.

 

Long enough just want to add some more things

 

I work as an EE engineer for the government. (thats where I am now writing from)

 

I have a MIJ Fender P (with daddario slowounds on it) as my only playable bass and a small practice amp. I am planning to recover my blown up 100 watt combo. But ı think I will use it only as a cab. Since the amp part inside does not worth its repair. well I have my first bass still bu it doesnt have a name. Also it not even playable now.

 

(the first item in the shopping list is a Sansamp Bass Driver DI, as soon as I get one you'll hear about it)

 

too long for a newcomer.

 

Note: Sorry for spell check is blocked by the firewall.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Man! Africa, Turkey, UK, Scandinavia, and that country up north, where all the hockey players are from. This forum is something else. It's like a warped, F Clef version of Epcot! Can it possibly get any cooler than this?

 

Welcome to the Lowdown, Titrek!

[fanger]

This forum is something else. It's like a warped, F Clef version of Epcot!

 

 

After a couple of years of reading, searching and occasionally posting, I guess I'll take this opportunity to introduce myself.

 

My name is Kenny, originally from Florida, now living in the Nashville area. I've been playing in various bands and in churches since the mid 70's. I started to play bass at 15 followed by guitar.

 

My musical tastes run from blues to country to rock to reggae to zydeco to bluegrass. As long as it's got some soul, I like it. Seeing or playing with bands that are all flash or just go through the motions with no real passion, energy, or dedication really grates on me. My biggest bass influences have been Leland Sklar, John McVie, Sir Paul, Dee Murray, and Tommy Shannon. I love the groove.

 

Other than recently sitting in with a friend's band downtown for a couple of songs, I haven't played with a band for almost 2 years. Between moving twice in those 2 years, fixing up the properties, and working, It's been tough finding the time to get something started again. My playing has suffered with the layoff as well.

 

Currently I am down to one amp, an old Yorkville B200; and one bass, a 1996 MIM Jazz that I am currently in the process of upgrading. A new amp & cab setup and a 5 string will be happening in the future.

 

I appreciate the knowledge, opinions and different personalities on this forum. It's been educational along with occasionally making me laugh out loud. And I'm with Social Critic that it is completely cool to see how many people from all over the world participate here. Even Marco Castelli was great.

 

Thanks to everyone here.

[Basshappi]

Welcome to the Lowdown everybody!

 

It is really great to have all of you here!

 

Cheers!

[Mystic Rhythms]

Well, I'm Danny. Been playing for 8 months so far. One day I was admiring Geddy Lee playing red barchetta, and I though, could I do that? Well, with no time to lose, I rented a squire percision (yuck). It had some major problems, massive buzz from the nut, cracking pickgaurd, alot of big cosmetic blotches, and even the nut on the G came off, (Luckily my trusty Elmers glue fixed that up). Anyway, a few months later I bought a Daphenne Blue jazz, which I loved. Unfortunatly, for the highway 1 models, they have a tendency to have a really bad bow in the neck, which it did. The truss rod wasn't put in right and the maple had cracked on the edges. I cried and cried. But I got it replaced for no charge for a Wine Red jazz, which is now my baby. So far I play in a jazz combo for school, and i play double bass in the school band (and I can play with a bow too ) I've been in the pit band for the school's play, which was a great production. Anywhoo, my idols would be Geddy Lee of course, Les Claypool, and Chris Squire is really starting to peek my interests.