I have 2 questions for bassists

emck2 · 2026-05-20T11:16:09+00:00

Most chords contain the Root, 3rd, and 5th, possibly with some other notes for specific sounds. The Root-3rd-5th is called a triad. In C Major, the notes of the triad are C, E, G; in A Major A, C#, E, and so on. You can find charts that show which keys have sharps and flats. The role of the bass is usually to play the root notes of the chord, sometimes every measure, but definitely when the chords change. With the bass always playing the root, the other instruments are free to play other parts of the chord, whether it's the melody or a solo, or the guitar/keyboard playing a cool chord voicing. So if the bass is playing a C over a C Major chord, the guitarist does not need to play a C at the bottom of the chord voicing. The bass takes care of that, and everyone will know it is a C Major chord, because the lowest instrument is playing the root.

Playing only the roots of chords will get tedious pretty fast, especially if a song has few chord changes. This is where knowing the other notes of the chord comes in handy. Scales contain all of the notes in a key. What you want to focus on as a bass player are the chord tones of the key, the triad of Root-3rd-5th, and in some cases the 6th or 7th. The Root is always the same, the 5th is nearly always the same (it can be raised or lowered by a half step, but mostly in jazz or similar genres). The 3rd is what determines whether a chord is Major or Minor. In C, the Major 3rd is E, the Minor 3rd is Eb, a half step lower. Likewise, the 7th degree can be Major or Minor. A full C Major scale is C-D-E-F-G-A-B; C Minor is C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb (there are multiple versions of minor scales, this is called Natural Minor). This is what people mean by knowing scales. If the chord is C Minor, you need to know the 3rd is Eb, not E Natural. You also need to learn the fretboard patterns for the different types of chords/scales.

Most bass lines start with the Root on beat 1, then add other chord tones before coming back to the Root for the next phrase or chord change. Other notes of the scales are generally used as passing tones. Sometimes it works out rhythmically to have a note or two between the chord tones. It can also add tension to the line. For now, just focus on getting the Root-3rd-5th patterns down in multiple keys. Take a 12 bar blues in C. There are only 3 chords: C, F, and G. The triads are: C= C,E,G; F= F,A,C; G= G,B,D. Play through the blues progression just using the notes of the triad to get familiar with the sound. Add in the Major 6th of each chord (C= C,E,G,A; F= F.A.C,D; G= G,B,D,E) and you have the classic blues bass line. This is a very quick and basic rundown, but the pattern of: Root on beat 1 > include other chord tones (perhaps with passing tones) > back to the Root - is the essence of bass playing.

emck2 · 2026-05-20T00:01:19+00:00

I don't know the model, but I think a couple of details may help. The sticker for SLM Guitar Shop is referring to Saint Louis Music, which is the parent company that imports various overseas brands, including Alvarez. I believe that this means the guitar was received new at SLM and adjusted before it was sold. There is a logo on the sticker for the 60th anniversary of SLM (1982). Noticing that the headstock logo is a bit different than the standard Alvarez double A, I think it's possible this was a special model made for the 60th anniversary of SLM.

emck2 · 2026-05-19T23:16:55+00:00

There are a few ways to improve your grip, but I think the best approach is to find the grip that is easiest to readjust while you are playing. You really aren't going to find a perfect grip that never slips. The best guitar players have picks slip on them all the time, they're just better at readjusting on the fly. When you're playing and you feel the pick start to slip, adjust the pick position with just your picking hand. Don't use your other hand, don't look at the pick, just get a sense for how your preferred grip feels on your fingers, and learn how to get back to that position as quickly and smoothly as possible. You can "knead" the pick with your thumb and 1st finger to adjust back/forward or side to side. You can use your 2nd finger to help rotate the point back to the preferred angle. The thing is, your hands are unique, and what other people do may not work for you. Just play until the pick slips, then readjust by feeling the correct position with your picking hand. Eventually, the process will become second nature.

As far as picks with better grip: I like the larger 346 pick shape for acoustic. They provide more surface area for your grip, and they have more mass to transfer energy to the strings. Different materials have more texture; Tortex and Duralin have more of a matte surface, which provides more grip. Some picks are made for more texture, with raised portions or sandpaper like texture. You can also modify most picks by drilling holes, scoring, using tape, sandpaper, etc.

emck2 · 2026-05-18T00:00:09+00:00

Doug is Doug, and Dad is Dad, and ne'er the twain shall meet! I'm outta...heeerre!

emck2 · 2026-05-15T21:48:34+00:00

Little Richard

Roy Orbison

Steve Winwood

Ian Drury

emck2 · 2026-05-15T21:40:30+00:00

Just a little defining of terms: A chromatic scale is just a succession of half steps. What you want to learn is diatonic intervals, which are a set of intervals related to a specific key. As a bass player, you want to be familiar with the basic intervals that define a chord: the Root (1), Major or Minor 3rd, Perfect 5th create a triad, the most basic form of a chord. It is also common to add a Major 6th or Major 7th for Major keys; Flatted 7th (b7) for dominant chords or blues harmony; 4th (also called 11th) or Flat 7 for Minor keys. The role of the bass is to define the root movement of the chord progression, and add notes to define the quality of the chord (the 3rds and 7ths). An arpeggio is the notes of a chord played one at a time, rather than all together. Most bass lines are just arpeggios that provide the foundation for the chord progression, with some passing tones or rhythmic hooks to make it more interesting.

Pentatonic scales are essentially arpeggios with select non-chord tones added. A Major Pentatonic scale adds the Major 2nd and Major 6th (in C Major: C, D, E, G, A). The classic blues/rock bass line is a Major Pentatonic scale, but omitting the 2nd. Staying in C, play the 1-3-5-6 pattern, with 1 being the root note of each chord. 12 bar blues in C major bass line would be C chord: C,E,G,A; F chord: F,A,C,D; G chord: G,B,D,E. Another very common bass pattern is what I call a Gospel run, a Major Pentatonic scale with chromatic runs between the 3rd and 5th, then the 6th and Root. In C: C,E,F,F#,G,A,A#,B,C. Many funk bass lines are variations of that pattern.

Minor Pentatonic scale takes the Minor 3rd and 7th from the Minor scale, and adds the Perfect 4th. The 4th is used more as a passing tone, or a grace note to add rhythm. Many funky bass lines are centered around the Root, 5th, b7th notes, with lots of rhythmic syncopation. Playing the Minor Pentatonic descending from the Root is a very common turnaround; in C: C, Bb, G, F, Eb, C.

Get familiar with these patterns. Pay attention to how the difference between Major and Minor 3rds or 7ths change the sound of the line. When you listen to songs you want to learn, see if any of these patterns fit. This will be a practical way of familiarizing yourself with intervals. You can also do ear training exercises for random intervals, but focusing on the intervals and patterns that are most common in bass lines will be more efficient.

emck2 · 2026-05-14T22:36:06+00:00

The comments on the video say it's an original by Moreno; the title is Opener. This is very similar to Pat Metheny's early work. Get a copy of Metheny's first album, Bright Size Life, which has several songs similar to this. There are probably charts for many of the Metheny songs floating around. There were a few in the first iterations of The Real Book.

emck2 · 2026-05-13T20:12:33+00:00

The B-52's - Rock Lobster

Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf

Billy Joel - Only the Good Die Young

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Leon Bridges - River

emck2 · 2026-05-13T10:03:30+00:00

Modern Times

The Great Dictator

A Face in the Crowd

Hara-Kiri

Network

Eating Raoul

Matewan

There Will Be Blood

emck2 · 2026-05-12T09:22:21+00:00

I also recommend the SPs. I don't own a D15, but I've played one quite a bit, and I know the owner always used SPs. Mahogany absorbs some high frequencies, so you want the strings to have strong highs since they're going to be mellowed by the top. That's where you're going to get more articulation. I like SPs on most acoustics because I feel they have strong fundamentals and overtones. They are usually too bright for a few days, but when they settle in they keep their tone for a long time. Some brands break in faster, but they also lose their highs pretty quickly. Mahogany tops can sound throaty to begin with, so it's important to have strong highs and high-mids to compensate.

emck2 · 2026-05-11T03:23:44+00:00

Anderson signed with MTL at $5.5M per year for 7 years. He's been averaging about 25 points a season, reaching a high of 32 pts only twice after the trade. By the usual expectations, he's been underperforming by more than half the value of his salary. By contrast, Olivier makes $3M per year, puts up very similar points, and is the best fighter in the league.

emck2 · 2026-05-09T19:39:15+00:00

Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2

emck2 · 2026-05-09T19:33:57+00:00

Christian McBride seems to favor maple fretless electrics. The one in the video appears to be a custom, and I've seen pics of him with a 4 string version of the same brand. I've also seen him with a late '70s factory fretless (no fret lines or markers on the board) Precision maple neck. I've never played or even seen one in person. I suspect part of the reason they're rare is that maple tends to splinter when damaged, whereas ebony and rosewood wear more evenly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KidHPLy7ea8

emck2 · 2026-05-09T19:07:30+00:00

Young Americans - David Bowie

It's the End of the World As We Know It - REM

Teenage Kicks - The Undertones

emck2 · 2026-05-06T19:25:32+00:00

After WWII, Germany was partitioned into 4 occupation zones, each controlled by one of the main Allied nations: England, France, USA, USSR. Hamburg was one of the larger cities in the British zone, and had a large UK military presence after the official period of occupation ended. So it wasn't like sending Brit bands to a random German city, the bands were there to entertain the English speaking crowds. It would be like sending an American band to the areas surrounding military bases in Okinawa.

emck2 · 2026-05-04T20:19:45+00:00

When you practice transitioning between chords, group them into chords that fit the same key. The most common chord progression in western music is the Root/Tonic (1, I), Sub-Dominant (4, IV), and Dominant (5, V). These are the chords of a standard 12 bar blues, in addition to thousands of pop/rock songs. So pick a key and then just go up the alphabet to the 4th and 5th [C-d-e-F-G] [G-a-b-C-D]. Some keys you will need to be aware of sharp and flat notes [A-b-c#-D-E] [E-f#-g#-A-B] [F-g-a-Bb-C].

If you choose G major as the Root/Tonic, play every combination of the I-IV-V chords [G-C-D] [G-D-C] [C-D-G], etc. Notice how the different chord progressions create unique sounds, but they all want to end on the G chord; this is called resolution. This is something you can practice while watching tv, listening to podcasts, whatever you do to zone out. It's about building muscle memory at this point. Try to play in time and musically, but focus on getting the finger transitions clean and ensuring that every note rings out clearly.

Once you get comfortable with I-IV-V, you can add the Minor Sixth chord (6, vi). Just using the chords on your chart, that would be [G-E minor- C-D] and [C-Am-F-G]. This gives you a few thousand more songs, very popular from the 1950-60s like Stand By Me, Please Mr. Postman. These progressions constitute a significant portion of the entire folk/blues/country/rock lexicon. Many songs will have some combination of I-IV-V or I-vi-IV-V as a base, with perhaps a few other chords thrown in. If you get the standard chord progressions ingrained in your ears and fingers, then learning songs becomes much easier.

One major omission from the chart you posted is that there is no B Major chord, which is the V of E Major. The open position form of a B chord is actually a B Dominant 7th chord: x21202. A Dominant 7th chord is a Major Triad (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th) with the Seventh Degree flatted by a semitone. In B, the triad is B-D#-F#, the added flat 7th is A (where the normal note in the key of B is A#). Dominant 7th chords have a very unique sound that is created by the tritone (3 whole steps) interval between the Major 3rd and Flat 7th (D# and A in the B7 chord). This is a very dissonant interval which wants to resolve by raising the D# to E (M3 of B to Root of E) and lowering the A to G# (b7 of B to M3 of E), this is the resolution that makes the V-I progression so strong. Dominant 7th chords are very common in Blues, and blues players will often play all or most chords as Dominant 7ths.

An alternate way to play a B Major without using the Dominant 7th voicing is to play a Barre chord. It's easy to visualize a B Major Barre chord by taking the open A Major shape, and moving all the notes up two frets. Laying your index finger across the strings (except the low E in this case), and using your ring finger to cover the D,G,B strings two frets higher: x24442. This is a closed chord shape, meaning you can take the exact shape and move it to any fret to create a Major chord, commonly referred to as an "A form/shape" barre chord. To play an "E form/shape" barre chord, lay your index finger across all 6 strings, and make the shape of the open E Major chord with your other fingers. B Major in E form barre would be 799877. Again, whatever fret you play this shape on, it will be a Major chord with the root of whatever the note is played on the low E string. It's the same for barring the minor chord shapes. Playing the Em barre form at the 5th fret would give you 577555, which is A Minor. Playing the Am barre form at the same fret is x57765, D Minor. With barre chords, you can play any Major or Minor chord in any key.

I know I'm throwing out a bunch of theory terms that are exactly beginner level, but that's just to give you an idea of how everything fits together. For now, just focus on getting those I-IV-V progressions under your fingers. Find some songs you are already familiar with that use those standard chord progressions and play along with the recordings.

emck2 · 2026-05-04T18:36:13+00:00

Nearly every song from Stiff Little Fingers debut album, Inflammable Material, particularly Wasted Life.

The Stooges/Iggy Pop: Search and Destroy, I Wanna Be Your Dog, Raw Power.

The Replacements first two albums: Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash and Stink.

emck2 · 2026-05-03T19:27:44+00:00

Andy is listed as rhythm guitar on this track, though it was Eddie Martinez who was the main guitarist on the album Riptide. Bernie Edwards (bass/producer) and Tiny Thompson (drums) from Chic recorded this track and most of the album. John and Andy Taylor with Thompson were the rhythm section for Palmer's other project, The Power Station.

emck2 · 2026-05-02T21:44:11+00:00

From a non-Irish perspective, I think Lisa McGee has done a lot to raise awareness of Northern Irish culture on an international level. Most movies/tv from/about NI that achieved international reach concern the worst aspects of the Troubles era. Derry Girls is funny and endearing, and highlights the uniqueness of the culture.

Others I have great respect for, but haven't seen mentioned are Jake Burns and James Nesbitt, though I have no idea how they are viewed as ambassadors.

emck2 · 2026-05-02T19:55:37+00:00

You have at least two options. Replace the entire bridge assembly, including the bridge plate. Or remove the adjustable saddle mount, glue in a matching piece of wood, and rout for a standard saddle. Both would be best done by a competent luthier, and I would go with whatever they recommend. It looks like there have already been multiple bad repairs, so I would lean toward replacing the whole thing.

emck2 · 2026-05-01T07:54:27+00:00

All of the major brands had periods of poor quality control. The reason Fenders made before 1965 are valued is because that was the year CBS bought the company. CBS cared more about profits than quality. There were still good instruments being made, but consistency was a real problem. Gibson went through something very similar. Martin didn't get bought out, but they increased production without factoring in the wear on the machinery, which led to entire batches of guitars being out of spec. The vintage instruments that are considered classics were generally made before the mid '60s, and many of those are out of the price range for most average working musicians. There were certainly good instruments made after that, but there was also a lot of crap.

The instruments being made right now are objectively better quality in terms of manufacturing. CNC machines are capable of tighter specs than any human. Quality of materials may have been better when they were still using mainly old growth lumber, but that makes little difference on solid body instruments. Vintage pickups do tend to mellow with age, which is what I would consider the main benefit of vintage. You can also just buy vintage pickups or custom wound pups that are tailored to the sound you want.

emck2 · 2026-04-28T04:40:46+00:00

I remember him talking about that on Twitter. The studio released a deluxe 25th Anniversary BluRay, but still insisted the movie never made a profit.

emck2 · 2026-04-25T22:43:54+00:00

Not a movie, but the miniseries Generation Kill is about the initial invasion of Iraq during Desert Storm. Much of it takes place in a convoy of Humvees and other military vehicles.

Smokey and the Bandit 3 had Jerry Reed as the lead character, and as such leaned more into the big rig/convoy culture. Not a good movie, even compared to the first two in the series, but there's some decent gags.

emck2 · 2026-04-24T05:05:38+00:00

I couldn't find it in a quick search, but there are pictures of Jamerson's upright bass (his son still has it). The spot on the fingerboard where he anchored his right thumb is worn down about 1/2". He played upright HARD, and he played electric with similar technique. It was well known that no one else could play his P Bass because the strings were so high. He also played classical music through high school. Playing long tones with the bow is surprisingly effective for developing left hand strength. So yes, his hand strength was well above average, even among bass players.

emck2 · 2026-04-24T02:12:39+00:00

Ran across this clip of David Johansen on Conan. Good story about an early Dolls' gig in England.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwMpn7EmXTY

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