lonebassman: Blog

Computer Adiction

lonebassman — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:21:19 +0000

While building a new computer for myself and getting bad parts and WAITING for the replacements............... I was without a computer for a week........... Not long right?

I don't know how I got along with out one growing up???? GEEEZZZZZ!!!! I am addictied to these damn things.

I retired my 6 to 8 year old DELL and now have a custom made with windows Vista. So far besides the speed, I like windows vista. Loading all my fav software is getting a little frustrating.

Rudy Sarzo and Bunny Brunel

lonebassman — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:16:03 +0000

I have been watching videos on youtube of Rudy Sarzo and Bunny Brunel playing thier bass.

WOW!!!

I watch thier fingers move on the fret board.......... then I watch myself.............. :-(

My fingers are like me........SLOW and FAT!!!! I play basically at 120 (tempo) and all 1/8 notes. I can manage a couple of 1/16's in there unless it is a song written less than 120.

Oh, Well..........I will keep practicing.

Trig down.

lonebassman — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:05:14 +0000

GEEEZZZZZZ. Just when I had something stupid to say, Trig was Down and I for got what I wanted to say............................... CRAP

NEW Bass Guitar!!!!!!

lonebassman — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:00:44 +0000

Ok.........
I have a Schecter Studio 4. It is awesome!!! It feels sooooo good to hold and play.

I just bought a ........................ Yamaha..................... RBX 170!!!!! Yamaha'a CHEAPEST bass guitar....$155.00 NEW IN BOX ON EBAY!!!! metallic blue.

Why?

The hardware is crap!!!! BUT.............. IT feels really good for a cheap bass. I like it!!! I like the feel and the bolt on neck is differeent too. It sounds different too........ More mid and highs, and NO FUCKING BATTERIES!!!!! PLUS it has a full 24 frets!!!!!!! I bet with better hardware it would be a really GREAT Bass.

If you every think you want to learn bass, pick up one of these!!!!! Cheap, feels good, and is fun to play.

Not quit here yet

lonebassman — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:36:03 +0000

Mom out of hospital 2 weeks ago thanks to her ex-doctor (muther fucking asshole) he be lucky I don't get a lawyer..........I would rather .......... well, never mind.............

taking care of mom and dad every day along with my household....

Going to work everyday and not liking what I do.......

I have disappeared on WOW to forget about things..................

Ya all have a good one!!!!

What ever!!!

lonebassman — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:15:04 +0000

Yes, I have been bit by the world of war craft bug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And very stressed at work.........................

Sorry, haven't been on or even writing....but still playing my bass..............

Drinking tacate and tequila....................... yea, I see two screens!!!!!!! :-)

What's up with Idaho?

lonebassman — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 03:04:42 +0000

geeezzz........ you all must be board or something.

There seems to be a lot of REALLY GOOD music coming from there!!!!

You guys ROCK!!!

Keep it up!!!!

Facebook?

lonebassman — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 23:28:06 +0000

I just checked out Facebook today.........

PRO: Clean and simple like Google. Not a lot of ads and clutter like myspace. No ads offering free doodads if I download and install some spyware like myspace. If I was tring to connect with people for my line of work it would be a good place to put effort into.

CON: Too personal. I really don't want everyone to know exactly who I am, yes, I am a little paranoid in case you hadn't noticed You can't look at things unless you are signed in. Too plain. Some of the post I did read looked like SPAM type ads. Overall, not really an inviting place. Not really comfortable. NOT FOR ME!

Meat Lovers Pizza on a Budget

lonebassman — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:20:56 +0000

Ok, Meat Lovers.

Buy the cheapest micro wave pizza at your local supermarket. Here at Stater Brothers my fav is the Celeste peperoni, normally $1.00. They take 4 min to cook in the microwave.

Cook it as the instructions say less 1 minute.

This is the GOOD part: take a can of SPAM and slice it about 1/4" thick. YES I SAID SPAM!!!! SPAM SPAM SPAM!!!!!!!!!! (awesome shit by the way)

Take 2 slices and cut them up on top of the cheap pizza. And for that Hawaiian taste add pineapple. Add extra Shredded Cheese.

Now cook for an additional 1 min. and 30 sec.

Slice and EAT!!!!!

This is really awsome!!! Wash it down with a Mexican beer and tequilla mixed with a little lemon juice concentrate ( which is what I am drinking now!!!)

Enjoy!!!!

What’s up with the music biz?

lonebassman — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:26:15 +0000

It should be pretty evident from my profile and music profile (SAXD) that I am a music industry outsider. I have no clue. Over the years articles, interviews and shows like Behind the Music either hint at it or kinda spell it out, that musicians are getting screwed by the record companies. What the hell is up with that? The artists should benefit the most!

I would like to know what is going on with that. Can anyone point me to a blog, website or a book I can buy to learn how this stuff works???? And why artists are getting screwed.

With the way the music industry is evolving (from my perspective as an outsider) mainly because of the internet, the big names should be able to free themselves from the bonds of the record companies and the unknown now can be heard. Sites like trig and myspace and music sellers like iTunes seem to be a musicians best friend right now. The record companies should be scared or need to change.

Elixir Bass Guitar Strings

lonebassman — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:05:05 +0000

Ok….

Bass strings, I have found I like .045 - .105 string sets, but…

I have not been able to settle on a brand of string till now, I think. Last weekend I took off my SuperBass strings and put on Elixir Nanoweb mediums/ .045 - .105.

So far, these things are GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

Less finger noise, smoother on the fingers, they sound GREAT (like new strings always do). Now let’s see if they last longer like they say.

My Schecter seems to love them too!

Anyone else try or use these strings????

Dream Escape (an attempt at writing)

lonebassman — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:15:25 +0000

Dream Escape

I sleep.

A haven from reality.

A harbor for my soul,

I'm anchored in every night.

In youth shore leave was full and exciting.

My adventures made me a hero,

or I became the villain.

I sometimes saved the girl,

or I was falling,

and falling,

but I had never hit the ground.

I've even fought the scariest of beasts,

Giant Jumping Spiders.

I know what it's like to fly

as a bird would fly.

I've flown through rooms,

above the cities and mountain tops.

Oh, how I envy the birds.

Some thirty years go by,

I rarely come ashore.

I stay aboard my little ship,

below,

I'm safely tucked away.

I rock in my hammock, listening to the ocean sounds

and calmly wait for day to break.

I weigh anchor, set sail for the open sea.

I begin my daily journey back to reality.

I sail the restless sea

through calms,

through storms,

through life's humanity.

Half way to my destination

I turn my ship around

and head to the safety

of my haven,

my harbor

before the night should fall.

It's here I spend another

flightless,

spiderless,

heroless,

a dreamless night.

I wait.

A new day is upon me once again.

It brings me back,

this monotonous, small journey through the restless sea.

Eventually I will reach the end,

with my travels complete,

I will find my final destiny.

Diatonically Speaking - Part 5

lonebassman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:22:56 +0000

Diatonically Speaking
paranoid’s journey of learning music

Part 5

One of the first things that blew my mind about the bass was the finger patterns. I did not see this before, and knowing me, I am surprised.

All major and minor scales, major and minor triads, all other scales like the blues, mixolydian, pentatonic ALL have there own finger pattern!!!! Jebus Christ!!!!

Learning scales and triads is a HELL of a lot EASIER now!!!! Why didn’t I see that YEARS ago??? Why the fuck didn’t someone tell me or even show me that in the books I did read back then???????????!!!!!!!???????????

Ya, know there may be a reason no one really points that out…………….I have fallen into a trap I think.

I see patterns. While practicing I go through finger pattern motions. I have not disciplined myself to say the notes I am hitting……..very bad!!!!! Like a bug flying to the light in a bug zapper, here I go !!!!!

Remember, finger patterns: All major keys (scales) have the same finger pattern no matter what key! All minor, all pentatonic, mixolydian, blues, major triads, minor triads, diminished triads have the same finger pattern!!!!!

More to come.

Diatonically Speaking - Part 6

lonebassman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:22:02 +0000

paranoid’s journey of learning music

Part 6

Two things I never, ever imagined I would do let alone agree that it was a good idea to do…practice Scales and use a Metronome!!!!!!

Mind you, I am still not totally disciplined to use a metronome all the time nor practice scales every time I play. But I better understand why I need to and anyone for that matter that is learning to play needs to.

A metronome helps you develop a sense of time. This is really important for the roll the bass plays in music. Most of the music I get will show a note with an equal sign and then a number. Set your metronome to this number and start playing. This is the speed of the the song. I was really surprised to find that DIO’s Holy Diver is at a slower paced 90 (thank God, cause the sixteenth notes I may not have been able to play).

Scales…isn’t this the first thing a teacher wants you to learn, but all you want to do is play your favorite songs? Well, after I learned about finger patterns, I started playing scales with a metronome. My fingers got used to the fret board a lot faster, I exercised my fingers, my playing started to smooth out and finger noise started to diminish. And if I disciplined myself better I would have been saying the notes I was playing so I can remember the finger board better, shame on me….Also when practicing, I learned if you are missing notes or messing them up YOU ARE PLAYING TOO FAST!!!!!! Slow your ass down!!! Start off slow then build your speed up. It will be WORTH IT!!!!!

Also, a scale plays a huge roll in a song. Your favorite song was written in a certain KEY. This KEY has a unique corresponding SCALE that goes with it. All the notes and cords used to play your favorite song are based upon the notes in this scale. In some songs ALL the notes and chords come ONLY from this scale.

Please, don’t let scales and metronome scare you. They are your friends!!!!

I never thought I would ever say that……………….

More to come…

Death

lonebassman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:20:29 +0000

For the last 22 plus years my job takes me to many homes a year. For the last 10 years I estimate about 300 homes a year not counting the people I talk to each day on the floor and the phone. I would venture a guess that about 95% to 98% of those people are really cool people. A very SMALL, SMALL, SMALL fraction I see every year.

There have been about less than 10 times I have met someone or have been in the same room with them that were about to die. The latest one for some reason really bothers me…

A retired fire fighter.

I and several others have talked to him several times in our store. Finally he is at a point where I can schedule an appointment to come out. I find out from a work mate that his wife is in a hospital bed in the living room dieing of cancer………

I go to their house on 1/24/2008. She looks and sounds bad. He introduces me to her and I say “Hi, how ya doing?”…………………………………………………..

I had a hard time getting both my feet out of my mouth………………………………….

It was hard to include her in our conversation. I didn’t know if she could understand or even cared, but I tried. When I left I told her that I was glad to meet her. I sat in my truck for a couple of minutes…………….. He did ask me if I could get the manufacturer to put a RUSH on the custom product he was ordering (Turns out no guarantees, but they would try).

Well, today Tuesday, January 29, 2008 he came by and spoke with a work mate. I was able to say hello even though I was with a customer.

She passed away on Sunday………………………………..at least she was at home with loved ones.

I was barely able to pat him on the back and say “I’m sorry” then finish with my customer. I had to leave the room for a while.

I have NEVER been like that!!!!! I really don’t know this guy, I am not part of the family, but…………………….

In the past the only time I have ever cried was when my grandmother died when I was in high school. After I got married things kinda changed, after having kids things changed a little more. But, until death touched me more personal, these things really did not bother me very much. The last 4 years I have lost my only sibling, my brother and 4 in-laws. One I stood by after she passed away in the local hospital and the other I stood by while the doctors pulled the plug and watched the body just slowly stop breathing and the heart monitor flat line……………………..After all that, death seems to bother me a lot more.

Carvin DVD

lonebassman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:17:33 +0000

Carvin.

In the early to mid 80’s I found Carvin and sent for their catalog. I still have one from then in my 1984 Westone Dynasty bass case! A bass with a tremolo……TOTALLY COOL……………or is it?

Now that I am back into this music/bass thing, I am revisiting notions of owning one. I sent for the DVD and just finished watching it. WOW!!! There is some of the best video of “Masters” playing together!!!! I have always liked music videos show a live performance, but this BEATS them all!!! AWESOME!!!!! Even the video of the making of the guitars is amazing!!!

This spring/summer, on my vacation, I am heading down to San Diego to visit them. If everything is true about their guitars, I will be going into debt for a good chunk o’ change!!!!!

I thought that my Schecter was a step up. I can’t wait to play a Carvin!!!!

Now if only I could get the smallest fraction of skill and knowledge Steve Vai had after graduating from Berklee, I would be very happy!!!!!

If you haven’t seen the Carvin DVD you should!!!!

Diatonically Speaking - Part 4

lonebassman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:31:04 +0000

paranoid’s journey of learning music

Part 4

Now that I am back at it, I need help. Finding a teaching isn’t really an option right now. But I got the internet!! I do a search and find this website: http://www.studybass.com/.

Amazing!!! To my surprise instead of telling me how to hold my bass, how to fret, how to pluck he points out different ways people play and what he found to be the most efficient. This is just the opposite I would have imagined. To my surprise, he doesn’t start off telling me to play scales!!!! Also the opposite I would have imagined. Now I am open and listening!!!

I could not stop reading this website!!!! I would get to a point where I could not take anymore information in. I would wait and just keep reading what I did get. Suddenly the next piece that I was stuck on would CLICK! Then again I would get to a point where I could not take anymore information in. And then it would CLICK! This happened several more times.

In such a short time my knowledge of music increased exponentially. But I wanted to know more. I have almost out grown the information that is there at the time of this written. So I bought some books. See my favorite books. These have propelled my knowledge even further.

With what I have learned I can tell I have a LOT more to learn, besides practicing my bass playing.

If you are just starting with bass or haven’t really had lessons, check out http://www.studybass.com/.

More to Come…

Diatonically Speaking - Part 3

lonebassman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:29:38 +0000

paranoid’s journey of learning music

Part 3

Step back in time…

What kept me from pursuing music? Currently I can identify 5 factors:

1) Religion
2) Money
3) Shyness
4) Low self-esteem
5) Afraid of what others think

Religion: Why the hell would that stop you? Being in the ONLY “correct” religion and Armageddon is near didn’t help maters. The pursuit of riches is wrong, idol worship is wrong (fans of you or being a fan of someone else), rock and roll does not promote a Christian life style, friends outside of the fold are bad associates, and getting a higher education is wrong because of the environment you are put in (I guess all college kids become atheistic fornicating drunkards). Besides, beards, long hair, ear rings and tattoos are not what real Christians would do. So why would I pursue music especially when the end is near?

My parents are not against music, they new I wanted to be in a band and perform. That was the issue. My friends within the congregation had no interest to play and I did not feel I could tell them what music I really liked (Iron Maiden, Ozzy, Dio, Motley Crue, AC/DC, etc.). I suppose I was a short haired closet head banger. The negative religious input and the other issues helped me easily justify not learning music. I even declined to try playing in a band because of these issues. I was asked at one time and I blew it!

Money: Music is an expensive hobby. Good quality gear and lessons, I could NOT afford. I did grow up in a welfare family on a very limited income. That is why I started working at 16. Even with my own money I really didn’t pursue music because of the other issues.

Shyness, Low Self-Esteem and Being Afraid of what Others Think: These all kind of tie in with each other. These things really didn’t start affecting me till about 4th grade. Each school year I would go deeper and deeper into a shell. When I started working I started coming out of that shell, but not quite enough.

Step ahead about 20 some years…

Looking back I can see that the only thing I did right was get married. Otherwise I fiddlefucked half my life away basically waiting for Armageddon………now I have less than half my life to do what I should have done 20 years ago! Damn!

Religion is not much of an issue anymore, although, I still feel its choking grasp occasionally like I had a good brain washing. Money, still an issue but not like it was. Shyness, low self-esteem and being afraid of what others think: these are issues that I am still working with. But the older I get the less these affect me.

So what the hell does this have to do with music? Those things directly stopped me from pursuing music and many other things I should have done.

What I am trying to show is: as long as you are not hurting others, DON’T LET BULLSHIT STOP YOU!!!!!!! DON’T LET BULLSHIT STOP YOU!!!!!!! DON’T LET BULLSHIT STOP YOU!!!!!!! DON’T LET BULLSHIT STOP YOU!!!!!!!

I did and I have warned my kids and I am warning you too….

DON’T LET BULLSHIT STOP YOU!!!!!!!

More to come.

Diatonically Speaking - Part 2

lonebassman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:25:41 +0000

paranoid’s journey of learning music

Part 2

I come from a very musically inclined family. But I was not taught much. We couldn’t afford a piano, guitars or music lessons.

In 4th grade we played song flutes. I learned a little about music. When I was in the grade that we could join the band class, we had no money to even buy a used instrument.

I started working when I was 16. A couple of years later, about 1984, I bought a Harmony bass guitar from a guy I worked with ( I thought 4 strings would be easier than 6). I put a Peavey Basic 40 on layaway and picked up a couple of beginner bass books. After high school graduation I purchased a Westone Dynasty bass with my graduation money that I should have used towards some sort of collage. What an upgrade!

I never joined a band or got lessons, nor did I go to college. I justified getting no lessons by “I can’t afford it”, “they might make me practice scales” or tell me “you are holding your bass wrong”. Even at that I had fun learning to play some of my favorite songs. But music was still a mystery. After I got married I put my bass away. All it did was annoy the hell out of everyone……………

2007……….”Guitar Hero, what a joke! Go learn to play a real instrument!!!” is what I used to think. Unfortunately that may be the closest some of us might get to playing in a band……….

Damn it……my sister-in-law got me hook on Guitar Hero!!!! Then my kids got hooked. We bought Guitar Hero II the day it came out for the Xbox 360. Surprising to me, some songs on medium on up really reminded me of what it felt like to play my bass.

So………..out comes my 22 year old bass and amp. I am back at it. But I need help. I could afford lessons, but my work schedule interferes. What I didn’t have back in 1985 I have now………the INTERNET!!!!

I found a website that was completely amazing for learning bass guitar: http://www.studybass.com/

I started going through that site. I could not stop. I would hit a plateau and could not take in any more. Then I would go on and do that again and again. My knowledge of music increased exponentially. Finally I had to buy some books (see my favorite books).

I now know so much more about music, but I know I am just scratching the surface.

I consider myself a hobbyist without a band and a beginner (by the way, this is a lonely position to be in). I think my current level of understanding far surpasses my playing ability…….and I am just scratching the surface of music. It is just beginning.

More to come.

Diatonically Speaking - Part 1

lonebassman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:18:38 +0000

paranoid’s journey of learning music

Part 1

First, I never imagined I would be willing to write something like this let alone in a blog!
Second, I don’t thing anyone will see this anyway or even care if they do read it.
So, why not?!

Why am I writing about learning music? Last year (2007) I have learned SO MUCH about music and I am so excited about what I have learned I want to share it with someone. It is bad enough my family has to here my bass playing and listen to the bits I write on the computer, I figure that is enough sharing (torturing) with them.

Why would one even care about my journey of learning music? Well, maybe, just maybe….I might encourage someone to overcome the obstacles that held me back for SO LONG!

I will be writing this in parts and posting them periodically.

For what it is worth, if you have found this and took the time to read this, THANK YOU!

If you are starting to pursue your musical interest DON’T LET ANYONE STOP YOU.

More to come.