[Trombone-l] Acoustic vs electric bass

[Richardson, Timothy Mr. DAC USAG Franconia DPW]

I have to side with Chris on this one.

More often than not I can't hear the upright bass, though I see the guy
pulling like mad on the strings.  I feel kind of sorry for him, working so
hard for so little.  

On the other hand, I would far rather NOT hear the upright than hear the
fuzzy distorted sound of an electric bass adjusted wrong.  Maybe it's just
my ears, but I like a clean percussive bass sound, and that is not so comon
either.  For some odd reason the worst offenders are church groups.  All
church groups include a bass turned up too loud, which I could maybe live
with if it wreren't fuzzy, with no clear start to the note and then no clear
tone afterwards. I know it is possible. I played the last three shows with
the same bass player, who managed to balance the volume and play clean and
in tune.      

-----Original Message-----
From: Adrian Drover [mailto:slide at adios.co.uk] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 12:27
To: 'Chris Tune'; 'conn60h'; 'Bill Dinwiddie';
trombone-l at server5.samford.edu
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Trombone-l Digest, Vol 19, Issue 20



> From: Chris Tune
> 
> I play in a LOT of different groups and I'm beginning to really 
> appreciate the FENDER BASS.  I know this sounds sacrilegious but hear 
> me out.  I LOVE the sound of an excellent quality stand up bass, WHEN 
> I CAN HEAR IT.  Like during a very good recording session.


I play with at least half a dozen different big bands here in Scotland.
Only one of these bands regularly uses an acoustic upright bass.  That is
the one I enjoy playing with the most.  I never have a problem hearing the
bass, even on the rare occasion when there is a power out.  I always have a
problem hearing the horns around me when an electric bass is used.  The
rhythm section always plays far too loud.  The horns are miked up to
compensate.  The result is a ridiculous volume of noise.  And all this in a
small room too.  Why?

Give me an un-amplified band with acoustic rhythm section any day.  There
really is no need for all that power.  It might even help to save the ice
cap from melting by switching it all off.

And the thing that pisses me most is the guy who brings in a 6-string
electric bass and plays on the lowest strings all night.  Is bassicide
illegal? 

A.