Author Topic: Introduction (Read 2213 times)

kimberly · « **on:** January 30, 2007, 07:51:04 PM »

Hello Everyone.

Kimberly here paying my respects to all the members, and non-members for that matter, to an awesome discussion board and resource for those who 'dig' Alembic and to those who've made this possible (moderators et al).

About me, as similar to many here (I've lurked for almost a year now), I played pro at a younger age, lusted after Alembics and was never able to afford one. At long last in February/March 2006 a '96 5 string Epic at Bass NW called my name. The first time was interesting as all I was able to do at the store was 'feel' the action and hear the tones as alas, I play left handed upside down and this was a lefty. A few weeks at the mothership for a new tailpiece, saddles and a nut to be strung 'upside down', he came home and I really played him for the first time. I wasn't disappointed. Matter of fact, it was literally a life changing experience as I decided to go pro again after a 17 year hiatus from being so terribly burned out from too many years of traveling and playing to tables and (way back when) ashtrays.

For the last month I've been working as a bass soloist. Talk about interesting. One of the first things I became aware of when you're solo, it's ALL on your shoulders. Drop a note and not only the bottom drops out, EVERYTHING drops out. Fortunately, about 2/3 of my material is based around a Boss RC50 looper and a Roland GR20 synth. Start the rhythm guide, lay a bass line down, add a rhythm part, add some percussion, select a synth voice, take a solo. Sweet.

I'm currently hosting an open mike in Poulsbo, WA every Wednesday.

http://www.tizleys.com/8455.html

and update events at

http://openmikes.org/listings/tizleyseuropub

So far being a bass soloist is quite viable as indicated by reception and getting gigs. Time will tell the tale, but initial results are highly encouraging.

And that's pretty much it for now, else I'll just keep yakking.

Best to All.

Kimberly

PS. In anticipation, from reading previous topics.

1. The gender of my bass is male. Just a feel 'thingy', but unmistakeably male to me.

2. I had Mike Lull route out approximately an 1/8 of body wood to mount a GK3B midi PUP between the bridge and bass PUP. He did a good job and as he said when I asked, I shouldn't be able to 'hear' any difference. Seems to be the case as I can't hear any difference at all.

PPS. To the moderators, any or all of my message can be edited for content, or location (i.e. forum) and I won't take it personally.

Bye for now. Really.

richbass939 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 30, 2007, 08:59:22 PM »

Kimberly, welcome to the club and congrats on the Epic. I have two and love them. They haven't inspired me to get back into full time gigging (no instrument could), but I'm having more fun playing than I ever have before.
Again, welcome.
Rich

the_8_string_king · « **Reply #2 on:** January 30, 2007, 10:45:01 PM »

Welcome to the club, Kimberly. Don't seem to be many womenfolk around here.

Can't see the top on your Epic... but from the headstock it looks like... Zebrawood or Bocate?

Happy plucking!

the_8_string_king · « **Reply #3 on:** January 30, 2007, 10:47:03 PM »

By the way, good, show, going solo and all!

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2007, 05:14:33 AM »

Hello Kimberly and welcome.
Please post pics of your boy in the Showcase section (I've got two Epics and a Distillate).
Since you've been around the forum for a while, I hope you feel comfortable with our style of ribbing, humour, and discussion.
Mke
And no one has even mentioned Bikes or Beer yet (oops!)

adriaan · « **Reply #5 on:** January 31, 2007, 05:26:15 AM »

And none of the Pauls has yet come forward to start banging on the table with beer bottles - where are they when you need them?

Alembic and bears go well together - my Epic and Spoiler are hanging on our living room wall, above a couple of bears that my wife made.

lowlife · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2007, 05:32:44 AM »

I like the teddy bear; nice touch. Welcome to the club.

Ellery (Lowlife)

olieoliver · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2007, 06:19:07 AM »

Hi and welcome Kimberley.

A solo bass artist, very cool indeed.

Definitely post some pix of your new ?bo?.

Olie

jacko · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2007, 07:41:56 AM »

Hi Kimberley and welcome from the other side of the pond. How about posting links to your music?

graeme

kimberly · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2007, 06:07:30 PM »

Hey Everybody.

Thanks for the welcome which is most appreciated. Not that I'm surprised, as my lurking around has shown the users here have a level of maturity well beyond adolescent prattlings of most other websites. Thank you very much.

To respond to your messages.

Rich, thank you, you lucky guy with not one, but two Epic's. Sweet. My decision to go back pro was 'somewhat' simple, as early retirement allows me the opportunity to 'give it a shot'. That and this time around I'm selecting material that I enjoy and want to do, other than previously when it was whatever was on the charts. Much more fun now.

8 String King, thank you also for your welcome. The body top wood is wenge. I personally feel the machine head wood is kind of a mismatch with the wenge but whoever owned him originally must have ordered him like that. No matter to me though. He's a sweet player!

dadabass, thanks. Ummm...good/bad time to mention my 1100 Honda Shadow?

adriaan. Funny how Alembics and bears have this symbiotic type relationship. Never met an Alembic I didn't like. Bears? well...circumstance. Mine has been with me for 27 years.

Ellery (lowlife), thank you and thank you.

Olie, thank you very much. Being a soloist. Frankly, for me anyways, it's the way to go and I wonder why I didn't try it sooner. It's a responsibility for sure, but when I 'hit groove', well I have to admit I kinda enjoy playing with myself.

graeme (jacko), last but certainly not least, thank you very much and hello to your part of the world. As well, I became somewhat ambitious and posted a clip from my first solo performance January 6th. It's 'heavily inspired' (okay, okay, it's kind of a rip) by Phil Keaggy's Salvation Army Band with which I've taken a 'little bit' of 'poetic license' and 'artistic interpetation'. Yeah, that's it. Poetic license and artistic interpetation. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxb1vHU8Bcw

And with that I'm off to my open mike, or getting ready to go anyways. 8-11pm PST

Bestest,

Kimberly

PS. Thank you again to all for your welcome.

PPS. Pics for the showcase coming soon.

olieoliver · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2007, 07:32:24 PM »

Very cool video Kimberly, nice chops.

(Message edited by olieoliver on January 31, 2007)

bob · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2007, 09:12:48 PM »

This would be so much easier if I could watch it upside down :-) but even when I try that I'm still confused... How about a few words on how/why you arrived at this particular orientation?

Enjoy. Yes, thank you, and welcome.
-Bob

kimberly · « **Reply #12 on:** February 01, 2007, 01:01:34 AM »

Hello again Everybody.

Thanks Olie.

Bob, to answer your question on the how/why, you'll have to bear with me, as it's not a real short story and I'm not one to use a few words when many work just as well, so you might want to get comfortable.

When I was a young, foolish and impressionable kinda gal, I made the mistake of hanging out with the 'bad boys' that lived down the street one day (in spite of my parents warnings as like all kids, we knew better than the folks). Anyways, when playing with fireworks someone handed me one to throw. I froze and as fate would have it, I lost half of my thumb and half of my index and ring fingers on...yep, my left hand. If you look at my picture you'll see my thumb, though the fingers are 'concealed' so to speak. About six months later a friend chided me into playing a guitar and with circumstance being as it was, I only had one way to go about it. Yep, left handed. Time went by and after a couple of years of borrowing friends instruments I finally got my own no name bass for $20 which I made payments on incidently. Of course, I immediately changed the strings 'right side up'. Imagine my dismay when I then realized everything was 'upside down'. I should have gone ahead and learned the 'right way' but, being young, foolish and impressionable, I changed them back to upside down and here I am 37 years later rather 'set in my ways' at the tender age of 5x (never ask, never tell a woman's age). Truly with hindsight, I really should have changed them to left handed, as I do experience some difficulty with some chords and just forget about 'thumb popping', but all in all I'm quite pleased with how it's all worked out. After all, who woulda 'thunk it' that I played pro for 15 years and dare i say it, kicked some serious butt in my day playing with my index and little fingers.

And that's my story and I'm sticking to it, so now we can go back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Laters,

Kimberly

jacko · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2007, 01:33:37 AM »

Kimberley,
There are a fair few lefties playing upside down including my own daughter so you're not alone. Jason D Smith, ex Hayseed dixie used to play a mean slapped solo and last november Alvin Mills came across to UK Bass Day from Germany to astound us with his reverse pyrotechnics.

Graeme

keith_h · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2007, 03:46:33 AM »

Kimberley,
Welcome.

I second Graeme that there are more folks playing upside down than you might think. I have a friend who plays classical guitar lefty upside down. It makes for some interesting interpretations.

Keith