My Intro

[Derwin C. Moss (bassdude63)]

Hello people! I really enjoy this website. It's great to read so much from fellow Alembic enthusiasts. I'm learning quite a bit from all of you. Thanks, D.M.

[Paul Ellsworth (elzie)]

Did you know that if you looked at your initials in a mirror you would be a doctor?LOL!
 
Of course you did Sorry, it is the little things that amuse me, I guess!
 
Any way, it is nice to meet you

[Mab OConnor (folkgal)]

Hi All.. I guess I should post my Intro here...
I am a 53 year YOUNG Bass Player from the Chicago Illinois Area... I am the Bass Player in a Hippie Rock Band called Yasgurs Farm ..( named after Woodstock).. My web site is
www.yasgursband.com. We play music of the late 60's and early 70's mostly. Cream, The Doors, Led Zep, Deep Purple, Jefferson Airplane, Mountain, etc etc. Its alot of fun... I just recently got a used Alembic and cant seem to keep my hands off it. I am still in the process of naming it...I have a pic of it under the thread How we use our Alembics..
Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday.. My new Bass sure has made mine... I am in the process of trying to teach myself how to Slap and Pop...  
I also like that funky music....
Peace
Mab

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hi Mab,
happy holidays to you too!
Just my two cent for slapping and popping (I'm not a great teacher, you should ask Dino): try to consider your thumb as the bass-drum and your finger as a snare. Quick alternations between thumb and finger: think toms.
It's a kinda trick someone gave me that I wanted to share with you.
 
Paul

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Aw come on now Paul, we ALL have something to offer as bass players!!!!
Mab, welcome to the site and happy slapping, on the new bass that is!!!  Your site is cool too by the way.  I noticed a few OConnors on there, family?!?
 
Peace - Dino

[Mab OConnor (folkgal)]

Hi Paul and Dino... Yep, some of us are family.. My Hubby is the lead singer and Rhythm guitar player, his brother Danny is the drummer, and his brother Rob is Lead Guitar Player and Lilli WHO is not related is our keyboard player.. Our sound man Matt is also a brother of my Hubbys.. LOL...
Glad you liked the web site Dino... I have to put my Alembic on there .. I already have two pages that my 5 string Yamaha Bass Froggiemotto  Rules... LOL
Our band had some excitement over the summer.. ABC had called me out of the clear blue sky and had asked if my band would be interested in being part of a documentary on What is keeping Rock and Roll Music alive... Of course I said... ahhhh.. hummmm... well OKAY.. LOL... And they sent a camera crew and producer that stayed with us for five hours at this Fest we were playing at.  They said they didnt know when it would air and that it could get bumbed if there was any breaking news... Which there is alot of these days... So we never did see it air, but they did take a minute segment out of it and it was aired on the Peter Jennings World News in a segment about Celebrating Elvis... We have such a big sound set up and system that we dont play out much during the winter but do have fun gigging during the summer at Fests...So I am having withdrawls right now... .... We are going to try to make our own Demo... We didnt need one before.. For a year we were a house band but the place sold and turned into a FINE DINING.. And Loud Hippie ROCK just would not have fit in.. eheheh... Would be nice to find a sponser to help us out getting a pro demo made... Nice to dream......
Hope you all are being BAD
 
Peace
Mab

[James L. Martin (malthumb)]

Mab,
 
If you're serious about learning to slap, get the video tape The Slap Bass Program by Alexis Sklarevski.  Exceptionally well-produced instructional video

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Excellent suggestion James!!!!!
Funny story about Alexis.  I studied with Alexis at BIT and then went on to teaching alongside him as faculty.  He would never ever take a slap solo nor did he slap all that much even when he had the opportunity.  We used to bust him because he put out such a great video on the subject yet he hardly uses it.

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

Mab:
 
Welcome to the Club and this online fraternity of Alembic players.  I'm 47 years young also, and hats off to you guys for playing some of my favorite music.  
 
I'm afraid I'm in cahoots with Anthony Jackson inasmuch as I'm certainly no fan of 'slapping'.  My I make a suggestion:  In line with another great girl bassist (Carole Kaye) and yours truly, for a second sound I'd suggest using a pick.  This is really overlooked these days, and broadens my palette quite a bit.  Plus, this sound is all over the material your band performs.
 
Happy Holidays,
 
J O E Y  W I L S O N
 
PS:  Be sure and use HEAVY picks if possible:  This REALLY freaks out guitar players if they have to bum one on the gig !

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hey Friends,
 
Joey: I'm goin to take your advice seriously and gonna try to take up a pick for some pieces we work on with the band: it can alter your sound and the result could be fine with those pieces.
 
Dino: have you studied with Alexis? At BIT?
My long-time friend and first bass-teacher here in Belgium Koen Leeman was Alexis's room mate at BIT. They shared rooms for one year. Maybe you've met him too Dino?
I admire Alexis very much and I have his slappign tape and -James- I'm with you in suggesting this video. Alexis came to Belgium a couple of years ago with a band and the first thing he did was visiting his old room-mate Koen. Unfortunately I was not free that night but Koen told me it was a happy re-gathering!
 
Paul

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Hi Paul,
 
Yes I studied with Alexis while I was at BIT.  I went there from 1991-1992 and then taught there from 1992-1997.
I think your friend may have been gone by the time I got there.
Anyway, have a wonderful holiday.  We'll talk soon.
 
Dino

[Mab OConnor (folkgal)]

Hey all.. thanks for the tips on Slapping.. And dont laugh.. but I think I have found a name for my Spoiler Alembic Bass.... I am going to call him AL BUNDY... AHHAHA.. Well Al is the beginning of his birth name...
 
Hope everyone had a great Holiday Season....
 
Keep ROCKIN
 
Peace
 
Mab

[James L. Martin (malthumb)]

Mab,
 
Just caught in your last post that your Alembic is a Spoiler.  I don't know why this was case, but I found my Spoiler (my very 1st of 6 Alembics)to be the most difficult bass for me to slap on.  I'm sure it had to do with the neck pickup location.  Kept smackin' my knuckle on the pick up housing, so I adjusted by moving my stroke down the neck to about the 20th - 21st fret.  Still sounded good, but it took conscious thought to do it.  I basically had to unlearn about 15 years of technique and re-learn it.  If you start out learning to slap on your Spoiler you'll probably have an easier time of it than I did.
 
Peace,
 
James

[Brian Ceasar (bbe1020)]

Congratulations Mab. I think AL Bundy sounds much safer than TED...

[Mab OConnor (folkgal)]

Hi James and Brian... as for the name.. I am STILL undecided whether to call it Al Bundy because everyone I tell that to says.. YOU MEAN LIKE TED BUNDY.... LOL... So.... I dont know what to do.... I certainly dont want my Bass to have a bad rap... LOL
James, I will try that slapping down the neck like you suggested.. I have been so busy working on songs our band has added to our set list that I have not had time to work on the slapping yet..
When I bought the bass at SamAsh, the salesman sat there slapping it and it sounded totally wicked...
Hope all is well and Happy Valentines Day to you ALL..  
 
Peace
Mab