Sophie's Choice...

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by EvanB

So Earl; Are you saying that it is "Mey Chismas?" I suppose I could do that.

Mele = Merry. Both have two syllables, but Hawaiian does not have the "r" sound. So they approximate by using the "l" to separate syllables. Similar for "maka" as a substitute for "mas" in Christmas. When you have a limited alphabet, you have to make do......

And yes, we played Mele Kalikimaka last night, along with about 20 players and two hula dancers. I will also be backing a hula dancer at a local senior center lunchtime performance with that song in a couple of weeks.

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by Earl49

Mele = Merry. Both have two syllables, but Hawaiian does not have the "r" sound. So they approximate by using the "l" to separate syllables. Similar for "maka" as a substitute for "mas" in Christmas. When you have a limited alphabet, you have to make do......

And yes, we played Mele Kalikimaka last night, along with about 20 players and two hula dancers. I will also be backing a hula dancer at a local senior center lunchtime performance with that song in a couple of weeks.

Joan did a hula for me this morning while I played that one. No... no photos.

Hawaii was our annual reward for working in the frozen northland years ago. Since we retired and moved our "base" to the Tropical Tip, the commercial flights to Maui have had less appeal. But, I still enjoy the music.

Earl;

Thanks for the explanation. My daughter got married in Hawaii and that was my only contact with the islands.

Also, you be careful with backing those dancers. If it's anything like fronting you could find yourself in hot water.

[Captain Jim]

OK, Joan dug out the ukulele...



It's been a few years since I've had that out. You know how you come back to something, and it's a lot of fun? Yeah, that's not the case here...

http://captnjim.blogspot.com/2017/11...alikimaka.html

I couldn't remember a single chord. A chart sheet (not to be confused with a cheat sheet) showed me how to form any particular chord, but it still wasn't coming back... apparently that muscle memory has amnesia.

Worst part of the experience: the sharp edge on the uke cut into the tender skin on my inner forearm. "Getting soft?" you ask. Yeah, but more like being spoiled by the comfort of my Emeralds.

On the bright side, the fretboard on the GSmini that I have in Nashville tuning feels luxuriously large by comparison.

Nothing that some good Texas BBQ for lunch couldn't cure, followed by a Dr Pepper float after we came back from the beach. I know how to self-medicate.

[Captain Jim]

NBD. New Bass Day. No, it's not carbon fiber, but this sub-forum is home... and, I picked up the bass to add a bit more texture when I'm recording with my carbon fiber guitars. (How's that for relating it to CF?)

http://captnjim.blogspot.com/2017/11...g-da-bass.html

I had some very refined criteria:
1. It had to be a bass.
2. It had to sound like a bass.
3. Inexpensive enough that I could pay for it with my "string allowence."



Yamaha. The only Yamaha I've had previously had two wheels.

[DHart]

Nice score, Jim. A recording guitarist can always make great use of a bass guitar! Yamaha and Ibanez both make great electric guitars/basses, not to mention Fender.

I kind of did the same thing you did a couple of years ago and picked up an Ibanez 6-string bass/hybrid. You can chord it like a guitar - better sounding up the neck a little. Creates an entirely different and very cool tonality, inspiring new musical creations.



I use this Squire Jaguar short-scale Bass when I want a four string thumper.

[kramster]

This guy is holding my favorite bass... someday Ill have one...

[kramster]

And just good ole uncolored..



Crazy Canadian ⬇️



President of MMI ⬇️ (Motorcycle Mechanics Institute here in Phoenix)

[ac]

Never had an interest in playing bass . . . . . . . until now!

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by ac

Never had an interest in playing bass . . . . . . . until now!

I get that. As a primarily solo player these days... well, you know. In my younger years, I messed around with the bass player's Precision Bass... felt like "playing a surfboard."

I don't see that I'll be investing in anything like those beauties in Kramster's post, but it was an interesting diversion last night spending an hour or so making bass noises. Sore fingers when I went to bed, since you press on the strings with different places than guitar. I don't know if I have it in me to build up new calluses!

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by EvanB

Also, you be careful with backing those dancers. If it's anything like fronting you could find yourself in hot water.

In the immortal words of my kumu (teacher) Keola Beamer, "It's great to be in the band playing for hula dancers. You are always on the naughty side of the wiggles". The challenge is concentrating on your playing.......

My primary bass these days IS a ukulele -- the Kala U-bass. Since getting it my Squier P-bass and the Lace four string that was gifted to me have stayed in their cases. The little U-bass is so fun to play, and very portable. It does take a bit to get used to the rubbery strings -- your touch must be lighter.

[kramster]

Those lil rubber band basses are fun and sound pretty good plugged in.

[Earl49]

When I bought mine, it was from a vendor at the National Old Time Fiddle Festival in Weiser, ID. Upon getting back to the campground, someone was looking for me to play bass with them on stage in the city park for their evening set. So within 90 minutes of purchase, it was on stage -- price tag and all (Minnie Pearl style).

Coming off stage a fellow from the audience came up and asked, "Where was the doghouse bass? I heard it but never saw it". I simply handed him my little U-bass and watched his jaw drop. Plugged in they really do sound that good. Acoustically you cannot hear them across the living room, and definitely audible not over any other instruments.

[Captain Jim]

Here's a SoundCloud link to the first track with the bass...

https://soundcloud.com/captainjimb/m...than-yesterday

Yeah, I may have gotten a bit "bass-heavy" with it.

[Captain Jim]

A couple more bass tracks...

https://soundcloud.com/captainjimb/working-at-the-car-wash-blues


https://soundcloud.com/captainjimb/50-ways-to-leave-your-lover

No, I won't be giving up guitar for the bass anytime soon, but it is an interesting diversion.