#fourstring

[robotofthedayblr]

Resonating frequencies. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 60Hz. . A quick sketch from a while ago. . #robotoftheday #mylifewithrobots #robot #robotart #robotillustration #bassguitarist #bassguitar #guitar #music #bassline #robotmusic #fourstrings #sketch #sketchcard #illustration #art https://www.instagram.com/p/CpbBGj7vXBN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jonlettsbasses]

Two 21“ mini travel bass guitars being shy #bass #handcrafted #bassguitar #guitar #travelbass #travelguitar #minibass #singlecutbass #fourstrings #fivestringbass #custombass #basslife #jonlettsbasses #lettsbassesltd https://www.instagram.com/p/CqSL4mPMTjN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[prettybirdy979]

Neil Gaiman & FourPlay String Quartet (in Sydney)

So last night I was SUPER fortunate and got to go see Neil Gaiman and the FourPlay String Quartet at the Sydney Opera House. It was an amazing night, a two and a bit hour show that is a little hard to sum up as a show. 

So I’ve got some thoughts under the cut (Spoilers for anyone going to the Melbourne show, which will likely be the same or at least very similar). I’ve remembered as best I can but well, only human and there was a lot in a fairly long show

Before that though, some general non-spoilery thoughts:

The things the Quartet could make their instruments do was almost miraculous. Neil described them as a string quartet who is also a rock band and I fully saw that. They all had talent and it was an honour to see them perform live. I hadn’t realised that wasn’t a didgeridoo in one of the songs until I saw the cello perform. 

As you can see in the pics of the stage (none of Neil or the group since we weren’t allowed to take them and I wasn’t gonna break that rule) I was extremely close. Close enough I hear the seal on Neil’s water crack at the start. But they were set up to be visible to all. The show was also sold out

Neil himself was captivating. Everyone shut up to listen when he spoke, regardless of what he was saying. We also had a couple of hecklers but one was helping and the other handled with a sigh and moving on

Nearly every song that they performed, Neil explained how it had come to be either something they had written or something they performed. It was an interesting look into the songwriting process and even the processes of performing (and how much you can learn in thirty minutes

The way it was performed, most of the time Neil was reading words to music or having music performed while he read but at one point he did provide backing vocals for a song and actually sung four of them as the main vocalist

Neil said we were brave for coming, since he struggled to explain it and we all took a chance on coming. If you do ever get the chance to attend one of these shows, I recommend taking it. It was so worth it, i enjoyed every moment of it

The show was professionally recorded! So maybe one day we’ll get to see bits of it (or all of it) for people who couldn’t attend

Now for more specific (and possibly spoilery) thoughts:

They started the show with Clock, which Neil mentioned as one of the few songs they’d be performing tonight that he didn’t write (his exact words a little bit in was that the words were “nicked from Bill” as it’s Shakespeare’s Sonnet 12). Something I noted for a lot of the performance and specifically this song was how he kept his hands always gripped behind his back except when he was talking with them. 

Then talked about how the band met (at the Opera House fourteen years ago) and became friends. He then mentioned the poem he read on 26th January 2011 at the Opera House, which was backed in Tasmania by didgeridoo, which the cellist said he could copy. And thus they came full circle with the song Poem first read on January 26th 2011 at the Sydney Opera House. As mentioned above, the cellist was right

Next song was Mobius strip. Not much to say about this one except that it’s one of my favourites from the album and very gesture filled

So both Neil and the band did something solo, starting with the band. They performed Neverwhere, a song they wrote but named for a Neil novel (with his input) since they believed it belonged on the album

Bloody Sunrise was next, which if you’ve not seen the music video for you should. It’s the one Neil was backing vocals for and they had a vampire come out to play the glockenspiel and 'harrass' Neil for his blood (jokingly). I think the vampire in the show was the same person as the video but if not, she was a very close match. The vocalist for this is Lara Goodridge, from FourString and her voice is amazing 

Next up was a Batman poem which had Neil detail his relationship to Batman through the years while the band possibly improvised music? They mentioned having no safety net for it (which prompted a comment from one of them about Batman not having a safety net) so it was at least one of the lesser rehearsed pieces. The poem was very touching and ended on a note that made me shiver

Song of the song was next; I’m struggling to recall many thoughts about it other than I liked it and it was great to see live

Ended the first half on Psycho by Leon Payne, which Neil sung. Backstory of this one was that they hadn’t had an encore during their first tour so they’d learnt this in a hurry as the encore for Carnegie Hall. The song was great and violin managed to make truly upsetting sounding cords and it was awesome!

This song also prompted Neil to mention the well known joke about Carnegie Hall, which a heckler set up for him (How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice). Then one of the band members (Peter I think? I’m terrible with names) also made the joke about them having proved the joke wrong since their encore for it wasn't really practised but learnt in half an hour at lunch before the show. It’s a running theme

In the first half there was also a running joke performing at the Opera House then going to Tasmania (as you do, Neil said one time) because apparently Neil has done that multiple times

Second half opened with Neil’s solo thing, the reading of his short story Click-clack, The Rattle Bag which was apparently written while he was in Australia 10 years ago staying at someone's house. Partway through the story, as it got spooky, click clack noises were made and it ended on a hell of a note

The Wreckers followed. Neil mentioned it was a poem he’d written for someone very sad

Before the next song Neil mentioned liking our weather, which was miserable that day, because all the rain that falls in his home right now is soft and fluffy. This prompted the next song which he called Umbrella, which had him reading words to the music and had the band sing a chorus he also spoke. Not sure where the words are from but it was a good song

The second sung by Neil song of the night was one he said was written to be a 3am torch song, that used to sung to a bartender. But it’s updated for the modern era so it was called I Google You (which is what you do now when you're heartbroken)

After that was a song they said had never been performed before, only rehearsed. As backstory Neil mentioned the tale of two men (whose names I forget) who’d published a dictionary of well, rude slang in the late 1800s/early 1900s. Neil had gotten his hands on 2 volumes of it to begin with then a 10 volume version and the song, "To suck the sugar sick or up-tails-all" (I think, the second part of the title did not stick in my mind that well), was just various euphemisms for sleeping together used by the Victorians read to music. Including the two in the title! Lara did the vocals for those euphemisms related to women

Next two songs were Signs of a life, and then In Transit as the 'last song'  

Which of course it wasn't. They came out for an encore, with the words “Two songs and we all get to go home, that's the rule” (prompting a heckler to ask “To your home?”. Neil just sighed)

First encore was a song I didn’t recognise but is apparently Makin' Whoopee and was sung by Neil. Apparently not well rehearsed since Neil jumped the gun on the lyrics at one point and said 'clearly we need to rehearse more'

Ended with The Problem with Saints, which is a song he said he wrote during a session where they were trying for eight songs in eight hours and managed six in twelve. Neil implied this one was written at 4am and the only reason he’s the one who sung on whatever first album it's on it is because it was 4am when it was written and he didn't protest

And that was the show! It was a long night (not helped by public transport being its usual trackwork happy self) but an amazing one. Well worth seeing and I hope I’ve passed on some of the bits to you.

[acemarkey]

MAKOTO FOURSTr

[flugelbinder80]

Vanavond even invallen. #fourstring #bass #substitute (bij Hi Gain Guitars) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bve0xRSJOdH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1x3d7dawq66vf

[wilsoneffects-blog]

Our friends over @steamboatampworks’ buddy @boblane had a Sabbath gig. Nothing but a Freaker Wah V.2 on the floor and a wall of Steamboat tones! #steamboatamps #blacksabbath #sabbath #lowend #bass #bassguitar #bassist #fourstring #fender #bassgram #instabass #bassporn #bassplayer #bassplayers #fenderbass #wilsoneffects https://www.instagram.com/p/CZVgiCROtAt/?utm_medium=tumblr

[officialfender]

Bass players: Fretted or fretless? Which do you like to play?

[rayraydecker]

BD 002 (Benny Decker) fitting in just fine with a #1997 #series1 #fourstring bass in #walnut. He’s available in over #50 colors and is an excellent match with an @alembicguitars #series instrument. #bennydecker #fivepin #xlr #cable #gearybusey #rayraydecker (at Columbia, Maryland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBdcPbHntDx/?igshid=zmk4a262hrf4

[optimastrings]

#Repost @americanmusical with @get_repost ・・・ #Repost @ivanhardy110 with @get_repost ・・・ 2020 updated family pic. Sending good vibes from NYC to NAMM since I couldn't make it. Left the Timbre acoustic in the case under my bed but everything else is out. Grateful to have achieved this collection so far. Of course it doesn't end here. More to come in the future! Spector 4 life!!! From left to right: Legend 5, Euro5LX, NS2A, NS2A, Euro4LX, Legend4FB, EuroLT @officialspector @emgpickups @bartolinipups @nycmusicians @b.a.s.s.p.o.r.n @bassplayerweb @bassplayunited @spectorbassnation @bassplayers @bassplayersguild @bassplayersclub @bassfeatured @lkstraps @killthestandardsrocknyc @metalfierofficial @quantumsplit @americanmusical #ivanhardy #spector #spectorbass #spectorartistsrock #emgpickups #optimastrings #newyork #nyc #bassplayersunited #bassfeatured #bassgram #blessed #instabass #basslove #bassguitar #bassporn #bassgram #fourstring #fivestring #bass #music #ams #americanmusicalsupply https://www.instagram.com/p/B8UTe2kCxUL/?igshid=16na9cziw31ao

[rocklady1973]

You tell "em Heath!🤘😁

[homerik]

On the walls in our studio. Let this foreshadow some news in the #HOMERIK world. #deathbecomesher . . . WWW.HOMERIK.ORG . . . #newplayerunlocked #plusone #fourstring #gaia #earth #gem #rocks #beauty #fierce #five #THEPENTAGON #HOMERIKPRODUCTIONSLLC https://www.instagram.com/p/BsQRTw0AA-O/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bqk96rs56gln

[ukelikethepros]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Uke Like The Pros (@ukelikethepros)

Muted Strum Ukulele Tutorial. Full tutorial on youtube.com/ukelikethepros • • • • • #ukulele #koaloha #ukelikethepros #terrycarter #ukelove #theukuleleteacher #uketeacher #ukuleleteacher #ukelele #ukuleles #ukuleletutorial #koaloha #ukuleria #fourstrings #ukelife #ukulelelessons #ukulelebeginner #ukuleleunderground #ukulelealoha #musicianslifestyle #musiciansdaily #musicianlife #musicteacher #musiceducation #iteachmusic #musiclesson #musicmatters #musicalnation (at San Diego, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuDezwlnW5q/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=117lw2bdoifwj

[fallensunsmusic-blog]

Sick jam sesh on the little guitars! New uke! No skill! ...yet! Lets crush this week! 🤘💪🏻 . . . . . . #ukulele #shred #blues #uke #puke #jamsesh #jammin #fourstrings #notalent #trapsucks #monday #dead #fallensuns #riffs #desertdads #littleguitar #fenderzuma https://www.instagram.com/p/BtNTXHhFxsf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=r1cua44es16o

[progenyvision]

Happy Father’s Day Bass Dads!!! #bassguitar #bass #bassguitarplayer #fender #bassplayer #fenderbass #electricbass #fourstrings #vintagebass #vintagefenderbass #fenderbass #basslife #basslovers #basslover #instabass #bassuniversity #weplaybass #bassplayersofinstagram #baixo #bassgram #basses #killerbasses #precisionbass #pbass #fenderprecision #fender #fenderprecisionbass #bassporn #fenderprecision #fathersday (à Paris, France) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQWLZU3JtFOEilzXI_-DfcWOWD3bl57GfEo52o0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[grinduniverse]

Reposted from @just.being.josh Such an amazing photo by @marx_bass_adventures This Geddy Lee Jazz Bass looks like it’s front of a painting. Definitely one of the nicest photos I have seen on here. Dm for a feature!!! #bassguitar #bass #bassguitarplayer #fender #bassplayer #fenderbass #electricbass #fourstrings #vintagebass #vintagefenderbass #fenderbass #basslife #basslovers #basslover #instabass #bassuniversity #weplaybass #bassplayersofinstagram #baixo #bassgram #fenderjazzbass #basses #jazzbasslovers #jazzbass #killerbasses https://www.instagram.com/p/COHihqSM4NN/?igshid=anuxze0ef3yt

[sirfishalot]

Even as an (older) beginner - I’ve got several basses, but this one is the cream of the crop! Just gotta keep practicing and learning to get proficient. MTD Precision Bass 4 - aka Byron Miller Psycho Bass #mtdbass #bassporn #bassguitar #electricbass #fourstrings #bassgram #custombass @psychobass1 @michaeltobiasdesign (at Seattle, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKGMrZyHOggFV2krfPoqgraJwiOfMDDJhPquuk0/?igshid=1x2vyhzgdohyu