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Hey Willis,
I'm Nazareno from Argentina, I've been study since I was fifteen, now
I'm twenty one. I have found some mistakes in your Fingerboard Harmony
book, which I will send you to complete the corrections you had already
posted in your web. But I need you to solve one in particular. On page
#48 in the box, you say that for the "Two Chord m7b5" the extensions
are 1, b3, b5, b7, 9, b13. But studying the lines you create I see that
instead of 9, you use the 11, is that ok ? |
Also,
in the "Five chord dom7(b9)" you put that the extensions are 1, 3, 5,
b7, b9, b13. I think this is OK, but on page #57 in measure 6 (F7b9) I
found that you didn't use any extensions (b9, b13) on the strong beats,
and when I try to use them, they really sound awfull, what is the
explanation for this?
Well I hope not to bother you with this, and
I promise to send you all the mistakes I find in the book, which I have
to tell you have changed my mind about the way I look at the
instrument. I really enjoy it a lot. I love your playing and music.
Best wishes for you,
Nazareno !
Hey Nazareno,
Thanks for taking the time to point out some obvious mistakes that we
didn't notice the first and even second time around. The mistake on
page 48 should be corrected as 1, b3, b5, b7, 11 and b13 for the Two
chord m7b5.
For page 57, it's not actually a mistake. The exercise is to
demonstrate shifting so I didn't want to get too complicated by
including extensions as. You'll notice that there are no extensions on
any of the other chords as well. But I did notice that the 4th bar is
missing the Dm7 chord in the chart. Here's a better example of what the
line could sound like and it also includes those extensions on the F7b9
chord:
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Mr. Willis,
I have a fender P Deluxe. I have lowerd the strings as far as they will go without buzz on the higher frets.
How could I buy a WILLIS RAMP FOR MY BASS. I wanted to cover the back humbucking pickup.
Hey Anonymous,
Here we go again - "Mr. Willis", while demonstrating a measure of
education and respect, unnecesarily creates a feeling of distance and
formality in these proceedings. The accepted vernacular is "Hey Willis"
which is a common and informal way to address friends in the Southern
part of the US. If you're really going for formality, then take it all
the way and address me as "Your Majesty" or "O Great One Who Has The
Answer To Everything".
Now, unfortunately, your question has been answered before. Here's how it works. Go here:
http://garywillis.com/pages/archives/archives.htm
Type in "ramp" and browse the 3 pages of search results that show up
The answer at the bottom of this page might interest you, as well as the one at the bottom of this page.
One more thing, the ramp doesn't actually cover the pickup. If the pole
pieces are a problem then use a hole punch on layers of electrical tape
in order to build up the surface around the pole piece so that its
sharp edge doesn't cause you to lose skin.
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Hey Gary,
My name is Bill, Went to college with Scott Henderson down here in
Florida. I have an MTD K5 Bass with Nordtrand pickups and had heard
that you might have a ebony ramp for sale that would fit my MTD. The
distance between pups looks to be about the same as your 5 string. Let
me know what you think. I reall don't do a lot of gymnastics on the
bass. I sit in the pocket most of the time but these Nortsrand pups
have exposed posts and I rest my right thumb on the B string and am
having a problem touching the post during hard playing situations.
Thanks,
Bill
Hey Bill,
Most people call me Willis. (see the first answer for pointers on how to address questions to yours truly)
While I have collected a few extra ramps from different bass design
prototypes here and there, the only ones I have are made to fit
versions of my Ibanez bass. Early on, Mike Tobias was offering matching
ramps for his basses but since the setup of the ramp has to be done
after the pickup height and string height has been adjusted to the
individual playing style of each player, it became too much of a
logistics hassle to continue.
So you probably realize that unless a bass is specifically designed for
a ramp - which would be ummmmm, let me think . . . oh yeah, that
GWB1005, or GWB35 from Ibanez - then you'll have to get someone to
build one, or do it yourself. That reminds me, the next time I get a
chance to make a ramp for someone, I'll be getting the video camera
out.
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Hey Gary,
I am the proud owner of Willis GWB1005 #6 made in 06 (I think) which is cool because I am William Crichton VI. Anyway.
I picked up a V-Bass and GK3B and am trying to figure out how you
attached yours (when you were using it) without the clamp. It looks
like you took the concentric EQ knob out and maybe secured it through
the hole in some way. Anyway, any help is much appreciated. Your
fan-Will Crichton
Hey Will,
Since it's inception in 2001, I've answered approximately 350 questions, give or take a couple a dozen, and the overwhelming
majority of them conform to the title of the feature: "Ask Willis"
(emphasis on the Willis", as in "Hey Willis"). If I wanted to be called
Gary, I probably would have called it "Ask Gary", don't you think?
That's interesting, I don't know exactly the numbering system, although
I probably should, since I have a GWB1005 #6 as well. Anyway, I still
use the V-Bass but now it's with a version of the Graphtech Ghost piezo
saddles instead of the GK3B. Before we installed the Graphtech system,
I did remove the knobs from the EQ potentiometer and hid it out of the
way inside the cavity. Since I don't touch the EQ otherwise, it made
sense. On the GK-3B, just below where the 13pin cable plugs in is a
hole you can use to bolt it to the bass through the hole vacated by the
EQ pot. Use a "flat head bolt" so it won't interfere with passing the
cable into the connector. No damage to the bass and the missing EQ
isn't a problem since it has 'perfect tone' right out of the box;-)
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Hi Gary,
My name is Yossi. I have a few basses which two of them are custom
built by Michael Dolan. But I'm playing on an Ibanez RD808LE Road bass
model from 1989 as my main bass. I really love the sound of it and I'm
trying to get pickups for a six string bass with the same sound.
Here are links to the pictures and info - http://www.ibanezregister.com/Gallery/basses/rd/gal-rd808le.htm
Now
for the question- do you know where and how can I get pickups with the
same sound? I wrote to DeMarzio, to EMG, to Michael Dolan and I tried
to find over the net for hours an Ibanez email, with no success.
HELP!!! :)
I'm aiming this question to you because you are indorsed by Ibanez.
Please reply, and thanks in advance!
Yossi
Hey Yossi,
Except for me wanting to give you some greif about calling me 'Gary',
your question doesn't really fit into any general interest category or
even an off-the-wall special interest topic that sometimes gets covered
here. So let's just say I'm feeling generous.
I did look at the picture of your 808 and if you want to get "that"
sound, you'll have to get pickups specially built. A big part of the
sound of any bass has to do with the location of the magnets and coils
that are sensing the string. Most 6-string pickups come in a soap-bar
configuration with either 2 parallel coils or 2 coils butted up against
each other with each one sensing 3 strings each. The sound you're
looking for involves a combination of the P-bass pickup configuration
(offset) and a Jazz bass (single aperture) config in the rear. The only
6-string pickups that I'm aware of that have a P-bass type offset are
from some Ibanez basses but unfortunately their offset is reversed so
you won't get the same sound. Since the sound you want for the back
pickup comes from a Jazz shaped single aperture pickup, then any
soapbar that has the parallel (wide) configuration won't work either.
If someone is custom building your basses, then you should be able to
find someone to custom build the pickups. Or you can do what I did back
when I couldn't afford to experiment with store-bought pickups - learn
how to build them yourself.
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Hi Gary,
I just purchased a brand new GWB35 from Ibanez. Could you please give
me some suggestions about the proper strings to install on my new bass.
What strings do you use?
Thank you
Great fan of your musical gift
Kim.....
If I had a dollar for every time I have to answer "Hi Gary" . . . . . .
The GWB35 should come with D'Addario EXP's. I like the EXP's and think
they're far superior to that "other" brand of coated string out there.
For the stage and recording I use D'Addario XL's .045, .065, 085, .105,
.135 with the .135 being the tapered version.
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Hi Gary,
I just recently purchased a GWB35 and I would like to upgrade the
pickup system to a Bartolini. Could you please suggest a good upgrade set up for the GWB35.
Until I can afford a GWB1005.
Thanks ....Kim
What is it with you people?
How many times do I have to say it?
What's so hard about typing "ASK WILLIS"?
The name of the feature is "ASK WILLIS"!!!!!!!!!
note to self: must be polite . . . potential GWB1005 customer is seeking advice. . .
OK, where was I? GWB35 pickup upgrade? OK, so even if the Bartolini
pickup and electronics from the GWB1005 were available separately,
you'd end up with kind of a mess since the cavity size of the Ibanez
pickup would leave some unsightly spaces that would need to be filled
and/or covered with a pickguard. And the pickguard solution would be
complicated by the presence of the ramp. That cavity size just doesn't
fit into any of the standard Bartolini pickup profiles. If anything,
(even though Ibanez wouldn't want me saying this) I'd try experimenting
with different electronics first. You might find a solution that will
hold you until you graduate to the GWB1005.
*******Update - Correction**********
A reader named Chris alerted me to the fact that one of the Bartolini Classic Series Soapbar Pickups
(BC5CBC, bridge pickup) along with the NTBT electronics would indeed
fit and can be used as an upgrade for the GWB35. I'll report back as
soon as I can try it out myself.
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Hi Gary,
I'd love to buy a copy of "Collection" but it's out of print. If you
have any copies around I'd be glad to buy one from you.
Please let me know.
JK
That's it. Get me Prince's lawyers. I'm changing my name. It's from now on.
Only questions specifically addressed to  will be answered in the future.
After a few years with Hal Leonard, I learned about the 'Vanity Book".
It's a ploy they use to entice you to publish a legitimately
educational book and I must say it worked for me. Unfortunately, their
commitment to the future of most Vanity Books only lasts as long as its
contribution to their bottom line. Which, in this case, wasn't past the
term of the first contract. I only have 2 personal copies of my
"Vanity" project so I'm hanging on to those. Best of luck finding one
and thanks for asking,
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Hey  ,
I'm a novice bass player and the guys in the band (especially the
guitar guy, formally a bass player) are always telling me to hit the
bass harder. I just tell them that I'll turn up the volume if they
can't hear me. "No that is not it" they say "just hit it like you have
some balls". Thank you for setting these geniuses straight. BTW I'm 57,
playing bass for 1 1/2 years now making significant progress. It is
amazing what maturity and practicing twice a day can do.
So no question just a thank you.
George
Hey George,
Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work keeping those guitar players in line.
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Hey .
I was playing a handful of bass gigs over a couple of weeks in January,
primarily playing fingerstyle with the 2nd and 3rd finger(I sometimes
use my right ring finger for playing octaves). But not long afterward I
woke up one morning and discovered my right hand was very stiff and
inflamed. I could barely play Hammond organ at my church gig that
following Sunday. Needless to say, I was disturbed. I took the usual
precautions: ice packs, anti-inflamatory pills, rest. After about a
week I attempted to play my bass again, but there was still pain in my
right hand when I played fingerstyle. I noticed the pain was more
pronounced when I plucked with the middle(3rd) finger. I haven't seen a
physician about this yet, I'd like to avoid it if I can. I remember
Anthony Jackson saying he tried to switch back to 34" scale basses
because of a loss of hand strength, but as we all know that experiment
ended in failure for him. He went back to 36" scale. Do you have any
pointers or advice on what I can do to rehab my hand?
Thanks.
By the way you were recommended to me during a discussion of my injury at anthonyjackson@yahoogroups.com.
Check it out if you get a chance. I'm sure the group would welcome your
experience and insight. Give my regards to Tribal Tech also.
Peace.
Joe
Hey Joe,
fMy approach to your problem isn't something easily undertaken within
the confines of this setting. If I had the ability to observe you in
person, I'd try to find out about your posture, the angle of your right
hand on the bass, how high the action is, how hard you play with your
right hand, etc.
If
you've actually damaged a tendon, then something like that might take
up to 6 weeks of rest before you resumed playing. And even then, I
would recommend very closely monitoring how things felt when you
started back up. Injured or not, I'm a proponent of approaching the
right hand in a very scientific way - observing, monitoring and
questioning every possible micro-movement in order to eliminate wasted
motion, eliminate tension and increase relaxation. Depending on your
insurance/work situation, I'd be very cautious and see if you can
confirm that an injury exists before you proceed.
A friend of
mine had a mysterious pain that no amount of rest or technique
adjustment would solve. Eventually, an MRI revealed a tiny cyst on a
nerve in the right hand and it was so delicate that surgery was not
recommended. Hopefully your problem can be solved with some cautious
common sense and without surgery.
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Hey,
Would it be a bad idea to tune the GWB35 EADGC instead of BEADG? Would
it have a negative impact in intonation?
From a playing perspective would you feel compelled to tell me not to do this; and if so why?
I look froward to your response.
thanks,
Todd
Hey Todd,
I don't think it would create any intonation problems, since the scale
length and ability to adjust the intonation of each string wouldn't be
affected. From a playing perspective, it wouldn't really make much
difference either. But from a sound perspective, I'm compelled give you
my opinion about the sound of a fretless C string: It kinda sounds like
a cat. And I don't mean that in a good way. I mean, I really love dogs
but I have a passionate indifference to cats that's almost matches
their impressive capacity for indifference themselves.
Really, except for the 5 extra half steps that don't exist on the G
string, every other available note on a C string sounds much better if
it's played on the G string. So, if you can get over the sound problem,
is it really an advantage? If I find myself unable to finish an idea
because it includes notes above the high G then I'm usually able to get
to that note with false harmonics. Problem solved. . . for me, at
least.
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