Bum Notes and the fear >>>>>

[Willie Gamble]

There are no bum notes, only jazz chords

[henrybainbridge]

Buddy Rich had some pretty choice words on bum notes (or clams as he called them)


Particular favourite quotes:
"..when it comes time to play, what do you play? Clams!! You got nowhere to f***in’ go tonight the next set because if I hear one f***in’ clam from anybody, you’ve had it! One clam and this whole f***in’ band is through…tonight!! Try me! You got some f***in’ nerve. Nights off, nothin’ to do, and you come in and play this kind of s**t for me…F**k all of you!!"

"What kind of playing is being played here the past two nights? What is this? New phrasing, new bending, new sounds, no time! What the f**k do you think I’m running here? What kind of playing do you call this? What kinda s**t is going on in the f***in’…(turns to the bass player) What kinda, what kinda setting do you got on the bass tonight?

Bass Player- Setting?

BR- I feel that’s fairly much English.

Bass Player- It’s the same as I’ve always had out there.

BR- What’s with this, what’s with the bending?

Bass Player- I decided…

BR- (interrupting) Who decided?

Bass Player- I did.

BR- Your deciding is wrong !"

[Willie Gamble]

There are no bum notes, only jazz chords

Asleep at the steel

[SteelieAJK]

good grief.. have I been playing jazz all along

[slimbo]

Will, I got to a gig and realised I had left my affects and vol pedal at home.
In the early days Gorden Huntly told me to put the vol pedal two thirds of the way up then take my foot off of it and learn to controle the vol with my hand's, and it worked, so the gig was ok, thou a little stresfull.
As for playing bum note's, I never play bum notes, it's the band playing the wrong note's, if we all layed the same note's no one would notice.

[andrew marson]

Isn't he a great motivational speaker? Along the same lines has anyone heard the Troggs tapes where they have some great barney in the studio? If any body has access to them please let me know as its been years since I heard them. Cheers, Andy.

[Will C]

Thanks Slimbo, that's really heartening because for ages I couldn't make any sense of the volume pedal, and I found myself trying to control the loudness of the notes just with my fingers. All the time I thought I was doing it wrong, now I think maybe it was a good idea. But seriously, it's great now I can use the pedal a little better.

Eric Morecambe School of Music: all the right notes - just not necessarily in the right order!

[colin scott mitchell]

Somebody once said to me that if you play a bum note ...play it again then its intentional!!!
We all do it I'm sure but keep going .....that notes gone now and chances are few people noticed.

[James Crowbear]

i agree with there are no bum notes - just notes
as Donny mentioned, use them & keep movin
use bum notes to your advantage
the listener does'nt necessarily hear them the same as you
& that applies to the " right " notes as well
Notes are like arrows from a bow
one arrow - one life'

[Jason Lynch]

Remember the listener doesn't know what you "meant" to play. Pretent you meant it by not cutting the note off straight away, or slide it up or down to key!