Tengu

I managed to get 3 tickets but the seats aren't exactly in a prime spot. I don't mind though, the experience should be worth it.

It may help to think of fretting a note not as if you are pushing the string into the fretboard but rather that you are pinching it between your finger and thumb. Try doing that in sequence from your index to your little finger, without the bass there, and you will notice that all your finger tips are in a line. If you were to straighten your fingers and do the same thing you will note that your thumb cannot reach the longer fingers without you bending them. You would also then be fretting with the pad of the finger instead of the tip, which is going to reduce the force that you can apply.

I've tried those Ikea ones as I need something like you describe for my home. I thought that they were ok for a short time but I wouldn't trust them for longer term work, the back isn't really that supportive and the seat will feel very hard after no time at all. Most, pricier, office chairs will be advertised with 'optional' arms. Those are probably the type of thing you should be looking for. You want an operator chair rather than an executive chair. The latter have loads of useless padding and fancy trim but are not comfortable for extended periods. If I could afford it I would go for something with memory foam in it.

Try a little brake fluid. This is used quite a lot for removing paint from lead miniatures and will strip most things.

I once played an entire song a semi tone flat just to prove a point - that everyone else was far too loud for a rehearsal. At the end they all looked really pleased with themselves and decided to move on as we had nailed that one. I asked if they thought I should play flat for the gig as well and just got a load of blank looks. I really did wonder why I was there sometimes but they did say on a few occasions that I wasn't that they had noticed a difference.

I can barely move around and play at the same time. Also, I don't even sing in the shower so this is not an issue for me. I have got into trouble a few times when the singer has started talking to me during a song and I've lost my way a bit. This is why i just stand at the back and concentrate on what I am playing.

Gold contacts are best in static installations, where the plug is going to remain in place - due to the aforementioned oxidisation advantage. Your first choice is the best one as constant plugging and unplugging will actually clean the surface (without the risk of wearing that gold plating is prone to). Anyone that tells you gold plating is for a better contact or better sound knows nothing. It is the lack of corrosion that is significant.

When you are finishing your set make a point of thanking everyone for coming and also thank the headliners for inviting you to support them (even if that isn't how you got the gig). Telling the crowd who is up next and making sure that they stick around and make some noise will help the headliners to start their set with some enthusiasm - you are there to warm up the crowd, after all.

Have you ever been walking down the road alongside someone and found that you have to keep speeding up to stay with them? And then when you tell them to slow down they tell you that they were trying to keep up with you. It sounds to me as if your drummer is looking to you for the timing and vice versa and subsequently neither of you are taking the lead. If he really does lack some confidence then try to keep your own internal timing consistent and emphasise the start of the bar enough that he can make it out. As he becomes more confident he will rely less on your lead and you can go back to feeling the groove. My old band used to be all of the place with respect to timing. Fortunately I was confident enough to try to reign them in a bit. I tried to suggest to them that we count the beats so that everyone came in after a break and was told that "real musicians don't count, they just feel when to come back in." I just turned away and muttered under my breath, "I think you will find that real musicians count." Not once did the solo at the beginning of Sweet Child of Mine go right due to the drummer totally cocking up the timing. Unfortunately it always sounded like me that had got it wrong, despite the fact that I made a point of staring right at him to see when he hit his beat.

I generally leave the EQ on my Trace off for the majority of gigs. I don't even use the preshapes. Sometimes you get to a venue and it sounds very boomy so you can cut a little low end and boost the mids slightly so that you can hear yourself above the rest of the band. Just keep it simple and only cut or boost small amounts until you get something usable. I was once running the sound at an open mic night and someone came up and advised me to set the graphic on the PA in a smiley face. When he noticed that I had ignored his advice he came over and asked if I was going to change it. I told him that I preferred to use my ears. Never give in to the temptation to make pretty patterns on the EQ.

You are right that the delay would give an added layer but as it is it seems to be fighting against the rhythm of the track, instead of working with it. Also, because the rest of the track is so full on there is no room for the delay to breath. If you brought down the overall levels, pan the instrument left and the delay right then it would have its own space to exist in.

You don't appear to have synced the timing of the delay effect with the tempo of the track. Consequently it sounds lovely on its own but as soon as the rest of the instruments join in you end up with a bit of a muddle. I'd be inclined to drop the delay for all but the intermissions, where it is going to be the most noticeable and (excuse the pun) effective. If the waveform is anything to go by you have over compressed the whole thing. I'd like to hear a bit more punch from the bass and kick drum and you are only going to get that if the overall volume comes down a little. Aside from that I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to seeing how it evolves.

There used to be a young lad that attended an open mic night I frequented that loved solos of any kind. He was a fantastic guitarist and would solo on everyone song we played with him. That was fine but he would also look at the drummer to do a drum solo for every song. And then he would look at me. I just shrugged my shoulders, shook my head and carried on playing the bass line. I don't know enough music theory to venture away from the beaten path and I'm not going to look like a tit by trying.

Whereabouts in Hampshire are you, Marty? If you are close enough to me I would be happy to come along to a gig and take a listen for you. I have always run the sound in the bands I have been in and get compliments about the quality from all and sundry.