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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/12/18 in all areas
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5 points
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I've only ever depped a few times and only for people I know. Last time was a young girl who occasionally songs with my band gave me about 48hrs notice that her bassist couldn't do a festival gig. She got her band moved to be on just before mine so I'd be there and sent me the set list of covers... i got introduced as a last minute cover and got through the first few songs including an improv section I wasn't prior warned about and all went well. Then Seven Nation Army was up next. I just stood there. Singer says "it's you". I had ear plugs in. "It's you. Now, it's you" I'm just standing there. "It's you" "what?" "Play the riff" "what riff?" This went on for ages until she basically spoke like to an elderly relative who thinks he's escaping from the nursing home "seven nation army. It starts with the bass riff. You need to start playing it"5 points
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I have vivid and fond memories of watching my (South African) mate giving an excellent and very well received impromptu version of "We Will Rock You" on the highland pipes while dressed in full Scottish regalia, accompanied by a German oompah band, also wearing their traditional costumes, late at night at an open-air riverside café in Turku, Finland in the summer of 2017 during the Europeade (European folk dance) festival. Pick the cultural bones out of that one!4 points
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Three bottles of vodka and hopefully a blackout until all the b@ll@cks is over with for another year.3 points
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I'm looking forward to going down my next blues jam night to check passports, and I'll be requiring written proof that the singer's dog has actually died, his woman did indeed done him wrong, etc. 😁 I used to go to the Bier Keller in Manchester when standing on tables and hurling steinfuls of lager around the place was a big night out, and the house band there (definitely Oompah) covered Like A Virgin...it was a life-changing experience... 😁3 points
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"Music eh...shit business int'it?"3 points
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Two things: first, Bob Marley's dad was a white guy from Liverpool. Second: you live in a flipping colony!!!3 points
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I started in live music by playing at one of the better jams in West London (the Drayton Arms, Ealing, formerly the King's Head, Acton jam). Quite literally everybody in the room was a better musician than me, and the great majority (including the guitarists) were better bass players than me. So? You have to start somewhere. If I could get in a time machine and go back those years - taking my bass with me, natch - there would still be plenty of better musicians there. There will always be better musicians than yourself somewhere, if you look hard enough. So stop looking and enjoy what you do.3 points
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I can't even do that after 6 months rehearsing with the same band. 😂3 points
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@The59Sound do you need to take a break?! How about it, or do you think you can behave like a grown up for a bit? Calm down.3 points
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Went along to a start-up originals audition once. The band were pretty good and (along with myself) had largely done their homework - except for the potential singer/guitarist/front man, who clearly was unable to fulfil any of those roles. It became obvious that he had made no effort to listen to any of the material, but this turned out to be irrelevant as he just plain couldn't sing, sounded as if he'd never ever picked up a guitar before and had all the charisma and personality of a canoe. BUT he thought he was great! The band played the songs while he made a terrible howling noise like an aphasic drunk falling down an escalator with a cutlery drawer, gurning horribly and throwing weird stunted shapes like an arthritic gnome with terminal hemarroids. The band immediately avoided each other's gaze. Rarely have I been so embarrassed yet so wanted to laugh as never before. No-one stepped in to stop it, we just kept going on and on through the set. It was absolutely interminable. We never met again, but later I heard he had persistently phoned the band leader pleading for the job, claiming he was obviously the best choice! And in the end actually got weird and threatening. Steps had to be taken. I've met some deluded flakes in my time - comes with the territory - but I won't forget this one in a hurry.3 points
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Been in the news a bit this week following Michelle Obama’s speech. How many of you guys have been in this situation? I did a dep gig on Saturday night. Was sent the set list, had a brief look through it, met the guitarist and ran through a few numbers. Didn’t seem anything too complex. Turned up to the gig unloaded and set up and then realised I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Not practiced any of the tunes at home, didn’t know the structure to half the tunes, no ideas of intros or endings. I was screwed. Anyway, felt my way through the gig by using my eyes and ears and smiling a lot. The band thought I was great, the audience thought we were great. We got paid and the band leader was asked for cards. I suppose really that’s what musicians do when they play properly and all this endless rehearsals and preparation with semi-pro bands is mainly just to stoke the singer/guitarists ego. Quite honestly I’d prefer to dep all gigs. Keeps it fresh and reminds me of what a real musician is.2 points
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This. When I started, I was the worst musician in the room, but - I was a musician! Our om community was truly appreciative of the people who came every week just to listen, but as soon as I crossed that line it became completely different. I'm usually still the worst musician in the room, but that's because I keep pushing myself, and trying to play with better musicians, because it's the only way I'll get better myself. Many years ago a sprinter who came last in the Olympic 100m final was asked how he felt about coming last. His answer: "Being the 8th fastest man in the world ain't bad."2 points
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Flight cased in ears porn.2 points
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Remember , unlike my generation, I'm 65, no longer is every kid in the neighborhood buying a guitar and starting a band. There aren't that many guys in their 20s & 30s interested in bands or gigging. But there's a ton of us older guys not willing to give up our rock & roll spot light quite yet I'm not Blue2 points
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I had some trouble with Twist and Shout once I realised I was a different colour than the people who first sang it. Or is it a different nationality? Or religion? The Isley Brothers (who were the first to chart with it) were Seventh Day Adventists...2 points
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He's currently on a hiatus. God knows what he's going to be like when he finally decides he loves playing bass again.2 points
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It's a good thing to be helpful, right? Apparently the cry has gone out that the 2nd market is slowing (see that other thread). How could what we are signing up to do here (led by our pied piper moderator @Sibob) be described in any shape or form as being "helpful" on that score? 😄2 points
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My current fretless squeeze... OLP Ray body, Jaydee neck with mostly-unlined ebony board, EMG-HZ pickup, as yet passive electrics. Future plans are to squeeze some sort of 3-band eq in there. For the moment, I'm loving it just as it is. It plays beautifully and sounds better.2 points
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I fully understand. I just wish that big events like this weren't always so London-centric.2 points
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How did the Hipster burn his hand? He changed the light bulb before it was cool.2 points
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Next time I gig my Super Twin, I'll have to take an umph meter and see what is lacking2 points
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all brands of IPA available in the UK for a Yule long tasting session 🍻2 points
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A bit of peace and quiet hopefully.2 points
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Have you planted the Helix Stomp seed yet? I love how you have named your P2s too. I'm going to call mine Stan.2 points
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You can download them yes. Click on the 3 dots at the side of the video, that should give you the option to download. I've attached a photo of one of mine.2 points
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Unless you have a Mark King complex, you'll probably find that 4kHz isn't much of a limitation at all.2 points
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@Paul S Good luck. They won’t be expecting too much. Have fun.2 points
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I play in a ska band. I thought I was a bass player. I never realised I was a thief, coloniser and oppressor too. Thanks for the heads up.2 points
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S'easy..! You capo, too..!2 points
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You really are an over opinionated racist fool aren't you i grew up in Tottenham listening to reggae [both uk and Jamaican] and have played it for most of my fifty years i play with a band that consists of Jamaican, Indian ,Polish, Bermudan, mixed heritage and uk born some of the white members of the band have played with some of the biggest names in reggae without any problem i play the music from the streets i grew up in but reggae music is loved the world over ,and its message of unity and love is open to all.2 points
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Good luck with your endeavours. If anyone, of whatever colour, tries to tell you that you shouldn't be playing a particular type of music because of your ethnic background, then they are being racist, and should be ignored, however much they may try to conceal their racism behind such fatuous pc terms as "cultural appropriation". It's no different from someone telling a black person that they shouldn't be performing opera or playing in a string quartet. Music is music, and has always benefitted from cross-cultural fertilization, without which much of the music we enjoy, and which has enriched our lives, simply would not exist. Enjoy!2 points
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Why are you being rude? What an odd reply. Literally an opinion, a point of view - my 2p. The concept of a cheaper (‘kiddy’) Flea bass in itself was acknowledged by Flea when he brought out the “fleabass” range of instruments and further addressed by the introduction of a lower price point Fleabass (street bass). I was just pointing out that Fender may have missed a trick by only having the one price point which would be out of reach for younger/less affluent fans when they’ve done broader attempts to previously... Mike Dirnt has/had a Fender and a Squier model simultaneously BB King had a Gibson and Epiphone version of Lucille (there are plenty more examples) It just broadens their buying audience somewhat and more buyers means more money. Makes more business sense. And having left the guitar/bass retail industry after 12 years in 2015 - I might have an idea of what people buy into. As a point, the cheap fleabass instruments weren’t that great - but we sold 100’s of them because people bought into the Flea name/image. But what would I know, I’m only a child.2 points
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Maybe, maybe not. Unsupportive and/or controlling husband lets wifey audition for the role because obviously she's useless and (i) will never get the gig, (ii) can't possibly manage without hubby there to tell her what to do. Anyway, it'll shut her up for a while. Then gets all hurt and precious when it turns out that little wifey actually does just fine when he's not there to screw things up for her. Perhaps.2 points
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A singer friend of mine and myself were starting a new project, writing songs together. We would meet at mine to write and record a bit of guitar and bass. I was playing guitar but I wanted to stick to bass, so we auditioned guitarists. This guy comes in, and within seconds we realise he can't even play. He was having trouble shaping chords with is fingers... and you could see he was feeling very nervous and embarrased. Singer is giving me this look like "we're done here"... but I felt sorry for him, so I took one of my guitars and showed him something simple to play, and I played another guitar and singer sang a bit... then moved to bass... and over all I taught him 3-4 little things and we played for another 30 minutes or so. Then he left, apologising for his lack of preparation and he laughed at how silly he was for thinking he could do it. Then he says he had only been learning guitar for 2 weeks... I emailed him a couple of days later to see how he was. We laughed. He was a cool guy, he just jumps into things with lots of enthusiasm and not enough preparation sometimes We became friends, I encouraged him and eventually he went on to form his own band. I played a couple of gigs with him as a dep, recorded a bit, I went to his wedding... so yeah, cool audition ha! stinky poo guitarist at the time, but I ended up with one of the coolest friends I've got.2 points
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Some years back we were in need of a new drummer, so set up auditions. The first one to turn up, spent an age setting up his kit, tuning it, fiddling with drum heights etc. We finally launched in to the first song of his choice and he didn't do a thing, nothing. Claimed that he wasn't quite ready, so we started again, same thing, although on the very final note he wacked the snare drum and asked us what we thought2 points
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BC Rich Mockingbird Heritage Classic 4 String - £300. Almost as new condition. One ding on the side of the body which I've tried to show on the photos. Upgraded with a Hipshot Drop D Tuner Active bass with plenty of tones. Through neck and 35 inch scale. Collection from Sheffield or I can arrange to meet you half way to handover the bass. I can post within the UK for £30 via courier. I will include a Gator Hiscox style case with this option for free. The case is slightly damaged but it will still protect the bass (See pics for small crack in the case)1 point -
Hello everyone, For sale (no trade but you can try me I'm weak 😅 no 6 strings anymore ) S2 fretless lined 6 strings, almost in mint condition. Sold with his original case Hiscox, tools for setup and all papers of the instrument, plus two news strings set double balls. Specs : - Year of production : 2006 - Body wood : Quilt maple/walnut, BO graphite neck - Electro : Status soapbars and preamp 3 bands (18v) with mid switch 3 positions (cut, flat, boost), no passive mode. - Strings spacing at the bridge : 18mm - Weight : Around 4,5kg/9lbs I guess (I don't have a balance to tell it exactly) Pictures : 1550£. Cheers1 point -
Very rare Ken Smith CRJ5 Made in Usa. Pick un JJ, very cool modern jazzbass sound. Made in 1996 by Ken Smith. With original Smith hard case. Sell or trade with Fbass, Sadowsky, Fodera standard1 point -
*SOLD* Hughes & Kettner BK200 Bass Combo £125 From H&K's BassKick series. This particular example is in near-mint condition and has seen very little use. The pics show how clean it is. The 15" Eminence driver hasn't even been played-in yet. The input stage features H&K's 'Tube Touch' circuit and also their 'Dyna Clip' power stage, which go some way towards emulating the warmth of a valve amp. Most manufacturer's attempts to do this involve fitting a 12AX7 valve at the input stage - which usually achieves little except to create a marketing opportunity - but in this case the technology does indeed result in some harmonically-rich and articulate tones, but without the token valve. The EQ is wired parallel, which is unusual. This has the effect of separating the frequencies somewhat and results in a much cleaner, more lucid sound. The 'Punch' button is in essence a very mild mid-scoop, but it doesn't result in loss of audibility in the mix like some 'contour' -type buttons, and is actually useful. There is also a really sweet-sounding Leson HF horn (switchable) which adds air and a nice glassy presence, but is never harsh or strident. The single-knob compressor is a real beauty - you can get a tight, controlled bottom end and smooth, even levels across the strings without any squashy artefacts or pumping. It sounds natural and very transparent. The controls have a nice weight to them, are positive in use and the Compressor and Master controls are reassuringly large, with a pleasing retro look. The combo is built to a high standard (made in Germany) and would easily handle a punishing tour... or twenty tours, come to that. You get a full 200W into 4ohms, but this doesn't mean you can't add an extension cab (or cabs), as another unusual feature is how the amp deals with impedance - on a 'normal' 500W amp you'd get around 300W at 8ohms, add another 8ohm cab and get 500W at 4ohms. But with this amp the impedance is additive - so if you plug in an 8ohm cab the amp runs at 12ohms, if you add a 4ohm cab it will run at 8ohms. Brilliant if you think about it, as this feature protects the amp - it will never run at an impedance lower than it can comfortably handle, yet you get all the power of the amp into the 4ohm driver when it's used as a stand-alone combo. Very clever. It may be 'only' 200 watts but it's a loud combo and can provide good heft and authority without distortion. It will easily keep up with drums and guitar and is very suitable for use in small to medium rooms - and stages of any size with PA support. It's a really good thing, has some truly innovative features and is offered at a price which wouldn't even buy you a 15" Eminence driver. So get in and get yourself a high-quality, great sounding combo at a bargain price. Cash on collection only please. I'm in SE London close to the A205 South Circular. Will consider delivery for fuel costs if you're within striking distance. 200 Watts RMS 15" Custom Eminence Driver USA Tube Touch & Dyna Clip Circuits Leson HF Horn (Switchable) 4-Band Parallel EQ Variable Compressor Additive Impedance Cab System Dimensions: 552 X 604 X 385mm Weight: 24kg Made in Germany My feedback is here. I'm open to (sensible) offers. No trades, thanks.1 point -
I've been out of the 5 string game for a while. I've honestly preferred playing 4's but it's good to have the option available, and band members "encouraging" me back in that direction, but with 5 strings I'm very picky about neck dimensions (don't have the biggest hands). Usually only Soundgears do it for me - I swore by them for a long time, but I wanted something different. I've always been GASsing for the big W. I must have tried ten different 5 strings over the last week or so. Old faithful Ibanez got a look in, but I don't like those Panga Panga fretboards they're putting on a lot of stuff now. Came pretty close to buying a Ray35. Sire, nice but too many switches. The Spector was great, but unsure about the 35" scale. Tried a Yamaha BB735, and it was beautiful, but the neck was still just a tad too chunky to be comfy. The TRBX didn't do anything for me. I remembered playing a Thumb BO 5 and how playable I thought it was, despite the odd pickup arrangement. I just didn't want to drop the £1000+, until I got my hands on this:1 point
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Shuttle 3 is great, so is the 6 👍. Simple enough 😄1 point
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RIP Pete. I was thrilled to see them back in '93, not too long after they'd relaunched. They'd released a new album at the time as well, and it was great to see them on the up again. Less than a year later, they were out with Nirvana! Place was tiny, so we were right up close. Awesome gig. He had such a way with melody and delivery. Those records are timeless. I really like the later stuff he wrote at the end of their first incarnation - stuff like 'Strange Thing' - really underrated.1 point
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I've bought 7 basses this year, and sold 7, but not necessarily the same ones I bought! One more is due to be taken away next week, so I will have at least one bass fewer in 2019. Sold one amp, bought one amp. Other than strings, I think that's about it.1 point
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Yes. I have the syndrome. Officially. Something about being a perfectionist and when I know, I put a comma in the wrong spot, I keep having this expectation of being found out. 😉 The following however is not the syndrome: Depping as a pianist for jazz bands, often with minutes or a few hours of notice, just because they were desperate enough and because I was available and had the gear, I always was the worst guy on stage. This after I'd agreed with them that a sax player or similar would have to play instead of the expected piano solo. Of course they always forgot, and when it was time for the piano solo, they all gave me the look, and I gave them the look whilst playing just the chords. Worked a treat: sometimes, someone would remember and get some solo notes in before the eight bars were finished! 😁1 point
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I suppose if this was a fancy made-to-measure suit, this is the '2nd fitting' stage I'm working on the fretboard now that the neck and fretboard will have settled down and everything is OK to do a trial setup. There was a slight back bow on the unstrung neck, leaving the lower frets a bit low and a little unevenness along the fretboard so I've been gently flattening it with light work with a cabinet scraper and levelling beams. Almost there with the fretboard. It's now fine all the way from the 3rd fret to the top on a fairly low action on all strings but there's still just a bit of buzz on the 1st and 2nd fret positions so I've just got a touch more fettling to do. Also noticed two of my side dots are just a touch out of alignment - I'll redo those once the messing about with the fretboard is finished Andy1 point
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Quickly. That went quickly. Please remember the suffix on adverbs.1 point
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Every little helps - another tick off the To Do list. Magnets on the truss rod cover: I know it's tempting fate but, from a build point of view rather than the additional wait time for the finish to fully harden (probably a further week), this should be finished this week1 point
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To the OP, far too many very similar stories to tell about auditioning singers. the closest was a 70's hard/classic rock type originals band, with swaggering, melodic vocals, we'd recorded a demo with a name producer, and sent that along with the lyrics to all the candidates. We'd done the "half hour slot" trick where we said that we definitely had other people coming so they all had to be on time and out the door at the end of their slot, but in practice had a good quarter or half an hour between contestants so that we could extend it if things were going well. The first person to try out barely spoke - hardly the swaggering frontman we were looking for. Despite having had the demo for a couple of weeks he had only learned one song. We played it once and he made a horrible, shouty noise, like he way trying out for a death metal band, and a million miles away from the vocals on the demo, missed his cues and sang over half the solo (actually, he wasn't alone in that). We played that song again - just as bad - and asked if he wanted to try any of the others on the demo we'd sent. No, he hadn't learned them. Er...OK...so that'll be all then, thanks for coming. On the plus side it only took about ten minutes On the "my husband objects"...I have seen it before. In one particular case, where a girl in a mate's band got married. the band wasn't especially busy so it wasn't a great drain on her time, they'd practice every few weeks, book a couple of gigs a year - mates that had a band rather than musicians. It became noticeable that she was less and less available for practices (I once helped them out for a couple of rehearsals for a gig that never happened and she only came to one of those) and I was later told that she'd left the band completely because she didn't think he husband appreciated her being in a room with four other blokes for a few hours...now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure that for the one rehearsal I did that she came to she had to leave early because hubby was picking her up at a specific time. I've seen it work for male band members too - like Blue says, young kids can kill a musical career at the pub band level. I've also seen the girlfriends who love having a boyfriend in a band that she can go and see turn into the wife who thinks it's time he grew up and stopped trying to be a popstar when he's the wrong side of 30!1 point
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I love my gear. It sounds great Yeah! I have no GAS! I read Basschat and check the classifieds and accidentally buy something 9 days pass I love my gear. It sounds great Yeah! I really now don't have ANY GAS I read Basschat and check the classifieds. Bugger, that purchase was definitely deliberate... 9 days pass 😄1 point
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