mrtcat

[quote name='Who's Who' post='1169866' date='Mar 20 2011, 07:38 PM']Hi I just wanted to ask a couple of silly questions if I can as a lot of the tech talk seems to fly over my head. My band have recently changed from an originals to a covers band (sold out), so we are learning as we go with our new P.A as we never needed one before. At the minute I use my amp as backline, and the P.A is just for vocals, as we look to play larger venue's I'll need to run my amp through the P.A. Should I just Mic up my amp, or look at running it through the P.A properly. My head does have an XLR DI output, so if I run this through to the P.A, would I set the EQ on my amp as usual, or set it flat (do I then fiddle with all those confusing knobs on the mixing desk?) Also would standard P.A speakers handle the bass for now, or should I invest in a bass bin to sit under one of the P.A speakers straight away. Thanks in advance guys n gals.[/quote] I prefer to both mic the cab and take a di. These then blend in the foh mix and you get a nice sound with the benefits of both worlds. EQing your amp is important as is usung the desk's eq for your channel(s). I usually set eq flat and then make small tweaks to suit the venue. As for the EQ on the mixer this should be adjusted by the person doing the band's sound and be used to help you sit well alongside the rest of the band. I think it's important to get someone who knows what they're doing to do this as you can't play and tweak and it's difficult for you to get far enough from the stage to hear the foh sound properly.

[quote name='scalpy' post='1166310' date='Mar 17 2011, 09:38 PM']New technology is also meaning that bass is better recorded and more audible, so that the full thunder can be fully appreciated![/quote] +100

Best of luck for tomorrow and good on you for putting your neck on the line in order to get out there. Live gigging is what it's all about and I would like to think I'd be able to take the plunge like that if my band were on hold for a while.

It's a fair point. IMO the FS section should really be a benefit for those who contribute to the forum. I guess tho that if only the regular contributors could buy and sell here there would be a limited (although undoubtedly high quality and safe) selection of bits and bobs to buy. The theoretical beauty of this site is that there's a certain amount of trust amongst members and this extends into buying and selling. However like all other private trade media you really need to look out for yourself and be careful. I guess commercial sellers shouldn't be allowed but it must be a hard one to regulate as the site quite rightly welcomes each and all who are prepared to abide by the rules. As someone who has both bought and sold here I must say I've only ever dealt with nice folk and that's encouraging. I also now recognise a lot of contributors and would have more confidence dealing with them over names I don't recognise and that tips the balance back in favour of people who contribute to the site in general.

If you like Trace Elliott stuff then just keep scouring here and the bay until a series 6 / 7 AH350SMX or likewise turns up. They're far better than the current trace gear imo and you'll get a bargain for sure if you've got the patience. You'll also have enough change to find some nice cab.

Thanks again chaps, drummer ended up with an SM57 off the bay and the red5audio set so the 57 should do the snare and the red kit will sort toms and overheads! Just need a heap of xlr cables now. All info has been very gratefully recieved!

I have a solid case in the loft you can borrow and I'll be at thorpe park on saturday for my stag do so would be easy to bring it along.

On the flip side of this a few yrs back I went into PMT in oxford and asked the young lad (may have been a saturday boy) if I could try a s/h warwick. He took it down for me and asked what amp I had. I told him that at that time it was an Ashdown so he found the nearest amp to that and set it up for me then said he'd leave me as long as I like and to grab him if I need him. After 10 mins he popped over to see if I was ok. Now I like to hear gear from a step back too as the sound at the amp isn't always as it sounds out front so asked if he'd have a play. To his credit and my amazement he played almost all the riffs, scales etc I'd been playing and nothing else. He was clearly a better player than me but didn't show off at all. V impressed I bought the bass. People that insist on showing off in music shops etc are just trying to compensate........

I was right into metal when I was a teenager and answered an ad for a "rock" bass player. When I turned up dressed in black denim with leather jacket and long hair there was a middle aged ugly bird with a piano and a guy about 100yrs old on guitar. She asked if I knew My Cherie Amour by Stevie Wonder so I packed my bass (cheap black P bass customised to look like Duff McKagan's) quietly back into it's case and walked out. They called my house about 100 times after that asking if I was still interested but I told them I'd had an arm amputated so would never be playing again.

Two years ago I'd have sworn blind I'd never be able to sing and play but bought a mic and practiced little BV parts. It was b@st@rd difficult at first and my missus used to laugh her head off at me. These days I add bv's in the band all the time and it keeps getting easier and easier so I'd say practice is the only way forward!!!!

Bass is cool cos if done right you'll feel it before you hear it and it'll make you move. Bass players themselves are a mix of the cool, semi cool, average, tall, short, fat, thin, black, white, geek and on and on and on and that's the coolest part of it. Bass players generally gravitate towards each other and big each other up so that's pretty cool too. Oh yeah bass guitar design pushes the boundaries far more than any other instrument too IMO and everything from vintage to ultra modern is totally acceptable which again is uber cool. So to answer - YES it is and it's getting cooler every day!

Been playing 18yrs getting married in 4 weeks - bass has feet well under the table in my house and the missus knows the score!

[quote name='joegarcia' post='1162623' date='Mar 15 2011, 01:01 AM']I'd definitely go for used individual mics. Do you need overheads and tom mics?[/quote] [quote name='joegarcia' post='1162625' date='Mar 15 2011, 01:03 AM']Also, what kind of music are you playing?[/quote] Ideally overheads and tom's would be good. We play old rock, new rock and everything in between. Venues are usually large pubs, halls with stages, outdoor beer fests in summer etc, marquees and even in a huge warehouse once (eq nightmare). Finding even used individuals quickly add up. Thanks for all your help guys!

[quote name='EddyGlee' post='1161827' date='Mar 14 2011, 02:50 PM']I agree with much of what Billy Sheehan says on this clip @ 2:40 mins. [/quote] You simply can't argue with Billy Sheehan on this. We all need to stop obsessing over gear and just play more!

[quote name='MuckedUpFunkies' post='1162195' date='Mar 14 2011, 07:23 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1957-Gibson-Les-Paul-Goldtop-Vintage-Guitar-/290544433437?pt=Guitar&hash=item43a5cc391d#ht_500wt_949"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1957-Gibson-Les-Paul...1d#ht_500wt_949[/url] Be interesting to see what this goes for =L[/quote] Buy it, take the pup surrounds off, sell them for a profit then bin the rest of the guitar! Makes about as much sense as collecting vintage stuff to me!

Wow thanks guys. Red5 Audio does look like real good value for money and a good base to start from. Going shopping online methinks Many thanks

Hey, Can anyone recommend some live drum mics? We currently just use a kick mic (shure Beta 52A) but as the venues we play and our PA are growing we need to think about the whole kit. Ideally we would go for an off the shelf complete mic kit but as we already have a decent kick mic it seems a shame to buy a kit where a large part of the cost is going on a second kick mic. However as the current mic is mine I could use the new one for my amp to run along side my di. Does anyone currently use a cheapish kit? Our budget is about £200 so I was wondering if anyone knows of a reasonable sounding one around that price. I know it won't be as good as an expensive one but any help would be appreciated. Thanks all Tom

We went the Behringer route for amps and mixer as you can get some bargains on the bay. We have an EP2500 for subs, an EP1500 for tops and another EP1500 for monitors. All three were £310. Mixer is a 24 channel job. Not top of the range or owt but copes well with 3 x vocals, 1 x guitar, 1 x bass, kick drum, snare and overheads. £150 off the bay. We've got a few rack bits & bobs EQ's, crossover, vocal pre and a multicompressor for drums Finally speakers I built all of ours myself and if you can cope with tools you can save £1000's Subs are BFM tuba 30's which rule. Put both side by side and they'll bring the house down. Tops are BFM DR280's and they're very very good. Total spend was probably £1400 but worth every penny as we get lots of love for our big sound! I'll happily make any BFM cabs for a price as long as you first buy the plans from Bill at www.billfitzmaurice.com let me know what you want and I'll give you a price.

Got a P & a J and have to say I get heaps of positive comments about the J and some (although slightly less) with the P. Sound check and some good engineering work will make most basses sound ok tho as will technique. P lacks growl in a rock setting IMO but that's not necessarily what everyone is after. P sounds good on pop and motown. Same amp settings won't do for both tho. Age old discussion about who prefers which coming up which in my eyes shows that both instruments are good it just depends on your personal definition of good bass sound.

TM Stevens, WHAT A FRIGGIN LEGEND!!!! Great day and heding off to see Mark at Bass Direct this week to place my order for a Dingwall ABZ 5 in Honey Amberburst! Sssshhhhhhh don't tell my missus!

I see all my guitars and amps as tools. Some of those tools are a joy to play but their still tools so I use them live. They're insured so that's fine and if they get nicked I get to go shopping (guaranteed they need to be nicked from inside a secure fortress with armed security guards b4 insurance pays out). I'm not very sentimental about guitars etc even if I really enjoy playing them. I guess I'm more sentimental about the music and that can't get pinched, damaged or drenched in beer. I think it's my lack of sentimentality that stops me getting all moist about vintage gear and I totally understand that vintage stuff is a whole different ball game as that stuff is very difficult to aquire and replace. If I was into old stuff I'm sure I'd be very wary about gigging it. As Warwick stuff is not in high demand at the moment I'd be more than happy to take a $$ gigging.

Oh Joy! I'm going tomorrow. Gonna take my plugs. I kinda see slapping in music shops and shows the equivalent of going to the motor show in an old ford escort with a big spoiler and one of those shade banners across the top of the windscreen with "Kev" and "Sharron" written on it. In a handful of songs it fits well but by christ it don't impress me. Maybe we should start a forum based "Slap Is Crap" action group and start shaming these twangers into hiding? EDIT: As someone who plays slap in 4-5 songs maybe I should change that to "Slap Is Crap - when used as a vehicle for self promotion"

I'd only want someone to comment on a recording that i'd posted if they felt they really wanted to and not because they feel obliged. Positive or negative I don't care but don't feel obliged to review my stuff if you have no real opinion you'd like to share. I found silddx's thread about his East pre really interesting as I'm keen on getting one and appreciate the info and sound clips to boot. I didn't really feel the idea of the thread was to comment of the technique tho but all sounded good to me.

As someone who's been here I would defo suggest meeting the band (away from the rehearsal room as guitarists simply can't not play when there's an amp and axe within arms reach) and 1. Let them know what you're thinking 2. Ask anyone if they think they're not up to it or can't commit to it 3. Tell them that excuses will no longer cut it 4. Set some deadlines (i.e set a date and go book a gig for that date) Communication in bands has suffered since the arrival of emails and you really can't beat a positive but frank face to face discussion. Also people tend to take it more seriously if there is a structured plan in place as there's less room for people to stall. If someone is holding the band back give them the option to sort it out or leave.