mrtcat

I'm not aware of any reports of latency issues to be honest.

[quote name='Passinwind' timestamp='1442161928' post='2864787'] The Presonus boards are by far the most widely used around here. Sound OK and seem pretty reliable. My friend has a few Mackies in his sound hire company too, but I have yet to give one a go. I don't know of a single band or provider who have bought a new analog board in the last two or three years out here. [/quote] That's partly why I'm asking. We need a new mixer and I don't see why I'd buy an analogue one these days if the new digital ones are as good as they look.

[quote name='chevy-stu' timestamp='1442162465' post='2864789'] I've got a Soundcraft Si Expression, which has proper faders, knobs etc, as I don't personally like mixing mixing from stage on a touchpad screen, which I have tried on a few occasions with Mackie DL1608 and A&H iLive, and I find it's very hard to adjust anything quick and accurately enough. I bought for recalling different settings at different venues, and future proofing for monitor mixes for others via their iPhone etc.. If you have a separate soundguy out front, or never change anything it makes sense, but i don't find trying to play and do sound at the same time on an iPad a pleasant experience. [/quote] This is a really interesting slant I hadn't considered. That said we do have a competent eph with us for most gigs who can do on the fly adjustments from foh. I have wrestled with doitsound and playing before and it isn't fun at all.

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1442161418' post='2864780'] I've been using the exact mixer you've been on about for the last few gigs. I'm by no means an expert, but have got a decent handle on things. With regards to reliability I don't feel I can comment after only using it for 5 gigs, but it's been great for those 5. Make of that what you will really. When you set it up originally i recommend putting a key on your mixer (password), so that it's not an open wifi service that anyone can sign onto. If you do that you won't have any problems with randoms logging onto your wifi and knocking you off. It's an easy fix if they do, you just reset the router, but putting the password on negates these problem anyway. This is the only negative I have found really. Well, that and It has been a steep learning curve, but it's brilliant. About a hundred different effects to choose from is a massive plus point. Saves a lot of rack space! Visual EQ is handy. Also handy should a frequency feedback. You can literally See which frequency band is the culprit straight away. Once you get the hang of it, it's a huge time saver, and money saver. All the channels can be preset to how each specific person likes their sound. Hugely customisable. I was originally hesitant to go digital, but now I'm glad we have made the jump. Being able to mix from all points in the room is certainly very handy. What happens if the tablet dies? Nothing. There is still the same sound you had before it dies, but you won't be able to alter the sound anymore. Bring a charger with you at all times though, and your golden. Anything else you'd like to know? [/quote] That's really helpful thank you. Can I ask which tablet you use? I like the behringer one particularly as it is so discreet it could just sit on the floor behind the drummer or keyboard player.

Some really helpful info here, thanks everyone so far. At the moment I don't have a tablet but will be hopefully picking one up this week. I'm totally open to suggestions as which is most suitable. I'll use it for work too but mostly for accessing my customer database whilst out on site so it doesn't have to be something with amazing graphics etc. It'll also be used to play music from a playlist between sets. I like the look of the Mackie and the soundcraft mixers but am also really interested in the behringer x air 18 that has its own integral WiFi router and doesn't have a tablet dock built in.

Woah, that sounds like my band's set list. There's not a ginger guy singing, a hot lady doing BV's and a guy that looks like brains from thunderbirds on keys is there?

I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts on it. It looks like crazy value for money if it can deliver what it looks like it can.

Considering swapping the big mixing desk for something like a behringer x-air 18 controlled by tablet for the function band. Does anyone work with a similar set up? What are the pros and cons? My biggest concern I guess is reliability. What do you do if the tablet dies unexpectedly?

Brickhouse if the drummer has the groove and the Grange Hill theme.

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1441950213' post='2863143'] I wonder if many bassists with endorsers actually prefer other basses , I saw a guy play recently who had a status endorsement , he played 90% of the gig on a fender jazz , only picked up the status for a few songs [/quote] I once built a 4x12 guitar cab for a chap who had a Marshall endorsement deal. It was essentially internally a replica of his mesa boogie cab dressed up to look like the Marshall cab he was meant to use use. The Marshall cab was an absolute pile of junk with horrible cheap vintage 30s (a really naff version which appeared to be made specifically for Marshall) and the build quality was diabolical. He refused to play with it hence asking me to make him a fake.

http://youtu.be/F5_sfkEkqA0

They have so far done 4 albums which are essentially all novelty but you gotta admit the music is great and they're funny as hell. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzUPG8olnO0"]https://www.youtube....h?v=bzUPG8olnO0[/url]

Really like the white finish. Very tempted with one of these.

Yes I'd be inclined to think this is your lucky day. Awesome start to a weds!!!

Went into pmt in Birmingham yesterday and they also have a brand new orange ad200b for £999.

Gay Bar by electric six. Easy peasy and good fun.

The largest 25 degree (20 degree if you can find one) router bit with a bottom bearing will do it. Expect to pay £50+ for a decent bit though. Take your time and you'll get a perfect result. Practice on scrap pieces first.

What does it sound like out front? If it sounds great out there then adjust your monitoring situation. If it's boomy out there turn the subs down or more sensibly do what jtuk says and reduce the low frequency causing the problem from the individual sources. Are you using 18s, 15s or 12s? I find some 18s are designed more for dj type use and so have good response down to silly low frequencies which is less useful in a band situation. Standing them on a hard floor and not a hollow stage is also important.

Yep must admit that if I'd booked a band and they weren't even in tune I'd be less than happy and have to say something.

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1441563719' post='2859868'] i played a gig once and my nut snapped [/quote] Sweet lord, I can only imagine....

It's perfectly acceptable for a bride / groom to request a small handful of tunes but if you are going to do weddings you really need to have a band policy on such things. Most of the bands I've done function work with will use a booking agreement. It states that the band does what it does and will learn x many tunes for you but ultimately the band decides the bulk of what is played on the night as the customer is paying the band for their experience and ability to entertain them and their friends and family. With my main band we would politely but firmly refer them to our booking agreement. We would flex within reason but if they insisted on us learning heaps and rewriting stuff we would calculate the cost and give them the option of accepting our revised price or looking elsewhere.

Likewise I always take two basses and two amp heads. Two bases covers breakdowns no matter how unlikely and also allows me to have one in different tunings if needed. My spare amphead has helped out on three occasions. I dep regularly in function bands. One in particular uses me regularly as they like the fact I'm always well prepared. Occasionally I play pubs and I still take a spare bass and head. It's just good practice.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1441453559' post='2858998'] Vintage: Proper hefty bass sound with bass played as it should be, as part of a rhythm section. Rugged and manly. Hi-Fi: Widdly-widdly twangy cutlery-drawer-down-the-stairs in your face inappropriate slappy solo nipple-rub for gaylords. I await the backlash with pleasure. [/quote] Pretty sure this is my favourite BC post ever.

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1441433292' post='2858806'] I did Maggie May for the first time a month ago, I probably spent around 1/4 of the avialable time on that, I just could not get the sound and feel for that right at all. [/quote] Maggie May is notoriously tricky to get the feel for. That's what happens when you let a guitarist lay down the bass part lol

Its a combination of things for me. I do probably 30 deps a year and do anything from classic rock to pop / soul / funk as mostly i cover for pub bands up to function bands. There are a lot of songs that are a regular feature for each type of band but there's also plenty of new stuff that I come across. Many songs get played in different keys too. The key things for me are: 1) Ear training and doing lots of transcriptions - this helps me work parts out quickly. 2) Writing charts - This is really useful and vital if I have lots of new stuff in one set. 3) Practicing playing songs / melodies / fills etc in different keys - its really useful to know your way arond the fretboard well when you get told on the night that they do it in a different key. 4) Theory, theory, theory. - If you have a good understanding of chords / scales and are practiced at improvising around them then you can chart out the chords and wing a lot of stuff without slipping up too much. 5) Play lots of "standards". If you regularly play really popular stuff here's a fair chance you'll know lots of what you're asked to play in advance. 6) Finally I don't obsess over every tiny detail in a song. I don't try to nail every fill but I do make sure I know the feel and structure well. I'm no pro. I just enjoy the challenge of depping and would recommend it to anyone. Wish you ll the best with your new band. It sounds like you've worked hard so now you can enjoy the fun bit.