mcnach

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1496744240' post='3313538'] Let us know if the band gets gigs as far south as Swarkestone Bridge then. Sounds like a worthy project. [/quote] It looks a little far, as the plan is gigs within a couple hours of Edinburgh or so... but with the other band we go down to England a lot, through the sax player's contacts, so who knows? Maybe some day go on a little excursion nearer you... if it happens I'll let you know

[quote name='Monkey Steve' timestamp='1496676073' post='3313125'] Thin Lizzie have the odd bit of Sax on there, and I could see AC/DC It's A Long Way To The Top with sax replacing the bagpipes, and there's a lot of stuff that has horn sections on the odd song (some Aerosmith, Chili Peppers) and some that have horn sections in the band (Rocket From the Crypt, Mighty Mighty Bosstones if they're not too ska). And beyond that I reckon you can get away with new arrangements with non-original instrumentation, as long as you're doing it really well (and that's the test...). Maybe don't sell the set as being sax based and see whether the punters think it's a nice surprise... For song choice, my last covers lot were doing hard rock/metal but with an emphasis on doing stuff that wasn't cliche'd or that every other hard rock/metal covers band would do - the "No Paranoid" rule. Basically so that we wouldn't get bored, but always stuff that we thought the crowd would know. So we'd do a Metallica song but it would be Master Of Puppets rather than Enter Sandman, Neon Knights rather than Paranoid, Touch Too Much rather than Whole Lotta Rosie, etc. Specifically stuff that any punter who was going to see a metal covers lot would know and like, but didn't usually get to hear. We only ever played a handful of gigs (and split up due to lead guitarist issues when we were gearing up to make a proper push on getting gigs) but the ones we did play went down really well, and always the same feedback - "it's really nice to hear somebody playing stuff that isn't the same set that everybody else plays" So i reckon you can get away with some more unusual/less obvious song choices if the crowd are there to hear that sort of a thing in the first place. We reckoned that our audience would probably know 60-80% of what we played, and only played stuff by very well known bands - it was never "here's Meanstreak by Y&T which you won't remember but you'll love once you hear it" it was "here's a less obvious song by Anthrax or Megadeth or Iron Maiden". And we structured the set so that if there was one song that we knew would be less well known, we followed it up by a more well known one so there weren't whole passages in the evening where everybody would be scratching their heads. [/quote] Indeed, there are a lot of songs that can lend themselves easily to a bit of sax here and there. Thin Lizzy's "Dancing in the moonlight" is a favourite of the sax guy, and mine (it was one of my favourite guitar solos to play back when I played more guitar than I do now)... I think you got the right idea: not to play obscure songs, but try to play the ones that are still popular just not covered by everybody. We don't plan to sell it as "look, rawk with sax!", just as a normal rocky covers type of thing... but then you'll find the lineup cotains a sax. Some bands get remembered because they have that pretty girl on drums. We have a[s]n ugly[/s] dude on sax

[quote name='sellisnba' timestamp='1496680252' post='3313179'] Just out of curiosity, why isn't the squier a "proper" jazz bass? [/quote] yes, why? I'd say go around and try all the basses you can. I have owned many Jazz basses, including several Fender 75RI, a roadworn, and others. I only kept one, the one I liked best... it's an old battered '94 Made in Korea Squier (replaced the electronics, but the bass itself cost me £75 used). Sometimes best is not the most expensive. Basses vary so much, that buying an expensive model does not mean you'll get a better instrument than a lower one. Yes, your chances are a lot higher and they're build with better components... but it pays to shop around to find one that 'talks to you', and if it ends up being a lower end one, you know you can replace any parts that let it down easily.

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1496654666' post='3312924'] Avoiding such messing around is one of the reasons I play a 5 string. [/quote] but sometimes (many examples) you really want to take advantage of an open D... so I'd even detune to D on a 5 string.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1496644143' post='3312823'] Sounds like he's going to get an easy ride compared to the rest of the band. Does he not do BVs? [/quote] Well, somebody has to drink the beers that accumulate onstage

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1496582194' post='3312425'] My mates band is a Led Zep tribute act for about 10-12 yrs now and they decided to acoustic set with Singer, guitar on mainly acoustic and bring in a female backing vocalist and two cello players with quite different techniques. One being very classical trained and sticks to the music note for note (i'm exaggerating a bit) and the other is more able to ad-lib as and when required. When he told me this set up i thought it would be a disaster but it was an absolutely fantastic gig and extremely entertaining so my advice is to give it a shot and see how it goes. Dave [/quote] That sounds pretty cool, actually! What are they called? If they play around here I'd like to see them.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1496580181' post='3312404'] The girl who plays sax in The Zutons is quite cute. [/quote] Not sure this applies here (sorry Peter )

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1496580072' post='3312403'] It wouldn't make me go to a gig, and like the others above I think it could be a tricky mix ([b]ac/dc with sax?[/b]) but give it a go. You will know pretty quickly if it works or not I think. [/quote] it's pretty cool! BUt then I also enjoy bands like Hayseed Dixie and Jazz Against The Machine

[quote name='timhiggins' timestamp='1496579628' post='3312396'] I'm a bit dubious about sax working with said material too,unless you were to make it a bit more Springsteen/R and B or swamp rock ..then i would come see ya [/quote] I think it might end up going that direction, so that the sax can fit well. Who knows! If I saw a band advertised in a music bar I often go playing rock/sax... I don't think I would rearrange my plans to go to see them, but I'd be pretty interested if I'm going to be in the area.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1496579493' post='3312395'] I know your sax player, Peter, from years back. He used to offer the blues band, I was in at the time, gigs around the Edinburgh/Dalkeith area. The only stipulation was, that he played the gigs with us. Well we didn't need, or want, a sax player in the band.....but we did want to do those gigs. So we agreed to his terms and he tootled along on the sax while we played the gigs and he got his cut of the fee. I figured out that he had been going around bars, that put on live music, and getting gigs for a non existent blues band (he wasn't a member of a band at that time). Of course he then had the problem of finding a band he could do those gigs with.......which is when he called us (he may well have done these gigs with other bands when we weren't free, I don't know?). I think he has probably realised that ska bands have a limited attraction to music bars and what they really want is rockier bands with wailing guitar solos. The fact that rock bands don't have saxophones in them, is only a problem when the band is not your band, and you aren't the one getting the gigs (as in reality no rock band is going to hire a sax player) He will be doing that same with this new band, as he did with us way back when - i.e. if you want to do the gig, you have to have him playing sax. [/quote] The ska band is doing well, how he manages to get the gigs he does I don't know. Well, I sort of know... I see him in action everytime: he has a nose for business and knows how to talk to the right people. Over the years I guess he has accummulated a lot of 'friends' in the right places. It just seems the band has some pretty busy periods and others when there's barely one or two gigs a month... so this new band is his idea and it's pretty much a "let's play something that is easy to get gigs for and that we like". As much as we like playing in ska bands... none of us is really a big ska fan It's just a lot of fun to be a player, but our background is definitely more 'rock' (or in my case rock and funk). This new band is *his* band, his idea, he choose the people etc... so he's most definitely playing I have no problem with that at all. I'm pretty curious to see how it works. He mentioned he did play in another band doing some blues/rock stuff so I wonder if that was with you. He mentioned a cover of Audioslave's "Be yourself"... Local bars... We (the ska band) played a couple of Whistle Binkies gigs, where I've been regularly playing with a number of bands for years, since they replaced the guy in charge... and we've just been told that the management has decided this ska band is not the kind of band they want to have at their bar. It is true, there's only a handful of places that would have a ska band regularly around here.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1496577389' post='3312371'] I like a bit of brasswind but I share your doubts over sax in a rock context. Okay for Meatloaf, Springsteen and rock opera generally perhaps but it would seem quite camp elsewhere. [b]What can the sax player do when he isn't blowing?[/b] I can't comment as a pub goer but as a muso I'd definitely be a Hmmm, as in "Hmmm, I might check them out and see what that sounds like" [/quote] Not a lot... but there's few things worse than a player who feels they have to play ALL the time. Spaces are good. It's a situation that I'll have to listen to first before really knowing if I'm in 100% or not.

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1496575162' post='3312352'] We play in a band where the singer also plays the sax. It goes down really well and does add something to the proceedings. I think it helps you to stand out rather than just be another rock covers group. In that 'oh the group with the sax'? Any little helps. So are they saying do you want to do it - as in join the band or sing? I think you have to start with a 'what you like' approach, as long as you then listen to the audience and be prepared to drop those songs the audience don't like. [/quote] I'm purely bass player here. No singing. Yeah, the songs will have to be selected to discard things where the sax just doesn't work. I've heard some AC/DC with sax and that worked surprisingly well. On some of the more melodic stuff it also can be pretty cool... but there's a lot of things that I just cannot imagine it would sound 'natural'... we'll have to wait and see!

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1496576396' post='3312364'] I don't think you can damage the D800 by running the wrong cabs. The built in protection seems to be pretty extensive. If a serious error occurs (as long as it's not to do with the internal components in the amp) it just goes into protection mode, which lets you turn it off and back on. As far as I recall, if you run the 2 ohm switch on with 4 ohms worth of cabs you'll get a potential 600 watts instead of the full 800. This was covered by a senior Mesa D800 designer on Talkbass, but I don't fancy trawling through the 1000's of posts on the D800. Drop am email to Mesa and they'll give you the definitive answer. [/quote] Thanks. I'll have a look on TB as well. I'm pretty sure this question must have been asked there before. But of course emailing Mesa seems like a no-brainer best option

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1496576193' post='3312362'] If you're after a 2ohm small head, give the Genzler Magellan a look, too - they have the same switch (and I'm guessing much of the power amp section will be the same, too), and they're a versatile amp. I used mine with 2 x and 3 x 8 ohm Berg 112s (tho I don't have the cabs any more - in fact I don't use it much now we've gone in-ears/PA/modelling) and a couple of times I forgot to flip the switch. I emailed Genzler the first time in a bit of a panic, and Jeff replied to the effect that it wasn't a great idea, but would probably not do a lot of harm. I'd done whole loud gigs with it in the wrong position, so it can't the end of the world... [/quote] Hmmm, it says 2.7ohm, not 2ohm. The thing is I already know I like the D800.

I've just been recruited into a new band. It's the sax guy and drummer from one band I'm already in (sax guy is the one with the contacts and gets gigs everywhere), and another guitarist (maybe two, I'm not sure yet) and a vocalist from a locally well known AC/DC tribute band. I was asked a couple of months ago or so and tentatively said yes... but there was no singer yet and I felt that without knowing what the singer can do it was pointless to choose songs... at the time the songs suggested were a bit all over the place. Now the sax guy asks me if I want to do it. The idea is to have a very non-demanding band, just learn songs by ourselves and have a couple rehearsals to see what works or not etc, and when we have a set ready he'll get us gigs within a reasonable radius (so no extensive travellling or anything) filling the gaps that our other bands leave, and just have a bit of fun playing stuff we like while making a bit of cash. The focus is now on rockier stuff, which seems to be what a lot of bars around here really prefer. I was not sure about the sax & rak thing but I know the guy enough and he knows not to destroy a song by playing when silence is best... and he has a great ear to turn songs around by adding sax, so that I think will work. However the song choice is going to be purely "what we like". I like the idea, but whenever I see bands that choose songs that way, I find them to be of limited appeal and as good as they may be (actually they're often not very good) they end up playing to semi empty bars, which means very soon they just don't play anywhere. However that's the thing, most bands with that attitude that I have seen seem to be pretty inexperienced and not very good at all. This band will be pretty good (no thanks to me, they're all at a higher league than myself, I'm just lucky to keep being asked to play... one guy once hinted that I'm decent enough and while there may be some other better players, I'm available enough and I don't flake... so that must be it ) So I'm quite curious about how this is going to turn out. I haven't played any rock on bass (except a brief stint with another local covers band years ago, and my RATM tribute band but that is a bit different), so I'm quite curious about that. And also about the sax. We have three songs only chosen so far, from Audioslave, Thin Lizzy and AC/DC... I really want to hear what we can make out of that, even if we don't get many gigs. They're all pretty simple on bass, so no worries for me. If you heard your local music bar has a band playing rock covers with a sax added next saturday... would you be more likely to go "erm... I don't think so" or "Hmmm, I might check them out and see what that sounds like"? The singer is well known around here so I'm positive people will come because of him... at least the first couple of times. Afterwards I just don't know

I do not understand what that switch exactly does, so I don't understand the consequences if the switch is not in the right position. For example, if I have a 2ohm stack, and it's connected to the amp while the switch is in the 4/8ohm position... what happens there? Is it the same as connecting the 2ohm stack to any normal 4ohm min load amplifier? (Presumably it would have a protection circuit that would shut off the amp when that happens). I'm considering this head. I tried it a while ago and I really liked it, but I only liked it a bit more than I like my LM3... however the ability to use a 2ohm stack with it has just become interesting, so I'm thinking about it. But I would not like it if it were so easy to make a terrible mistake just by flipping a little switch at the back. I've already connected the 2ohm stack to my LM3 in error once, just for 5 minutes and not loud, so the amp did not switch off (it sounded great too)... and I want a fool proof rig, since it'll be around me and I'm quite obviously a fool sometimes (and I'm one of the least foolish guys around )

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1496474250' post='3311676'] Well I know it's a very highly regarded song and I'm not surprised that many people enjoy listening to it and sing along to it. I just really struggle to find anything likeable about it. [b]It's like the bass and drums had loads of time spent on them and sound great but the vocals and guitar sound rushed and boxy. The bass line stumbles over several scales and just sounds messy, carries no melody. Clashes with guitar. The only hook in the song is the intro guitar riff, the rest of it is forgettable and tuneless.[/b] If everyone in the world turned around and said they hated the song, I'd understand. But the fact that so many people seem to enjoy it is completely lost on me! Mind you, I bet plenty of people on here think that Metro Station - Shake It is a terrible song and it's one of my favourites! Don't worry, I'll happily play it and I've learnt it. I've been in cover bands for years and understand that sometimes you need to play songs you don't like. Jam won't turn into band, we're both just looking to play every now and then without having to commit to a band or anything. [/quote] are we talking about the same song?

[quote name='No. 8 Wire' timestamp='1496437516' post='3311520'] Thanks mate, you've saved me that going round and round my head! [/quote] it's really annoying when that happens, eh? I have currently one song by some band I just discovered that reminds me a LOT to something else... several weeks have passed and I just can't place it, and now I hate the song because it keeps me going for hours searching in the vaults of my brain

I'm going to have to unsubscribe...

[quote name='No. 8 Wire' timestamp='1496347163' post='3310786'] That sounds a lot like a RHCP baseline but not quite if you know what I mean? Just can't think what the track is. [/quote] It's very much like the bassline in "Can't stop", yes... Same progression and feel, just varying the phrasing. Tch tch

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1496164909' post='3309284'] I know of a bass player who tuned his G string a semitone out, just the G string...he played a song which used the 4th and 2nd frets of the G string a lot (as well as the other strings) and didn't even realise it was out of tune...got this story from his guitarist [/quote] I use a Hipshot D-tuner thingy in a few of my basses. Sometimes I forget to reset the lever after a song that required the drop-D tuning, and sometimes it's taken a couple of seconds to realise it was me who was causing the cacophony. Not good, especially with songs that start with the bass on its own

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1496412649' post='3311254'] I played a Stingray in a shop where the EQ wasn't working but it sounded great flat. Then I checked and there was no battery - so it CAN can work without. [/quote] Well... he's right! I just went to check. The signal is a lot weaker, but it does work, and at a pinch, I think I could probably use it like that at a gig as I usually have lots of headroom left. The volume control still works, but the bass/treble doesn't (there's a slight change in tone when you turn them up/down, but nothing there really). Who would have thought it?

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1496411057' post='3311230'] I always find the Musicman necks are better for my taste. There is more than just the pick up and EQ to a Musicman - the whole package contributes to the sound - not least the bridge. [/quote] lucky you

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1496393697' post='3310992'] Have the prices gone up as well as the difficulties with the £? A fairly simple P bass, 5 string, normal colours etc is now about £1350.... [/quote] Yup... the euro/GBP exchange is not doing us any favours... although the price in euros had not change, my last Jake (JJ) cost me a noticeable amount more than my first one (PJ) two years ago. Still... it's a pretty good price for what you get, and the ability to specify it *just* right.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1496390681' post='3310951'] Well I like the proportions and neck on my USA jazz five and I like the pickup position and preamp of a Stingray five, put the two together and hey presto! [/quote] exactly... wanting a bass with a big fat humbucker at a particular spot doesn't necessarily mean you want a MusicMan.