Dad3353

A Chinese bike (other Chinese bikes exist...)...

If I was to be pedantic (as if..! ), I'd mention that the question was 'Could you perform your current role...', not 'Could you play it'.

I attended a 'Zappa plays Zappa' concert a few years ago, with Terry Bozzio as guest. Just as he was starting his 'routine', his bass drum batter head split. After a couple of minutes 'kerfuffle', he moved over to the 'house' kit whilst a drum tech changed the head, after which he came back down to his own kit. Apart from extensive use of a whole raft of china crashes around his kit, there was no difference whatever in his playing. I reckon the bloke could have finished his spot with cardboard boxes (or even a Squier bass..! ) if he had to. He's good, is that there Terry Bozzio; very good indeed.

If the question had been about motorbikes, asking if one could ride a Zongshen, I wonder what the reply from Ducati owners would be..?

I use an M-Audio Mini 32 Keystation, but will probably change for an Akai MPK, principally for the better pitch bend/modulation, and for the pads. The Mini 32 is fine as far as mini keyboards go, but lacks these functions for Vst control.(It has bend/mod buttons, but they're not at all easy to use, I find...). Hope this helps.

Teen-age (yes, that long ago..! ), I saw a Hofner Verithin bass hanging on the wall of Mme Nichols' Music Emporium, Hampton Hill. The poor thing had a concave belly (probably caused by water damage more than mere string tension...), was of course completely unplayable, and at a ridiculous price, especially for my meagre apprentice budget of just about zero, (but I did get an affordable Hofner President there later...). Since then, I've always had a penchant for these instruments, and finally travelled to the UK to buy one, from a bloke in Nottingham, a couple of decades ago. Other than the nostalgia effect (which is very strong...) and her matching my other Verithins, my 'style' is rather 'old school' thump, at which she excels with the Trubass black nylon strings fitted. As a bonus, it's difficult to find a lighter, better balanced instrument, which I appreciate more and more with advancing years. As for amps: I play guitar (mostly my Verithin..!) through a Fender Bassman 50w, 2 x 15 cab, which doubled for many years as my bass amp, until I acquired a Hiwatt 200w PA head (DR205...), again, a nostalgia choice, as I used a complete Hiwatt PA rig when playing in the UK. Coupled with an equally weighty cab (HH 2 x 15 Folded Horn...), our bass sound is formidable, at any and all volume levels (we don't play 'loud', but we certainly could..!). I have other rigs (Hartke, Ampeg...) and other basses (Cort, 6-string fretless, baritone...), but my Verithin bass and Hiwatt rig are now part of my DNA.

Does that include double bass or EUB, then..? I just found the 'talking poop' comment to be just a touch emphatic. I suppose that a bassoon player could play his/her lines on a Squier bass, and even a triangle percussionist could get a 'Ting..!' from one, somehow, but that wasn't really the spirit of the OP, I think. Never mind; it's only hypothetical anyway.

Really..?

Well, no, actually..! At that time I was completely unaware that 'stuff' even existed..! Sheltered childhood..? One could say so. Later on, I came into contact with dealings of the sort, but I never let it go to my head. Well, not much, at any rate. Not as much as some of my chums (and family, as it happens...). A couple of visits to mates being held for their own safety, too many deaths for various reasons related to such, a nephew born handicapped... It puts one off rather quickly, I found. Staid..? Yup. Fuddy-duddy..? Rather. Anarchist, so others have to take their own responsibility; I won't condemn, but it's not something I'd recommend to anyone, neither at the time nor in hindsight. T'was a splendid week-end, anyway, with no need of artificial aid.

The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, 1968. Double headline acts: The Doors and Jefferson Airplane. 8 in the evening until 8 the next morning, two nights in a row. The Doors, then JA, then JA, followed by The Doors. Reverse order the second evening. Interludes from Terry Reid and Blossom Toes. I spent most of the evening with a French girl on my lap, but didn't even think to get her name. I walked home from there to Bedfont (twenty-odd miles or so...). My feet didn't touch the ground. Brilliant show; lights 'n all. Happy Daze.

Not a chance. Why..? ... I play drums.

... but they're not the best ones.

Back in my 'variety band' days, we went to see a buddy playing locally (for once...). He held down a day job and played bass at week-ends. That night, towards the end of the evening (remember... five-hour sets of dance music...) his forehead was resting against a cross-beam of the marquee (he was a tall bloke...) and he was to all intents and purposes asleep, still playing..! Never seen that before nor since..!

Good evening, OH , and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. Site rules..? See my signature... (Very...) Nice video.

Are you certain that it's fret rattle (on the outside...), and not the truss rod vibrating in its cavity (on the inside...)..? Just a thought.

That has changed radically since..!

This was before drum micing became a 'thing', but I've never been (nor needed to be...) a 'hard hitter'. I did bitterly regret breaking my precious cymbals too early (Paiste 602; not the most resilient for 'rock' stuff...), but other than that, just as bass tone is all in the fingers, drumming is all in the wrists. I do have a solid bass-drum pedal (left...) ankle, though..!

Good afternoon, Moz, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Word.

Having been a 'pro' player (drums...) for many years, then semi-pro for a few more, I'm currently, and only just, holding down my place in our band, but will soon (When..? Dunno..!) have to give it up altogether as rigor mortis sets in. So it evolves over time; what's true today will not be shortly. I nevertheless chose, optimistically, Hobbyist/Week-end Warrior (although pacifist by nature...).

There are fewer now, but in the '60s and '70s, every French village had a dance night, especially during the long summer season. The standard timing was 21h00 till 02h00, with no break, in either the town 'salle de fêtes' or a marquee in the town square. Weddings could go on for longer; much longer (dusk till dawn and beyond on occasion...). I played these for many years, drumming (or, very occasionally, bass...), with a very varied repertoire (hence the name 'variety orchestra'. It built stamina.

There is a flaw in your logic.

We're all different. I don't need (or use...) an amp or cab for practising guitar or bass, just the instrument, and I've got several of each, so... And I'm long past 'practising' drums; I did all that decades ago. I just listen to the track that needs learning, then go and play it. S'what comes of being old, I suppose. It's true I wouldn't leave my stuff unattended in the village square for weeks on end, but other than that, I've never had a problem with stuff being nicked. S'what comes of having unpopular gear, maybe..? The bass amp and cab that we use most have enough mass between 'em to bring the Moon quite a lot closer, so no-one is going to be 'lifting' them and legging it..! In all the festivals I've helped organise and/or played at, I've never once come across a case of stuff 'going missing'. Just lucky..? Perhaps, or folks where we live are less on the look-out for committing larceny.

The band I play in is called 'The Daub'z', as we used to rehearse in an outhouse at 'La Daubellière', our singer's parents home. All our gear was permanently set up there. Our Eldest was also guitar with Kiemsa for several years; they too would rehearse there, using our gear, simply by commodity. I play drums 'lefty', so Daniel (their drummer...) would switch the elements over, and I'd switch 'em back when we were there. No carting gear around, everything set up for a quick start; why would one not, as long as the place is clean and secure..? The parents sold the place; we now rehearse here, at home; our second guitar has his Marshall stack all ready to go when we play here. Suits us all just fine.