Dad3353

I'm a drummer; I've been playing acoustic kits for well over half a century, at all sorts of venues. If a drummer can't hear what's going on, there is quite certainly far too much volume being generated on stage. If things are worsened by using ear protection, doubly so. The first course of action is to have stage volumes at a level whereby all of the instruments, including the drums, can be heard clearly by everyone. For vocals, including BV, some sort of monitoring (foldback...) is reasonable, with either cabs or earphones. There should be no downside to this, in any configuration, except for those that insist that 'their' sound can only be obtained with everything at '11' (this includes some tree-felling drummers...). Without the stage sound being mastered, there is no easy, inexpensive, simple solution; the best way forward, in every case, is to master the stage volume first. Hope this helps.

Bass plugged directly into a Hiwatt 200w PA head, controls set to 12 o'clock, with a choice of Ampeg 4x10 or Fender 2x12 cabs. Clean, always, whatever the song (pop/rock covers, SOAD, REM, Floyd, Radiohead, Bowie, Noir Désir, Bashung and more...). Just simple plug'n'play.

Note the timing, though, and no piano.

Here is my contribution to the February 2024 Basschat Composition Challenge, illustrated with a picture chosen by Leonard Smalls. "I can hear the blood beating though my ear-lobes..! A faint whistling, and birds chirping..! I thought the room was silent, but the whole house emits creaks and groans, and there's a car going by..! Wow..! Silence never sounded so loud..! Far out, man; far out..!" Recorded using Reaper, with no mixing or treatment, so that the full benefit of the auditor's listening experience is as pure as possible. Good on headphones; better yet on a fully-spec'ed hi-fi system, so as to appreciate the Sound of Silence. Chemical enhancement is not required, nor advised; your move may vary. Thanks for listening, if you already have; if you're about to, enjoy.

I am Spartacus..!

Well done on getting Sean Connery to do the opening video shots.

These are the handles I use on cabs and flight cases of that size (5.50€ from Thomann, other sources exist...)... They are strong, and lie flush to the side of the cab, being spring-loaded, which is handy. Ten screws (or bolts, in some cases...) mean that there is just about zero chance of failure. It's easy enough to make the cut-out to recess it into the panel, with a jigsaw, or a multi-tool. Hope this helps.

... or Zappa..?

I spent a few years playing 'pro' (ie: full time...) in variety bands, but we're far from any notion of fame and fortune (just as well, as they've never been my goals...). After a while I supplemented my income with a job as technician in a music shop, which brought regular dep propositions. Once we bought our cottage, I took on other employment, but continued playing week-ends for functions, weddings etc. Now retired, from work and playing, mostly, but still gig, rarely, with a group formed a couple of decades ago, with our two sons and buddies. Happy daze.

Well, that name certainly brought back memories..! Happy daze...

Buy another bas... Oh, yeah, right. Sorry.

Probably depends on the value. Most, I believe, are offered as 'second-hand'; speaking for Amazon, it's usually the first option I look for when buying stuff from them. Of all I've received bought as 'second-hand' have been perfectly serviceable, often with simply a split corner of the packaging. The keyboard I'm typing on, as well as the track-ball I use, were acquired in this way, among many other purchases. I suppose if an item is returned severely damaged in any way, it would be binned, or sent to a 'job lot' centre for treatment if the value justified it. Hope this helps.

Any on-line shop will do the same, not just Thomann; it's part of the distance-selling regulations in the UK. Returns are sometimes at the charge of the Buyer, though, if the unit is not faulty.

A Good Idea ("You're winding me up the wrong way, you dumb beggar" and such..?).

Not really, just some herring loss.

Careful with that, Eugene.

For an encore, they play their long number. ...

Reggae, EDM, Dub ... Whatever. T'ain't Chopin. ... ... ...

And I thought that we were friends.

This is a lily ... This is not a lily ...

In my experience, originals bands have to play such venues at first, usually for a couple of years at least, to be able to aspire to 'equipped' venues and festivals. I was with Kiemsa for many years; they ended up touring France and Germany, but started out in self-promoted halls, pubs, clubs etc, where PA, lights, backline were all needed. Just sayin'.

This is how I did it with my acoustic kit (not a rack job, but pre-assembled cymbal stands, so all ready to go with no faffing about...); it's how I do it now with the e-kit, which loads as one unit, plus two pedals and my computer flight case. Of course, none of this fits into my present car (The Shoe...), but I've an arrangement with our local garage to 'hire' a full-size Trafic if/when I need it. S'been a long time since I used my drum cases.

Very nice kit, well balanced.

A quote like that from a bloke like that doesn't deserve my attention.