Skol303

Looks more like the corrosive effects of... oh I dunno... cider maybe??

In my experience, the design of your business card has minimal influence in comparison to what comes out of your mouth when handing it to someone. And I'm saying that as someone who works for a creative company. I've met very successful people whose business cards were designed using Clipart. Then again, I have a friend who runs an office out of Pinewood Studios whose 'business cards' are engraved iPods. Honestly, I wouldn't get hung up about it. Spend around £50 for 500 cards and keep the design simple. Job done. People will remember you for what you say, not the piece of card you clutter up their pocket with. I also find it more productive to collect other people's cards and make the effort to contact them - rather than vice-versa. This results in a much better success rate for me personally (in terms of generating new clients). Hope that helps

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1397209872' post='2421761'] Is it possible to move it mods?[/quote] You ask and we obey, my liege

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1397046324' post='2420046'] Kind of written (well written might be stretching it, it does contain a lot of samples) something and recorded it. I intended it to be slow dark funk but sounds more Rap/hip hop. So it would need that kind of vocal which is beyond me. Don't really know anyone to do it maybe the singer in my band who is into all that. But she's would be to busy. It would be boring to turn it into an instrumental. So prob gonna have to leave it. [/quote] That'd be a shame. Don't let the absence of a vocal put you off from entering. If you have something recorded then go for it! I'm approaching this month from a similar angle myself. I haven't tried to capture what people hear as being the 'classic' funk vibe because: 1) I didn't want to to create a pastiche of the 60/70s and... 2) I don't have the playing skills to pull off a convincing slap bassline - instead my slapping tends to sound like I've just thrown my bass down a flight of stairs and recorded the results [i](now there's an idea for some field recording...).[/i] So I've started writing something slower and darker. In fact I've started to wonder about where the boundaries between funk and 'sister' genres like soul, hip hop and R'n'B really lie (no bad thing, of course). My track is definitely taking a more R'n'B/hip hop route, but that's just because of my own influences. I'm also in the process of transforming a copyright-free female vocal into something that sounds like Gnarls Barkley, through a process I'm now calling 'Transgenderfication' (Patent pending) Don't ask. Anyway, it's proving to be a lot of fun so far

Nice one Garry! Useful stuff as always. Thanks for sharing mate.

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1396692467' post='2416436'] Is the greater efficiency of modern PAs the reason why the kick drum is always the loudest thing in the FOH mix these days ? Now [i]that's[/i] a question I'd like answering. [/quote] The kick drum is usually the loudest thing in any mix. Most guidebooks on mixing advise setting the level of the kick and then working downwards from there. Doesn't apply to all styles of music, of course. But it's a general rule of mixing. PS: most bass I ever heard was LFO playing at a Warp Records gig in Sheffield during the early 90s. It literally shook the bottles behind the bar. Amazing

[quote name='Penfeld' timestamp='1396620343' post='2415761'] Hi Paul Thanks for the welcome! I'm a drummer wishing he had the skills to learn a stringed instrument! If anyone is interested and uses Spotify - there is a great playlist devoted to Bass players I saw - I think it was called 'Bottoms up' - great mix of styles! [/quote] No probs and don't worry about being a drummer... we all have our crosses to bear! I'm sure your skills would be in demand by people here. Live drums are always a good thing in any recording. Cheers for the heads up about that Spotify playlist. I'll check that out.

[quote name='Penfeld' timestamp='1396534038' post='2414781'] Great to see that there might be some more 'authentic' bass playing in this months comp - I'm not a bass player but am a fan of the bass guitar. With the suggestion towards the HUGE subject of funk/70's/p-funk/disco/soul/jazz - I am sure it is gonna be a great comp! [/quote] Hi Penfeld. Welcome to Basschat! We like all sorts of bass here... so long as it's low end and trouser-flapping, it's good with us Don't worry that you're not a bass player. Do you play any other instruments? If so, there might opportunity for you to collaborate with people here on making music for these monthly challenges. Cheers, Paul

In a word: no! Well... I'm discovering that I know some scales because they sound right, but not because I know they are scales. I get the basic major/minor but not much beyond that. Although I do understand their usefulness and have set myself the goal of learning more.

[quote name='AL-the-Bassman' timestamp='1396448038' post='2413771']Hi Paul, I couldn't find where to attach the image on the email you sent me. [/quote] No problem Al! The image embed thingy is in the toolbar when posting a message (you might need to select the advanced option to see it). I'm using a phone to write this so I can't check at the moment... Or you can host your image on a site like Photobucket and use the little picture icon (again in the toolbar) to paste in a Direct Link to your image - which actually saves bandwidth on Basschat, mitigates against climate change and ensures no unicorns get harmed in the process, etc... Message me if you ever want instructions on how to do this. As for the image, it's fine so it stays. No problem with it at all. Just a suggestion for whoever wins to err on the side of keeping things 'vague' and open to interpretation. But it's your privilege as winner to choose what you like. ...so long as it's not Burt Reynolds

I imagine that I'm in a minority here, but I don't gig. That's not to say I wouldn't enjoy doing so - it's just not something I can commit to at present with the demands of family and work taking priority. But it's not something that bothers me either. That's perhaps because I'm a [i](hobbyist)[/i] producer first and a [i](fumbling) [/i]bass player second. My real love is just the process of making music, rather than necessarily performing it, and that's something I can do quite happily without an audience. I get feedback on my music from various communities online (including this fine establishment! ) and the occassional airplay, and while that's no substitute for live performance it is a useful form of feedback. If I wasn't interested in production and just had the option of noodling along to songs at home then yes, I think I would get bored very quickly. I also have mid-/long-term plans to take my music out into the world and perform it live (including an ongoing collaboration with Mike/urb here on Basschat), so live performance is certainly in the pipeline. It's just not my raison d'etre.

The picture is fine... if a little constrained in its scope. It can of course be interpreted in different ways. But a picture of an afro-touting lady with the word 'FUNK' written beneath does somewhat suggest a particular genre I don't see this as being a problem myself. I like playing with different genres. But as I've said before, it often helps if the image chosen is something that's open to many different interpretations - this allows people to focus on the task of composition, rather than worrying about having to comply with a particular style of music. That's why landscape imagery works well for these challenges. As does 'reportage' or situational photos; imagery that doesn't make its subject matter glaringly obvious and invites a little imagination. But no matter. Funk is a wide genre and a good theme for us to work with. Although I suggest in future that we try to avoid images that are quite so literal. [quote name='AL-the-Bassman' timestamp='1396440449' post='2413616'] if i get the chance to pic a Picture again ( probably not after this one LOL) I will clear it with y'all first make sure everyones happy, and depending on location come over and read a bed time story [/quote] PS: ...strictly speaking, the winner should message me with their choice of image before posting it on the forum (as requested) - just so I can make sure it complies with the T&Cs Cheers all. Paul

April's thread is now up. [size=5]What are you waiting for?? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/233644-april-composition-challenge-get-your-funk-on/"]Get the funk outta here![/url][/size]

[color=#b22222][size=5][b]April's Composition Challenge is now underway.[/b][/size][/color] [size=5]Here's the image for your inspiration, as chosen by last month’s winner [b]AL-the-Bassman…[/b][/size] [size=5]And here are the rules 'n' stuff…[/size] By entering the competition you agree to the Basschat [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules"]Terms & Conditions[/url] and [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/3178-forum-guidelines/"]Forum Guidelines[/url], which are designed to help ensure the forum remains free of offensive and/or illegal behaviour and material. In a nutshell: [b]1) Please avoid any content that other forum users may find offensive.[/b] If your track contains explicit lyrics, for example, then please warn other forum users so they can choose for themselves whether to listen to it. [b]2) Please make sure you have permission to use any 3rd party sounds included in your track[/b] (ie. sounds that you have not recorded yourself, such as samples of other people's music). The owners of Basschat accept no responsibility for infringements of copyright or other forms of legal ownership, which are solely the responsibility of competition entrants. If we spot any breaches of copyright then your track will be removed from the competition. For reference: here's a great source of copyright-free material, all available under Creative Commons license:http://www.freesound.org/ [b]3) Entries should be no more than five minutes long and written/produced during the month of the competition[/b], taking inspiration from the photo provided. No cheating! If you have any questions about the competition rules, just ask. [b][color=#b22222][size=5]The deadline for entries is midnight on Wednesday 23rd April.[/size][/color][/b] Get to it!

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1396287821' post='2411885'] Bet you can't wait! [/quote] Damn right The anticipation is killing me!

Not much wriggle-room for interpreting the theme this month then folks! Kinda does what it says on the tin. Funk you very much I'll set up a fresh thread for April sometime this evening (currently on the road). Cheers.

Well done AL! It was a close call in the end, but I think you just edged it at the finish line Great track, very nicely played. Please message me with your choice of photo for April and I'll launch the new thread tomorrow evening. Cheers

Sounds like fun! I'm not putting myself forward... I'm not a great player and my 'bass face' resembles someone having a poo, apparently... but I have friends in London who might be interested. Is there any financial renumeration for this? And where will the documentary be aired? (i.e. is this a TV job or a student project). PS: be sure to post back here with the final footage once it's finished, it'd be great to see what you come up with

There should be 13 tracks in total. No dedicated hi hat stem, as BRX explains above. Tricksy!

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1396190898' post='2410756'] How goes the build? [/quote] I'm told it's very nearly finished...! Although I do feel like a kid on the back seat of a car: "Are we there yet??" As soon as it's done I'll put up a bunch of pics and sound clips.

Just had another one of those 'laughing out loud in public about something I'm reading here and now everyone around me thinks I'm weird and possibly unhinged' moments. I love Basschat

Yup, as Si has said, compression will help to 'even out' the level of the vocal, making it a lot easier to work with. You'd then need to automate the vocal level (known as 'riding' fader) to make sure it's audible throughout the track. But in all honesty... you're never going to get a great recording with just two mix stems! So don't beat yourself up about it Just accept that it's a demo or invest in more gear (mics, mixer) to make a proper recording of your sessions.

A quick heads up to those of you frequently lurking with intent in the Recording forum… a brand new Mixing Challenge has just been launched, featuring a track from [b]Dick Venom & The Terrortones![/b] Cheers to Basschat member BRX for the mix stems [b][size=5][url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/233401-basschat-mixing-challenge-now-on/"]GO HERE[/url][/size][/b] and get busy.

[b]The Basschat Mixing Challenge is back[/b]… and this time we’re taking a psychobilly trip into the world of [color=#b22222][b][size=5]Dick Venom & The Terrortones![/size][/b][/color] http://dickvenom.com/ The track is entitled ‘Stench Trench’ and we have a great set of mix stems to work with, courtesy of Basschat member BRX (who incidentally plays bass for the ‘Terrortones, in case you didn’t know already). [url="https://soundcloud.com/basschat-mix-challenge"][b][size=5]DOWNLOAD THE MIX STEMS HERE[/size][/b][/url] As always, use whatever means at your disposal to make the track sound as good as you can. Share your methods (and madness!) with everyone here, so we get to learn from each other. Have fun with it. And we’ll reconvene in a month’s time for the traditional ‘blind vote’ to judge the winner. [b]As always, don’t post your finished tracks in this thread! [/b]Instead, message me with a link to download them (e.g. as a private track on SoundCloud) or I can happily give you my email address for submitting tracks using a website such as [url="https://www.wetransfer.com/"]WeTransfer[/url]. [b][color=#b22222][size=5]Deadline for entries is Sunday May 4th at midnight.[/size][/color][/b] [i]…and yes, I have picked that date in order to say "May the fourth be with you" [/i] Now get to it!

[quote name='topo morto' timestamp='1396039438' post='2409429']Why not dive in properly and get a nice-sounding analogue desk with EQ, proper faders, and all that... (now dead cheap second hand...) [/quote] Nice idea. I've just been having a browse on eBay and there are indeed some bargains to be had on old analogue mixing desks. I shall investigate further... Thanks again.