dmccombe7

How far is that for you. I always underestimate distances in US. I can go from coast to coast in Scotland in about 80 miles East to West possibly less. Great to see you are back on track again. Dave

I've had a few minor issues with the Smooth Hound wireless and decided to splash out for the Shure GLXD pedal version and i've had absolutely no issues whatsoever with it even with various other wireless kit on stage ie mics, IEM's etc. One of the best buys i've done. It's left me 100% happy and Wireless GAS free now. Dave

Great stuff Daryl and hopefully the feelgood factor has returned. Dave

Playing at the neck gives more movement of the string to get that clank sound from the frets i reckon. I once read that angling your hand towards the neck and using the side of your fingers gives you that Double Bass tone. The more i analyse my own style I find when playing harder i tend to pluck the string across and slightly upwards from the body and for normal playing i play across but slightly down towards the body. I'm deliberately trying to play lighter to stop blistering and sore fingertips mainly because i'm now playing a lot more regularly. Dave

Have a good one Daryl. Dave

Always a stand next to or near my rig. At rehearsals i might prop up in a corner if i don't have a stand but never at a gig. That's scary neck breaking stuff. Dave

Against the front monitor. You can see it on the bottom pic. Dave

I go thru phases where i grow the nails on my my plucking fingers enough to catch the strings. Add a couple of coats nail varnish to the nails to harden them up can help reduce breakage too. Then they break and i go back to finger tips. The more gigs i play the harder the skin gets and i can get a decent edge on my tone. EQ does help too. Dave

I've been playing around 45 yrs now but unless i'm playing songs regularly i just don't retain them. I'll get away with not playing them for a few months and a quick run thru brings it back. I tend to run thru both bands set lists at least once a week to make sure i'm on top of them at a gig and i've been in these bands for 5 yrs and 2 yrs. 😂 Dave

I envy musicians that can remember loads of songs and able to recall them at short notice. Because of my job in engineering i've always solved a problem and moved onto the next problem and the last problem was forgotten. My learning technique for songs is just the same. I learn songs for a band and when i leave that band the songs are pushed back into the back of my mind under forgotten files I seem to be limited to my current set lists and trying to remember songs from previous bands i just struggle with. Dave

Nice Daryl, How did the gigs go this weekend. ? I do bar gigs with the punk covers band and clubs and larger rock venues with the Glam covers band. Hoping to move the Glam show into the Theatre gigs next year as demand is getting better every gig. Dave

Chocolate Starfish is a new one on me. Made me laugh. Dave

For the punk covers band i have to learn :- 1. Nobody's Hero - SLF 2. Gotta Getaway - SLF 3. Dancing with Myself - Billy Idol All great songs. I do enjoy the SLF songs as the bass player is pretty good. Dave

You have the best of both worlds Pete. Think the ELO band is more suited to Theatre style venues. Just seems right. Dave

Pete's band are at the top of their game and playing some of the best gigs in UK. Afraid the rest of us are doing similar things to you Daryl. Other than the HD Museum of course you lucky sod Dave

That Bongo was the first thing i clocked when looking at that pic too. Gorgeous looking bass. Dave

Gotcha i can see how that sucked. (thats me using American twang to put you at ease there Daryl 😀) Sure you'll bounce back next one. Dave

I used to think that when i was younger but work and life took priority for me and i only played at home for about 20 yrs and even then it was only occasionally maybe once or twice a week. Sold all my gear apart from my Warwick Thumb and an old HH amp and a 210 custom cab. Have to say it never really bothered me too much that i wasn't in a band or gigging, it was just the way things developed. Not planned in any way. I also had a 2 period when i was around 22-24 where i only practiced rather than bands. I much preferred learning Jazz Rock styles like Percy Jones, Jeff Berlin, Richard Sinclair and some others. The positive from that period was i developed a lot of styles that no-one else locally was doing and a few bands asked me to join from pop to prog and finally settling on Southern Rock style band would you believe mainly because it was just so easy to play and great fun and i could just pose on stage. Happy Days. Dave

I've had gigs with both bands that i thought weren't working whether that was the on stage tone, making mistakes, lack of a decent sized audience to encourage you, lack of dancers but at the end of the songs we get good applause and good feedback at end of the night. What was it that made you feel it wasn't a good gig ? Anything specific or just a combination of little things. ? Dave

Ouch sorry to hear Daryl. Sometimes it happens. Forget it and move on to next great gig. Dave

Def this, the perfect response. Dave

We do Waterloo in the Glam covers band and like you i had no idea how good the bass lines were until trying them. One of my fav songs to play in the set. Don't think the band were given the credit they deserved. Dave

Love this. Not your original choice of music to listen to but just great fun to play. I'd have this over playing boring songs that i might listen too at home. Dave