amnesia

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1343677928' post='1753635'] But great bands who've thought about their image are even greater. Don't forget that most of your favourite bands who appear not to have an image, have very carefully and deliberately cultivated than "non-image". Which is an image in itself! [/quote]

[quote name='Dr M' timestamp='1342253527' post='1732276'] What about gear and sound? [/quote] I use my sansamp with no change in settings striaght into the PA at rehearsal instead of my VBA rig, and in the radio studio I used my 20W practice amp turned right down, again with the sansamp! We found that a slightly agressive bass sound suited our songs better than when I used my acoustic bass

This week my band has done a few acoustic tunes on the radio. Just with guitar, bass and vocal as the drummer couldn't make it. We went through all our tracks in practice (Alter Bridge-ish originals) and only about half of them work stripped down due to the solos or rhythms - so our experience agrees with icastle. Some songs just don't work! The biggest problem we had was staying in time with each other without a drummer. If the drummer wanders a bit and the guitars go with him, its not too bad as the band is together as a unit. With no drummer it is easy - especially in solos we found - for the bass and guitar to go out of time as our internal metronomes aren't calibrated the same! Our solution was to give me a tambourine that I tapped with my foot during solos. One thing we were missing (apart from rehearsal unplugged!) was backing vocals. With an extra harmony or even a just a doubling vocal it makes a huge difference. All three of us enjoyed it, and will definately keep the acoustic stripped down tracks fresh so we can drop into open mic nights just for fun.

[quote name='Tankdave' timestamp='1340731244' post='1708832'] Fully screened optical cables that have all metal constuction plugs so that they earth properly make a huge difference. [/quote] Eh? I hope you don't mean optical.

I went on the saturday. It was pretty muddy - much worse in front of the Jagermeister acoustic stage than anywhere else we went. After Metallica it took us about 30 minutes to walk from the arena to the car and about 20 minutes to get off the car park. Compared to the horror stories of friday I think we had it very easy. In fact, with a bit of water I could probably clean off my new wellies and take them back for a refund! However - to put 2 hours of novelty acts (Steel Panther and Tenacious D) on the main stage on a saturday afternoon leads me to eblieve that the festival has lost its way somewhat.

Next to last song a couple of weeks ago and I start to loose notes intermittently. I have had a slight issue with my amp at this venue before so I assumed I was looking at a big bil and a broken amplifierl. By the time I realised I had a problem the sound was gone, my concentration was gone so I left the band on stage to play the last track without me. Not cool. After the set I tried my other bass and it worked fine. Went back to my Tbird and the notes were gone again. Worked out that open strings were fine but fretted notes were rubbish. Then spotted the bridge pickup touching the E string. Thanks Gibson. Thanks a lot. Needless to say I'm back to the Warwicks for a bit - my confidence needs shoring up!

Black Road Home - Alter Bridge-esque rock band from Stoke. Old EP tracks are on the page, the new ones aren't online yet. I must do that this week! [url="https://www.facebook.com/blackroadhome"]https://www.facebook.com/blackroadhome[/url]

For $12000 he could have at least made sure the photos were in focus.

[quote name='El Bajo' timestamp='1337077705' post='1654889'] I'm due in the studio on Thursday (Damn I love saying that, in reality its someones shed and a laptop) and I've had my string on for about a month. I can't make my mind up, do I go for the nicely worn in strings or get a fresh set on there? Baring in mind its dropped tunings anyway. Also I have the choice between Rotosound or D'Addario, what do you guys think? Ta [/quote] Listening to the demo I would definitely have new strings on - and a spare set too. Play them in for a couple of hours to make sure they are stable. As already said beware changing brands and gauges as it might have an impact on action and intonation.

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1336234147' post='1642928'] Do you have files for fingers? [/quote] Dunlop 1.6mm picks. Strings will stay on my basses for a couple of months in rehearsal, because I don't generally care too much about the tone. In the studio or live is different though, and 1.5 / 2 hours playing is enough to take the shne out of them.

Looks like I'm on my own here... ...1.5 hours and I can kill a set of strings stone dead - but then I like a bright new-string sound and I don't tickle them. Boiling them does work to breathe almost-new short term life back into them, but I don't really trust them live at that point.

The band should pick the tracks. The tracks you know might be really simple or not typical of their set. Asking you to learn new tracks is all part of the audition. Having said that, two or three should be enough for them to know if you can play or if you fit.

Calling songs 'numbers'. It upsets me way more than it should and I don't know why!

Dimebag Darrell - Pantera. Maybe even more so since he was shot. Mark Tremonti - Alter Bridge

"Where is the drummer?" "The drummer is at the wrong gig"

I had a slightly loose speaker fixing that made my cab rattle. It took longer to take the grill off than it did to fix the problem! If you're lucky it will be a 'free' fix with the aid of a screwdriver.

Sold a pair of BG-7 D-tuners to Paul this week. A couple of PM's, one phonecall and deal done. Cheers Paul

"Brite"? Dear me.

My wife helps me carry my kit about on a regular basis. While she is wearing heels and often short skirts too - she is the best looking roadie I know! Marvellous.

[url="http://www.astonelectronics.co.uk/index.html"]http://www.astonelectronics.co.uk/index.html[/url] Based in Stone. Geoff serviced and revalved my VBA400, and has also revalved longtimefred's Trace Elliot V4

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1318550438' post='1403757'] One that musicians and none muso (but not engineers) types use: 'It sounds a bit tinny' That bugs the hell out of me.. Tinny? What!? Use your words to decrible what you're hearing. Last time i looked, a tin makes no sound at all unless struck and even then.. Stupid term and none descriptive! [/quote] Tinny - a term that describes a tone or sound with too much top end, and not enough weight. Does that help? I almost asked you to pop out to the car the other night to help me work out why my stereo sounds 'boxey'

Leave. In what way does it make sense to continue being in a band because you don't have another one ready to go? The only way that makes sense is it if pays you bills. If you can get along without the extra money, its just not worth the ballache and stress. I suppose every situation is different, but I sure as hell wouldn't stay with a band if it sucked.

I do play them all. My T'bird generally only comes out of the case with the band in C/G/C/F tuning I play my Streamer Stage I at home, practicing for the band in C/G/C/F I play my Streamer LX and my acoustic at home in E/A/D/G