seashell

Well, we've just attempted to play the carol. It was so disastrous we were in tears of laughter. Then my friend came out with the helpful musical direction of: ' The notes go up and down, and I'm playing different notes to you' At that point I nearly became hysterical and we had to all pause for more wine. Hilarious fun, but not to be shared with anyone with an ounce of musicality.

They played 'Delta Lady' on Radio 2 this morning. I'd forgotten what a great song that was and how brilliantly he sang it. IIRC Leon Russell wrote it about Rita Coolidge and Joe Cocker was also a lifelong friend of hers.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1419179200' post='2637275'] Good luck. Whatever happens you'll have fun. [/quote] We certainly will! :-)

Thanks, Tim but they only play from dots. Definitely going to record it though. If any or all of us could manage some singing as well it would by e a triumph! :-) I'd love to form a band but they are in Cambridge and I'm in Brum. Plus they just do it for their own amusement. I'm always keen to foist my performances on the general public, but they are a bit more reticent!

Someone will be along in a minute to tell me I could have googled it ( discreet ?) But I was so wrapped up in my little world of music books, it didn't occur to me till now

Despite all the excellent suggestions here, we've decided to go for a very old song called 'The Cowboy Carol'. It was in a lovely illustrated book of carols I had when I was a little kid. I've never heard it performed before other than my Mum playing it on the piano. I always liked it. It was a bit different and sounds like an old Western song. So I've sent the music to my friends and we're all practising it now. I spent loads of time on it last night. My music reading is SO slow. Also, I had to work out the treble 'right hand' part and record that so I could then play the bass part along with it It's taking bloody ages and I still haven't perfected it. Then I want to change the bass part a bit so I won't be doing exactly the same as the cello. All this for a song we will play once in private! I'm hoping it will be good for my musical education. At least it's forcing me to use the dots! :-)

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1419100963' post='2636618'] Looks like there's a mystery elf editing my language. I would like it made clear that i would NEVER use the word 'blooming' as an expletive. It sounds jolly lame [/quote] That blithering Mathew Hawkins has been at it again!

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1419087218' post='2636420'] I gave up using stands after too many gigs with stage lighting that made it impossible to read the chart. I tried various lights but found it just easier to learn the tunes than carry around a stand, a light, a folder. And then when the band leader decided to produce a different setlist on arrival at the gig; half an hour rearranging the order of my music. [/quote] I can't even see the knobs on me amp, let alone read music off a sheet at a gig! :-)

Well the dogs are cute..but can't those people afford guitar cases?

Started out nearly 4 years ago with fingers like 2 bunches of bananas. I can't believe some of stuff I can play now that I never dreamed I'd be able to master. 'The Seeker' leaps to mind. Also 'Rebel Yell' which is technically easy but so bloody fast I thought I'd never make it Right hand speed is still what I struggle with. Related to that is the fact I still can't use a pick. Still can't play Ace of Spades fast enough, or manage the octaves in Paranoid. I'm still having lessons, but I've pretty much abandoned the thought of getting any grade exams. Too busy learning songs for the band. :-)

Can't say I've seen it. Feel like viewing something on YouTube now to see what I'm missing!

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1418827961' post='2633758'] Could somebody please clarify.....was the conclusion that we like music stands or not? If you are a 'Pro' and use them are you not an actual 'Pro' thus meaning you are an 'Amateur'? Oh and BTW what is a Pro anyway? And does anyone have any pictures of their music stand? Thank you [/quote] My band are Amateurs and we don't use stands. Does that make us Pros? But we do faff too much between songs. So that makes us Amateurs again. If you shut us in a box, would we be Pros and Amateurs at the same time?

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1418772580' post='2633324'] I hate long gaps between songs too. Should be 5 songs, short banter break; 5 songs, a banter break and then finish with 5 strong songs. More or less 50 minutes right there. Truckstop [/quote] IMHO this gets the balance about right. As a punter I like to see a band engaging with the audience and with each other occasionally. But not too often or it gets tedious. This is one of the biggest failings of my own band, there is FAR too much buggering about of every description going on between songs. We really should rehearse the whole 'show' more, not just the individual songs.

[quote name='sarah thomas' timestamp='1418805265' post='2633442'] When my son was a little baby I couldn't listen to any music without 'hearing' his urgent hungry cry at some point. Some things are tuned into your neurons - like mothers and children And wives! [/quote] Yes, and cats! Sometimes I've thought I heard the cat miaowing outside the door, and then realised it was something in the music. I can't think of any specific tracks though and it's always when I'm listening to the radio rather than records. Something to do with higher frequencies?

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1418150549' post='2627445'] Understand, Overstand or Music Stand Free..... Some will be too young to remember the Wombles [/quote] But not icastle, he loves 'em. Or he use to play with them, or something. Or so the rumour goes. He'll be along in a minute to deny it.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1418257107' post='2628631'] be careful not to mix up open mics with jam evenings, they can be totally different animals, in my experience open mics are where people who know what they want to do get up to perform, whereas Jam sessions are are a lot more suck it and see. [/quote] Yes, good point. It's worth clarifying what kind of event it will be. Which is why it might be an idea to go along without your bass for the first one. I go to two regular events , both of which call themselves Open Mics. But the one is very much where you turn up with your full band and do a few numbers you have rehearsed beforehand. The other one is much more of a jam where people turn up in ones, twos and threes and just try things out on the fly with whoever is around. That is scarier, but gives you great experience of playing with other musicians. And you don't have to be in a band to get a toe in the door.

Absolutely go for it. I've been going to an open mic blues night for a couple of months now and I really think it has helped me progress. I still haven't the confidence to do much more than root notes really, but I try to mix it up with different rhythms and volume levels. I've had one guy tell me I should be a bit more adventurous, but honestly I'm quite proud of myself for being able to get up there and manage to play something to songs I've nenever even heard before ! Mostly, they have been exceptionally friendly and encouraging and I have even had some nice compliments from some of the punters. I didn't take my bass straight away though. Went along a couple of times without it to see how the land lay so to speak.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418244898' post='2628477'] I think you're right. I wonder who would start such a thread..? [/quote] Only a despicable bounder!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418242658' post='2628432'] No I don't, I Suffer from Chalfonts. [/quote] I think there's a bit thread about that somewhere!

[quote name='Fozza' timestamp='1418201638' post='2627823'] You Suffer by Napalm Death. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybGOT4d2Hs8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybGOT4d2Hs8[/url] My bass teacher used to play guitar with them back in their very early days, so he could teach me, lol! :-) He's not on this one though. [/quote] My reply ended up in Fozza's quote somehow. Just to clarify, dear readers, its my bass teacher who is the Napalm Death guy. (I've had a few ales)

Stand of Hope and Glory (I'm on a roll now!)

Enter Standman

I Wanna Hold Your Stand.

I saw a bloke playing a bass similarly marked up at an open mic recently. He sounded really good, and I had no idea his bass had these marks on until he showed me, as they were behind the neck (similar to how the OP describes it). In some ways it sounds like a good idea - it certainly worked for the guy I saw. You'd come unstuck though if you were having a go on someone else's bass. Or if you were trying to do BV's. It wouldn't work for me for that reason. I look too much at the fretboard as it is, and it does limit which songs I can attempt BV's on.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418043485' post='2626199'] I think you should do [i]For Whom The Bell Tolls[/i] from [i]Ride The Lightning[/i]. [/quote] Cello would sound great! Not sure how the pianist would cope, though!