ironside1966

Just bought his Aphex Punch factory, Bargain Nice easy Transaction, a really great Guy to deal with. thanks , Dave!! Regards John

Thanks for the advice I have a good understanding of harmony, modes I know what they are but not really how to use them. Played bass along time I even got grade 8 double bass when I was a teenager. Never needed to solo much and if I did I relied on slap, good all slap( a bit on technique can take a little talent along way)

What’s a good place to start with jazz solos Is it a 12 bar using the blues scale? Anybody know any chops to get started

I use Cubass and have been happy with it for a long time. Most of the popular DAWS are of much the same stranded, it is the sound card / audio interface that determines the quality as well as the quality of the microphones and pre amps also the acoustic environment. I have Pro tools Le and Cubase but end up using cubase most of the time becouse I know it quite well. also Cubase seem more stable on PC but the thing that really puts me off Pro Tools is that unless you buy the big one it lacks plug in delay compensation so your tracks can go out of time when using lots or complex plugins. If you are worried you are missing out on something don't be, the results are down to you not the program

[quote name='silddx' post='586882' date='Sep 1 2009, 08:45 PM']I have to say, no disrespect, but you say keep it simple and 30 minutes with three songs. Then you say questionnaires, photoshoot, comment forms .. Firstly, by the time that's over with, you'd be left with three bars of Flight of the Bumblebee in double time. Secondly, no-one I've ever heard of has ever been to an audition like that, have you? Thirdly, I would walk out immediately thinking I'd NEVER want to play with people like that. Audition anyone who asks for one, the great ones will stay in your head, no mistake. If they're all sh*t, repeat the process.[/quote] The auditions that I am used too tended to attract quite a few candidates. From a busy covers bands prospective 30 mins is plenty of time but maybe add 10mins turnaround time, if peple have lernt their parts, if not then they are the wrong people.. The second audition tended to be less formal and more time to get to know them. Photos and questionnaire are just a memory aids.

My advice would be keep it simple and professional stay sober. Make sure the musicians auditioning get the information and a copy of the tracks in plenty of time. 3 Songs, allow 30 minute pick the songs to show case what you are looking for Make a short questionnaire for them to fill in on arrival, name Age, where you live, gear, previous experience, you know the sort of thing Maybe take a digital camera to put a face to the form, make comment forms for your band to fill in.

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I am only having a bit of phun with you

[quote name='Bay Splayer' post='585292' date='Aug 30 2009, 06:35 PM']the band were called [b]chic[/b]...not [b]chic[color="#000000"]k[/color][/b] also, the song is good time[b][color="#000000"]s[/color][/b]...not good time [size=1]*[i]note to self...must stop being so pedantic[/i]*[/size][/quote] Bass Lines that everyone plays different Here are a couple that I have noticed Hit me with Your rhythm stick- Ian Dury Good times – Chic Come on come over - Jaco most people go for something like the version in bass lines by Joe Hubbard but I am sure that is way out. The run in Black velvet - Alanis Miles Sure there are loads more Still don’t know what you mean

[quote name='Bay Splayer' post='585272' date='Aug 30 2009, 06:06 PM']it`s Chic [/quote] Chick Don’t know what you mean.

Bass Lines that everyone plays different Here are a couple that I have noticed Hit me with Your rhythm stick- Ian Dury Good times – Chic Come on come over - Jaco most people go for something like the version in bass lines by Joe Hubbard but I am sure that is way out. The run in Black velvet - Alanis Miles Sure there are loads more

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Make sure you can play in time and your playing is tight. Do you groove? Do you make great note choices? Learn to play walking lines Speed and taping a great for the music shop but not much use in a band

Some good advice here, I do like Dave Marks I think he explains things well I have seem countless bass players in my time many of the good even great , but I am talking about those really exceptional ones that make you go Wow I think it must be a natural talent that they have which must show itself earlier is hard work and dedication enough otherwise there would be more players like that.

Old dogs and new tricks Although I am a firm believer in you never stop learning. Is it possible for someone who has been playing along time to go from a good standard to a really high stranded?

[quote name='teej' post='575779' date='Aug 20 2009, 04:51 PM']I get all this, I really do - but what they need is an angle, more than backing tracks: even with BTs, they'll still need something to mark themselves out as different and memorable.[/quote] Hey we agree on something at last Using BT’s is not going to solve all their problems but they may help them, they do need to find their strengths and something to make them unique and memorable. They want to move forward playing contemporary pop if they have good vocals and harmonies then this might be the right way forward but they need to put on a good show this is just as important as how the band sounds All this takes a lot of thought and hard work.

[quote name='teej' post='575747' date='Aug 20 2009, 04:29 PM']Well, excuse me, but I got the impression that they weren't paying the OP enough ££ [/quote] Looks like we have got are wire crossed The guy wants to get out of the cheap dog and duck type gigs and move on to the better paid venues for cover bands, but these well venues want a band to sound good and entertain. The audiences in these venues don’t care if you use tracks or not they want songs the can recognize to sound like they should and believe me there are some good bands competing for the really good money gigs. Also the kind of tracks a band would use its totally different it’s like having a keyboard player that’s all

“That's kind of my point - suggesting ways to get out of playing in venues like that”. What’s wrong with venues like that? How spontaneous will a cover band? allow in any case most band I know are spontaneous in prearranged places and rigid in others. There are ways you can allow cord sequence say for a solo to go on as long as you want. You can juggle or play any song you want, you can keep going as long as you want. Personally I like a slick band and losing the baggage can be a good thing who wants to listen to a guitarist w**k of all night.

A lot of the criticism seems to come from people in niche market bands where backing tracks would be inappropriate, but people should realize that there is a market out there for good up-to-date cover bands and to do that you need the help of tracks, okay there are more rockier songs in the charts, but the world is full of rock bands. I have worked across the Uk and Europe mainly working with cover and tribute bands Successful cover bands don’t please musicians they please your average punters Once you get away from the dog and duck type venue People want to hear songs that sound like the record and not other arrangements it is all right for one or two songs and even great for a original band to do it. I live in Yorkshire and have seen bands try their own clever arrangements when the audience expects a cover band, all you got from the audience was a constant shouting play something we know. As for personal development backing is used a lot in the pro would so it is good to at least understand in and another experience you have and something you can bring to your next band should it be required. Here what I don’t get A band wants to play contemporary songs ala Beyonce, Sugababes, Rihanna the singer thinks that she can sing them well, that band thinks that the can play the well also but to do that you need the help of backing, Done well there is work out there people want to listen to that music and don’t care if there are tracks involved or not. Yes they could rework the songs but this might not be as successful. So what is everybody’s problem? the only downside is that they may never get invited to play at a bass chat bash. Get out of the dark ages It’s a big would out there with room for diversity, you may not like the band or what they are doing but respect the right for them to do it. Good luck with band Tradfusion make your decision on what’s right for the band and not anyone else if I can help PM me

Yes I see what you mean the FX are still stereo What I normal do is bounce the click first than add the track for that reason, but to save time I quickly panned and did it in one take Sorry no I have no band recordings as I did this for another band

I thought I might post a version of a track I did a few years ago As you can see it is not karaoke You could use a DAT ,minidisk, hard disk or any player that gives good quality signal output, but it must be a secure connection. click side to a small amp then to the headphones for the drummer, the other to the PA The other option is you could use a hard disk multi track recorder or ADAT so you can separate the sounds say piano, strings or brass, lead plus click. If you get some someone to do them for you ask them to send them you as individual tracks and mix them yourself Another option is to buy a work station like the Roland JV 2080 and buy the midi files and use midi live, the plus side is that it is very flexible and you could even program your lights or change FX units but it can be unreliable

I don't think that people understand what playing with tracks is If you have a keyboard play he may play some string parts, brass stabbs or Piano Tracks are jut the same but are pre recorded they dont take over the sound any more then a real keyboard player would.

[quote name='Tradfusion' post='574294' date='Aug 19 2009, 03:20 PM']So the majority of you guys think backing tracks are complete sh**e! I have never really gone to hear a band using them to be honest so I suppose that would be a good idea... our little 4 piece is'nt bad as we are, so maybe it is a re-thinking of the set list and that, our vocalist is female and she keeps picking songs that suit her voice and that she fancies herself, alot of them are fairly contemporary ala Beyonce, Sugababes, Rihanna etc so thats where we sound pretty twee with just the 1 guitar, bass and drums. Stuff like Blondie, Pretenders, Fleetwood mac etc we can horse out and they sound fine... we were trying to include some of the recent hits because people keep asking for them. As for the extra musician, we are on a set fee for the pub gigs and if we bring someone else on board we have another cut in the already (IMO) paltry fee, we have other gigs like weddings etc where we can afford a keyboard player and its great, makes all the difference... Oh well, back to the drawing board.. [/quote] Here is the choice Play the songs that you do well and the vocalist can doing well which sounds like the would go down well with the audience. Get more, better gigs plus more money or listen to the luddites. stick with songs that your singer doesn't want to sing and that audience has heard a thousand times before and stay where you are.