BigRedX

What's a home screen?

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1507903960' post='3388713'] Windows 10 should be the same as windows 10 on a PC Providing the tablet has the capabilities then look at programs rather than "apps", think of it as a laptop rather than a pad. To that end you have at your disposal some quite powerful bits of kit (providing the tablet can run them, usually there's free trials), ableton lite might be worth a look for live performance [/quote] If it is a standard Windows 10 machine in a tablet form that will make a difference. However because it is designed as tablet rather than a laptop you may find it is rather under specified for music. Do you know how much RAM and storage you have? From the reviews I've seen it could be a little as 2GB of RAM which is woefully inadequate for most music apps. What ports does it have? I'd hope for at least USB 2.0 or better. The main disadvantage you find will be cost since you will be looking at "program" prices rather than "app" prices.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1507892466' post='3388582'] As above. I use iPad for synths (iM1, iProphet etc.), backing tracks (iReal pro) and recording and looping (Cubasis, Loop Tree). There are endless apps in Apple's app store and I'm sure Google Play. However as yours is running Win 10 you might not have access to any decent apps. Every time I look for specific apps in Microsoft's app store there is never anything there. Just this week I read Microsoft are giving up on apps as they couldn't persuade any companies to make apps for their system. [/quote] Unless Google have significantly improved the timing issues in Android over the past year, I think your only real solution for a Tablet for music is an iPad. Music apps are all timing critical. As musicians we can hear a timing discrepancy as subtle as 10ms. Therefore everything needs to happen within 10ms of when it is supposed to. For most apps timing is nowhere near as critical and even for games only some actions will be timing critical while others have far more leeway, For a music application whether it be a composing tool/DAW like Garageband or a virtual instrument almost every action needs to happen exactly on time. That needs to be built in to the OS. AFAIK that means iOS.

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1507893686' post='3388600'] Coz it means cold, dark, evil winter is on it's way with Haloween, Guy Fawkes Night and Christmas poop! [/quote] You are weird.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1507881732' post='3388467'] I use an iPad to run Korg Gadget (which is now on my phone). It's a great bit of kit. I also use it for just storing music related things, like chords, score & lyrics. [/quote] AFAICS the Korg Gadget is just for Mac and iOS. And that I think will be your problem if your Tablet runs Windows. Most decent music software for tablets is for iOS. Last time I looked there were timing problems on the other Tablet OSs (especially Android) which rendered most music composition software or instruments useless. I'd have a look at the Windows equivalent of the Apple App store and see what is available.

Why do we need cheering up? What do you have against autumn?

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1507763119' post='3387876'] In my experience the gigs full of drunken idiots are few and far between. Most 'music pubs' are not like that at all. You would feel completely at home at all the gigs I do these days. [/quote] When I played covers the drunken idiots were also few and far between, but then we mostly played charity events with audiences that appeared to consist almost entirely of friends and family of the other band members. However since then I've been to see several covers bands play what I would assume are more "normal" pub gigs because I know people in the bands. Most of the audience ignored them and those that didn't used the presence of a live band as a excuse to act like dicks. And these weren't what I would consider to be "rough" pubs.

With all those non-reversible mods it's now a players instrument rather than an investment piece. If you're not going to play it regularly then it's probably not for you.

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1507715915' post='3387374'] I'd need to carry spare powercon to IEC cables for anything which might end up plugged into the rack strip, and the Visual Sound One-Spot power supply couldn't be plugged into it. Three-pin outs are far more useful and flexible. [/quote] If you have the One-Spot connected to your rack mounted power distribution unit, I hope you have it either glued permanently into place or at least held firmly in using cable ties or similar. Because the "earth" prong is there only to open the live and neutral shutter on the mains socket, it is slightly undersized which means that the PSU doesn't sit tightly in the socket like a standard 13amp plug. Mine vibrated loose mid way through a set killing the power to my wireless receiver at the front of my signal chain and the Thumpinator at the end. Because of where it was in the rack, it was impossible to reach to plug back in without requiring a screwdriver to remove the distribution board. So I played the rest of the set with all my effects disabled and the bass connected directly to the amp. As soon as I had found and bought an alternative the One-Spot was replaced with a PSU that connected via a standard 13amp plug and which has been faultless. By the time I came make the change the One-Spot had already started to work its way out of the socket again. Proceed with caution.

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1507721282' post='3387417'] I actually thought DV247 were based in the UK, so that threw me, but I guess they can probably ship from anywhere. [/quote] [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1507721418' post='3387420'] +1 ... I had no idea they were German. [/quote] DV haven't been a UK concern for their mail-order activities for quite a few years now. [url=http://theeccentricblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/digital-village.html]This makes very interesting reading about the situation[/url] and will hopefully make people re-consider using them, in light of their overall attitude.

With the right set up and amplification you can more "conventional" bass sounds out of the bass VI. There was a band who supported the Terrortones and couple of years back whose bass player had one, and if I hadn't seen that he was using a Bass VI, I wouldn't have known that it wasn't a "normal" bass guitar. You definitely need to shim the neck the increase the break angle over the bridge and fit strings with a heavier low E and A to get the best out of the Fender/Squier versions, then you might also want to change the bridge. None of this is cheap. When the Bass VI was selling for around £300 they were good value, now they are closer to £400 with all the modifications that need to made out of the box, the attraction is less obvious.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1507664187' post='3387150'] I take it your not a supporter of local live music? Blue [/quote] I know that this comment wasn't aimed at me, I feel the need to reply. It irks me that people assume because you are a musician that you like all kinds of music. I got into playing because although I do like music, the stuff I really like (i.e. the music I like enough to want to buy it on record CD etc.) is fairly rare and if I didn't write and play it myself there would be even less of what I considered interesting music. I'm all for supporting my local live music scene, so long as it is putting on music that I actually want to hear. Otherwise it can "go and do one". I certainly have no interest in going to see bands churning out covers as a soundtrack for drunken idiots in pubs looking for a fight. It is also unfortunate that the few local bands whose music I do currently enjoy are boring to watch live and little idea of what makes an entertaining live show.

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1507572667' post='3386445'] Its the string spacing that I'm most concerned about really. I'm a pretty good finger picker on guitar and that was the angle I was thinking of, but it'd more useful if I could swap between finger style bass and finger picked. I did dredge through YouTube and almost to a man they use a pick and treat it as a low tuned guitar rather than a bass with some interesting chord and drone options. [/quote] After failing originally to get on with my Squier VI I went back to my 1960s Burns Sonic short-scale bass and found it far more useful from both a sonic and playing PoV for two notes chords and drone string bass lines. If I just want very down-tuned guitar options the baritone guitar is far more versatile.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1507291374' post='3384542'] It might be worth checking what software the uni actually uses before you splurge out either way (apologies if you already have) ProTools is now on a monthly license and would mean that you're not tied to a mac if you're not that way inclined. Also question whether a laptop is essential, will a desktop potentially work? [/quote] I personally wouldn't touch ProTools with a bargepole until they drop the iLok requirement. I appreciate that copy protection is probably a requirement, but the company behind iLok are simply too unreliable for a supposedly professional piece of software.

You need to phone Bernie. He doesn't "do" email.

I have the Squier VM version, which I've been playing off an on for the past year and a bit. Despite now playing in two post-punk/goth influenced bands I still haven't been able to find a real use for it. If I want a bass guitar type of sound all my bass guitars even the other short scale ones sound better; if I want a low pitched guitar type sound my Harley Benton Baritone guitar is more comfortable to play. For me the biggest obstacle to getting something useable out of mine is the typical Fender narrow neck. All my standard guitars are noticeably wider at the nut, and that coupled with the thicker than guitar strings means that the string spacing is just too uncomfortable for me to get used to. I'd happily own another Bass VI type instrument if it had a 42+mm nut and some more substantial sounding pickups like a set of Burns Tri-Sonics. Unfortunately the Fender/Squier versions simply isn't the Bass VI for me. Mine will be on eBay shortly... Also being a guitarist I have no problem playing with a pick and IMO to get the best out of it you do need to be able to use a pick. However a guitar finger picking type technique works almost as well, and if you really can't get on with a pick you should try to master that as an alternative.

[quote name='subaudio' timestamp='1507559708' post='3386341'] This is all great stuff folks, thank you all very much It's for a mini dissertation and I needed other opinions than my own. You've really helped me out so thanks again [/quote] We'll be reporting you to your college/university for plagiarism ;-)

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1507549191' post='3386205'] I've not heard anything yet which produces the low end pulse of a rhythm section better than a bass guitar and drums. There have been plenty of attempts, but none have come close in my opinion. Music tends to go full circle at various rates. In the 80s it was suggested that electric guitars were being ousted by synths and keyboards, but that was just another fad. [/quote] While the feel of human musicians is generally better and more quickly captured in a recording than trying to program the same thing, the sounds are undeniably less good.

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1507550860' post='3386229'] Hey not knocking it, each to there own, Mr Sociable. [/quote] If I want to be sociable, I'm happy to have a conversation with the telly off. On the rare occasions that I actually want to watch TV I don't want to be continually interrupted so I miss important bits of the plot or dialog.

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1507546791' post='3386162'] Not if you simply plug it into a good Hi-Fi system, like I do. [/quote] I simply use a pair of non-bassy headphones. My experience of "family" TV viewing both as a kid and as an adult, is that it is an excuse for others to talk all the way through anything that you want to watch, which is why my prefer method of watching is by myself on a small screen with headphones on and no distractions.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1507542744' post='3386107'] Yes. [/quote] No

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1507462303' post='3385557'] Thanks G I emailed Ashdown late last night and [size=5]got a reply!![/size] I've been invited to send the head into their headquarters in Essex where they'll service and repair the head [size=5]Free of charge!! [size=4]Love it when I get proper service especially as I haven't even given them any money - they're just protecting their reputation.[/size][/size] [size=5][size=4]I'll keep you all apprised.[/size][/size] [/quote] You lucky bastard! When my Superfly amp developed this problem (mine manifested as an inability to switch on in the first place) alongside the high pitched whining problem, Ashdown simply did not want to know. They fobbed me off with several excuses before stopping answering my emails altogether. In the end I binned the amp as it was too unreliable to use in any circumstances and unsellable in that condition. IMO they have done nothing to protect their reputation. They'd need to be giving me an awful lot of free stuff before I would ever consider using anything that said Ashdown on it again.

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1507300496' post='3384632'] Tried that. Hate watching TV on screen smaller than the ones back in the 50s. Nothing like a 50" widescreen with a good sound system. [/quote] A decent sized lap top screen from a couple of feet away has the same impact as a big screen on the other side of the room with the added advantage that you're not forever twisting your neck to side from one side of the screen to another. Most sound systems IME are terrible. The "surround" sound is over directional, bass is massively pumped up and all they seem to do is make the explosions sound impressive while drowning out the dialog. Actually this might be an advantage so you can't tell just how terrible the script is. IME watching on a small screen means that you concentrate on the actual story and not on the spectacle which has got to be a good thing.

I got rid of my TV in 2010 and TBH I haven't missed it in the slightest. Anything I want to watch gets watched on my laptop when I feel like it and not when the broadcaster thinks I should be watching it. I also didn't have a TV for most of the 80s, due to the fact that I simply couldn't afford one, and if I had any spare cash it would have been used to buy more synths not a TV.

Should there be a law saying that you can't mention Christmas until the day after Bonfire Night? But in answer to the OP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e874vKfYfuU