shizznit

Even though we are a Soul/Funk band we have started to play Ska songs for some daft reason. We played a couple of Mod meet type gigs last year and a couple of Ska songs were requested. Since then we have put 5 or 6 Ska songs in the set. I like Ska and I enjoy playing it, but a lot of folks do get confused when we whip those songs out because they expect us to play Soul and Funk. It's starting to bug me quite a lot and my reservations fall on deaf ears.

I haven't had a metal/rock set up for many years, but once upon a time I was a metal bass player. I used to use Warwick Quad 6 amps which were nice and crunchy and growly when cranked, but I also liked to switch between clean and crunchy. As there was no way of doing that via a channel footswitch I used to run the amps clean and used a DOD Bass Overdrive with the wet/dry at 25% bias to the dry signal and the drive at 50%. That gave me a really nice crunchy undertone when I wanted to dig in and give the bass good ol' fashioned hiding! Finger style or pick, it sounded awesome and it really cut through. [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1331517993' post='1574155'] Marshall Jackhammer pedals are also amazing on bass. [/quote] +1 I had one a few years back and sounded amazing.

Larry Lakland introduced himself to me as Larry 'Lake-land' at the NAMM show 2002, so I will take the pronounciation from the man himself

[quote name='NJE' timestamp='1331304756' post='1571118'] Yes I am very aware that most amp makers use a volume control which gives the illusion of more power by delivering more sound earlier as you turn and then have no increase in volume. I didnt have a thorough comparison between the both amps but I can draw some basic comparisons after using them both at volume. 1. When I increased the volume past half way on my LM2 not a lot happened apart from me losing definition and the amp starting to get woolly and distorted, most of the 'usable' volume was up to half way. 2. When I increase the volume of the EBS past half way it does get louder but less so as you keep turning, BUT the amp stays loud and defined and the volume is 'usable' 4. The EBS is louder at quarter volume and half volume than the Markbass. 3. With volume at half way on both amps the EBS is louder and clearer, past half way and the LM2 would get louder but start to break up and lose low end clarity whereas the EBS doesn't. The LM2 may well be louder if you turn it right up but that distorted, muddy sound was useless. What the EBS can do is go louder and retain a usable tone and that makes it a better more powerful useful amp to me. [/quote] +1 I can testify to that

[quote name='TomKent' timestamp='1331304360' post='1571105'] I don't touch drink till I've finished my gig, even then I usually won't touch the stuff till I'm packed up. I won't book anyone to anything if they drink before they gig, I book people to be 'on it', not 'nearly on it'. I know some people drink before a gig because it relaxes them, but it doesn't work for mee. [/quote] +1

From what Ralph @ EBS said to me is that most D-class amps will carry a poweramp limiter and that's why they will run out of steam quicker. The Reidmar doesn't have one.

Most demo's at shows I have seen often involve a lot of slappage. I guess it's a bit more entertaining that repeating 12 bar blues licks for 30mins. Would you give much attention to Guy Berryman doing a demo? I guess that's why manufacturers invite their funk artists along to give a bit more enterainment and grab your attention a bit more. I dunno...I may be wrong. Ever since I saw a demo on a Chapman Stick that slappy stuff doesn't impress me as much as it used to.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1331297406' post='1570935'] Sadly I'm not keen on Ovaltine. What about hot chocolate? Actually scratch that, I don't think it would help my vocal chords...;-). [/quote] I met a singer from a band that I supported at TJ's @ Newport one night that drank Night Nurse before going on stage!? That's the weirdest one I have ever come across.

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1331301713' post='1571045'] I bought a Mex Jazz bass from E bay a couple of years ago, played it for a while and then sold it onto Donnboy before he was a member of this fine forum. About a year later I put a Tbird pro up for sale and Donny got in touch and wanted to buy it. Rather than a cash deal he asked if I wanted the Jazz back and so we agreed the swap. He came down and we exchanged them, so I had my old Jazz back. 24 hours later Donny is back on the blower asking if he could get the Jazz back and he would give me the 250 I was looking for the Tbird originally. No problem as he loved it more than I did. So all in I owned the Jazz for 48 hours after getting it back. Is this a record or can you do better? Jez [/quote] Blimey! The last time I traded like that was with my Paninni football cards at school!

[quote name='ade' timestamp='1331297894' post='1570947'] Just humming away. No buzz or whine to indicate anything faulty. I owned a small Markbass combo and the fan on that was almost inaudible. [/quote] Yeah, I have to admit that the Reidmar is a bit noisier than the LMIII amp I had before it. But, I still think my HD350 cooling fan is louder. Just wish that I have a Fafner to compare it against (you lucky dog you!)

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1331296410' post='1570906'] How did you find the Glock vs MEC 2 band in the streamer? I think overwater preamps are made by John East? May be wrong on that... [/quote] I had to edit that post because I didn't realise I didn't finish my sentence! I liked the Glock quite a bit. I was playing in a rock band at the time and the tone I got from that bass was almost identical to Mike Starr (Alice In Chains), which is one of the best rock bass tones IMHO. Sounded awesome! The output signal was daft though for a 9v system. I found myself using a Boss compressor/limiter first in my affects chain to calm it down. It was one heck of an animal with fresh strings! I found myself trying to use that bass througout the gig if I could because as soon as I plugged in another bass the affect was so noticable. I think the Overwater pre-amps are provided by John East, but to Chris' spec and design. Lawrence tells me that electronics is Chris' forte and there's a bit of magic going on when Chris is working on a bass.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1331294745' post='1570873'] Is it as good as this tone though...? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUrH4NrqIjw&feature=related[/media] [/quote] I loved that performance when it was aired! There's only one Wilko!

Finally decided on a top! Jon found this one and I really like it... [attachment=102068:burl_goahead.jpg] He said that the gloss lacquer will darken it quite a bit which will give us a nice contrast between the top and the swamp ash. The swamp ash hasn't been selected yet, but once you have seen one you have seen them all! Not really fussed about that because you really won't see much of it head on anyway. It's there just to give me the tone I want...nothing else. Jon told me this morning that he has reserved a few boards of outrageously pretty bird eye maple a couple of days ago from his timber supplier...one of which he thinks will match the top perfectly, so as soon as he send me a pic of that I will post it.

When listening to older recordings bare in mind that mixing desks were very different to how they are today and that also contributes to the tone of the instruments. Old tube mixing desks have a very distinct sound compared to a digital desk. I have used the infamous 'Duggan Desk' at the Atrium in Cardiff a few times and my amp takes on whole different personality when going through it. There's a small Ashdown rig at that studio and sounds awesome through that desk and I quite often use that because it just sounds right somehow. Compressors back then were also quite a new technology in a recording studio and quite vulgar and basic. It was all or nothing. I guess on these songs it was there to produce a bit more muscle. My fav band that could produce that fullness and punch with just using their instruments, mics, desk and tape were Mountain. Take a listen to their album Climbing. You would never guess it was recorded in 1970! Without going into an anologue v digital debate, some recording methods in the olden days are very hard to emulate unless you use the same kit and techniques that were used back then. I love ProTools and Logic as much as the next, but I will never get the same sound as that Duggan Desk and it's a fruitless endeavour trying to do so.

I like 3-band pre-amps that sound great completely flat...as close to a passive tone as possible. If I have to start making huge sweep or cuts on the EQ to get a decent tone it turns me off the bass immediately. Having a switchable mid-frequency control is very useful too when you are in the studio. I much prefer to set my amp up pretty flat and control my tone from the bass. I don't set my gain on the amp to the edge of peaking just so that I can have enough movement to tweak the EQ on the bass without overloading the amp. My fav pre-amp for years has been Bartolini because they have a very flat response and very clean. They have a weird EQ curve though. Nice and subtle cut and boost for about a 1/4 turn and then wallop! Playing around in that area is a lot of fun and I can get some outrageous tones. Great pre-amps and very dynamic. I really like the MEC pre-amps on Warwick basses too. I think the best spec is the 2-band EQ pre-amp. I actually swapped out the 3-band that was installed in my Streamers for the 2-band because I preferred them. The exotic woods that Warwick use have a lot of natural mid bark and doesn't need much boosting, but cutting the mids with a 3-band just didn't sound all that great to me and I found the bass a bit too lively (farty, tuba sounding) when boosting them. The low end shape on these pre-amps are mental...so tight...I love em! Warwick installed a Glock on my Dolphin and that was just pure rock evil! Very, very gutsy sounding pre-amp! It really fitted my needs at the time. The pre-amp on my old Overwater Progress III was probably my fav. Crystal clear, sensitive and uncoloured. It wasn't the loudest pre-amp I have ever used and I had to crank the gain on the amp quite a bit, but it sounded gorgeous. The high end didn't take your head off when cranked all the way, the mid control was incredibly balanced and the low end was as tight as a snare drum. A beautiful piece of electronic engineering by Chris May. I am switching to a Seymour Duncan pre-amp for my Shuker build that's in progress. I haven't had a lot experience with these pre-amps and I feel that I am taking a bit of gamble, but Jon is pretty confident I will like it. A bit more perkier than a Bart pre-amp, but he said that the sweeps are very similar in nature. Looking forward to hearing the results!

I played with a band for a short time when I was living in Dallas and they always took the mick out of me for bringing a flask of sweet tea to the gig! A nice, hot brew before going on stage is bliss!

[quote name='ade' timestamp='1331245341' post='1570374'] Just taken delivery of the Reidmar, very impressive indeed and I must say, very similar sounds to that of my EBS Fafner head. Only thing is the cooling fan seems quite loud, not in a faulty way but possibly because the unit is so small. It'll get drowned out once I start playing. I've emailed EBS to check this is normal as the Fafner is very quiet in comparison, but then it's a hell of a lot bigger and more expensive. [/quote] When I A/B'd the Reidmar with my HD350 the fan was quieter on the Reidmar. I record with the Reidmar instead of the HD350 now because it is a bit quieter. I have never owned a Fafner so I can't comment on how loud the fan is, but the Reidmar cooling fan is tiny in comparison to my HD350. Is it buzzing or just really whiney?

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1331283681' post='1570638'] Actually, I used to record gigs. The gigs where I was completely sober invariably had far more mistakes than the ones where I'd had a few drinks. See my thread on stagefright. ;-) Of course, YMMV. [/quote] There's better ways to remedy stagefright without resorting to alcohol. Ovaltine is very good!

This topic reminds me when I recorded a demo EP with a previous act. When we were tracking the drums we went down to Asda’s and picked up two slabs of Wife Beater to drink in the studio. We recorded guide tracks for a drummer which he worked on over a couple of days until his job was done. My tracks were next. I went to the studio the following day and when I listened to the drums playing along with the guide tracks it was so sloppy. Timing was out, wrong chords and a lot of very basic mistakes. The drums were ok though and right on the click. Our engineer for that recording is a close friend of ours and gave us a cut rate to record the EP. Because he's a mate he doesn't sugar coat anything either! Me - "Wow...it sounded great on Monday when we were all in here. What happened?" Him - "You might have thought so, but you were all p***ed as farts" Me - "Duke did a great job to play along to that. How?" Him - "With great difficulty. We were here from 10am-10pm over the past couple of days just to record 4 drum tracks. Your guide tracks were more or less unusable" Me - "Why are his tracks bang on then?" Him - (with quite a bitter tone in his voice) "I was here until 5.30 this morning quantising his drums...I haven't had any sleep yet" He looked like he got pulled out of the bottom of a lake by a frogman. I felt really bad. Jeff recorded my bass tracks that day with very little tolerance and patience and there was one heck of a foul atmosphere during the session. From that day forward I vowed never to drink on the job, especially in a studio where time is money. Moral of the story? Booze gives you a delusion of grandeur. You don't sound as good as you think!

Soft drinks only for me. Only two pints is enough to losen my concentration and I end up playing like a tool. If I have two gigs back to back I don't drink at all, even after the gig. I can't play when I am hung over. I will never stop or judge any musician having a drink during the performance, but folks have good memories. If you fail to perform because your bladdered, tripping or both don't be surprised you won't get a call back. The rock 'n' roll big I am behaviour doesn't impress folks much these days.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1331223334' post='1569785'] Is it acceptable for a pro musician to drink? [/quote] [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1331223871' post='1569795'] Can of worms officially opened! [/quote] Agreed. Start a new thread Tim and we can all pitch in to keep the OP of this thread in context. There will be plenty of replies on that topic, I am sure!

[quote name='razze06' timestamp='1331217568' post='1569622'] I thought Aguilar is pronounced Ah-ghee-lar, like it would be in spanish [/quote] Yup...it is, which I didn't know until a few months ago. I have been pronouncing it Ag-wa-lar for years!

Aguilar always seems to get mispronounced. Warwick pronounced by an American always cheeses me off.

[quote name='fluffo' timestamp='1330944643' post='1564975'] A good day out although that Nigel Clutterbuck was nothing short of a pain in the arse, Not only was he doing his usual percusive nonesence that was way to loud, that aint bass playing ,don't get me wrong I love a bit of slap but do it as it is intended, he didn't even stay on his own stool he tried other stuff on the other stools and was just generally polluting everybody elses space. I bet if you sat him down and said I don't know er "play Dock of the bay" you would see a blank face. Not a good ad for Rotosound. I spoke to Jason on the Roto stand and said "why do you bring him?". [b]I wanted to get him a warwick t shirt with the big W on it, I thought it could stand for something else for the day.[/b] Has anyone ever seen him play in a band or with anyone else, No well that says something!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A great day ruined by a NOB!!!!!!!!!!!! [/quote] That's why I stopped wearing mine!

I love that 'Tony Montana' look! - "Say hello to my little friend!!" My male vocalist does an amazing impression...could be the way forward for us!