P-T-P

[quote]What they usually want is to dance.[/quote] And there, in a few simple words, is the prime key to success in choosing songs for a covers/function band. A full dance floor makes such a difference to the band's perspective on the songs they do. Even the most done to death and/or cheesiest numbers become enjoyable if the punters are lapping it up. It also helps if you're a fan of songs. Just because something like Pretty Woman gets butchered up and down the country hundreds of times a week, it doesn't take away the fact that it's a great song. If you play a song like you have to play it 'cause it's what the punters want, you're just a butcher. If you can tap into the song in some way though - the groove, the soul, the spirit, the mood etc. - you're going to help make it fresh again and get so much more enjoyment from playing it. When all's said and done, a live band is at it's peak when making a connection with their audience. Are the audience there specifically to see you? If so, congratulations you're doing something right and don't need to be reading this. More likely for most of us though is that most of the audience is there either because that's where they and their friends always are on a Saturday (Thursday, whatever) night or because they happen to be attending the function you're playing at. They're (hopefully) there to have a good time and the fact your band is there is, at the outset, not of great importance to them but most will happily open the door to the possibility of you entertaining them. If there's an area for dancing, as there surely will be, there's your meal ticket. It's a bit simplistic but if you play songs that make the girls want to dance, the girls will have a good time. If the girls are having a good time, the guys will have a good time. And if, at the end of the night, you play "Lady in Red" and there's couples melting into each other everywhere you look, you've helped make that happen. Whatever they are feeling is, in that moment at least, real. And as every note you play intertwines with what they are feeling, you become part of that moment too. You can't tell me there's no integrity in that.

[quote name='7string' post='204649' date='May 22 2008, 11:02 PM']OK, I'm going to ask a really dumb question, just out of pure curiosity... What separates the Laklands from Fenders ??[/quote] Customer service for starters. The first Laklands I had were a pair of 55-01s from Bass Central in Florida. One came with the Gotoh type tuners that were used on the earlier models, which I wasn't too pleased about. One e-mail to Bass Central and I was put in touch with Lakland who, no questions asked, sent me a set of US Hipshot Ultralites and two packs of strings to compensate for the cost of having them fitted. On the same bass, I found the neck was a little too flexible and got a whole bunch of advice from one of their techs. When I said I still wasn't 100% convinced - though I was wondering if it wasn't more down to me being a bit too grippy with my left hand - they offered to send a brand new neck. Being cheeky, I asked if they could make it a fretless one and they duly obliged and sent a new fretless neck complete with tuners. If you use the contact info on the site, you generally hear back from the boss Dan Lakin and if he can't help directly, you get put in touch with someone who can, but whoever it is will assist you to the best of their abilities. Aside from that, the build quality and consistency is much, much better than Fender's. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Lakland without playing it, I would with a Fender. The materials used for the Skyline basses are on a par with Fender US series instruments I would say. Some of the deluxe basses are a site to behold. None of that means that Lakland are perfect, no company is and it's entirely possible that the one Machines played was a dud, a rare dud, but a dud all the same. Then again, maybe it's partly a personal taste thing too. Lightweight isn't for everyone and the Skylines do vary a fair bit in the weight department, though usually tending more towards the heavy end of the scale. "Pasty" maple possibly isn't to everyone's taste either, I happen to quite like it that way and anyway this will vary from bass to bass, especially with the Skylines where the wood used is not selectively chosen for it's aesthetic qualities. I've had some with a ncie figure to them, some which are quite bland. The low end Fenders and Squiers don't feature much in the way of pearl block inlays and bound necks. No nicely dressed frets, no Hipshot Ultralite tuners or string-thru bridges and they'll have cheap pots on them and most will never, even in the hands of a good tech, set-up as well as a Lakland will. If you look at the US made Laklands, you're into a whole different world completely - choice woods, custom colours, hand built quality etc.

I've got some new skin type stuff which I picked up in the US last year just 'cause I'd heard it was good for this kinda thing. Never actually used it though we have used it a couple of times on small cuts and it hurts like no hurt has ever hurt before when you first put it on. I suspect that on a burst blister it would probably not hurt so badly which would mean you could use a bit more of it, enough to get you through a gig without tearing your finger to shreads at least but I wouldn't like to say it would be pain free as the whole point of the stuff is that it seals the skin enough to stop bleeding/seepage while remaining flexible and leaving your sense of touch in tact. Given that you've burst and picked, you're a bit screwed. Maybe get playing again and get a blister to form then quit and don't play again until it goes down, hopefully leaving a thicker layer of skin it's wake. Bigger head room in the amp department = less force needed in the playing department.

I'm using a T-Bone system. 16 switchable frequencies. That plus a set of Shure SC3s is fantastic. All you'll need is either a travel adapter or a 12v DC power supply (got mine on eBay) and you are sorted for about £250. Sounds great and I wouldn't be without mine.

[quote name='ped' post='200223' date='May 16 2008, 10:25 AM']We should start an IEM club... Why do people bother with rigs on stage, eh? ;0)[/quote] Yeah, I honestly can't recommend them enough. You have to make sure you're using them correctly to get the tone you want to hear and you have to give them a fair crack of the whip and not simply give up after two gigs. It took about 10 gigs to get comfortable wearing them and about another 10 before I could consistenly got the sound I wanted. No looking back now though, on the few occasions where there's been too much interference to be able to use them I've really noticed how much more effort I have to put into my playing, how many of the subtleties and nuances have to get sacrificed and how jaded my ears are when it's all over. Have just acquired a decent road-usable condenser mic which I'm gonna use to add some room ambience to the IEM mix this weekend so quite looking forward to how that will hopefully enhance the experience.

In ear monitoring is the best thing I ever did. I use the Thomann T-Bone IEM system which cost about £165 and a set of Shure SCL-3 (previously used E3c, but these got nicked) which cost about £110. We've enough aux sends on the PA that I can get an individual mix, but failing that the transmitter has L/R phono ins and a seperate line in, both with level control so you could just take the FOH mix into the stereo ins and add a line in from your bass and twiddle the knobs to get a balance you're happy with. No more competing to hear yourself as you'd like which means less digging in when you're playing which means less trouble with cramping and more efficient technique which makes for potentially faster playing. No more ringing ears post-gig and/or tired ears. Does wonders for your singing too 'cause you can hear yourself so much better.

Without fail, once a gig I will misjudge the distance between my noggin and my mic in one of two ways. Either it involves a hasty dash to catch word two of the chorus or being in heads down, no nonsense boogie mode and smacking my noggin on the mic when I come up for air. All 'cause I'm not paying attention to where I am on the stage.

Selling my studio as going to go the computer route. This thing is great, ideal all-in-one solution for quality recordings. Theytend to retail at around £850. £1 starting price and no reserve if anyone fancies a flutter [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330234248723"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=330234248723[/url] Or if someone wants to make me a serious offer send me a PM.

[quote name='Mikey D' post='190761' date='May 2 2008, 06:08 PM']It's a fair comment that you can feel the swing in that pattern, but If that is how I was to practice swing, I would go mad. Maybe he was wondering (as I am) that you wouldn't typically play jazz with that feel, so why would you practice it with that feel!? The emphasis is on 2 and 4, thus it is better to practice with the metronome/drum machine sound/whatever on those beats.[/quote] [quote name='Mikey D' post='190770' date='May 2 2008, 06:13 PM']Exactly, but i think the point is having what is seen as basically a simple rock groove in 4 on the drum machine, while walking along. I know any of my tutors would have words of advice for me if that is how I practiced.[/quote] [quote name='jakesbass' post='190772' date='May 2 2008, 06:14 PM']ah yes Mikey, didn't read the op thoroughly. Cheers Jake[/quote] The point wasn't to say that I would practise swing to that beat at all and I don't believe I said that anywhere! Perhaps I didn't express myself very well. All I said was that I could play it that way. My actual point though was more that a rhythm that is simple, straight (using that term in it's loosest sense) and little more than metronomic only serves as the foundation for what you hear/feel/play. For a very simple example. I could take that beat and play the bass part from Spirit in the Sky and still get the bouncy feel of the original. My drummer friend didn't accept that you can achieve that feel without having all the other rhythmic parts in place. I accept that you aren't going to duplicate the overall feel precisely without duplicating all the contributing parts precisely, but his contention was more that, without them, it's just a beat and someone playing one note per beat on top of it. Have to say Mikey, your response was borderline close to the kind of response that my drummer friend would come up with. Looking a bit to much at the technicalities of it and missing the actual, far more conceptual, point. [quote name='Astronomer' post='190865' date='May 2 2008, 09:15 PM']The way you describe your drummer friend makes him sound like more of a technician, rather than a musician. He has no concept, no imagination, of what might be played over his beat. He has no idea of groove. It's not part of his toolbox. If this is the case, then no, he won't hear/feel a "groove". We, on the other hand, are the next step up from drums (that sounds terrible, but I hope you know what I mean). We listen to a beat, and THEN we can feel the groove because we can imagine and feel what would work on top of it, and THEN we play something over it. I think most bass players, at any level, are more musician than technician, and that is I think what makes the critical difference here. Someone who knows what they're talking about will be along shortly. [/quote] In fairness to him, he does groove well, but he's arrived at where he's at from an almost wholly academic route so his ability to groove comes from deconstruction rather than absorbtion. Give him something to play along with and he picks up the groove great. Try to explain the feel of a song to him, not so great. Tell him he's not getting paid unless he's learned the song properly and he'll come back with charts galore and pretty much nail it exactly like the record first time you play it. [quote name='silverfoxnik' post='190922' date='May 2 2008, 10:52 PM']I'm totally with you on this one Pete - i kind of do the same when sitting in the car and the indicators are flashing... Machines are there to be 'metronomic' and humans are there to put in the feel and the swing.. [/quote] Yes, this is mroe where I'm coming from.

A few years back I was having a conversation with a drummer friend of mine who is annoyingly good for his age, but whose chops have come primarily through formal education and loads of theoretical practice. As good a drummer as he can be, some of the more intangible aspects of performing (in contrast to simply playing) can get him wound up. During this conversation one of these aspects came up and it has bugged me ever since to know whether I was off the mark or talking sense and, if I was making sense, is it a bass player thing that other's just don't get or rather something he just couldn't get. What caused it all was that I said I can listen to a click track playing four beats to the bar or even a simple drum part - eg kick on 1&3, snare 2&4, ride bell on each beat - and play along, quarter notes, and hear/feel the groove swing. He was utterly baffled by this. Am I mad?

Good thread. For my money, there's nothing really wrong with the way the OP is doing it so long as you have the aptitude for learning things that way and prefer a strictly modular approach to your bass playing education. Loads of great suggestions too from others. For the most complete solution, I would recommend looking at a book/books that deal with fingerboard harmony along with harmony and theory or look into lessons with a tutor who can instruct you in these areas, that way you get the best of both worlds all rolled up in one. You'll learn scales, modes, chords (and arpeggios) along with the note names and how they each relate to one another. As I said though, nothing wrong with just learning the names of the notes/frets individually, in fact that's what I did many moons ago. Although doing it this way won't explain to you why sometimes it's a Bb and sometimes it's an A# etc. Even having learned the theory behind the naming of notes, unless I'm thinking in terms of the key of the song, my first instinct is to say F# ahead of Gb, G# ahead of Ab, Bb ahead of A#, C# ahead of Db and Eb ahead of D#.

Could always use a pick which would allow you to mute with your right hand.

First let me say that I've had the pleasure of meeting some of the people who are in the "Pro-introduction" camp - many of whom are also in the "Pro discussion of prices in for sale threads" camp - and I've enjoyed meeting every one of you. Have come close to deals with some others from these two camps too and I think all of you are thouroughly decent chaps. Having said that, I just don't get why these two issues (which tend to go hand in hand), grate you all so much. The For Sale section is of benefit to the whole of the community of users here, not just because we get to sell gear, but also because there's a whole bunch of gear that becomes available for us to buy. As soon as you put a restriction on the selling of gear, no matter how well intentioned, you are going to restrict the amount of gear that is available. Can anyone think of a single case where an item being advertised for sale on here at what most consider a grossly inflated price has actually sold at that price? And if you can think of one, were you the person who bought it? If not, why are you bothered? The buyer, whoever they were, was clearly happy to pay the price. There's plenty of threads on here and resources all over the internet which give an idae of prices and a simple search on Google will reveal the best new prices for most pieces of kit. If someone is not bothered about checking those kind of things out for themselves, why should anyone feel the need to be the guardian of their wallet? I've bought plenty of gear on here and tried to buy plenty of gear on here. On most I've made an offer and if it's accepted great, if not that's fine too. Where someone's valuation of their gear is way out of line with what mine is, I simply wish them luck and move on. Same the other way round where my valuation is higher than theirs. What benefit is there, to anyone, of getting involved, especially if you're not interested in buying the item yourself? It is utterly futile and only serves to get people wound up, yourselves included. Don't like the price? Ignore it. Simple. If you can't help but express an opinion, do it via PM, do it politely and be prepared to be told to mind your own business. Otherwise we might as well draw up an Official Basschat Book of Second Hand Gear Prices, publish it monthly and disallow any ads selling outside the prescribed parameters of the book. Ridiculous? Maybe, but essentially that's what's being advocated. Control. Forcing people to post elsewhere before selling does nothing to help ascertain their credibility, all it does is possibly deter them from joining. That's possibly one less member of the community to bring their insight/experience, one less member to buy whatever you are selling and one less person whose gear won't be up for sale to us all. Yes, lots of people have been part of the community for a long time, but wouldn't the community better be served by you using your time to post a new fingering for a scale or mode or tips you've picked up down the years on settiing up at different venues (which gives me an idea for a thread) or a whole host of other nuggets from your bass playing experience imstead of fretting over who's selling what and for how much? Ultimately, the decision should lie with whoever put in the time and effort to build this place from the ashes of Bassworld. Whatever they decide or have decided to do, should be the end of these issues. Let's get on with being community of bass players whose shared experiences enrich all of our lives and stop worrying about policing things which there is no need to police. For what it's worth, I first came to Bassworld via the For Sale section. If I'd had to introduce myself, I wouldn't have bothered joining, I feel sure I'm not the only one.

Yes, choosing songs is always a long, drawn out process. What's amazing is that we've been successful on the back of playing mainly pop, some soul and an occasoinal rock classic, but for some reason, people still come in and say something like, "I heard "Aces High" on the radio the other night, we should do that one."

Actually the more I think about the whole not learning songs thing the more I realise just how unbelievably disrespectful it is.

God where to start... lol [b]Irritants[/b] Guitarist who brings two of exactly the same (not particularly light) amp to every gig and runs both in tandem (i.e. same settings on both, both in use at all times). Utterly pointless beyond ultra-extreme redundancy (get a POD for f***s sake, or use the singer's amp, if needs be, it's just one gig). Oh yeah, and then he's a bugger for skiving loading and someone else will end up carrying them. Singer who hasn't learned words properly to half the songs we do I've recently realised (verses repeated all over the place). Guitarist who can't always be arsed to check his set-up is on quietly and/or starts pulling leads out because something's not working without turning amp off or lowering volume at least. Singer, who has hands free nearly all evening and need only step a couple of metres to get to the mixing desk and is therefore person in best position to make any changes, complaing that his in ear mix - which only he can hear remember - isn't how he wants it! [b]Constant Annoyances[/b] Pick a couple of tunes to learn, make a rehearsal date. Learn all bass parts, get lyrics (e-mail to singer), prepare chord sheet as a guide, maybe get the tabs and check they're correct (e-mail to guitarist). Listen to songs so many times you know them inside out. Turn up to rehearse. Singer needs to download lyrics of the internet again and is only vaguely familiar with the melody of the song. Guitarist has never heard the song before, "Have you got a copy with you?" Proceeds to play along with it 15 seconds into the intro trying to work out chords. Inevitably gets chords right but not quite. Disputes chord sheet already prepared as doesn't fit with melody singer is singing in places. Defeated. [b]Murderous Rage Enducing[/b] Me: I want to check your mic Them: One, t... bit more upper mid or worse Me: I want to check your mic Them: One, t... it sounds sh*t Anyone suddenly deciding to care about something (usually PA related) after having taken no interest in it's use whatsoever for the previous 50 gigs and then barking instructions at me (or sometimes even making polite suggestions can be enough if the suggestion is particularly stupid). This is frequently compunded by them then asking me "Which is the 'x' knob/fader/button." [b]Warm Fuzzy Feelings[/b] For our drummer who is always a pleasure to play with; will have learned his parts when time comes for him to join rehearsals (he won't come to the chord haggling sessions anymore, don't blame him either); always does more than his share of loading and setting up and nearly always gets the drinks in as he's usually set-up first.

Bought a J-Retro from Matthew and it was a great deal, received the J-Retro very well packed and very quickly.

Steve bought my Tone Factor 442. Paid quickly and was a pleasure to deal with. Would happily do so again.

www.basspartsresource.com is a good place to get Fender (and other) replacement pick-ups. Have bought from there before, uick delivery and nice price. Didn't pay customs either which was a bonus, but obviously no guarantee on that front. If you're dropping in replacements on a MIM jazz, it's worth checking the distance between the centres on the mounting screwholes for both pick-ups. The US Fenders have a slightly larger bridge pick-up and most replacement pick-ups follow that convention. Until recently, the MIM pick-ups were both the same size and a set of Bartolinis I got to put in a MIM Jazz V required some reshaping of the routing, not major work or anything, but I had to sand away a significant mm or two of the polyester laqcuer to be able to fit them. Probably wise to check measurements on any of the cheaper basses before dropping cash on pick-ups that won't fit. While you're at it, it's probably worthwhile spending an extra £20 or so on some decent audio taper pots so you can get the most from those pick-ups.