P-T-P

On the click track not being essential... ...yes and no. If there are parts of a song where there is no rhythm to follow, unless you all have a very solid internal clock, overdubs can be tricky or end up needing to be chopped about a bit which all takes up time so it's good to have a reference. And that kinda leads neatly on to playing with a click/metronome. Personally I would never advocate thinking of it as a strict measure of time anyway - though obviously it is - it should be treated as a framework, a skeleton that the body of the song is built around. Maybe the song is a taut and nimble little minx, maybe it's a big fat momma, using a click well prevents neither from coming into being.

+1 on knowing the material inside out before you get there +1 on click track practice for the drummer, comfort here is essential If you're using a click track, everyone (vocalists especially) should be able to play/sing with it to a reasonable degree. If you can, put a bit of time aside before the record button is pressed each day/session to just play together - get yourselves warmed up and comfortably in the groove. Singers generally don't deliver well if they have to do take after take after take so have the words printed out in clear type and in easy view, even if they know the words perfectly as that will hopefully eliminate one of the main causes of having to do a re-take. Make sure there's a plentiful supply of water/tea/strepsils/honey or whatever it is works for them on hand. Think through potential problem areas of songs and how you'll address them when it comes to recording, make sure everyone is on the same page as to the solution. If someone keeps making the same mistake, just step away from the process and forget about it for a few, try not to pressure them by going over what they should be doing, chances are they know already, you pointing things out isn't going to help. Always be positive, especially when it coems to the vocal takes. Confidence is key here. If someone delivers a crap take, they'll know, just ask them how they felt about it and give them the opportunity to redo it if they aren't enthusiastic about the take.

Steinbergers only to be played at McDonalds during Oktoberfest? SX basses only to be played in white stilettoes? Ashdown's popularity up since the smoking ban? Stingray's only to be used while following proper precautions and yelling "Crikey!" ESP's only to be played if you can feel their presence? Encore's only suitable for repeat performances? Buzzard basses exclusively for people called Leighton.

If I'm buying, it's worth about 25% less than the asking price and if I'm selling it's gonna be at least 50% of the difference between what you've just offered and what I originally asked for more than what you offered! lol Joking aside, the only thing you can do is look around and see what similar items are selling for (not the asking price, the selling price). Failing that, if you're selling, sell it for what it's worth to you and be prepared not to make a sale and if buying, pay what your prepared to pay and be prepared not to make a purchase.

Hmmm, doesn't sound like something I'd want to risk just going on opinion. From my experience, the biggest problem with the Low B on many basses is that they often don't sound like they belong to the same bass as the other 4 strings and the only time I've not noticed that is on basses with a longer scale length than standard 34". I have very small hands and have no problems with the 35" scale on my Lakland 5s. However, on the JO5 I used to own, the extra length was more obvious because of the way the bass sat on a strap. Compared to a DJ5, the JO5's bridge is about an inch further form the edge of the bass, hence when it was on a strap, fret one was an inch further away than I was used to. The extention of the upper horn will also make a difference in the way the overall length of the neck feels, the longer the upper horn, the closer the nut will be. The extended scale length of 35" over 34" I've never really noticed in terms of distance between the frets and that makes sense as we're talking about a very small distance increase on each fret. Like you, I don't like the TRB 5 and 6 necks or the Warwick ones. I don't like the Fender ones either. I did however like the one on my Status 5 (offset oval profile) and I was quite partial to the neck on OldGit's Shuker P5 which, IIRC, was based on an Ibanez BTB-5 neck. In the end, the conclusion I've come to for me is that the profile of the neck and the way the bass sits on a strap is far more important to me than the scale length. Maybe Mr. Shuker could comepensate for the extra scale length by placing the bridge as far back as possible and/or drawing out the top horn by an inch or so. Maybe a shallower profile on the neck and closer string spacing at the nut would combine to give you the tonal benefits of 35" scale but with sufficient comfort. Interestingly, Lakland also make a point about the arrangement of the pegs on their 5 string headstocks with a full 2" between nut and Low B, plus their hefty string retainer right behind the nut. How much they contribute to the tone I have my doubts, but might be another consideration to make.

[quote name='Mikey D' post='156884' date='Mar 13 2008, 05:54 PM']Of course it was well intentioned, I see the forum as a place for learning and only answer if I know something about a subject (I wish only everyone did this), if they wanted to read more they can, they don't have to.[/quote] Yeah, didn't mean to sound like I was having a go if that's how it came across. I agree it would be nice if more people contributed (myself included), just think the additional info might confuse matters more than it might help! [quote name='thedontcarebear' post='157218' date='Mar 14 2008, 09:28 AM']I am amazed this thread is still going![/quote] Yeah, look what you started.

[quote name='Broken Hero' post='156675' date='Mar 13 2008, 01:00 PM']In theory you can quite happily have the key of D#... sure it is Eb but it's a different way of thinking and I have come across it in an audition before.. it is just a shift in thinking. The circle of fifths eliminates the need for double-sharps but they certainly exist in music theory. Maybe it does confuse the matter but hey, I'll stick to my guns and may be shot down.[/quote] Theoretically of course, but it's the kind of thinking that, IMHO, makes people turn their nose up at learning music theory. Absolutely there are double flats and double sharps but is it really useful to introduce them in trying to assist someone who's theory hasn't yet advanced that far? Similarly (if no moreso) with others talking about temperaments to be honest. Saying that enharmonic is the term used when describing the E#/F relationship is perfectly justified when trying to help someone trying to grasp the concept of why it is written as E# and not F. Referring back to a system(s) of tuning which was superceded in popular music over 100 years ago and where enharmonic carried a different meaning doesn't really help at this point. In more advanced study or even out of sheer interest if you're that way predisposed, then great, but in the context of answering the particular question, I just think it fudges the issue, even though I'm sure it was well intentioned.

[quote name='jakesbass' post='156169' date='Mar 12 2008, 04:32 PM']you haven't, it was on the tip of my tongue and is the correct way to describe the difference between the two/one notes/note.[/quote] Actually, you both missed it! I'll claim first use, think Mikey D mentioned it too.

Going back to the original post... [i]I didn't think E# was in the chromatic scale[/i] There's no absolute way of writing the chromatic scale. The convention in music tends to be that if you're going up to a black key on a piano you use the sharp symbol and if you're going down to it you use a flat symbol. So an ascending chromatic scale could be written C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C A descending chromatic scale could be written C B Bb A Ab G Gb F E Eb D Db C But there's no right or wrong and where you get people who've not studied theory but still play music you can find a mixture. I'm sure the guitarist from my band would write a chromatic scale as being... C C# Eb E F F# G G# A Bb B C ... and use the same names for the notes whether ascending or descending. As to the E# in an F# major scale. None of the major scales are built from the chromatic scale, they come about as the result of the way key signatures -the sharps or flats at the very beginning of a piece of music, just after the clef - are defined. The easiest way to explain that is a thing called the cricle of fifths. As the C major scale is C D E F G A B C so the C key signature has no sharps or flats. Moving clockwise we go up to the fifth note of the C major scale - G. The G major scale is G A B C D E F# G so the G key signature uses one sharp, F# Moving clockwise we go up to the fifth note of the G major scale - D. The D major scale is D E F# G A B C# D so the D key signature uses two sharps, F# and C# You continue moving up a fifth until you get to C# which requires seven sharps in the key signature to construct a C# major scale. That's the sharps taken care of, so for the flats we go back to C. Moving anti-clockwwise we go up to the fourth note of the C major scale - F The F major scale is F G A Bb C D E F so the F key signature uses one flat, Bb You continue anti-clockwise, moving up to the fourth note until you get to Cb which requires seven flats to contruct a Cb major scale. Notice that the major scale pairs of B and Cb; F# and Gb; C# and Db actually sound the same. They are enharmonic. You play the same combination of white and black keys on a piano or frets and strings on the guitar. They are distinctively named however and while you'll rarely see a piece written in C# or Cb, it is useful to be aware of their existence and the reason for it. Going back to your E#/F question again... If we didn't use E# instead of F, every F and F# note would need to be written on the same line on the stave and have to be proceeded by the use of a sharp or natural symbol which would make for a messy and confusing piece of notation.

Sounds like we could do with a "Circle of 5ths" diagram to explain the key signatures (which leads us to the scales that go with them). I think the "D# scale" mentioned is just adding to the confusion as there is no key of D#, only Eb. The term that needs to be brought up in reference to the E#/F and Cb/B issue, and indeed Ab/G#, Bb/A# etc. is "enharmonic." The notes sound the same, but are named differently in order to maintain the integrity of the theory which usually results in a cleaner, easier to read, sheet music. For example, if the key was written as D#, you end up with 9 # symbols in the key signature whereas Eb has just 3 b symbols in the key signature, much easier to deal with.

If we're talking simply in terms of serving the song well without being complex... With or Without You - U2 Town Called Malice - The Jam Long Train Running - Doobie Brothers Alright Now - Free Upside Down - Diana Ross None of these are particularly tricky in terms of notes or fancy runs but none of them work unless you nail the feel - be it the urgency of TCM; the slow-burning pounding of WOWY; the bounciness of Alright Now etc. Personally, I think feel is the most overlooked aspect of bass playing. It's something that's hard to teach, tricky to explain and difficult to grasp but I think it's the thing that sets apart the great from the good and if you're transitioning from another instrument, techniques and scales and arpeggios will come fairly easily so focus on understanding feel and how the bass contributes to the groove and mood of songs.

[quote name='barneythedog' post='152975' date='Mar 7 2008, 11:51 AM']I've been looking into just such a set-up for our band - what size par's did you go for (56 or 64?), and how are they performing? I've been a bit wary of LED's as I guess they're not as bright as standard halogen cans? Your advice would be appreciated [/quote] I know the question is not addressed to me, but our band have just gone from normal Par 56 cans to LEDs. The LEDs definitely aren't as bright and dont seem to have as wide a flood as the traditional types we were using - you can buy lamps for the traditional ones with different flood levels, I'm guessing ours were wider angle. Our old set-up was two t-bars with 4 x 56 cans on each and a floor controller for each which enabled different chase patterns, all on. all off and a tap tempo. However, most places we played didn't really have the room for these plus they were a bit of a hassle to set up. We now have 4 x Par 56 LED cans which we just put on the floor, one for each of us and set them on their auto colour change pattern. It's small and easy to set-up and so we use them at nearly every gig. We also purchased a bunch of lighting effects for use at weddings and functions which consists of two t-bars and a 3m truss which we set-up behind the drummer and backline and from that hang a bunch of room-filling moving lighting effects. The 4 LED cans aren't quite bright enough to compete with the back-lighting but certainly the stage isn't dark and we aren't totally in shadow, however I think I'd like to add another 4 of them at some point and probably stand mount them in front of the band for gigs where we use the "disco" lighting.

[quote name='OldGit' post='152936' date='Mar 7 2008, 10:58 AM']I've started a wiki entry but haven't quite got the Wiki formatting thing sussed so its there at the top level rather than being a "chapter" or whatever wiki speak fo rthat is .... It also needs input from you knowledgeable lighting people on more sophisticated systems[/quote] I wouldn't profess to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination but once the Wiki is ready for input I'll add my own research/buying/using experiences. Somewhere in the world someone should have produced a guide to DMX written in plain English and without making giant assumptions about the reader. If I could have found it, I would have bought differently I'm sure!

[quote name='tauzero' post='152928' date='Mar 7 2008, 10:51 AM']Ta. Is the number associated with them, like 64, 36, etc, a dimension then, either area or diameter/radius (or, come to think of it, focal length)?[/quote] It's the diameter of the housing measured, for some peculiar reason, in eighths of an inch. Ergo a Par 56 is 7 inches, Par 64 is 8 inches etc.

[quote name='tauzero' post='152876' date='Mar 7 2008, 09:22 AM']Being a complete ignoramus as far as lighting goes, I was wondering - what does "par" (or "PAR") mean, other than what Colin Montgomery goes over and Tiger Woods goes under? Anyone feel like doing a Wiki on the subject?[/quote] [b]P[/b]arabolic [b]A[/b]luminized [b]R[/b]eflector

[quote name='neptunehealer' post='151872' date='Mar 5 2008, 05:17 PM']Cheers, so its a Daryl Jones then, the price of it was a reality check for me, why is that bass £1000 more than on GAK.co.uk. Surely the teal green colour doesn't warrant that extra cost.[/quote] The bass in the clip is a Joe Osborn US made 4 string. I posted the Daryl Jones link because it's the same colour as the one in the clip. As for prices, the US made Laklands are pricey compared to the Korean made Skyline ones on GAK but the US ones are pretty much hand made from start to finish (the necks and bodies of both are cut by machine) plus the woods used are higher spec on the US ones. To get a bass exactly like in the clip you'd need to irder a US Joe Osborn 4 string with stacked pots, rosewood board and finished in teal green. It'll set you back about £2000 or so. To get a bass that's about 90% of the bass in the clip just look out for a second hand Skyline Joe Osborn which will set you back about £500 to £650 and then get it refinished for about £200 and new pots and control plate fitted for about £70 to £100.

That's a US JO4, colour is Teal Green. Bass Central have a US DJ4 in that finish here [url="http://www.basscentral.com/lakeland_usa/skyline_daryl_jones.shtml"]http://www.basscentral.com/lakeland_usa/sk...ryl_jones.shtml[/url]

+1 for the Behringers, they're cracking mics.

Hi David, My guitarist has had pedalboard envy ever since I got one of these back last year. He keeps threatening to retire his home made one which he's gigged for donkey's years as it's only really big enough to fit BOSS type pedals, though he baulked at the price of a new one. I just txt'd him Has it got the three 18v leads too?

I was looking for some old files on the computer earlier and came across these which I drew up for myself many moons ago when I got back into playing seriously again. Might be of use to some of you. Four stringers, just use the bottom four strings in the diagram. These modes are scales which are built using each note in a particular key signature. Each mode uses a different step of the key as it's tonic or root and as they only use the notes which appear in the key signature, they can be called diatonic scales. The diagrams deliberately don't include fret numbers or note names as they can be applied to any key, just work out what the tonic note should be, find it on your fretboard and away you go. I'll refer to the key of C throughout when talking about them so as to give a clearer picture. I'm proposing the use of the one finger per fret method with these modes, but don't worry if you find that too much of a stretch or just too uncomfortable. It's where the notes occur that's most important, not so much the technique you use to get to them. If you need to shift position to play them, go right ahead. I've got small hands myself and, especially when on a long gig, I often switch to using my ring and little finger as a duo, or sometimes one or other of them. Comfort is the watchword! [b]Ionian Mode[/b] This is the mode formed from the first step or root of the major key. So if we're playing in the key of C, on a 5 string bass we're going to be starting at the 13th fret (8th fret for 4 stringers) as we need the note C to be the tonic or root (R in the diagram) of the mode. [attachment=5992:ionian.gif] With middle finger fretting the R note, we can play the whole scale using the one finger per fret method. Those of you who've had your Cheerios this morning will notice that the Ionian mode has the same structure as a major scale. [b]Dorian Mode[/b] This is the mode formed from the second step of the major key. So if we're playing in the key of C, on a 5 string bass, we're going to be starting at the 3rd fret (10th fret for 4 stringers) as we need the note D to be the tonic or root (R in the diagram) of the mode. [attachment=5993:dorian.gif] With our index finger on the R note, we can play each note in the mode using the one finger per fret method... kind of. We need to shift position as we get to the 4-5-6 first time up. The way I do it is to fret the b3 with my little finger, the 4 with my index finger and the 5 with my little finger again, this means my index finger is free to comfortably fret the 6 and I can then revert to the one finger per fret. Note that the Dorian is a minor mode that differs from the natural minor scale (e.g. the white notes on a piano from A to A) as it has a major 6th interval rather than a minor 6th. To put that in context, the natural A minor scale would be A B C D E F G A while the A Dorian mode would be A B C D E [b]F#[/b] G A. [b]Phrygian Mode[/b] This is the mode formed from the third step of the major key. So if we're playing in the key of C, on a 5 string bass, we're going to be starting at the 5th fret (12th fret for 4 stringers) as we need the note E to be the tonic or root (R in the diagram) of the mode. [attachment=5994:phrygian.gif] With our index finger on the R note, we can play each note in the mode using the one finger per fret method... kind of (again). If you're on a four string, skip the next paragraph as you can do it all in one position, five stringers, read on. We need to shift position as we get to the b3-4-5 second time up. The way I do it is to fret the b2 with my little finger, the b3 with my index finger and the 4 with my little finger again, this means my index finger is free to comfortably fret the 5 and I can then revert to the one finger per fret. Note that the Phrygian is a minor mode that differs from the natural minor scale (e.g. the white notes on a piano from A to A) as it has a minor 2nd interval rather than a major 2nd. To put that in context, the natural A minor scale would be A B C D E F G A while the A Phrygian mode would be A [b]bB[/b] C D E F G A. [b]Lydian Mode[/b] This is the mode formed from the fourth step of the major key. So if we're playing in the key of C, on a 5 string bass, we're going to be starting at the 6th fret (13th fret for 4 stringers) as we need the note F to be the tonic or root (R in the diagram) of the mode. [attachment=5995:lydian.gif] With our middle finger on the R note, we can play each note in the mode using the one finger per fret method... kind of (yet again). If you're on a four string, skip the next paragraph as you can do it all in one position, five stringers, read on. We need to shift position as we get to the 2-3-#4 second time up. The way I do it is to fret the R with my little finger, the 2 with my index finger and the 3 with my little finger again, this means my index finger is free to comfortably fret the #4 and I can then revert to the one finger per fret. Note that the Lydian is a major mode that differs from the major scale (e.g. the white notes on a piano from C to C) as it has an augmented 4th interval rather than a perfect 4th. To put that in context, the C major scale would be C D E F G A B C while the C Lydian mode would be C D E [b]F#[/b] G A B C. [b]Mixolydian Mode[/b] This is the mode formed from the fifth step of the major key. So if we're playing in the key of C, on a 5 string bass, we're going to be starting at the 8th fret (3rd fret for 4 stringers) as we need the note G to be the tonic or root (R in the diagram) of the mode. [attachment=5996:mixolydian.gif] With our middle finger on the R note, we can play each note in the mode using the one finger per fret method. Note that the Mixolydian is a major scale that differs from the Major scale (e.g. the white notes on a piano from C to C) as it has a minor 7th interval rather than a major 7th. To put that in context, the C major scale would be C D E F G A B C while the C Mixolydian mode would be C D E F G A [b]bB[/b] C. [b]Aeolian Mode[/b] This is the mode formed from the sixth step of the major key. So if we're playing in the key of C, on a 5 string bass, we're going to be starting at the 10th fret (5th fret for 4 stringers) as we need the note A to be the tonic or root (R in the diagram) of the mode. [attachment=5997:aeolian.gif] With our index finger on the R note, we can play each note in the mode using the one finger per fret method... kind of (yeah I know). We need to shift position as we get to the b7-R-2 first time up. The way I do it is to fret the b6 with my little finger, the b7 with my index finger and the R with my little finger again, this means my index finger is free to comfortably fret the 2 and I can then revert to the one finger per fret. If you're still with me, you've probably had some lunch by now and will hopefully have spotted that the Aeolian mode has the same structure as the natural minor scale. [b]Locrian Mode[/b] This is the mode formed from the seventh step of the major key. So if we're playing in the key of C, on a 5 string bass, we're going to be starting at the 12th fret (7th fret for 4 stringers) as we need the note B to be the tonic or root (R in the diagram) of the mode. [attachment=5998:locrian.gif] With our index finger on the R note, we can play each note in the mode using the one finger per fret method. Unlike the other modes, the Locrian is neither major or minor, it is in fact a diminished mode as it is graced with a diminished 5th. Note that the Phrygian differs from the natural minor scale (e.g. the white notes on a piano from A to A) as it has a minor 2nd interval rather than a major 2nd as well as a diminished 5th instead of a perfect 5th. To put that in context, the natural A minor scale would be A B C D E F G A while the A Locrian mode would be A [b]bB[/b] C[b] bD [/b]E F G A. I hope some of you find a use for this info, feel free to pass it on (though for personal use only, don't use this as the second chapter of your book without my permission!) Once you've got the modes down (both ascending and descending) try applying them to different key signatures and then from there try playing them in thirds, fourths fifths etc. i.e. for thirds you'd play R-3-2-4-3-5-4-6-5-7-6-R etc. as it's great exercise for both hands.

[quote name='Soulfinger' post='144911' date='Feb 22 2008, 11:32 AM']If it were a 75, it would have a bullet truss rod and block inlays. To me, it looks like a legit bottom-of-the-line Jap Standard Jazz exactly like the one on top of the list [url="http://www.guitaremporium.co.uk/index.php?f=data_fender_japan_new_guitars&a=4"]here.[/url][/quote] Yeah, looking at that pic, could well be a genuine, basic Jap Jazz.