peteb

It is the bog standard pub that seems to have been hit the hardest! Most established music venues seem to have held up recently well as have the better run real ale pubs, etc. Punters seem to be happy to make the effort to go out for anything that seems to be a bit of an event but will stay in & drink at home rather than go to see a band they don't know playing in a corner of a small pub!

Generally yes... a bit! The recession has generally hit all gigs over the past couple of years (not to mention the smoking ban) and there have been poorer turnouts as a rule, thru not at the gigs that we have always done well at, they seem to have held up OK! My rock band hasn't played as much as usual due to guitar players work commitments & the singer's problems with his voice, so we've tended to stick to places where we know we are going to do OK - the new blues rock band has played to a few pretty empty pubs but the bigger gigs seem to have pretty well attended....! How have yours been - I imagine that you will generally play the bigger curcuit gigs??

[quote name='JTUK' post='1021366' date='Nov 12 2010, 01:20 PM']We can ( collectively ) get a tad too anal... [/quote] That is certainly true!

I'm afraid that women rarely have the stamina to maintain the long term geek factor required for prolonged posting on an Internet forum!

[quote name='Conan' post='1021308' date='Nov 12 2010, 12:44 PM']Without going over old ground, is it just a teensy-weensy bit possible that their disappearance coincided with a sudden increase in avatars featuring semi-naked women? Naaah. Couldn't be that.[/quote] To be honest I very much doubt that would be the case with Sarah

Just a thought, but I would guess that Dood is one of the most technically accomplished players on here and is a professional musician. I have no idea whether he can read or not but I wonder how often he is called upon to read a score?? I’m guessing that he doesn’t do many orchestra pit gigs so I wonder how often he uses any reading skills he may have?

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1015924' date='Nov 8 2010, 01:04 AM']Jeff Berlin, theory master, was able to write out and perform Chris' parts with just a few days preparation. I would wager Chris would not be able to do the same for Jeff's parts on the Bruford albums.[/quote] That's hardly the point - whether you like it or not Chris Suire has created memorable and influential music and sold million of records without making a great deal of compromise to do so! Jeff Berlin is known as a technician, appeared occasionally as a sidemen when the original artist was unavailable and appeared on niche jazz albums of questionable merit and some bleedin awful solo ones...!

[quote name='skej21' post='1016729' date='Nov 8 2010, 06:57 PM']Just because you can find a different permutation of the three power chords you know, doesn't make it original or interesting.[/quote] Come on - that's rubbish mate! If you can find something genuinely new or fresh with those three chords, then that CAN make it very interesting indeed That is where the real talent is my friend....

New Mayones jazz bass [attachment=63071:mayones.JPG]

I would have thought that being able to play fifteen billion notes a second with your fingers would be a very worthwhile technical exercise - you don't have to actually use it in a song!

Jacket has now gone to Hit&Run (Andrew)...!

[quote name='silddx' post='1004502' date='Oct 28 2010, 10:39 PM']Guys, guys, GUYS! I am NOT knocking sight reading, no sir. I am saying you have to have priorities. It looks to me like this guy wants to be in a band and he's a relative beginner. He's asking if it is necessary for a rock and blues band. It IS NOT! At this moment he has other priorities, like developing his ear and technique and other necessaries required of him in a band situation, yet you persist in saying that he should learn to sight read now, while he's young and at the beginning of his bass career. Is this when YOU learned? You are putting the OP in situations he is not going to come across for years. Trashing a trumpet solo, in a well rehearsed amateur rock blues band? Give this guy a bloody chance to get started. He's not even played in a band yet and you are wondering what his career chances are when he f***s up backing a trumpet solo at Ronnie Scott's. Stroll on sunbeam. I find it incredibly galling that some of you think I am trying [b]discourage [/b]anyone from sight-reading. THAT is bullshit. I think that reading music is one of the the best things a musician can do. But get this, you learn it when you need to. We are constantly told how easy it is with practice, so learn it when you foresee a NEED to. I can read a bit of music, I know the basics, I will step that sh*t up if, and when, I need to, and book ten lessons with Jake. Until then my limited theory, my ears and my attitude will serve me. Please stop thinking everyone wants to be a pro session musician or a pit head. Some people just want to have fun playing in a band and have a day job. They don't need to be like YOU. Christ, it's like being in the military for some of you isn't it. I can't believe some of this regimented attitude to the arts.[/quote] BTW - good post!

Just to add to the old debate that I have played for 30 years in a variety of all types of rock bands (metal/prog/pop & blues) with loads of musicians, many of whom can sight read and have been to music college, etc and have done plenty of deps andf I have never been asked if I can read or been handed a sheet with dots on The OP would be better to learn all the notes on the neck and learn a little about modes - that will make it easier to learn parts than reading in most band situations.....

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='996796' date='Oct 22 2010, 10:31 AM']I don't know about tribute bands, but I reckon most players will end up playing covers at some point in their musical lives.[/quote] Of course they will….. When I was in my 20s I devoted all my time and energy to trying to put a successful originals band together, to the detriment of career and relationships. I was not alone in doing this, nor do I regret it and I would expect anyone of that age who is serious about a career as a musician in a band to do pretty much the same! As I got older and was obviously not going to be a superstar what was I supposed to do?? Not play anymore or carry on banging away playing to smaller and smaller (and younger) audiences? Like most musicians who found themselves with more day job & family commitments, I started playing in covers bands. Many of these have been quite successful on their own terms; I've played plenty of memorable gigs & had loads of fun playing with mates who are really good players! After all, when it comes down to it we're all glorified song & dance men who want to play to an audience who want to watch us……….

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='984791' date='Oct 11 2010, 07:44 PM']They were both professional teams, so I should imagine that their individual technical abilities were somewhat better than the average player. I can't imagine a coach on the eve of a big match saying to his team, "Ok lads, we won't practice ball control, or penalty taking, or dribbling or whatever today, just play with a load of passion and we'll win" [/quote] Kevin Keegan???

Actually, Tery Uttley is a pretty good player & a brilliant singer! He was in a band for a while with a couple of very well known players who are as good as it gets in rock terms - unfortunately they didn't get the record deal they wanted so never made it beyond the rehearsal studio...........

[quote name='leschirons' post='978129' date='Oct 5 2010, 11:28 AM']You could just start playing anything and then ask the audience.... "Do you know what is yet?"[/quote] I believe that Bilbo has been playing jazz for a while now, so he should be familiar with that approach already.....

Are you in a rock band? Because all decent rock drummers are pretty loud (ever since they first discovered John Bonham)! If you don't like it you're probably in the wrong band - try playing in a folk trio or jazz or something.....

Actually, I've always liked EMGs (had them on quite a few basses and been very happy with them) but I'm not so sure about on a stingray! I assume that the general consensus is to drop a passive pick up in if you want to use the stingray active circuit?

[quote name='MB1' post='945339' date='Sep 4 2010, 12:33 PM']MB1. Nordstrand Replacement Stingray Pickup available from Bass Direct! are about the best im told! ...Has your jacket Gone![/quote] Jacket still up for grabs - you know the address!!

[quote name='bumnote' post='945104' date='Sep 4 2010, 12:52 AM']most pickups are passive [not emgs and possibly some of the other exotics] but the seymour duncan MM one certainly is Its the active circuit that requires the battery and gives you the extra tone shaping facilities If you put for example a j retro in a a jazz bass, you keep the existing pickups and add the new tone circuit.[/quote] was thinking of getting an EMG, but they do a passive one what is the seymour duncan MM one like??

If I want to replace the original MM pickup in a 4 string stingray but want to keep the original active circuit should I drop in an active or passive replacement pickup?? Any help from someone who knows about these things greatly appreciated...!