peteb

Would love to see that - don't suppose there's any chance that Neil could take the masterclass sessions on the road sometime and pass by West Yorkshire??

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1492848497' post='3283583'] Traded 2 Berg AE112 cabs with Mark for a Dingwall. Fair price for them too. Call him up and ask if he would be interested in a trade first or drop him a meassage with some pics of your bass to see what he thinks. Take the bass in and do the deal on the day. Not really much to it. Just remember that a trade in is usually less than you'd get private sale because the shop needs to make some knd of profit from your bass. Dave [/quote] Also remember that the bass you want to trade has to be vaguely compatible with their stock list. No one really goes to Bass Direct for a s/h Harley Benton bass!

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1492641888' post='3282006'] Just got home from our rehearsal tonight, and after many mistakes on songs we have played a number of times before, and even more on some the newer ones, I said to the guys that we are wasting a lot of rehearsal time going over and over songs where we should at least know the structures, and they couldn't see where I'm coming from. So I explained to them that we agreed to learn from the same versions which are in a band folder on Dropbox, and I said that I don't expect them to play their parts note for note, but at least learn the structures correctly, but the singer said that even though he listens to the songs and sings along to them with no problems, he said that he forgets them when we get to rehearsals, (he also forgets them when we are playing live unfortunately). Our set was agreed in December and I learn't all 33 songs within a month, I know them all to a level where I would be happy to play them live, I'm not the brightest person around, and I'm a steady but average bass player, but I know them well because I have put some effort into learning them, they are probably better on their instruments than I am on mine, but I just think that they are happy to plod along and accept mediocracy, so I think I will make a decision after the next rehearsal, they know how I feel, and if they haven't made a conscious effort to work out a way of learning the songs properly and remembering them, then I think I will call it a day. So again, my question is, [b]Am I wrong to in wanting to learn the set/songs properly? [/b] [/quote] One thing I would say is that perhaps learning 33 songs in a month is a bit over-facing. Maybe you should pick them off 3 or 4 at a time??

Personally, I have always found Marcus to be very helpful. I think the point is that Bass Direct caters to a specific niche and is not aimed at entry level or people looking for standard Ashdown type gear (not that there is necessarily anything wrong with those products). None of the staff are in any way ‘professional’ salesmen, which for me is one of the best things about the shop – it means that they are honest and not just after a quick sale. Mark once advised me against buying a cab from him because he said another one I had been offered suited my needs better (he was right). I have bought a load of gear from BD, used them to sell a few basses on commission and even occasionally just rung up to ask for advice. As far as I’m concerned, the service has always been great and there they have told me any nonsense just to try and get a sale, unlike many other music shops I have been to. Someone has just mentioned a certain rival emporium – the guy who runs that maybe friendly and enthusiastic but his knowledge is nowhere near the level of Mark or Marcus at BD and he is very definitely a salesman. So, who would you rather trust??

I came across this show a while ago. I particularly liked the interview with Kevin Chown - an interesting insight in what it is to be a working pro rock bass player in the modern world... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fztHkKrSo2U&t=2s"]https://www.youtube....ztHkKrSo2U&t=2s[/url]

A few years ago, I found myself helping to stage manage at a big(ish) blues festival. There were a lot of pro musicians playing there and a few pretty big bands on UK blues scene on the bill, many of whom were quite funk orientated. Virtually all of the bass players in the main acts turned up with a jazz bass of some description (usually an American Fender in sunburst for some reason, although the headliner’s bassist used a Lakland)…

From what I can remember, being in the band can’t but help increase your chances of pulling, assuming that you are interested (happily married for a while now so not an issue for me anymore). So, a quick ‘woop’ for Blue maybe in order. My missus comes to gigs when she fancies it and if it is practical. She will usually come to the local gigs with the rock covers band with her friends if she hasn’t got to work an early shift the next day. She generally won’t come to the shows a bit further away unless there is room in the van. Sometimes she will come with me on the long-distance blues gigs because she worries about me driving home on my own in the early hours (obviously depending on work, etc). it really isn’t an issue for her or any of the other WAGS – they come when they feel like it and generally treat it as a night out…

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1490356359' post='3264539'] Sounds like my kinda band!! These guys come pretty close, and get plenty of gigs in the North East. Outstanding band, and their bass player is a member on here (JD1) - http://www.groovetrain.co.uk/ [/quote] John Dawson - stunning bass player & great bloke

How about Roasanna by Toto??

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1490186112' post='3262964'] Some respondents have set up a false dichotomy, interpreting my original post as suggesting that the choice is between "Sex On Fire" and obscure album tracks that send people running for the exit. I don't believe that that's true - I believe that it's possible to come up with a set list of songs that are recognisable and danceable, but also steering clear of the dozen songs that are played by 90% of covers bands. [/quote] Actually, I think that you are quite right there. I would say that the best way for a covers band to develop a following is to play songs that your audience know but to avoid the most obvious choices. Of course, it depends who you are playing to. If you are gigging at ‘music’ pubs who regularly put bands on, then it’s likely that the audience are just as sick of Sex On Fire as you are. That doesn’t mean that they won’t sing along after a few pints, but you are then just another band playing the same stuff as everyone else rather than one who is a bit different and worth making an effort to see again. You can’t get too obscure though, they still want to hear songs that they recognise. It is a different thing if you are playing weddings or parties where the audience is there for the event rather than the music. You generally have to cater for the lowest common denominator on those gigs and assume that most of the audience don’t listen to a lot of music and only really know the most obvious tunes.

The thing to remember is that there is no one magic solution and no one size fits all. The singer in one of my bands was ‘discovered’ singing along to the jukebox on NYE in a pub! The guitar player and drummer were talking about starting a band and who could they get to sing when guitar player noticed that a drunk guy had been singing along to ‘Living On A Prayer’ at some volume and had hit all the high notes and seemed to have rather a good voice. The drummer went and asked him if he was in a band to be told that he never had been but had always wanted to give it a go. They asked me to get involved a few weeks later and I was sceptical about how he would fare in a band with experienced musos, but after 30 seconds of hearing him sing it was obvious that he would be more than OK. It turns out that he had been onstage all his life (ex-professional dancer) but they didn’t know that at the time they met him. The guy is a natural and has very quickly made a real name for himself on the local scene, but we would never have found him going through the normal channels! I wouldn’t want to hold public auditions, but would certainly post on Facebook (which is now The Shires got together) as well looking at jam nights / open mics and asking friends if they were available or knew anybody.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1489752797' post='3259456'] With this method do you think you will have booked your initial 12 paying gigs within the 6 months time limit? Blue [/quote] The thing is that for an original band it is all about the getting the right people to hear your material and see your performance - the right support gig for little or no money may be far more beneficial than 12 decent paying gigs. BRX is spot on in his post of how to start an original band. The difference is that a covers band is all about working regularly.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1489714457' post='3259216'] Hi Pete. Agreed, I think finding the right front person / lead vocalist is crucial. However, I want to take it a step further, not all lead vocalist have "star" quality. I would want to recruit an experienced front with "star" appeal. Also, now your offering a band with gigs and a vocalist with star fronting capabilities. IMO that's an attractive offer. Just a side note, it's been my experience that actual gigs keep flakes and fakes away.Those types tend to be more into drama and nonsense than real paying hard work. Blue [/quote] I have to be realistic and make a few compromises where necessary. A decent singer is often the starting point. If you are looking at a working band rather than taking the charts by storm then star quality is a bonus. If they have any live experience then they should have an idea of fronting a band - whether they're any good at it is another thing! Sometimes it's better to go for a superior frontman over a better singer. I've found that plenty of flakes make it through to gigging but after a while the better players don't want to be in a band with them, no matter how good they are...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1489704325' post='3259176'] I'm thinking step 2 will be how you recruit the best candidates for your band. I should say the best people for your band not to be confused with the best musicians. I know really good musicians that would be awful to be in a band with. Should the second step be writing up an ad or will you want to use a different recruiting method? Blue [/quote] Personally the thing that attracts me to join a band is the chance to play with quality musicians that I want to play with and who are capable of sustaining being in a working band. If they have a decent track record of being in working bands then the gigs will come in soon enough. I would say that Step 1 is finding a suitable vocalist, establishing a musical direction and type of music that they can sing convincingly and how you will market the band / what gigs will you be looking to play to what type of audience. Step 2 would be getting good musicians together who can convincing play the type of music you want the band to do and who can stand being in the same room as each other...!

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1488829289' post='3252188'] Having repeatedly been burned by 'bands' over the last few years I recently took the decision to become a singing guitard. I soon realised that I can't sing for toffee and my acoustic strumming isn't good enough to do the 'solo-guitarist-perched-on-a-tall-stool-looking-deep-and-meaningful-while-one's-fleet-fingers-unleash-an-intricate-silvery-cascade-of-fingerpicked-loveliness-of-such-plangent-beauty-as-makes-the-audience-swoon-and-the-barmaid-ask-for-one's-phone-number-on-the-basis-that-one's-evident-sensitivity-indicates-a-mastery-of-horizontal-gymnastics'. So instead I've decided my act will be to just stand in the middle of a pub and shout out the lyrics to popular cover songs. Does the team think that the standard fee of £250 be too much to ask? [/quote] Move to a Greek holiday island and cultivate an Irish accent - you will do fine...!

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1488482456' post='3249392'] Think your being a bit hard on peavey and carlsboro I remember having a 4 x 15 carlsboro cabinet - wonderful tone but impossible to move I remember all the dodgy jap basses when i coukd not afford fenders Irononically, many of these awful basses are now sold on ebay as vintage instruments, which i guess they are, but still awful basses [/quote] To be fair, many Fenders from that period were pretty awful...!

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1488318086' post='3247942'] Here's a good place to start: [url="http://www.thebear.org"]http://www.thebear.org[/url] - But as you discover just what he was responsible for, be prepared for a long read and a totally blown mind! [/quote] That's the guy who inspired 'Kid Charlemagne' by Steely Dan isn't it??

Like it or not, image is a large part of what we do and that includes how the instrument we turn up with is perceived by the audience and the band leader. For that reason I now own a couple of fenders again. Having said that, I would have thought that the attitude would have worked in a prog band but then what do I know...

I only play one bass all night but I always take two where practical (and always for 'big' gigs). The spare stays in a double gigbag by the side of the stage. I haven't needed to use the spare for nearly ten years until last summer when we played a big outdoor bike rally to over 2,000 bikers, No soundcheck, first note of the opening song and no bass (minor electrical problem it later transpired - took 15 minutes to fix). I reached into the gigbag to get out the spare bass and no one knew that anything had happened. Would have been very embarrassing stood on stage with no sound in front of all those people...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1487286293' post='3238739'] Most of us should be able to access whether a band is a match from the audition. Off topic; For those of us in this for some income, it's a good idea to ask what percentage of their business is from "call ins" and what percentage is from call outs or reaching out to opportunities. Blue [/quote] Not sure what you mean by 'call ins'& call outs'?? Not a term that I'm familiar with. For what it's worth, the last audition I did was over 20 years ago (and that was a farce). I just refuse to audition for local bands and I've been gigging solidly since that last one. It's all about your contacts and reputation - of course it helps if you can play a bit and can get on with people...

Don't know much about his music but absolutely loved his books Sorry for the loss of your friend