peteb

Done - this survey is obviously about live performances, which doesn't bother me at all. I get more nervous when I'm going into a recording studio...!

I always have a small amount of compression live, so that you only miss it if it’s not there.

I think that the point is that Warren Huart is saying that although reading is an important skill if you want to play in an orchestra pit, when it comes down to what he looks for when he hires players it doesn’t really come into it. Bear in mind that he is a very busy and successful producer who has had lots of hits (including American No 1s). What he is looking for is guys who can listen to a new track they have never heard before a couple of times and are then ready to start tracking. He says that technique and being able to speak the language of music (i.e. music theory) are great, but having the ears to be able to get to grip with a new piece of music straight away trumps everything (along with groove and a bass player who can lock in with the drummer).

Just been looking thru YouTube and found this clip of Scot Devine doing a blog / online session with top producer Warren Huart. I thought that it is a pretty interesting look at how recording sessions work these days. I was also interested on Huart’s take on what he looks for when hiring musicians and what it takes for a pro player to get work these days and the relative importance of having good ears, groove, feel, technique and being able to read music, etc (about 38:10 on the video). Seeing as the importance of being able to read compared to be being able to groove and related issues are often debated on this forum, I wondered what others made of Huart’s opinions?? [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8opX_-lZ_BA"]https://www.youtube....h?v=8opX_-lZ_BA[/url]

I’ve done loads of these, including a few at biggish blues festivals (always good as generally only players on the bill are invited up). It helps to know a few different types of blues and a few blues standards, including those that vary a bit from a straight I-IV-V (Stormy Monday Blues, Thrill Is Gone, etc) as well as a few related tunes that are not strictly blues – Chain Of Fools, Proud Mary, Rocky Mountain Way, I Shot The Sheriff & Long Train Running immediately come to mind. A few classic rock Led Zep, AC/DC, Bad Co songs often get an outing in many pub jams. How good a jam is largely depends on the calibre of players getting up, but certainly in pubs there is an expectation that you will let a few guys who don’t normally play out have a go! Playing in the house band with all types of different musicians standing in can certainly sharpen up your playing and if there are a couple of decent players can be great fun. I should say that in all the jam sessions that I have done I have [b]always[/b] been expected to provide a house bass, as well as an amp. This is the same with all jam sessions around here and I have even played a Fodera that was being used as the house bass. I have never had a problem with anyone abusing my gear in anyway…

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1446209053' post='2897726'] It's a point worth raising, but I think that, while I could always appreciate the validity of the now-ex-drummer's complaints, unfortunately the way that he would react to them was universally unconstructive. It makes it difficult to get anything done when every single small obstruction along the way becomes a crisis. [/quote] Fair enough [quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1446209877' post='2897740'] Nah, that boat has sailed, move on, no point in looking for more friction. Look for a drummer that has what you want in terms of ability, personality and commitment. Maybe it is your keyboard player, it rather depends on how he likes his current role. [/quote] Either that or look for a band looking for a new bass player...!

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1446206720' post='2897690'] Indeed, and to be honest I think that the ScScBLcRG would be too proud to ask. Here's an interesting little detail that may become relevant: our drummer's been with us for one year, and our previous drummer was "laterally promoted" to the role of synth & percussion, a role which he holds to this day (though his level of commitment to the band is a fraction of what it once was). It's not beyond the realms of possibility that ScScBLcRG may suggest placing him back behind the kit. That's a fair point, but handling things this way round means we may have given ourselves unnecessary continuity issues. I didn't really want to go into too much detail about the exact nature of his attitude problems, because it didn't seem essential, but suffice to say, I can't see him considering this, unfortunately. S.P. [/quote] Are[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color]you sure that the problem isn't the attitude of the '[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]singer-cum-songwriter-cum-band-leader-cum-rhythm-guitarist' rather then the (now ex) drummer's reaction to it??[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Also, you really can't expect to sack someone then expect them to cover when their replacement isn't available...![/font][/color]

I tried a Xotic once in Bass Direct and thought that it was the best jazz bass that I had ever heard - so I got a s/h one a few months later. Can't fault it at all...

[quote name='kulabula' timestamp='1445886876' post='2895095'] I'm going for elements 8 , as I'm only dabbling. It should run on my home pc just fine hopefully. Not only am I a born again bass player (formerly a drummist for 'ahem' years) but I've only had a computer since April. I know I know [/quote] Andy - if you get it give me a shout and I'll pop up and see how it works, as I've been thinking of getting [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Elements 8 as well...[/font][/color]

I am thinking of getting Cubase Elements 8 just to practice recording bass tracks on songs imported from iTunes (as a learning /practice exercise) and maybe recording a few bits and pieces. Would Cubase be suitable for this and would a relative technophobe like me be able to use it??

Great song and not a bad bass part. Unfortunately overdone by so many pub bands that you can’t help but groan a little when you hear the intro - like many of these brilliant but simple songs that punters love so much! Lots of bands make a hash of it as it is not an easy song to sing (you really need a vocalist who can nail the high notes) and it helps if you have two guitars to do it properly! If you really want to play the right bass part, the following link is pretty much spot on: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvjoHhfBw3w"]https://www.youtube....h?v=QvjoHhfBw3w[/url]

Another vote for JPJ & Bonham but amongst those I've seen Roscoe Beck / Tom Brechtlein (Robben Ford) and Muzz Skillings / Will Calhoun (Living Colour) comes to mind.

Good for him! Hardly rocket science though - young guy gets fit, sheds excess weight, gains confidence and gets laid. Still, plenty of people would be well advised to follow his example...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1445030337' post='2888380'] Remember, for The Beatles it wasn't about being the best drummer. It was about being a Beatle. Nicol's was not Beatles material.IMO Blue [/quote] But he got them thru the gig (or in this case tour) and they got paid, which is the job of a dep...!

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1444962461' post='2887708'] That was Jimi Nicol. I remember that, personally if I had been Brian, I would have canceled the dates until Ringo returned. Blue [/quote] But he didn't! I'm sure that this would have had something to do with money and legal commitments to Aussie promoters, but also because they knew that a dep drummer (who was better than the original) could cover the gig well enough for them to fulfil their obligations without any major difficulties...

[quote name='kulabula' timestamp='1443904531' post='2878670'] Big shout out. I just bought one of their basses. It's awesomesauce. Checkout there web site. That is all. [/quote] Coming to see you tonight - are you using the Alpher??

[quote name='kulabula' timestamp='1444494947' post='2883693'] I'm with Pete. I love Kotzen. He sounds like rock!!! [/quote] Hey Andy! Just setting off to see you tonight - have a good gig...!

I’m with Blue (and others) here. Of course there is nothing wrong with being a bedroom player but to use Blue’s terminology, they are not ‘in the game’. I have a £150 classical guitar in the corner that I sometimes pick up to play a repertoire of about 10 pieces to an intermediate standard – that doesn’t make me a classical guitarist by any stretch of the imagination! Playing live in front of an audience (hopefully for remuneration) is part of a tradition going back to medieval minstrels that is at the core of what being a musician is about. It can be great fun, take you to new places / meet new people and be very rewarding in many ways (not just financially). But to get these benefits you have to get to be reasonably good, which of course is hard work. It is a different world to guys who never get out of the bedroom. Of course, there is nothing wrong at all with writing songs either. I know quite a few people who spend time writing, developing and demoing songs that they have a realistic chance of selling to a library, publisher or even an unknown artist. Of course you don’t have the immediate reaction of a crowd to let you know if you are any good or just wasting your time producing sub spotty teenage angst filled drivel…!

Haven't heard the album yet (will pick it up next week) but gotta disagree about Kotzen - brilliant singer, one of the best! The thing about the first album was it wasn't just about the shredding at all, the songs were very strong. As Kotzen was the chief songwriter, it helps if you are a fan! The songs are similar to a lot of his solo stuff and it is clear that he is the musical force in the band. It's not the riffs and playing that are the focus...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1444343326' post='2882518'] For me, the bedroom is good for woodsheding and only woodsheding. Blue [/quote] Dude - you are getting old...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1443888678' post='2878519'] Sideman or not unless it's the star of the band any member can be replaced relatively easy. Blue [/quote] Depends - no one is irreplaceable but if someone is a major contributor to writing songs or is seen as a core part of the band by the audience, then it is a lot more difficult to replace them without significantly changing the character of the band...

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1443768264' post='2877466'] Can someone give the definition of sideman and pick-up band? [/quote] A variation of a pick-up band is a 'scratch' band, which is put together for a specific performance and without any rehearsal.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1443719583' post='2877173'] Agreed, gotcha. To me Beatles and Stones music is timeless and not old fashion. [/quote] Actually, on this issue I don't think that it really matters so much whether you think that the Beatles / Stones are timeless and still relevant today! I would say that the point is that past generations of men would hit their fifties and would start ‘acting’ middle aged – you know, investing in a pipe and a good pair of slippers from M&S and dressing from the sales rail at Greenwoods!! Whereas people your age are part of the ‘rock and roll’ generation that were brought up in the 60s and even though you are now in your sixties still have pretty much the same attitude that you have had all your adult life, as evidenced by the way you dress and general lifestyle! Obviously it is pretty much the same for the subsequent generations, including people like me and my mates who were first introduced to music in the 70s. These days middle aged people obviously still get older, but they don’t always choose to grow up into middle / old age in the way that their parents did…

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1443727707' post='2877273'] Nope, I'm always a sideman as I don't do the gig solo and I play the bass part. And as a sideman, I'd expect input and to contribute. [/quote] [quote name='blue' timestamp='1443729047' post='2877296'] I meant, I'm a sideman and I was hired to play bass and sing, not pick or make decisions on material. I don't expect nor do I have any interest in song choice or creative input. That is why, for me , I come up with new bass lines , positions or other things to make songs I don't care for fun. And when I say sideman , I mean guys that play in only 1 band. So my point was or suggestion was aimed at other sideman like me that don't have the interest or the option to can songs. It might be different in the UK, in the States I don't know of any [i]"sideman" [/i]bass players that make decisions on material or any other band decisions. You show up and you play the songs that are called. Blue [/quote] Surely by definition a sideman is just there to play bass, can be replaced relatively easily and doesn’t have much input on material and other creative decisions. I would have thought that being a sideman would make it easier to play in multiple bands. In one of my current bands I am definitely part of the frontline and not a sideman. The band is run as sort of a democracy but me and the guitarist (as the most experienced players) tend to choose material (although we take care to pick songs the other two will be happy with) and MD the band between us, whilst the drummer does most of the marketing / social media stuff, etc. In some of my other bands I take on more of a sideman role…