MiltyG565

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1353922905' post='1879640'] Might be worth you raising the height of your strap so that the body of the bass sits in the area of your stomach - that should help in bring your little finger into contact with the fingerboard? If you want to get used to using the little finger, start doing some major and minor scales across 4 frets from about the 5th fret (use the one finger per fret method) Thought your playing sounded fine . [/quote] hmm.. i've lost quite a bit of weight lately, so it's possible it was slightly lower than before, but i don't like it being too high either. i certainly don't like it being much higher than my belly button.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1353923471' post='1879644'] By way of constructive criticism, try playing the run E-D#-D on the A-string with 3rd-2nd-1st fingers rather than all with the same finger - the latter approach can become jerky at higher tempi. [/quote] Physically impossible... that run isn't in the song, otherwise i would have

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1353931185' post='1879782'] I needed something out of the shed just as it started to fall down! Stepped on the deck and went straight down on my back. I hurts everywhere, I can barely walk. I was hoping a couple of diazepam might have done the trick but looks like im off to A&E when my daughters gets in from school! [/quote] are bassists the most careless and nonchalant people ever? get well soon mate

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1353928802' post='1879731'] There is nothing wrong with a straight DI:- Bass -> D.I -> mixer/interface. In fact if you have the 'right DI' it will sound absolutely stella. If you need some amp based dirt, rather than pedal based then you will absolutely have to mic the cab. Why? Because a cab, especially a cab designed for dirt (ie a sealed no tweeter type affair like an Ampeg 810) is a huge filter on the output. If you DI the sound of the amp (there are DI's that can handle speaker level output, but most cant - rtfm!) the result will include a huge amount of rather horrid top end fizzy noise, which you will have to deal with. The cab does exactly that for you. If you want to mix DI and mic'ed then phase is a huge issue, simply moving the sound files time aligns them, but doesnt necessarily phase align them (complex subject, phase is dependant on frequency etc etc). If you are going to timealing them, move the mic track to match the DI, it will usually sound better that way round. In order to get phase right in the first place run some sound through the amp (nice bit of pink noise will do), watching the master level move the mic until you get the highest output. Thats about as cientific as you will get with the gear you have. In your position use the DI for the bottom end and the mic for the mid range grwol. Use any cheap mic you can get your hands on, positioning is the key to a great reault. Red5Audio do a great cheap kick drum mic (c £35) that will do fine on bass in a pinch.... [/quote] Seriously man, i can not afford the extra gear. My cab is really not worth micing, and i have not got the expertise, or the equipment to go to such great lengths. I'm on sick leave from work, and will be for a while, so buying stuff is absolutely out of the question at the minute. I want to record, i want to use the DI out on my bass head, i want it to sound good. [quote name='pendingrequests' timestamp='1353929726' post='1879754'] Well the guys in Belfast Guitar Centre and Bairds always repair in house and Matchetts possibly. There's only 3 guys in Belfast Guitar Centre, so anytime you call in, just talk to the guy you were dealing with. Simple . I think it's Jon in there (Canadian guy) who knows a good amount of bass stuff. [/quote] Cheers, i'll give them a call during the week

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1353894018' post='1879545'] I'd be just as concerned about how the little finger on your fretting hand often gets tucked in under the neck. I'd personally be really looking at left hand technique in general. [/quote] yeah.... cheers.... Here's the thing, did my cover sound bad? was it any worse because i tucked my wee finger in? i just want to avoid pain in my hands, that's the bottom line.

so aye... i just came on here to see how i could improve my technique. i never really thought there was anything wrong with it... nobody ever pointed anything out, but a little while after perusing the technique forums, and then looking at my covers... i saw this> [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHXA5MYd4xg&feature=relmfu[/media] clearly, you guys would red flag this all over the place. i never even noticed i had my thumb over the top of the neck. that's mental, i never consciously made a decision to place my thumb over the top of the neck. anyway, my thumb hurts... i reckon that's why. Also, if anybody doesn't mind linking me some warm up tips, those would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1353877614' post='1879346'] The stuff I play rarely gets up the dusty end but I've been trying some (slightly) more adventurous stuff recently. However I am finding this very difficuly. I'm getting lots of pain and cramp in my fretting hand - mostly at the base of my thumb. It feels very awkward and cramped to play for any amount of time up here. I assume the answer is "practice, practice" but any tips appreciated. [/quote] I came on here because i am getting some pain at the base of my left thumb too, and i play "give it away" nearly every time i pick up the bass. I never thought my technique was so poor, but clearly it is. My thumb normally lies longways along the back of the neck when playing the low notes, and upright just below the middle of the neck in the high notes.

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1353886072' post='1879488'] You are correct of course but I am a stubborn middle aged bloke who does not give in easily..... Over the last few months it has got worse but I just don't want to give up playing. [/quote] Understandable... obviously anything i say won't change your mind, and will probably just rub you up the wrong way, so good luck

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1353885569' post='1879482'] Sadly I have had it looked at by various medical professionals Over many years I have broken my knuckles four times. I now have arthritus that is agrevated by playing bass. I have been advised on several occaisions to give up playing. When I can no longer play, I will give up! [/quote] Oh no but maybe it is better to prolong the life of your hands than the life of your gigging career. you need your hands for everything man, and who knows how many more years you are going to be kicking around.

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1353882007' post='1879433'] Just in from rehearsal. Sadly the guitarist was an hour and a quarter late. Then my hand started playing up after about an hour of playing. Painful and swollen but it's something I have to live with. [/quote] D: maybe you should get that looked at if you haven't already :/

[quote name='Rubbersoul' timestamp='1353881528' post='1879426'] Exactly - that's why we keep going back [/quote] Good man, i'll see you around

[quote name='Rubbersoul' timestamp='1353880261' post='1879405'] Yep, that's the place. Frankie's not cheap (£240 per day) but the gear you have access to is second to none. He really knows what he's doing as well and helps get the best out of you. Worth it imo. Don't know any amp techs personally but I've heard good things about the service you get out of Bairds. [/quote] That's the second time Bairds has been mentioned... must check them out. Frankie wouldn't be doing his job well if he wasn't getting the best from you, that is part of the charge- his experience.

[quote name='Rubbersoul' timestamp='1353879612' post='1879391'] Recording out at Einstein Studios near Antrim. Great place to spend the day - brilliant gear and Frankie is an absolute hoot. This is the third track off the EP - it's called Headless and so far it's sounding great. Unfortunately our singer is loaded with the cold atm so we didn't get any vocals down but we cut the session an hour short and Frankie is going to give us the time some evening over the next couple of weeks. Disappointing not coming home with a finished song but it couldn't be helped. [/quote] I thought you would be there, just on the seven mile straight, yeah? I have heard good things about frankie. But i have heard he is quite expensive. i suppose you pay for the best . Oh, would you know of any local amp techs? my amp needs looked at, but i want somebody i can really trust.

[quote name='Rubbersoul' timestamp='1353878995' post='1879379'] Well there you go! Small world. Still thinking about that PUP change. [/quote] haha! indeed! how was recording? where are you recording at?

[quote name='Rubbersoul' timestamp='1353877817' post='1879350'] Spent the day in the studio. Played a Moon Custom - lovely bass. Great day. [/quote] RUBBERSOUL! ah, i was talking to you on fastfude the other day about your pickup upgrade idea!

didn't play a note... hand still smell of onions... don't want to ruin my strings

[quote name='pendingrequests' timestamp='1353868527' post='1879169'] Play in a quite few man yeh. I don't unfortunately, so if you find one tell me! The best people I would suggest is the guys at Belfast Guitar Centre or Bairds if you talk to Darren. Hard finding the right person in N.Ireland to repair your gear. [/quote] Yeah, i know. I'm friends with a guy in ballymena who i would trust with every bit of gear i have (not that it comes to a considerable amount in value). I would take it to him, but he only does it part time and is turning away work, and he said the most he could do for me is take a quick look, and that could even be over a week away. I don't really trust music shops... I like to talk to the person actually fixing my stuff and tell them whats wrong, instead of having a third party.

[quote name='pendingrequests' timestamp='1353859322' post='1879050'] Nope. Just very good friends. [/quote] I see... Well aye, good luck to anybody trying to "make it" in music today. getting so much air shows they really have the dedication to go the distance, but it is unfortunate that their genre tends to be a bit like marmite... you either love it or you hate it. Personally, i'm quite undecided wether i love it or hate it. did they have a bit of mentoring from gary lightbody? he owns that music place in belfast doesn't he? snow patrol is a band i slowly grew out of.

[quote name='pendingrequests' timestamp='1353859282' post='1879048'] You shouldn't be pluggin straight into the interface as the tone will be horrible. If what you're saying is that your amp as a DI on it, just use it. I've been in plenty of situations where this has occurred, with DI's on a bass amp or just a standard DI via my Boss EQ pedal and the bass sounds perfectly fine. Tbh, I once recorded with a full ampeg rig that was mic'd in about 3 places it sounded horrible. DI for me personally sounds great. You could spend weeks, months even looking at how to record bass amps with mics/no mics etc. Just record, play with the DAW's EQ or bass emulators and see what you get. [/quote] FFS, had a reply written out, but it didn't send. Anyway, cheers for the info man. I'm assuming you are in some local band? Do you know of any good bass amp techs around these parts? need somebody very reliable and competent, and the closer to ballymena the better

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1353855278' post='1878984'] Looking at that interface you should be able to either plug the bass directly into the instrument input (the one with the guitar icon) or use an XLR lead to connect the DI socket of the amp to the mic input on the interface. Personally I'd use both if you can split the bass signal so you can send it to the amp and the interface simultaneously. I would question your reluctance to use a mic. Surely the sound from your amp that you like is as a result of hearing it from your cab? I think you'll be surprised by how different the DI from the amp sounds without the influence of the cab. [/quote] well, micing it requires a lot of equipment that i don't have, and don't have the money to be to be quite frank. and i promise you, there is no point micing my bass cab. I was recording from the DI out on my bass to the XLR connection on the interface. some had said go through a DI box, as it will improve the signal, some said just plug straight in to a DI box and cut out the amp, some said plug straight in to the interface. I like the sound of my amp, and the amount of room it leaves for sound level control and tone control, so i would rather keep it in the loop.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1353851615' post='1878935'] It would probably help to know what amp and what audio interface you are using. And what the recording you are doing is for - song demos and full band recordings? Are you not wanting to mic the cab because of noise concerns or because you don't have a suitable mic? I think you'll be surprised by how much the cab affects the sound of your bass, so you'll need to compensate for it on mix down which will mean either a very good EQ plugin or a cab simulator - in which case I'd be tempted to record the bass direct and do amp and cab sim "in the box". [/quote] I'm using my ash down ABM 400 rack head, DIed to an ESI ESU22 sound card/audio interface. link- [url="http://www.esi-audio.com/products/esu22/"]http://www.esi-audio.com/products/esu22/[/url] I am just recording bass and maybe some guitar through it. I'm not micing the cab because i don't have a brilliant cab, so there is no point micing it.

swap this thread for a homemade one?

[quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1353837071' post='1878788'] There are many levels of commitment to a band . I learn the songs ,turn up for rehearsals and gigs , help with bookings and promotion of the band . However , I also have a day job, a mortgage , bills to pay and I even have other interests outside of music . My livelihood comes before the band , being a bass player in a pub band won't put a roof over your head . [/quote] and we have the same name, hey, waddaya know? we could be long lost brothers.

[quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1353837071' post='1878788'] There are many levels of commitment to a band . I learn the songs ,turn up for rehearsals and gigs , help with bookings and promotion of the band . However , I also have a day job, a mortgage , bills to pay and I even have other interests outside of music . My livelihood comes before the band , being a bass player in a pub band won't put a roof over your head . [/quote] I assume it's the same for everyone. i have 2 jobs, an A level course, other interests and bills to pay too, doesn't mean i would be less committed than anybody else in the band.

needs a tort pick guard.