solo4652

I'm OK with gigging - I'm always as well-prepared as I can be. It's the recording session that spooks me.

Really pleased that you've landed on your feet and that you're enjoying the new band. Good for you.

Blimey - full credit to you! 36 songs and an appendicectomy within the space of 2 weeks. Complete trooper.

I like your final phrase; "...[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]it will all be alright in the end and if it's not alright it's not the end."[/font][/color]

Flurry of band emails this afternoon. Planned rehearsal for this week is cancelled, and next week's is looking highly unlikely. That means the next time we meet will be at the recording studio to play a list of 4 or 5 songs that has yet to be agreed but will probably include 1 song I haven't learned yet, 1 song that I've learned at home but haven't yet played with the band and 3 or 4 songs which, at most, we will have played together 3 times, because we've only played together 3 times in total. "Don't worry Steve - it'll be great fun", the band tells me. Depends on your idea of fun, I suppose.

All I can do is tell them what I'm practising and then turn up at the recording studio and and play that. I'm not going to stress any more about this.

[size=4]Quick update.[/size]

[size=4]Yes, yes, I know - I worry too much! Story of my life. I'm over-critical, over-cautious and under-confident. I use B/C to check my natural pessimism. I know I can come across as a bit of hand-wringer, but I value the external advice and support I get here.[/size]

[size=4][color=black]Following on from all the excellent advice and support from you lot, I've decided to take a pragmatic approach. I'll concentrate on the recording songs for now, once the band has agreed which ones...I'll keep on practising the giglist but without adding any new ones until after the recording session. The recording songs haven’t been fully rehearsed, and the starts and endings are still largely undecided. I’ll just turn up and play what I’ve practised and let them cut, paste and edit my tracks to create what they want. That approach gives me 9 days to nail the recording songs and, after that, 2 weeks to focus on the gig songs including a couple of new ones. Onwards and upwards, then.[/color][/size]

[size=4][color=black]Steve[/color][/size]

Thank you everybody for the support and encouragement. You've all made me much more confident about giving the recordings an honest shot.

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1491828819' post='3275660']
Steve, I do understand and agree to your points but as the new boy I think I'd just go along with it rather than make any waves.
[/quote]

Well Les, that's the pretty clear message here, isn't it! as Chris_b says, my confidence is sagging.

I've just emailed the band to say that I'm feeling a bit maxed-out learning new songs, and under-confident about the recording. They've all been in the studio a few times before, they know each other and the songs well. I don't. I've said I'll concentrate on the recording songs for now, once they can agree on which 5 we're doing... Thereafter, it will be full-on gig focus. I'm crap at multi-tasking. In fact, to me, "multi-tasking" means the opportunity to mess a number of things up at the same time.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1491828091' post='3275638']
A CD? Isn't that a bit 2005?
[/quote]

Yes. I don't think the band needs a CD for marketing. Much more important in my view is some half-decent real-time videos of the band playing live to an appreciative audience. However, the band still wants to do the studio recording in 10 days time. What I'm struggling with is why can't it be postponed until after the gig? The studio will still be there, the band will be much better-rehearsed, pressure will be off etc.

Clarification:

Recording will be 4 or 5 songs, all of which are on the gig setlist.
Only one more rehearsal before the recording. I don't think the recording songs will be "well-rehearsed" before the studio. There is one on there I haven't learned yet and we've only played the other three as a full band three times.
Apparently, the recording session will be instruments recorded seperately, with drummer first to a click track, then me, etc

I joined a good function/party covers band 4 weeks ago. The keys player is a friend of mine who I played with for a couple of years. He asked me to join when their previous bassist left. I don’t know the circumstances.

Gigs are in the band diary – next one is a pub gig in 5 weeks’ time. In the last 3 weeks I’ve learned 25 new songs, and I have 5 more to go. I’ll be ready for the gig – I pride myself on doing what I say I will.

Band leader is the guitarist. Three days ago, he booked us in for a full-on pro recording session on 22[sup]nd[/sup] April. He wants to record a CD, ostensibly for “marketing”. I don’t want or need to do a studio recording session right now – I’m up to my neck learning new songs for the gig. I’ve said this to the band, but they seem set on the recording on 22[sup]nd[/sup]. There will only be 1 more rehearsal between now and then and the recording list has songs on that we’ve only played together a very few times. Those songs aren't gig -ready yet, let alone recording-ready. I’ve suggested we postpone the recording and concentrate on our first gig together. Nobody else in the band agrees to this. I’m not getting my point across.

What shall I do? I’m very much the band New Boy and I certainly don’t want to be obstructive or awkward 4 weeks in. However, neither do I want to go to a studio ill-prepared. My priority right now is learning the setlist for the gig. If the band continues to insist on the studio recording next weekend, despite me suggesting that it's postponed, I'm close to saying I won't be there.

Steve

Jack,

When you weigh it, could you please measure the width of the nut?

Thanks.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1490865310' post='3268567']
My definition of a rehearsal is that everyone arrives knowing their parts and you put all the pieces together in a band context.

Things might have to be changed and honed, but working out the chords, inversions and arrangements should have already been done. You don't need to do any of that at full volume.
[/quote]

Completely agree.

Hi Jack,

How heavy is it, please?

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1490607797' post='3266279']
Problem most drummers have is no way to practice at home. Even the ones that have an electronic kit at home still have the banging away on the kick pedal that can drive neighbours downstairs/next door or family members up the wall. Lack of practice leads to lack of enthusiasm. Or frustration. Most only really practice when playing with a band be it rehearsals or gigs which leads onto the usual problems associated with that.
I think a lot of them end up as what I would call "people that happen to own a drum kit" rather than what I would call a "drummer".

In my ideal world I would like more readily available drummers that understand the whole song structure thing as well as have all the chops, are not already in umpteeen bands, dont have a permenant personal crisis on the go, just get the fact that if you play drums you have to move a drum kit about if gigging ect (thats a debate already done) have great feel and dynamics, I could go on... that are like this one.
[url="https://youtu.be/4bAY-dVtvVo"]https://youtu.be/4bAY-dVtvVo[/url]
[/quote]

I think this is an important point. It's easy for me to practise quietly at home, but how on earth does a drummer do that?

Another important consideration is keeping the drummer awake at rehearsals. While keys player, guitarist and bassist discuss the finer points of extended jazz chords and which key to do the song in, the drummer gets bored and starts checking their phone. I see this all the time, and I can certainly appreciate why some drummers wouldn't want to lug kit just to spend a fair amount of time listening to endless debates about chord shapes and progressions, and also having to put up with guitarists who insist on noodling between songs.

In my experience, guitarists and singers are often the "difficult" band members.

I sold my 1024 recently after I switched to short scale. It was probably the best-sounding bass I've ever had and it was such a shame to see it go. Now, if Yamaha did a lightweight, well-balanced 1024 short scale, I'd be reaching for the Visa card.

Following on from my last post, if I did look for an AEB (and I'm far from convinced about this), the shopping list would probably look something like:

Short scale
Thinline body - I can't really see the point of wrestling with a jumbo sized thing if it's going to be electronically amplified
Low(ish) action that can be easily adjusted via truss-rod
Lightweight and no neck dive
Must be easy to play standing up
Decent pre-amp

Prefer to buy secondhand up to, say, £200 ish.

In other words, it would need to feel and play as closely as possible to an all-electric short scale bass when played standing up.

Quick Google throws up Washburn AB10 and Fender BG 29. Any others out there?

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1490692170' post='3267021']
Hi

I've got a Harley Benton fitted with D'Addario black nylons and if sounds great acoustically or plugged in. Drop me a pm....I never get round to playing it and to be honest it's a bit in the way. We might be talking about 'for the cost of the strings and gig bag' territory. I'm near Belper above Derby so easy reach to or from Stockport.


Andy
[/quote]

Hello Andy. Thank you for that. I now only play short scale (30") basses, so the HB isn't going to work for me.

[quote name='philw' timestamp='1490691009' post='3267002']
Loudest one I've ever played is the one I have at the moment - the Fender marketed Olympia copy of the Tacoma. Like this one:

[url="https://reverb.com/item/139838-olympia-ob3ce-acoustic-bass"]https://reverb.com/i...e-acoustic-bass[/url]

Happy to let you have a go if you're anywhere near Brighton.

P
[/quote]

Thank you very much for your kind offer. Sadly, I'm in Stockport. If you see what I mean.

I play in an "acoustic" band comprised of lead singer, singer/guitarist, acoustic drums and myself on electric bass. I've been asked to consider an acoustic bass. I said that I couldn't really see the point, for all the reasons given here. The response from the band:

[color=black][size=3]"The original idea behind not just sticking to a full band set up was two fold and you make valid points regarding acoustic Bass. We did mean electro-acoustic and yes agree you would need to be plugged in/amplified (to the desk maybe?). Normal electric bass would work just as well but electro-acoustic bass would fit better with the Electro acoustic guitar image wise and project [ the band's] brand if you like so there is 'The Look' to consider also in this. i.e. we all look like an acoustic band.[/size][/color]

[color=black][size=3]The second reason for originally suggesting stripped down version was it also strips down the amount of gear you need to bring and hopefully allow faster set up/tear down times."[/size][/color]

So, it seems to be predominantly about looks and image. I've never played an electro-acoustic bass and I have no real inclination to do so, being honest. Because of neck and arm pain, I'm picky about what bass I play. My current squeeze is a Fender MIJ Mustang with a waist support belt clipped onto an extra strap pin using one of the neck-plate screws. Switching between basses rapidly upsets my Arthritis. The band knows this, but I'm still being asked to consider an electro-acoustic, and I'm resisting. Mexican stand-off.

"Weight = 34.5 Kgs". Is that correct?

On-line collaborations with people who enjoy playing your favourites?

Done. Good luck to you.

Lovely sub-funk feel from Abba's rear Gunnar(son). Wish I could play like this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNBeNtqyhZg

Things have taken an upturn here.

One evening last week at 6 pm, I got a phone call from a keys player I used to play with: "Our bassist has left. We're rehearsing tonight, gig in 5 weeks. Can you help?" Quick meal, jump in the car and 90 minutes later I'm standing in their rehearsal room. I was OK with songs I knew, but hopeless with ones I didn't know, with the guitarist saying "I'll play barre chords so you can read my fingers" Errr, no, I can't do that on the hoof. Sorry. I was gobsmacked when they asked me to join! They're an established functions band playing to a good standard. The other people in the band have played together for ages, and I played with the keys player for 2 years, so maybe all the "singing off different hymn sheets" issues have been flushed out.

I'm learning the setlist as fast as I can. Playing the songs I already know, plus the easy new ones, gives me 16. Only 15 more to go, but they're all new to me. YouTube's going to get some hammer over the next few weeks.

So, onwards and upwards. First proper rehearsal tomorrow night.

I'm not too concerned about the Toneprint feature. I don't use any effects at all - completely dry signal. The extra 300W of the TC 800 might be useful to have up your sleeve, though. That said, my GKMB500 has always been plenty loud enough. And no - I don't want to use the MB500 with a seperate compressor pedal, thank you!