solo4652

Quick update, for anybody who's interested. The drummer sent me three rehearsal recordings of singer + acoustic guitarist. The singer was sounding good - hitting the notes, and hitting the timings pretty accurately. Songs were: A night like this and Back it up by Caro Emerald, and Winehouse's Back to black. I'd not heard of Caro Emerald, so looked up the songs on Youtube. Basically "swing", but over catchy grooves - almost a reggae feel at times!? The more I listened, the more interested I became. I emailed the drummer and said that I'd like to pop over to rehearsal for a play-along. I also asked him about backing tracks. He replied that the guitarist hadn't finally decided on them yet, and would wait to hear how things sounded with a drummer and bassist - very much a start-up project. So, I'm hoping to meet up with them all shortly for an initial play-through of a few songs. It may be that, with a drummer and a bassist, the guitarist decides the sound is "beefed up" enough without backing tracks. I hope so.

Good call on the Mikey Way Mustang. I'll find out what I can about it. Couldn't live with that colour, though. Edit: Quick Google search suggests that the Mikey way has a fairly thick Motown-y tone, which isn't quite what I'm after.

My switch to short scale (30") is going well. Ibanez Talman is a cracker, very ably backed up by Harley Benton shorty - both basses having had wiring upgrades with the help of B/C's Bassbunny. I've been scouring the web for a (passive) short scale Stingray copy, but can't find anything. If not a Stingray clone, how about something else that has a mids-forward tone? Not a J, or a PJ - I already have one of those. £500 budget. Anybody know of such a thing, please?

Still can't get hold of the drummer for a chat. He's offered to send examples of the guitarist and singer at rehearsal. I've asked for the songlist. Via email, I've also asked him about the guitarist's use of backing tracks, and whether he can replace the brake discs on my Seat.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1477314859' post='3161316'] Understandable if it's this guy - He is really busy. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH6hzTh3YHc[/media] [/quote] I gave up when he said "cool" for the 7th time.

Thanks to everyone for helping me think this through. I have no experience of playing with backing tracks and my gut feeling is that I don't really want to. Trying to be open minded, I'd just about be happy to have a virtual sax player for Baker Street or maybe some strings for Elbow. However, my feeling is that if the tracks are a semi-permanent feature of the band that flesh out the guitarist's sound without adding any new instrumentation, then I'd politely decline. Clearly I need to find out a bit more about what the band will use the backing tracks for, how often, and what exactly will be on them. Can't give an update because my three attempts to speak to the drummer have so far gone unanswered.

I have the opportunity of joining a start-up covers function band. This is how the intended line-up is described; "One guitar, bass, drums, vocals, maybe keys as well. The guitarist would also have backing tracks to beef up the sound a little." I'm ringing the drummer tonight for a chat. The guitarist wanting backing tracks is ringing a few alarm bells for me. Why does the guitarist want backing tracks - to "beef up" what sounds, exactly? All songs, or just some? Would this be a temporary thing to get the band up and running, or a permanent part of the band? Would there still be backing tracks if a keys player is recruited? What does everybody think about this, please?

Singer; "If I come in a bit late, will you be able to slow down until I'm with you?" Her:"How do I know when to come in?" Me: "It's after 8 bars" Her: "What's a bar?" "I won't be able to practise at home at all"

Looks like a real bargain. https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-bass-amplifiers/galien-krueger-bass-rig-mb500-mbx-4x10/1190110380

There does seem to be a market, so they'll be daft if they don't. Fully expect a price rise, though.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ashdown-Retroglide-800-bass-guitar-amplifier-head-/282179043958?hash=item41b32e8276:g:8YAAAOSwgApW~TGE

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B-Stock-Ashdown-Rootmaster-RM-800-Head-Bass-Amplifier-800-Watt-15050829-/291905954841?hash=item43f6f36419:g:R2sAAOSwOyJX3-gj

I have a Yamaha BB424 and a BB1024 sitting in my dining room. I can't play them because of my neck and arm problems. What a huge shame. The 424's up for sale and the 1024 may well be soon, dammit. I've switched to short scale, and that's made a big difference to my ability to play. Harley Benton shorty with Entwistle PBXN pickups is an astonishingly capable bass, given that it cost me under £90. Bonkers. I do miss the PJ setup of the Yamahas, however, so I've ordered a Talman MTB30. Short scale, wide(ish) nut at 41mm, PJ pickups, lightweight, well-balanced apparently, excellent reviews. There seems to have been a bit of a run on these basses lately, and I really struggled to find one in the UK. Thomann still have them at the moment. I'd have chosen the cream colour, but only black is available in Europe. Bass is "out for delivery"...Ha!

https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/yamaha-bb604-nathan-east-style-bass-guitar/1191695485 Collection only. I'm happy to pick it up if somebody wants it.

"[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]If your band can't sit back and play as simple as this then I'd suggest it isn't going to work."[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]We haven't played it yet. In fact, we've only met once. I'm trying to make sure I'm ready to play the song at Sunday's rehearsal. At this stage, I don't know how it's going to sound. Since I have very little experience of writing lines from scratch, I was seeking feedback on my attempt. "Throw 80% away" is the sort of thing I need to appreciate. So, all good advice - thank you.[/font][/color]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1475754501' post='3148460'] I must be missing something here... why are you writing a line for a song that already has one? [/quote] Well, I'm not trying to write a new bassline - I'm trying to write something down that approximates to the existing line so I have something to refer to during rehearsals. I searched the usual tabsites but couldn't find anything. I generally use existing tabs as a start-point for writing my own since I find that writing down a line forces me to listen to a song which in turn helps me to learn the song much more quickly. I'm not really creative enough to extemporise around a basic chord chart. And what's wrong with my shirt?

Bonzodog - Have you got one of these new Hartke heads yet?

Further fussing and simplifying gives this, which I'm fairly happy with: Verse: We were rolling through the Rockies... [font=courier new,courier,monospace]|-------------|--------------|-------------|-------------| |-------------|--------------|-------------|-----------3-| |-----1-----3-|-----1------3-|-----1-----3-|-------------| X 1 |-1-3-----3---|-1-3------3---|-1-3-----3---|--1-1----1---| [/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace]And there was a god in heaven... |-------------|------------|-------------|--------------| |-------------|----------3-|--1-3-----3--|-----------3--| |----1-----1--|---1--------|--------3----|--1-----------| X 1 |--1-----1----|-1------1---|-------------|----1----1----|[/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace]We were headed straight for Eden |-------------|----3--------|---5-3---------|------------| |-------------|--3-----1-3--|-3-----5-3-----|----------3-| |----1-----1--|-------------|-----------1-3-|------------| X 1 |--1-----1----|-------------|---------------|---------1--|[/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace]BRIDGE: I guess something... |-------------|-3---------7-|-------------|-5----------5-|----------| |----------1--|---3------7--|--3--5-----5-|---5----------|----------| |----1---3----|-----5-------|---------5---|-----3----3---|------1-3-| |--1----------|-------------|-------------|--------------|----------|[/font]

Thanks folks. I've spent a bit of time on it today and come up with something that sort of fits. Sort of. You'll quickly appreciate I have no musical theory at all, so please be gentle... Sorry - Can't work out how to put spaces between the verse bars to male them easier to read. [font=courier new,courier,monospace]Verse: We were rolling through the Rockies... |-------------| |--------------| |-------------| |-----3--------| |-3----3----3-| X 3 |------------1-| X 1 |-----3----3--| |-1-----1---3--|[/font] [font=courier new,courier,monospace]And there was a god in heaven... |-------------|-3----3------|-------------|---------------| |-------------|-----3-----1-|-3----3----1-|-3-------------| |-1----1----1-|-------------|-----3----3--|---------------| X 1 |-----1----1--|-------------|-------------|-----1-1---1-3-| We were headed straight for Eden |-------------|-3----3------|-----5-------|-----------|------------| |-------------|-----3-----1-|------5---3--|-3---------|------------| |-1----1----1-|-------------|-3---------3-|-----------|---1--------| X 1 |-----1----1--|-------------|-------------|-----------|-1----------| BRIDGE: I guess something... |-------------|-3---------7-|---------3-4-|-5----------5-| |-----------1-|---3------7--|-5----5------|---5----------| |-1----1---3--|-----5-------|-----5-------|-----3----3---| |-----1-------|-------------|-------------|--------------| not too sure how bridge finishes off[/font]

The song is - The song remembers when, by Trisha Yearwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AygRmWnow1w Being honest, this type of rhinestones-by-the-campfire song isn't my cup of tea at all, but my new band wants to try it. I have limited experience of writing bass parts from scratch, and I'm struggling to come up with something that fits without being too busy. I'm not even sure whether the song really needs bass. I've tried root -fifth for 3 bars, then root-walk down pentatonic. However, it just sounds misplaced to me - a bit like a pop-rock bassline that's been borrowed from somewhere else. Root-root-octave-third sounds a little better. I've decided to play in the intro and then stay out until the second verse, coming in with the drummer. I might even suggest to the band that this song is better stripped down to singer + acoustic guitar + cajon. All suggestions greatly appreciated. Steve

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1473108303' post='3127054'] And thanks Solo for the PM [/quote] No problem.

Just back from rehearsal. I had a quiet word with the owner and said that I wasn't happy taking responsibility for securing his property. If other people were happy to do so, then that's up to them, but not me. "OK", he said, "I'll just have to get somebody else to lock up". "Fine by me", I said.

No idea! Nothing to do with me - I'm just posting the link here exactly as I found it when hunting for a short scale bass.

Aside from the trust issue, there is an implied business agreement here which, for me, goes something like: We pay you money. In return, you allow us to use your premises and equipment, you look after us while we're there and you lock up your own premises when we leave.