Huge Hands

I'd suggest you keep it going but advertise and start another band with your brother on the side - initially to see what happens - it sounds like the Growlers isn't taking up much of your time at the mo. You'll probably find you gel with other people, and it will either kick your vocalist and drummer up the @rse or completely kill off the Growlers as they don't like what you've done, or wanted to finish anyway. At least you'll know for sure, and you could end up with 2 bands worth of musicians that you can pick a "supergroup" from if two gets to be too much!

[quote name='johnnylager' post='222181' date='Jun 19 2008, 02:30 PM']Razzle.[/quote] B*****cks! Beat me to it JL!

[quote name='ped' post='222156' date='Jun 19 2008, 02:04 PM']£200 for 36 6m cables is pretty good IHMO![/quote] I'd agree. There must be nearly £100 worth of connectors there (to the punter off the street), so £100 to solder them all up seems good to me.

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='222101' date='Jun 19 2008, 01:14 PM']I always do my best to try and find [b]him[/b] out as soon as we get there, and talk to [b]him[/b] in a friendly way.[/quote] Sorry, just realised I was being horribly sexist there. There are some very good female soundies out there as well, and can be just as geeky about compression thresholds and Q settings as the rest of us.... P.S. CK you were right, although I'm defending soundies in general, that guy should have just swapped the order and checked Clarky's band, especially as they weren't first or last on. Now that was being a jobsworth for the sake of it!

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='222082' date='Jun 19 2008, 12:58 PM']Its the soundman job to make sure everyone is soundchecked in time for opening. If that means doing the band that isn't headlining first then that should be what common sense dictates. With about 2 exceptions (our band soundman and the bloke who does Cafe de Paris) almost every other soundman we've worked with has been a complete arse. I don't understand it, I mean, do they teach ARSE 101 at soundman school or something?[/quote] Yep! I will admit, that you do have to be able to be arsey quite often. Remember it's you (usually on your own) against several band members. I think you will find a sound man will treat you much better if you do the same to him. Some are always arsey, I admit that. I always do my best to try and find him out as soon as we get there, and talk to him in a friendly way. You might argue that this would be easier for me as a previous soundman, but that can work against me, because there's nothing worse than a muso trying to tell you your job! I think it all comes down to a blame thing. If a band is not happy with their sound, they play worse, and then lash out at the sound man (often over the mic to the audience). The sound man is often fiercely protective of his own abilities, and will be looking for things the band did to bugger it up (which is more often than you'd think) and will lash back. I've been in so many near punch-ups backstage, it's untrue. The best soundies are the ones who can rise all above that and ignore the criticism and keep a happy outlook (something I always inspired to do but failed regularly). Problem is, if they have this sort of attitude in the heat of the moment, the band will probably think they don't give a sh*t! In my experience, as a muso, you have gigs where people think you're sh*t, and gigs where people think you're a virtuoso Funkmaster (probably mostly the former in my case!). As a sound engineer, you only get noticed if you're sh*t. If you're great, the punters walk away thinking the band was amazing... Another ten penneth!

On one of the nights as per your avatar backdrop, the guy who ran the night (who may not have been the promoter) gave our band a right dressing down for not showing up for a soundcheck, so it does happen. It p*ssed me off no end for 2 reasons: 1, The keyboard player drummer and me HAD been there, it was the effing guitarist and singer who didn't show. 2, He only did this because I thought I was being helpful and tried to comment to the sound engineer that he had accidentally sent keys through the wedges and may have damaged them (we only asked for vocals). He took this to mean that we were complaining about the sound (it was unusually sh*t for him, but we'vecoped with a lot worse so weren't that bothered) but he got a bit huffy and sulky, so his mate jumped to his defence. I like to think that I am a chilled person and let stuff like that wash over me, but I will admit I was tempted to introduce his teeth to his shoes.... As to The Funk's comments, I found on these nights that it's not a good idea to treat everyone like the enemy, or else you come across as the arrogant b*****ds yourselves. As I said before, we are totally the wrong genre and I don't like a lot of the music I hear at these nights, but I always make an effort to clap at the right places during their sets and look like I'm enjoying it, even if I'm not. I often find that if bands appear distant, it may be because it is ther first gig and they are bricking it. I would also allow for the fact that a lot of these venues, especially the one in Soho, are a pain to find, get your motor near to unload, and then you have to find somewhere to park up. People turning up late, although frustrating, is all part of the game? Just my ten penneth.

Clarky, is the same gig as per the backdrop in your Avatar? We used to a few of their four-band nights and were often the "Headliner"even though we were completely the wrong genre for those nights (the guitarist is a good salesman!!) I know the soundies at a couple of their venues are basically good guys and can get good sound, but can get a bit like that at times. At our most regular one, I used to ask him to go without a soundcheck for us because a couple of our band members could be flaky and I didn't want to p*ss the other bands off. For some reason, he didn't like that either, which I personally couldn't understand. When I was an engineer, as I knew my rig so well, I used to love bands that were happy to go without - as long as we did a line check beforehand. With a small desk you can't give them all dedicated channels so have to start marking stuff down and hope you put it back right, and invariably so many parameters have changed by then - i.e. people in the room, louder gains etc, that your soundcheck is almost redundant anyway! Sounds like you caught him on a bad night.....

Today, I'm sitting here at work with a pair of 1980's roller disco style walkman headphones I found - plugged into my laptop, listening to Donny Hathaway live. Right now, it's Willie Weeks' solo in Voices (Everything Is Everything). Cracking!

[quote name='JPJ' post='221849' date='Jun 19 2008, 12:23 AM']How about a stottie export business,[/quote] I'll be your best customer! If the old fogies come down for a visit, I usually get them to bring us a job lot. That's as 'bout as near to an export business the HH family has ever come! Probably explains why I've been a fat b*****d all my life!!! I bought my Squier JV Jazz off Howard about 17 years ago at his house in Harlough Green (near Low Fell). Seemed a really nice fellow. I really wanted him to make me one of his Jazz copies he had made for the guy who taught me bass at the time, but couldn't afford it on a paperboy's salary! "Memories, like the colours of myyyy miiiiiiind......."

[quote name='Oscar South' post='221012' date='Jun 17 2008, 11:16 PM']I think its generally solid apart from the unneeded generic Jaco-esque harmonics which he seems to just be hitting at random.[/quote] Sounded to me like it was all edited, chopped and copy-pasted, hence random things. It didn't sound like a single "one take" piece, but I apologise to the man if he did. I liked it. I was tempted to watch a couple of times, but I have to admit it wasn't because of the bass player!

I saw this shop in Farringdon on my way to rehearsal last night, and thought of this thread. Wonder if he sells Car Wash "end of chorus" riffs and slap disco grooves?

I bought Stuart Clayton's book on Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers recently (free shameless plug for you there). From what I read into it, Bernard often showed Nile quite a lot of techniques and probably therefore was a similar kind of composer in their relationship?

Just someone I heard about. Calm down, calm down!

Paul McCartney?

The Craftsmen. Sounds like a good name for a band.....

What I was trying to get at is that with me, I am happy to experiment with mine, because I know it's only a cheap thing. Ergo, if I saw Jakesbass's model and tried his action to see whether mine is about right or needs a lot of adjustment, then I'm happy to get the sandpaper out and have a shot at sorting it out if needed. I wouldn't have the balls to do this with a more expensive one! If I was someone who wouldn't want to do any of that, then I wouldn't buy a G4M one. As for transportation, I use the gig bag. I have an Audi A3, and with the back seats down and the peg retracted, it just sticks through between the front seats. It doesn't hamper gearshift/handbrake, but does annoy your shoulders! I used to have a Laguna Estate and I don't think I could get the big case in it with the boot shut. I am 6'3" and it is taller than me! It was delivered by a courier in a Transit, and he looked like he was glad to get rid of it. It was delivered unstrung with the brigde supposedly in a pocket (I had to get mine redelivered as already mentioned), so don't expect to play it straight out of the box if you buy one. I would also check about being close to their store. I recently saw an end of line bargain online with Guitar Amp Keyboard (GAK) in Brighton recently. I went to the shop to look at it thinking I could save myself delivery charges and try it out, but was told that I couldn't because the web-site was a completely different affair from the shop and was run from different premesis. Good luck with your choices!

Mrs HH loved the bluesy feel of the Fiat advert (where the car disintegrates and then reforms when the bloke shows up) that she looked it up on the net and bought the album. The band are called the Sweet Vandals, and the track on the advert is called Beautiful. They appear to be Spanish, recorded in Germany, singing in English. Great advert for the EU. Most of the album is sort of James Brown influenced funky stuff - well played, but IMHO nothing new or different. The Beautiful track is the one that really stands out - I really like it. The bass player plays some nice grooves - especially on their version of Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, which appears to be the only cover on there. If I was being hyper critical I would say that he could have done with a bit of compression on his feed as you do a few weak spots and clipping now and then. Anyway, not too shabby. I keep playing a few tracks off it in the car, and to appease Mrs HH, I have even suggested to the band that we have a shot at a cover of Beautiful tonight to see if we can do anything with it. It's hard to think of the words without the Spanish accent on them though! Wow, I'm beginning to sound like a second rate NME review here!

Still doesn't smell right to me. I am a long time drummer and bass player, but didn't know the term "lawsuit Japanese copy" until I came here. If he knew the plate was not from this bass, then why was he not saying so? Why try and say "it's serial number is 39xxx" if he know's it's not off this bass?

[quote name='jakesbass' post='220480' date='Jun 17 2008, 11:33 AM']The difference between a bass like yours and the one in my avatar is enormous, low action so easy to play, lots of bass and a lovely dark growl to the notes, loads of swell after the very substantial percussion of the pizz, and mine is not a top end instrument.[/quote] I don't doubt it for a moment. I am just a tightwad and went for a cheap option. I guess I also had this fantasy that if I could master a ropey instrument, then I'd be amazing on a well setup one. I'm sure you'll scoff at that, but I always was a dreamer! [quote name='jakesbass' post='220480' date='Jun 17 2008, 11:33 AM']HH I'm only an hour from Crawley so it's possible.[/quote] Thanks Jakebass, I may take you up on that kind offer. I also work and tend to gig in central London if that's any closer.

I have a 3/4 Gear4Music bass that I bought about 4 years ago for £325 ish. It came with a cloth covered blown Polystyrene case that is about 7 foot tall and (won't fit in most cars) which is now in my loft full of old bits and bobs, but also a handy soft case. I haved talked about it before on here. It looks flimsy in places, the tuners feel like they are going to break every time you turn them, but funnily enough, they never have. The only problem it has ever had is that the side seam started to split - I think after a family member knocked it over an didn't tell me (I have no proof!) I went on the web and everyone was saying "Only use hide glue made from real horses hooves or else the luthiers will never be able to open it up and repair it again!!!!" Sorry, but for £300, I doubt luthier charges will be that cheap, so I'll just buy another if that's needed! In the end, I used wood glue, and it's been sound as a pound ever since. Jakesbass will talk a lot of sense about reasonably priced professional ones that have been setup properly, and if you are really serious about this and have a bit more cash, I'd be tempted to go with his multitudes of experience and buy one of those. However, if like me, you were never sure if you'd ever stick at it if it turned out to be hard, are a big clumsy fool who keeps bumping it into things, and often end up with your mate's kids sticky fingers all over it, then go for one of these. I love mine, and Gear4Music were very friendly originally, especially after they forgot to include the bridge when it was originally delivered. Received one the next day! Jakesbass, I would like to meet up with you one day and see what a really well setup one should be like, I reckon the action on mine might be a bit high. Then again, if I have to sand the bridge and f**k it up, I haven't lost that much, have I?

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='219958' date='Jun 16 2008, 03:59 PM'] wear sporty wrist bands wear less clothing when you play to keep your body temp down[/quote] Erm, get a dodgy perm, leopard skin lycra pants (some ones with piano keys down the legs for the keyboardist) and you have a soft rock band......

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='219929' date='Jun 16 2008, 03:28 PM']I change my strings every 6 years or so[/quote] To quote Jamerson, "The dirt keeps the funk", eh Bilbo? Personally, I'm just a lazy b@st@rd!

That Stig bloke, is that his perspex rig behind him? If only I had the "euro rock" hair and physique to go with it, I'd be tempted!

[quote name='Galilee' post='209415' date='May 30 2008, 09:48 AM']I'll be the heretic then, I say get pi55ed and go mental. Make them force you off stage after 45 minutes of ham-fisted bass soloing and dodgy dancing. If you feel like you're losing them at any point, just get your willy out.[/quote] Ha ha ha excellent! If only I didn't have to drive to our gigs.....!

I have had the same experience with both the unknown flats on my upright, and Labella flats I recently put on my Cort. It almost feels to me as though they have a thin plastic or rubber coating on them which gets grippy as my fingers cause friction? I'm probably talkin b*****ks, but that's what it feels like.