EliasMooseblaster

As I've mentioned in a few other threads, I'm very conscious that my vocal abilities are very limited. (It certainly doesn't help that, given my natural register, I have to do the bottom harmony of any BVs, which is notoriously the hardest one to get right.) On the plus side, I'm going to have a bit more free time over the next few weeks, so I thought I might investigate singing lessons. Can anybody recommend a reasonably-priced vocal coach near Kingston-upon-Thames, or the SW London area?

[quote name='urbanx' timestamp='1436952095' post='2822236'] How long is this tour?! Could you take it as annual leave, and use you're office job to fund it? [/quote] This isn't bad advice, actually, and is probably a good example of why these things are best approached on a case-by-case basis. I recently had the chance to go on a tour that would have just about fit inside my annual leave allowance - if it had been with my main band then I probably would have done it. Being nearly 30, and considerably more cynical, I knew that one tour wasn't going to break the band into mainstream success, so, depressing as going back to the office job would have been, it would have been less depressing than going back to Job Seekers' Allowance! (But since they weren't my main band, and I would have been left with no holiday allowance afterwards, I decided to pass up the opportunity, I should probably add.)

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1436517187' post='2818704'] Just out of curiosity does anyone know what happens in public libraries? I assume some sort of artist payment occurs when people borrow an album, any idea what the royalty rates on those transactions are - similar to streaming? [/quote] Yep, there are services which collect royalties every time somebody checks out a book, CD, DVD, etc. I think it's the PLR for UK authors, and PPL for UK musicians. I don't know exactly what the rates are, but one certainly wouldn't rely on them to form the backbone of one's income!

[b]Just a week away now...[/b] [attachment=195975:indieNoir.jpg]

[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1436365640' post='2817547'] I don't see them collapsing... The sad reality is that until listeners begin to once again place a value on music, the payment for it will continue to fall. [/quote] Couldn't agree more. It's all very well telling us to opt out of the major commercial services and use Bandcamp or Pledgemusic, but your average punter fears the unfamiliar - they'll look for your music on iTunes or Spotify, or whatever they normally use, and if they can't find it then they'll not bother.

You can tell it's a serious gig when it's got its own trailer: [url="https://youtu.be/C0_Ozi3jmKE"]http://youtu.be/C0_Ozi3jmKE[/url] From the official event page ([url="https://www.facebook.com/events/828886583860254/"]https://www.facebook...28886583860254/[/url]): "A night of femme-fatales and unique acts from the dark side of Indie playing an incredible mix of musical genres... Also included will be stalls, artwork, film and fashion. This is not just another gig. Prepare yourselves for... INDIE NOIR #5 All pre-ordered [url="http://www.wegottickets.com/event/323773"]tickets[/url] include a FREE compilation EP with a track from each of the artists... HANA PIRANHA Singer and violinist hailing from New Zealand play cathartic gothic-rock songs from her upcoming album Fishing With Dynamite. [url="https://www.facebook.com/cherrywhitemusic"]Cherry White[/url] The elegant sound of contemporary classic rock, steeped in a barrel of blues, with plenty of attitude. [[i]And obviously featuring Mr E Mooseblaster on bass; they totally forgot to mention that...[/i]] SUMER Music to take you out of the space you're in and transport you away entirely MISHKIN FITZGERALD Known for her role and singer and pianist in the punk-rock-orchestral band [url="https://www.facebook.com/birdeatsbaby"]Birdeatsbaby[/url], Mishkin's solo work has been described as "a mournful take on Patrick Wolf and Regina Spector via mid-period Depeche Mode". Also included will be a stall from [url="https://www.facebook.com/hippypoppinsshop"]Hippy Poppins[/url], an incredible costumer designer from London, and artwork displayed from [url="https://www.facebook.com/audreybishopart"]Audrey Bishop[/url]. We will also be showing clips from famous films and who knows what else?"

I'll tell you where guitarists are leaving us behind, and that's in low-wattage valve amps. I think a lot of manufacturers are cottoning on to the idea that most guitarists no longer have any use for a 100W valve head and a couple of 4x12s, and increasingly I've seen a rise in valve combos putting out 15W or less. Now I realise that a 15W bass head is not going to give you a huge amount of deep bass response, but I'm a little surprised that the smaller valve head hasn't taken off in the same way for bass amps. The Ashdown Little Bastard does surprisingly well for a 30W head (I've gigged it a few times), and I would have thought that a lot of players who like a vintage valve sound might find, say, a 50 or 60W head sufficient for small gigs. (Though I should add that I've been perfectly happy with my own 100W bass head so far!)

To answer the titular question with an example, I don't think anybody needs to be "qualified" to criticise this performance: https://youtu.be/FjeMDvCdrtc

It always seems such a waste to throw out old strings. Unfortunately I can't find any recycling facilities that could reuse the metal, but I'm aware that some people on here are quite happy to use "deadened" rounds, or might be looking for a spare set or two but don't have the readies right now. I'll need to take a proper inventory of how many sets I've got, but I believe there are at least three or four to go: [b]Rotosound RS66LN, Swing Bass Nickel-plated Roundwound Strings, .045-.105, for long-scale basses[/b] They will have been variously cut for Precisions, a Thundebird or an EB-3 (SG style), so if you specify what bass you want them for, I can find a set that's most likely to fit! Happy to post anywhere in the UK.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1435826939' post='2812689'] I have no cheesemaking skills whatsoever. Does that mean if a cheesemaker hands me a piece of defective cheese I have to just chow down with a straight face and say "mmm, that's delicious"? [/quote] Well, quite. That's the last time I go for lunch at Alex bloody James' house!

As many have suggested, part of the problem with the question is the nebulous definition of "rock star." When I first started to invest serious time and effort into Cherry White, people would always ask, "ooh, so you're going to be a rock star, then?" And I always corrected them, saying "not quite; I want to be a musician." Because after all the years of hair metal and increasingly ridiculous behaviour and posturing on the part of the Axl Roses, the Dave Lee Roths, hell, even the Liam Gallaghers and Robbie Williamses of this world, it occurred to me that the term "rock star" had become dangerously synonymous with "d**khead." And of course, if we go by that definition then Mr West is a strong contender!

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1435579511' post='2810139'] When so much of their message in the early days was about not bowing down to their elders, I find it odd that I'm now expected to do so towards them. [/quote] Perhaps now would be an appropriate time to wheel out the quote: "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

Bands have a habit of not necessarily doing the right/respectful thing, though, don't they? I thought that after Jon Lord's departure and passing, Deep Purple would have called it a day. Ian Paice is now, strictly speaking, the only original member of that band, and there appears to be no way the others will consider working with Blackmore again (though to be fair, [i]Rapture from the Deep [/i]was a surprisingly good album). But I digress; somehow I suspect there will be enough demand for other members (current and former) of Yes to keep playing that they'll consider it viable. And if they do, then some incarnation of Yes will go back on the road, and we'll be on here having various discussions along the lines of "I saw them last week and they were good but gosh it's not the same without Chris Squire" - much like we've been doing lately for The Who!

Based on what I've heard from others applying for various US visas, green cards, etc, I suspect your avatar may sum up how you feel by the time you've completed the application!

[quote name='tinyd' timestamp='1435315412' post='2807558'] So you've been to my gigs, then ? This is very true - I bought my BG to my last jazz gig and it was definitely 'different'.... There's something about the envelope of DB notes that lends itself better to walking bass lines IMHO, but it's subtle and can be achieved on BG with a bit of muting / EQ etc. [/quote] I believe it's the way the note 'swells' as you play the string, such that the peak volume actually arrives a little bit 'late' and gives the impression of playing behind the beat. Which is not to say you can't deliberately play behind the beat on a BG - or, indeed, get close to the effect using a fretless.

Consider also, the embarrassment one must face when booking a gig through a promoter, who tells you he's put up a link to advance tickets online. So you tell your audience, and encourage them to get in early to avoid disappointment...only to have one of your friends get in touch to say, "Erm...don't know if you've noticed, but there's actually a £1.50 booking fee on top of the ticket price. So it's actually cheaper if I take my chances and pay on the door..."

Does anybody know which year they started putting the plastic PCBs inside their guitars instead of regular pots and caps? Only, I've never looked inside the control cavity of my T-bird. Never needed to, I'm glad to say, but it is a 2011 model.

[quote name='wdejong' timestamp='1434990897' post='2804487'] I intend to swap guitars when we play that one song in drop D. No idea if/how it's going to work, as it will be the first gig I'm doing it. Is there anyone who down-tunes their guitars live on stage, mid-performance? [/quote] The best of both worlds is probably the [b]Korg Pitchblack Plus [/b](or possibly "Pitchback+" if Korg's marketing dept are reading this) - it serves as both a pedal tuner (which makes re-tuning between songs easier) and an A/B switch (if you think it would be easier just to have a second guitar to hand in a different tuning).

[quote name='4-string-thing' timestamp='1434978742' post='2804332'] Our guitarist uses a 12 string for a couple of songs, so we play them 3rd and 4th in the set so his guitar gets changed just twice. I use the opportunity to engage with the audience, and captivate them with my witty banter.... [/quote] Likewise, I have my 8-string on stage with increasing frequency. When we're drawing up setlists I demand that the songs requiring the 8 are adjacent, just so I don't have to keep switching back and forth throughout the set!

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1434005122' post='2795765'] After trying several, some long and some medium - I went for the Ibanez Studio. A really nice bass, medium scale, active and lots of tone. The only problem I have found, when I have been to see bands using an 8 string, is the eq seems to be set up for a 4 and there is just not quite enough mids and top, to clearly pick out the octave strings. Shame [/quote] <shameless self-plug> I don't know how he did it in the end - I know he seemed quite apprehensive when I pulled the thing out of its case - but the engineer who recorded and mixed this track managed to capture the sound of my Hagstrom quite well just running it through an old Ampeg combo (possibly with some DI signal as well): [url="https://cherrywhite.bandcamp.com/track/7-days"]https://cherrywhite....om/track/7-days[/url] </shameless self-plug>

[quote name='4-string-thing' timestamp='1434016995' post='2795906'] Leave the alcohol til after the sessions are finished. I once read that a well known producer (I've forgotten who) used to have a sign on the studio wall that read "Boring people make boring records, and there is nothing more boring than someone who's drunk" And as someone who used to run a small demo studio, there is nothing worse than watching people waste time and money sitting around drinking when they should be working! Well, except bands who clearly haven't worked on the songs enough, arrangements etc (which I'm sure you have) [/quote] I'm glad to say I've never been in such a situation myself, but I do remember one recording engineer telling me a horror story about a band sent to him from Galway (if memory serves) by a reasonably large label, who had decided that these four young lads were [i]the[/i] canine male reproductive organs, and threw a large amount of money at sending them to his studio for five or six days to record two or three songs. Being treated like rock stars had obviously gone to their heads: they arrived late (of course) and within a couple of hours were huffing so much Columbian marching powder they quite literally couldn't play. Anyone who's ever tried to have a conversation with people who are coked off their heads will know what a colossal pain in the arse they can be to even talk to, let alone to organise into something requiring so much skill and coordination as playing in a group. Three or four days into the session, a label rep dropped in to see how things were coming along, and listen to the work-in-progress. The band had just about finished the drum parts. It was quite obvious that they'd be lucky to even have one song completed. As he realised he'd basically sunk a huge amount of the label's money into a complete turkey, the rep's hair allegedly turned whiter than the band's nostrils. Doesn't even answer your question, I realise, but I thought it would make for an entertaining story. Good luck with the session, and all the best to your missus and the new arrival!

I wonder whether you have the same problem I do: I can hear the melody I want to sing in my head, but I have trouble translating that to what my vocal cords do. Without monitors, it's almost as if the melody in my brain is "louder" than the signal from my ears, however with a suitably loud monitor the sound of my voice is much more prominent, so I can focus more on what I'm actually singing...if that makes sense? I, too, spent most of my life being told not to sing. Many people still tell me not too - though thankfully the ones who don't are not musicians.

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1433864626' post='2794669'] Some interesting thoughts on the role of BBC Radio here: [url="http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jun/09/radio-1-apple-attack-nick-grimshaw-zane-lowe-spotify"]http://www.theguardi...ne-lowe-spotify[/url] [/quote] Very interesting - the fridge analogy is a particularly good one, I feel. And that's not a sentence I thought I'd be typing today...

Yep, count me in![list] [*][b]Have you tried Elixir strings before?[/b] [*]Yes, not sure which exact set as they came already fitted when I bought the bass they were on. [*][b]What other brands are you familiar with?[/b] [*]Rotosound (RS66 'Swing Bass' are my usual choice of RW string), D'Addario, Ernie Ball, Martin, Dean Markley [*][b]What bass(es) will you try the new strings on?[/b] [*]Depending on how many sets they'd be prepared to send me: Gibson Thunderbird, Schecter Model T, Epiphone EB-3, Precision kit bass (w/ Fender '62 RI pickup), a 'Frankenbass' (Tonerider J-bass pickup), and possibly a Warwick-Rockbass Corvette Fretless [*][b]What sort of environment will you be playing them in (e.g studio, gigging, practicing)[/b] [*]Gigging and rehearsals, probably a few jam nights as well [*][b]Why do you think you'll be a good candidate to test the strings?[/b] [*]I play with a rather distinctive "lead bass" style which lends itself to a bright, prominent tone, and which also tends to wear out conventional roundwound strings rather quickly! (Have a gander at http://cherrywhite.bandcamp.com/album/staring-at-the-sun by way of example.) You could say I'm very familiar with the loss of "freshness" and clarity with uncoated strings, so I expect to be able to hear a significant difference. [*][b]Links to any blogs/reviews you may have already posted (not essential but interesting)[/b] [*]https://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.com/2015/05/26/gear-review-4-hagstrm-hb-8/ [*]https://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/gear-review-gibson-thunderbird/ [*]https://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.com/2013/10/25/gear-review-2-schecter-model-t/ [*]https://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/gear-review-1-ibanez-bass-tube-screamer/ [*][b][s]Your bank account details and online banking log in for ped[/s][/b] [*]Hang on a minute... [/list]