xgsjx

Something I learned as a kid was "Know when not to play". A rest is just as important as a note & too many folk fill those important gaps with noise. Now, imagine if we could teach a guitarist this!

Don't try to plug a 1/4 jack into a 13 amp socket

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='1089609' date='Jan 14 2011, 06:03 PM']Maybe a load over 16ohm will be too much for it and it'll sound too weak![/quote] I think you've got your ohms calculations mixed up, adding an 8 ohm cab to an 8 ohm combo makes a 4 ohm load (it's not 8 + 8 = 16).

The one that comes with Computer Music Mag is called CMusic. I used to use it quite often back in the pre Mac days & used to buy CM every month for about 6 years on the trot! What's wrong with just using Reaper? I pop into it just now & again to jot down ideas as midi files to share with folk (can't do that in Garageband ) & I've never bothered going for the licence as I don't use it enough to warrant paying for it & also can't afford it just now.

Oh, looks like they've stopped making them. I nearly bought one before I got the MB combo. They come up on here from time to time 2nd hand for @ £350-400. Tho there's a good selection of combos (or amp/cab set ups) in this price range to try out.

[quote name='DanOwens' post='1087134' date='Jan 12 2011, 07:51 PM']If Moog continue to develop the MoogerFooger product line I see some amazing things happening. The MoogerFoogers are great as they are: great ideas boxed into great pedals. They're not perfect though. I'd like them to be quieter, with less tone-sucking and a level control so you can balance the 'Drive' knob and use it to shape tone as well as get a level (the LPF sounds sweet overdriven, but man it gets LOUD). I love them, but my wishlist gets longer and longer. I know that it's a balancing act but boy when I think about it I would love to see some changes; one of which is MIDI implementation. Dan[/quote] I don't understand what you mean by "tone sucking"? I heard a few people saying it was a tone sucking pedal before I bought it. I've tried plugging the bass direct into my rig & then thru just the MF-101. The difference I found was that the MF-101 appeared to add more lower frequencies to my sound when bypassed (as not true bypass) & then when engaged it's obviously not gonna matter (unless it's when you have the filter fully open, in which case you can disengage). The LPF can be noisy, but it's remedied by insulating the sides with copper paper & keeping it on it's own psu. A level to balance the drive would have been good, but I suppose if you're happy to have the drive on all the time, then it's a case of setting your amp to the level you want. The MF-105b has true bypass & has the level control so you can get a nice switchable o/d sound at the same level (which would have been a nice option to have on the LPF) & doesn't have the noise issues that the LPF does. I wonder if a CV to MIDI converter would allow you to control the parameters via midi? I've never used one before but it would be interesting to find out.

Have a try on the Roland D Bass combos & see if it's a similar tone. They can be gotten fairly cheap nowadays.

I'd choose the Markbass/Barefaced option but go & try what you can first.

[quote name='grayn' post='1087052' date='Jan 12 2011, 07:00 PM']As the amp output says, MAXIMUM 8 ohms, I can't see why it should fry, with 4. I guess you were attempting humour but this is a decent, small combo.[/quote] Sorry buddy, it was my attempt at humour in regards to the combo being decent. Roland make crackin combos. I was being serious about using a 4 ohm cab as the max load all in for your combo would be 4 ohms & run at 8 ohms without an ext cab. Adding an 8 ohm ext cab would make your amp run at 4 ohms, adding a 4 ohm cab would make the load 2.66 ohms thus causing the amp to overheat (ohms kinda work the opposite from what you would think on first approach). Have a look at the stickies in the top section of "amps & cabs", I'm sure there's a full explanation of how it all works.

I'd take a look at such delights as the Markbass LMII & a decent cab in either 1x15, 2x10 or 2x12 configs. Alternatively you could get a decent combo s/h for £5-600 & then if ever needs be, get an extra cab.

[quote name='grayn' post='1086998' date='Jan 12 2011, 06:23 PM']If I got an ext cab, I'd get a 4 ohm, which should beef up the volume, more than an 8 ohm, I think. The Cube-100 is only 17Kg. I wouldn't call that heavy. Mind you, I am surprised at how light stuff like Mark Bass is. Separates may be an alternative, I should look into. Cheers [/quote] Adding a 4 ohm ext cab should successfully fry it, leaving you free to do the done thing & buy a decent combo

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1086495' date='Jan 12 2011, 10:51 AM']Thats what i had and didnt really get on with it. I just couldn't get a reliable signal level. I hate distortion and really struggled to get a constantly clean tone.[/quote] Aww, that's a shame. Looks like just the job too. Out of curiosity, was it an active or passive bass you used (or try both)? Might be too hot an out from an active bass?

Ahh, but you can plug a line from the "tuner out" on your amp into the iPhone using IK Multimedia's iRig (amplitube)... They're about £24 I want one now.

Boss ME 50B I'm sure there's some 2nd hand on here

It was the Variax that I was thinking of (couldn't mind the name of it). Even thought about buying one a few times. The Moogs would need a load of wires to control them & couldn't half look a mess! They do a Midi MuRF but I haven't anything to link one to anymore

My bands don't do a lot of covers but when we do, they're not replicas of the original, thus still able to enjoy listening to the original songs. I do enjoy playing along to the original songs at home tho

A deep slow chorus would thicken up your sound.

[quote name='algmusic' post='1085640' date='Jan 11 2011, 03:57 PM']Back to the real question.. Covering Basslines? You have two options do it or not however, if you fail to do that you many not get called to play the gig. Also, some can play the all the notes right but lack feel, but that is still different from getting the notes wrong. I totally see both sides of this, I love to adlib and that's how I started, but now I'm older I question why I want to change it, it is because : 1) I can't be bothered, as I have far too many songs to learn in one night (we've all been there) or there's something else I'd rather do 2) I can't play it or can't translate the track, which is why some "adlib" 3) or I've learnt it note for note and but it feels like it needs more If i'm playing for someone new, I always go for note for note, then I still have room to build on that, if needed. I have to question if someone hasn't played it properly first how can you adlib?... you're actually blagging it. Also If I've hired you and you haven't learnt it, you embarrass the band. If I'm hiring a band last minute there are a few guys that I'd call because I know they will play the song note for note as we don't have time to get it wrong, once everything is in place, MAYBE there is time for adlib, but most of the time it isn't. There is great talent in playing note for note.. they're call pro's.. After that you might get asked to 'do your thing', then that's great too.. It's funny, I'm starting to see the readers vs the none readers divide again.. He he. I'm not sure you'll guess which I am :-)[/quote] Where I'd agree with you of it was a strict covers band (or tribute act/show band etc), I wouldn't if it's an originals band that throws in covers or if the entire band was collaberating on changes to the song (even just to rework the ending as opposed to a fade out). The original question was about the guitarist wanting to play the original exact & the OP doesn't. I'd ask the rest of the band if they're happy reworking the parts of the song that you want to change & if you've got a bassline you want to use as opposed to the original, then work with the band to get them locking in with you. If the band want to do every song as the original recording, then you have 2 options: A) Lump it & learn the bass parts as they should be or Start a band that let's you play how you want. I agree that random busking is amature, but playing covers just like the originals over & over can quickly lose it's fun factor.

I use the Polytune or the tuner in Guitar Toolkit apps all the time for both my bass & guitar & also for other band members to tune with (the Guitar Toolkit is good as it has tunings for a load of instruments). I don't think the iPhone is any more battery hungry than the Nokia's or Sony Ericsson's I've had. Tho I always pop my phones on to charge every 1-2 nights.

That was a good read. I was wondering about the Line6 thingy, but I guess you'll cover that under modelling? CV predates MIDI by some 15 years or so & was used by Roland, Sequential Circuits, Yamaha & many others until the early 80s saw this new phenomenon (I marvelled at this technology as a kid). You did get CV sequencers, but they was limited in a lot of ways & as more synths became polyphonic & more complex, CV wasn't up to the new tasks at hand (I still look at MIDI as a fairly new product!). I'm enjoying playing with the CV in my moogers, it gets some interesting effects. Looking forward to the next instalment.

I found the tweeter a little too bright when I first got mine. Take the VLE up to about 10 o'clock & see if that helps (that's where I found suits me best & the treble at @ 11 o'clock). When you get your pedals into action you may notice a difference there too.

If the entire band is playing the song as per the original then the bass should stay the same. But I agree with Bilbo. I believe the best thing to do is change every part, apart from a few signature melodies etc & build the song back how your band would have written it. My band consist of me on bass/guitar, vocalist on banjo/guitar/synth & a mandolinist/ukulele/percussionist (spoons or bohdran) & occasionally have guest musicians join for a song or two (such as violinists) & we cover songs like "Rockin in the free world" or "White rabbit" & rewrite them completely then fully rehearse what we've done (including any guest musicians in on this process). I do play songs note for note as it's good practice, but it's rarely used in a band situation.

I learned to read from an old book called something like "Teach Yourself Piano" & also topped up info from the inserts in blank manuscripts (I used to score write all the time, but just for myself). 20 odd years ago a blank manuscript was about £1.95, looking thru the Google shopping, I can't find the one I used to buy (it was a creamy beige colour). Any local music shop should have them.

Oh, just remembered a good example you can hear. Talas did a song called Shy Boy, Dave Lee Roth covered this & whilst it's recognisable as the same song, it's different & sounds like his song rather than a cover. Billy Sheehan plays bass on both versions & both basslines are different. I spent ages learning Shy Boy note for note & other than at home, never played it to anyone. Canny mind most of it now as it's been years since I last played it.

I know a few others have said "creative" also, but when I say it, I do not mean busking or winging it as there is often little creativity there unless the musician knows the song inside out. A cover (as any song) should be well rehearsed before playing in public & if it's to be played in your own style then the same amount of effort should go into rewriting as would be done in an original song. I still don't see why you'd want to play a load of songs the same as the original version was unless you're in a tribute or function band.