xgsjx

[quote name='Fitz666' timestamp='1459350446' post='3015682'] [s]Don't [/s]forget Laney.... [/quote] Fixed.

I can relate to Truckstop's post. Not the crap taste in music, but the band not being the genre I want to play & going off to do side projects. Have you thought about setting up a little studio around your computer? It doesn't take long to learn how to record & there's a whole part of the BC forum dedicated to it with people willing & able to help you out. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/forum/10-recording/"]Clicky link for it.[/url] I'm in a blues/funk band, but I have my own wee studio at home & write something fulfilling to me every month just for the BC comp. Every month I try to write a different style/genre & sometimes even sing (this month I got a vocoder to help me out, I'm that bad). Only kidding about the crap taste in music. I like that crap too!

Cheers Dad. Very kind words indeed. I did try not using vocoder to start with, but even with masses of auto tune, it sounded horrendous (it's still on soundcloud if you can bare it) & mixing in dry with the vocoder sounded like having an in tune instrument & a well out of tune instrument trying to play the same thing. I really can't sing. I'm trying to get Mrs to sing on my tracks.

If there was payment agreed, I'd be Demanding payment. They booked a band & never gave adequate notice. I'd email both the landlord & copy in the brewers. If they fob you off, then as a BC collective, we could book every weekend as different bands to cover the next several months & then give notice the day before to them that the band can't make it. See the boot on the other foot.

The Higher end Marshall rigs are fine, but their combos apparently weigh more than most cars & are built out of things that like to fail. I've never seen any bass rigs by Blackstar (that's not to say that they don't make any though). The only other companies that come to mind from the guitar side are Fender & Orange.

As you sound like you're totally new to fx, I would recommend looking at a multi fx unit from Line 6 or Zoom. This way you'll find out which fx do what & can then decide what type of fx you want if you go down the single pedal routes. If you want to go down the individual pedal route, then it would make sense to buy 2nd hand so you can sell all the lovely light up bricks & just keep the ones you actually use. No one can give a "Right" answer, because it's down to You on what you want to sound like & there are countless great pedal manufacturers, from mainstream like Boss & Electro Harmonix to boutique like Zvex, Emma & Moog.

Fave male voice - Kurt Elling. He has a cello like voice. Fave female voice - Bjork. Edit to add a great song... http://youtu.be/rEHxBcgSKN0

I tried singing. Used autotune (Apple's version) & loads of fx to thicken things up & mask my dire voice & still sounded dire. Vocoder FTW!

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1458569464' post='3008644'] Really good work folks! I had a quick listen to snippets of each over the weekend. I've started something which I'm hoping to finish in time. Hard to describe, but I'm sort of seeing the picture in 'slow motion' - the way dramatic events are sometimes slowed down in movies, creating a sort of serene depiction of something that is oppositely chaotic. If that makes any sense? It's going to be a rush job, whatever the outcome. [/quote] As long as it's something funky with maybe even a bit of walking bass.

I've been there too. Bands not replying, musicians not replying, "singist" turning up for an originals band & wanting to sing Stereophonics songs, female singer looking to start a band & not getting back with info, & once I'd gotten a bunch of instrument players, a female singer which I had great communication with, just failed to show up to a jam (just hope she didn't have a crash on the way over!) & I never heard from her again. It's hard work! Might be on par with making it big as an actor without leaving your home town. The band I'm in now are all from my place of work & all pretty good musicians too.

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1458463557' post='3007692'] That was me with a faulty Hartke kilo. The UK Hartke representative got involved when it went wrong 1St time and arranged a repair. Unfortunately it almost immediately went wrong again and he just didn't return any calls or emails. It was a known fault with the amp and Hartke just washed their hands of it so I ended up £750 out of pocket with an amp that never worked again. I'd never buy anything from Hartke in a million years now. I even emailed Larry Hartke and he didn't respond. [/quote] That's a shame. When he responded on here, he sounded genuinely concerned & it all seemed like it went well. Disappointing to hear how it ended though.

Doesn't Mr Hartke pop on here from time to time? IIRC, about a year ago, a BCer had an issue with his Hartke amp & the dealer wasn't being helpful, Mr H stepped in & got things resolved. I myself was impressed by the customer service. But like he above says, I'd try as many rigs out as you can.

[quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1458382610' post='3007088'] The OPs amp would have been fine through those cabs, a single 8 ohm 2x10 with a 250 watt head was putting out what, 175watts? less? I have a 300watt class D amp and I have run it through a pair of 8 ohm 4x10 cabs and I would happily gig it alongside the Trace the OP replaced it with! More speakers=more air moved. [/quote] I don't think the BH250 is 250w at 4 ohm. Probably considerably less, but as you've pointed out, it's speakers that make the decibels, not the watts.

What about the nipple twist principle? Twist his nipple & ask him to whistle the tune. If he's successful, then it gets played.

I did a similar move to what the OP first did. I went from a Trace 4x10 combo to a class D 2x10 combo. The difference was I found the Markbass combo blew the Trace back into the 80s. When I added a (loaned) 2x10 cab to it, it was impressively loud.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1458362730' post='3006954'] That's a proper widdle that is... Truly in the spirit of things. I quite like the idea, next month of not preparing anything and just pressing play for a minute and seeing what comes out... [/quote] Hehe. I actually intended on recording an actual bass line (the one that started out for this month's other musical comp, which ended up a synth bass & played a good bit slower), but when I hit record, I ended up messing about.

Try telling him you don't want to play it & suggest they replace it with Mustang Sally.

Funny enough, so is mine! https://soundcloud.com/xgsjx/ramin I was going to play something down the low end, but there was a spider up at the 12th fret that I was trying to catch. I did get it, but by that time, my minute was almost up. Ibby recorded into Logic with compressor, some EQ & a little reverb.

The driven sound is coming from your pre stage. What happens if you increase the power amp volume only, or is it already maxed? If it's maxed, then I'm gonna agree with bassman7755. Have you tried changing the cables between the bass & amp (try changing one & then the other, then both). That's one thing you're gonna find hard to get in words... Told what's gonna sound good to your ears. All the amps you mentioned sound amazing to different people, you might even love the sound of all them if you get to try them all. Kind chaps whom posses one of the amps you're looking at & willing to let you try out, like Karlfer has are a great way to find out if it's what you're after. Or if there's a bass bash near you soon, then you can pop along & try each others gear. I liked the sound of my MB when I had it, but again, it might not be your sound. It didn't do dirt unless I added dirt.

+1 for lyrics or melodies & hooklines (for instrumentals). As I started life on keys, I see every scaled instrument as a keyboard. Even having played bass for over 30 years, I still see it the same. I suppose it makes things simpler to transpose

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1458033549' post='3003966'] I've seen Limehouse Lizzy a couple of times. They are very good - certainly one of the better tribute bands I have seen. The front man doesn't try to be Phil but is in his own right very charismatic - and they can pretty much guarantee to sell out a venue. The first couple of times I tried to see them by getting in at the door and I wasn't able to. I guess that is why there is the exclusion zone. [/quote] If they're that good, why are they/their manager acting like this? Maybe they heard the OP's band & thought "They're better than we are"?

OK, Mines now been mixed & mastered & I vocoded my voice (a tornado does less damage than my voice). Here it is, finished: https://soundcloud.com/gxmix/beautiful-destruction-1 & for those who want the lyrics... [spoiler] What started as a beautiful morning, has fade away. The vortex on the horizon, has broken the day. I see the storm. I see it coming. Beautiful destruction, tearing the calm. I'm hiding in the shelter, as it breaks the land. And here it comes, the wind is strong, it takes away as I hold on. And all you had, and all you own, is spinning round, as I am standing here in the... Calm. I'm standing in the calm, in the eye of the storm. I'm in the... In the eye of the... Oh won't you help me. I'm spinning in the wind. I am flying, but I don't want to land. Trying to grab on to anything I can. I don't want this, but I don't have a plan. Twisting & spinning & turning... & Land. [/spoiler]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1457963609' post='3003393'] ^ My CPU is never sufficient for me to produce tracks in their entirety (I'm running an 'old' 2010 desktop iMac)... At least until my computer fails and I have justification to buy a new one. At which point I'll say it sucks [/quote] Are you max'd on RAM? If not, upgrade that & you should get a good bit more oomph. I sold my 2007 iMac late last year (to replace it with a shiny new one) & it was still running strong. Had I not wanted the bigger 5k screen, I'd probably still be using it for music.

[quote name='Rikki1984' timestamp='1457889917' post='3002696'] Cheers :-) It's been years since I was last ill so I'm not sure how to deal with it. After much deliberation I've decided that wallowing in my own self pity is the best course of action! [/quote] Last time I had it was New Year 99/2000. Got it just after Xmas. I was the one who caught the Millennium bug. Didn't affect my PC. This time round, I spent most of the time sleeping during the day & coughing most of the night. Night Nurse is a good investment, but you'll have some messed up dreams.

[quote name='Rikki1984' timestamp='1457869870' post='3002464'] It doesn't help that I've just come down with the flu! [/quote] That flu is a bassid! I had it & had me off work for an entire week (Thursday - Thursday) & just got rid of the cough that it leaves you with. Good luck with it.