ambient

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1504558866' post='3365725'] Again it depends what your doing, I presume you won't be taking a full pa system, lights and all your kit on the train will you? [/quote] They're solo gigs, the London ones, Water rats everything is there, but most if not all venues have pa, which really is all I need. But I'll be taking my bass in it's gig bag, two PJB double 4 combos, large pedalboard, MacBook, interface, case containing cables, Ebow etc, and CDs. Which go in a padded bag on my trolley.

I hate cars and driving. I live in Birmingham, which is about 100 miles from London, but I do gig there fairly often. I've done a lot of gigs recently in Bristol, which is about 90 miles away from Birmingham. I can get to both places stress free, and quicker by train than by driving. It does depend whereabouts you are though, and where your gigs are. If you're travelling city to city, then why not travel by train? Next month I'm playing in Birmingham on the 8th, London on the 9th, London again on the 12th, and Bristol on the 14th. I'll be travelling to all of them by train. I think we depend too much on cars, so much so that they've completely taken over our towns and cities, filling them with pollution.

[quote name='Jecklin' timestamp='1504454071' post='3364961'] About 12 years ago the duo i was in would often come across a band, I seem to remember were called Team B, who always went to their gigs around London by public transport. They loaded the drum kit and amps into a shopping trolley and this would then go on busses, trains and the tube. Superb! I guess this is the thing about living in London playing original music - The venues have their in house PAs so you only travel with your own gear. I'm sure it's different for covers bands and the venues they play in. The other evening on an overland train (that's a train that doesn't have divisions between the carriages so you can see the whole length internally) there was a string quartet, what looked like a 4 piece rock band with drums on a trolley and a double bassist & saxophonist all on their way to their respective gigs. [/quote] Some seem to have drum kits and full backline too. I'm playing at Water rats in London in October, they have everything there, not that I need every thing, but it's there if any artists need it. I often see posts on Facebook from London based friends asking what the kit, or the bass amp is like at such-a-such venue. so I'm guessing this is maybe the case at a lot of venues? Certainly all of the ones I've played at have had like you say, a PA available.

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1504453603' post='3364954'] I know guys who seem to be able to use public transport for gigs, but in general they're reliant on other band's shellpacks or enclosures. [/quote] What's a shellpack?

This is what I use on my trolley, to contain all my bits and pieces, volume pedal, PJB combo, equipment cases containing my audio interface, ebow and cables etc. I use a rucksack waterproof cover over it all, keeps it nice and dry. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01KHGWR2U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1504391752' post='3364632'] Where did you get the trolly, I've been looking for something like that for ages? [/quote] It's this one. [url="https://www.thomann.de/gb/millenium_go_kart_solo.htm?ref=search_rslt_millenium+trolley_370977_1"]https://www.thomann.de/gb/millenium_go_kart_solo.htm?ref=search_rslt_millenium+trolley_370977_1[/url] There's a thread on here somewhere about trollies that I started earlier in the Summer.

[quote name='steantval' timestamp='1504391091' post='3364623'] I suppose it depends what type of music you play and what type of bands, that combo in the bag must be very small and certainly would not be suitable for the type of gigs I play. I would assume it's put through the desk at gigs. I took my small practice amp along to one of our rehearsals once, big mistake, lack of volume meant you struggled to hear it above the drummer. There is no way I would be able to manage two Markbass 15 inch cabs, cables/effects holdall and solid guitar case on public transport. [/quote] Solo gigs, occasionally through a PA, most just using the combo. It's a Phil Jones combo. You're right though, it depends on what you play. Though I used to use a Markbass CMD121P, that wasn't a problem on trains, tube or buses. I did a lot of gigs about 3 years ago using a double bass, I did travel a few times on the train down to London with it, and carry it on the tube.

I use public transport to travel all over the UK to gigs, and even to Paris earlier in the year. I use a trolley for my gear which carries my combo, pedalboard, cables, MacBook etc. My bass is in a Mono gig bag on my back. Here it is at Birmingham station. [attachment=252722:20375727_742135825994681_2552161252010922407_n.jpg]

Gumtree is great for selling stuff, rubbish for anything else. I advertised an experimental music event that I organise, the amount of acoustic guitar playing singer songwriters who contacted me was ridiculous.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1504093975' post='3362617'] Myth buster alert. Spurious claims hardly ever happen. In fact the reason why they hardly ever happen is because the lawyers won't get paid.Those claims do however appear in the press every time one does happen because the insurance industry use it as an excuse to increase premiums with someone to blame.Those claims make up less than 6% of all claims made and yet they get 100% of the press coverage. In fact there is even a thing called "Fundamental Dishonesty" Example. You have a car accident. You break a leg and need 6 months off work. You have physiotherapy and other stuff. Within the small bits you claim for taxi rides to your physiotherapy treatment. You can't climb on a bus with the cast on and you can't drive. so you use a taxi. nothing wrong with that. Except you claim for 20 taxi rides round trips and your physiotherapist confirms you only had 10 appointments. This was easy for you to check. You might not have all the receipts, and some cabbies won't give receipts. But you remember always using a taxi for physio visits. You could have called the physio to ask how many visits you had, and then claim for the same number of taxi round trips. But you don't. You don't even try. You claim for 20 because you want to. In the old days when the claim reached court, or the other side discovered only 10 physio appointments you would lose the extra 10 taxi fares and not recover them. Now - it is deemed to be "Fundamental Dishonesty" and it causes your claim to fail. Not just £100 for the taxi rides you didn;t have - but for the whole lot. Even the stuff that can't be argued about. your loss of earnings and the fact that your leg was broken. Doesn;t matter. You get nothing. you took the piss so you get nothing, and you pay the costs of the other side insurance company for trying to take the piss. Admiral Insurance broke ranks a year or 2 ago and really pissed off their fellow insurers. They admitted that over 50% of their turnover was NOT generated by the sales in of insurance products, but was generated by selling claims referrals. Referral Fees are now banned. Admiral admitted that insurance policy costs would have to increase because they can no longer sell the information. So when you see an insurer complaining about ambulance chasers, it was them that set up the first Claims Management Companies, and it was them who argued against Claims Management Companies being regulated. They are now, and they get shut down fast for breaking the law. Don't confuse the Claims Management Companies with those who actually represent the parties (either side) - they are not the same thing. The "arguments" trotted out in the press are not new. They are the same as they have been since 2000. Point is - the entirely valid concerns at the time were addressed in 2003 with fixed fees for many low value claims. Then again by increasing the max claim size that would have limited fees. And then again. And then the type of low value claim was expanded to include public liability, employers liability, occupiers etc etc. And yet the same arguments from 2000 are still used. The insurers have no choice of course - they exist for the benefit of their shareholders and must find new ways to both increase prices and profit margin by lowering payouts. But they don't need new arguments because the old ones still work. Recently a thing called the "Discount Rate" was adjusted. It was in the paper. Basically if you have a catastrophic injury and get all of your future earnings as a lump sum, that sum is subjected to a discount because you got it all at once and you are supposed to invest it to make it last.The amount of discount is set by law - worked out to move with inflation and investment strengths and that sort of thing. The government, with lobbying by the insurance industry, decided not to adjust the Discount Rate for about 10 years, even though the discount should have been lowered (injured person gets a bit more money). Despite that being the Law, the govt(both sides of the house) "never got round to it." Recently they did. The rate is linked in law to various financial factors. It's an easy calculation. Investment is currently negative so the "discount" is actually negative. So If you were going to get £1000, now you get £1100. This recognises the sh*te economy. The rate should have been adjusted 10 years ago. But it was in favour of the insurers so they kept very quiet. Now it has been adjusted accurately they are complaining about it hurting their profit levels. They haven't once mentioned that for 10 years every person who had a catastrophic injury (doesn't affect small claims) has been Under Compensated - quite possibly by millions for birth brain damage cases. Not a single mention of that. [/quote] I believe it's also the law now that all pubs, clubs etc have cctv, might be wrong with that? My mom's friend owns a pub in Malvern. He hires out the function room for weddings and parties etc. I remember him telling my mom not so long ago, about some of the bogus claims that he has to put up with. People claiming they've tripped, been electrocuted, etc. All of which when confronted by the cctv footage, or lack of, are hastily withdrawn. I don't see the problem for such a small amount of money, in taking out insurance just in case a genuine accident occurs. You're not just covering yourself, there's also the person affected.

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1502470974' post='3351737'] Did you ever get this sorted [/quote] Yes, it got sorted out by the brilliant guy at the distributor. Fantastic service.

[quote name='neilp' timestamp='1504049785' post='3362406'] I find it hard to believe that, in the modern world, anyone gives any kind of public performance for reward without PL insurance. As has already been said, MU gives it for free along with £3k worth of instrument cover (I think its £3k but I could be wrong). I have even been asked for details of my PL insurance.... [/quote] I think it's £2k they give for gear, that includes accidental damage too, not just theft. A lot of venues insist on PL insurance, after all, who are any injured parties going to go after if the band who's gear caused an accident has disappeared? The MU is great too if you're a self-employed musician who needs a DBS certificate, you can't do it as an individual it has to be an organisation that requests the check, the MU will for £50 get it done for you.

I had a new one fitted in April after my 2012 MacBook was damaged. I got it done for £200, which included a full service etc. It's made a huge difference.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1504011561' post='3362097'] It's only stuff, after all. A hassle if nicked or damaged, but not life-threatening in any way. Insurance is just betting, really; so far, by luck and diligence, I've never had any occasion to win such a bet. It could happen, of course, but in the meantime I'm not concerned by looking for insurers, comparing rates, having to renew (and fork out, naturally...). I can safely say that I've never lost a bet in my life, so far, and for good reason; I never bet. [/quote] I had my MacBook knocked off a table at a gig in Bournemouth earlier this year. I wouldn't gamble again ever.

My bass alone would cost over £5k to replace, then there's my MacBook, loads of effects pedals and my combo. The sort of places I play at, and the people who come aren't likely to see trouble though. My gear is also insured through the MU. I can't believe people have gear that leaves the house and isn't insured.

How much are your cars worth though?

A couple of people have commented that they only play original music, so have no need to know how to read. One of the people I'm currently teaching is a singer songwriter. I've known him on and off for about 10 years or so. He contacted me at the beginning of the year. Knowing I was studying for my masters, he wanted to know if I knew of any, or could advertise at uni for music student string players who would play on an album he was working on, and also be filmed for a video. His budget was almost non/existent, which is why he wanted students . We got talking and I asked if he'd got their parts written out and arranged etc. Turned out he thought they'd just play off his guitar chords. Then followed a lengthy conversation about yes, they undoubtedly could come up with parts, that's not how to do it. It ended up with me recording the string parts for him using Logic Pro, and him watching the process and offering advice so we got the parts exactly as he wanted them At the end I printed off the scores from Logic Pro, and have them to him. I'm now teaching him theory and how to read and write music. He's realised after 20 years or so of totally eshewing any form of musical knowledge just how much he's missed out on. He's also pretty adamant that his whole songwriting has improved by using what he's learning. He wants to understand what the parts I presented to him mean, and how they work.

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1503750554' post='3360699'] Because of all the (blues and rock) gigs I've been offered, I have never once been asked if I can read or even seen anyone with a score. When I have been up for gigs that I would consider a step up from what I usually do, whether I could read or not has been a non issue, more can I commit to going away for a few weeks at a moments notice! I'm currently helping out with stage management with one of the biggest blues festivals in Europe. You see quite a lot of the same players turning up in 'name' artist's backing bands - all jobbing pros, many of whom I imagine can read. However, I very much doubt (to the point of absolute certainty) that when they were offered the gigs that they are getting paid for over the weekend that they were given any score to learn, or even asked if they could read. Certainly they there is no musical score backstage whatsoever...! [/quote] I think it's quite a genre specific thing tbh.

I've been friends with this guy for sometime via Facebook. His playing is amazing, remember also that he's transcribed/learned this, which is no mean feat. Not to a lot on here's taste I know, but this is for those of you that do like this kind of thing. The original is by one of my all time favourites, Michael Manning, from his album 'The book of flame'. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSEXkNAri6I[/media]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1503705746' post='3360497'] I don't think many people sight-read tab; I don't think many people sight-read dots, either. Experienced musicians, of course, but for most folks that can read music, it's a case of sitting down and deciphering, bar by bar, line by line. Reading a score is one thing, sight-reading in 'real time' whilst playing is an extension of that, but not that many attain that level, in my experience. It depends, of course, in which circles one gravitates, too.. [/quote] I can, that is to me at least what sight-reading is. If I'm doing a gig like I am this coming Sunday evening for example, the audience won't wait for me to sit down and decipher it. Anyway, each to their own .

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1503645617' post='3359854'] Another point. All you folk who are poo-pooing tab because it has no meter are living in the past. Tab can be written with tails on the numbers just the same as you can with dots. [/quote] So bearing in mind that reading rhythm is the hardest part of learning to sight-read, why not just go that little bit further and learn what the notes are on the stave? Or are you not 'sight-reading' the TAB? Do you just learn the song from it? It's a genuine question, I've never used TAB.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1503690795' post='3360387'] Because, apparently, to purists, TAB cannot be worthy of study, and would be binned. [/quote] It's apparently notation that isn't worthy of study, not TAB.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1503690475' post='3360381'] There are none so deaf as those who will not hear; so blind as those who will not see. The question was, is TAB really that evil..? Not 'Is there more than TAB to those wishing to develop further..? Whether anyone is prepared to go that 'extra mile' is up to them. Is the TAB presented above playable or not by guitarists and bass players, that's all. No, it won't be much use to a trombonist, but that's not its purpose. The second guitar would pose problems for a flautist, anyway, as a flute is not a polyphonic instrument. Spurious arguments, each and every time. It does what it does as well as it's been written, just like dots. A badly-written score is a badly-written score. Badly-written TAB is badly written TAB. Well-written stuff, of either ilk, has its place in many people's world. Not everyone's; fine, but many. What is so difficult to accept..? [/quote] My point is why spend considerable time learning to play the rhythm, and not the notes? Given that the rhythm his what people struggle with. A piece of notation would be able to be played by other instruments, because it conveys to anyone who can read music, what the note is, not just a fingering position.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1503688639' post='3360362'] Purists won't be able to figure it out, maybe (although they could learn..?), but some of you might appreciate it. Just sayin'. [/quote] Why wouldn't a 'purist' be able to figure it out?