NickD

I've been playing around with this all year. I think all my composition challenge entries have been done on the NSWav (except for one awful attempt at recording the proper DB... that still needs work). Both down in the rehearsal room and recording (Cubase Elements 10 in my case), I've played with the Helix, using 3 Sigma DB IRs and the Fishman Platinum Pro. These work well through an amp in the rehearsal room, but for recording I've not found anything that works as well (to my ear) as straight into the Hi Z input of the interface, with a heavy mute (Ninomute), and the tone rolled most of the way off. After that I'll usually compress it a touch with the Cubase plugins, then leave it alone. Obviously the whole track will get a touch of delay/reverb at the end, but that's applied across the board.

Congratulations! There's loads of stuff on Youtube. Discover Double Bass is good for LH/RH Technique, and there's a lot of quality stuff around walking bass on that channel too. I like PD Bass too, and there are a few really good videos from Cole Davis. He has a method of using open strings as jumping points in scales and arpeggios to spread the shape across the neck (as BG shapes don't work so well any more). I found them really useful. John Clayton has some cool stuff covering the basics, just filmed on his phone by the looks, but the content is quality, and I like Yuri Goloubev's shorts too. Mr Sunnybass does great playthroughs, and his lessons look really good... except they're in Italian, so I don't really know. I've been using Ireal pro for play along tracks and chord charts. I was always pretty happy with the standards strings, to the extent that they're still on there, but I bought a Ninomute, which adds thump and kills that fretless style 'mwah' in the middle of the neck. At 50 quid they're a bit of a fosters-take for what they are, but it does work well. I'd fashioned mutes myself before I got it using various things, but this does do the trick. Recording direct into the interface (in the Hi Z input) with the tone full off and the ninomute on, I get a sound that's close enough for me. *Edit* - I also found that when playing, the dots on the board weren't useful in the lower positions, It messed up my body position to crane round and look at them. I got a hole punch and some sticky backed, fluorescent, sign makers vinyl and put dots on the edge. Happy adventures!

If you're accustomed to 5 strings, there is something missing. I guess it all depends on what kind of stuff you play too. I've no doubt a 4 string would be a little more manageable in some ways, but like anything else, you figure out a way to make it work.

I never considered anything else. I've only had 5 strings since the late 80s when I was a yoof. Everything I'd written and played on for others in the intervening years involved all 5 strings, so I felt I had to. I bought the WAV 5, and then a 5 string DB (yeah... You will you know🤣). The B string on the WAV is glorious. Muting it however was a massive pain in the derrière to start with, bass guitar techniques don't cut it for that. But, like anything else you figure it out eventually. I don't think I have any regrets.

Congratulations! A cracking winner in a strong field!

My contribution to the September 2022 round of the Basschat Composition Challenge, inspired by the picture chosen by the previous winner: Doctor J. The picture suggested getting the hell out of somewhere, sharpish like, so I went for a simple rock & roll (ish) ditty about just that. I did initially have environmentally specific references in the lyrics (snow & such), but replaced them to generalise it a bit. Tech wise, it's the first outing for Monster Drums, after the tip-off from @skankdelvarlast month. Many thanks for that, I like how they sit! Bass was the EUB, standing in while I figure out how best to record the DB, straight into the interface. Guitar was the Vintage, via the Helix, and the organ is one of the ones bundled with Cubase Elephants 10. Vox via an SM58 and treated with CLA Vocals.

Nice one! That was a winner the moment it went in. The production really stood out.

I'll have to take a look at that... Nice one, thanks!

It worked!

That's a banger... Sounds massive! The kick sound is awesome!

I honestly didn't expect to get a track in this month, but as luck would have it, I managed to knock one out (ooh, err Mrs... etc). I loved the Negative space in the image, which gave me my title, and that sent me down the wormhole of my own reflections while waiting for the tube, and my wondering at the perceptions of others there, surrounded by people, and yet alone. It's a bit about how the city will consume you if you let it. Tech Wise - It's my first attempt at recording double bass, hence the heavy percussive sound that I don't yet know to moderate, I should know better... I have had it a couple of weeks now!🤣 I went straight into the interface from the piezo, which may have been an error, I'll try the Fishman preamp next time. The whole tune started out much lighter than this, but as it started to suggest big guitars I was reluctant to lose the Upright in favour of Bass Guitar, so it's a bit experimental. Otherwise, it's MT Power Drums, The old Westbury Standard through the Helix, and the VSTs that come bundled with Cubase Elephants 10, a sample and hold thing and a new age tinkly thing. Vocals done over with CLA Vocals.

Really pushed for time this month, holidays/festivals/kids stuff, but I'm hoping I get a little time to sit with this, it's a really cool image.

Well done Chaps! 👏 A couple of great tunes!

More Mwah was a bit of a red flag. Mine are the contemporaries, and the Ninomute brings the mwah down to acceptable levels, but I wouldn't want any more. I suppose the string breakage can happen, but it's pretty poor form.

I don't much like the sound of that!

I bought a double bass from Graeme. The whole deal couldn't have been an easier more friendly experience. Great communication throughout, great advice and a warm welcome. We could have stayed and chatted all day had we not been staring down the barrel of a 450 mile journey home. A great fella to deal with, proceed with confidence!

Here is my contribution to the Basschat Composition Challenge, inspired by the picture chosen by one of last month's winners Nail Soup (with hearty congratulations to the rest of the winners circle too... Dad3353, Leonard Smalls and Skankdelvar). The image spoke to me of circus tricks, which in turn tickled my sinister bone. There's always been something about circuses that makes me uneasy, and I've always had a sense that behind the thin veneer of spectacular glitz and glamour there's probably rampant animal cruelty, violent, alcoholic clowns, and all sorts of dodginess. ... this idea of the sideshows distracting us from hideous goings on, naturally led me to draw comparisons with dodginess going on behind the curtain while we watch amazed at the current shitshow. Tech wise... Recorded in Cubase Elephants 10. MT Drums. EUB straight into the interface, and an old Westbury Standard through the Helix. All additional instruments are the bundled Cubase VSTs, and the samples came from Looperman. Vocals treated with Waves Audio CLA Vocals.

It's getting harder and harder to choose. Well done everyone!

Another fine crop!😎

It's a done deal, I picked up a pretty tidy 2008 Megane Estate, FSH, , flat load in, and really clean. I took a tape measure with me, not sure what the seller thought I was planning. Hopefully that's us sorted for a few years!

Yeah, I'm not looking too new. I'd hate to have a car I'm precious about around here, that would be asking trouble. 2007/2008 ish. I've kinda excluded the people carriers (although I've run 2 Grand Scenics before) as they're not particularly economical and most I've seen have been pretty neglected. Current faves are the Focus and Astra estates, plenty of load room and low tax/good mpg. Off to look at a Megane Estate later too.

Bass and Drums would be the ideal, the Mrs is our drummer.

Zafiras of that kind of vintage are on my list. I assume they're comparable to the Grand Scenic I used to have, and I could get full drums in hard cases, bass and amp in that without an issue.

Thanks chaps! If I can keep it a bit smaller than the last one that would be great, as it's pretty heavy around here. As long as I can get all our stuff in it that would be enough.