SubsonicSimpleton

Whatever equipment choices you make, your own timing, note choices and technical execution are still going to be the dominant part of what the audience percieves - changing up the equipment is a bit like changing the condiment that you use to flavour your food, chips are always chips regardless of whether you want to season with a classic choice like salt and vinegar, or pick something different like ketchup, mayonaisse, gravy or curry sauce.

[quote name='AndyBass' timestamp='1434639530' post='2801451'] I'm gonna learn how to do that. Can't believe I wasted time trying to play arco when I could've been practicing this [/quote] I'll pay good money to see you [s]pull it off[/s] even attempt it with your strunal 50/4.

Your playing & the new Duke is sounding very good, great song, and the production value on both the sound and video has been handled really well - hope you're pleased with the result.

Right now I'm not thinking about upgrading anything other than my own playing - I find that my arco playing still sounds inconsistent from day to day, so I want to improve my consistency above all else. My bow came with reasonably decent real horse hair on it, but I'm not going to make any assumptions about needing to upgrade until I've had it re-haired at least once with fresh good quality hair. My experience is that arco is a much more challenging undertaking than any of the other things I've learned, so adopting a kind and patient attitude towards myself and my practice, embracing the fact that I suck and putting aside the demands of my ego has been one of the biggest challenges. I like to watch performances like these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgZ_-f7pVk4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yjVwRI5aiU to inspire and ground myself anytime my zen fails and the frustration starts to build.

I'm an arco noob, here is the advice I received from my classical tutor before I bought a bow or went for my first lesson; The bow is an instrument in itself, and it is a very personal thing - it needs to work with your body mechanics and your playing style, length, weight, balance, hair all contribute to the overall package. The more technically demanding the music, the bigger the importance of having a bow that works for you and feels like an extension of your arm. As a beginner with no technique, I had no idea what I needed, so I bought several affordable bows on approval, took them to my first lesson and my teacher had me play a bunch of different exercises with each one and then pick the one that felt best - her guidance was very helpful, but she was insistent from the outset that she couldn't make the decision for me, and that I would need to look at upgrading further down the line as I develope better technique and approach more challenging material. So far my personal arco journey has seemed really slow - building the basics of technique such as just holding the bow properly and keeping it straight is something I'm still working on five months in, so although my teachers expensive (pro-orchestra quality) pernambuco bow pulls a nicer sound from my bass, I can't really leverage the advantages it offers in the same way my teacher can, and when she plays my ply bass with my cheap bow, it sounds way better than when I tried playing her carved (pro orchestra level) bass with her bow, so I'm quite content to accept that there is a long way I can go to upgrade my sound just by playing better. Mirror and when in doubt, more mirror is her consistent advice with regards to practice, on the basis that correct technical foundation and good form is the most important part of the learning process for me at this stage.

Have you thought of talking to the musicians at the orchestra you want to play with, and seeing whether they can help you assess how well your current instrument would fit in their section soundwise, and give you some feedback on how your playing relates to the standard they are expecting?

I've spent a huge amount of time reading the doublebass forums on talkbass, and reoccurring opinion amongst the orchestral players is pretty much "I would rather play a cheap ply bass with a really nice bow than play an expensive carved bass with a cheap and nasty bow". Most amateur orchestras will be so happy to have a double bass player for their section that they probably won't be too fussy about the bass you are playing (near to me, groups that specify grade 8 as minimum entry standard for violinists are willing to entertain pretty much any double bass player with a pulse and waive the sub fees that they charge everyone else to cover rehearsal venue hire). If you want to roll the dice on a mail order, then mikman over on talkbass is the go to guy for advice about thomann and their mostly Strunal and Hora offerings. I would suggest that maybe seeing a luthier about getting your soundpost adjusted/refitted and maybe trying a different G string to address that issue with your current instrument is worth investigating - it shouldn't be an expensive option. It would allow you to stockpile some cash and take your time to track down and play some bows and basses in person and find something that you are really going to be happy with in the long term.

If you mainly play arco it might be worth considering upgrading your bow first rather than upgrading your bass(you don't give any info on the bow you are using), it might also be worth a look at your choice of strings (you don't mention whether you have changed them out from factory standard ones) and choice of rosin. Have you had any setup work done on your current instrument by a luthier, or is it still in the same state it arrived from thomann?

[list] [*]Have you tried Elixir strings before? [*]No [*]What other brands are you familiar with? [*]Rotosound, Elites, D'addario, Ernie Ball [*]What bass(es) will you try the new strings on? [*]5er @ 35", 4er @ 34" & 30" as per string availability [*]What sort of environment will you be playing them in (e.g studio, gigging, practicing) [*]all three, but home studio rather than pro studio. [*]Why do you think you'll be a good candidate to test the strings? [*]Anything I use has to get the job done with minimum fuss, expenditure and maximum reliability - feel free to convince me that elixir strings are worth using in the real world for amateur and semi-pros on a tight budget (call me sceptic, but I never trust the opinion of endorsees who don't have to pay for the products they use). I won't be providing any free advertising with blog entries/facebook/twitter etc, just straightforward honest feedback here on basschat forum. [/list]

This discussion is worthless unless someone knows who is the leading pioneer of post pre modern gothic christian hardcore jazz metal.

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1433336293' post='2790180'] I'm in a similar position; my package was sent to my work but I'm at home today. Colleague sent a teaser pic.. It's not a Godin btw [/quote] Well it should be safe if he's guarding it at gunpoint, but couldn't help wondering WTF sort of office lets you keep rifles on the desk

Why are they lipsyncing to a prerecorded audio track in the video? Took a look but couldn't see any voting method either.

If you have access to a video camera and/or portable audio recorder, I would suggest that you record your next rehearsal and insist that you watch/listen back to it together as a band, and follow it up with a discussion of what you need to get sorted before gig day - when you have this discussion I would suggest that you adopt a basic groundrule that each member of the band should limit their initial comments to what they need to improve/sort out with regard to their own performance. Getting into a situation where someone feels like they are being ganged up on or criticised unfairly isn't likely to have a positive outcome (even if you are just stating fact), or improve that persons motivation, so holding a mirror up to the situation and giving them the opportunity to recognise and take responsibility for their own behavior and turn the situation round would be a better first option IMHO.

Here are some audio samples using the Zoom H2N. Recordings were made in a room with no acoustic treatment, the double bass used is a strunal 50/4 all ply, strung with spirocore weich, I have only been playing DB for a few months which obviously limits my ability to pull optimum tone out of the instrument. I opted to play fairly percussively to show how the H2N handles the low end and fast trebly transients. I still haven't investigated all the features and micing modes of the H2N, so I don't think that these recordings represent the very best that the unit can deliver, but hopefully they give an idea of what it is capable of. I edited down the length of both the ambient room mic file and sustained scale in audacity, otherwise the audio is unprocessed and as is direct from the H2N. Apart from making an adjustment to the gain on the H2N when moving to close micing, the only adjustments made were positioning the unit. First I recorded at a distance of approx 3 meters, the H2N was stood on a table using its mini tripod at waist height. [attachment=193066:room_mic_3M.wav] I mounted the H2N on a mic stand and recorded this take with the unit at bridge height and at a distance of approx 60cm from the front of the bass [attachment=193067:close_mic_60CM.WAV] I then moved the unit to approx 25cm from the front of the bass for this take [attachment=193068:close_mic_25CM.WAV] Just to provide some contrast after listening back to the other recordings, I also recorded a one octave scale using sustained notes at ~60cm distance [attachment=193069:fmajor.wav] Files are all .WAV format, you'll need to download them and rename them to change the erroneous filename extension that the forum software adds. ***edit*** just tried clicking the links and they do appear to play using the VLC firefox plugin so downloading may be unneccessary The obvious drawback of the H2N compared to regular mics is the limitation of not being able to use long balanced cables, and being tethered to the PC by a USB cable if you want to use it for multitracking (which might be more or less of an issue depending on whether you use a laptop or desktop, and how noisy/quiet the cooling fans are), the big upside is that it is fantastic as an ultra-portable self contained unit that can deliver hours of high quality recordings on a couple of AA batteries - I've used it mostly for recording my own practice and band rehearsals(both loud blues band, and quiet acoustic scenario) and rate it as one of the most useful bits of kit I've ever bought(I grabbed the bundle at thomann which included the accessory pack, which is definately worth getting for items like the case and mic stand adapter).

Before you commit to buying a mic, it is worth seeing if you can borrow any mics to experiment with (even vocal/drum mics that would be typically used for live/PA use rather than recording) - mic positioning is pretty important, and it is possible to get subjectively pleasing results using inexpensive dynamic mics (proximity effect is your potential friend/enemy) if you aren't concerned with the ultimate in hi-fidelity results. Worth considering the overall situation of your existing monitoring, your budget and what you want to use the recordings for - I've used an old AKG vocal dynamic mic between the bridge legs, and a Zoom H2N as a room mic and got some really nice IMHO results considering the lack of care taken in their recording. The Zoom has really impressed me, and proved to be very useful - so far I've only used it for standalone recording of personal practice and band rehearsals, but it can be used as a USB audio interface and came bundled with cubase le and wavelab le. As yet I haven't invested much effort into exploring all the features of the H2N, I could dig out a mic stand and check out using it for closer micing and how it fares hooked up direct to the PC later and post some sample audio clips when I have some spare time if you are interested.

If you use your ears to judge what sounds good and your hands to judge how an instrument feels to play, the label on the headstock is irrelevant.

Everyone is going to have an opinion - I've met musicians and non-musicians who pour scorn loudly in an "all modern music is utter crap" manner, so it isn't really a suprise that some people are going to be of the opinion that "all old music is crap". We've been here already many times, with each new generation regarding previous generations "cool" music as being irrelevant and deeply uncool. Whether you stick to your guns or change what you do to suit the times you'll never please everyone, so the only sensible option IMHO is to quit bitching and get on with it. Art is supposed to provoke an emotional reaction - I would prefer someone to love or hate what I do than be indifferent.

When you go to try out basses, take a strap with you so you can really get a feel for how heavy/well balanced and generally comfortable to play they are going to be when you are playing standing up. If you are going to be playing with other people in any real wrold scenario, the last thing you need is discomfort. The Ibanez SR basses are definately worth a try if you find other offerings too heavy. If you can swing it, try to borrow the jazz bass from your mate a bit longer if you can - a few lessons from a decent teacher is a better investment than buying new gear IMHO as long as what you have to play right now can stay in tune and has a playable action. Jake Newman has a very good reputation on this forum. As well as showing you what you need to focus on to make maximum progress, an experienced bass tutor will also be able to give you some very worthwhile guidance about general technique and posture and help you make a good decision with regard to what is going to work for your body mechanics and the sound you are after.

Try fretting the G on the E string with your ring finger and the C on the A string with your pinky - gives total control over damping and note duration and doesn't require a change in hand position (for me anyway my pinky is quite short).

Try just wiring the P pickup to the jack socket and see how it sounds. There might be a problem with the control wiring scheme rather than a problem with the pickup itself - passive VVT controls are notorious for the pickups interacting with each other, and you might need to use resistors to prevent this happening or consider using a selector switch or blend pot along with a single volume and tone control. Also possible that the P pup is out of phase with the J pup. Just be methodical and eliminate one potential issue at a time, and remember that KiOgon of this forum is probably the best person to ask for an expert opinion.

[quote name='rob.mayzes' timestamp='1432046121' post='2777530'] Renters (those borrowing the equipment) are fully liable for all injury while using the equipment and we will strongly recommend public liability insurance to all users. [/quote] Would this have implications upon the Owners to be able to prove that equipment meets any necessary electrical safety standards (current PAT test cert for example) before lending it out? If I lent out my TNT combo in an electrically unsafe condition, and somebody got injured or there was an electrical fire as a direct result, I suspect that a contract that attempted to place the responsibility for said injury/damage soley onto the Renter might be viewed as patently unfair (and therefore null and void) if it was tested in court. Maybe it would be worth investigating the possibility of providing short term PLI for Renters as part of the website service.

I think there is a big difference between being a bassist and being a genuinely well rounded musician who happens to play bass. Aquiring physical ability is fairly straightforward, there are plenty of learning resources which can be used in tandem with a metronome/drum machine and a bit of discipline. Developing the many other skills that are involved in composing/arranging/transcribing/skilled listening/improvisation/reading etc is IMHO much more difficult. Thinking about the best musicians I've had the pleasure to work with, to me their physical technique always seemed to be like the visible tip of a iceberg, backed up with a hefty bulk of other skills and understanding which was informing their playing invisibly from beneath the surface of the water, the worst ones I've played were more like ice cubes, without anything much to back up the physical technique (and I was definately in that place once upon a time myself, and realising it changed my aspiriations substantially). If you never get the oportunity to play/study with with someone who can truly dispel the dunning-kruger effect mist about your abilities in areas other than your ability to play some flashy licks on your instrument, how on earth are you ever going to realise that it is possible to develope in a broader sense, beneficial to do so and that it can be done through practice and study like any other skill? Without suitable guidance can you reliably conceive what you need to do to make the necessary improvements? The majority of upper echelon players have usually studied with upper echelon teachers, musicians like Francois Rabbath who manage to get there through self tuition are rare, so maybe making that final step up to the top tier is something that for many requires the advice and inspiration of a mentor who has already got there (as well as a lot of hard work).

When it comes to lending out equipment/hiring rehearsal space, I would only consider doing it doing it to people that I know to be competant, and can somewhat trust - unfortunately some people don't have any respect for things they don't personally own, and the risk of an idiot trashing amps/PA etc that I need to fulfill my own commitments is unacceptable, so I would only consider dry renting through an anonymous web service something like my old Peavey TNT combo (which isn't really a piece of expensive equipment that an aspiring musician couldn't afford). Couple of points regarding the T&Cs on the website which are unclear Who is liable in the event that injury or damage is caused to a third party when the rented equipment is in use. What is the position in the case of a third party committing an identity theft and then proceeding to rent equipment with the stolen identity(or a hacked account on the site) and abscond with the rented items.

Practice in front of a mirror and only look at your reflection, you still get the visual guide when you are building the muscle memory, but it programs you to not turn your head to look at the fretboard, it is also a good way to monitor your general posture and relaxation.