TrevorR

Ok to redress the grumpy old Bass-tard sound of the last post I’ll tell you about a 50th birthday party gig our cover band did once. Biggish back garden, marquee sort of affair. We arrived, set up and sound checked while dad, teenage son and chums watched us run through a few songs. Waiting for the guests to arrive we were chatting to the family and then after the first set remarked that the kids very interested and engaged in watching the band. She laughed and said, “Yes, they’re all just learning instruments with the intention of forming a band at school.” The were all really nice, polite, well mannered kids (the antithesis of the teenage yobbo stereotypes) so B/L threw me a nod... then said would they like to do a couple of numbers to start the second set. Son said lthat was really kind but all the other’s instruments were at home so it wouldn’t be possible. But thanks so much for the offer.” - in a totally genuine, non-angling way. B/L and I glanced at each other and said, “You could just use ours...” Kids nearly fell off their chairs! Of course their instruments were the typical teenage starter stuff... bottom of the range Squiers, Epiphones, Encores and the like. The looks on their faces when we slung a Les Paul, a Takamine and a Wal round their necks, plugged them into a valve Fender, an AER and a MarkBass rig and gave them the big “Hello Wemberley, welcome to the stage a brand new rock sensation...” intro over the mic. Seventh heaven, grinning from ear to ear as they hacked nervously through a couple of covers doesn’t come close. We certainly racked up a few positive karma points in our favour that night!

I’ve had my amp rig used as a multi band backline or as an ad hoc “lend” (there was one where we all lent our amps to a bunch of teenagers “support band” doing their first gig - they’d all come on the bus!) but I’d never leave it unattended either. It’s only been backline for shows organised by people I know so they were happy for me to lay down the law. Basically that came down to, “it’s loud enough as it’s set up, you really don’t need to touch any of those knobs. You want more level - just ask that sound guy over there” or at least discussing and approving any settings at sound check. Frankly, if one of the bands bassists had come up on stage, whacked all the knobs up to 11 and launched into the first number I’d have had no problem with walking right up onto stage and turning them back down then standing by the amp with my arms folded glaring at him all the way through his set! I’d have got no complaints from either the promoter or sound guy!

Same here!

You could always play bass and add one of these at your feet... gives you a kick drum sound. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logjam-Logarhythm-MK4-Stomp-Box/dp/B01MU9PRWC/ref=asc_df_B01MU9PRWC/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310872962114&hvpos=1o5&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5495049981354183162&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007104&hvtargid=aud-544645955450:pla-581695227046&psc=1

Same here. That is my big gig rig. I like both the 2x10 and the 1x15. Light rugged, good sound. Solo I probably prefer the 2x10 but it’s pretty marginal.

Just try saying you bought a ClassD amp by MarkBass or that you love the sound of your 4x10 on top of your 1x15 and wait for the abuse...

One and a half grand for the bass, ten and a half grand for the shades, belt, wristband and a bit of stencilling!

Popped up on BookFace I think and then some likeminded music lover chums also spotted it and shared. And when I opened iPlayer to check it out, there it was on my “Recommend for you” bit... Plus, with all the space and Apollo stuff I’ve been watching and podcasting and watching on iPlayer this last month it was also a dead cert for the algorithms!

Anyone else catch the performance by Public Service Broadcasting of their Race For Space album live from the Royal Albery Hall at the Proms. OK, so I love that album already but the addition of a choir, orchestra, horn section and visuals was nothing short of stunning. For those who don't know the album it's inspired by the race between the Soviet Union and USA throughout the 60s to conquer space and reach the moon. The music is accompanied by lots of voice over recordings from cosmonauts, contemporary news reports and mission control recordings. It makes for an absorbing piece of music ranging from ambient to full on funk. Some pretty cool bass sounds from J F Abraham. It's still on iPlayer for the moment... https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00071mr/bbc-proms-2019-public-service-broadcasting

Funny, I’m perfectly happy with my “untrue” Wals!

Yes, I saw you drift over to the monitor guys for a stern word every so often - only a bass player would have noticed. Sound out front was pristine though. And the atmosphere out front was great!

Fantastic evening out on Friday at Hampton Pool singing and dancing along with some cracking tunes courtesy of Bootleg Blondie and The ELO Experience. And groovy bass courtesy of our very own @casapete

No, you need to start at the very beginning. It’s a very good place to start. When you read you begin with ABC, when you sing you begin with doh - re - me. The first three notes just happen to be, doh-re-me.

And similarly it doesn't hurt to learn more about techniques that help your playing - whether that's understanding the language to describe ones you already use or expanding your playing by learning new ones. Ghost notes is a good example. 20 years ago my wife decided get some singing lessons at an evening class at ACM in Guildford. So I thought, "I'll enrol in the class that runs in parallel." We both then went on to do some 1-2-1 courses after that. My tutor looked at my playing and said, "You know, you never ever use any ghost notes." "Don't I? What are they?" So we spent a few weeks working on them and since then they've been a really central part of how I play too. I love the effect that they have on a line or a rhythm. But I use them completely naturally and unconsciously now. I kinda think of it like learning to drive. "Left foot down, ease off the gas slightly, move gear lever out of slot, move it into new slot, lift left foot to bite point, slowly lift left foot while increasing pressure on the accelerator..." Once you've learned to drive you never actively think about the process, you just instinctively change gear. And again, you could happily get through life referring to the "left foot pusher", "middle slow down foot pusher" and "right hand side go faster foot pusher". So much easier though when you call them the "clutch", "brake" and "accelerator" pedals.

Almost too many to choose from... Herbie, Phil Lynott, Geddy Lee, Dave Paton, John Wetton, Kelly Groucutt... all of whom were huge influences as I was growing up as a bass player. However, I’ll have to plump for Chris Squire in the end. A hugely inspirational player who created the most inventive basslines with in complex music but always with a huge sense of melody. His bass could have so easily been lost under a sea of drums and synths and guitar but yet it is always there taking authority over the music. For me on albums like Close To The Edge is simultaneously holds down the bottom end while still creating delightful countermelodies which form as much a part of the music’s distinctiveness as Steve Howe’s guitar or Rick Wakeman’s keyboards. A lead bass player with a fantastic lead bass tone who never failed to ensure that his bass lines were still 100% part of the team and helping to lift the whole of the tune and the other band members to a higher artistic space. There’ll never be another like him.

I bought an Eden Californiwah and then proceeded to fall in love with the sound it makes only to fin pd it needs a 15V supply when trying to put it on my pedal board. Swapped my T-Rex Fuel Tank for a Palmer power supply from Thomann. The PWT12 has four outputs which can switch between 9V, 12V, 15V and 18V. https://www.thomann.de/gb/palmer_pwt_12_mk_2.htm Warning though, it comes with a European power supply (they don’t make a 3 pin one yet) so make sure that Thomann throw in a free adaptor socket. Works really well with my pedalboard and is slim enough to mount underneath.

@musicbassman and @Woodinblack count your blessings BIG TIME!

True, maybe coz I clicked some SBL or Beato or other stuff or something. However, I can honestly say I've never clicked on one of his videos - half a second of the autoplay preview is more than enough for my stomach. Maybe the FB algorithm just hates me?

Not so much YouTube but Chip Boaz keeps turning up on my Facebook feed and he just annoys me... Oh for goodness sake just shut your mouth and stop gurning the whole time!

Friday 19th July, but all sold out now - supported by Bootleg Blondie. One of their summer concerts. https://www.hamptonpool.co.uk/concerts/ It went within a week, as did The Bootleg Beatles. Tickets still left for Paul Carrack/Katrina, Trevor Horn/Never the Bride and The BLues Band/Ten Years After. Really looking forward to it. First time taking the tiddler to a proper gig.

Hampton Pool? We’ll see you there. Bit easier to spot in that crowd than Sunday’s! Lol!

See y’all there!

I couldn't believe some of the prices on his relatively non-iconic gear. $40k for a 1982 Charvel Bass, $40 for an Overwater Classic bass, $100k for a 2014 DG sig strat, $93k for a 1986 Wilkes "The Answer" slidey pickup Stratalike, $100k for a mid 80s Takamine 12-string electro... But only $50k for a Tony Zemaitis fretless acoustic bass!!?!?!! There are clearly some very happy mega-rich Pink Floyd collectors around the place this week. But like others have said, good on DG and great result for the charity!

The always interesting The Listening Service did a similar documentary on electronic music technology last year. Also onBBC Sounds... https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09dxbfg

I was wondering the exact same thing... the Retroglide can push out up to 800W (call it 500ish into an 8Ω cab). Why the need to be using both. If by chance you did need both together (tho I can’t for the life of me think why in quiet France) get a Boss LS2 or similar and just go into the front end of both amps...