Yank

Thanks- for some reason, (maybe because it says Leftys), I always assumed that was only for left handed basses.

Two days ago I posted a thread, asking about the Tony Franklin fretless bass. I tried to find out yesterday what folks might have said and could not find it. I went back 4 pages and it's nowhere to be found. Has it been deleted? Did I offend someone?

Anyone have one of the Tony Franklin Fenders? I have no idea who he is, but his fretless PJ looks sweet.

Ear training is something that has to be worked on. Some of us who've been playing a long time maybe did it sub-consciously. Try listening to a song and instead of taking it in as a whole, focus on what one instrument is doing, say the bass, then switch your focus to the guitar and then the drums. Really listen as you're focusing. How the instrument blends with the others, the volume, the tone, the note choices. Is the bass fretted or fretless? Is it trebly or bassy? Is the guitarist using a pick or fingerpicking? Is the drummer playing his hi-hat or ride cymbal? The more you focus the more details you hear. When you go to see live musicians, really watch them. OK, this guitarist is using a Les Paul and I notice it sounds different than when he plays his Strat or Tele. Eventually you will notice that your hearing of details has improved.

I find that I have to take the room into account. Some rooms are trebly and some are bassy. The same bass will sound different in each.

Hey Nancy, I apologize for my fellow yank calling you "fancy pants". In your case should it have been "Nancy pants"?

Next try Hank William's "Mooove it on Over".

When I play small venues, I run through a Mesa Subway with 1-12, but when playing larger venues or outdoors, I run through a Mesa D-800 into a 15 and 2-10's. I also go through an old rack from the 80's with a lighted strip, a rack tuner and a sonic maximiser. When playing an outdoor party this summer, two other bass players went through my rig and when setting them up gave them the option of the maximiser on or off, switching it in and out so they could hear the difference. Both chose to have it engaged. The sound is so much fuller and richer and the clarity better. I don't notice it not being there when using the smaller rig, but once I've set up the big rig and turned it on and off, always chose to have it engaged. I used to have a pedal version that I would use through my guitar or bass rig but it died a while ago and haven't had it fixed or replaced. Anyone else use one?

If the band's just getting going and everyone's working on their parts at home instead of using band practice for individual practice, once a week for 2 hours should suffice to get up and running fairly quickly. If you're a working man, and need to get up early, schedule the practice earlier so you can get home at a decent hour. So, in a well prepared band, that travel would be doable, but in a disorganized band, going next door would be too much travel.

I grew up playing in the Northeast of the US. Gigs were 4 hours. When I played in an original band in Austin, Texas, there would be 4 bands on a bill and you only played a one hour set. Now I'm back in the Northeast and gigs are 3 hours. Yes, it makes for a long gig when it sucks but if I'm gonna go through the trouble to pack my stuff from the house to the car, drive to the gig, unload at the gig, setup onstage, play music, pack up my gear onstage, carry it out to the car, drive home, unload said gear into my house, I want to play music for more than one set. If it means a crappy gig sometimes, I'll take the good with the bad. At least I'm playing all night. Well, not really all night, but I'm sure it's longer than Lional Richie singing about making love to his woman "all night long".

I could be considered OCB when it comes to placing cables so I will not stand on them and it frosts my chaps to have other musicians think nothing of walking on mine, and look confused and irritated when I inform them to remove themselves off of mine. There's only a thin wire inside the insulation. Why would any one assume they are meant to stand on as I know they can be felt even under heavy boots. ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I've been in two bands now where the size of the band depends on what a venue will pay. Drummer out first, then bass. To be honest, I don't mind as I'm also doing gigs where I play guitar and sing in a duo. With small restaurants, it makes sense. As a product, in this day and age, you have to be flexible. Maybe you should go out and start getting the band gigs for the whole band at the high prices. I'm sure they would much rather have the full band gigs as they're so much more satisfying.

Afternoon gig. Unexpected memorial gig for a fisherman who unexpectedly passed away. Celebration of life on a wharf in Southwest Harbour. Close to 300 people. Pig roasted, roast beef and clams and mussels by the basket load. Folks brought food by the ton. Beautiful Maine day right on the water. They had us on a flatbed. Great PA brought by the new drummer. Sound was great onstage and off. One of those gigs that you hate to end. Home by dark.

I have a fretless version. Great for sitting on the sofa playing. Great tone for country/americana.

Just because the lead vocal is low and growley doesn't mean the backing vocal line has to be. In fact, it would stand out more being high and pure.

Humble Pie was a killer band. I had the "Live at the Fillmore" album that was smokin', although I hate to admit I have no idea who played bass. Steve Marriott was in my opinion, the best vocalist of his generation. Hands down!!!!!

I was an aspiring (as much as a 15 y/o can be said to aspire) singing drummer then. We listened to albums and singles both, because we were learning songs. "Whole Lotta Love" was huge as was "Louie, Louie", "House of the Rising Son" and anything by CCR.

Sure, there have been other great female soul singers, but as the song goes, "You can bet your boots, or you can put up your dukes" I'm sticking with Aretha!

Nooooooooo! As far as I'm concerned, she was the greatest female singer of all time. Her recordings are perfection. We'll never see the like again.

Nice pics, Bruno! Nice to see a band with all band members looking fit.

Played an outdoor pig roast party yesterday. The humidity, which had been 90% all week finally moderated. A beautiful Maine summer day. For smaller restaurant/bar gigs I run through my Mesa subway, but for larger clubs and outdoors I use my new Mesa D-800 head through a 1-15, 2-10 cabs. Plenty of power. We played two sets broken up and there were other musicians there so it was like a jam night where different musicians got up to back each other up, some having played together before, some not. Very high quality musicianship going on. I finally got a chance to hear my rig out front as I let the other two bass players in attendance run through my rig. The PA was very high power and clear as a bell. The Mesa held it's own and the bass was punchy and articulate. The instruments/vocals were balanced nicely out front. I played mostly bass, but played some guitar and got to play drums also. Someone would get up to play and musicians would come forward to fill the empty slots. I got paid, so altogether a fun satisfying gig/jam/party. The only disappointment was the food. In the summer heat and with flys in abundance landing on the uncovered food, I passed up partaking. Most were less squemish than I, because even hours lator, folks were still eating.

Your father in law is in great shape and your son looks like he thinks he's king of the ocean. Great pic! I bet they're both bada$$ on those boards.

I started as a singing drummer. Have learned to play and gigged on guitar, harmonica and bass and have taught these instruments. When teaching young drummers, I would first concentrate on them learning to play grooves and would have them play along to recordings, keeping the beat steady, not slowing down or speeding up. Some have a hard time with this. When I moved on to fills, some would have a hard time coming back on the "one", because a 4/4, alternating , bass drum-snare-bass drum-snare to a drummer who isn't just concentrating on himself (or herself) is the same as a snare-bass drum-snare- bass drum. As a singer, I was also always aware of the form of a song, whereas non-singing drummers have to be made aware of the difference between verses and chorus. Part of teaching drummers should be for them to not only become proficient as a drummer, but help them become musicians, thinking about the song, listening to the other musicians and fulfilling their role in the mix. Please try to help this drummer in his journey. If he refuses to be helped, help yourself and sack him. There ARE musicians out there who are drummers. When you're walking and have a pebble in your shoe you'd be foolish not to stop and remove it.

My advice is to follow the bass drum.

Just tell them "It's not you, it's me."