PaulWarning

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1328997434' post='1535958'] My fave JJ moment: When the bass comes in on Hanging Around. It really sounds like the bass amp is actually in your room, playing along to the track. Fantastic bass moment that. [/quote] [quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1329123531' post='1537269'] This. The greatest bass guitar moment, ever. [/quote]I only have to think about it to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. One of the reasons we love JJ's playing of course is the fact he's high in the mix, it's just so refreshing to hear a bass that's not buried below drums and guitar

yeah I understand the problems with using other amps when doing a multi band gig but I've got an FX pedal for that and I think they cover all the arguments for using an active bass, plus you can change your settings mid song with your foot. And I do apologise for the spelling error in the title of the thread doh!

maybe I'm being a bit thick here, don't know whether this question been asked before but why do you need an active bass or even tone controls on a passive? (never touch my on/off P tone knob, always full on) when an amp or FX pedal does the job so much better, it's not like you can easily alter any of the bass controls mid song.

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1419861783' post='2643268'] I don't know how true this is, but I have heard that Classic FM has to feed its music through some very heavy-handed compressors because the dynamic range of good-quality orchestral recordings is typically much greater than on most pop and rock recordings, and they can't risk car drivers being scared out of their wits if there's a sudden jump from [i]pianissimo [/i]to [i]forte[/i]! [/quote]I would imagine that's true, we criticise radio station for heavy handed compression but it's necessary for cars and, lets face it that's where most radio listening takes place. As I said before it's a shame car radios haven't got a built in compressor that we could adjust to suit taste, but I think it's a bit late in the day for that

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1419816831' post='2643002'] When I was a youth I wasn't single-minded or committed - I thought I was just great and that was enough. I'm a lot more single-minded and committed now than I ever have been. Problem is finding like-minded people. [/quote]you missed the 'most' off your quote of my post . I know if I practised I could probably learn to play finger style (instead of a pick) but I can't be arsed, mind you it doesn't help that my favourite bassists play with a pick.

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1419814444' post='2642994'] Yeah I know about the 'pop' mix, but the tone of the radio stations themselves is different too. Do radio stations aim for a certain tone. As I said before, radio 1 and capital radio have a different tonal quality. Radio 1 tends to sound more bright and 'up front' whereas capital sounds more 'full' and rounded. You tend to notice this more in the car. Or am I finally goimg mad [/quote]I listen to Gold, a DAB station and they seem to get a really nice bass tone, especially in the car, where lets face it you need compression otherwise you can't hear the quiet bits over car noise, I often wonder why manufacturers don't build in a compressor into car radios. So, yes, radio stations have got different tonal qualities

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1419784748' post='2642682'] I think a lot of people are well and truly living in the past, as is quite often the case on this site. [/quote]ah, nostalgia

if you delete you personnel FB page you can't be admin to your own band page (as our drummer has done) 95% of FB post are of no interest to me, but it is a good tool for promoting gigs etc, whenever we get a new like I send out a friends request so I can invite them gigs personally, by doing that they get an email telling them about it, that way you're not relying on FB to post it to your 'likes'. FB is designed to pander to the human need for acceptance by others, hence the like button, unless it's band related I don't post or like anything on FB

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1419682987' post='2641850'] Yeah I know, I'm not bitter really. I realise it's hard to sell an ageing curmudgeon like myself into the yoof pop market! [/quote]yeah, if you've not made it by 30 give up, that's the way it is, that's why there are so many old farts in covers bands, apparently Jake Bugg dumped his backing band for younger models as soon as he looked like getting somewhere, I think someone on here can confirm that.

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1419675052' post='2641753'] Odd, I log more hours practise now than at any time since first picking up a bass at 16. I'm 43 now and hadn't played for 15 years until summer 2013 and I'm better now than I was in my mid 20s with ~10 years casual playing behind me. Conversely I do need help dressing - apparently knitwear isn't appropriate for a rock gig, who knew? [/quote]so why did you stop playing for 15 years? maybe other things got in the way? I think a lot of us found bringing up a family the main priority in life between youth and middle age, gone way off topic here

I have a straight on one end then a right angle on the other, that covers all the angles

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1419593321' post='2641073'] Well all I can say is if you are dictating what people wear to gigs, then you must be a right laugh to play with! As for old dogs not learning new tricks, I think your wrong there mate. You never stop learning and anyone who thinks he's reached the pinnacle of his playing and has it all, is either sadly misguided or right up his own bum ! [/quote]I don't think it's a question of an Old Dog learning new tricks more like most people reach level of ability that they're happy with and stop trying to improve, or lack the single mindedness and commitment that seems to come with youth

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1418932096' post='2635032'] OK, here it is: [font=arial, sans-serif][size=1]rifffactory.co.uk/golden_brown.mp3[/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=1]rifffactory.co.uk/golden_brown.wav[/size][/font] [size=4][font=arial, sans-serif]This was just a quick thing I did the other day for my own amusement (and a performance video) so no judgement on the mix or playing please![/font][/size] [font=arial, sans-serif]EDIT: I don't know what BC's software is doing to my post, I'm just pasting URLs into here, so in case it doesn't work I'll write it with words[/font] [font=arial, sans-serif]rifffactory DOT co DOT uk SLASH golden_brown.mp3[/font] [font=arial, sans-serif]rifffactory DOT co DOT uk SLASH golden_brown.wav[/font] [/quote]Couldn't tell any difference, with or without my hearing aids in cymbols sound really splashy though

[quote name='notable9' timestamp='1419024072' post='2635888'] Whether I "hanker" after anything is irrevelant. The whole point of the thread was to debate what appears to be quite an interesting topic. Here is a tune which I hope illustrates my interest in the thread title. And I accept that this particular tune will find very little if any love on this forum but then that's not the point, I just think it's a good example. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38L7S-L9vXg"]https://www.youtube....h?v=38L7S-L9vXg[/url] Thats what I mean by sparkle... [/quote]I've just got in from the pub so judgement might be a little flawed, but isn't that just a loud trebley snare drum?

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1418986445' post='2635454'] but yeh, my main point was that you don't need to spend a load of money, or time travel back to the 80s, to get a good sound. [/quote]of course you don't, maybe I'm talking out of my arse here but when recording was done for vinyl would you have to be careful about dynamics to keep the needle in the grooves whereas now there are no such constraints so the temptation is to record and mix as loud as possible

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1418978905' post='2635338'] I hope you're wrong! This is a recording I did of bassfunk's band The Jukes [url="https://soundcloud.com/rifffactoryrecordings-1/the-jukes-superstition"]https://soundcloud.c...es-superstition[/url] Ignoring the fact that soundcloud has compressed it and ruined the top end with mp3ish artifacts, I think the mix on this is perfect. Feel free to explain why, if you think this falls short of what you could acheive with more money. Incidentally, the musicians were all in the live room with guitar amps turned up, loads of bleed on the drum mics etc. [/quote]nice, although IMO of course, you've followed modern fashion by having the bass drum to high, but then again I've got a thing about it, drives me mad

as several posters have said, IMO, it's todays production values that are the problem, no space around the different instruments, not all old is good, always thought Spectors stuff sounded horrible. On the subject of mp3's I saw a TV show a few years ago where they did a blind listening test in a acoustically designed theatre. top notch HiFi listening to Floyds Other Side of the Moon, on vinyl, CD and mp3 at 320mbps, the mp3 won.

must say I'm surprised how many people don't take a spare, transport issues permitting, how much does a second hand squier cost? £100? It'll get you out the sh*t, and I have seen basses pack up at gigs, and guitars, it happened to our guitard, bad connection on his Gibson selector switch, and yes, he had a spare

I've put it on Audacity, see what you mean, it seems to be when the guitar (or keyboard) is cutting out or getting lower in volume, if you can be bothered you can do what I suggested earlier and amplify the quiet bits, but the guitar (or keyboard) still isn't there, obviously

if the volume changes are sudden and not too often you could select the low volume sections and just amplify those bits

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1418740879' post='2632849'] Is this agent in Canada? I feel we need this information to formulate a response. [/quote]not sure what Canada has to do with it, I'm from the "once you've said you'll do something you do it" school of thought, I was merely trying to point out that if the boot was on the other foot there'd be a load of bassist on here saying what a miserable bunch of robbing bastards agents where.

just wondering what everybody's reaction would be if an agent changed his mind about a series of gigs after the contracts had been signed

we had a gig on Friday, just a small pub gig using PA for vocals, backline and unmiced drums, A guy came to see us who'd only been once before, which was to the support for Vice Squad I mentioned earlier, [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1417255784' post='2618558'] did a gig last night at a small venue supporting Vice Squad and sound wasn't good, muddy, indistinct vocals and something was booming, my partner reckoned it was my bass but but on parts of songs where I played on my own it was on the trebley side, at least 2 people went up to the sound man to tell him but it didn't seem to make any difference and Vice Squads bass sound was a muddy mushy mess (stingray with a pick) [/quote] he couldn't believe how much better/clearer we sounded, his question which is often asked when using a full PA "Why did they have to have it so bloody loud before?"

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1418294891' post='2628826'] Open mics here are for the same reason... always on a quite night...and the house band gets paid but the guests don't. This would be an occasion where the hat could go round, but it is probably better it doesn't.. [/quote]the open mics I attend don't even have a house band, I do hear criticism of them, some how they're devaluing live music by giving the pub free entertainment but as JTUK points out they're always on a quiet midweek night, there's no way the pub could afford to pay and stay in business, I enjoy doing them, a night in the pub doing a 15-20 minute slot, chatting to other open micers and helping the pub stay viable, I don't really see the problem.

be careful not to mix up open mics with jam evenings, they can be totally different animals, in my experience open mics are where people who know what they want to do get up to perform, whereas Jam sessions are are a lot more suck it and see.