chris_b

Designing a set that starts with a bang, dips a little in the middle, then builds to a last number that will leave the audience wanting more, is something that needs thinking about and planning. On the last set you need to keep 2 strong numbers back for an encore. If you're on a curfew, always stop early enough so you can fit the encore in without running over.

[quote name='zbd1960' timestamp='1476045150' post='3150842'] Agree with the comment about jazz theory 'monsters' - I tend to think it is often excessive and I'm not always sure it's that helpful [/quote] You can be Dusty Hill or Adam Clayton if you want to, but "theory monsters" would include James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Wilton Felder, Jaco, Tal Wilkenfeld, Nathan East etc etc. No matter what you're trying to do, knowing more stuff is always going to make your day easier and better, especially if you're playing a bass.

In the many years I've been gigging no one has ever said, "Why don't you sound like so and so". If they did I'd tell them that I play like me. . . . sounding like I sound. When I gig with a Reggae band I'll start with a tone for that band, same with the Rock, Blues and covers gigs, but I don't change my tone during the gig. Maybe I just don't listen to bands who do that, but I don't hear any other players on the circuit or on big gigs doing that either.

Gigging was all I intended to do when learning bass. Played at home or the Albert Hall, the bass is the greatest instrument. Whichever venue you choose is fine. IME nothing in the world feels as good as standing in front of 500 watts with the room rattling and your trousers flapping. And breaking news. . . . The 20th November is the 50th anniversary of my first gig.

I'm not the best person to ask for advice. . . . my basses get gigged or sold. They are not ornaments to me, they work. But if [i]you[/i] can't decide don't do anything until [i]you're[/i] comfortable with making [i]that[/i] decision.

So. . . . I've just spent 2 hours checking out Louis Cole in all his guises. I'm loving it even more.

[quote name='grumpyguts' timestamp='1475925310' post='3149793'] Should the dep express an opinion? [/quote] Not usually. [quote name='grumpyguts' timestamp='1475925310' post='3149793'] The whole two set thing doesn't make sense. Get the punters warmed up, disappear for 1/2 hour and start all over again. Why not stick with it for 2 hours? [/quote] Because they've got to sell beer.

Even rich people don't get any change from "aggressive forms of cancer".

No discussion. You hit them with the best you've got. Not your favourite number but the audience's favourite and you do that in quick succession with the first 3 or 4 numbers.

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1475883904' post='3149584']As to old quality vs new... Let's face it, Paul knows Wals. He started working there a few months before Ian Waller passed away in the late 80s and was working there until around 2000 so most of the basses around will have had him working on them anyway. [/quote] Pete Stephens wasn't very well towards the end but thank goodness he still cared enough about his company to ensure that its heritage and pedigree was maintained, and not sold off to the highest bidder (which was on the cards). Paul Herman was/is the best person to take WAL on and maintain the continuity and quality for such a world class brand.

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1475882606' post='3149573'] Who is balancing FOH from behind the PA when your not wearing them ? [/quote] That's not an answer. You can always hear the PA, even from behind it. When you're using IEM's you're shut off from all of the FOH so how do you maintain a balance out front through out the gig? I'm asking the question because maybe the guys using IEM's have solved what to me seems like a show stopper, unless you have a sound man. I've not been in many bands that were able to maintain a balance using backline, but you can hear when the band and volume is going out of balance, but how do you address this with no backline and when you're cut off from the PA using IEM's.

Love it.

To all using IEM's. Who is balancing the FOH throughout the gig while you're wearing them?

In music is good to know stuff. It's even better to know a lot of stuff.

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1475836501' post='3149068'] No, he didn't, Chris. Barry did the falsetto, Robin did the high lines with his unmistakable vibrato, and Maurice, whose voice was admittedly not as good as his brothers', did the choruses and harmonies. [/quote] I was delving into the recesses of my memory for that one. I must have Maurice mixed up with one of the others.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1475846555' post='3149191'] In many areas we're getting more 'human-friendly' replacement materials and they're often not performing as well as the classic ones. [/quote] +1 I can't buy creosote or proper varnish any more. The water based products we get these days are not as good as the old "nasty" stuff.

Mo did all the high vocal lines on Bee Gee records as well.

If you haven't played it yet (the singer might turn up and want to do it in 3/4), I'd start with playing what's on the recording and see where you might go from there when you've played it with the band.

Being realistic custom made basses usually involve an extended wait time. WAL is 2 years and some and apparently with Carl Thompson you get it when you get it. I understand the irritation, but to be honest, no matter what you were told at the start, 12 months doesn't seem like a long wait for a hand made bass from a very small outfit. Hassling the guys will probably turn out to be counter productive.

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1475831099' post='3149004'] If it was just about tone/groove we'd all be using P-basses & sending everything DI'd through the PA. [/quote] Isn't that exactly what the good bass players do?

As Stevie said, mostly 1 root note per bar. Play what this guy plays. He's done all the hard work for you. If you have to beef it up play the dum-de-dum pattern the bass drum is playing at 2.08. Serve the song. Think of a bass line then throw 80% of it away. What you're left with will work. This band's playing is perfect for this song. If your band can't sit back and play as simple as this then I'd suggest it isn't going to work.