Apex

It's a pretty extensive list! My daughter's piano copy has (deep breath!) Innuendo / Radio Ga Ga / I want to break free / Somebody to love / Killer queen / Play the game / Death on two legs / Under pressure / A kind of magic / I want it all / Headlong / Only the good die young / Crazy little thing called love / Ogre battle / One vision / Who wants to live forever / Flash / Seven seas of rye / Fat bottomed girls / Don't stop me now / Another one bites the dust / Hammer to fall / These are the days of our lives / Bicycle race / We will rock you / We are the champions / Bohemian Rhapsody I think a fair chunk of John Deacon's 'sound' came from a small home-made amp being used as a pre-amp! Not much of a challenge then!

Almost the reverse of the OP, but one day a while back I got an email at work from our rhythm guitarist and tech-head saying he couldn't make that night's rehearsal as he'd had his garage broken into and lots of stuff nicked. He didn't say what stuff, but that was understandable under the circumstances. A while later that morning I get a phone call the police "Hello Sir, we've recovered your band gear." Recovered?! Band Gear?! It's was at home when I left 2 hours ago! Sure enough it was the previously described 'stuff' from the garage - PA, his guitars and amp. With it was a case with some songs and other paperwork, including something I'd emailed him previously, which had my name and phone number on it. Come to think of it I never did find out how the police had found it!

Lots of good things here - one of the main reasons for all the spares is confidence that you can deal with anything. Ive carried spare pluf fuses for years and never used one for myself! The one thing I would add to the suggestions above is a soft cloth or small towel so that you can wipe hands and strings if they get too sweaty.

+1 to pretty much all of the above! The Tascam bass trainer is very good, but if you don't have one you can get quite close to it by using the EQ settings in windows media player! With a slider control that also makes it very easy to go back over a bit - several times if necessary! I do try and get a tab or two, not to learn from, but to look at whilst listening. Hearing [u]and[/u] seeing speeds up the learning potential no end. And one word of warning to ad to all those about agreeing the key and the structure in advance. Also agree the version, not only who, but which edition. Some bands (eg ABBA) recorded things more than once with different bass players and different lines. If the tab you have is not just wrong in one or two places but completely different from what your ears are hearing this is probably what's going on!

[quote name='Earbrass' post='749624' date='Feb 18 2010, 01:10 PM']Maybe it was the Continuity Sally Army. They have notoriously refused to put all tambourines "beyond use".[/quote] Happened to us a couple of years back at a charity gig. She was a fully fledged member. The Sally army. Mustang brigade...

Besides agreeing with all the 'what do you expect' posts, I think there's another side to this. Often the punters [b]do[/b] notice, it's just that they don't really know what's bass and what comes from another player. If the bass run from, say, Jumping Jack Flash, wasn't there they would notice immediately! And even with more general playing they would think the sound seemed rather thin if you weren't there. They just don't know that it's you!

I kept quiet on the oriiginal suggestion until I discovered where 'South West' actually was. Coming back to the thread I now understand that it's Bridgewater, or perhaps Bristol, or maybe Shaftsbury or Salisbury. Have we been infiltrated by Guitarists?? Serious suggestion: why don't we have spring bash in the summerzet area to offer something to more southern members, and an autumn one in the Brizzle areal for those who are keen enough to come twice and to cater for more northern and Welsh bretheren. I don't know enough about it to take the lead on the Brizzle event but I'm certainly up for helping out... ....just don't tell Mrs A!!!

Thanks OG! Yes my son is doing this in an increasingly big way no, but he's still a photography student as well! Consequently his site is always a 'work in progress'. More of his work at myspace/the hornets and on the site(s) of Bristol band The Hats. If you want more info, Jack, PM me.

[quote name='JJTee' post='725422' date='Jan 26 2010, 04:51 PM']By the way, PM me if you would like a full transcription (including tab) of the bass line for Dancing Queen, and partial transcription of Knowing Me Knowing You. I'm sure I have a scan somewhere from an ancient magazine, which was spot-on for accuracy.[/quote] Timely offer - it's next on the band's list! You have PM!

Join a band. Make music. Remarkably motivating. If you can get in one that is already gigging you will probably have more motivation than you want!!

[quote name='Hot Tub' post='706459' date='Jan 9 2010, 12:19 PM']Try as many as you can, as variations in string spacing seems to be the key to finding the right instrument. [/quote] +1 to that. I had no problems but then I had only been playing a 4-string for about 18months so wasn't that set in my ways! The only real problem was jumping in to the A-string quickly. I came to the conclusion that I related the strings from the edges, and that A was now 2 strings 'in' when nothing was two from the 'edge' with a 4 string. Once I thought that through the problem seemed to go away! I have loved the additional choice of neck position it gives me and can't see myself going back to 4.

I bought the Zoom b2 on the advice of someone on here when I was asking about effects pedals to use in a cover band. 'Get one and learn what you like and don't, then you can buy the pedals'. Really good advice and I learned a lot even though I've still barely scratched the surface on modifying patches to suit my own taste. Already used Ampeg and Sansamp patches along with Bassman and Marshal tomes in gigs. I know I don't need to and the audience probably doesn't notice much difference, but I feel I'm closer to the original and probably play better as a result. And the band likes the tone!

Like Happy Jack, I find the experience from a covers band rather different in that we are all starting off from someone else's version. Mostly this fits together pretty well but we do occasionally have individuals who step outside the original, which crates a bit of discussion on how well that works and what others may need to do to work with it. It's much easier when it's not your own part involved! Unless it's the drummer who listens to every thing about 'trying it slower' then speeds back up by the end of the first line because he prefers it that way! Any advice on how to maintain tempo with the bass against a large Premier kit going full pelt would be appreciated!!

Hmm, glossary eh? We seem to have all the words but none of the meanings! How about a few sound clips to group the words around? Then I might have some idea of what we're talking about!

+1 again - but (with a gig in early February) make sure that the new drummer is seriously interested and available before embarking on the Big Goodbye!

That's a pretty comprehensive answer, Mog! Many thanks. I'll need to digest that for a while, but I get the gist. Looks like my 'subject of interest' for over Christmas - between the turkey, mince pies and a wee drop here and there, that is!

[quote name='Shockwave' post='685912' date='Dec 15 2009, 11:38 PM']I already looked at your compacts finish on Sunday with your offspring! Similarily your invited over to mine to try the vintage out! Rob.[/quote] Kids!

To return to the OP topic... I too had problems trying to prise a Compact out of Alex, who was clearly not wholly in control of his stock and supply chain. He did keep me informed - apologetically - but there's no doubt frustration began to build a little. For me the weight / sound / price combination drove the decision and a gig, three gig-level rehearsals and a recording session, plus the good-natured abuse the poor thing got at the S Wales Bash have not made me regret it. It doesn't have the visual stage presence of some cabs, but if I was paid enough for this to matter I might be able to either afford something flashier or get someone to do it up for me! It certainly seems to survive in the audio arena of a 6-piece pop-rock covers band with a loud drummer and a keyboard. I was a little concerned on the strength of the cab, and certainly wouldn't sit on it. But I have twice now found someone else sitting on it with no ill effects, so I'm probably just being over-sensitive. Rob, you're welcome to drop round and look at the finish if you would find that helpful. I know it's not a Vintage but it is an example of bareFaced workmanship.

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='685162' date='Dec 15 2009, 01:40 PM']Joe Strummer used to remind himself of lyrics by introducing the song as the first line. For example "This songs called 'Midnight to six man' you might know it better as White Man in Hammersmith Palais" I do the verbal intros to songs and have nabbed the trick "Here's a new one we were going to call F sharp E B D but we thought <song name> sounded better" Happens quite a lot.[/quote] I combine that approach with the setlist - against each number I have the opening notes (or sometimes just the one, when we've changed the key of something, plus a couple of words as reminders of the things that I usually foul up in practice. Print it out in big type (that's an age thing!) and leave it on the floor at the bottome of the mic stand. So far so good...

[quote name='Mog' post='684026' date='Dec 14 2009, 02:27 PM']Opened up jumpin jack. Again, I didnt want to be nicking your work so I didnt save it . Are you planning on more recordings?[/quote] Mog, Sorry I didn't get back to you fully the first time - it was a bit late and I was half asleep! I'm not sure I understand what you mean by getting it mastered. Our intention is just to use this as a demo disc for getting pub and party gigs, so do you think the quality needs to be improved for that? Wasn't planning on any more recording until we'd earned enough money to pay for it !