TimR

Thanks. But isn't intensity dependent on amplitude and frequency? You're fixing the frequency so... Anyway, due to the 'wave' being light and not really a wave I suppose it's right that you should have another way of describing it. Thanks.

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470296661' post='3104784'] How many moving parts inside a solid state guitar amp? A fan maybe, but they don't need servicing as such. Even dust has to be really extreme before it causes a problem. Service stuff by all means if you worry about such things but I've never bothered and haven't had loads of failures as a result. [/quote] Maybe, but my amp sits on top of the cab and I've found nuts that have vibrated loose. Plus the spider incident posted above.

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1470295812' post='3104776'] Are you doing anything else that Sunday? If not, treat it as a rehearsal without having to pay any studio fees. Use social media to advertise as much as possible, friends and family are your draw when getting going, they will still be faces the venue's management have never seen, so a good thing. Knock together some posters for the venue to display to show you mean business. If you don't get any bookings from the gig (at that venue), well that's that and you did your best and hopefully had some fun. However, it might also pay off and there might be other people there who know other venues and will recommend you (this happened to my band). Ultimately you either want to do it or would rather do something else. Are the venue taking the pee? Yes, probably, but 'twas ever thus. If you do do it, enjoy it for what it is and don't constantly be thinking how you're being taken for a ride. [/quote] Yes. This is what I meant by 'What's in it for you?' Get some people with video cameras (get a few different people to video a different of the band each) and record the audio, you can produce a pretty good video from decent sound and cut in video from the different sources. Next time you're looking for a gig take a tablet with the finished video on it to show the booker. .

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470296103' post='3104779'] True, but even DACs are not necessary for a digital transmission system over optical fibre. PFM is another option. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-frequency_modulation [/quote] That would only transmit the frequency data though wouldn't it? Everything would just be at the same volume.

[quote name='BassBunny' timestamp='1470263844' post='3104686'] Virtually every S/S Amp I have owned has a statement either on a sticker at the rear of the amp or in the Instructions saying, " Ther are no user servicable parts in this amp". So how do you service something with no servicable parts unless it is broken. It doesn't need it and as pointed out you don't service TV's, Fridges, etc. [/quote] The key is the word 'user'.

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470261091' post='3104656'] Your mobile phone is, er, mobile - do you have it serviced? [/quote] No. It's a sealed unit, everything inside is SMT and there are no moving parts. I don't expect it to last more than 2 years although it has lasted 4 years. The headphone jack has failed and the mute switch isn't very happy. I could get it serviced/reapired but suspect Apple will just offer me a reconditioned unit. We do actually have our fridges and freezers serviced at work but they're walk in and subject to quite a bit of abuse.

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470254972' post='3104582'] Anything can be 'serviced' if you're that way inclined and have money to burn, but imagine doing it for every bit of equipment you own. No one has their TV or Hifi or fridge serviced do they, so why bother with a bass amp? I'm with the above posters who equate 'recently serviced' to 'recently repaired'. [/quote] My TV and fridge haven't moved an inch since I turned them on. My amp however...

The ear is pretty forgiving when it comes to audio. The light doesn't have to be that good. Once the decoded signal hits the capacitors it's all smoothed out anyway.

Music venue? Are you playing originals? Do you have a live demo? .

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1470160230' post='3103738'] That's what I thought, all start ups.An established band with work and money is involved are never advertised. And #3, says they're looking for the best. Sorry but your not going to get the best when your a start up. Blue [/quote] That's a weird ad. It doesn't quite sound right but it's a very specific targeted job. Tours, recording, established, looking for Pro. They're not going to be inundated with calls and anyone who does call will be asking the right questions before they even load up their car for an audition.

Yes ... And ... No. It should be a partnership but considering you're not getting paid, what exactly is in it for you in this partnership? I'd ask for £200 and if they like you they can rebook you and pay you more next time.

Is 25 minutes shortly? I found a spider inside my Trace Elliot cab. Along with lots of web and tons of dust. Even if it's just to take the top off, clean it up and check for something about to vibrate loose, it's worth having a quick check. Other than that, service, is a very general term.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1470228461' post='3104253'] Lots of ifs there. But once you've quashed the sound you can't get it back. This may not be your objective but on stage you've set compression for the backline...and this may or may not suit the goals of the FOH Engr. I don't need help with level or dynamics or balance across the bass... so I don't use any. The Engr FOH is using compression to control the bass and subs. Might not be the same goal at all. [/quote] Do you DI straight from the bass into the desk?

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1470226236' post='3104228'] I think the dragons would mainly have been interested in what else the technology could be applied to. [/quote] Definitely. Although I'm sure the BT engineers would have looked at both analog and digital data transmission when working on fibre optics. They're pretty clever guys.

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470188074' post='3103976'] I agree that the frequency of the light is irrelevant (any frequency, or colour, of light could be used) but there is most definitely a combination of the signal and the light, because how else could the signal from the pickup be conveyed along a piece of plastic or glass? Look at it another way; the pickup electrical signal cannot be directly conveyed along an optical fibre because it's an insulator. The only way to transmit the signal is to somehow combine it with the light. In this case, by AM. [/quote] It's exactly the same as a radio wave. Just, in this case the frequency of the electromagnetic carrier wave (light) is so high that you can see it. You're still generating a carrier wave, it's just that you're generating light instead of an invisible radio wave. .

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1470160661' post='3103747'] True, here in Milwaukee you'd never see an ad from Greg Koch or Daryl Strummer (Genesis) looking for a bass player. Blue [/quote] That even happens in semi-pro bands around here. I was in a pretty good band but we couldn't get a decent singer through advertising. One night we had a dep trumpet player in. He suggested a singer, I left and he suggested a bass player, the guitarist left and by then the band was half made up of pro musicians who had a huge number of contacts. The band was started by a bunch of very amateur mates, they're all gone now and it's a pro level band with no original members.

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1470166270' post='3103822'] I didn't say change I said modulate (by amplitude implicitly). I disagree, yes light has a frequency but thats an irrelevant innate property of the transmission mechanism and there is no overt combination/splitting of a signal ergo the claim that its not AM is fair and reasonable IMO. [/quote] In this case light is acting as a wave, not particles. You are modulating the intensity or volume or amplitude of the light. The light is fixed frequency. AM. You are not altering the frequency of the light or digitally pulsing it. So it is not FM or PWM.

You don't need a balanced line for a guitar. The longest run is going to be 5m max. Balanced lines are for long runs. That's why you use DI boxes. Short run to amp, then DI for long run out to mixer. The optical cable could replace the XLR at that point, other than that it's just unnessecary. You don't even need an optical cable.

None of those bands appear to be replacing a bass player apart from 3. They all seem to be 'start ups'. The female fronted band looking for guitar, bass and drums to complete their lineup? So, plenty of people who want to be in a band.

If you modulate the frequency then it is Frequenxy modulation. Sound doesn't have a carrier wave. It is a wave of its own (compression wave) and doesn't require any encoding, decoding. You could argue the encoding is done by speakers and the decoding is done by the ears but there are no electro mechanical waves involved at any point. Here, it's AM, it's just that you're using light wave frequency THF instead of radio wave frequency or VHF/UHF. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1470077518' post='3103125'] Maybe if I was in a proper orchestra I would go the whole hog and have in rehaired with real Unicorn hair, even then I would try and get it from wild Unicorns if possible. [/quote] I am 100% certain you won't hear the difference.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1470056375' post='3102934'] I'll give them an uncompressed sound as bass is one of the most likely areas they'll compress anyway and I don't want them to do it twice. I get a compressed sound thru valves ....driving the amp hard and the cabs. Very peaky when required. [/quote] If it's already compressed they have no need to compress it again? It doesn't work like that. It's like you saying I'm not going to EQ my bass because I don't want it EQ'd twice. If it sounds good already why would any engineer fiddle with it. As the article says it's a very fine line between too much and just enough. If you've got just enough then there's no need for anyone to add more. PA should be all about sound reinforcement. .

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1470052989' post='3102892'] this. offer to cover the gig with the band you know, and then audition for the other one and get a clear idea of what you will be dealing with. i'll echo what others have said tho, if you don't like the songs now its unlikely you ever will. [/quote] Yes, but it's only a few songs he's been given. Maybe ask to see the whole set list, that might even give an indication to whether they're a serious band anywhere near gigging.

Provisionally accept the second one and do the gig. Learn the few songs for the first one and audition. There's no guarantee they'll offer you the gig and there's no guarantee they'll like you. Then after the gig and the first audition you'll have a lot more infomation to base your decision on. .

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1470050429' post='3102864'] This is what happens. Further, some people do not really want investment but use the show as free publicity. A old mate of mine was going to do just that with a clever bicycle mirror. [/quote] "As seen on Dragons' Den."