TimR

Because there are different tests to do on different equipment. Lights, toasters, heaters, kettles have different tests to sensitive electronics equipment.

We tend to listen to the CD during a rehearsal. Jam along to it to make sure the key works and to get an idea of whether it'll work. Then we go away and come back the next week and play it. Works with one or two tunes a week. But not really loads more as we don't all have the time.

I had a local electrician do ours was less than £20.00. I would just PAT the cables you regularly use plus a few spares and 'retire' the others. I found I was taking huge cases of gear to gigs that I never used. The PAT kind of bought this to my attention.

Don't forget to breathe and relax.

Lojo. Just reread this. Are you in a band that you feel isn't coming together as quickly as you think they should? Sometimes it's because you don't have a gig lined up. Then people become lazy and don't do the homework and are unfocused. Maybe you need to suggest you book a gig and see if anyone pushes back. That's a sure sign they're just in it for 'hanging out in a band'. If everyone agrees and suddenly ups their game then it's a goer. Really you have to trust your instincts and experience on this. Can the band play well together and just need to get tight or are certain members just not up to it.

Yes. I'm very careful where I put the stands, paying attention to where the legs go.

For 30 songs? Assuming you can't get through all 30 numbers in each rehearsal. 4

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1390986007' post='2351890'] Domestic leads are white, so whatever you get, go for the professional look and get it in black. Then the leads won't stand out on a dark stage. [/quote] The op is using them at home. B&Q ones are fine, not sure why they need to be surge protected though. Maybe he lives in a lightning prone area? I bought a bunch of black 4gang sockets from our local wholesaler and several meters of black flex and made up a few for gigs. Some 5m, 3m, 1m and some 30cm ones. Makes setting up lot more flexible as you can position the power pretty much where you need it with minimum excess cable.

Why do you need to power 8-10 gadgets at the same time? While those transformers are plugged in they're still using power and heating up. If it's for pedals, maybe look at a single power distribution unit.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1390922981' post='2351342'] ... In other news; in the future, as now, dancing will take place to the accompaniment of pre-recorded music; no change there, given that so many of today's bands are completely undanceable. [/quote] There you go. Girls come to dance, boys come to watch girls dance. If you want a big audience there's your answer.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1390912782' post='2351122'] Perhaps. So why does it seem to still be so prevalent? [/quote] Chancers with gift of the gab? Most of us are aware that to get gigs you need a cd or video and enough front to go into a venue and persuade them you're the next big thing. I think the promoters need to wise up a bit and check out the bands properly. As posted above a 'good' band is one that people want to come and listen to. The true test of that isn't how many friends they can bring along from out of town, it's how many locals turn up to see them next time they play.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1390910075' post='2351073'] So what are you suggesting, some sort of union closed shop that only allows 'good' bands to play anywhere? [/quote] Not really. It's a comment in the state of music. When venue owners are complaining that it's the bands that are the problem, the venues are the ones that should be exercising some sort of quality control. It's all well and good packing your venue with band A's 'fans' bussed in from out of town one week, but then you can't moan when the next week no one turns up to see band B. It's a short sighted business plan doomed from the start. Most 'hobby' musicians are very unorganised.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1390902312' post='2350970'] ... I turn up at a gig 2 or 3 times a year and expect the promoter and the other bands to have done a good enough job in between so that the venue has a core audience. We actively promote ourselves and the name on the poster is our guarantee of a good gig. An audience will come out for us but not if they have to put up with crap bands in a crap gig for the 15 weeks between our appearances. [/quote] That's pretty much how it should work.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1390898335' post='2350916'] ... This is NOT a great time to be a working professional musician with a family, and being a professional musician is NOT a grown-up job IMHO. I genuinely mean no offence to anyone on Basschat in saying this, and particularly not to any professional musicians. I'm not criticising, I'm actually sympathising. [/quote] Whoa! Be careful there. You mean playing in a band on a Saturday night in a pub is not a grown up job. All the professional musicians I know work full time in music. A few of them play in pub bands for fun, but none of them play in pub bands for the money. They do sessions, teach, wedding bands, luthering, buy/sell instruments... So going back to the plumber analogy, they don't fit a boiler once a month for £6k, they mend leaks, change washers, install washing machine, unblock sinks.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1390862572' post='2350740'] Same applies here Jack, I get paid in the punk covers band, don`t in the other two, but enjoy all bands equally. It`s my hobby. Blokes playing sunday morning football as their hobby don`t get paid (I don`t think?) so I consider it very fortunate that I can get paid doing my hobby. [/quote] Who pays for the pitches and changing rooms?

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1390861255' post='2350713'] But the 20% (more like 5%, maybe lower) who are actually really good don't get paid either. TBH with the new band I'm putting together this year I'm not intending to gig at all unless someone offers me money to do it. We'll be recording and trying to build a buzz that way and then see if the small festivals want some. I can't be arsed with spending all night at a sh*t venue to not even break even any more. And no I don't want to join a wedding band. I'd rather not gig than do that. Actually I'd rather slit my wrists. [/quote] Playing in wedding bands is a very good way to learn very quickly how to be professional. Anyway, my point is the promoters are trying to make a fast buck. They're not thinking long term. Get a bunch of good bands on your books by paying the good ones and not paying the bad ones. Then you'll get more people at your venues who want to listen to good new music, instead of relying on a constant turnover of bands bringing their mates 200miles in a dodgy bus. Then you can charge on the door to limit the numbers and make even more money. It's called building and running a successful business.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1390851775' post='2350444'] Outstanding work gents. So nobody here plays music because they enjoy playing music? If you're not getting paid, it's no fun, right? Ah well, must just me be then. Again. [/quote] I think you completely missed my point. If you continue to expect plumbers to fix your leaks for free, don't be surprised if you run out if good plumbers. The thing is you're never playing for free.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1390848427' post='2350347'] Nige, I ignored this bit first time around but now that it's been re-quoted (approvingly) I feel I have to point out the elephant in the room. The plumber isn't plumbing because he/she likes plumbing and because plumbing is fun and sexy and fulfilling and leads to a great social life and some really cool experiences. They do it for the money. [/quote] Analogies never work. Both the plumber and the musician agree a rate. If the plumber does a bad job and the pipes leak you don't use him again, even if he was free. It doesn't matter how many free plumbers you use if your pipes still leak. Seems a strange thing to blame the poor plumber for leaky pipe work when you could employ a good plumber and get the job done properly.

That is a chicken and egg situation though. The band won't necessarily bring their own audience. The audience should come from the local area and be attracted because they know that 'Promoter A' always puts on good bands. Anyone playing the pub scene will know they get asked back on the stength of their performance. If the locals like you, they come and watch you next time and tell their mates. If each time you play a venue you get a smaller audience then you're doing something wrong. If people come up at the end and tell you you're a good band then you're doing something right. Surely that's obvious to the promoters and the venues? It's not rocket science. Are the promoters promoting bands without having seen them perform?

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1390840236' post='2350147'] ah, but even if the promoter cares about the music, they've got to make some sort of profit, which is usually very difficult when putting on an unknown originals band or bands. [/quote] Who is the promoter working for?

I know a few arts centres in London that get grants and funding from the arts council. Why would the arts council or government fund a venue that is aiming to make a profit? A profit making venue should understand business and that to get good bands you have to pay good money. I can't see the problem with getting a band to play Wednesday night for expenses to check out their quality and judge which Saturday night they'd fit. We go down a slippery slope when you start asking bands to bring their own following, fans won't come out every week to different venues all around London, so it should be down to the venue to consistently put on good bands and get a local reputation. That's not something that happens overnight so venues need to build that up slowly, one band a month, two bands a month etc...

Why don't you make an angled tray for your amp to sit on top of your cab? A lip on the front to drop down over the front of the cab to stop the tray sliding backwards and a lip at the back to stop the amp sliding off the back of the tray. Someone probably already makes one.

[quote name='rOB' timestamp='1390796351' post='2349594'] Could someone explain in very simple layman's terms why having the head on the floor is dangerous? High voltage? Thanks in advance. [/quote] I'm wondering that too. All our extension leads are on the floor. Can't see it being any different.

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1390762743' post='2349218'] There's one item I want from StewMac at the moment, it's $11.95 with $12.95 shipping [/quote] Not bad considering it's being sent 7000 miles! Buy 10 and sell the other 9 on eBay.

The notes are a guide. Learn them, then sing them. When you sing them you'll feel the tune instead of thinking about the notes. Well, you should...