TimR

Don't think it was. 😆

I came to the realisation many years ago that the room provides so much of the sound that as long as the rig isn't a bag of bolts and is big enough, then it'll do the job. I used to spend ages fiddling with EQ trying to get it to sound "how I want", and never really getting there. Now I turn up, plug in, and play. Hardly ever make any adjustments. Even to a house provided rig. Or maybe it is all in the fingers after all...

Yes. The chorus pedal is great once it's dialled in with the rest of the band and played on the right section of a tune. Problem is FXs can become 'the sound' and I find the nuances of the notes being played get lost. And then it stops being a bass guitar and is something else. Which is great if that's what's needed. But that's a thread derail. I think the point is £300 can get you some quick cheap get out of a hole. But wouldn't stretch to 3 high quality new pedals.

I can, and usually do gig without FX. Recently I've added a Boss CE-B3 Chorus and a Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, but they're nice to have and wouldn't stop the gig. I also have an always on Keeley Bassist compressor and a Korg Tuner. If the pedals were left at home - I'd carry on and save the money. If they were actually lost or stolen then I would at least replace the compressor and the Korg tuner. I have a £10 tuner in my gig bag.

Told you so...

What about the poor bass player who fell on hard times and had to pawn his bass? And now finds out it's worth $80k.

List price for a new Fender in 1970 was $295. Not sure many would have paid $70 for a 10 year old bass.

The sign of a good bass player is being able to play those fills - but knowing not to play them.

Yes. Everytime I think I should give it up, I see someone older, more decrepit, and talentless performing in front of some tiny audience. And I think, actually, I'm not doing too badly, maybe one more gig...

So increased competition then?

I didn't enjoy it. Not sure what else I can say. I didn't enjoy Metallica either. Saw them in 1987 and they were great, 2009, OK for an hour but just too loud, even with the earplugs. Maiden were loud at Hammersmith Odeon in the 80s but Metallica stupidly loud to a point where it wasn't enjoyable. Another band I'll continue to listen to but don't want to see live again.

The Band of Theseus.

Group electronics has fallen in price. You can now get a digital mixer and good powered speakers for well under £1000. Our PA cost nearly £2k in the late 90s. A set of very good LED lights, stupidly cheap. And you can get a very good gigable bass for under £400. Some things have really gone down in price or stayed the same. FX pedals are under £100. Learning tunes is easy so much online resources. And when I was at school rock guitar and drum lessons didn't happen. My old school is now having an annual battle of the bands competition with several bands playing. When I was there we had one drummer, two bass players and three guitarists. Enough for 2 bands with a drummer drafted in from another school. This means a young band of very good musicians can be up and running with minimal outlay. Increased competition means fees for bands haven't kept up.

Yes. But it's not like being and actor or a regular musician. Where usually you'd be doing a different play or playing a different set every few weeks. Playing pretty much the same set for 40 years? I can't believe that's their only work. Although I know some actors and musicians have been in the same West End shows or Pit for decades. I think an 80s weekend is something people would go to especially. Same when going to see a band, that's what that particular audience want to hear. There are hundreds of bands playing the same standards. I can't listen to them anymore and certainly don't want to be playing them. Even tracks from the 90s that are 25 years old haven't really become standards yet, so most of them are fresh or unusual. (Sex on Fire, and Dakota excepted 😆)

They are at least not stuck playing songs from the 70s. I wonder if their latest tracks would be well known enough for a cover band yet.

I guess at £300 you just have to increase their footfall. 20 extra people buying 3 drinks each would cover that.

It's a bit of a risk. I saw Rush in 1986 and 2013. I only got tickets in 2013 by chance but Geddy's voice wasn't up to the pre 2000 material. I decided then I wasn't going to see them again. I think if I was touring Holiday Camps and local theatres with a band with hardly any original members playing material I had written in the 70s and 80s, then I'd be wondering what I was doing. I've had enough of playing sets full of covers of music from the 60s and 70s (especially Beatles and Stones!) regardless of how well it goes down. We are playing material from 90s and later now. I think keeping it fresh is key for both performers and audiences. I get the nostalgia thing, but it's not for me. If you don't evolve you become extinct.

I'm still gigging and in 3 bands. 2 originals and a covers band.

Indeed. It comes to a point at which the work you're putting in is to try and limit the dip rather than create an improvement.

4 of us try and get £320. Gives us £80 each which is an easier sell. Otherwise push it to £280. Depends how many in your band as to how you can justify it. £300 for a 3 piece playing 2 hours of music is £50ph* as far as any onlooker is concerned. *yes I know, travel, set up etc...

A 'pub band' can get a lot more for New Year's eve if you go to an agent. Those gigs are in high demand so don't settle for a pub gig if all your members are available. Unfortunately getting my lot out on New Year's eve is impossible.

Toyah seems to pull quite a crowd for some reason...

I was thinking about this last night after reading the thread. In athletics, athletes continue into the masters category. Over 40s, 50,50,70,80,90 for men and 35,45 etc for Women. Although people do go and watch, they're not so high on the TV ratings. I suspect the same happens with Tennis, McEnrow et al have 'retired' but still play age group and exhibition matches. There will be an ever diminishing audience for Cliff Richard and others, it's just a matter of whether the fans die before the artists. 😆 Lots of ageism and sexism at display. How comes Tom Jones is great for going out and entertaining but Madonna isn't?

I'd say (without hearing you), you almost definitely will be better. How much better will depend on how much you've stretched yourselves over the years. If you've just played the same material at every gig and not rehearsed in between, probably not much better. The point is, incremental small improvements over 16 years will add up. It may be pointing out the obvious, but from some of the replies above, some people need to be reminded of it every so often. A lot of us are a lot better than we think. And a lot of us could easily be even better with only a small amount of extra application.

So you stopped working on bass and your bass playing abilities stopped improving. And you started working on your vocals and your vocals improved. Who'd have thought? 😆