TimR

Both. The bass has to function 100% and sound 100% first. If those are not right it doesn't matter what it looks like, it's a no go. Then it has to look OK. Or rather has to fit with the gig image. I have a Charvel SB2, an 80s bass with pointy headstock. It doesn't look good in a function band. It sounds and plays pretty good though.

We were a dad rock band. 4 50 something blokes playing Hendrix, Zeplin, Stones, Free etc etc We got in a female singer and binned all the dad rock and do Pink, Agilarra, Kelly Clarkson, Freya Harding, Skunk Anansie. All with a rock edge. We are better for it. But yes, childcare is a serious issue for single mothers, but then I have the same in another band with a dad who has to look after the kids when his wife is out in the evenings so rehearsals have to fit around his wife. I was the same when I was in my 30s.

Read this again. The Guitarist has already bought the system.

Which kind of takes us full circle. No one wants to be taken advantage of, and most people will contribute or help in some way, unless you start making unreasonable demands and have unreasonable expectations. Good to talk. That way you know what everyone's expectations are, or at least what they tell you they are (often these are different 😆).

No. The Stones is different. They have lots of musicians on stage. Many of whom are not 'in the band'.

Yes. It'll be a retainer. But the point is they're expecting him to stop all other work. And if you joined a company you'd expect to be paid similarly to people doing the same job. So whatever wage they're paying themselves - less any writing royalties. I don't think anyone would be happy doing their day job knowing the guys around you were being paid 100x or more what you're being paid.

And thats why the free market works. I'll concentrate on playing my bass and pay someone who enjoys doing PA to concentrate on the PA. It's a win win. Been there, done that, thankless task.

It's horses for courses though. You just cut down your musician pool if you're making financial demands from them up front. If the original band members own the gear jointly then everyone who plays should be putting something in for upkeep from gig money regardless, and the new guy should as well. That money should go into a pot, not be given to the original members to spend on beer. If everyone owns their own gear, then they're responsible for the upkeep of their own gear. Including if they own the mixer being used. Because the guy who owns the speakers is responsible for upkeep of the speakers and so on. And if one person wants to own the PA and ask everyone for a donation (or not) that's good as well. I'm not sure where I stand with refusing to pay for gear because you already own your own PA. I'd rather pay someone £20 of my gig money to have them store, carry and set up the PA, because I've been that guy carrying speakers and amps into my garage on my own at 3am. And I'd rather be in bed.

Band goes on tour. Eat in expensive restaurants. Stay in big hotels. Own expensive gear. New guy stays in Motel, plays Squire and eats McDonalds. No issue?

I was thinking about this the other day. When you're surrounded by millionaires you don't really want to be staying in the budget hotel and living in a condo. Doesn't really look good.

Yes. Kick and Bass guitar occupy similar ranges. The point to remember is live and recording are different animals. In the live situation your bass guitar will bleed into the kick mic. And it depends greatly on how well your drummer has tuned his drum. Experimentation is key, but not at a gig sound check when everyone wants to get on. Might be worth setting aside a rehearsal purely to get technical issues sorted out.

Metallica now only use a PA and drum kit. All the amps are for show as they use AmpSimms.

Senheiser are pretty good directional mics. Usually the hpf is around 80hz, so wouldn't want to cut bass guitar, but the bass drum can benefit from high pass as the thump is around 120hz. But it's the vocal mic you need to be able to boost and if that's picking up bass from the guitar and drums that won't be helping. The more low you EQ in for her voice, the more of the low bleed you'll get. So the HPF will be below her voice but above the rumble from drums and bass. I hpf everything apart from bass guitar.

As I say. You now get a valuation on the gear. Probably worth at least 20% less than you paid for it (£2400). And the remaining 4 members pay the guitarist £120 each. £2400/5 is £480. Which is his share. Unless they're reasonable guys and use the original purchase price. Whatever the arrangement is with the new guitarist is irrelevant. The 'band' doesn't now own the PA, 4/5ths of the band do.

Let's hope he isn't expecting his full £600 back... Unless you've not bought the gear yet.

It also depends if this problem is in all venues or just a few or even just in the rehearsal space as either room acoustics or the placement of other instruments can impact. We had a gig last Sunday where we had a nightmare with feedback. Nothing we did seemed to get around it. I do have a feedback destroyer that I used in a previous band and found it to be quite good, but the manual is a complicated read and can't remember if the 'Auto' selection is just a simple set and forget thing.

If you have a low cut button on your PA make sure it is in. Then you can boost using the low frequency EQ without introducing rumble from the bass and drums. Also check whether she is using a cardoid or a hypercardoid microphone as monitor speaker placement will be different. Hypercardoid will pick up feedback directly infront of her so the monitor speaker needs to be to her side.

That'll be the Porsche key.

It's a tune I have played more times than I care to mention but it does get the reaction and it's an easy win.

"Play something you know!"

I'm not arguing. I just don't see the point of splitting up a system and then having hassle later buying bits when someone leaves. What happens if you get a dep in? Do you then have to hire the missing part from the person not playing? I've seen this happen before. I had a friend with a pair of speakers in his house for years. Couldn't sell them and couldn't use them.

Has the rest of the band agreed this? Your expectation may not match reality. The guitarist owns the PA we use, I don't expect to be paying to fix it if any of it requires repair unless I'm personally responsible for breaking it.

Precisely because if this situation occurs the remaining members are left having to find a brand new bit of kit as well as a new band member. Great for the person jumping ship. Not great for those left behind. So a document is designed to protect everyone. And the bits don't all cost the same. Eg look at bass gear: a trace elliot Elf amp is £230 and a 2x8" is £400.

Depends if its a vocal PA or a 1kW rig. As I say, it's a sunk cost. All pay in and buy it joint and just get an agreement to get it valued I'd anyone leaves and buy them out. The problem only arises if you spent £1k on a PA for a 5 piece and 2 years later someone wants their £200 back when really its only worth £300 at most. Which is then only a few quid to find from the remaining members.

That's handy because the person leaving will have exactly the missing part you need. So no need to go messing around looking and waiting. Of course you just have to negotiate a price... 😆 Makes no sense to me. Buy the PA and worry about buying pepeople share out when they leave, no need to assign people with owning parts of the PA. Who owns all the special cables? That's really going to screw things up when your drummer disappears in a bad mood and takes his cables with him...