TimR

So if have this right, the OP has 5 XLRs going from the desk, across the stage to her mixer and then 5 going back to the main mixer. And then will attempt to mix the levels (with no EQ) during the sound check? How does this work? I don't mean in a technical manner, the signals will do what they do, I mean in a practical real life situation? I look forward to seeing how practical this is when it's gigged.

Seems to me the lack of control of volume is caused by having the IEM behind her back and out of reach.

Usually the soundman. And it's usually taken pre-fade and set during sound check. And left unless you signal to them you want more or less of something. It's the way it's been done for years. The first thing I do with all inputs is put the 100hz self on and cut all bass from all mics that don't need it. Standing next to the bass amp and drums with with vocal mic open to bass frequencies is going to cause issues. Which you can't sort if you've got no EQ between the mic and the IEMs. Really look at what the problem was and fix it at source.

It's on your IEM amplifier. You don't have any control over feedback from individual sources while playing, you're still at the mercy of sound engineers not allowing feedback into the stage mics.

That's what the volume control is for.

Seems a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Just ask for your monitor feed to be pre-fade. Then once it's set, its set. I would think you'd get plenty of bleed from the drums into your vocal mic, which may have been your issue all along, so try and angle it away from the drums. With your setup you're going to get a very dry mix with no EQ on any instruments/vocal. Rather than looking at loads of extra gear to fix a problem, I always look at what's causing the problem first and if it's user error or some other root cause, fix it there. Otherwise you're adding more complexity in, which will ultimately cause more issues than it solves.

The only time I started not enjoying gigging I realised it was certain members of the band who were making it hard work. I changed band. The only gig I can remember not looking forward to doing was a 'concert in a methodist church hall', with no alcohol, we had been invited to sit with the vicar for a cup of tea during our break. As we were arriving someone was setting the chairs out in rows. As soon as we started soundcheck someone complained we were too loud. Needn't have worried, someone else came along, moved all the chairs (how is anyone going to dance?), told the person complaining about the volume not to sit in front of the speakers. The hall were all up and dancing from the first song - which has only ever happened to me a handful of times (other than at weddings). Yes, it's why I play.

I played with them for a bit, but didn't really have time in the end. Chris was singing. Some fun tunes to play. Say hi to them, great bunch of guys.

If you're not gigging, then a get together with friends playing instruments, isn't a rehearsal. It's probably not a performance either, I'm not sure exactly what it is, maybe a jam? But it's certainly not a rehearsal or a practice. What is incredibly soul destroying is getting involved in a band who rehearse but never gig because they're either rehearsing inefficiently or certain members get stage fright and just want to get together with mates. Then there's musicians who only want to play to friends and family and not travel anywhere. Hard work. If you just want to get together with mates, then find musicians who just want to get together with mates, don't rope in musicians under false pretences.

You sound quite intense to me. When you're not practicing you're looking at videos of bass players. You're making an effort and trying hard to get along with people. Playing bass in a band should be easy and relaxing. You shouldn't have to try hard to get along with people. There's a middle ground between playing roots and playing bars full of notes. Maybe relax a bit and play more rests, listen to the rest of the instruments and only fill gaps if they really need to be filled. A lot of those bass player videos are demonstrating ideas and lots of ideas in shirt clips. You don't have to use all the ideas all of the time.

If you think having to wait a couple of weeks for guitar strings is bad, step into my world. I was quoted 12 week lead time for some equipment for work at the beginning of 2021. 74 weeks later and I'm still waiting. I hope it's the right one when it arrives.

Yes. The cement and ballast was from Wickes and delivered next day. Wickes don't sell the level I was after and Screwfix were also out of stock at my local shop and strangely no option for delivery. I thought I could get it same day on my way home from my morning activity but just meant I worked on something else instead.

I purchased a laser level using click and collect from my local B&Q that was showing 3 in store. I converted some points I had to B&Q vouchers. An hour later I received an email saying my order had been cancelled as the item wasn't in stock and I would be refunded in the next 14 days. It was a Sunday, their call centre wasn't open etc etc. So I ordered the item from another B&Q near where I work. And promptly got stuck at work the next day... Eventually got to pick it up on the Wednesday morning. The lady handed me a Tri square... 🤯 Her error, the higher value click and collect items weren't left in the cardboard box right next to the front door. 😁 Anyway, the job I was going to do on the Sunday afternoon was finished on the Wednesday night on time for the concrete to set before Easter weekend sun. Still waiting for my refund...

Pulling this apart a bit. I think what you're complaining about is double standards. Guitarists who aren't playing note for note, asking you to. This is a difficult one to deal with. Sometimes they're just trying to cover their bad playing by deflecting attention to you. I've had that a few times, I've played something note for note, the guitarist has then insisted we listen to the original, then played the bass line on guitar, badly and loudly, I'll repeat exactly what I'd played before, and they'll say, yes that's it. I don't worry about it too much now. Played for years with a terrible drummer who convinced me I was out of time and wrong. They went through 3 bass players very quickly after I left and I recently spoke to their latest bass player who was having the same issues 10 years later. 😁 Ultimately no band plays it exactly as per the recording, even if they think they do.

The club will be protecting themselves. Anyone injured on their property is covered by their insurance. The club insurers are reducing their exposure to risk by making sure 3rd parties liable to cause injury are covered.

You would then probably have to incorporate the band as a separate business identity. That's a lot of messing around.

There really should be a sticky for this, it comes up so often. The PAT test basically gives you proof that you've periodically inspected your equipment. Most people will already have PLI if they're a home owner but it could be difficult to prove the activity of playing in a band isn't a business activity. It may be worth talking to your insurer and get them to write to you to say they'll cover you. Similar to how you notify them if you have possessions over £1000.

There's no way a 9v battery will last 10 years!

I only use one for gigs. The other stays in its case. My main bass has failed twice. The first time was in 2009 and the second time 2019. I've been playing bass since 1985, so close on 25 years without a failure. Funnily enough the singer offered to bring his bass to the gig as a spare and I'd asked him why would I need a spare? In 2019 I had a spare, learned my lesson 10 years earlier. 2 failures in 35 years is a reasonable failure rate. Both times failed machine heads on the E string, restringing a bass so the E, A and D strings are in the A, D and G positions during the first verse of the first song and then playing an entire gig on 3 strings is quite tricky. Spare bass wins every time over that outcome.

Neither. They're both a poor compromise. At what point does it become glorified karaoke? Singer with a guitar playing to full backing track? It's OK, but it's not a live band. My brother played drums in a band with sequenced keys parts that he programmed. In the end they got a non musical drummer in and my brother played keys. IMO they should have just lost the keys the drummer wasn't a good match. Its a different skill set playing to a sequencer. Not something I enjoy doing. I prefer to have some breathing within the music that you don't get playing to a fixed tempo, or and an opportunity to extend songs adding verses and choruses if it's going down well. Sound engineers who are PA operators aren't engineers.

I found playing in bands like that, you're given the dots to play. No improvisation, you play the arrangement. The great aspect of that is that you know the finished article will sound good, and you don't have to spend time working out your part. Turn up and play what's written. I remember once we bought in a pro conductor for a concert, he stopped us during a rehearsal and asked the drummer what the hell he was playing, the drummer couldn't read music, and up until then the conductors had let it slide if it fitted. 😆 If you think Sex on Fire is boring you want to try playing some Tuba lines...

I don't see how this is possible in a band of 4 people. Then in a bigger band it becomes more and more difficult to find music that every member of the band likes and that will engage the audience. No wonder so many of you don't want to gig and prefer to stay at home on your own. To me that's the opposite of why I play music. The sum of the parts and the socialising is what makes music fun.

It was an example. I used plumber because everyone keeps comparing musicians pay to call out plumbers pay. Could be any job, every job has some aspect that's menial and just has to be done. Some jobs are completely menial...

There are very few amateur musicians who can operate at this level. If you can, then that's the level of playing to aim at. It's the difference to playing Sex on Fire for the 1000th time and playing it for the first time. I've never played it, and I'm actually still to hear any band play that intro as per the original recording, not that it matters. 😆

Seems to be mainly bass players who feel they're not being musical if they're not playing music they like, or are playing music that's too easy for them. Seems to me that's being quite pompous. My point still stands, we can't all do something interesting all the time. That's life. If everything we did was fun and interesting there would be nothing to compare fun and interesting against and everything would just become one level. It's all about differences, light and shade, fast and slow, long and short, simple and complex. Especially in music.