mike257

I know people who do nothing but play bass, but I probably know as many people who have a diverse skill set and do bits and pieces of different things to keep themselves busy/earning. I definitely fall in to the latter. I do plenty of work as a bassist (and occasionally a guitarist), and fix a few function bands from time to time, but I also tour manage bands, sound engineer and backline tech for various artists, operate a splitter van, run a small production/hire company providing sound, lighting etc for events, and do some freelance work for other production companies too. I often wonder if I'd have been better off specialising more, but I enjoy all of what I do, and if one thing has a quiet patch I've got other things to fall back on. I actually feel like it frees me up more too, because a couple of weeks touring work takes the financial pressure off for the rest of the month so I can spend some of my weekends at home with the kids, and sending stuff out through the production company means I've got the option of sending another tech on the gig instead of being obligated to constantly be out all hours. Nice to have choices. Make no mistake, I'm still doing the majority of it myself, but if I was focused solely on bass I'd likely be gigging every single Friday and Saturday with a few midweeks thrown in, and probably be divorced by now! Cultivating some sort of income that doesn't strictly depend on me physically being on every gig means I can do what I love but try and keep some work/life balance, and have one eye on how I wind down as I get older.

On balance, I probably earn more of my living as a tour manager, sound guy and backline tech than I do as a bassist (in the last couple of years, anyway, although it seems to swing back and forth) - am I a pro because I make my living fully from gig-related shenanigans, or a semi-pro because half of it is on the other side of the sound desk? It's a puzzler! I don't use a compressor pedal, but I do compress in the mix, if that makes any difference to the outcome 🤣

Fixed that for you.

Fixed that for you

These aren't line arrays. The term has somehow slipped in because it makes for sexy marketing, but it actually describes a very specific way of boxes/drivers interacting that even the "big boy" systems only really start to do when you couple about 8 boxes in a hang. I've yet to hear one of these column systems sound as weighty and convincing as a traditional "subs with mid/hi boxes" set up in a live band situation. Great for little acoustic gigs, but wouldn't take one for a band.

Having worked as part of the technical team in a venue that was independent, then part of the MAMA group and eventually changed hands to AMG (the Academy overlords), I'm afraid the reality is that the big regular club nights keep the lights on and the doors open at these places and without them, the gigs alone often wouldn't sustain the place financially.

Bought an SM57 from Chris, super easy to deal with and arrived very quickly. Cheers mate!

Ah, you've got my good friend Liam (the young Scouse lad behind the desk in some of your photos) on sound with the Nitelites boys - you're in good hands!

The old adage about something being too good to be true.... Just looked this site you as I wasn't familiar with it, many many tales of woe, payments taken and items not received. Proceed with extreme caution!

He's a notorious prick though. Never heard a single person who has encountered him in a personal or professional capacity have anything positive to say.

+1 for Orchid. Absolutely the best bang for the buck. £25 quid for the little Micro DI if you don't need to link through to an amp (perfect for keys, acoustic etc) or £35 for the Classic DI if you need a link through and a couple of extra features. Hand built in the UK for the same price as the mass produced cheap stuff. Can't go wrong!

Having his core tone come from his board means it's consistent at, for example, festival shows or fly gigs with a hired backline.

If you ONLY use samples from preexisting pieces of music, and assemble them in a different way to create something new, that is creative by definition. Sometimes it's done lazily, sure, but no more so than lazy songwriters knocking out obvious progressions/cheesy lyrics.

Done this on functions - so long as you manage your expectations and don't expect earth shattering bottom end, you'll be fine. Whilst my preference is a system with subs, I have a client who are a function band agency who just book a basic package of 12" tops and a couple of wedges for their bands. Have had 7 piece bands with brass, keys, multiple vocals and you can make it work if you do it sensibly and don't expect monster levels from it. Done it with various boxes including HK Actor DX, Yamaha DXR, Thomann's own brand Achat Pro 12M, Mackie C300z and others. Not my first choice and not what I spec for my own bands, but it's certainly possible to do.

This has double the maximum weight loading of the Thomann one too, so potentially a better buy if you're planning to rig some lighting from it too.

And I see the profanity filter doesn't like the word "ar se". It's a bit overly keen, isn't it?

I have one of the little micro amps and the sole purpose I use it for is when I'm touring as a backline tech, to sit inside my guitar tech workbox as a "check this is in tune/working" speaker. It'll make a sound something like a guitar, but it's very limited and I'd imagine anyone playing guitar through it regularly would get quickly frustrated. It sounds like absolute derrière with a bass!

You don't get a penny for playing covers. If you're a registered PRS member you'll get paid if you're playing originals, so if that's the case, yes, you'll get £6.

Well, I really want to buy one of these now. Nice one. I've managed to go YEARS without buying any basses, but there's been a growing itch to get hold of a five string and this is so tempting! Don't want to add to my credit footprint as we're in the middle of a mortgage application, but if that comes through this week, there might be some sweet "Buy Now, Pay In 12 Months" action on the cards here!

Not everyone uses them on their pedalboards, but almost everyone will be compressed. A lot of amps will compress naturally anyway, and, at small club gig level and upwards, it'll almost certainly hit some sort of compression somewhere between arriving at the mixing desk and departing from the speakers.

I can see where he's coming from - I've got a channel down on one of my 01v, but for the price they can be picked up for, it's barely worth paying an hour of bench time with a repair tech. Might as well just keep stockpiling cheap ones as and when they appear!