pietruszka

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1357203511' post='1918925'] I'd not worry too much about having a 4 ohm cab - the difference is negligible, if anything, volume wise. And 8 ohm will be a kinder load on the amp when things get loud. [/quote] Yep, I'd go with this. I only ever gig with a 250 watt head and it's always more than capable, I've never needed it passed 11 o'clock and the mark bass 210 fills the room so effortlessly and with plenty of bottom end. I don't get this need for a minimum of million watt + amps. Dan

I used to have a mark bass 410, and it was great but I needed something much smaller as I had at the time a Nissan Micra. I bought the 210 you have now and have never looked back. It more than copes with both bands I play in, covers all styles of music and have used it at reasonably big ish venues. It's always been loud enough, and anyways, if you're going through a PA you wont need it that loud really as it'll be for monitoring. I think you already have your solution! However, I'm sure the barefaced fans will be along shortly! Dan

Here you are! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5ILoewE7I4 Dan

Theres 2 bass parts on the track, the main bit you hear in the verse and chorus, and that higher register bit overlaid on top. Both are on a fretless, as is the whole album. When a band I was in covered it I just played the lower register part through out. There is a slap instruction vid on youtube showing you how to play the bass solo part which is excellent. Dan

I don't remember mine having that. Dood is endorsed by them and will no doubt be along soon. Give Hartke an email, they're supposed to be great on customer sevice. Awesome heads to. Dan

[quote name='mep' timestamp='1355773426' post='1902617'] Don't know about this version, but years ago a band i was in did the Fast Freddies Fingertips version. Sounds similar though. Wasn't too dificult i seem to remember, just keep up with the semitone key changes. [/quote] Yep, as mep says. Not a difficult track but plenty of semitone key changes to keep you on your toes. I haven't gigged it in a while but I played around with the r-5-7 notes to play something that carried well. Dan

[quote name='Barefootbassplayer' timestamp='1355407297' post='1897991'] Some interesting points being raised, the core of my original post was more the demise of bands supporting fellow bands, I've made a point of trying to chat to fellow band mates, try and get my friends in early to listen to the other guys, I've always been the one to lend out my bass amp for others to use.....although I have had a rethink on this when recently some @rseholes have walked off with some small items of my gear and reset all of my eq settings despite asking them not to. I guess I find a lack of camaraderie these days between fellow bands which I see as a real shame [/quote] Gear sharing is always a tricky one, and a separate issue thats been covered many times here. But those attitudes don't help, I make a matter of not sharing any gear and tidying away all loose items just in case, I have said to other bass players that I don't amp share and explain why. They are always understanding and it more often than not results in a chat about gear, moving swiftly to our bands. I do know what you mean about other bands not chatting, I like to try and chat to at least one of the members of the bands I like. We recently did an acoustic night and the support band were Pan and The Dukes from Hartlepool, about 40 miles give or take from us. I had a quick listen to them online and they sounded ok, but live they were great! I got chatting to them and told them it was really refreshing to see a young band (they were about 16/17!) not doing songs by coldplay, kings of leon and such and it was good to see a young band who knew what they were doing on their instruments. We will be having them to one of our gigs again. As for "not doing empty room gigs", how do you know until you turn up? You don't surely. Dan

And we get closer! Dan

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1355390448' post='1897599'] I don't understand why anyone would be in a band, go to the effort of finding a venue or promoter to put on a gig, cart loads of stuff to a gig, do loads of practicing and get music honed with the aim of playing to an empty room. They may as well just get a rehearsal space. There are only three reasons I can see for playing in a band. 1. Entertain an audience. 2. Entertain yourself. 3. Further yourself as a musicain by playing with others. If you're not interested in no. 1, then what's the point in stepping outside the rehearsal room? [/quote] Thing is, it's almost impossible to tell how busy the place is going to be until you turn up. We've played gigs that haven't been advertised much and have had a good attendence, we've also played gigs that haven't been advertised much and literally had no one there. Of course the more the night is advertised the better the chance of people turning up. I've certainly noticed that its very hit and miss up here in the north east, but we've recently played for a promoter with a great turn out and he seems to be consistent, so we're sticking with him. The recent one had 4 acts, largely not great quality, the usual busker 'singer songwriter' kind, but there was a crowd. They weren't there for those artists specifically and then buggered off. Dan

I know what you mean! We like to stick around and see the other acts, it's only manners after all and they cost nowt. However, not all the band stick around for these for the simple reason that we might not enjoy what is going on. I wouldn't expect other bands to listen my set if they didn't like it. We have had a gig where it was heaving, every seat taken and a crowd standing at the back watching the acts, just as the second to last band finish, the crowd leaves before we go on! In a way it's good bands bring a crowd, but the downside is they bring the crowd for their own band. 'Headlining' means nothing these days and it's often best to go on second last in an attempt to tap into another bands crowd. Dan

Although I'm not a double bass player (I'd love to be) but I know what you're talking about. The way I see it, it doesn't matter really. I only make tweaks on stage not because I think someone in the audience is thinking "oh he needs this much more boost on the 527hz range". I only make them because I notice it, just as we only alter what we have because we notice it. It would be nice if we can have someone listen to some playing and think "wow, thats really nice, is that you?". I feel the reality is to just get a good sound for what you're doing. Just my 2p! Anyone want to donate a double bass to me? Dan

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1355152238' post='1894667'] True,but if a promotor wants to put you on a gig then it becomes their job to do all of that. After all,the clue is in the name. [/quote] Doddy, you are right! And this is the point I'm making with said bloke, what he really is is a booking agent as that's all he does. However, we had a gig last night with a new promotor called 'Need Music'. It more than made up for the night before, the room was full, people were talking, drinking, enjoying themselves, listening to music etc. A great relaxed atmosphere. We were called for an encore, were very well received and sold a few CDs to. I think we'll be keeping hold of this one as the gigs with him are worth doing. He has genuine kind words about us and is always keen to have us back, plus he advertises the night well and uses venues people want to go to. I'm happier now! Dan

No, but how do you know which one to choose? And if you pick one over the other, why? Surely they're both the same otherwise they would be different? If it's in a box and you can't see it, is it alive or dead? Dan

Jay Kay said someone was arrogant to deal with?! That's a laugh whenever there was one! Any one seen the video of Jay getting nutted by a journalist? Couldn't have happened to a more deserving man. Don't get me wrong, I like Jamiroquai but I find Jay to be an insufferable tool. Dan

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1355144995' post='1894536'] I meant no disrespect at all mate, I assumed you were a start-up band seeing as you were taking gigs from a guy that clearly has no interest in promoting bands or the live scene where you live. Sounds like you have your foot in the door a little at the moment and gigs like that really kill the momentum don't they? All I'm saying is, is instead of relying on promoters, do the legwork yourself! Truckstop [/quote]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1355124474' post='1894254'] Well being a sunday I'm not surprised the place was empty! More to the point, you don't have any mates or anyone interested in your band? In my opinion you can't rely on the promotors for anything and you really need to grab the bull by the horns if you want to get any sort of following. You gotta get some flyers printed, give out free CD's, get some presspacks sorted out, good website etc. Youve spent money on gear and rehearsal space, but it doesnt stop there! People need to be aware that your band exists and I gave up on promoters a long time ago. The thing to do, is to try and get gigs supporting other local bands that have a small following. Do this by socialising with said bands, drink where they drink, rehearse where they rehearse and make sure you have good promotional aids to help you along. Even better, is to get hold of other local bands and arrange a small gig at a local venue yourself and charge a nominal amount to keep the venue happy and to encourage attendance. See if someone here won't hire you their PA rig get some flyers printed and canvass your market a couple of weeks in advance. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to take yourself seriously! Have faith in your product and get it out there yourself. The hard work doesn't stop when you've written all your songs! Truckstop [/quote] With the greatest of respect Truck, we do advertise our gigs, we've played the Cluny in Newcastle both the main hall and the smaller Cluny 2, both to excellent crowds and have supported touring bands there (Ahab, Elliot Brood), again with excellent crowds. the gigs we've done off our own back have been well advertised and again we've had a decent amount of people attend. But every gig for said promotor, no one turns up. We played the Hoppings fair, it's the largest travelling fair in Europe. Theres queues of traffic everywhere and the car parks are full, yet there was no more than 10 people at the stage. I didn't see anything about live music for this event advertised at all. We do take ourselves seriously to, we have the backing from a few radio stations which have had us air play in the U.S. I'm not sure how venues keep hold of this guy, but the gig we did last night was the only one not advertised in the venue. No one knew there was live music happening and this particular venue is well known for live music and is always busy when there is music on. Even our singer lost it a bit with the sound man and told him "get your promotor to pull his finger out and advertise his gigs. You're ok you get paid, we don't even £10 for the band." He looked like he'd heard this a lot. The sad truth is, theres very few promotors prepared to take on anyone else, I've come across venues where they won't talk to you if you're not with an agent and this bloke is the only one giving us gigs. But theres no point in doing them as no one turns up. Also, there are new bands forming all the time which take the place of those who suss this knob cheese out. Dan

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1355097360' post='1894119'] If the gig is poorly attended, how is he raking it in..? [/quote] Just as chris said really. He'll have a deal with venues whereby he gets live music in and they give him a set fee. One gig we did for him was the usual no one turning up, we cheekily asked the manager how much he was getting and it was over £100 with nothing going to the bands. And he wasn't even there. Dan

Exactly, but this guy is raking it in. You leave feeling really demoralised. I'm in a foul mood as a result to. I'm watching 'Dial M For Murder' and having veggie sausage rolls to wind down. Dan

I've just played a gig with my original band 'Chloe & The High Tides', now we know what the promotor is like so in a way I suppose we only have ourselves to blame. But he is the biggest waste of space going, the usual exploiting non paying prick. There is a poster in the venue we played with every live act on this month, and I mean every act. Except the one today, our gig. What a waste of time it was, not a single person there. Doing these gigs does nothing for us and I've asked the singer not to do any more gigs for this person. I urge anyone in the north east to not use this promotor and stay as clear from him as you can, being a public forum I can pm anyone who wants to know. And breath. Dan

I haven't tried one, but when fretless shopping a few years ago I did look at one to see if I liked fretless playing. I ended up getting a Sandberg Basic fretless and never looked back. I would expect the Curbow to play and sound like a £200-£250 bass, that's not to say they're rubbish, not at all. My reasoning (or rather another bc'ers!) was if I bought a cheap one and like fretless then I'd end up selling it, maybe at a small loss and buy a more expensive one. So, buy a more expensive one and if you like it you have a nice fretless. If you don't then you've had a nice fretless that works out at a few quid a week across the time you've had it. Dan

Good question! I've never bought/acquired a bass for a sound for a particular band, in all honesty I can never be arsed with that whole area of choice, too many factors involved in my opinion. I have 2 basses I play, a StingRay and a Sandberg fretless, both 4 strings and both have that MM humbucker style pickup, both also have the same woods though I think the fretboards are different? The StingRay I got from my dad for my 18th birthday, now I know that can come across as a bit spoilt but he always told me that it was the best thing he ever bought me. Now when I was looking for another bass (the fretless) I got the Sandberg Basic because it had a very similar pickup set up and very similar woods, I would have an idea of how it sounded. Thats about it! I largely go on how the neck feels, if it's thin and comfortable, then it's a win! Lets face it, with the money you know you'll spend, it's going to sound great so it's a matter of which great sounding bass you'd want. Dan

We used to do this in our function band as a kind of encore as it's always a crowd pleaser. As the others have said, stick with the root notes and embellish as you see fit. Me and the drummer would do triplet stabs going back up to the start of the sequence to add a bit of interest without detracting from anything else. There's quite a lot that can be done with that track, breakdowns, solo battles etc, like I said before, me and the drummer would syncopate little phrases every now and then. Dan