Franticsmurf

Thanks for this Phil. It took me a couple of read throughs to get it and my simplistic, non-technical 'take-away' is that if you expect to increase your amp volume between rehearsal and gig, then also expect to change the EQ balance to retain your sound/tone at the new volume. From a practical application point of view, expect to have to lower the bass and treble EQ levels or raise the mids in order to keep the same tone. I will be trying this at the next rehearsal (using the difference in home practice to band rehearsal volumes).

I find that no matter how much time I spend on nailing a bassline, run fill etc at home, it takes two or three (or sometimes more) run throughs with the band before I can play it as well as I could in personal practice.

Having recently acquired and SR300, I would agree with @TimR that it is a very good bass for the money (mine was a shade under £300. But being a 'new' bassist, I think the right way forward is, as @Len_derby has said, to try a selection of different basses. Being an ex-guitarist (I came to bass via the same route many years ago) it's about string spacing, neck profile etc - in other words the feel of the bass - as there are a number options that affect playability. One bass to consider is the Bass VI in all its forms. It's a six string, short scale bass that has very narrow string spacing (closer to a guitar than bass). Coming over from guitar, this might result in less of a learning curve. There are version from several manufacturers - I have a Harley Benton (Thomann own brand) one which is very nice and was cheap but there are Fender and Fender Squire versions as well as other brands that I'm sure others here will be able to talk about. I think there's a dedicated thread to the Bass VI in the 'Bass Guitars' Forum (click on the forum and do a search).

Great song and video. Loved the lipstick writing and removing letters to make new words/meanings. I liked the bass drone and the sound used for it - bass guitar plus pedals or bass synth (or both)? And, for a reason I can't explain, I really liked the countdown at the end. Good luck with the album release.

If I can't hear myself play, I struggle make loads of mistakes (or think I do) and tend to revert to the simple stuff. Sounds like you may be in a vicious circle. Rehearsals are where you make mistakes because you're trying stuff, hearing what works well and what doesn't. Do you respect them as musicians and do you think there is any reason why they would mislead you? Ask your band mates for constructive criticism rather than just 'that was great'. Maybe that's because you've already turned down and they're used to the low volume, or the overall mix is wrong (usually the geetard has the bass control on his amp too high or the keys player is venturing into forbidden areas on the keyboard). I hope the above doesn't come across as harsh - I've been where you are and I've worked with musicians who have a similar outlook. For the rehearsals with the band, go back to the bassics (pun intended 🙂) and slowly build up your part according to what the song needs. Turn up the volume so you can hear yourself. Separate your home practices into 'for the band' and 'technique/technical' and once the latter gets frustrating, stop and jam some simple blues to remind yourself why you play. I had a dep job in September and I had two weeks to learn about 30 songs. More than half I didn't actually know and during the first week I was getting so frustrated at not being able to play along to them that my confidence took a big hit. I almost backed out of the gig. But then something clicked, I dialed back the emphasis on the technical stuff and remembered that I was standing in at short notice and thereby took some pressure off myself. What I found was that in week 2, I was able to get more of the songs nailed and towards the end of the week, as my confidence grew again, I fund adding the fills and polish became easier. The gig was a success; I made some mistakes but they've asked me to dep again for them.

I've never thought of myself as an artist but rather as a musician/bass player/guitarist. A bit like @SumOne and @Dad3353 above, I can't help feeling the term 'artist' a little pretentious but for me the pretention is when the title is self assigned. I would have no problem (in fact no opinion either way) if someone called me an artist but I wouldn't use the term myself to describe me. I agree the term gives no particularly special status, probably because as has also been said above, it is used so freely. There is no equivalent (as far as I know) to the differentiation between 'craftsman' and 'master craftsman'.

This is my current budget cheap one. A 2021 Indonesian Squire PJ picked up in July for £125. The only change I have made is to swap the scratchplate for the one in the photo. It was bought to act as a 'look-alike' back up for my PBass for gigs that needed the P Bass look and sound. It sounds great, particularly with the bridge pick up volume backed off a little to emphasise the 'P' pick up. I haven't touched the action or any of the hardware and the only work I've done to it was to give it a good clean. It's currently the bass of choice for an upcoming Country & Western gig the Hulla are doing in November.

My main band, The Hulla, plays a range of stuff depending on the occasion. But this was our 2025 festival set with a couple tacked on at the end which I think is a fair representation of what we do: Ecstacy of Gold Born in the USA Teenage Kicks 20th Century Boy Cigarettes and Alcohol 17 Going Under Suffragette City Heroes Sloop John B Dakota For What Its Worth Knocking on Heaven's Door Run One Day Like This Like a Prayer Burning Love House of the Rising Sun Seven Nights to Rock Johnny 99 You Shook Me All Night Long I Feel Good Love Story Surfing USA Bare Necessities Staying Alive Texas Hold 'em Nice to Meet You Treat Her Right Land of a Thousand Dances Proud Mary Mony Mony Shout Country Girl Your Love Daydream Believer Country Roads Sweet Caroline Hey Jude 500 Miles Three Little Birds A Town Called Malice Pencil Full of Lead

Ignore him, he's playing with your mind. They were a story told to young bassists to scare them in t'olden days. 🙂

Mine has the twin pole jazz pick up and I haven't noticed any significant drop off in volume. It was one of the things I was prepared for after reading other reviews, but it hasn't manifested itself here. Thanks. The finish was the trigger for me. I would have gone for the Z3 but I didn't like any of the finishes.

Early days as I have yet to gig it to be able to make a definite comparison. I play a Sterling 34HH (the Z7 was intended as a back up to keep a similar sound) and so far, at home volume levels, the sound from the bridge pick up appears the same. The Z7 pre-amp seems to provide more tonal variety in active mode (I don't know if this is as a result of it being 18v rather than the Sterling's 9v). Unlike some reviews, I've found my neck pick up doesn't have a volume drop. In active mode it can get quite thick and bassy but it doesn't quite match the 34HH's neck pick up. So far I don't think it's a Sterling Killer but then I never rated my ATK as one, either. But I reserve the right to change my mind after I've used in in anger. 🙂

I've only ever bought two new basses in 35 years. All the rest are 2nd hand/pre-loved/used and/or part exchanges. The bass I'm using for the C&W gig next month (a Squire PJ) cost me £100 and got compliments from our sound engineer at rehearsals.

I consider myself able to play by ear, and I find it harder (but not impossible) to play from notes without having run through the song a few times. I can't read music to the standard of being able to follow the dots in real time. My notes are usually reminders, limited to parts of the song that vary from the standard pattern, particular fills or runs that are needed for the song and, if required, notes about odd arrangements. I'll also make notes about effects, pick-up selection etc. I can pick up songs without a written guide, and this is the usual way for me to work out a new song. I will refer to some kind of guide (online or other band member) only if I have to. I can't play something straight off having heard it only once, although I can usually join in following a few test runs. We were auditioning songs during Sunday's rehearsal (we're working on a Country set for a specific gig) and I was able to pick up most of the bass lines within the first verse. As above, I'll be able to play the song without having identified the key. Alternatively, if I have the key I'm usually able to make a valid contribution to the song. I've never tested myself, but I'm fairly certain I can identify a 3rd and a fifth.

A break can be good for you. I took a break years ago and it worked wonders. I came back refreshed and a became a better player. It also meant I continued to enjoy playing rather than getting jaded and put off by the exasperation I was feeling. Don't make the mistake I did of selling almost everything, though.

I've had my eye on one of these for a while and have been reading the comments/reviews on the topics that mention the Z7. On Wednesday I had my replacement credit card and it had to be road tested and... well... ummm... I was looking for a natural finish but when searching Anderton's website, the only Z7s with this finish were 5 strings. But search for natural finish basses without using the manufacturer's name and these pop up. The QC and setup out of the box were great and I don't see (hear?) the need to fiddle to make any improvements so far. The pre-amp set up will take a while - I've only played through headphones so far but it seems there are a lot of potential options. I can see what everyone is saying about the knobs feeling cheap and I'll be looking for replacements at some point. I also think the two stacked knobs seem quite vulnerable to knocks, particularly if the bass is on a stand on a stage. Mine weighs in at 4.4kg (9.7lbs).

I have 10 basses of which I count 2 as my 'main' gigging basses. I like having the choice, though and I have gigged every one of the 10 over the last three years or so. My main band plays a wide range of covers which change quite frequently as we tailor the set to the function we've been asked to play. The feel of the set determines which of the main basses I use. For example, we play a long festival set every year which is usually heavier and rockier and for this I use my Sterling 34HH. We also have a regular Christmas gig for the Local Crown Court service and as this is a more laid back affair, the P Bass comes out. As we are a large band (13) if I know the venue is small I'll bring a headless bass and if space is particularly tight (I can think of two venues we've played several times) I have my Ibanez short scale headless. I like to have a spare guitar at gigs and it recently occurred to me that if I'm making the effort to match the main guitar to the gig, I should also match the spare to the main guitar. So I have a Squire PJ to use at 'Precision' gigs, and an incoming Sire Z7 to use at 'Sterling' gigs. The full list: Sterling 34HH Fender Precision Ibanez EHB100S Squire PJ (Sire Z7) Hohner 'The Jack' Spirit XZ2 Ibanez GSR 205 (5 string) Ibanez SR300 Ibanez AGBR 200 semi acoustic Edit: And a Harley Benton Fretless Jazz which I've used in rehearsal and on recordings but not gigged.

In recent years this has been my experience too. With a couple of exceptions, it feels as if people are less concerned about the band and its certainly not the main reason for being at the venue. The couple of exceptions I've experienced have both been bands with a more professional attitude than has become the norm, a set that doesn't include the same or similar songs to every other local band and that as a result of the first two have attracted a following.

I listen to all comments, criticism, praise etc out of politeness but the only ones I take serious notice of are from people who's opinions I respect, and the respect is born out of experience and understanding. That means mostly musicians, but I value our non-musician sound man's comments which come from a lifetime of listening to a wide range of music and his knowledge of the band's sound having engineered with them for more than 5 years.

I spent most of the three years I was a student in or around Denmark Street in the mid 80s. I went back a few years ago and was disappointed by how it is now.

I like the idea of taking a classic crowd pleaser and doing something different with it, which is what I thought you were going to say when I read '... electronic backing track ...' . My mate's band does a version of 'Love Story', the Taylor Swift song. All they've done is take out all the subtlety, rocked it up and made it loud. Personally, I think it's their best song, and it still gets a decent crowd reaction.

I agree to a certain extent. My point (not well made) was that the crowds I'm talking about would react equally crazily to us playing Sweet Caroline, or the juke box playing it, but they wouldn't complain if we didn't play it. I agree there are some songs you have to play (in this neck of the woods, Dakota is required on every set list and is often called for by the crowd at the end of a gig) but as you say there are plenty of songs that will get a good reaction and the aim should be a strong set list that doesn't rely on one or two songs. My experience has been filling the dance floor and keeping punters in the pub makes the venue owner smile a lot, too. My current band gets all of its gigs through word of mouth and its because we are able to tailor the set list to suit the occasion. In the context of the OP, if bands are playing similar sets then punters will soon get tired of the lack of variety. And if the options open to a venue owner are limited it becomes pot luck whether you land the gig or the next band that plays the same sort of set does. A band I recently depped for are known for playing Bohemian Rhapsody (sadly, not when I played with them). That will get them noticed in a way that 'they play Dakota' won't. They also play Dakota (sadly, when I played for them 🙂) because it works.

I can only speak from my experience of cover bands. Most of the bands I've seen play have a very similar set list; if not the same songs then the same kinds of songs. It's an understandable vicious circle in that the audience reacts to certain songs so the band plays those songs. However I used to play in a band where the BL said 'we play Sweet Caroline because everyone wants it'. No one ever asked for it at any gig I played with them and yet we often played it and, of course, the audience reacted. This confirmed the BL's thinking in his own mind but if we hadn't played it then the audience wouldn't have missed it. The few bands that play different set lists are the ones that stand out for me and, I suspect, a lot of people who go to see a band (rather than go to a pub with live music).

Sometimes things are beyond your control. I played a venue (dedicated band space in the basement of a pub) which was usually well attended. That night, the audience was just the guy we had collecting money on the door and a young couple. We spoke to them after the gig - there had been a massive fight in the pub upstairs and they'd come down to avoid the chaos. In the duo we were often asked to play in pubs on a Sunday between 5pm and 7pm - the intention being to try and stop punters heading home for their dinners. It rarely worked and they were mostly poorly attended, with those watching largely the ones that had been drinking all day. The main problem with the duo (and trio when we added a drummer) was that we got gigs booked through an agent, which could be anywhere in the South Wales area (up to 2hrs drive each way). It meant that the usual way of guaranteeing some kind of audience - by supplying them ourselves - wasn't an option. We managed to develop a following of sorts for local gigs - perhaps 8-10 people would usually turn up to a pub - but it was dependent on the weather, time of year and what other events were on. The mistake we made with the local gigs is that we didn't vary the set enough and so people started to drift away as they became bored with what we were doing (as did I, eventually). My main band now only plays private functions (the dream of guaranteed audiences 😀) but when I play with other cover bands in music venues, we are very much at the mercy of the publicity that the venue provides. Most of them are pubs with live music and few people come to see a specific band. Instead they are there to start the night off before heading to a night club and will leave according to their own agenda and not the end of the gig. So the pub concentrates on advertising the venue, the offers on drinks and fact they have live music rather than the individual band itself.

Last night's rehearsal was meant to be the first sight of our 'Country' set list for a dedicated Country & Western gig to raise funds for the hall we rehearse in. As usual, the band leader kept the list secret until about an hour before the rehearsal (annoying but not insurmountable) and we turned up only to find that he and the sax player had been called out on an RNLI shout. They are both members of the volunteer crew for the local inshore rescue boat and for gigs they are listed as 'unavailable'. For rehearsals, which take place in the hall about 300m from the lifeboat station, they are on call and it's pot luck whether they go out or whether they are covered by other volunteers on a first come first sent basis. But the show must go on, as they say, so we made a start with me singing 'John Henry' and 'Achy Breaky Heart', the trombonist singing '9 to 5' and one of the Uke players doing a sterling version of 'Ghost Riders in the Sky'. We also tried 'Man I Feel Like a Woman', not on the list but one we all through should be. They worked surprisingly well. We kept getting text message updates about the ETA of the BL and sax player but it became clear that the rescue was taking longe than expected (sea conditions and lack of light) so we called it a day around an hour early. I used a recently acquired Squire PJ through my recently rediscovered Laney Digbeth pre amp into the desk. The two idiots who got themselves cut off on a tidal island, despite signs showing the tide times and repeated warnings from the local Coastwatch volunteers as they set off, were rescued safely thanks to the actions of two lifeboats crews (6 volunteers in total).

To a certain extent it depends on how friendly you are with the singer. 'Best mates' friendly and you could probably, with some tact, tell the truth to him/her over a coffee or a pint. 'Acquaintance' friendly and it would be much harder and probably better to stick to some generalisms (needs some work, not tight etc) or just walk away. It also depends on how your credibility is with your friend and the band. I'm not questioning your credibility but if they see you as an experienced player and are willing to listen you could say more than if they just see you as 'the singer's friend'. I was in a band once that was a bit like the one you described. From within at rehearsals it was hard to spot the problems but once we started to record the sessions, it became painfully obvious that the singer couldn't sing and the the two guitarists weren't working together and by backing vocals were dire. Maybe suggesting they record rehearsals or gigs might allow them to spot the problems themselves? I was briefly in another band where, despite basic errors in tempo and timing, every song ended with one of the band saying a variation of 'that was special'. It made me smile as my interpretation of 'special' was different to his. But the serious point is that it can be hard to be objective, particularly if you are within the music, inexperienced r lacking in confidence and so concentrating hard on your own bit. The trick, as has been said above, is to ensure any comments you make are not taken personally. Easier said than done and a lesson I learnt over time.