Franticsmurf

This is what I was trying (and failing) to describe. 😄

When mixing a recording, a little reverb can help to bring the whole mix together. But it's a delicate balance and too much (a subjective phrase) can turn everything into mush. As a bassist I've never used reverb live (although I'm currently looking into that for certain songs where I want to soften the bass a bit while keeping it there in the mix - difficult to describe what I'm after - we play Sheryl Crow's version of 'Sweet Child' and I play a busy bass part based on the guitar part of her version and I'm right up the neck. Reverb helps bring the sound out without me having to turn up the volume). As a guitarist (yes, I know, sorry) I used reverb and delay on solos to fill the sound and hide any shortcomings (of which there were many) in my technique. I would love to introduce some syncopated delay into my playing but setting the delay time, even with tap tempo, doesn't always work and requires the rest of the band to be consistently spot on the tempo throughout the song. That never happens. 😄

You, sir, are an absolute star. Glorious indeed! 😄

I play 5 string now and again, very rarely, so I find it hard to go from 4 to 5 but easier to come back to the 4 from the 5. I have a Guitarbass VI and going from 4 to 6 with the narrow spacing I find I'm struggling when trying to jump to the top three strings. I guess if I played both more often I'd get it.

I can sympathise - the singer in a band I was in used to ask for requests all the time, despite us asking and then telling him not to. Inevitably we'd get asked to play all sorts of inappropriate stuff (songs from 'Frozen' spring to mind). And he would often go on to torture and kill the song requested because while he liked to think he could 'wing it', he most definitely couldn't and more often than not he'd give up, play a few random chords and then go on to the next song. Unless I had an idea of how the song went, I'd turn my volume down and do my best TOTP mime act and the drummer would play a basic 4/4 beat. Sometimes the singer would say yes and then not play it, resulting in an upset or angry punter or two. We tried explaining that saying no was infinitely better to playing badly or saying yes and then not following through but our singer, who thought himself a true professional and better than us, 'knew better'. We had our fair share of audience singers all of whom were dreadful apart from one woman who, as we cringed in anticipation, sang a great rendition of one of our setlist songs. We were once asked for 'Another Brick in the Wall' by a older lady and when we played it, the local line dancing club got up to dance to it. A heavy rock band I was in was repeatedly asked to play 'Apache' at one pub gig. We went through a period of playing regularly at one pub where 'Mustang Sally' was always requested. But as it was by young ladies who would join us on stage to help perform it, we usually relented. 😄

I used to play in a duo and we were often either 'by the dart board' or 'if you just move the pool table, you can set up there'. The pool tables were always massive and bulky, as were the guys still playing pool on them. 😄

I once wrote a blog for our band website (now long gone) and I tried to keep it very light hearted, with references to pre-gig travel and post gig fast food preferences and the strange conversations we'd have - in other words mostly backstage/behind the scenes stuff. The website took care of the serious band and booking information. I saw it as an attempt to give the band a character over and above the business of playing music and it meant that the website was updated with new material several times a month. The blog developed a small following (maybe 20 views per post on average) but I can't say it boosted attendance at gigs. I wouldn't do it again as I don't think the return justifies the effort.

I played in a covers band for several years but I would never have made an effort (or paid money) to go and see them. I enjoyed playing live and, as has been said by others above, there is a difference between listening to and playing a song. We had a good time on stage and I think a couple of the others were of a similar mind to me and wouldn't have been in the audience. But I would never have left them without a bassist had the opportunity arisen. And for me, this is the crucial part. Turn the situation around - would you want a musician in your band whom you knew was likely to leave if the right band called? On first reading the OP, I thought 'yes, play, get the experience, enjoy'. But there is the matter of letting the band down if something else comes along. And with an originals band that can be disastrous if they lose a band member as they are building their reputation. I think if it was me, I'd be making sure they understood my feelings towards the music and I'd be honest about my intentions. They could then decide what to do - and perhaps look for a permanent bassist while you play with them. It's only fair to everyone. Are you able to give the level of commitment they deserve? I recently left a band that wasn't doing it for me. I enjoyed the opportunity to play, they were great musicians and decent people. But I realised that the music wasn't what I was in to, and therefore I couldn't give it the 100% the band deserved. I went before they got to the gigging stage so they had time to replace me with someone more suitable. And it kept things amicable.

I am that pair of a drummer from T. I can slick for anyone's bass trax and I certainly have tomany of need. The Internet is a fabulous place. 😄

Skill - as @Graham56 said, listening. In reality, bladder control, calming techniques, self confidence mantras. 😄 It's the kind of thing I'd love to be offered. In all honesty my first reaction would probably be 'Me? No way.' But that would be wrong. I think with four other musicians, I'd start off playing sparingly and build up as my confidence grew. Edit: I've mentioned elsewhere that for many years I played in a band in which the singer/guitarist would 'wing it' through a number of songs whether or not we'd rehearsed them. He'd spring new songs on the band, resurrect old ones that we hadn't played for ages or inflict chaos on the ones we knew. It was awful and we eventually left him to it. But I have to admit it made me a better musician as I had to up my improvisational game and it gave me a bit more self confidence having to cope with his random arrangements 'on the fly'. Hence my listening comment above. I would also add watching, as sometimes the only way I knew what he was playing was by identifying the chord shapes he was using. 😄

The name of my next band. 😄

It's what I did and as he appreciated the chat. He's our regular sound man and as I'd recently joined the band, he wasn't sure what I was using. I get an excellent sound from the PA now. 😀

Similarly, I deliberately went quiet for a couple of songs in a gig and the sound man said afterwards 'You suddenly went very quiet in the mix so I turned you up.' The rest of the gig must have been quite bass heavy. 😀

If I'm learning or practicing songs at home I'll use headphones out of my Zoom B1-4 with the MP3 player plugged into the 'Aux In' socket.

I know what you mean about getting the 'right' dirt/grit/fuzz/drive sound and how elusive it can be. I haven't tried as many pedals you but I do find that what works one week doesn't seem to be right the next. I know my isolated sound isn't representative of the sound and effect within a band and so I'm talking about the sound in the context of a band as well. I'll find something that sounds interesting, try three or four variations and take them to the rehearsal. One usually works or is close enough to be worth chasing, and I'll use it for a while. But then I'll try something else and suddenly the previous sound isn't good enough/doesn't cut/isn't smooth enough etc. I play in two bands; one is a big outfit (13 players at the last count) which plays a jukebox of different styles. While a few of the songs could use a little grit in the bassline, with all the other instruments it's better that I stay reasonably clean to keep my place in the mix. With them I've been using a Behringer TS clone recently, which with the settings I'm using I find smooth and not too much for the mix. But with the last couple of gigs and rehearsals, it's sounding 'wrong' so I'm on the lookout for something else now. The bass guitar I use for this band doesn't change. The other is a rock trio where there is definitely room for some grit or drive to thicken the sound. This band still in the early stages of development so my pedal board has several options on it but I'm favouring a combination of drive and subtle phase for the songs that need it. I've come to the conclusion that it's a combination of me not really knowing what I want in the first place, and (in the trio) changing the basses I play. There is also an element of boredom with the same sounds which is something I know I suffer from in other areas (I like to change basses, arrangements etc to keep motivated during practice and rehearsals, for example).

They contacted me, but they wanted some bloke called Brad to play me in the film, and I said no. 😄

I used to smoke but gave up about 20 years ago, before I became a bassist. As a guitarist, I used to try and smoke while playing (because it looked cool and made me a better player, of course) but I could never get past the smoke going up my nose and into my eyes. So I tried sticking the filter onto the end of one of the strings at the tuners. But I used to forget it was there and it would just burn down and go out.

So... does what you ate just before you rest your bass against the big, fat tone sucking belly actually affect the tone through some kind of resonance thing? A plate full of mashed potato absorbs the vibrations, giving a muted, Motown feel while nuts, seeds and raisins take the vibrations and creates subtle overtones that cut through the mix? And my aftermarket paisley pick guard on my P Bass makes everything sound like the 60's. I have to go now, so the nurse tells me. 😄

Our band went through a couple of spells of stability with the same drummer and things definitely improved. Then we went into a similar situation to @mrtcat to the extent that I don't know to this day the names of some of the drummers I played with. They were, for the most part, competent but that doesn't make up the almost prescient musical relationship that can come from playing together for a long time. I've never actually spent time with just the drummer developing that relationship and maybe that would be a short cut.

See my post above... ..."At the junction, turn right. Where the tarmac runs out, keep straight ahead for half a mile. In a quarter of a mile, there is a huge pothole. Jink left then immediately right and wait for the bang. In one hundred yards turn left onto a farm track. Bounce downhill for two miles. At the next junction, stop and check for sump damage." 😄

We played a birthday party for a relative of the band's sax player last night. It was the other side of Cowbridge in sunny South Wales, in a little village buried in the farmland. I had a lift with the drummer and the sat nav decided to play games and sent us along an ever narrowing lane, until it became a farm track and then a rally stage. Several clunks and bumps later we emerged onto a real road and managed to find the venue. It was the birthday boy's back garden, complete with bar, barbecue and buffet (the three 'B's that complete the perfect gig). The whole village had been invited so volume wasn't an issue (although we're not really a loud band) and the relative jumped up to play a couple of songs with us. First time using only IEMs for me with no back line to fall back on (literally and metaphorically). I have been working with our FOH guru to get a mix I'm happy with and I've converted out keyboard player to IEM as well. The rest of the band have yet to see the light - or is that 'hear the word'? I took and used my Sterling HH - the sound cuts through nicely with this line up, which is drums, bongos, guitars x2, keys, sax, trumpet, ukes x3 and banjo along with a singer and 3x BVs. As a back up (and because I wasn't sure how much space there'd be) I took my recently acquired Ibanez EHB1000s. It stayed in the bag as I had acres. After last weeks 4 hour marathon we were all still a little weary but fortunately there was a 10pm curfew and we only played for 3 hours. Much dancing, singing along and and appreciation from the 100 or so that were there and great stage lighting courtesy of a lovely sunset through the trees in front of us.

First gig I've played where I've gone completely IEM and haven't had a backline amp. There was quite a breeze in the garden (we were playing a birthday party attended by all the village, so no volume issues). Mic stands, music stand etc were being blown over. So I used what shelter I could find to protect my Sterling HH. Under the coat is an Ibanez EHB1000s brought as a spare and not used. On the floor is a Behringer tuner into a Plethroa X3 into a passive DI box. An artistically arranged can of Coke Zero on the case (representing the now removed backline) completes my little corner of the patio.... I mean stage. 😄

I have to wear glasses to do pretty much anything. Spent a few years wearing contact lenses but in venues they would quickly dry up (especially before the smoking ban). I have varifocals now but there's a certain distance that isn't covered. It can be best described as the distance between me and the setlist. Regardless of where the setlist is! 😀

Play. Or play not. There is no right order. 😄

Once the individual instruments have been checked for rough levels and no errant noises, the singer/guitarist usually starts doing 'Merry Xmas Baby' by Bruce Springsteen and we all sort of join in as a kind of slow blues jam, each of us trying to out do the others in laid back noodling. Not sure how it started but it usually gets a laugh. Then we'll do a song that everyone is playing on to get a balance across the board. Not always the same song. recently it's been 'Midnight Hour' or Boom Boom'; both feature in the set. I was advised by a wise person from this very parish that a good bass line to soundcheck with is Pink Floyd's 'Money' because it uses all four strings, so that's what I tend to do when setting up my channel. It usually gets a couple of head's turning from the audience although we don't actually play the song.