All Activity

Cat People - Bowie

Back at the Cow & Telescope last night, one of our favourite haunts. Bit of a mixed one. I had developed a cold with a cough a day or so before and had a weak voice before playing. It was totally shot by the time we finished - good job I was only singing backing vocals. We really struggled with sound as well. We pulled up the the previously saved mix and it sounded muddy, a dull - like blanket over the speakers. And the bass drum mic was ringing badly. I couldn't work out what had changed. So during soundcheck, I ended up pulling a load of ≈100hz out of the bass drum mic, pulling low mids out of the mix and adding a bit of presence. It sounded better and good enough to get through the gig. But it wasn't until we got to the second or third song in the first set that I realised the frequencies around F# were getting rather excited, but it was too late by then and just had to muddle through until the break when I could look up the exact problem frequencies, (92.5hz and 185hz) and notch them out. Started out second set and the problem was still there but not as bad. No-one in the audience seemed to be bothered, but it was bugging the hell out of me. Just as we started the the third song in our second set I noticed the hpf switch on the DXR12 in front of me was set to off i.e. full range. I should be set at 100hz, so I quickly flicked it over and the problem disappeared! Oh well, lesson learned. I usually check the volume setting on the speakers as these usually move during packing and setting up, but I never thought to check the switches. I quickly checked the other one and that as 120hz. So both of them were wrong. Annoyingly, I remembered this morning that our mixer has a feedback filter that we've not tried using yet - we've barely scratched the surface of what it can do. So we really need to investigate this feature and learn how to use it properly. I probably would have cured this issue instantly. Otherwise, it was a good night. Some of the regulars, some friends, some who had come especially too see us and a big birthday party who wanted to have a good old boogie, which always livens up the atmosphere. I was done by the end of the night though. Not feeling 100% took it out of me. But I was glad I packed some vocal zones and a hip flask of single malt.

I'm finding more recently people are having problems directly talking to people face to face and discussing their problems and feelings openly. Resorting to messenger, WhatsApp, emails etc, where all meaning gets lost. I have recently fallen foul of someone who has been saying things like "Some people might feel..", unfortunately unless those people actually say they don't want to... directly to me, then it's a hypothetical "some people.". Now, that 'someone' has thrown their toys out of the pram, said they're not being listened to, and walked. If they'd said in the first place: "I'm sorry but I don’t want to...", we could have sorted it all out a lot soon.

Whats new pussycat - TJ

TC Electronic is a great choice if you can bag one. Good luck! 😎👍 The suspense is killing me...

Not tried Ernie Ball bass strings. I am sure someone else on here has.

Trace Elliot gear is pro-level and beginner-priced.

Just read a bit about elite strings and I think I'll give them a miss. Ernie ball do nickel round wound medium scale in 45-65-85-105 though. Any thoughts?

They're a singer. What else did you expect?

I would take absolutely nothing from my technique! It involves quite a lot of looking at the dots on the side of the neck and playing fretboard twister to get a finger in the right place 😂 Great bass stance!

Yes - That's I think you're probably right. In reality, it isn't the alleged major change of musical direction that I (maybe/probably) wouldn't have been interested in that angered me, it's the sly and underhand way that I was replaced and ousted that grated my gears. For me, that's not an acceptable way of behaving in any walk of life. I've moved on, and I'm already talking to another band about possibly joining them.

Cheers! So, it's not a Rickenbacker and it's not Japanese. Possible Korean (with the Treble pickup in the right place). Is there any evidence of Bruce Foxton playing one?

I erm…….have a couple awaiting approval at the moment…..hint, hint 🤣.