WalMan

SHOUTS A LOT DOESN'T HE

First one for a few weeks in a regular pub for us - though first time this year as I was a little late ringing them. The place has had a refurb and has been transformed. While we were setting up we could hear a car alarm going off and after some while our vocalist realised it was his - he was tho only one who could not actually hear is as his HF range is shot from shooting guns without protection as a boy. Most bizarre he spent ages locking & unlocking the car, going through the manual, trying to work out if he could kill it at the fuses all to no avail and all the time with the damn alarm going. I went out to try and help / provide moral support before he lost it with the car. Then an inebriate female wandered over from the pub insisting that she knew exactly where the cut-out was & what to do, but that seemed to require pulling most of the front passenger side of the car, which was not going to happen. I was really proud of Steve, because I could see her attentions were not helping the situation, or his mood, BUT he managed to hold it together and not turn to her and scream "LOOK WILL YOU PLEASE JUST F*CK OFF!!!" which is what I would have been close to. And then the alarm just sorted itself out and stopped, probably because we had stopped opening & closing doors and blipping the key fob So to the gig. Well tonight it was a 5 piece with duelling guitars again. We think that our keyboard player has probably decided that he just cannot make it down from London, but cannot bring himself to actually come out and say it. It will be a great shame, but there is so much new stuff in the set he might have difficulty in showing up and going for it anyway. Still Mike was with us on second guitar again tonight and we had a blast. A bit slow to get started, but much dancing & singing along in the second set. My voice took a few numbers to settle down on B vox, but got there in the end The L2500 [i]still[/i] sounds gorgeous in this rocky set, nice bite, but a good solid fundamental. [url="http://planetsmilies.net"][/url] Almost dropped God Gave R'n'R to You for time, but I am glad we didn't as it went really well. Finished off with a couple of Lizzy numbers complete with harmony guitars. Marvellous. And finally I got home to find some nice positive comments on KVR about an instrumental I posted there, the first thing I have been working on, on my own that I have actually managed to finish off. Gives me the impetus to try to get some more of the bits & pieces I have got sorted into some semblance of order & finished off. And not my pit beckons.

Could be a duffer. I remember my guitarist busting a string in sound check years back and putting a new one on. Nothing we did could get it to intonate properly, so we put another one on and everything was fine. Most strange

[quote name='Tone le Bone' post='209908' date='May 30 2008, 11:27 PM']Thanks WalMan, Here's hoping the weekend Ebay warriors take a look! Cheers, T le B.[/quote] No probs. This has got me searching for a cunning plan, particularly as you are only just up the road from me, but I have spent too much on toys just recently and really must try to be strong (unless the premium bonds come up trumps this w/e )

I know I said I would shut up about this, but there is a small extension on this offer until Monday - see the bottom of page 52 in the KVR thread [url="http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=215040&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=765"]HERE[/url]. As it has got up over 300 members now they are including even more loops included, so I thought it might be worth one last bump. If you are looking for something to add drums to tracks, or even just something to play drum loops to practice over this has become a great deal. You can see some video demo's [url="http://www.submersiblemusic.com/TemplateGeneric.aspx?contentId=12"]HERE[/url] And lastly if you do join up to [url="http://www.esoundz.com/"]esoundz.com[/url] and take part in this [url="http://www.esoundz.com/details.php?ProductID=1995"]group buy[/url] putting my user name - [b]AlEebee [/b]- as referrer gets both of us some credits to spend on esoundz. ....and now I really will shut up about this

....and we're back after a short break should you be in the Woolston area of Southampton and cross the threshold of [url="http://maps.yell.com/client/yell/?&nat_id=1866892&qs=SO19+9BG&sl=false&storePC=SO19+9BG&ssm=0&companyName=The+Swan&clarifyIndex=&clarifyOptions=&replayURL=%2Fucs%2FUcsSearchAction.do%3FsearchType%3Dadvance%26companyName%3Dthe%2Bswan%26M%3D0%26ssm%3D0%26location%3Dsouthampton%26scrambleSeed%3D25765692%26potential%3D0"]The Swan[/url] Not sure whether we are a 4 piece, one of two versions of a 5 piece, or even a 6 piece yet, but that's the fun of the occasion

I tend to plug the bass through a little Yamaha mixer & into the sound card. Once the bass is down I have been messing with the LE version of the Amplitude SVX. I could use the BassPod, but if I do it is fed through the mixer rather than the USB as I have never been able to fix the latency I get on either POD or BOD via USB

[quote name='Buzz' post='209261' date='May 29 2008, 11:32 PM']No-one is daft enough to sell a normal Wal as they know they won't get it back ever and the prices keep going up?[/quote] I reckon that's about the size of it

Yes for both the Wal & L2500 - EXCEPT at r/h, 'cos the sound in the hall is awful

Nice. I actually noticed it this afternoon and PM'd someone else on here about it as I knew they had been considering one. Wish I had the spare cash myself, but the tax refund due is already earmarked

[quote name='Inca' post='195994' date='May 10 2008, 02:34 PM']Help - should i get rid of this tutor and carry on looking ......?[/quote] Yes definitely. [quote name='Inca' post='195994' date='May 10 2008, 02:34 PM']i have been turned down over the phone by 2 other tutors for being a girl and for being too old (27!!!) apparently my small girls hands will mean its too hard to teach me[/quote] Good grief what a ridiculous attitude. To turn you down without even meeting you. Frankly if that was the attitude you got I doubt you would want to take lessons with them anyway The last batch of lessons I had were with a female bass player who had already completed a degree at a respected music college in the UK and was working towards heading to the US & Berklee.

Nik Try the Fountain in Chi South Street. Cosy (by which I mean a funny shape & not a huge amount of room for the band) but if my lot can get in you will be able to, and though I have not been to the Bells in Chiddingly in years as you fit there I am sure you could manage the Fountain. Talk more when we manage that pint & I hope the videos did not scare the family Oh and let me know any goodies you find we might get away with.

[quote name='OldGit' post='204666' date='May 22 2008, 11:27 PM']Plus the one there .. I have one for each bass. The super wide "padded leather" one. £20 from my local high street music shop. The Comfort Strapp and Noprenes bounce too much for me there's the Dare strap too - over two shoulders [url="http://www.darestrap.com/"]http://www.darestrap.com/[/url] Geiller is that what you do with your two straps?[/quote] The Dare looks to allow you to hold the bass in a more normal playing position than the [url="http://www.slider-straps.com/"]Slider Strap[/url] I used before I had my shoulder replaced a couple of years back. The Slider did the trick so far as allowing me to play full sets but did feel a bit odd, and I added a couple of the boy racer seat belt pads for a little more comfort against the webbing rolling itself up. I am now back on proper straps and have a Comfort strap for the Wal, and a [url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/1023-planet_waves_pw_htsp_1_squid_shoulder_pad"]Planet Waves Squid Shoulder Pad[/url] on the other, which is fine, and less of an issue for going a bit skanky when you are a sweaty betty on stage.

The deal is now over the 200 barrier so you get [list] [*]DrumCore; plus the following DrummerPacks [*]John Tempesta [*]Urban GT - all midi loops & kits [*]Bun E. Carlos - all audio loops [*]Zoro - audio and midi loops [*]Steve Gadd - all audio loops [/list] For $114 so about £60 delivered. DC is around £100 on its own and the additional drummerpacks £20-40 each so a good deal if you are looking for loops (Ped? ) And now I shall shut up about this.

[quote name='DaveDDF' post='206474' date='May 26 2008, 12:07 PM']Raised £1050. [/quote] Congrats & well done

Got a reply to the shipping query on KVR. It is $15 flat fee including to the UK, which makes it all the better as a deal. I so wish I had seen this sooner!! EDIT - just had a sodit moment & joined the buy anyway for the extra loop packs. I can always sell the bits I have already to cover the cost And a final thought - [u][b][i]IF[/i][/b][/u] anyone does jump on this adding my eSoundz user name as referrer (AlEebee) would be good

Just a quicky for anyone looking for a different cheap(ish) drum track option for recording. eSoundz is currently running a Submersible Drumcore Group buy [url="http://www.esoundz.com/details.php?ProductID=1995&refcode=drumcodegb"]HERE[/url] where presently you get the software (which includes a load of drum tracks already), plus 4 extra Drummerpacks, for $109. And with the way the dollar is at the moment that [b]really[/b] brings the price down. I have just upgraded from the version that came with Mackie Tracktion3 and if I had seen this before I did this would have been the way I went.. It is different to things like EZDrummer DFH etc in that what you get is a bunch of tracks recorded by real drummers at different BPM's so that you can select the speed you want and it doesn't go weird on you in re working the clip to the tempo you want. The Gabrielizer function switches the tracks around reasonably intelligently to give you new loops, you can import your own loops and classify them by styles to make it easier to track down (this was what the software was, a librarian), plus you get the various kits and can play back midi drum tracks through those kits with ReWire. Like I say different, but I love it You will need to potentially factor in Import/VAT, but that will be small (if it gets picked up) at a $109 group buy price. Shipping to UK I am not sure of but have added a query to the mega thread on [url="http://www.kvraudio.com"]KVR Audio[/url] - Search for [i]eSoundz GB...DrumCore[/i] or you might get it [url="http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3082232#3082232"]HERE[/url]

We also have quiet r/h's generally at the sound guys house into a mini mixer & a couple of monitors to work on new stuff. The only problem with this can be finding the right key for our vocalist. What may work quiet, often doesn't when we get to a full r/h and requires a shuffle through keys to find one that works better. That said it is still a useful exercise.

[quote name='nash' post='203769' date='May 21 2008, 05:42 PM']theres 3 songs without vocals on the myspace give me some feedback if you want www.myspace.com/thenashvilleproject[/quote] Sounds like a good start to me & in tune with at least one of the influences. Now the really hard bit - lyrics & a voice, well for me anyway

The "Contact/Gigs" page on our site says [quote][u]The Party Line[/u] Whilst we are always happy to get out and gig - that is after all one of the things a band is supposed to do - experience has shown that whilst you may enjoy the band we may not always be to the taste of your mother/granny/work colleagues. As a consequence the gigs that we do are pubs, clubs etc that have regular rock nights, but not parties. Sorry![/quote] Now this is entirely driven by the drummers outright refusal to consider any form of party. Wedding receptions I can understand, having had a desperate evening playing one for a couple who come to see us regularly, which led to my choice of words on the site. But, there have been a few requests for other parties where we could reckon that probably 90% of the crowd would be regulars at our gigs but still it is a big fat no.

[quote name='ped' post='200671' date='May 16 2008, 07:43 PM']Just wanted to say cheers Garry for that site - I have registered and been playing some grooves to the loops all day. Brilliant, thanks!![/quote] Ped PM me with your email & I have a set of Drumwerks single shot samples I can zip up & send you. They are on my recording/loops drive a lot of which came from free cover CD's so I don't believe there can be any licence probs with them Al

I use a db Tech system with Shure E2's as does our vocalist and with the better set of 'phones I am happy to do so. I think mine cost me around £350 a couple of years back and I picked up the E2's on eBay for about £30 Our second (stand in for keyboards) guitarist also uses 'phones but straight off the sub mixer with no radio, just a long lead. The drummer & guitarist refuse point blank because they say it makes them feel isolated - and it can though I tend to just pop one side out. Having said that my initial foray into IEM was problematic in getting a mix that stayed even, but that was until our sound guy threw a load of cash at the PA & invested in the [url="http://www.aviom.com/Applications-1/Monitor-Mixing.cfm"]Aviom[/url] system. I now have an A-16R in my rack and can run an A-16II off that if the rack is not accessible, and set my own monitor mix - mind that isn't cheap. If you are thinking of going the IEM route I would suggest that you hire a system for a few gigs to see how you get on. You might like it, but you could just as easily hate it and feel cut off from the audience and rest of the band. For bass, you need to be able to get the bass, along with bass drum & snare into you mix at a reasonable level to be able to keep in sync with your drummer, and the rest of the band [i]probably[/i] won't want a mix anything like yours so multiple submixes on your desk is a must unless you have something like the Aviom system

Following my [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=16717"]recent thread[/url] re trying to find a replacement part for a Tascam 38 so that I could try to convert to digital and remix some really old (1986 & 1989) 8 track tapes (and the ensuing saga of the weeping tapes that need slow cooking in the hope of possibly getting a better extract) I got into an exchange of emails with the old vocalist who has been based in New Zealand for quite a few years now re sending him DVD's of the tracks so he can have a play as well. This then developed into a suggestion that he send me some tracks to add bass to, to which I have added sending some bits & pieces I have been working on in the other direction for him to add lyrics/vocals to. Now I am happy enough doing the cover gigs, but this new suggestion has perked me up quite a bit. We did an exchange of backing tracks a couple of years back to reproduce an old song of ours for a guy who used to come and see us years ago (and still does actually) who wanted to play it at his wedding. Unfortunately it did not get used as Paul (in NZ) decided to change the melody lines so that the 2006 version was quite different. I like the new version ([url="http://www.myspace.com/akindoffury"][color="#0000FF"][b]I Need You - A Kind of Fury[/b][/color][/url] on MySpace along with a couple of live tracks and some early mixes of the saved 8 tracks) but it got mixed reactions for the changes from the others. Still the stuff proposed now is new stuff not reworking of old songs and it has got me quite excited to get started - though a bit worried as to my ability as one name mentioned in conjunction with it was Stanley Clarke I still find it weird the ease with which one can put together songs with a couple of computers, post & DVD's, or even just uploading to a secure area both parties can access, despite being on opposite sides of the world. Mind this is from an old f@rt whose first studio recording were on 4 track reel to reel that we were really impressed by As & when anything occurs I shall post more, but had to share now. [attachment=8721:Wman_PS.jpg]

[quote name='molan' post='199580' date='May 15 2008, 01:55 PM']I've heard of people getting things sent as "gifts" which avoids tax & duties. . . . .[/quote] Indeed, but it only avoids it if customs do not smell a rat, open the package & find the invoice - in which case you run the risk of it being confiscated. As most have said we all know "someone" who has received a parcel straight through without query, but if you start trying to get clever about it you run the risk of getting burnt. I recall seeing a query from a bride to be on a Tax forum who was going to get her wedding dress from the US and get it described as a gift, "was that OK?" and the only answer to that was you might "get away with it" but it was not a tax planning move, rather a tax avoidance matter and there was a fair chance that the wedding would be ruined by customs confiscating the dress. Basically it comes down to don't ask the seller to misrepresent the item as that way sorrow lies. Price in VAT on the import when deciding if it is worth it compared to buying from the EU (Thomann & the like) and if it does not get picked up for the charge when it arrives in the UK, well that is just bunce