colleya

This is really helpful, thanks!

Does anyone have any experience with swapping the preamp in a VM5? I bloody love the bass, it plays like a dream but the tone isn't as 'alive' as my Fender jazz 5. It feels a little sterile to me. I'm thinking of popping an East pre in there and was wondering if anyone else has done the same. YouTube has an example done on a TT but no VM. Cheers!

@dmccombe7 you have, but thanks for taking the time to say so again. Very lucky to have chanced on a band with some very talented individuals, plus two of them can mix audio and make my bass actually sound like the tone I've got in my head.

Well, it was bloody freezing, but it scrubbed up quite nicely in the edit. Can't upload the clip to here for some reason, so here's the link to the instawotsit version. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRhlyzXjFx1/?igsh=MW5iOXRiMGZoejVvOA==

I nearly went for that myself, but it was a bit much on top of the funk accelerator in one month. Would be very interested in your thoughts on the fretboard accelerator course. That would be next on my list.

I'm usually almost pathologically resistant to paid for courses. However after years of playing in rock/indie I joined a funk/soul band and felt painfully exposed. Phrasing wasn't right, felt awkward and not in the pocket etc etc. I bit the bullet and realised that spending money on a new bass/amp/pedal wasn't magically making me a better player (still fun though) so I signed up Three weeks in, I'm pretty impressed. I like the structure that releases a section a week rather than full access to everything. Resources, videos and backing tracks are excellent quality. The live sessions are fun and focused. Feels well scaled so far - lots of stuff I've seen go from root notes to 7/8 mixolydian Swedish folk fusion leaving a massive 'how the hell did they do that?' gulf in the middle. Am I motivated to practice more? Yes Is my practice more focused? Yes Is my timing improving (probably as a result of the above)? Yes Is my phrasing improving? Starting to Can I do stuff I couldn't before? Yes Could I have learned most of this stuff for free piecemeal on the Internet? Probably Do they send waaaaay too many emails? Good lord yes Was it expensive? It felt it, but if I break it down into 14 (the length of the course in weeks) then probably not really. Has the rest of the band noticed? Very funny (but it's only week 3 so I still have hope) If anyone else is doing the course then I'd be interested in how you're finding it. If you're thinking about these courses then hopefully this might help a bit.

Unheated.

I'd agree with all the comments about practice, but be kind to yourself too. If you make a mistake then you make a mistake. I make loads every gig, and that's without an emotionally loaded situation like it sounds like you'll be in. I'm really sorry to hear about your brother, but I'm sure he'd be unbelievably proud of you. Everyone there (and here on BC) will be rooting for you too, break a leg.

Another excellent basschatter. Bought a pedal from @jezzaboy. Arrived next day with possibly the best packaging job I've seen. Highly recommended, thanks!

Did they not get suspicious when you took your bass with you?

Noticed at half time that one of the PA tops wasn't showing the little blue power light. Waited until the rest of the band were looking the other way before flipping the switch on the back.....

"Join a band" they said. "It will get you closer to the ladies" they said....

Thanks Dave, she's quite a find. I used to do a bit of noodling over the intro to this, but now I resist the temptation to get in the way, stand back and enjoy.

50 minute afternoon spot at Ellesmere Port Summer Jam today. Only our third ever gig. It's a slow ball to get rolling right now but we're getting there. No amp/cab, just a HX stomp in and IEM straight from the desk. It always sounds fine at rehearsal but I need to do more work on my gig mix as it's never as well defined. Thinking about that diverts my focus away from what I'm playing, so I need to get it sorted. Played well, pretty happy all round. Sun came out and people listened. Nice things were said afterwards. Unfortunately the wrestling show had finished by the time we got off stage so my plans for a top turnbuckle band pic were scuppered. Here's a little phone clip of Macy Gray. Of course, our friends & family managed to catch the bit where I trip over my lead, nearly stack it then hit the wrong note. And some Jamiroquai with added photo (video?) bombing.

I'm only going for the wrestling!

We've got a Sunday afternoon slot at Ellesmere Port Summer Jam on 3rd August. Not played this one before, looking forward to it.

First time at Matchbox in Warrington. Absolutely huge room. Sharpening up the short set for our appearance at Ellesmere Port Summer Jam on 3rd August and messing about with phone cameras to try and get some clips for the band socials. https://youtube.com/shorts/3K7Fehhf_To?feature=shared

My current band is Tea Time Funk Club, based between Manchester & Liverpool. We're a covers band playing chilled out, funky versions of 90s RnB, classic soul and pop - a similar vein to Scary Pockets and Couch. It's completely different from anything I've done before, a real workout as I have to be much more precise and considered in stripped back arrangements. Four piece - Bass, drums, keys & vocals with hopefully a sax player on the way We've been together about a year - started gigging last March but getting the ball rolling has been slow going. We've done two gigs with another in August but we're still trying to find the right venues for the stuff we do and then get our foot in the door. Videos:

I know it's harder for some folk, but at the end of the day we're the entertainment. It's our job to convince people that they're having a good time (and hopefully to buy more drinks etc). If that happens then everybody wins and we hopefully get rebooked. For me that starts with looking like I'm enjoying myself. I'm lucky enough to be able to gig as a hobby, so it's supposed to be fun, otherwise why would I bother?

Raye is bossing it. Band are excellent.