mcnach

I suppose it's not as scary as it sounds... If it gives you a better mobility, I guess it's worth it, plus think of the stories you can then tell down at the pub! still... double ouch.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1365558433' post='2041145'] Lies. I've heard that album, and it's all old Chic covers [/quote]

Tried the Octamizer at rehearsal last night. Very Fat. I liked it a lot. I should have taken the OC-2 as well... I still like the OC-2's sound better. The octamizer is more versatile, but I am sure I am always going to try to make it sound a bit like the OC-2. Hmm. The Octamizer sounds better than the OC-2, though, when playing low notes. I don't normally do that, but I did last night as the Octamizer can cope better, and it was a bit too heavy, but the pitch remained firm unlike the OC-2 in those instances.

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1365532478' post='2040857'] Incidentally McNach, if you're new to all this [url="http://www.bemuso.com"]Bemuso.com[/url] has a very simple checklist (with some explanation) on DIY releases that has an emphasis on getting the job done without getting bogged down in an avalanche of info. [/quote] oh, thanks! I just quickly browsed a little and it does look like something I need to read. I wish I had asked these questions a couple of months ago! Our album launch gig has been booked for some time now and it seems we were all totally clueless as to what it involves... We need the CDs and we need them now (27th of April is our party/gig)... I'll read as much as I can tonight, thank you!

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1365530079' post='2040811'] The license is actually on the side of the musicians - it gives some protection making sure you get paid if it gets covered by someone else and money is collected every time it gets airplay. Can seem like red tape at the time but comes in very handy like when Curtiss Muldoon's Seraphim got reworked as Maddonna's Ray of Light - as the original had been registered they ended up earning a small fortune. If it hadn't been registered they would have had a very hard time proving the track existed. [/quote] That's what it seems it is, to register the work and credit it appropriately, and on further conversation with the printing company guy he said that we could get away with not doing all that but that he recommends it to all the bands that they do business with. My initial scare was due to a poorly worded checklist I was sent by someone else in the company and my initial confusion arriving at the wrong type of license... A lot of red tape, but it does look reasonable now.

I spoke to the printing company (the guy I had been dealing with in the past to sort quotes etc was away the past few days but was back today)... and it turns out what we need is license AP2 and that it should be free if it's our music (which it is)... now that's starting to sound reasonable... This is using Dischromatix. We saw their work and we liked it, so we went with them.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1365502668' post='2040317'] Until mcnach comes back and tells us what is on the CD and who wrote it, any further speculation is useless. [/quote] It's 10 original tracks by my band Sea Bass Kid. No covers at all.

[quote name='longtimefred' timestamp='1365500633' post='2040279'] sounds rather strange. I have had albums released through record labels etc that have never needed MCPS/PRS unless they have cover songs on(which mine never have done). If yours does have covers on it, i would forget getting CD's pressed and do it all through iTunes etc as they deal with all that themselves and you get your little tiny slice of the pie at the end of each sale. forgot to say, all my releases have been done by my band using proper pressing companies as well. give these a look see. very good [url="http://www.breedmedia.co.uk/"]http://www.breedmedia.co.uk/[/url] [/quote] No covers whatsoever, it's all our own material. It looks like I need to call the printing company to make sure. Maybe they just gave me the MCPS requirement as a general rule in case we have some non-original songs.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1365495851' post='2040192'] Are you sure? I've done loads of self-released CDs and vinyl and the only time I've ever needed an MCPS licence is when there were cover versions involved. The rest of the time all you have to do is to sign a release saying that you own the copyright on all the songs being reproduced. [/quote] I'm sure the printing company asks us for a MCPS license, in addition to a form stating the music is ours and only ours...

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1365496402' post='2040198'] Is this any help..? [url="http://www.ineedmedia.co.uk/important_replication_information/mcps_licence_mcps_license/mcps_licence_mcps_license.html"]http://www.ineedmedi...ps_license.html[/url] [/quote] yeah, I had seen that, but that's the only place I have seen where it says it's free for your own music. The link they provide is broken. When you go to the MCPS/PRS site it specifies their limited manufacture (LM) license as being the one for bands of amateur musicians releasing their own CD themselves to sell during performances etc. Anything up to 1000 CDs. [url="http://www.prsformusic.com/users/recordedmedia/cdsandvinyl/Pages/LimitedManufactureLicence%28LM%29.aspx"]http://www.prsformusic.com/users/recordedmedia/cdsandvinyl/Pages/LimitedManufactureLicence%28LM%29.aspx[/url] it does not say anything about whether it's your music or not... I read it as assuming that it *is* your music... hmmm. Actually, reading further, it seems it's for using music by others [url="http://www.prsformusic.com/users/recordedmedia/cdsandvinyl/Pages/LimitedManufactureLicence%28LM%29.aspx"]http://www.prsformusic.com/users/recordedmedia/cdsandvinyl/Pages/LimitedManufactureLicence%28LM%29.aspx[/url] it looks like I need to search more... They don't make it easy, do they?

[quote name='Lynottfan' timestamp='1365436793' post='2039607'] That has gone up a shed load, it was a £100 not that long ago, not good, it is worth having though, we did all right out of it for awhile, sadly not as long as we would have liked, but it was better than nothing. [/quote] worth having? not like we have a choice. Printing companies ask for you to have a license. I'm still not sure what we get out of it. It seems to me that a small band will not get anything at all.

So Sea Bass Kid finally recorded the album, we have the launch gig booked, all looks good... now artwork is finished, we had the quotes to get a bunch of CDs printed... "oh, you need to show that you at least applied for a PRS/MCPS license". Erm... ok. We are doing it all ourselves, and it's the first time... so we're finding out things as we go along. What at first looked like a very complicated maze of rules and uses, "license for music while in the toilet does not apply if wearing a red cardigan..." sort of divisions and subdivisions... finally it becomes clear that for a band of amateur musicians doing it all themselves the "LM" license applies. Ok... cool. How much? £326 for up to a 1000 copies if the CD has more than 25min of music. seriously? for a small band that will just sell CDs at gigs and will probably still have copies laying around when we retire??? it seems a tad disproportionate...

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1365424364' post='2039300'] If it's an analogue unit then octave up will always have an element of distortion to it, it's impossible (as far as I know) to separate the two. Shame it's bad at low octave too, as the tracking on the video you posted is brilliant. "Romantic"? [/quote] The tracking is exceptionally good. Not sure I'd call it romantic , but it's really really really good. Pity the sound is so "meh". Unless you want a very subtle octave... if you want a very subtle octave down, then the metallic character can be disguised. Not for me 'though.

[size=5][b]The T-Rex Octavius arrived!!![/b][/size] ... and it's going back. I have made up my mind in less than 15min. Does it follow you like a dog? I don't know... it didn't move, it remain firmly planted where I placed it, which is what I want from any pedal, so that's good. The tracking is AMAZING. No glitches, perfect tracking down to low E. Awesome. It's such a shame it has such an uninspiring and metallic kind of sound. It's a pretty clean kind of octave, but on bass it sounds too artificial. And not good artificial like an OC-2 kind of synthy atificial, this is bad metal box kind of artificial. Maybe on guitar it's better, I am sure that with a bit of distortion and using a bit of octave up you can get some thick tones out of this... but on bass, not for me. I was expecting the octave up to sound metallic, they nearly always do and the youtube videos showed that. But the low octave also has a very annoying metallic clang to it. In addition, this particular example was clearly handled before I got it. It might be a return. That's not necessarily a problem. Yeah, it's nice to have a neat package rather than one with a scrunched up plastic bag for the pedal and a not very neatly packed power supply... but that's not something that would annoy me. However, the pedal was dirty. Not talking of fingerprints only, there is a blob of something on the top of the pedal... I don't know if it's kebab sauce or what but that's not how to send a "new" pedal to someone. (Thanks, GAK, for disappointing me again) If I liked the pedal, I might have just asked for a return just because GAK have annoyed me in the past... but the truth is that this is not a nice octave pedal on bass, despite it's astoundingly good tracking. Now we need an OC-2 clone that tracks like the Octavius! So, it looks like I am keeping the Octamizer for sure. I really like it. I'm not sure yet whether I will sell the OC-2 'though... it sounds great... but more and more I'm finding that the Octamizer is a good compromise, and more tonally versatile.

I can't say anything about that unit, but I have been using a Line6 G30 for a few years now and it's very very good. I would recommend you check those out.

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1365362399' post='2038609'] However, i have my thumb slightly blended towards the bridge [/quote] I looked at this sentence for a couple of minutes going until I noticed the Warwick on your signature "ah! The Warwick Thumb, not his thumb!!!" It makes a lot of sense now... I think I need a coffee!

[quote name='Kevin Glasgow' timestamp='1365372266' post='2038809'] I think the problem was that we all looked really boring individually so he had to edit that way to keep it interesting We need to do a bit of work on our stage presence! [/quote] Just show the bass player more, that would make interesting... for anybody that knows anything, anyway

you already said your bit, now let it be. It's not your concern anymore. I would not be in a band who does that, personally... but hey, if they want to be silly, let them.

It really really really annoys me when it's too loud. When is it too loud? When you cannot tell what everybody else is playing no matter what you do (among other things). What's the point in rehearsing if you cannot really hear eachother well enough to tell when something is off? From my personal experience I suspect too high volumes are mostly 1) an ego thing and 2) an ego thing. Some people play very loud in tiny rooms because that's the only place they get to play loud and they're frustrated playing quietly at home. I can understand that, but go climb a mountain and you can play there with a million watt rig if that pleases you. The fact that you cannot hear things so well at very high volumes it's also used to mask when a band is not very good. If you play loud and are reasonably in time, playing loud can fool people into thinking they are better than they really are. It's a bit like the guitarist using insane amounts of distortion and feedback... the noise masks his clumsiness. Sometimes people just turn up and up because their sound is not clear enough to them... and rather than EQing their sound better, they maintain a bad EQ but a lot louder. So ignorance is sometimes cause for being too loud. I have quit bands in the past when the volume was an issue and it was not addressed to my satisfaction. I play because I love the music, if I can't hear what everybody else is playing what is the point? I have never ever heard a band that was too loud and also played well, there's usually an inverse correlation between how loud they play and how well they play. This is not gigs where they turn up the volume for the audience extremely loud, I'm talking about the volumes the musicians use. Live, it's a bit different. I hate loud stages for the same reason, and it also makes the sound guy's job harder. I want to sound good out at the front, and not so loud that people can't stay in front for longer than a couple of songs at a time because the volume it's uncomfortable. Live, sometimes you can barely hear yourself. It's a shame, but if you know the song (and you should!) you quickly adapt to suboptimal sound and tune in to the instruments you really want to hear. If stage sound is bad and people turn up to compensate, the sound remains bad but in addition it becomes mushy. Ideally you'd want a good sound onstage because if it sounds good I enjoy it more and if I enjoy it more I play better, plus it allows you to interact with others better. If you are going to improvise anything or jam anything at all... you'd better be able to hear what the others are doing! I use earplugs a lot, especially live as I am normally right by the drummer, my concern with volume is not so much hearing damage (as I can protect myself) but about the music itself. If it does not sound good, what is the point? I do like a bit of volume and feeling the bass as much as hearing it... but a lot of people go crazy with volume and it spoils everything.

[quote name='Kevin Glasgow' timestamp='1365107702' post='2035562'] Hi folks, Here's our new video. This one has a wee bass solo too! [media]http://youtu.be/1gG_dpMdoWs[/media] Cheers, Kev [/quote] That was really good, but I find the video hard to watch. The editing seems a bit too"ADHD", the very frequent changes meant I just had it playing in the background but I could not bear to watch it. I liked your bass tone a lot

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1365276539' post='2037635'] People assume that if you play bass then you are a failed guitarist. [/quote] indeed, and they assume it's all about steady root notes for 3 chord songs and that anybody can play that. guitarists are among the worst offenders, as they invariably feel they have to play fast or slap or something to be seen as "good"... but neglect to support the song.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1365275218' post='2037608'] Personnaly octave pedals, they are all one trick ponies, and non really work as well as they should. I much prefer octave up sounds, since you never get tracking issues and its much easier to fatten up what you already. Although the octamizer is my personal favourite for octave Downs, and is also a better alternative to the meatbox too. [/quote] But the glitches appear due to poor recognition of the low frequency notes, so if you let a pedal do the octave up, it is likely to be just as glitchy, only more noticeable as the bassier tones can be easier to disguise. Also the octave up sounds I have heard are a bit too "metallic" sounding and artificial, to me. The EHX POG has an octave up and if blended carefully it can sound pretty cool, I have to admit. I'm expecting the T-Rex Octavius early next week and that one also does octave up. The demo video above makes the octave up sound not very nice... but if blended a bit lower in the mix it can be interesting I suppose. What pedal do you use for the octave up? Octamizer as a Meatbox substitute... I believe that! I was experimenting with it and it can make some truly deep noises!

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1365274958' post='2037606'] The sound of the OC-2 is second to none, but it's something of an anomaly, it's popularity and status is kind of self propogating. Think about it, if Boss released a brand new Octave pedal that didn't track very well, couldn't handle chords, glitched out on long notes, and one of it's only 3 controls was almost completely unusable, people would slate it. [/quote] ha ha, true!!! I guess when it came out there was nothing else that could compare, for its price (relatively economical)... so that led to its popularity.

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1365273527' post='2037579'] The OC-2 really is great, nothing has matched its synthyness for me, even if it does track a bit [i]too [/i]badly. Best octaver i have ever had is the Mutron Octave Divider, but good luck finding one for less than £450 odd these days! [/quote] I have never seen one in person and I hope I don't, in case I really like it. £450? Ouch! You'd better use it for every song all the time so that you get your money's worth then! There was a Guyatone something or another that the bass player in a band I saw once was using. I can't recall what it was... it had some envelope filter like effect but it may have had an octave too... regardless, it was an amazing sounding pedal, really fat and juicy... but not light juicy... STICKY juicy! ( we come up with really weird stuff to describe sounds, don't we?). He used it for sure when doing Stevie Wonder's "Superstition". But when I was talking to him about it, I remember he mentioned the cost and I blocked it out of my mind, as it was also very expensive. edit: I think it was the Guyatone Ultron. No octaver there but very tasty nevertheless.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1365273187' post='2037573'] I'd like an HH3 to plug into my filter. Maybe one day. [/quote] yeah, that sounds like it can be a lot of fun! Maybe if the funk band starts to make a bit of money I can justify it... but, we need songs first. So far we've only written four (as in 90% done, just details about the vocals left to do) and a couple more half way... lots of work to do still