lowlandtrees

Been playing for 2 years and definitely wish that I had had some lessons but no one around here. Geoff Chalmers was a saviour. I have just started basic arco techniques (bowing) and have realised that I should have done this right at the beginning. It has taught me so much about left hand positioning, posture and tuning which can immediately be used in plucking. Not to mention the head turning sound that is produced. I have a quarter size DB...which I always wanted but sort of wished that I had bought the real thing. There are advantages in the small bodied......it is quiet so I can play for hours on end using headphones...transportation is easy....storage is a dream..... I still don't know how to go about getting the real thing though.

I would like a good foot switch tuner for my quarter size DB. Was about to get a Boss tu2 but I have found that a lot of guitar tuners don t pick up the low E string. Anyone use a tu2? I have tried most of the clip on tuners but find that they don t last or I lose them or stand on them or I smash them off of the nearest wall..cos its their fault that I am not in tune!. I assume that they don t alter the signal to the amp?
The main reasons that I want a foot switch is for stage use and for improving my arco. I am self taught (no teachers in this one horse one). Well I say that I am 2 years self taught but taking lots of advice from online folk like Geoff whatzisname on Youtube (a goldmine of info....highly recommend!!).

I realise that it will not be the same but I slap and pizz more than arco and it is not worth changing for 2 songs. Thanks for the advice

Thanks Rev .....any particular rosin ......Pops ?

I use Silver Slaps and am very happy with them. The band then asked me to do bowing on two song intros and outros. Slap strings obviously do not bow well but does anyone do this successfully and have any tips. The rosin I use is very hard....should I use soft rosin for example. I did some quick Youtube lessons and found the german bow hold more comfortable. My quarter size bass proving a bit of a challenge as well but I only have to master 6 notes . The A string seems easier to bow at present. Got less than a month to the gig...better get practising.

Bass tape on the shopping list. I used this stuff that my wife puts on her blistered jogging feet but it is gluey so not ideal. Also hard to get off.

Thanks for all the advice. Meant to say that it was my left hand forefinger...the fretting hand. Cold not face open finger surgery. Ended up taping it up and taking paracetamol and anti inflams and it worked. Gig went great! Gonna try and play through it...took me a lot of work to get that hard skin in place and hope to keep it

Just noticed an earlier thread on this but this seems to be more preventative. There is talk of superglue! I have a thick callus with a blister under the callus. Not much fluid in there. Will have a look tomorrow and see if I can burst it. Bugger

Help....need some serious advice. My very first DB gig tomorrow and the whole of the tip of my forefinger has blistered. Obviously too much practice. I have soaked it in warm salty water, ice packed it and put a blister plaster on it. Anything else I can do?

I am no singer and definitely cannot sing and play. However I did some singing lessons years ago. If you get the right teacher then I would say that they are worth their weight in stuffed brown envelopes. You don t necessarily need continuous lessons (although many pros do have vocal coaches). I would say book 5 initial lessons from a coach to get the basics.
Some of the warm ups that I learned involved 'placing' and anchoring the voice ie pinpointing which part of the body creates the sound...in the mouth it is the soft palate. Getting your air to vibrate the area of your face around the sinuses etc. Humming siren sounds is good and sounds like moom and mum. Sing your range with the words Kung and Kong(great exercise).
One great excercise I found was talking like Boo Boo (remember Yogi Bear).....this opens and relaxes the gullet. The main anchor is of course breathing, relaxation and posture.
I would say that I am probably an extremely average singer but the lessons improved my voice 10 fold. I wish that I had taken vocal coaching as a teenager (was in my early 50s when I went to coaching) before all the bad habits formed.
Don't be put off by teachers who train classical.

We (rocky blues) played after the bingo in a Grangemouth club years ago. The only two women under 60 in the place (they late twenties and attractive) approached me afterwards and made some small talk. Just as they were leaving one of them said...'by the way....you were s--t-'

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1428701423' post='2743998']
There is an orthopaedic surgeon in my borough that specialises in the management of Dupuytrens. Once he has done the initial assessment, he will present the options appropriate for that time. He really does know what's good for a given circumstance. Of course, the patient still has to consent to anything that happens.

Recommend you find the name of your area specialist and research what he's like. If he's good, recommend him to your GP.

Best wishes with it
[/quote]
Hi. How would you go about this. Is there a professional body or institution?

Love to go but too expensive.

Don t think that I drink that much at prez but had my share of fun before I got hitched. I have used chainsaws on a daily basis since 1978 so that may explain it. Pisses me off that finally I get time to devote to playing that this comes along.
I read on the NHS web site that there are interventions that are successful if it is caught early but my GP thought that they only operated at a late stage so conflicting info there. It has got slightly worse since I posted last night so not too happy about waiting.

Must check for horns on the side of my head

Hi
Thanks for the reply. How big an area of tissue did they remove and how deep did they cut? Did the contractures grow quickly?
Was in Cardiff last week btw

Would love this but live too far away. Think all BCers should move en masse to a colony in mid south Scotland and breed.
I am sure that this will be gone but if you decide to post I would be interested.

Just been diagnosed with the above. I thought that I had been over practising and blistering. My ex music teacher had it and had to have tendons on his ring finger and pinky cut more than once. I think that if it goes that far I am musically up that creek.
It seems to be progressing quite quickly. Do I cut the practice or increase it cos the end is in sight? There is apparently new treatments but it seems like my GP did n t know about that. Been referred to orthopaedics but you know how long that takes.

Was hoping to get a cheaper tablet that I would use for band use only. Can t really afford an ipad.......well I could but would mean a GAS cut back....fancy a new bass (Sandberg) and an EA cab. Will look into the Hudl. Great advice as usual

Can anyone give me advice about the above. It seems standard now to gig and rehearse with your stuff on a tablet. Would in particular like to know[list]
[*]Can you use a cheaper tablet rather than an ipad. How much should I pay for one?
[*]What software do you need?
[*]Which websites are useful for downloading songs and do they offer transposition?
[*]Can you upload sheet music?
[*]Best mic stand mount?
[/list]
Thanks

Was thinking of this post myself .....at home I use freezer bags for my cables and stuff...was thinking of using this idea for the music stuff

No thanks. Thought that they were called Obbm

Been trying (unsuccessfully)to get on Obbm site. Are they still trading?

Think that Brass in Pocket by the Pretenders a good example of the hook being a simple guitar riff. Lots of stuff has good rhythm guitar that is not necessarily hooky

Forgot about the Greenboy Fearless F112