Dad3353

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1474826103' post='3140846'] I've found that the size and shape of the neck does have an influence to my hand shape [/quote] It's a common problem.

The description fits almost exactly with our cottage, one part of which is our 'Music room' where we practise (2 guitars, bass, drums, singer, pop/rock covers, all-valve half-stacks, 2 x 300 PA monitors...). Stone walls, small windows, concrete floor, 'recording' loft above the beams and floorboard ceiling. I find that the equipment in there (cabs and other 'stuff', including an armchair...) allow the room to be 'live' without any inconvenient resonances. We have recorded stuff in there, and it's not bad at all. I'd recommend doing nothing at all for a month or two, and see how it feels after that. More important, maybe would be heating (in winter...) and adequate ventilation, to avoid condensation. Is the room used regularly, or left vacant for a week at a time..? That will determine the impact on any gear left there. Many studios have a 'stone' room to try to recreate just the ambience you're likely to get, and if you're not recording, you won't want a really 'dead' room, anyway. Do nothing expensive, at least, and forget about egg cartons. Did that decades ago to no effect whatever save placebo. Subject to correction, completion and/or contradiction from others; hope this helps.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1474488942' post='3138411'] That was a real life situation. If the band members all live miles away from each other it makes no sense for them all to be traipsing round the country in the middle of the night to carry mic stands up and down a driveway in the rain. [/quote] Quite.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1474485615' post='3138379'] Quite right... [/quote] Yes,as is often the case, although I think I detect just a tinge of sarcasm in your post. I would, however, encourage you, nevertheless, to continue these leaps of imagination. Some might well be actual, real-life situations, you never know. Thanks for your enlightening contribution, anyway.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1474484093' post='3138361'] Well. If everyone is worth the same hourly rate, the guy that's hauling the PA at 3am in the middle of winter while all his band 'mates' are asleep should receive something for his efforts. It's only fair. [/quote] Other logistics solutions are available.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1474475159' post='3138293'] Quite, a vox P.A is owned by the singer. But if you have a P.A for the band...and everyone goes through it, that is a bigger outlay and a bigger load so that means the guy who does most of it needs to be paid or he will get fed-up. He might say he needs a bigger car, fuel costs etc etc It is a can of worms but I just think it is easler to thrash out a deal and pay it.... This only really works on gigs/bands that can justify carrying a bigger P.A and gigs that pay for it... and then you get into kitty's etc etc . [/quote] ^ Sometimes. Other models are available.

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1474457009' post='3138130'] I dont get why the PA should b chargeable. I provide my instruments, rig, pedals etc without charging extra. If I need a set of strings I dont expect the band to chip in. [/quote] Can of worms; we're back to this tired old dichotomy of 'folks who put a monetary value on things' and those who 'do things because they want to'. There are many ways of looking at all of this, so there is much divergence. In our band, for instance, I 'own' (in the sense of 'I bought'...) the PA stuff, and the whole band profit from it. That's just the way that I do things in general, so no surprise there. We play for nowt, anyway, so nothing to split. I bought our 'tour bus', too; it's been lent out numerous times to band members and others buddies for house moves, or furniture collection etc. I don't go in for looking for problems, rather offering solutions. Simple..? Yes, deliberately so.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1474290903' post='3136846']... Or is pride another culture difference?... [/quote] Pride in one's [i]own [/i]personal feats, I can understand (and, on occasions, experience...). Pride in the achievements of [i]others [/i]I cannot understand, and have never felt. It seems odd, to me, as a characteristic. Maybe it's just me..?

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1473925213' post='3134099'] As I said in the other post, on his own or with help (doesn't matter) Ringo changed drumming... [/quote] In the Pop world, maybe, and far be it for me to denigrate Ringo, but here were many movements in the drumming world, evolving the role of the instrument and its techniques. Greats such as Joe Morello, Art Blakey, Jo Jones... The list is long. All was not '2 and 4', by any means, in other quarters. Leaving aside Buddy Rich's extreme offerings, Gene Krupa had a lot more going on than merely 'rhythm drums'. Big band was a huge vehicle for expression in percussion, and jazz trios needed more than just a back-fill to keep the music creative. All credit to Ringo for his achievements, but there were many others innovating at the time, ignorant of his impact, I'd say.

[quote name='Jakester' timestamp='1473799158' post='3133283'] Hmm, I think 25" scale might be still be a little too long at this stage - I have a Strat copy with a standard scale length of 25.5" and he struggles to fret the lower notes. [/quote] Try the same, but with a capo at the 3rd or 5th fret. They grow very fast, do kids. Don't get an instrument which will be too small in a year or so..!

[quote name='Jakester' timestamp='1473791164' post='3133187'] Thanks Rhys - should have said he specified he wants "a rock one" so that tends to rule out classical guitars. [/quote] They don't come very much more 'rock' than a [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Westfield Mini Precision, 25" scale... [/font][/color] [media]http://youtu.be/RkWdn2TSmfQ[/media] Wouldn't it be great if there was anyone trustworthy willing to part with one..?

Not many would disagree with all that, as it's pretty obvious really. Yes, a good drummer is a musician who can play, and listen, keeps good time and sounds good; no surprise there. I see that no-one has yet mentioned stick-twirling, though. Surely no drummer could aspire to the epithet 'good' if this critical skill is lacking..? Not just the old 'optical illusion' trick that fools no-one, but real 'tossing in the air and catching on the beat' stuff. The true hallmark, no..?

Good for you, old fruit, and many thanks for making me feel just a bit more like a young whipper-snapper. All too few opportunities, these days, so doubly welcome. Yes, 16, Methodist Church Hall, a pub or two in Hounslow and a couple of youth clubs got the ball rolling for me, too, with the Martin Spicer Band. My first bass lines were played on the bottom strings of my Hofner President guitar. Innocence, eh..? It didn't last. Happy daze.

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1473613001' post='3131657'] found this.. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx8jLE3qVqA"]https://www.youtube....h?v=lx8jLE3qVqA[/url] [/quote] That's surely a joke video..? It's all over the shop..!

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1473612181' post='3131643']... Many thanks for the replies guys. [/quote] [quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1473612181' post='3131643'] Jeez I can be thick sometimes... [/quote] Maybe that's what they're testing, seeing just how far they could string you along..?

How is this audition to proceed..? They surely don't expect you to play along to a backing track..? Are they to play [i]their [/i]parts..? Let 'em start off with the Queen one; you've got a minute or two before you even come in, and the bass is not, really, the most difficult part in that one. If the others pull it off I'd be surprised. As for the Rush number (I didn't know it, I'm not followed 'em specially, and am unimpressed by what I heard when I listened to it...), just follow the drummer. If [i]he [/i]gets it right straight into the intro, again, I'd be surprised. The actual fundamentals of the track are not that difficult on bass (if you not expected to sing, of course..!), and the 'doodly' bits are unplayable by mortals, anyway, so a 'fail' for all, there. On the other hand, if they ask you to play those pieces [i]without [/i]their input, you'd be quite right in putting your bass back in its case and getting an audition with another, more reasonable, band. Either way, good luck with it and... Break a leg..! Keep us posted, please..?

Still not well, but well enough to present yet another masterpiece for your enjoyment and appraisal. Complicated, this month, with an amalgamation of the two pictures to deal with. We've done it before, though, and doubtless will do it again. It's done, anyway; that's the main thing. Here, then, is... ... Wait for it... ... Suspense... ... (A muted drum roll...) ... [url="http://soundcloud.com/dad3353/insoutenable"]Insoutenable...[/url] Enjoy.

[quote name='timhiggins' timestamp='1473466913' post='3130558'] Well done M.B.A. ..and Dad can we have Marcus and Family man on the certificate as well please [/quote] No, the present selection are far and away the best Noodlers ever (present company excepted...), and, in any case, I'm not a 'phone-in, 'vote for whom you think should be on the Certificate'-type popularity competition person. I'll be very generous, though, and promise to include those erstwhile, but inferior, Noodlers on your own winning Certificate when [i]you [/i]win. Can't say any fairer than that, and anyway, I'm a stubborn old git with very fixed views concerning Noodlers on Certificates. (Scuttles away to look up any Marcuses that may have played bass, and to see why Ric Grech should be considered by [i]anyone [/i]as a Noodler. [i]Music in a Doll's House[/i] was everything [i]but [/i]Noodling..!

[quote name='zonular' timestamp='1473421522' post='3130064']... Long story short....just picking brains [/quote] Use whatever you want/have, there are no rules, and it's all good, ime. We use a 'Douglas' 6-string fretless, straight into a Hiwatt DR205 driving an HH 2 x 15 horn-loaded cab. A varied '80s/'90s repertoire of pop/rock, including several Radiohead, Muse, RATM, Noir Désir, RHCP and much more. A simple, vox-only PA, so no DI or stuff like that. Any decent-sounding gear will do the job very well; no need to use anything special (unless you want to, of course...).

[size=4][quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1473422965' post='3130086'] Is it all over? Do I get to wear a tiara an blub a bit? [/quote][/size] [size=4]Go on; have a good blub, you'll feel all the better for it afterwards. Meanwhile, if you can read through the tears...[/size] [size=4][color="#222222"][font="Arial, sans-serif"]And the winner is... MoonBassAlpha [sharedmedia=core:attachments:167486] Here, then, is your Winner's Certificate (download and save as pdf file, then proudly print and frame...) ...[/font][/color][/size] [size=4][sharedmedia=core:attachments:227506][/size] [size=4][color="#222222"][font="Arial, sans-serif"]... which looks like this (but bigger, of course..!)... [/font][/color][/size]

I looked through the questions, and couldn't see what value I could have added, as they seemed only to be 'fishing' for folks wanting to sign up for lessons, so I didn't 'submit'. I suppose it might be useful to someone, somewhere, but I couldn't see where. A rather odd poll (but then again, I'm a drummer, so... ). Not for me; sorry.

All the more so as I've all but retired. Sorry, folks.

He's not wrong, y'know, and the same applies to bassists, too (as, indeed, to all musicians...). Technique for technique's sake is very rarely what's required. Who was it said 'Less is more.'..? Wise words, usually.

The last birthday party I assisted in, I was 5 years old. My infant's school chums and I wrecked the house, with our 'fun and games'. Never, since, have I had any sort of 'do'. Dangerous things, birthday parties.

At 4 years old, I remember, at infant school morning assembly, hearing classical pieces such as The Carnival of the Animals.