Dad3353

[quote name='Sausages' timestamp='1455194856' post='2976888']...Living in Norfolk... [/quote] Isn't that a contradiction..? ...

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1455180168' post='2976637']... So how exactly do I go about seeking a starter band or any tips in general for finding a band...[/quote] [url="http://www.joinmyband.co.uk/classifieds/durham-f109.html"]Join My Band, Durham ...[/url] [url="https://www.gumtree.com/search?search_category=all&q=bassist&tq=%7B%22i%22%3A%22bassis%22%2C%22s%22%3A%22bassis%22%2C%22p%22%3A0%2C%22t%22%3A12%7D&search_location=County+Durham"]Gumtree, Durham "Bassist..." ...[/url] Probably others, such as local music shops..?

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1455139007' post='2976435']... The people I jam with are I would say at a decent level and have told me I can play but I'm playing such basic stuff [b]nearly anyone could play it.[/b] [/quote] [Robert Robinson] Ah, but they're [i]not[/i], [i]are [/i]they..? [i]You [/i]are..! [/Robert Robertson] If you can play, even (in your opinion...) modestly, then you're good for most local bands, at least (maybe more..!). If it's personality problems or confidence worries, I'd say that going for it could be a help, as long as you've enough 'bottle' to put up with the initial hassle. Only you can know that, of course, so I'll not pursue. There are so many advantages, though, and very few musicians get hurt playing music together, at whatever 'level', so what's to lose..?

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1455135567' post='2976382'] My mate as took his amp to be fixed... [/quote] OK, it's your call. Thanks for the explanation.

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1455126501' post='2976236'] I need some advice on valves and amps being fixed.... [/quote] Is there a reason for not exposing your case here..? You may get some unexpected valuable replies posted for the benefit of all. Just sayin'.

A few remarks and a couple of questions, if you would..? There are not many folks that get through life in general totally on their own; if there are any at all, I don't know them. Many tasks and skills are so much more assimilable given either good tutoring or good support. Practise is one thing; quality practise is another. Maybe you're trying to run before walking..? Three years is not that long to become proficient in any instrument, more especially if you're on your own. Whatever the reasons for not taking up regular, costly lessons, is there really no way at all of putting in the effort of taking, say, a monthly lesson for three months, or similar..? Do you get to play bass with other folks..? Whatever the (perceived...) level, there is certainly someone not too far away that would appreciate your contribution, however modest. It may not be in your favourite style or context, but playing bass is playing bass, for whatever formation, when cut down to the very basics. Often, that is exactly what's required. This would not preclude the continued self-improvement you're striving for, but meanwhile you're playing something useful. Turn your bass around, and play it 'lefty'. Do you find that difficult and uncomfortable..? Well, that's how you started out originally, the very first time you picked up the instrument. The difference in sensation is a modest measure of the improvement already found in those short three years. It matters little enough what others think of your passion (as long as no-one is really hurt, of course..!), and not everyone will understand the pleasure to be derived from small successes and victories after weeks or months of stagnation. When it starts to go right, it may not be apparent to others, but you'll know. Persist, as long as the effort involved brings pleasure, but be patient and not so hard on yourself. It's true, some folks take up tasks with more ease than others, but they are not [i]you[/i]. In a 'worst-case' scenario, there is more to music than bass guitar, but that would involve adopting a totally different mind-set. There would still be effort and frustration, anyway. Not sure if this helps, of course; others will surely have other views.

[quote name='roceci' timestamp='1455120114' post='2976142'] What about grouping songs by artists? Been thinking of doing this, like our 3 Stevie Wonders followed by our 3 Michael Jacksons...anyone doing it that way? [/quote] Yes, I've come across this, with a series of 'Stones' numbers, or a suite of 'Johnny Hallyday' hits strung together. It can work very well. In the group I presently play with, though, we deliberately keep the 'Radiohead' stuff we do spread out over the set, so I'd say that it all depends..!

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1455114825' post='2976039'] You could have fooled me. [/quote] 'Could have' being the operative part.

[quote name='christofloffer' timestamp='1455111839' post='2975988'] i would like to refine my writing a bit... [/quote] I might be wrong (apologies in advance if that's the case...), but it seems that you're using the term 'writing' as a substitute for 'composing'..? It strikes me that you've not got a system for getting the sound in your head down other than to play/record it. Have you envisaged literally 'writing it down'..? I'll anticipate a reply of 'I don't read/write music notation', and I'd suggest that it doesn't have to be in 'classical' style (although that would help a lot, in my view...). Jotting down a melody can be in any form that you can, yourself, read back later on, and can be as simple or as complex as you wish. Higher/lower pitch, some form of timing and/or rhythmic symbolism can do the trick. Many eminent composers have their own 'shorthand' for jottings and 'work in progress', so you'd be in good company..! It could, at best, trigger an interest in developing some more formal notational skills; I'd suggest that it's not all that hard, at least for the more simple stuff at first, and gets much, much easier as one actually does it, rather than simply studying it from an academic point of view. Whilst I'm here, I was a bit surprised to not see any mention of chords in your post. Does your music not use 'em at all..? That would surprise me, as, in a great many instances, a bass line is rather subservient to both the melody and chord structure. This may not be relevant to you, of course. I would agree that starting from a melody, then 'fleshing it out' is a perfectly valid and common way of getting a start on a work. There are other ways, but they would be dependant somewhat on your goals. As an example, I would often firstly find a chord sequence which pleases me (either totally from scratch, or by 'borrowing' from other sources, such as standard progressions or songs that have the notion I'm interested in...), then play around with them, swapping around, repeating elements, reversing stuff... whatever. I, too, have a very poor output when it comes to lyrics, and have for decades adopted the stance of 'if one has nothing to say, say nothing'. Melodies come easily enough, but much more so over a chordal structure. Working out chords from melody is slightly more fraught; I have to find a second, then third melody that will all go in the direction I'm working on. I don't, myself, physically write much down, but use tools such as Guitar Pro and Band In A Box (BIAB...) to convert my doodlings on keyboard (either piano or PC...) into standard notation. I'll then 'tweak' a lot in MIDI, on a piano-roll editor. Cumbersome, certainly, but less so, to me, than realms of paper..! I have done so in the past, however; much more on drum scores (after all, I'm basically a drummer..!) as not much is/was available for transcribing, so I just had to get stuck in. I do, of course, often compose from having thought of a beat or riff as a consequence, as that's my main instrument. No big surprise there, then..! Not sure if this is going to help you enormously; hoping others chip in...

... He listened to plainsong But found it all wrong And so ended up preferring funk.

[quote name='grandad' timestamp='1455040785' post='2975339'] Thank you Dad3353, that is so useful, I am so pleased. [/quote] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:167485]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1455098163' post='2975769'] I don't want to bash the bishop, but shades on a man of the cloth?? [/quote] ...or clothes on a shady man..? One black candlestick or two white faces..? Hmm...

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1455091157' post='2975695']... I wonder if the general public who don't play music themselves would even notice? [/quote] When I was playing in variety orchestras, animating the local dance from 9 till 2, the numbers were usually grouped by type of dance, so we'd have, for example, 4 or 5 rock/twist songs, then some waltzes, followed by a couple of polkas, and a tango or two and a series of slows... Once the couples are up and waltzing, it wouldn't do to break those formations; give 'em a chance to enjoy whatever style they've chosen to dance to. Are these musicians..? No, not at all, but they have quite considerable experience in dancing and enjoying their evening. Similarly for repeated keys; they may not know [i]why [/i]it feels 'odd', but they certainly do notice such details, and varying tonalities does help with giving them a smooth ride. Not all audiences or styles of event have the same 'rules',or format, so it may be appropriate in other circumstances, though, and a 'lead-in' from one song to another is a great touch to add. Just sayin'.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1455059327' post='2975627'] Pronounced '[color=#000000]/[/color][color=#000000]stuːp[/color][color=#000000]/[/color]'. [/quote] Indeed, thus rhyming with 'soup', 'troop' or 'Guadeloupe'. Thank you for that precision.

I think you'll maybe have some difficulty finding a bishop free at such short notice; even more so one with such a pronounced stoop. May I suggest the cunning ploy of using a full-sized cardboard photo of the Right Reverend, mounted on mattress springs so that it sways back and forth..? No-one will know; you'll probably forget his absence, too, and may even prefer the photo's playing..! Tough call, but that's just one of the drawbacks of gigging with clergy.

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1455054353' post='2975565']...would please me no end if they chose a cinematic picture for March's comp... [/quote] What..? A stop-motion dive of a scantily-clad girl into a picturesque lake is not cinematic enough..? What do you want, Star Wars Tee-fighters and lasers..? Lawrence of Arabia..? Roger Rabbit's Toonville..? Serves you right if next month's pic is of a solitary rose in a vase..!

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1455049424' post='2975487']...as this set-up works so well! [/quote] ... and nobody in the audience is listening to the 'bass drum', either..!

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1455046976' post='2975446'] Yeh but most of my friends are musicians or bloody actors and comedians. I'm supposed to go to all their lamentable performances, but do they come to mine? Not often (rolls eyes). [/quote] But [i]they're [/i]on [i]their [/i]stage when [i]you're [/i]on [i]your [/i]stage, aren't they..?

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1455047065' post='2975448']... This is recorded with a go pro and the kick going through the small PA in my live room... [/quote] Yay..! Result..! Final 'tweak'..? Double-sided beater; just a twist to go from hard 'clack' to softer 'thud'. No, don't thank me; just a postal order will do. Good work, lad; well done.

[quote name='The Hat' timestamp='1455046123' post='2975425'] Are these effects boxes simple to use ? I look at some of em and I wouldn't have a clue what buttons to press [/quote] True, they can be daunting at first view but, as with many things in life, it's only the first forty years that are the worst, after which things generally tend to get (slightly...) better. It's not rocket surgery; do as we all do (or did...) press the buttons and listen to what happens. If it's good; keep it. If not, try another. Rinse and repeat. 'Seasy, really; even I can do it (sometimes...), and I'm a drummer..! Another vote for the Roland Bass Cube 30; in fact, all Roland amps are good, in my experience.

We've always done this, as have most of the previous formations in which I've played. Our present criteria are guided more, now, by my physical (lack of...) abilities, so as to give me much-needed respite from the more up-tempo numbers, but the 'flow' as you call it, is in my view, a very important factor in the success of any set. Always worth working on, but not to over-think, of course. If drop tunings are involved, grouping to keep tune up/down sessions to a minimum; otherwise try to keep the key changes flowing (don't follow a song in 'A' with another in 'A' etc...). I thought all bands did this.

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1455045847' post='2975424']...it's starting to look like a dreadnought body... [/quote] Indeed it is..! Excellent topic, excellent write-up, excellent photos. Excellent all round, in fact. Thanks for sharing.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1455043342' post='2975380'] I got a little time with the vocoder & polished up the track a little bit... [/quote] Isn't that just the essence of this Challenge..? So much variation..! Not just chalk and cheese, but polenta, radishes, cucumber, whelks and fried chicken wings..! It's going to be a brave person to choose any one of these as 'Best Of Show', and there's certainly more to come still..! Bring 'em on, I say, but it's getting to the point where a Winner's Certificate should, in all justice, be issued to each and every entry, simply for the merit of having been created and presented..! Where will it end..? The mind boggles (well, my pea-sized one does, anyway..! ).