thebrig

I like it!

Chances are, none of the four isolated tracks are actually on the final recording, they are probably takes that have been rejected, which probably explains why they have ended up in the public domain, but I do believe that it is him playing, as there can't be any doubt that the vocals and guitar tracks are genuine. But I suppose we will never know for sure, but I think it does illustrate that it doesn't always take a nice sounding and perfectly played bass to sound good in the mix.

If you really wont play for free ([i]which of coarse is entirely up to you[/i]), and you will only play for money ([i]again, that's entirely up to you[/i]), and I'm definitely not going to criticise anyone who wants to make money out of playing, but I do wonder how many of you realise ([i]although I'm sure you do[/i]), that any form of extra income should be declared to '[i]Her Majesties Inland Robbers[/i]'. I ran a small online shop for a while, and some weeks I might make £30, other weeks I might make about £60/70, and on a good week I might make £100, very similar to the sort of money average band members would make [u]each[/u] from playing your average pub gig, but I hired an accountant to make sure that all was ok with my tax responsibilities. Now please don't get all upset here, but how many of you paid bands are even registered, or paying any dues to the HMIR? The only reason I ask is because just recently, I was offered a place in a band that is gigging at least twice a week, occasionally three times a week, and I would have been taking about £150 - £250 in my hand every week, that's around £7,800 - £13,000 per annum, and the first thing that struck me was that I will have to declare that amount of extra income. Now lets be honest here, many of the bands who are not happy with bands playing for free, will probably be earning at least that amount, and the function bands who charge upwards of £1000 for a wedding of corporate event, will be earning even more. So fine, play for money, but only criticise those who play for small amounts of for free, if we are a threat to your registered business, ie, Registered BAND, if you are not a registered business, then really we are all in the same boat, but do it for different reasons.

[quote name='dr_skitz' timestamp='1350144297' post='1835153'] The bassline in isolation sounds pretty much on the money to me! We do a cover of this in my band and that's pretty much the bassline I play. Couldn't vouch on whether or nor that's really JD playing it (it does sound a bit bedroom recorded - but then it was the 80s). However, the transitions and octave jumps sound like the style he writes/plays. Cheers! PS - The combined track bassline sounds a bit out of time! ;-) [/quote] I only play at music software, I have know real idea how to get the best from it sadly. I only spent a few minutes lining the tracks up, but I think that it must be him playing, as it seems to fit in with the rest of the tracks, albeit, a little out of time maybe?

Thought I might start a new thread on the subject of John Deacon's bass playing in isolation. On the other thread, I sensed that maybe a few people doubted whether it was any good, or indeed, was it actually him playing at all? And this is the reply I got from the guitarist in my band, after I sent him the isolated bass line: [b][i][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4]"[/size][/font][/color][size=4][font=Arial]Oh noooo - this track must have been played & loaded by someone attempting the bass line in their bedroom, I just cannot believe that this is what's on the track, it sounds totally different"[/font][/size][/i][/b] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So I downloaded all four isolated tracks from YouTube, Bass, drums, guitars and vocals, and spent some time lining the tracks up in Reaper, I have not altered them in any way, no mixing, nothing! just put them together and rendered them.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]You can listen to the other isolated tracks on YouTube if you want, but hear is the bass line, and then combined.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][b]Bass[/b] - [/font][/color][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aNogqF7Bac"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aNogqF7Bac[/url] [b]Combined - [/b][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SDDKHK8ZAg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SDDKHK8ZAg[/url]

I sent the isolated bass track to my band members, and one of the guitarists said, it can't be John Deacon, it's probably just someone playing the bass line in their bedroom. So I downloaded all four isolated tracks from YouTube, Bass, drums, guitars and vocals, and spent some time lining the tracks up in Reaper, I have not altered them in any way, no mixing, nothing! just put them together and rendered them. Listen to the tracks in isolation first, and then listen to them combined. Sorry, but how do you upload mp3's?

[quote name='swanbrook' timestamp='1350136053' post='1835004'] Then what do you do ...... Not 50 years of pulling fish out of the water only to f*** them back in again is that nor worse dude, at least catch them to eat them no. Is that not like going to the pub ordering a pint of Guinness and just looking at it " lovely eh" "Yup sure is, will we drink it ?" "Noooooo can't do that stick it back in the keg" Yes I am just kidding ! [/quote] Oh Dear! You have been in a bad mood these past few days, you must be great fun to have a pint of Guinness with!

[quote name='swanbrook' timestamp='1350125255' post='1834812'][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]fly fisher is clearly too busy needlessly killing fish for sport ( shame on you sir)[/font][/color][/quote] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I fish too, maybe for 50 odd years, I don't seem to recall [b][i]killing[/i][/b] any of them![/font][/color]

I left my function band just a couple of weeks after I secured a £2,000 gig for us, mainly because I did not enjoy what we were playing, and what we were doing to ask for that kind of money. Arriving really early, setting up before all the notorieties arrived, then going off to the local cafe or pub to kill time (sometimes 4 or 5 hours), and then getting to play just when people are deciding that's it's time to go home. Give me a jam down at the local, in front a couple of old men and the dog any time! it's what I LOVE!!!!!!!! As I stated earlier, I'm not wealthy, in fact, due to ill health, I've been on statutory sick pay for around six months now, but the way I see it, if I don't go out on a Saturday and play (sometimes even for nothing), or listen to live music, I would just go nuts staying in watching [i]Come Dancing[/i] or [i]X Factor[/i]. But please don't take my post too seriously guys/gals, it's not worth getting too wound up about what other people do or feel, if you are that good, go out and earn as much money as you can, and let the rest of us play for the sheer pleasure, and enjoyment that we get from our HOBBY!

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1350043314' post='1833887'] I was trying to be as diplomatic as I could be. But what I really meant was that if you play for free (unless it's for charity) and the promoter/landlord thinks you are too crap to bother paying and you accept their judgement and play anyway. Then it must do very little for your self respect. [/quote] I really can see all sides of the argument, but what I am trying to say is, [u]I really love playing[/u], and if there was no payment, I would still do it because it's what I love most in life, apart from my family. But hey! life would be boring if we all agreed.

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1350041910' post='1833864'] What a sad little life you must lead if you can only feel valued when being paid. [/quote] Just what I was thinking!

First and foremost, playing my bass is a HOBBY that I get immense PLEASURE out of, but at the moment, I have not played with my band for nearly six weeks, due to the fact that our singer had to retire through ill-health, and various other reasons, and we are now in the process of finding a new vocalist. We have a rehearsal booked for next Thursday where we hope to audition a couple of potential singers, and it can't come soon enough for me, because I just want to PLAY, and if one of the many bands that I know was to phone me now asking me to dep for them, I would be there like a shot, and I would happily do it for nothing, because it's my HOBBY, if there is a payment, then that would be a bonus. It's nothing to do with me [u]not [/u][font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"][u]valuing myself[/u], or that [u]I feel so bad[/u] that I don't deserve to be paid, it's my HOBBY and my ENJOYMENT, why can't people accept that some people actually enjoy playing, and don't just do it just for money.[/color][/font][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]As it stands, I would say that 99% of all the gigs that I have played, have been payed gigs, but I would never pack up playing, like some people have suggested, if we never got payed again, why would I want to pack up doing something I love, just because there is no "reward"? the reward for me is PLAYING because it is what I love doing most![/font][/color]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1349988210' post='1833318'] Can I steal this? Great comment. I *will* steal it [/quote] I already have!

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1349953143' post='1832582'] It wasn't aimed at you mate, it was aimed at the stupid comment left by the jealous bedroom bassist on YouTube. Sorry for the confusion [/quote] No problem, when I re-read it, I could see that you actually put "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]comment on YouTube" (Specsavers and all that), and you are right it was a stupid comment![/font][/color]

Mind you, having listened to John Deacon's bassline in isolation, it is great for less experienced, '[i]green around the ears[/i]' players like myself. First and foremost, it's my hobby and I play for fun, how things are meant to sound in the mix, has taken me a long time to get to grips with. For more experienced bassists who have been gigging for years, and spent lots of time in the studio, they will know exactly what's required, but when you are practising at home on your own, that lovely warm sound you get from your bass and amp is very pleasing, but when you start playing with other musicians, you wonder why you sound terrible. So listening to the rawness of parts in isolation, really helps us realise that a lot of thought and effort has to be put in by all members of the band, to get the overall sound just right.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1349950411' post='1832540'] I can never understand why anyone would take a constituent of the whole and judge it in isolation. It's like enjoying a wonderful plate of food then eating half a teaspoon of salt and being surprised it tastes horrible. [/quote] Great analogy!

If we put it all into context, we are all outdoing each other! Band A plays for free Band B says they wont play for free, but will play for £50 Band C wants £100 Band D wants £200 and so on......... Now think about it, some of you are suggesting that the bands playing for free, or for peanuts are not doing you any favours by devaluing the going rate, but surely even you go in and negotiate a price, let's say, you ask for £900 and there might be another band after the same gig as you, have already asked for a £1000, chances are, you will get the gig, go away and think you are keeping the going rate as it should be. What I am trying to say is, most bands negotiate regardless of how good they are, so therefore will be undercutting the band who charges a bit more, I'm not saying this is right or wrong, it's just the way it is. If you are a band that has a fixed fee and you stick by it, and I mean, lets say, you charge £1000 per gig, and when offered £950 you walk away, then great, I admire you for it, but on the other hand, if you say, oh all right then, it's only £50 less, what does it matter, then that's a different story, because if other bands are charging £1000 as well, then you are undercutting them and starting a downward spiral of the going rate.

[quote name='Chrismanbass' timestamp='1349945505' post='1832459'] i think he was referring to someone on youtube rather than you here on bass chat the top comment on the video is someone who says this Oh my God. A dilettante. Ever heard of the phrase "playing in time", Mr. Deacon? And he made millions with this crap. Now I know why I never liked to listen to Queen excessively, although the compositions are magnificent, incredible, ingenious. But with this rhythm section? "Don't move dont't groove", is this Deacon's and Taylor's motto? Taylor is constantly beside the beat just as well. And they, seriously, put this on a record? [color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]f***ing sh*t. I would have kicked them out of the studio.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=2][url="http://www.youtube.com/user/MegaBradley01"]MegaBradley01[/url] [/size][/font][/color] [color=#333333][font=arial, sans-serif][size=2][size=4]hence the tag of "grade a helmet"[/size][/size][/font][/color] [/quote] Ah! I thought that as my comment was the the first, and therefore at the top, I assumed that he was referring to me. And I suppose it could sound like I am saying, "[i]if that's the best he can do, then maybe I ain't so bad after all[/i]", although obviously, I wasn't.

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1349914825' post='1832320'] Sounds alright to me! Whoever wrote that top comment on YouTube though is a grade A helmet. [/quote] I assume you are referring to me! Well it was a "tongue-in- cheek" comment about [u]MY[/u] ability, and not meant as a criticism of [u]HIS[/u] playing! I play in a covers band, and our gigs are mainly in small venues and pubs, and I have only ever been in a studio once, and that was to record a three-song demo CD When I heard my playing isolated afterwards, I was a bit disappointed, but hearing great players isolated too, helps you to realise that maybe that is what it is meant to sound like, and after the final mix, I was happy, as I cut through nicely, and my playing actually sounded smooth and warm. Just an observation, lately, I've noticed that quite a few BC'ers are resorting to insulting comments, when they disagree with other people's views, disagree by all means, but things like "grade A helmet" and worse, are totally unnecessary, and not really what the BassChat community is all about. You see! I disagree with you, but I don't need to insult you.

If that's John Deacon, then I ain't so bad after all!

+3

Must have been great playing Norman's bassline on 'Rhythm Stick'! Or did you do your own take on it?

Why are you on Basschat starting new topics? [i][b]Shouldn't you be practising?[/b][/i]

[quote name='Steve G' timestamp='1349799541' post='1830709'] I'm gonna stick my oar in here. I'm newish to bass playing and would love to be at the point of being in a band and being able to play to an audience, the covers that many berate would be fab for starters. But how do you do that? How do you get a following if you can't play live? If you've not got a following how'd you get a gig, whether you are 'just another' covers band, probabbly harder as an originals band? All rhetorical questions really, I'm not asking for answers; but I can see why a new outfit would be willing to play for free or very little. Afterall you put the hours in to practice/rehearse but if you have no outlet for it what's the point. I see that as time progresses you would want and will be able to charge and this would increase with popularity. Maybe there are just too many bands at the start of this curve and the atrition rate is pretty bad so there is always a new band to fill the 'freeplay' spot? [/quote] Exactly what I have been trying to say!

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1349793820' post='1830618'] Definitely sympathy.... but I can see how it might be interpreted as sarcasm! [/quote] Thanks mate, although I'm not after any sympathy, I was just trying emphasise, that my point of view is not based on the fact that I can afford play for free, because I definitely can't. But hey! that's what's so great about this forum, so many different viewpoints, and most of them all valid in some way or another.