casapete

1 hour ago, Steve Browning said:

I detest the horrible vibrato that musical theatre folk apply to other types of music. 

Probably the main reason I detest musical theatre, although there are plenty more….

1 hour ago, DaleASmith said:

Great band. Does Jan still play guitar for you? Nice guy. ✌️

Yes he does and yes he's a lovely bloke. I’ll miss him when I leave. 

16 minutes ago, zbd1960 said:

I'm a trained singer - but classical - I have 30+ years experience mostly singing as a baritone, but I've been workign with a teacher to sing tenor (there's a long story there but I'll leave it for another post). 

 

What many people (including singers) don't realise or understand is that there are different styles of singing and the techniques required are different. Not only that, but no one voice can sing all styles. There's a huge difference to being a choral singer to being a soloist. There's a difference between singing German lieder, singing opera, or singing musical theatre. It's a different style to be a Rat Pack crooner, a folk singer, or singing hard rock.

 

If this person wants to sing rock/pop then they need to realise that it's a different style, requires different techniques and you can't just "have a go" and expect it to work. 

 

Even within one 'genre' there are variations. If I sing renaissance a cappella polyphony, it's a very different style to singing big C19th choral work with a large orchestra. 

 

Some more self awareness would help... suggestion about needing to work on 'style' with a teacher is probably a good route - but you need to find the right teacher...

Great post. I’m sure a lot of singers feel that swapping styles/genres is a doddle, but from my experience

of working with a lot of them, it really isn’t! One of my pet peeves is when classical/opera singers try to

do pop/rock stuff, and just don’t get it at all ( Michael Ball, Alfie Boe etc ). Likewise pop / rock singers 

trying to do swing/jazz (Rod Stewart and everyone else). 

7 hours ago, chris_b said:

In his day, with Long John Baldry, Steampacket, Jeff Beck and the Faces, Rod Stewart was outstanding.

 

I thought the Sugababes band was good and the bass player was excellent.

I thought so too, the bass player and the drummer were spot on.

The Sugababes vocals were also excellent, although I couldn’t help wondering if

they were being ‘helped’ in places? 

3 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

Not a good singer but fitted well with the Faces, and the guest vocal he did for Python Lee Jackson.

I’d have to disagree with you - I thought in his prime period ( early 70’s) there were few to touch RS

as a vocalist. Loved The Faces, one of my favourite bands.
Saw him in the 70’s and he was tremendous - okay, sometimes a bit pitchy but it kind

of didn’t matter, such a distinctive and soulful tone to his voice. I hated the swing stuff he did, and

not sure if his forthcoming collaboration with Jools will be much better TBH. I saw him again

in summer 2023, and he was surprisingly good, if a bit cabaret at times. 

10 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Was very surprised at that - I wondered why he was coming on, I don't remember him ever singing before

AFAIK Rylan first appeared on TV as a contestant singing on X Factor. 

55 minutes ago, neepheid said:

According to the Radio Times, it's December - https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/jools-holland-annual-hootenanny-2023-line-up/

 

50 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

A mate used to go out with the sax player called Lisa in JHRBO…

 

Its filmed in advance, and one year was filmed in August 😂

45 minutes ago, Rayman said:

I think they basically film it at a time when they can get all the guests in one place at the same time. I think October November time is the norm these days.

This year’s programme was recorded in mid December. I’m watching it now

on iPlayer and enjoying what I’ve seen so far. 
 

17 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Happy New Year to you and yours Pete.

Dave

Right back at you Dave, all the best for 2024. 

Played a dinner dance with friends last night at a nice hotel in Scarborough.

Usual type of stuff, so we started off with some jazzy standards only for a lady

to come over and request ‘some Quo’. Quite surreal for me to be singing ‘Rockin

all over the world’ at 8.30pm on NYE sitting down & dressed in a dinner suit, but the

customer is always right! The 12 o clock thing was supposed to be done by the events

manager using the BBC feed from London, but gremlins meant we had to do

the countdown and Auld Langs Syne bit so we duly obliged.

Out by 12.45, home by around 2am. Roads very quiet so an easy drive home.

Bit knackered today so it’s going to be watching Hootenanny for me this afternoon.

Happy New Year to all the people on here, all the best for 2024. 
 

9 hours ago, la bam said:

I didn't even see a top of the pops Xmas special this year to catch up...

There’s an hour long ‘TOTP Review of the Year 2023’ currently on iPlayer, hosted by Clara Amfo. 

7 hours ago, Paul S said:

One of my old bands did a 'good thing'.  3 of the 4 of us sang (not me) and they would have vocal rehearsals to get the harmonies spot on.  It was easy to do round someone's house, rather than eating into paid rehearsal room time, and it meant I didn't have to hang around counting my toes waiting for them to finish.  Maybe this would help with your guy, if it is isolated it might be more noticeable?

We’ve always done it this way in our band. Start with a ‘front room session’ with just acoustic guitar or

piano to accompany sorting the harmonies out. No hearing issues or places to hide!  When we’ve decided

on the arrangement we either record it or write it down so nobody can change their parts afterwards. 
We then organise two days of rehearsals - first with just the core band to make sure the vocals work

in a larger setting, and then the next day with all of us to finalise things. After that, no excuses 🤣

9 hours ago, TheGreek said:

I'm watching the HRC concert in Hyde Park  - Mr Simon in responsible for some great songs.

Does anybody cover any?

I guess it’s inevitable that my acoustic duo gets many requests for S&G stuff. We do ‘The Boxer’,

‘Mrs Robinson’, ‘Homeward Bound’ and ‘59th Street Bridge song’. We’ve done BOTW a few times

too. In my last band we did ‘You can call me Al’ (which I despised as I could never nail the 

bass solo!) and also my favourite Paul Simon tune ‘Late in the evening’ with the great brass figure.

On our last duo gig someone asked us for ‘Baby Driver’ which we have down to sort, and I fancy

doing ‘Keep the customer satisfied’ too, another great song.

Lovely guitar, GLWTS. 

6 hours ago, Mykesbass said:

Just watched Respect on BBC2. Don't know if it will be on the iPlayer but highly recommended if it is. Jennifer Hudson as Aretha is excellent, the story absolutely heartbreaking, and a new star in the making, Skye Dakota Turner who played the young Aretha. Lovely references to Muscle Shoals, Jerry Wexler and the musicians. Loved it 

I caught only a bit of it last night, but what I saw looked great.

It’s currently on iPlayer so going to fully watch it over the weekend. Sometimes the BBC only show

movies for a limited time on iPlayer so would recommend watching it soon if it’s of interest.

I needed an AB pedal a while ago, and settled on the Fender ABY which can currently be had for £31 new.

Silent switching and battery only required for the LED. Great pedal, solid and no fuss.
Thomann also do what looks like a similar version ‘Lead Foot ABY’ for £19.40, has good reviews.

Handy pedals to have around. I’m not currently using mine but if I sold it no doubt I’d need another

one soon after!

25 minutes ago, spacecowboy said:

Still haven’t had the opportunity to gig the Ken Smith though… definitely can’t have that as a backup to the p bass 🤣

Do it!

15 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

I have spare batteries for that but never trust batteries completely so a passive bass keeps it company.

That’s what I do Phil, main bass is active / passive back up. 

Are you sure it’s the pickup that needs replacing -  I had an Elfin and the pickup sounded 

great, loads of bottom end etc. May be worth checking the wiring / pots first? 

Always have a spare with me, but never use it. My spare isn’t as good a bass as my main one,

but good enough to use should it ever be needed. I probably subconsciously chose it to 

be like that to stop me being tempted to swap around during the show! I get using two

or more basses if they are varied ( 4/5 string/fretted/fretless etc), but as I only use a 

standard 4 string I couldn’t be arsed to mess around on stage with similar instruments. 

 

2 hours ago, uncle psychosis said:

As a Christmas treat to myself I learned the bass part to Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by the Jackson 5.

 

Killer line, and a lot of fun. Merry Christmas! 

I’m sure it’s probably universally hated on here, but the Springsteen version ain’t too shabby either.

7 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

What is Naked Bass?

Maybe it’s similar to that naked butler thing? 😆

Just call Matt on 07……..

2 hours ago, Angel said:

Never had a problem with nails on a bass, but I HATE playing piano when they get too long and click a bit.

Me too! There’s a great Joe Ely song about this very thing. 
 

4 hours ago, Skybone said:

The Ampeg VL-503. I had one those, mine was a 2x12 combo that came with casters because it weighed an absolute ton

IIRC the VL-503 was a 1x12 combo? Had a hefty speaker, maybe a Celestion or something I think. 
 

15 hours ago, Doctor J said:

Guitar amps, though. The first, we stumbled across in the mid-90's. My mate Big Al was looking for an amp and we came across an Ampeg guitar amp, a 2x12 combo, in a shop

Sounds like the Ampeg combo I had in the late70’s. If it was a valve 2x12 job it would most likely to

have been the same as mine, an Ampeg VT22. 100 very loud watts, clean sounding up to a glorious

sweet spot where it was sheer perfection. Mine had 2x12 inch Altecs fitted ( a factory fitted option)

and weighed a ton. No wonder The Stones, The Faces and other bands used them for years.

9 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Change your name so the initials match.

Not again, recently did that to match my car reg number…..