cheddatom

I think it'd work if you're playing chords and high up the neck etc. I've arranged some songs for this where I can play the bass line as well as some accompaniment, and then sing on top (not that i'm good).

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' timestamp='1335466692' post='1631755'] ...Good full range condensers in a stereo XY arrangement is my usual start point, often in the form of a Rode NT4 stereo mic... [/quote] Great! I just put my name down on one

You might have close mics on the snare and kick, but they're still going to be very loud components in your stereo pair, so for a start having them in phase is important. I once read that you should start your drum mix with a stereo pair, and then gradually add the close mics in, and this method seems to work for me. Like I said though, in terms of toms i've never got a sound I liked without close mics.

I tried the "recorderman" technique a while ago. I like it, and it'd be good for certain kinds of music, but for me it couldn't yield the same impact as close-micing - especially on the toms It did make me start to think more about phase and I started measuring my stereo overhead pair from the snare and kick.

Normally, I will spend a lot of time on a mix. I'll mix, then export, take it around different systems, play it to different people, go back and tweak, repeat until i'm "happy". recently I did a song which was written, recorded and mixed within 24 hours. We did have to re-do some guitar tracks after, but i've not touched the mix. I'm much happier with this mix than I am with some i've spent months on. here it is: [url="http://soundcloud.com/matt-colbeck/dirty-shirley"]http://soundcloud.com/matt-colbeck/dirty-shirley[/url] I had a conversation about it recently. Every time you listen to a peice of music, your mood is affecting your perceptions. One day you might fancy some metal, the next some folk, and I think this clearly demonstrates that sometimes you're going to prefer different sounds depending on your mood or what happened that day. When it comes to mixing, my approach has always been to listen to it and adjust it as many times as possible, the idea being that over time it should tend towards an objectively good mix. If you don't have lots of time to do this, maybe getting it done "in the moment" is the best way anyway, that's my long-winded explanation of why I dare to disagree with Si

If it's only a demo it doesn't have to be perfect, you might as well get it done. "Capture the energy" as they say

[quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1335345140' post='1629452'] I'll reiterate my reasoning, not one person has ever said "I like the use of such and such a pedal on that track, it really added something". [/quote] It could be that the style of music you're playing, or the "sound" of your band doesn't lend itself to effects on the bass. Personally, whatever I play bass in, I carve out a big space to use my pedals. I use them to add to the dynamic arrangement of songs, as well as produce sounds which are so effective, I actually do get compliments on my sound, or my effects (sadly never my playing )

there's nothing wrong with gigging with lots of gadgets, as long as you know how to use them. I used to gig with 25 pedals on two pedal boards with 2 amps. I still set up in 10 minutes. If you can't set up in 10 minutes at rehearsal you're never going to be able to set up in time at a gig.

I've never seen that FEA mixer before - I bet that's ace.

[quote name='MetricMike' timestamp='1334592997' post='1618175'] Remember "[i]People don't know what they like[/i], [i]they like what they know[/i]." [/quote] If that was actually true there'd never be anything approaching original music, surely?

but you might want to think about an SFX Thumpinator or the like. I would worry about damaging my cabs. Personally I cut the lowest band or two on my amp's EQ, so my "sub tone" isn't really a sub tone but like Shep says I can get "sub-esque"

I don't know anything about drama. I could go to a play full of glaring errors and still have a good time. I don't think that's a sad state of affairs!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1334578995' post='1617870'] Any originals band that is really serious about what they do will find ways to overcome these "obstacles". Those that can't simply haven't woken up to the fact that just being ab;le to play an instrument in a band with some decent songs isn't actually anywhere near enough. [/quote] I agree! I was just saying the music might be ace, even if the band are going no-where

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1334577663' post='1617834'] To the originals bands that are not gigging or who are paying to play; write better songs. To the musicians who look down their noses; if you can’t get an audience who are not your mates through the door you’re actually not as good as you imagine. [/quote] hmmmm, sometimes the lack of audience can be down to other factors. Publicity, location, finance, commitment etc. There are loads of great original bands who never get anywhere.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1334575755' post='1617779'] But then I just don't get this either / or thing to which so much importance is attached. Why not write original material which is also crowd-pleasing? Oh, I forgot. Originals is - apparently - all about art and challenge and brain-ache and twatting around with clever scales. [/quote] I don't think anyone is saying you have to choose between original material and crowd-pleasing. However, there are different levels of originality, and different ways to please different crowds. I used to know a band which toured under two names. One for their original stuff, and another for their covers/functions. They strived to please both crowds with the hope that eventually their original stuff would take over. By doing this they managed to make a living by playing music - what they loved doing.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1334574185' post='1617736'] But if you are playing covers in a pub (which is what the OP is all about) then it's at least 99% the reason. [/quote] I think that's deffinitely true, which is why some below-par musicians get plenty of gigs. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just that I can't stand to be at these performances.

I think an EQ pedal would do the trick

I thought it was well written, there weren't many technical terms.

I didn't mean to be derogatory about covers bands. They can be "good" but their priority is to entertain their audience, where as my priority is the music. Another example is Tool. When I saw them there was almost no movement, deffinitely no audience interaction etc, they were just playing for themselves, and it was one of the most amazing gigs i've ever seen - full of energy.

[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1334570594' post='1617620'] Absolutely - back in the day, it took me a while to realise that ultimately when you're up there on stage your job is to entertain - to put some energy into what you're doing, throw some shapes, jump around, look like you're having a good time (I generally am), engage with the audience - essentially give the punters something to look at as well as something to dance to. [/quote] I saw an instrumental band called "animals as leaders" the other day. They didn't really move about much at all. Practically no communication with the audience either. After a 30mins support slot half of the venue were shouting for more.

I enjoyed that. I really need to get online at home so I can listen to these samples

I think it depends what you're trying to do. If you want to play covers in pubs or crowd pleasing pop/rock, then yeh, who cares how good you are as long as the audience likes it. Personally i'd rather be in a good band

[quote name='thunderbird13' timestamp='1334566287' post='1617544'] The point is that listening to music in that critical sense is something which doesn’t come naturally to most people so if they don’t train themselves they listen to the singer , feel the beat and everything else is pretty much filler. [/quote] It took me a long time to grasp this!! I was really surprised when my girlfriend explained that she couldn't seperate out the bass and guitar etc. I think she can now because I talk about mixes a lot, but yeh, I never realised that people don't all listen to music in the same way.

The main reason I hate waiting around before playing at gigs is that the majority of bands you have to sit through are sh*t, and the majority of soundmen set everything too loud.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1334332419' post='1614781'] I warmed pasties on my head. Tastes better than microwaving them. [/quote] it's because of the slower more gentle heating process. Mmmmm analogue pasties. this new digital stuff tastes crap - it's just not REAL [quote name='musophilr' timestamp='1334331344' post='1614755'] I have to say that my opinion of the Line6 backline for live work is not high, from what I've heard of other people using it. [/quote] I think most people who go to plenty of gigs would probably agree, but as I said I think that's because they've been badly set.