cheddatom

is the guitarist using a thin sound for his solos? It really shouldn't drop out that much if you have a well balanced sound as a band. The suggestion to get the drummer to fill things out more is a good one. Personally if I think it sounds too thin I'll play chords or strum octaves I love pedals and dirty bass, and I use them loads, but not to fill out the band's sound

This is a good read [url="http://www.petecornish.co.uk/case_against_true_bypass.html"]http://www.petecornish.co.uk/case_against_true_bypass.html[/url] There have been a few similar threads in the past so you could search too As I understand it, a buffer raises the impedance that the guitar "sees", so that the pickups behave as if they were plugged into an amp first, rather than a bunch of pedals first. They're good for reducing noise on long runs of cable etc. In practise, you may or may not need a buffer. If you have an active bass, you almost certainly don't need any buffers in your chain, but they shouldn't hurt either

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1447421860' post='2907549'] Personally, I think you should be able to not use it and sound good.. [/quote] Yes, I agree. I like to think that I can. I also like to use compression most of the time [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1447421860' post='2907549'] A common situation for it would be to even out those higher notes that might disappear but I'd be inclined to EQ that in and compensate in my general playing sound. [/quote] A compressor really shouldn't be used to even out the volume differences between different notes. Unless you're talking about a multiband compressor, it wouldn't be influenced by which notes you're playing.

definitely use ear plugs, and you probably need them in rehearsal too. I use the crappy foam ones but you can get some "flat response" ones for about £10 or custom moulded ones for just over £100

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1447345024' post='2906923'] If it's useful for recording or FOH, it's useful at source. It just depends exactly who it is that understands the effect and how to use it. It on stage it's not required by the player, that's fine. If the player prefers to use it, that's fine too. I've never understood this particular 'rule' that some trot out (either '[i]must [/i]use' or '[i]never [/i]use'...); folks have differing styles, needs and perceptions. Is that difficult to accept..? I play drums. My drums are often (but not always...) compressed to some degree somewhere in the chain, by competent sound techs or by myself, if I'm mixing. It's an element of a sound system, that's all. [/quote] Indeed! Whatever works is fine! I've played bass quite a few times without compression, especially when I CBA to carry my pedalboard! [quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1447345478' post='2906928'] Has there ever been a recorded bass sound that did not use compression ??. [/quote] No EDIT: Well, it's probably debatable in that there are different ways to get compression, and you might not always be doing it on purpose. Any distortion will give you a form of compression, for example. But yeh, I would say for the last 20 years at least, there hasn't been a record mixed which didn't have a compressor somewhere in the chain affecting the bass

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1447341520' post='2906867'] The guy engineering our 3rd album was allergic to compression. He was into 'fidelity' and 'dynamics'. As a result the album sounds totally sh*te and really quiet. None of us can listen to it. [/quote] Is this a current album? If so you might be able to get it louder by re-mastering. PM if you'd like me to give it a go [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1447342501' post='2906882'] But these are the ones I want otherwise I wouldn't hit it like that... [/quote] I really don't think you're hearing the transient peak that happens in the first 1 or 2ms. It is entirely possible to set a compressor so that it's having an effect, but it's not audible.

I know I'm repeating myself from similar threads in the effects forum, but compression does not remove your ability to play "with dynamics", depending on what you mean by that. If you want to be able to play louder and quieter using only the power of your fingers, this can still be achieved with a compressor in the chain. I use a compressor to reduce the initial transient peaks of any notes with a particularly hard attack. This is an effect which is pretty much inaudible, but will hopefully give some protection to my rig. I still manage to alter my perceived volume using only my fingers. I also sometimes use compression with a slow attack to give me more punch. Again, as long as I get the threshold right, I can still "play with dynamics"

how do you shape your voice from boring (but in tune) to "grabbing"? Or does this just have to come naturally?

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1447329626' post='2906711'] Insurance is included up to about £300, more than that costs extra. Sent quite a few guitars south using ParcelForce, and have always been able to insure them without any problems. [/quote] I've read here that they have a specific exclusion for musical instruments, but they don't mention it and sell you the insurance anyway, therefore you've paid for insurance, but weren't covered

what pickup did you get?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1447173111' post='2905525'] ...It surprises me that UPS via InterParcel will deliver to all sorts of places all over the world, but bring to get them to take a parcel to anywhere in Scotland other than Edinburgh or Glasgow or any UK island is completely futile. [/quote] If you deal with UPS directly I'm sure they'll sort it out Alternatively if you know someone who works at a company that ships goods out all the time, they would sort it out for you. I'm a bit far away, but I always ship stuff on the company account with whichever courier, and just pay the company back

They should all go to "highlands & islands" but just charge more? UPS, FedEx, UK Mail, Parcel Force etc all do it If it's too big you could put it on a pallet - depends if it's worth the expense

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1447150520' post='2905216'] However, the important question is: is this technical director hot? [/quote]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1447077049' post='2904600'] ...People are mesmerised by him ( flash guy)... [/quote] A flash drummer can be ace to watch, and it's not just musicians watching. Obviously it depends on the music, but I do think that "overplaying" is more acceptable on drums in a live situation than most other instruments. Obviously in the studio it's less entertaining and can get in the way

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1447066754' post='2904476'] Fixed..? [/quote] well yes, clearly everyone should make time for a little drumming

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1447066067' post='2904467'] The more instruments the better! [/quote] Yeah! Although if you want to be a virtuoso it's probably best to focus on one

some all day punk festival. We're what's known as "folk punk" which I guess is music with a traditional melody and angry lyrics. The other bands were pretty heavy punk. I don't really understand why they booked us but we still seemed to go down OK The sound on stage was just awful. Feedback through the entire set. I had ear plugs in so just kept playing but I know the other guys were struggling. No idea what the sound man was thinking/hearing

If I was promoting some cymbals, and there was already a drum part on the backing track, I'd go absolutely mental with fills, and I'd probably go out of time slightly because I'd be pushing myself to the limits of my ability, just to show off. I'd never do that in a band situation (although one of my bands makes me show off and it's definitely difficult to go mad and stay in time)

Sorry, didn't mean to imply I was offended, just wanted to offer some balance. It is excellent customer service from TC and I'm glad they managed to sort out the OP

[quote name='Jenny_Innie' timestamp='1446717402' post='2901632'] [color=#333333][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=3][size=4]Also, the guy called Uffe in some of their videos is hot.[/size][/size][/font][/color] [/quote] Would it be OK for me to say this about a girl? 'cos in the past I've seen such posts described as crass or even sexist

lost prophets anyone?

no, the "formulaic" music is quite different to the first album. The formula wasn't yet formed, so the first album is not a sample of the pattern IMO

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1446669428' post='2901404'] ...Where are the drugs... [/quote] Didn't there drummer have a long problem with heroin? An overdose or two I think I do think the first album is really good, and not particularly "formulaic"

first album was ace, 2nd ok, downhill from there. I saw them live once and got absolutely sick of it, and this was while I was actually a fan. They kept repeating sections of songs while dave ran around, letting his fans touch him etc. It seems to me that they then took this approach to arrangement. It's now verse, chorus, verse, chorus chorus chorus chorus chorus chorus chorus chorus...

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1446637068' post='2900963'] That's not because of the compression though, it's because you're such a tasteful and sensitive player... [/quote] Heh, not with my current band, the opposite in fact! EDIT: I suppose my previous point was that people often say "compression is for levelling out differences in volume" and IMO it's not at all. It's for modifying the transient envelope of your notes. You can use compression, and still have control over your "dynamics", depending on what you mean by that