funkypenguin

Short notice plug but if anyone is around Wigan tomorrow and fancies listening to some live soul tomorrow im playing as part of a friends band in Wigan Mesnes Park at 3:30pm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7qDg2USFcE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtRVCsas48s

Will do Im pretty focused on Jazz and Fusion at the moment but ive always had a massive soft spot for prog rock anyone who is available and likes prog should come down, theres a prog band for everyone on this gig!!

Prog is indeed alive and well, there are plenty of prog rock bands around the UK at the moment It going to be a fantastic evening, Spires are going to be well worth watching!!! Please come down and support people, we really want this evening to be a stormer

IMO you buy a bass because you want to play it, not as an investment. Everyone i know who has bought a bass as an investment has ended up selling it within a couple of months for more or less the price they bought it for. Bass guitars are meant to be played, not to sit in their cases while their owners wait for them to go up in value. If you want to make an investment, buy a painting, not a bass

As far as getting gigs is concerned, look up everywhere that puts originals bands on and get on it and get your details and recordings to them. Be persistent! Most pubs want you to chuck covers in as well as originals. Get posters up in the venue, around the venue and on social network sites (FB etc.). Payment very much depends on where you are getting gigs, most pubs pay between £180-£300. Most clubs where ive played in originals bands havnt been paid gigs (though we usually get a drink or two) so unless you can do 2 sets and pull in alot of people dont expect to be paid on those types of gigs. Recording wise....depends what you want. If you're looking for a cheap and cheerful EP, it will sound cheap and cheerful. If you want quality recordings done in a quality studio with great gear and with a good engineer, be prepared to pay good money for it. Golden Rule - You get what you pay for. This goes double for production and mastering If you're hell bent on only doing originals, be prepared to do ALOT of leg work to keep the band going

Its a friend of my bandmate Rob Thorpe (guitarist in Helian Skies) shes really brilliant, we wanted the poster to echo the old YES album artwork and she absolutely nailed it! (So she should since she also does work for Vogue )

Right, another plug for a gig im playing!! An evening with some of Manchesters finest progressive rock bands at Night and Day cafe on wednesday the 19th of September commencing around 730pm. Ive made another thread in the gig section here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/186064-manchester-progressive-rock-evening-presentscloser-to-the-edge/page__pid__1794592#entry1794592"]http://basschat.co.u...92#entry1794592[/url] If anyone is free that evening in Manchester and fancies coming to watch some great live music then please come down and check my band Helian Skies and the others out. we would really appreciate it! (P.S if you do come down please do come say hello! )

A plug for a gig im playing on in 2 weeks time, featuring some of Manchesters finest progressive/alternative rock bands, Spires, Helian Skies, Malcolm T-Rex and Ubastute.. Its been organised by a my friend and bandmate from Helian Skies and should be a really great evening of music!! If you're in manchester and like Rush, Yes, Marillion, Karnivool, Nevermore et. al. then come down and check out the bands, we would really appreciate a good crowd Here is my band Helian Skies in action. Sound isnt the best but it gives an idea. Hope to see some of you at the gig! [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pgNXQWjYhs[/media] [attachment=117618:Rock Night A3.jpg]

Cant wait to see the video!! I'd love to visit the Warwick factory and see where my bass was made

Could you not argue that the review section of BGM is there, in part, to look at gear that's hard to come by, as opposed to gear most stores will have to test for yourself?

Metronome is a must IMHO Here is a suggestion for combating tension while you play. Take a simple exercise (e.g a scale/arpeggio exercise. something you are very comfortable with), put the metronome on very slow (e.g crotchets at 80bpm) and focus on relaxing while you play it. Obviously focus on your playing, but first and foremost, concentrate on keeping all your muscle groups really relaxed. slow your breathing down, breath in time to the metronome when you're happy with that, apply the same thing to the money bass line, work it at half tempo and slowly build it up, making sure you stay relaxed while you play it. See what you think

Transcribe the original, Notate it and transpose it to whatever key your band is working in. Then learn it in the new key

Easy Shep, any news on this front bud?

Theres some really lovely gear there, that alembic included. As soon as i have the cash together, im pulling the trigger on a pair of their Vanderkley 1x12 cabs

[quote name='tleebass11' timestamp='1345131853' post='1774057'] Hey Ben i love that human element cd too man! Ive done some skype lessons with Matt. I would highly, highly suggest you do it as well if you have the chance. Thanks on the compliment on Lightning Man. [/quote] If i get the chance, i intend to. I might be in the US towards the end of the year so i might try and sort out a live lesson with him at some point if that proves impossible il sort out a skype lesson. You a Patitucci fan too?

Fantastic Matt Garrison vid! I love the Human Element CD, ive been a big fan of his for a few years now. were you lucky enough to study with him at Berklee?? checked out your site too, Lightning Man is a great tune! Ben

For 6ers i recommend either Warwick Black Labels or DR Highbeams. They're a little pricey but you get what you pay for

It gives you a rough idea, the woods your bass is constructed from and the pickups you use will affect the sound a great deal (not to mention your playing style!) but the preamp is good enough to enhance any bass IMHO

ive just had one fitted to my Warwick, its one of the best and most flexible preamps ive used. It can nail pretty much any sound you can think of, the passive pathway is something more preamp manufacturers should seriously consider offering as an option, it really warms the sound up having the passive tone rolled off heres a good demo vid, should give you a rough idea of how flexible it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YziXggTfWM

DR highbeams for me

[quote name='wilko_66' timestamp='1344378534' post='1763802'] I can't seem to open this. Somethin to do with .ipb format. Any chance we can get it in pdf format? [/quote] It is in PDF format, its a glitch with basschat as far as i know. when you've downloaded it, select adobe reader as the program to open it and it should work

Cheers Eude I wanted a warwick for about 6 months before i found this beauty. Really happy with her now she has the East pre

My contribution, here is my 1997 Streamer LX6 custom shop [attachment=114713:DSCF0943.JPG] [attachment=114714:DSCF0947.JPG] [attachment=114715:DSCF0950.JPG] [attachment=114716:DSCF0951.JPG]

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1343673591' post='1753551'] Funkypenguin, This looks like an impressive piece of work: 5 flats, 13/8 time and 7-ledger lines! Shouldn't we go to the treble clef for those higher notes? visog.... [/quote] Cheers! Yeah, some of the 13/8 solo took a LONG time to transcribe. add delay to that and it was a real bugbear. Yeah, some of the introduction could be in treble clef, il change it on the chart and put that up too [quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1343676665' post='1753615'] Hey Ben - Thanks for this ! Great chart, and nice and clean. I love this track. Domo Arigato[u] Garry [/quote] No worries Its my favourite Hiromi track and 'Spiral' is one of my all time favourite jazz/fusion albums. Ive a few more Hiromi transcriptions on the go, check them out when i post them

Here is my Warwick Streamer LX6! Fantastic action, Looks amazing and now loaded with an East U-retro preamp. It has that fantastic warwick growl, but now the preamp has been upgraded it can nail pretty much any sound you can think of. Took me a while to really warm to this bass but now its back from setup and upgrade its one of the best sounding and feeling instruments ive ever played. She will probably be my main instrument for the forseeable future Specs are... 6 String streamer LX bolt on AAA Flame maple body (Bookmatched) 5 piece Wenge Neck Wenge Fretboard 34" Scale 16.5mm spacing Seymour Duncan soapbars East U-Retro Deluxe preamp Ramp Side LEDS [attachment=114472:DSCF0943.JPG] [attachment=114473:DSCF0946.JPG] [attachment=114474:DSCF0947.JPG] [attachment=114475:DSCF0949.JPG] [attachment=114476:DSCF0950.JPG] [attachment=114477:DSCF0951.JPG]