Thunderthumbs

We're a five piece functions band.......bass (two cabs + amp), guitar (generally a 4 x 12 cab + amp, but sometimes an AC30 too), keys (2 of), drums (4 piece + kit), vocals/acoustic guitar, PA (4 x bass bins, 2 x tops), lights. I take 2 bass guitars, guitarist uses 3, vocalist has acoustic, three of us singing, everything goes through the desk for the majority of gigs. The only time we'd expect to take longer than an hour is an upstairs venue. Anything other than that is excessive IMO. We find half the trouble is handling things more than once. For example, if someone carries by bass cabs in, I'd expect them to be put where I'm going to set up, as I would with anyone else's equipment. Putting stuff all over a dance floor is just time wasting unless it's stuff such as the lighting cables, etc. It also helps that everyone gets in and gets their job done, then helps out in other areas that take longer. I generally set my gear up, then do monitors. The drummer does his kit then lighting. The guitarist helps lift the PA tops (as they're weighty) and then sets his own gear up. It's all about teamwork. I know it sounds regimented, but it works. If the guys asked me to turn up 4 hours early, I think I'd be looking for another band.

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='478594' date='May 3 2009, 09:52 PM']A good mate of mine had Frank Dunnery perform in his front room a couple of summers ago - what a player!! Massive bloke now - very interesting night - lots of stories about when he was young etc.[/quote] Yeah, a mate of mine went to one of those too at his mate's house. I saw Frank at The Band On The Wall in Manchester a few years ago, and sat on the dance floor pretty much right underneath him with my legs under the stage!!

[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='476195' date='Apr 30 2009, 05:14 PM']He was supposed to have been playing with Ray Davies/Kinks, but I think that stalled as well.[/quote] I do remember seeing him playing with Ray Davies on the Electric Proms shows last year. So don't know whether it's gone down the pan after that.

Interesting pedal (Turbo Tuner ST-200)

They look the same as the EBS ones used for connecting their pedals. Give Bernie a call at GB Guitars.

PMd

Practice will definitely help your range. I'm not saying you'll reach notes that you physically can't at the moment, but if you're only singing around the house, you certainly won't be reaching your absolute top note. Also, breath from deep down, using your diaphragm not from the top of your chest, as that will restrict you. And there's nothing wrong with dropping keys slightly as long as it doesn't alter the dynamics of the song itself. How do you think the likes of Sting/Bono/Bowie etc. still manage to do it?

[quote name='BassBunny' post='473335' date='Apr 27 2009, 01:10 PM']Hi Al, Been going trough a similar problem. Nick gave me a couple of Guitar/Drum tracks and the chord Structures to put my own Bass line to. Realised I was really stuck for ideas. Did the first one but was really stuck coming up with something different for the second. Realised that by doing some Chord Work, the door has started to open. Incidently, where abouts in Manchester is it? Might come down and see if thunderthumbs fancies it.[/quote] Hi Stuart, The Thirsty Scholar is under the railway arches opposite the the old Refuge Building on Oxford Road. If you remember A1 Music (or Sound Control as it became - don't know if it still is) and the entrance used to be on the corner, then they moved it round the corner to New Wakefield Street. If you came out of there, you'd literally fall into the Thirsty Scholar. Sounds like a night out As for Al's initial thoughts, I was in much the same predicament myself a couple of months ago when I went to a jam night with our drummer who's one hell of a jazz drummer. He can jam with anyone no problem, but when I was offered the opportunity I turned it down as I knew I was out of my depth. But rather than get me down, it's spurred me on tremendously and I'm spending all the time I can now learning to read, etc. etc. etc.

Nice one. Cheers Si.

[quote name='Mike' post='471253' date='Apr 24 2009, 06:55 AM']NYC pros charge $100 an hour....so £50 seems a pretty decent deal for me. For a world class player![/quote] I'd consider it fairly cheap in all honesty, bearing in mind that local teachers would probably charge upwards of £20. Would you rather have a driving lesson from the local teacher or an hour with Schumacher/Hakkinen/Mansell/Prost, etc for twice the price??

U2 - Angel of Harlem. We hardly ever play it now, but when we do I really enjoy it.

What sickens me most is that someone can have a [b]spare[/b] Fodera behind them!!

Always been a huge fan of Bedders. He's one of those bass players whose emphasis seems to be on melody no matter what the song. Yet even if it's a great line (e.g. House Of Fun), it rides along with the song rather than riding over it. Very, very underrated.

[quote name='horribleman' post='469906' date='Apr 22 2009, 07:18 PM']....it also looks like the community is intelligent [/quote] Wibble!

My old JO5 now owned by Rasta [attachment=24070:Lakland.jpg] [attachment=24069:LaklandBody.jpg]

[quote name='Protium' post='466911' date='Apr 19 2009, 07:27 PM'][attachment=24068:gigpic.jpg] [/quote] Ah, that explains the "cavities" answer.....you have your dentist coat on

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='466414' date='Apr 18 2009, 10:26 PM']I'm not sure what this expression denotes..................... G.[/quote] Is that a gig in a school canteen or somewhere??

I posed this question in the [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40480"]Marcus Miller jazz mod[/url] thread but thought it'd make more sense posing it as a question on its own. In that thread, it says (from Talkbass) to shield the pickups. Would there be any reason to (or not to for that matter) shield the pickup cavities instead of or as well as the pickups themselves?

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='466320' date='Apr 18 2009, 07:09 PM']"Therefore I wanna start my own band, doing more Stevie W, Motown, Stax, Funk, a higher class of rock, and a higher grade of venue." I wonder how many bassists on here are thinking, I'd like to do exactly that too? I would![/quote] I sat and watched Standing In The Shadows Of Motown with our drummer a month or so ago, and we immediately both thought of putting a band together just to do that. I'd absolutely love it.

Question: Anyone know whether there would be any difference shielding the pickup cavities rather than the pickups themselves?

I always sung backing vocals, and for the past few years have done lead on a few tracks too. Whether I'd class it as coming naturally or not I'm not too sure. Simple rhythms aren't too difficult, but it can be if the bass and vocal rhythms are completely different. But as with everything, slow it down as slow as possible, get it right at that speed, and slowly but surely wind it up. You'll be amazed at how easily you'll pick it up.

[quote name='Moody' post='464421' date='Apr 16 2009, 09:18 PM']That my friend, is a genius piece of software! Good man!![/quote] I thaaaank yow!