bassace

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1329728380' post='1546318'] I saw this - BBC4 has been great this weekend! [/quote] plus 1

[quote name='BassInMyFace' timestamp='1329483048' post='1543103'] Interesting. This seems a natural approach to the problem. Wish there was another way though because the thud of the hit on the adjacent string sounds and feels great. Perhaps a raised lip at right angles to fingerboard to allow fingers to smack against?? I might mock up a removable one to see how feasible it would be. Probably nonsense but worth a try. [/quote] Like an outrigger? That's often occurred to me but I've never tried it yet. My basses are characterised by small scratches on the top of the body just off the fingerboard where sometimes my thumbnail lands after the e is plucked.

I play in three bands and fortunately I'm replaceable in all of them because we, including the deps, are professionals. 'Fortunately' because there are sometimes diary clashes within the three bands and sometimes a family commitment intrudes - and sometimes I break my arm, as just gone by. We manage but we have this A-Team thing: however good the dep, the band never sounds as good as when all the regulars are together which, fortunately, is most of the time.

Yes, pre-eq all the time if poss. Many amps are pre-eq and several even have a pre/post switch on their DI out. The EA iAmp even has a DI gain control which makes it so easy to get a good instant PA fix.

And I bet,in perfecting your reading you're getting a better feel for the theory of the music that you play.

I don't mind Cantaloup Island at all, although I agree with Bilbo's other dislikes (hates).

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1328867436' post='1533844'] I don't know if anyone else does this, but when we put the DB in the PA, we cut the low bass out, roll off anywhere from 80-180hz and below. This cleans up the DB tone to no end and keeps those headroom eaters at bay. You'd be surprised how much "bass" is still there but it's tamed. [/quote] Spot on; this is how I ask the engineer to do my sound when I'm lucky enough to get a PA feed. You want to get a nice clean middle out to the audience and the bottoms will look after themselves. I also ask for no DB on the monitors, seems to keep the front line happy. I also use a small backline most of the time.

As they say on the other side of the pond, a condensor mic is not a cheap date. It needs a good preamp with a notch filter to limit the terrible feedback that you'll get if you use your own back line and to get all the nuances that a mic will pick up a nice powered speaker on a pole will do it. Then it helps to have a piezo feeding in just to give a bit of bite. It can be done and I've had amazing results - but all that kit and all those wires. I'm with Jake, use a piezo and enjoy the gig. Only exception is if there is a good front of house with a helpful engineer, but still monitor with the piezo.

OBBM

I slip my little finger in between the fingerboard and the G string. If it is a tightish fit it's about right. Not precise, I know, but it's served me well over the years.

Keep within your comfort zone for this one, don't be flashy but be good and solid. Keep your ears open. That's what the others will like. Enjoy, you'll never forget your first gig on DB.

I did a gig last Wednesday, the first after I broke my arm back at the end of October. Came through it very well really (2x 1hr). Surprising thing is I expected my right fingers to blister up after that amount of inactivity but they stayed fine - just slightly sore. I have a spare practice amp upstairs and always practice - well ten minutes a day max - with the amp turned on and I think that helps the fingers. The joy of depping is that I still discover new songs. Our singer (female) sang 'Horizontal.' Lots of double entendres and words by a young Hal David. Anyone know it?

I bet the conductor drops his baton.

We were playing at the Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth in the sixties as a trad band (hated the stuff) and the owner told us that Georgie Fame was staying in the adjoining motel. While we were setting up he came over for a chat and before we knew it we were playing Dat Dere on piano (him) bass (me) and alto sax - I told you we hated trad. A great jam and a thoroughly nice bloke. I later booked him and the Blue Flames for a gig in Cheltenham for £35 - from London! But that was long ago and far away. Jerry Lee Lewis Played in Reading once. We also played with and shared a dressing room with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee. My brother supported the Stones and they used his (home-built) PA And lots of others.

Cm

I have a short length of welding wire turned up into a hook at one end. It always travels in my wire bag in case I need to change a string in a hurry.

I use a Fishman Pro eq (not the Plat). Seems to work very well with an Underwood. I can also use it without but back off the treble and upper mid to 9 o'clock and contour off.

A 22 seems to be a very good bet. A lot of pro's like a hybrid (carved top and lami back) because they amp so well. One's next on my wish list but due to a lot of expenses lately and my broken arm keeping me out of gigs for three months I'm a bit boracic at the moment. Artisan, not true that lami is preferable to carved but a hybrid is a nice option.

Jazz: From Louis to Miles with a bit of Gypsy thrown in.

It's crazy!

My MB200 is great - Keith's advice again!

I use my Fishman or Fdeck on every gig as a matter of course. Strange thing is I had a DB mate come to see me in the week to play with some of the toys and in my room we almost came to the conclusion that the amps sounded OK without a preamp on the front. But I know that when I set up for a gig it'll be an entirely different story. Bigger room, more volume, boomy stage - all that stuff.