Graham

So last night went pretty well, I could hear myself very clearly - to the point where it was highlighting when my technique was less than perfect and it has confirmed that I want a compressor. The tone in ears was a bit thinner than how I remember it out of the wedges, but that might be down to the very dead strigs on my jazz. Downsides, because it was a small venue (pub) with a small stage space, there was no guitar going through the PA, but I could hear it fairly well bleed through the IEM. Also, the singer forgot I was using these so there were two wedges on stage, so I wasn't always able to tell what was coming out of those and what was in my ears. The X Air app was tempermental, both on my phone and on the singer's Ipad. On my phone it kept losing the connection, on the Ipad it was very laggy and slow to respond - anyone experienced this before? Do we need a wireless booster or something? I ended up switching off the wi-fi on my phone to make sure it wasn't interfering or something. That meant I didn't change the mix until the break (I'd set the kick too high and left the backing vocals out), but when I did it was good. Overall it was a positive experience and I'm looking forward to getting more to grips with the system over the next few gigs.

Tonight will be my first gig using IEM - ZS10s, P2 and the X Air app on my phone. Any tips for things to do or avoid?

I saw those guys at Damnation last year, they were one of the surprises of the day, really good.

In fairness, mixing at a festival and outside isn't the easiest job in the world

I was asleep by 10 last night, so looking forwars to watching this on Iplayer later

I hear it's a bit moreish

The Stingray was my favourite, I liked the Thumb too; the Peavey sounded great but I thought in a mix it might get lost compared to the others.

I really like the look of those, will be following with interest.

We lost our NYE gig, but it was a few months ago, not found anything to replace it with unfortunately, so it's the first New Years in about 7 years without a gig, looks like I'll be watching The Last Leg and Madness. I wasn't upset with the venue, it was the same social club that we did last year, apparently their haemourraghing money and a band was just too great an expense. Given what the attendance was like there last NYE, I can't say I'm shocked.

It does sound like that band need to be honest with themselves and any potential applicants that what they want is a guitarist playing root notes an octave below the guitar. nothing inherently wrong with that, if it's what they think will suit their music, but they need to stop kidding themselves they want a "bassist".

Nothing bass related from the family, but I got myself a Christmas present - the standard Basschat IEM starter pack: ZS10s and a P2, looking forward to my first gig of 2019 in Jan to try them out in anger.

Finally got round to watching this, it being Christmas and all, my god - what playing: timing and note choice are just superb, he's playing with amazing feel

Last time I saw Clutch they had Lionize as the support, who were superb. There was a very memorable show where they had Taint, The Sword and Witchcraft as support as well, they typically bring good acts out with them. From those videos, The Picture books did nothing for me, but Inspector Cluezo seemed fun.

Oh yeah, Crack The Skye is great; the first four albums are belters, it was when they completed the fire/water/earth/aether cycle that it all started to go downhill. Leviathan is where they peaked IMO, one of top five albums of all time

I think it was the other way round, he created a good quality instrument, at a decent price with consistently high quality so they became prevalent amongst players. Engineering and production techniques then developed around recording and mixing these basses (as well as Strats and Les Pauls), so a P bass sits really well in the mixes we're used to hearing.

Yeah, I was thinking Mastodon as well; the modern stuff is okay, but when listening to it I can't help but remember this band wrote Leviathan and Remission and then feel disappointed

I do like the last three Opeth albums, but much prefer the old sound, basically, I wish Akerfeldt would go back to listening to Morbid Angel as much as he listens to Camel

My acceptance of backing tracks is in proportion to the size of the band and the size of the venue. I have no issue with big bands using backing tracks for things like strings, brass or keys/synth when they only have one or two songs that use these - it doesn't make financial sense to pay extra musicians to come out on tour, to do minimal work when a backing track would do the job fine. I would take issue with seeing a, for instance, Blues Brothers style act in anything larger than a pub and them using a backing track for the brass parts. But two guys in suits, sunglasses and hats pretending to be Jake and Elwood in my local and singing to a backing tape - I'd be okay with that. Lip synching, or other miming however, I have no time for - if I've paid for a ticket to see a band, I've paid to see the band perform their instruments/sing.

The bridge pickup on a L2000 isn't in the Stingray position, it's closer to the bridge. That's not to say it can't sound quite Stingray-like with that pickup solo'd and in parallel, but it isn't in the Stingray spot, so won't quite be there. If you're looking for a G&L Stingray alternative, the L1500 and Kiloton both have a humbucker in the right popinion.

My wife told me what my present was the other day, a couple of hours with her away from the kids for an afternoon, including a trip to my favourite burger joint. Sounds amazing 😍

Whoop, look what the postman brought

Really looking forward to mine arriving, unfortunately I've no more gigs this year ☹

I'm not after much this year, I'm hoping for the remastered ...And Justice For All, that'll do me. As a Christmas present to myself, I've ordered a cheap IEM set, and depending on how my shares sell on Monday, I might order the amplifier to go with it.

I'm really enjoying the first Beyond Creation record at the moment, particularly the last two songs that lead into each other Elevation Path isn't especially metal, but the bass playing is outstanding

That's some brilliant information Steve, thanks very much 😀 I did think of you when posting originally, but couldn't find a video of you playing with Linear Sphere, I saw them supporting Cynic on the reunion tour, but I don't think you were playing with them then. Manvantara is great, definitelythe better of the two 😉 Did your work with Xerath get released?