BigRedX

Third-rate graphic design, poor page layout and bad typography. All things that have unfortunately become synonymous with BGM.

[quote name='stuckinthepod' timestamp='1467990001' post='3087907'] There are a few out there. www.electronic80s.net/ Electronic 80's are an authentic and energetic 5 piece band paying tribute to the best music of the 1980's. [/quote] Listening to the tracks on their web site it's just 80s pop, not the all-electronic music the OP is on about.

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1467983293' post='3087809'] Pretty much all of the bands that I've worked with recently that have used laptops, tablets and music stands have not been using them for music, crib sheets or prompts. I'm wondering if there are those who see that kit on stage are jumping to conclusions before the band has started? Laptops for running backing tracks, or some sort of automation, tablets for running applications such as Positive Grid's BIAS or Jam Up and Music stands? Well my friend keeps all her capos, plectrums, mouth organ, tuner and hand wipes on hers. [/quote] It all depends on the type of music being played, but for any music that has it roots in "rock" it's a good idea to avoid things that get in the way of your performance and the audience. Even something as innocuous as the simple mic stand can do this. I've seen several performers with an "energetic" stage presence during songs spend an inordinate amount of time between songs fiddling with the mic stand to get it back to a suitable position which IMO can completely kill the energy that they've just been building up. Either get something that will stand up to the abuse, modify your performance so you don't have to rebuilt the stand after every song, or learn to live with it and make sure that you practice coping with it.

[quote name='vsmith1' timestamp='1467971926' post='3087635'] Interesting replies. I am out in the sticks so the "dog and duck" crowd get what they get. We're not very metro out here. Just thinking that a re-work of Empire State Human [Human League] might be fun as a 4-piece drums, bass, 2xguitars and vocal. [/quote] The trick would be to get a sympathetic arrangement that works with more conventional instruments. Remember that most of the early stuff pre-dates affordable polyphonic synths and will be composed of many individual monophonic lines rather than chords. On the other hand it's also worth bearing in mind that all the early Gary Numan songs were simply standard post-punk guitar orientated stuff re-arranged for a few Mini-Moogs. And you'll find that there is surprising amount of heavily effected guitars (or cheap organs) lurking in the songs of a lot of the early electronic bands. Good luck - and if you work out a decent arrangement get it posted up here somewhere!

Because there is an unspoken/unwritten rule that says pop/rock music performances are about more than simply playing notes. However having seen how many musicians spend most of the gig staring intently either at their hands or their feet, rather than interacting with the audience and looking as though they are enjoying being there, they might as well have a music stand up there.

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1467891950' post='3087055'] You MIGHT get it in if you used the jack socket hole for one of the controls, but you'd need to bore a hole for a side entry jack, and I suspect you'd need to get a craftsman to install a battery box in the back of the bass as that would involve the removal of a fair amount of wood, then there's the wiring to the stereo out socket........ Mmmmm. Personally, I plug into an MXR 80 outboard pre. G. [/quote] Even then I doubt it would fit. The Darkglass unit is three tone controls and requires you to keep the original volume control, plus you need to find room for the pre-amp block and a battery. As I keep saying what's wrong with the controls on your amp? The ones on mine do everything I need to compliment the sound from the Bass VI.

Because most of the people with an interest in doing this kind of music are still creating their own stuff.

Collection only from the middle of nowhere. That's why it's so cheap.

If there's a musical instrument to hand I will play every day even if it's only for a few minutes while I run through my latest new musical idea/song to make sure that I haven't forgotten how it goes. I haven't really practiced in the conventional sense since I mastered the ability to string a series of chords together on the guitar without needing to pause to get my fingers in the right place some time in 1974. These days it's simply a question of training my fingers to do things that my brain has come up with when I'm working on a new song. I find that doing this for a few minutes on and off during the day generally get me there fairly quickly. I also think that there is benefit to running through songs that I already know. I'm a great believer in the saying that you should practice not until you get something right, but until you can't get it wrong. I don't believe that I'll ever completely reach the second state, but every time I play through a song it gets me a little bit closer.

If he's not happy with the amp tell him to bring it back for a refund. IME most of the time when this happens it's chancers hoping to get some extra discount. I find that if the choice is keeping the item at the price they paid or having to return it, they always end up keeping it and I never hear from them again.

So other than the stack knob controls what makes this Jazz bass so special?

Tascam TD-M4000 40-channel digital mixing desk. Should have been £7000, but Tascam were doing a deal where you could get it for half price if you also bought 3 of their 8-track digital tape machines to go with it. I had a friend working for a pro-audio dealer who knew he could sell the tape machines separately so I was able to get the mixer on its own for £3500. It worked fine for about 12 years although many of the promised software functions were never implemented and the automation never worked reliably. Then one day it wouldn't boot up anymore - just coming up with a "fatal error" code on the display and nothing more. Contacted Tascam who said that it would cost £150 for them just to look at it, but the chances were that the problem wasn't fixable because they no longer had any parts for it. Also discovered that due to the size and weight it would cost another £150 just to ship it back to Tascam. Ended up selling it for less than £300 for parts.

Or buy a blue one.

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1467200154' post='3081833'] Nothing anyone tells you on this forum is going to make your decision. get to a shop and try things out. [/quote] This.

I realise that the OP is not entirely serious but... The vast majority of drummers I have played with have been perfectly normal people (as far as musicians go) and several of them have been by far the most organised as well as being the most technically and musically adept members in the band. On a more serious note, if you are playing with any seriously flakey musician. Stop. By doing nothing you are as much part of the problem as they are. Either they will be reduced to being bedroom players where they are no longer being anyone else problem, or they will wise up and actually do something constructive about it so that they can continue to be in a band.

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1467138165' post='3081464'] I don't doubt you are right BigRedX but some times there just isn't room on some of the stages we play for an extra keyboard and stand, hence the attraction of a pedal. I suppose I could use my V-Accordion as a Midi controller but the image wouldn't fit! [/quote] I'd normally agree, but having seen the size of the average pedal board used to produce synth type sounds from a guitar or bass, I'd say that anything but the largest keyboard would probably take up less room. I'd could look at a small 3-4 octave synth or controller keyboard that could be attached to a mic stand with suitable mounting brackets.

[quote name='rmorris' timestamp='1467112880' post='3081229'] Out of interest what 'special size' is require for a Badass II ? [/quote] Being US-made it will require an Imperial sized key. Best therefore to get a set of 10 metric and 10 Imperial allen keys. Still only about £10 and you'll never need to buy another allen key in your life.

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1466872555' post='3079504'] I wonder if any of these bands are still active? It's four years since the last post. [/quote] When I posted about my band [url=http://www.dickvenom.com]Dick Venom & The Terrortones[/url], we were less than a year old, although we were already on our second guitarist. At that point we were in the middle of recording our debut single and producing the video to go with it. We were also building a reputation for putting on a great live show and as a result we were starting to get some decent gigs all over the country. 5 years, 6 guitarists and 3 drummers later, we've released 2 singles, a 5-track EP (on cassette) and a full-length LP on Vinyl, CD and download. Here's a track and video from it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd3DHTwbkJA

[quote name='Tuco' timestamp='1467095171' post='3081069'] Fair comment, I have a Minitaur and indeed it does do everything and more , your right. BUT it's not as much fun as plugging my bass into OC2 - Mastotron - Oxide - MF102 & MF101 controlled with an MP201 then into a CEB3 - TC flashback One love x [/quote] Having spent most of the 80s putting synths through distortion pedals to try and make them sound like guitars and then in the 90s putting bass and guitars through filters and envelope shapers to try and get synth-like sounds out of them, I'm very much of the opinion that it's a question of using the right tools to do the job, and nowadays that for me means if I want synths sounds it's always quicker and easier and the results are more consistent if I use a synth. Besides you can get all sorts of great synths with decent interfaces for not very much money if you go second-hand.

Buy a keyboard synth and spend a week learning some rudimentary keyboard skills. Does everything you can do with a bass and a load of pedals, quicker and more accurately.

[quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1466663360' post='3077605'] If a crap band plays in a forest and there is no-one there to hear them, do they still sound like crap? [/quote] ...but they will probably be better at their next gig because of the extra practice.

[quote name='thegummy' timestamp='1466640410' post='3077564'] Are there people who would claim to be able to hear 2 recordings of one of each fretboard type and be able to tell which is which? [/quote] I'm sure there are. However there are so many variables that how can anyone be sure that the difference in the sound is simply down to the fingerboard material?

[quote name='Kip Kersey' timestamp='1466623328' post='3077386'] Thanks for your thoughts. The only issue in getting a better flight case is the fact that it's such an unusual shape being a Violin Bass. I'll be honest the flight case doesn't look particularly sturdy, having said that i was assured buy the previous owner that the aesthetic damage to the case was caused by British Airways which obviously suggests it's been in the hold of an Airplane at least once. That said, I purchased it from Bob Geldof"s bass player just after said tour but hey I'm just a normal dude flying by a cheap airline. Thanks again. [/quote] The shape of the bass isn't an issue at all. Just get a proper rectangular shaped flight case and have the shape of the bass cut out of the foam lining.

[quote name='AlpherMako5' timestamp='1466621013' post='3077359'] This is great guys, thank you . My next question is this. What difference does the fingerboard make? Maple or Rosewood? This isn't a wind up by the way, I'm genuinely interested [/quote] Sound-wise very little, and IMO any difference in sound between the two is far more to do with the differences in construction and finish of the two types of neck than the material of the fingerboard itself.

At the moment the standard practice is that what is allowed into the cabin is entirely at the discretion of the check-in/cabin crew at the time of the flight. Anything that you may have been told in advance by the airline has absolutely no bearing on what might happen on the day at the check in. If you look well-presented, are polite and your bass is in a gig bag there is a possibility that your bass may be allowed into one of the cabin lockers provided that they aren't already taken up by other things. You will also have an increased chance of getting your bass in the cabin if you are flying business class or better. My advice is as always - don't risk it. Assume the bass will be going in the hold and get a proper flight case for it.