paul_c2

What media format is it and what are you playing it back on?

Not a great advert for having live indoors gigs restart.....

As above, really, EBS_freak has succinctly summed it up. This is pretty much a disaster for live music and the wider entertainment sector. The only problem is, its about 8-10 million people who have been affected in this kind of way, to some degree or other. The UK always was (recently) more oriented towards services than manufacturing; and of those services, many are/were what you'd call "non-essential". I believe its not been enforced so far simply because the relevant authorities (trading standards, council licensing, police, whatever) don't have the capacity to enforce it. With more testing and more localised targeting, that gap may narrow and with a high profile case or three, the message may finally get through to that minority who are chancing it. I don't know what the answer is, or the way forward for the millions affected.

Looking briefly at the sheet music for each, this springs to mind: * They are a semitone apart * BUT weirdly, the first has 1 flat, the 2nd has 5 flats. If they really were the same but a semitone apart, you'd expect 5 flats' worth of difference. I'd say its actually an example of phrygian mode, which has no sharps/flats (E phrygian); or 5 flats (F phrygian). The first one, with one flat, has been wrongly written probably because they assumed the first chord (F major) was the key, but clearly* its not. *There IS an argument that it is in F lydian, but its nearly 11pm.

I know.....I've interpreted it differently from you (not surprising given how vague the whole thing is). At the top of the document, it says: Non-professionals (meaning those participating in performing arts other than for work purposes), or groups which include non-professionals, may refer to this guidance for their activities, but must at all times do so in line with government legislation and guidance on meeting people outside your household. Non-professionals should currently not engage in singing or playing wind and brass instruments with other people given these activities pose a potentially higher risk of transmission and whilst research is ongoing. DCMS has commissioned further scientific studies to be carried out to develop robust scientific data for these activities. Existing and emerging evidence will be analysed to assist the development of policy and guidelines.

If you're not professional its hard to see how the studio are able to offer this within the current guidelines???

Thanks for the info. Does it have an official source/link?

Its not orchestration, its the notes which are sounded which are different, and not transposed. For example if you play barred chord A at the 5th fret, its lowest note is A and the top note is A. If you play an open A chord, its lowest note is E (if you play that E....but then its an inversion!!) and the highest note is E (the 5th of A, not the root). Put simply, its chord voicing - but only of the top and bottom notes. A decent guitarist will know lots of different ways of playing (eg) A major chord, of different voicings, or maybe the same/similar voicing but on different areas of the neck.

The issue isn't so much lack of practice. Its that some instruments, are simply different to play in different keys, to the extent that almost all players "can't do" something in one key, in another. I know you said horn but I'm assuming you meant saxophone. In Bb (on a tenor), its really easy to do a big 1 octave slide up to a high note - and it helps that C written 2 octaves above middle C (but sounds the Bb above it, on a tenor) is a really punchy note that can cut through. Rewrite to key of D, and that run up has 4 sharps in it - on a sax that means side keys need to be used, far more awkward to finger. Then the top note is E which is definitely weaker until you're a good player and can control that note AND blast it out. Similarly, with 'horns' such as a trumpet, they will have nice keys and nasty keys to play in, although with only 3 valves, there aren't so many combinations and the awkward changes can be practised. If you actually meant (French) horn, they can do weird things involving keys which I could explain but nobody (except another horn player!) would understand it!

Firstly, I know about Equal Temprament - before then, there definitely was a difference in the keys if played on certain instruments. Others played the just intonation for that key, which would be slightly different to the note in another key etc. Secondly, there is this thing called "tessitura" which is basically, an instrument has a "happy" range; above and below that, it can probably still sound the notes but its a markedly different character. For example, a piece in (say) Eb on a trombone might be particularly suited to it and the player's range. Put it up a fourth into Ab (or worse....a tritone up, to A) and it will be much more different to play, some bits might need to come down an octave etc. Thirdly, there is not an even distribution of all pieces of music played/heard today, across all keys. Some music seems to fall into more commonly found keys, and some keys are rarely used. This means, if/when you hear a piece in a rare key (for example Ab, or C# minor, or Db blues, etc etc) it sounds a little bit more distinctive than otherwise.

I can't see realistically how you're going to achieve what you want to - it appears you want to collaborate, but it looks unequal with most of the work done by you then a little bit by the others once you run out of ideas etc. I am not surprised they're demotivated by this. I would suggest this approach: just write the whole thing, including suggested guitar parts, vocals, vocal melody etc. If the others can't be inspired by your almost-complete song, then perhaps that's an indication that its uninspiring? Don't be afraid to tear up the whole thing and start again. Or, add an interesting bridge, etc etc

Sell both; and the new arrival too (unless its a baby, not a bass). I've always enjoyed selling more than buying.

Very well said, life ISN'T back to normal and (very unnaturally, for humans) social behaviour is to be discouraged strongly. This means things which should be happening, can't. Not so long ago, people couldn't even visit their dying relatives or attend funerals. Indoor gigs and social events are high-risk. The guidelines for professional musicians to be able to return to some semblance of work is very much a concession because the government recognises it can't pay people to do nothing, for ever.

I suspect the guys just putting the cash into their pocket are fine, because once you include expenses deductible, it would need to be quite a high pay rate to put you into +ve earnings, thus owing tax. Of course the corollary is....its actually quite difficult to make a decent living from just pub gigs. Add regular teaching, and/or session work, etc and it becomes more realistic.

The venue would be risking their licence.

I don't think its that complicated. But it doesn't need to be the "main" source of income, it could be a secondary one. Any income received from doing something --> professional (by definition). Its distinct from amateurs, who wouldn't receive any money for it. I guess you could argue there's a distinction between expenses and pay; or whether you actually make a profit from it once all costs including instruments, equipment, travel etc are taken into account. Also you could fairly describe something as semi-professional to indicate you receive some income from it but its not your main/sole income.

There's clearly a wide range of those who play, many for free or at a loss already. And I agree that only a fraction can claim assistance off the government; and that it will only be a fraction of what actually was incoming. In fairness to the OP the question was raised on another thread and then asked here. Its more like "would you accept a reduction in pay to get back to gigging?". There was the assumption that everyone gets paid for playing, which is certainly not true. I'm not even sure if you can make ANY assumptions about what people typically get (for expenses etc), how frequently people play, etc. In that context, I think its simply too early to say what the industry will look like in months and years to come. Clearly its upside down at the moment and it will be one of the last to return to (semi-) normality. Very much a case of, plan for the worst, hope for the best.

Sounds like the rule change which would/might have allowed indoor performances in dedicated venues from 1 Aug, has been postponed.

You'll be getting money off the government then, since you're self employed, made a decent living pre-COVID19 and completed all tax returns etc?

A date has been given for theatres and live music venues to reopen in Scotland - 14th September. Also (I missed the detail, apologies), outdoor concerts can go ahead from 24th Aug in Scotland. I don't know the specific details of what their restrictions are now (and how they differ from England), so I don't know what's new/changed in detail.

But on a Rush tune (with no vocals), the bass is one of three instruments. Its a very different situation to a tune which might have 2 guitars, keys, vocals where the bass must find its place in 1/6 of the sound sphere. I think if you re-recorded it with a clean and tidy bass tone, it would sound somewhat 'hollow' or 'sparse'. Regarding the solos/punch ins, it would be interesting to hear from anyone who performs this live, what type of effect they use for those couple of bars - for example a boost? A channel switch on the amp? If they didn't alter the sound, it would sound too quiet and not work as well.

What does a punch-in sound like, if its been edited well? Obviously, the volume is higher because its a solo, but that's not the same as a punch in.

There does seem to be a subset of amateur, not-naturally-talented, 'classical' musicians who follow a path of choosing an orchestral instrument, being uninspired by a very average teacher who lazily follows the ABRSM syllabus and are basically frightened of improvisation. I think the tide is turning but there will always be a reason not to try something new, with certain people.

Is it ABRSM's fault?

The problem is, there's so many exceptions both historically and in modern times, that it weakens the point you made. There is a wide range of aspirations in musicians, both those still aspiring and those who have "made the big time".