oggiesnr

I've had dealings with all of them over the years (as both sender and receiver) and you pays your money and you take your chance. For every "well done" story there's always a horror story but in my experience they're much the same. Steve

This came to me via Facebook, keep your eyes open please [url="http://www.matthewdowner.com/stolen/"]http://www.matthewdowner.com/stolen/[/url] On a more general note is there a place here to report stolen gear (couldn't see one on a search) and if not, should there be one? Steve

I'm currently transcribing my collection of mainly Scottish and Irish slow airs and pipe tunes for double bass. Steve

Open G tuning and a bottleneck! Three chord trick sorted in about sixty seconds Steve

[quote name='steviedee' timestamp='1389457744' post='2334381'] Just bought a viola.... f*** knows what I'm going to do with it. Looks nice tho! [/quote] er.. play it? Steve

I think we all get days and gigs like that. Don't know why, all I've learnt is to go with the flow and battle through. You may not have thought it was great at the time but if the public like it then you and the band have done your job. Steve

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1389529684' post='2335076'] The writer takes a risk, in the same way as a research worker, or an architect. They should get paid for their work. OK. Now, why the lifelong payments..? [/quote] No the risk is different. Almost every research worker, architect, designer is making something either as a paid employee (ie even if the idea doesn't work they get paid) or as a result of a contract to provide that service (sometimes this can actually involve a royalty fee or a licence fee similar to a songwriter). However the "risk" of not making money out of the design is being carried by someone else. The songwriter is a different position (unless they've been directly commissioned or employed to write a song), they are carrying all the risk and 99.9% of their work will do nothing, the system allows them to keep going because that 0.1% (or less) will provide them with an income, take that away and there's no way of making money as a songwriter unless you envisage lots of Brill Buildings springing up Steve

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1389490566' post='2334838'] You're right, absolutely, as are so many other parts of the chain. The bloke printing the CD jackets, the sound engineer behind the glass , the delivery driver dropping off the packets... All have contributed (and jolly good it is, too...). All are paid (fairly, one hopes...). [i]The writer is important, I agree, but his time is no more 'worthy' in my eyes than any other participant in this (or any other...) industry[/i]. [/quote] Disagree, if there's no writer then none of the rest exists. The writer is also the one who's taking the risk here, if no-one wants their songs they has no income, all the others have orders to be fulfilled, if they don't make CD "Y" it's not a problem because they'll make CD "X". Steve

Bear in mind this requirement - [font=sans-serif][size=4] For moderation purposes, a copy of the music for each of the performances should be submitted with the Candidate Record Form (CRF). Where there is[/size][/font][font=sans-serif][size=4] no music copy, a clear annotation should be provided in the form of a written account of the piece, a graphic score, or a lead sheet, so that the nature of[/size][/font][font=sans-serif][size=4] the work to be interpreted is clear. If none of these is available, an original CD recording of the piece performed should be submitted instead.[/size][/font] [font=sans-serif][size=4] Steve[/size][/font]

I had a carbon fibre tail piece added to my bass and it made a big difference. Steve

Some of the best solo performers I've seen have a set list. Saw Phil Beer on Sunday and he got a lot of requests at half-time, he tore up his original set list but had drawn up a new one before he started the second half. Meant that his second set was balanced, included the requests, and he knew where he was going. Steve

Classical (non drums) background. Years of practice in one particular subset of bass skills. Dedication and sheer bloody mindedness to be good and if you have the talent you become the one in one thousand, and he is brilliant at what he does. Steve

GP as soon as you can get an appointment, might be nothing but only one way to find out and if it is something messing about with strap heights etc is just wasting time. Steve

Playing solo bass on them doesn't work too well. The bottom courses are tuned in octaves (like a twelve string or a bouzouki) and it's the octave string you hit first with the pick so it doesn't sound as bassy as you'd expect. Keeping it in it's traditional tuning makes for some interesting chord voicings the shapes of which are easily transferred across the strings. Have fun. Steve

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1388577730' post='2323514'] My son has said he doesn't want lessons, he just wants to try it himself, so I'll get it all set up for him and see what happens. [/quote] In which make sure he checks out some of the youtube videos, especially on holding and using the bow. Also the Gstring tuner app for smartphone is his friend, set it to autotune and make sure he periodically checks the note he thinks he's playing against the tuner. I still use it on double bass when I'm practising scales, it's very easy to turn your ear off and not realise your intonation is drifting Steve

"Dusty in Memphis". Tracks courtesy of the Brill Building, vocals to die for. Steve

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1388431532' post='2321954'] Dress to fit with your audience's expectation. [/quote] ... and that is the key to the whole debate I do exactly the same in my job (non music) and for exactly the same reasons, it makes me money. Steve

As far as strings are concerned, go to any decent music strings and ask for a set, they'll quote a range of prices and pick one in the middle. Personal preference is for D'Addario Preludes which run to about £15 a set which is towards the bottom end of the market for decent strings. Rosin is strange stuff and not all rosins are created equal. The traditional way for a first application was to crush some rosin onto a hard surface, take the frog off so the hair is all lose and work the hairs through the crushed rosin. I've only ever done this once, long ago, nowadays the following seems to be the norm. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8UsIwa-BhQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8UsIwa-BhQ[/url] Have fun Steve

All musicians dress up, it's part of the image and expectation that they project, Mr Dunning in his T-shirt is projecting a certain image today which is different to his prog rock persona. For me the issue is do you get to chose how you dress or is it decided for you? Depends on what you want and what contract you signed Steve

Thanks for posting. The only shame is that there are no details as to how you can donate materials or tools. Steve

I've always had Tanglewood pegged as making decent quality instruments at good prices. I have a 12 String (£200), my son has a double neck electric and a mandolin. Perfectly acceptable instruments and good quality/price ratio. A couple of days ago I happened to browse the guitar section of a local music shop, saw a nice looking Tanglewood and then saw the price tag £1,200! The manager there told me that they also do a couple of more expensive ones than that. At the same time they still had the entry level a and budget stuff but also a lot in the £500+ price range that I'd never tagged Tanglewood as being known for. Has anyone here played these more expensive Tanglewoods? If so how do they compare with the competition, are they still good value money (ie are they even better than the competition at those higher price points)? Steve

I know the shop you're talking about and it's not as good as it used to be I don't know why but the offer is a lot poorer both on instruments and accessories and strings. My last three visits have resulted in no purchases even though I had the cash and went on to purchase elsewhere. There are better luthiers in the area (the town centre shops have better ones) Steve

When I broke my wrist my physio included a moldable putty (think kid's silly putty) which comes in several strengths (I have the medium and the hard ones) which I was meant to knead for half an hour a day. It worked. I'm still using it to try and keep my fingers and wrist moving in cold weather. Steve

Thanks folks, I'll give the neoprene gloves a try and report back. Steve

Sorry Ollie but at that budget I think you're could be buying trouble. If you know nothing about pianos you need at least to find a friend who does and get them to check any potential purchase. Personally I'd buy a second hand electric or keyboard (there's a nice 88 key roland on fleabay at the moment at just over your budget). The problem with makes (Kemble, Broadwood, Knight have good names) is that the way a piano has been played, cared for and stored is crucial and worth more in playing and care bills than anything else. Also remember that any piano you get will need to be tuned after being moved. Good luck Steve