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Pete, where are you based? Round here I'd take it to Peter Hall in Beverley and talk to him about what you want. He's a great bloke and does great work and won't b********t you either about what he can do or imposing his ideas on you. steve PS How is the wrist? I'm still struggling with mine

I play instruments, she has dogs. One of the dogs is on long term (six years and counting) medication. The food bill runs to £70 a month, the meds bill about the same. That gives me a fair amount of leeway in buying new instruments. The secret is not to abuse it. Steve

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1402605376' post='2475340'] Yes - surely all natural talent is God-given isn't it? So it would be wrong to deny it. [/quote] "The blues is the Devil's music." and fiddle players learn at the crossroads. The discussion between God and the Devil is as old as religion. There is no answer. You either have Faith or not. If you don't then you have one set of answers, if you do then you have another. I beieve all you can do is respect the decision that has been made. Steve

I admire your faith and your courage in both being prepared to follow it and to be public about it. I wish you serenity with your decision and hope you will continue posting here. In peace Steve

I'll bring my "breathed on" Antoni as an example of what can be done with a good set up and the judicious application of a little money. Steve

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1402330440' post='2472292'] My wife gets rather annoyed at all the calls the police get on weekends from people complaining about the noise from the pub next door. And they don't just complain about the music, "There are people standing outside the pub waiting for taxis and they are talking!", is a common one, apparently. My wife's view of it is "Well, you moved in next door to a pub, what exactly did you expect? The pub has been there far longer than you!", though she doesn't actually say it. [/quote] In most towns now this is not the case. When we moved here there were five pubs within half a mile of our house, there are now four within fifty yards! Also, remember licensing hours? Pubs closing at 11.00 pm? Now it's midnight or later (the one next door is 2.00 am at weekends). Yes there are people who move near music venues and complain but that's the exception. Good venues manage the noise and have good relations with neighbours. Bad venues deserve to be shut! Rant over Steve

It's practice, lot's of it. There is no short cut but it helps if you know both parts well enough that you can concentrate on putting them together rather than worrying about what comes next. Steve

I have the misfortune to live near a pub. The new owner is great, still puts on live music but looks after the noise levels, has changed the angle of the stage, controls the punters leaving etc and it's fine. The previous manager was a t**d. Try lying in bed at midnight on a Saturday night, middle of summer, knowing you have to be up at 5.00 am and being able to write down the setlist and also which words the singer screwed up! Sure we complained, every week and eventually the Council served a prohibition order. I do wonder why for a smallish pub (200 capacity) why some bands felt the need to mike the drums and backline up through 3000+ watts of PA. I'm also amazed at the bar staff, how they can work at some of the volumes is beyond me. If they worked in a factory ear protection would be mandatory. Steve PS Before some says it, it wasn't a pub when we moved here, it was a furniture shop and the carpark was a sales lot. We objected to Planning Permission but Bristol routinely over-rules rejections by local planners which is what happened here.

The whole of that series is worth watching in sequence. The first one goes into how to hold the bass. Steve

[quote name='sarah thomas' timestamp='1402155948' post='2470543'] Steve, you are right. I'm being a wimp. Count me back in! I'll bring my German flatback and the Superlight. [/quote] Great Look forward to meeting you .

Is the guitarist going to be an add-on to the three of you who have already written the material etc? If so what's in it for them needs to be considered. Should one of your songs be picked up and recorded by someone else then who are the songwriters (ie who gets the money)? Splitting costs sounds fine and dandy but the three of you have a potential upside as well. Other than that, have fun. Steve

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1402091567' post='2470092'] I think that was to do with Entertainments Licencing from local authorities. [/quote] Yup, two different things. Steve

OK so here you are [url="http://www.grevillehodgson.co.uk/jazz_band_.html"]http://www.grevillehodgson.co.uk/jazz_band_.html[/url]. Now you a different definition for "Jazz Band" Have fun Steve

You can, I'm not sure where but I'll ask around. The genesis is in girls marching bands in the North East (and around here) who have drums, xylophones and a trumpet like kazoo. There are competitions etc for them. I know someone who helps with one so I'll ask. Steve

[quote name='sarah thomas' timestamp='1402072040' post='2469818'] Only just spotted it's on a Sunday, which makes the drive back to Cardiff prohibitive on a school night ... [/quote] It's motorway all the way so about three hours. I think my record for a gig is Hull-Glasgow Steve

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1402077458' post='2469898'] Say a band have a million-selling hit with a cover version. My understanding of royalties is as follows: - Mechanical royalties (CDs/downloads/stream sales) go to the songwriter - Performance royalties (plays on radio, shops playing songs etc) go to the songwriter [/quote] Which is why, if you're an originals, band you MUST sort out the music credits at the start. Steve

If however you busk then you're responsible for the PRS. Likewise if you sell homemade CDs whilst you're busking you're responsible for getting the clearances. Other than that PRS isn't a problem, just hand in a set list to the venue. Steve

It's horses for courses but I prefer the low B to the high C. I'm playing a lot folk and country so that low D is really useful. I did restring it for a while and found that it really didn't gain me as much. I also had a mad spell where I re-tuned it in fifths (C,G,D,A,E) but the shifts were just too much for my small hands. Steve

Count me in so 4. Steve

If it's a solid front and back do you have an adjustable bridge? Sounds like a humidity problem or that your practice space is so good acoustically that elsewhere it sounds flat. Steve

I know people who've claimed through New Moon and none of them have had any problems. Steve

As my alter ego Pedally Steve I charge £350 plus exes for weddings and no-one yet has blinked an eye even though I'm very much a side show. Last one I did the photographer was getting £2k and the band £600 each. You have to give them what they want but within that it's money to be made. If they're having a big enough wedding to have a live band etc then the cost of the band will not be high up the expense list. The wedding dress can easily cost more and that's ignoring the matching bride's maids. Steve

Great fun I can play five string a bit but I'm better on a tenor. The secret of five string is to work on your basic roll pattern and once you've got that nailed the rest falls into place. Have fun Steve

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1401061888' post='2459740'] You say it varies geographically, but I think you have generalised there a tad. I have a friend who's band were signed and fairly well known during the 90s and he regularly receives cheques each month of £5k or more and he reckons 85% comes from SA sales, his band here are much more cult-niché and experience less in sales. [/quote] Is your friend getting money from sales or from writing credits from radio plays? Makes a huge difference if it's actually your words and music. Steve

My next one is going to be built by Ani Macneice up in Otley (also thinking about an EUB). She made a glorious fretless for Tim Yates (Blackbeard's Tea Party) and also a four stringer for Ashley Hutchings. Individually made, you specify what you want and that's what you'll get. Also very good on communication and accurate updates. Steve Also makes electric mandolins, guitars and electric five string banjo!