oggiesnr

Interesting article here looking at some of the financials behind a hit [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27486952"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27486952[/url] . It does raise the question as to just how you make money making music. Steve

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1400950366' post='2458508'] SGWAG- It must be something 'with a guitar'. Even Google doesn't know that one! [/quote] Some Guy With A Guitar Usually very earnest and telling us in great, graphic detail about his latest crisis. Steve

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1400949019' post='2458485'] And certain performers become known for their affinity for certain tunesmiths. While known for his interpretations of many different composers, Alfred Brendel has recorded the complete Beethoven Piano sonatas no less than three times in his career. [/quote] ... and they're fascinating to listen to as you can hear him changing the way he played them as he grew older and more experienced. Which is also fascinating with some live bands who've been around for a while. Mind you I feel that there are some bands (The Who for example) who are really covers bands replaying their early hits. Last time I saw The Who they were trying to sell their latest CD and the crowd had zero interest in any of their new music. Personally I prefer a good covers band who stamp a bit of their own personality on the music but them I'm really a folkie so most of what I play is "covers" anyway. For a fun night out I would usually avoid original bands (and singers) like the plague unless I knew something about them. The number of identikit SGWAGs I've seen over the years is far too many, Dylan and Cohen have a lot to answer for! Steve

[quote name='stingraybassman' timestamp='1400666657' post='2455867'] Its a bit different with bands like you say, I'm really sceptical with usage fees and retention of rights. Intellectual property is a minefield and most record labels re-brand and re-market an artist when they "make it" anyway. [/quote] ... and the reason they rebrand is to ensure that they get a cut on all the official merchandise. It does however depend on whether the record label is going with their own idea of the image or whether they're picking up a band that's making waves in it's own right. Steve

License the artwork to them. That way if they make it big you get an ongoing royalty but you get less up front. Steve

[quote name='lowlandtrees' timestamp='1399620341' post='2445851'] A great thread.Ran into a group of travelling buskers yesterday (2 trumpets, guitar, keys and double bass). Bass sounded great. They told me it was 150 years old and was for sale for £1000. Although the bass sounded great it looked like they were travelling with the bass on a chain behind the van. It could have been a bargain or a scam. Suddenly realised that I would not mind a new instrument(have a small bodied contra) but did not know the first thing to look for. [/quote] Most of the "music" that that particular group do is a backing track. I know them too well Steve

Awkward Outdoor, basically a beer festival. Running order to shot to hell, 5.30 graveyard slot. I was doing it solo, needed two mikes, only one was working. I was doing a non-bass set which was bandoneon, whistle, guitarlele and vocals. The mikes put paid to any singing and it was a situation that really needed my Paddy's night set (Black Velvet Band, Fields of Athenry, Wild Rover etc). Anyway did my allotted 40 minutes and escaped. Some good reaction but not very happy with it.

You could always drop some serious cash with these guys [url="http://www.footdrums.com/"]http://www.footdrums.com/[/url] Steve

Ignoring the lumps of firewood at the low end of the market, I wonder how many in an audience could really hear the difference between any two basses on any track? For me high end basses are those that I would love to own aesthetically but know I could never afford/justify. Some basses are just drop dead gorgeous and good luck to those who own them. As far as price is concerned, if you think high end basses are expensive, look at the price of a good double bass [url="http://www.contrabass.co.uk/csbasses.htm"]http://www.contrabass.co.uk/csbasses.htm[/url]. These are the good quality ones, the high end page is POA only. I know of one orchestral player who sold his bass when he retired (a nice late 19th century english one) for £50,000 and that was by no means top of the range. Steve

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1399656603' post='2446438'] I have a friend who gets frustrated with recording. His problem is that now that we have the ability to do multiple takes and stitch them together, it feeds the perfectionists. He is a perfectionist. He'll play a great single take, listen back and hear every TINY (and I mean TINY!) flaw and then go back and rerecord it until it meets his high expectations. Most of these "flaws" are things I consider to be part of the character of the take. He strives to sound like a perfectly produced dance drum beat whereas I'd prefer he kept those inconsistencies as they are what makes his takes sound more human and live. I suppose, if you are also striving for perfection too you have to either let some of it go or be prepared for the time consuming editing! [/quote] My favourite article on the subject [url="http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar05/articles/soundingoff.htm"]http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar05/articles/soundingoff.htm[/url] Steve

I hate recording, it never seems to go right so I empathise with the OP. As far as composing is concerned I have two techniques. I have a Zoom H2 which I'll turn on and then nurdle on whichever instrument I'm playing at the time. For melodic work it'll be either a whistle or a squeezebox, for chords/riffs a guitar or my latest toy, a guitarlele. The H2 is important because I can pick up on things that seem to work and not have to worry about remembering them the next day. Any promising lines I can then clean up and start to work on. Words I do on paper (the same way I write poetry) and at some point I'll look to match the halves up. Most of the time I end up with a pile of words and a pile of tunes that don't match but every so often it comes together. Steve

For a few years I went to a jam session in a local Kurdish cafe. There was a floating group of around a dozen of us from all over the place (Lebanese accordion player, Polish clarinettist etc) and the deal was we'd each play a tune that we knew from wherever and then the rest would gradually join in and we'd see where it went. Often into unpredictable places and keys and they often came out nothing like they went in but was some of the most fun times I've had playing music. Steve

I use a Zoom H2. There will be a setting somewhere which is switched wrong or a dodgy card (I have one that works in my camera but not the Zoom) so I'd persevere with the Zoom. Steve

Whatever you do there is one golden rule, KEEP IT UP TO DATE! Nothing looks worse than a website/FB/Whatever where the Forthcoming Gigs are for 2012. Steve

[quote name='lemmywinks' timestamp='1399028739' post='2440122'] Also important to remember that those spotty youths who just come in to try out gear don't stay young and penniless forever. It's no coincidence that the local shops that offered the best service when I had little money got a lot of my custom when I had lots of disposable income. [/quote] However the pressure is to pay the rent this year, not down the road when the spotty youths may have money but equally may not still be interested in the guitars they were thrashing today or even living in the same town. It's a hard balancing act, not helped by the people who use the shops to try out instruments that they will then buy online (no price matching isn't always possible and strange how when you are cheaper than the net no-one ever asks you to price match). Steve

Try being a Morris Team when a group of drunk rugby players decide that in the middle of a stick dance is the obvious place to try and join in

May Day Morning so 5.15 on Beverley Westwood with the Morris side to welcome the spring. About eighty people there. The team is going through one of those stages when people have moved away or have other commitments that early in the morning (or child sitting problems) so a small and select team which meant that not only did I play double bass but did a solo dance and led the singing of Hal an Tow (the May Day carol). Was good fun, the crowd seemed to enjoy it and all done and dusted by 6.00 am. Steve

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1398681420' post='2436413'] As someone trying to effect a similar career shift myself, this has made for very interesting reading. To the OP: I'm not in the singer-songwriter side of things myself, but I read this article this morning. Won't teach you how to make ends meet, and some of the points may seem blindingly obvious, but it might help with the singer-songwriter act: [url="https://musicclout.com/contents/article-418-why-your-acoustic-show-doesnt-have-to-suck.aspx?utm_source=Potential+Members&utm_campaign=cde7d1d1ea-Acoustic_Show4_25_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4bb296eccb-cde7d1d1ea-304033113"]https://musicclout.c...1d1ea-304033113[/url] [/quote] Good article. The other implied point is that the artist went out of their way to add to their skill set. Steve

I'm sorry but singer/songwriters are not an endangered species, there's thousands of them. Lot's of them are also really good guitarists. However the number of them that can write songs that people want to hear more than once and put on a good show is severely limited BUT unless you're in the that select group then making a living a living as a singer/songwriter is unlikely to happen. On the plus side, if you write good songs there are always people who want new songs. If you've a good voice there are always bands that need singers so there is hope. At the very least there is always busking but busking songs that no-one's ever heard of is a losing proposition. It really does come down to taking a long, hard look at your skill set and your skill level. What are your strengths and weaknesses, what can you improve? As far as jobs go, a genuine 9-5 (with a steady pay check) beats casual bar work anytime. You don't need to turn down many shifts because they clash with gigs for the phone to stop ringing. Good luck with what you decide, Steve

You can also get plastic sousaphones so you can keep playing the bass lines. Steve

Peter does good work doesn't he Steve

[quote name='Jonnyboy Rotten' timestamp='1397205017' post='2421686'] I am going to be getting a Roland Micro Basscube RX which seems to be the ideal mini combo with battery power option if you can't afford the PJ Briefcase. [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/roland-bass-micro-cube-rx/18487"]http://www.gak.co.uk...o-cube-rx/18487[/url] [/quote] Plenty loud enough, if you try and play at gig levels in the street you'll be asked to move on. Is it just you or are you in a group? Leisure battery and small amp are the standard ways to go especially if you want to power effects and loopers. Inverters come in a variety of power sizes so get a fairly hefty one. Maplin or MachineMart do a range. Bear in mind that you have to have enough headroom for peak loads (when you switch on) not just for when it's running. Be aware of any local rules for busking, Camden have just banned amplifiers for example and have fun. Steve

I know scale shapes which is slightly different. Steve

Garbage in, Garbage out. It starts with the instrument. Steve

This thread needs some new life so here goes I cannot imagine being able to play so long in thumb position as this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yjVwRI5aiU Steve