SpaceChick

My one and only big tour was as a classical musician.... 18 days, 2 rest days, sometimes 2 gigs a day in venues between 2000 seater and 5000 seater, school visits, media following us, overnight sleeper trains, some sightseeing (but not much), live TV performance to an estimated 30 million people. Through China, aged 15, in 1989 (giving away my age now ). Back in the day where there was no mobile phones and we had to arrange in advance a telephone call back to Wales so our parents knew we were OK!! This is where my earlier story about the restaurant comes from!! It was my introduction to sake! This tour was by far one of the best experiences of my life and I am godmother to my "roomies" children and godmother to another of the girls children and am in touch still with most of the gang!! Couldn't do it now though I rather like gigging on Saturday nights exclusively once or twice a month. Any more than that and I'd keel over with my full time job That said to set up the full show does take around 4 hours!! And around 2 hours to take down again!! Back in 1989 I was a little diva that just opened up her Oboe case and got ready to play, 5 mins max!!

I have a barefaced super 12 coupled with a Markbass 800w amp. Both light as anything and pack a punch!! For gigs I tend to DI into the PA anyway, however, when we had a PA issue and I couldn't DI (channel failure) and I needed to fill a 300 seater theatre, my kit did a job brilliantly and was not even at half potential volume!!! Not cheap but worth it!

Don't get hideously drunk after a gig in a Chinese restaurant..... Particularly if it's the restaurants opening night..... And you end up vomiting in the street outside the restaurant.... Restaurants don't like this* *I made this mistake on tour, so you don't have to!

JTUK - I think you are coming across as quite harsh in your last post. I'm sure we were all ropey when we started out. However, everyone has to start somewhere in a band environment and I think if Froggy can find others that want to play with him and he wants to play with then it will be a great development experience. We all need to find our level whether we've been playing 3 months or 30 years and everyone was a beginner once and not everyone is going to be the next Pino or Jaco!!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1423505636' post='2685660'] Due to a bizarre coincidence I may even be playing with two bands that night. Thank you Madam Moderator... I hear your Pink Floyd tribute band carries all before it!! [/quote] Bonus, get paid twice too Madam Moderator?!?! that's a first, to be called that I'm not sure I understand your sentence re my band, but Welsh Floyd rock

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1423505142' post='2685647'] I'm playing in Denmark Street in central London this month... ...and have thus failed to understand the whole point of the thread. [/quote] And have got your bassist buddies jealous Chuffed for you Discreet! X

That's great Sharkboy, and excellent cause too

Do you play a fretless for Hey You? Enjoyed that, having played the same track myself last night in my Pink Floyd tribute band Nice to see some projections too, make such a difference!

[quote name='Bassjon' timestamp='1423420317' post='2684571'] Anyone else got stage fright on a big stage and what did you do? [/quote] I tend to bite my lip and close my eyes for a few seconds and tell my head I'm playing at home! I had a moment yesterday. As this theatre was so important to me when I was younger I made it a big deal in my head. The first song was fine, the second song, just as I was about to come into the big bass entrance my hands started to shake. I followed my above tip and was fine and dandy Our guitarist is hilarious, he gets really bad stage fright... About 15 mins before he announces he can't play, we tell him he can, we almost have to force him on stage and then he is brilliant.

I love a big stage me!! We played at a theatre last night and what I find refreshing is that you aren't constantly worried about drunk punters damaging your kit Next week we are playing a social club which has a small stage only 2 feet off the ground and we won't all fit on it! So I'll be less relaxed about my kit then The big question is which AA? Automobile Association or Alcoholics Anonymous? At least with the latter you wouldn't have had to worry about drunk punters regardless

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1423402306' post='2684321'] Superb! Can't wait to see the footage! Nx [/quote] I'm hoping we get it from the students fairly soon. Should have checked when their Uni deadline was x

Just go for it!! I joined my first band after 2 months. I was rubbish and mainly played root notes!! But then the band I was playing with was a bunch of pensioners that wanted fun (I was a good 25 years younger than the rest of them). I played with them for about 6 months, worked hard, learned more complex basslines and then they told me I was ready to move onto a better band The learning experience I had from playing with a drummer, doing a few short sets at open mike nights, learning band dynamics was invaluable. So get out there and have a go, it'll be a steep learning curve but will move you on quicker than you ever would by being a bedroom bassist until you thought you were ready!

Sorry it didn't go that well for you Lurksalot

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1423386343' post='2684076'] thanks - oh is that what they are called!no idea me i just stand at the back wearing black and try and get all the right notes in all the right order [/quote] Ha, I'm the same!! I only know what they are called as I bought our two varilights.... I want more though

Great pics Steve and nice varilights

Makes perfect sense Blue! I have to say I am happy with my Ibanez basses through my Markbass and barefaced super twin

Well I'm just in from my gig tonight. Welsh Floyd were playing Neath Little Theatre. We had a good crowd about 150 people. A few hiccups pre gig in that the PA turned up nearly three hours late, which resulted in much stress and included me and the drummer having a massive bust up and screaming at each other.... He started it I don't think he expected me to retaliate so viciously. He apologised and we hugged and made up. The crowd were really appreciative. It was our first gig with our circular projections and they worked a treat (thanks to my hubby's hard work). It was also our first gig since the saxophonist joined us and he kicked arse!! I made 2 mistakes and I am beating myself up over them!! I always do!! Also I couldn't hear my fretless very well, so have concerns that my intonation may not have been perfect!! Although speaking to friends afterwards they commented on how amazing and flawless I was!!! One friend loves my fretless work and commented on how I give him goosebumps and nobody can come close to me! I loves him I do We had a few little hiccups but nothing which stopped anyone's enjoyment. The theatre were chuffed to bits, as we'd been their largest live music event to date and so they made a tidy commission and bar take We also had a film crew there, so hopefully we will get some good live footage for YouTube. Also interesting that my mother in law came (as it was a local theatre) and she may be in her 70s but she really enjoyed herself Cream crackered now!! just finishing some ready salted peanuts to stop the post gig cramp I always get (which isn't as bad when I have peanuts) and then it's time for sleep! I love being a part time rock star I do!! Next gig, next Saturday!

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1423290037' post='2683140'] My ex wife moved to The UK a year ago. Somewhere outside of London. I'm not sure, but I don't think I'm legally allowed anywhere near London. Blue [/quote] You are OK, Blue. Seashell lives in the Midlands

Do guitarists even know how to make tea? I'm sure they never learned the skills as they needed the brain space to cope with a extra 2 strings

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1423228435' post='2682481'] And of course, for the Fretless Bassist that is Intonation challenged, that is also a crime against music. [/quote] Lol, yep true

I've just been wiping my strings down (as you do). My routine is a tea towel between the strings and fretboard to provide a barrier (far easier on my fretless!) then a quick wipe down with a cloth with white spirit on it. Then wipe down with a clean cloth. Then a whizz down the strings with some fast fret and then wipe it down again with the buffering cloth. My strings on my fretted are at that stage now where there are going out if tune too easily and have lost their "sproinyness" (loving that word by the way!!), however, with a gig tomorrow and a gig next Sat I don't want to change them until after that, as I hate strings for the first week or so as they are too lively for my liking!!

I agree that looking at some technique videos may help. How are you for knowing what the notes are on the fretboard? There are some great fretboard testers which you can download and play whenever you find yourself with a spare 5 minutes which will help you on bass without even needing a bass. Could be done at the school gates when waiting for children etc. I also agree that getting out there and playing with some other people is a good idea. I joined my first band after I'd been playing for 2 months. Cue a steep learning curve and no regrets!

You do raise a good point Nige! I play a few fretless songs which aren't that challenging at all technically, but the intonation is crucial in whether it sounds awesome or awful. However, to not play them on a fretless would be a crime against music and would sound quite hideous, so my ears and subtle movements if my fingers become my best friends!

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1423152679' post='2681511'] 'One Song' from Karl Jenkins' The Peacemakers. It was Laurence Cottle on the original recording. I had 6 weeks to learn it and didn't quite cut it on the night (with a 14 piece orchestra and 60 piece choir). Cottle [i]read[/i] it cold. [/quote] Cottle is a legend!! I had a spell with a metal band and anything Iron Maiden was pretty darn challenging!! Quite enjoy the simpler pace of life with Welsh Floyd! My biggest challenges of an evening are Time and Money (that sounds quite funny... I do have time to play and I do get paid money ) both are easy basslines really speaking, they are just an endurance test as they stretch your fingers and my little finger on my fretting hand gets put to work more than usual

Only just seen this. My ambition is to have fun, don't let politics get me own and make a few pennies!