solo4652

True Colors. Chorus is fine, but syncopation in the verse catches me out constantly, especially the difference between bars 1 and 2. It's only four root notes per bar, but I really struggle with the timing. To make matters worse, I'm not playing with a drummer - it's just me (not) laying down the beat/groove. I can seriously mislead the singer, and frequently do.

Yeah, I know. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that!

We're trying to keep the band footprint as small as possible. Easy load-ins and outs. Don't want a loud acoustic drumkit, but possibly open to some sort of electronic drumkit. Want to keep things simple - don't want a big drumkit. We're an acoustic band doing charity gigs, not loud 'n' blokey venues. Hand percussionist of some sort would be OK. I've just done a quick search on Join My Band and found two local cajon players. Probably shoot them a message.

I play the cajon, but I'd consider myself very much a beginner/improver. Obviously, I can't play bass and cajon at the same time! I have considered handing bass-playing duties to another bassist, while I switch to cajon. However, I'd rather play bass than cajon, being honest. Another option might be for me to switch to cajon, while the two guitarists use octaver effects, meaning we do without a bassist completely. Heresey, I know.

I'm setting up an acoustic band with my good friend. He plays guitar (with a number of foot pedal effects), guitar synth, and he sings using a cheek mic via a vocal effects doodah controlled by foot switches and pedals. I don't know how he manages all that. There is another guitarist (who also uses some effects via foot pedals) and who sings, myself on electric bass, and another singer. We want to add some decent drum beats to give the songs genuine drive and a rhythm for me to play against, but without having a traditional drummer there to keep the band footprint as small as possible. I've seen the porchboard-type stompboxes, and also things like the Ortega Horsekick pro, but we want something a bit more sophisticated than that with fills, chorus/verse variations, outros etc, not just a repetitive bang - bang- bang- bang sound. My guitarist friend is talking about a BeatBuddy, but I'm not keen on this for two reasons: He's got enough to do already with playing guitar, guitar synth, and singing, all with associated pedals. He's only got two feet and one brain! Being a bit of a "keep it live" purist, I don't really want to play with programmed drum samples or backing tracks. I want to be able to say to the audience that everything they hear is being produced live by us. My choice would be a good cajon player with added cymbals and Heck stick. Rare as hens' teeth. So - ideas please!

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/electric-bass-guitars/fender-american-performer-mustang-bass-satin-surf-green-rw?gclid=Cj0KCQiAzePjBRCRARIsAGkrSm7PdfnyalwU5Dx2bScKrjNIOcSdlAUU4fAGlmrOCfZdJJrmT1raStgaAvhBEALw_wcB

Can't find one at an affordable price, dammit. I've been looking for a while now.

It's a Lakland Skyline Hollowbody. 30" scale. I bought it off this forum. It's my No. 1 bass. The controls have been modified from V/V/T to V/pan/tone, although I leave the pan in the middle position for 90% of the time. It's a very light bass, and the body contours make it comfy around my beer gut. The neck is 40mm wide at the nut. Although 30" scale, the neck is positioned significantly further "outboard" than either the Mustang or the HB Shorty, making it feel closer to a 32" scale.

Hi there. I have 3 short scale 30 " basses: Lakland hollowbody, Fender MIJ Mustang, pimped Harley Benton Shorty. I'm not sure whether I've previously said this, but if you'd like to pop round any time to try any one out - just let me know. I'm in Stockport.

If I forget something, it's normally right at the start of a song. Thinks: "How does this song start?..." I confess that I do use notes hidden amongst the drummer's cymbals on a music stand. A quick glance, and I'm usually good to go. The other occasion |I forget something is when two adjacent songs have similar chord sequences. Confusion sets in immediately. That's why I generally request that such songs are seperated in the setlist by a couple of dissimilar songs. Again - quick glance at my covert notes, and I'm usually back on track.

Yes. That's it. right there.

Anybody seen or played one of these? There's one with DiMarzio pickups on Gumtree for £300. Looks quite tasty.

A rare bird, I'd say! Our guitarist is certainly capable of that but, most of the time, he chooses not to. He doesn't "learn his parts" - he plays what he wants to play, not what the song needs him to play. I despair.

Agreed. They're not very good at playing in a pub covers band. I'm definitely the least musically talented/technically capable person in the band. I've enjoyed learning basslines to reggae, soul, funk, soft-rock, pop, indie, and country songs. I'm sure that I don't play the bassline exactly as per the original on any song, but what I do play works well enough for where we play, and what I play fits the vibe of the original song. In my experience of covers bands, that's a where many people lose the plot - they don't learn their parts because they're more interested in playing their instruments than playing the song. When our lead guitarist reins himself in, he can play very tasteful licks and solos, and the result is sublime. But he's bored by that.

I play in a pub covers band. At our very first jam/tryout session, the lead guitarist - who is a very talented prog rocker/Yngve Malmsteen admirer - said: "I'd like to join, but I want to be challenged". I commented that perhaps a pub covers band wouldn't "challenge" him. Two years later, the band is still trying to play together as a unit, picking up 4 or 5 gigs a year, while congratulating itself on the high level of musicianship; "We play the songs better than nearly all the other local covers bands. Can't really understand why we don't get gigs" I'm the main gig-hunter. I despair.The guitarist insists on playing mega-widdly solos to just about every song. We play Kiss (the song, not the band), and he goes off on a prog-rock solo. I despair. Why does he do this? Because learning the guitar parts to cover songs like Oasis doesn't "challenge" him, and he sees it as beneath him. Similar story with our drummer who, whenever he can, plays double-kick bass to funk and soul songs. I despair. These people are completely capable of learning their parts to cover songs but they don't, because they see that as uninteresting and somewhat beneath them. Interestingly, both of these people arrived at the band having just left originals bands. I'm not sure whether that's relevant, but I suspect it is.

Anybody got two of these they want to sell? Not too concerned about date or evening/matinee.

£315!? Good grief.

At present, it's an "Acoustic" duo, I'd be 3rd member: Singer using an expensive, passive small Bose array pole system and a behringer mixer, guitarist going through the singer's rig. I've asked, and the singer is not happy for me to put the cajon through her rig. Don't know why, but there you go. Small/medium cafe-bar/pub venues - 50-100 people. How about this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MALONE-ACTIVE-PA-SPEAKER-10-SPEAKER-POWERED-STAGE-200W-RMS-MAX-DISCO-46-21/173536527780?hash=item28679545a4:g:dswAAOSwZOBbl4Bu:rk:2:pf:0

Thank yoiu - good call. I hadn't thought of that at all. Better off with a 10" speaker, or would an 100W, 8" speaker do?

OK - here's an update: We've decided I won't be playing bass on any songs with the acoustic duo - just the cajon. That's making me re-think my amp requirements. I don't want to use my GK MB500/Techamp 112 bass rig for the cajon - It's Watts overkill, and a seperate head/cab setup for the cajon is adding complexity and leads to what should be a simple rig. I'm now thinking along the lines of a small bass combo that doesn't need to be sophisticated - it's only having to cope with two tones - "boom" and "tish"! 50W, won't need gain, parametric EQ, effects loop, tuner - none of that. Just a simple, robust, lightweight portable bass amp, maybe with the facility for battery as well as mains power. Not sure whether I'll need 10" or 12". Would an 8" cope, do you think? All suggestions gratefully received. Thanks, folks.

I have 3 short scale basses: Fender MIJ Mustang, Lakland Skyline Hollowbody, and a pimped Harley Benton Shorty. I can see you're in Northamptonshire, which isn't exactly round the corner from Stockport, but you are more than welcome to pop in and play any of my basses if you're in my area. Steve