Adrenochrome

Don't worry if the sound on stage isn't as good as you'd expect. As long as you can hear what you need to hear then the soundman should make you sound good to the audience. My stage sound is very bright and clicky but I know it sounds good out front [soundman cuts some treble] and it allows me to cut through on stage without being too loud [helps us hear what we're singing as well]. Have fun!

[quote name='BassMunkee' post='272366' date='Aug 29 2008, 11:08 AM']Fields Of The Nephilim - Dust, Last Exit For The Lost, Psychonaut - to name but 3. Sisters Of Mercy - Fix, [b]Lucretia[/b][/quote] ...the only song I've ever sang lead vocals on!

I'd agree with getting/borrowing an extension cab. I used to gig with a 100watt amp and it was plenty loud enough for a 2 guitar band because I used a 1x15 and 4x10 [Peavey and Laney cabs].

I use the Samson APB-1 and it's the only system I've tried that works reliably with regular long gigs and all the sweat and jumping about involved. I think all the 'bugs' are a better design generally than belt packs. I think the AKG bug can be pivotted to fit any angle of input jack socket if that's any use to you/

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='269811' date='Aug 25 2008, 09:52 PM']I keep my strings fast fretted regularly and it keeps them clean and in good nick. [/quote] +1 and I only change them when they break or are completely worn.

All the above advice is great, including kicking the guitards in the nuts if they contribute too much 'advice'. Listen to Steve Harris for great examples of when to double the guitar riff, when to pound the root notes, and when to play something completely different. In a song like Wrathchild, even when on the root notes he leads into the root note [D to E on the A string] then the plays open E - it's a simple trick but it works.

[quote name='Rich' post='266051' date='Aug 20 2008, 07:57 AM']OK, so where does it stop? Years ago, near where I used to live there was a dog boarding kennel. Out in the middle of nowhere, only one house anywhere near it. That house was sold, new couple moved in and, yup you guessed it, they complained about the noise. The owner of the kennel had two choices: 1] install complete soundproofing/enclosures which he could not afford, or 2] close. So another business folds, and a few more people on the dole... all because of the selfishness of these twats who knew full well that there was an established kennel nearby when they bought the place. Would you have been 100% on their side too? NIMBYism is a curse, the authorities bend over backwards to appease people with even the flimsiest & most pathetic of objections.[/quote] Yup, not wrong there. We've lost quite a few music venues when people have moved into houses next to/very near to pubs, and then complained when the pubs have had moderate volume bands on. The c**ts in the council serve noise abatement notices at the first hint of a complaint. BTW a lot of the complaints have come from young people not just old gits.

[quote name='Marcus' post='251002' date='Jul 30 2008, 07:38 AM']Sustain eh ? I know a long sustaining note from a bass with a big "piano like" accoustic tone makes you feel like you have a well constructed instrument, but most bass players work hard to kill the notes that ring (unwanted) and when was the last time anyone needed a note that lasted more than a couple of seconds anyway ?[/quote] the intro to Love Walked In. the break in She Sells Sanctuary...

[quote name='ARGH' post='265678' date='Aug 19 2008, 04:58 PM']Yeah..thanks for that,Dad Lally was nice in his write up...You didnt watch us did you? You heard about some guy burning a V onstage and it landing on Lally Jr's £500 multicore cable...Graham (Our drummer,who was doing lights with Paul) said he'd never seen a CO2 extinguisher located and used so fast in his life! We are doing the Harley Davidson thang in Baildon this friday...hey have heard about some git cancelling our gigs,and then by sheer chance a band steps in,and its been the same band each time? I wonder if its been happening to you guys? On topic,lessonswise...well,you ever wondered exactly how good you are,or what gaps there are in your playing? What do I need/could I do to be better than the next guy? Well Ive been having that feeling for ages....Brush up on theory (but why I hardly use it anymore)..is obvious,as are techniques (but youtube is around for that,and I cant really tap in any part of "Shake your Tailfeather" ...Ive tried ).[/quote] No I didn't watch it as I was on the South Coast getting buffeted by the wind in our campervan and awning, I've seen quite a few good comments from the other bands. I knew about the burning of the V but not heard what it landed on, pretty funny! No, we've not had any malicious cancellations but I know quite a few bands that it has happened to. I've not been able to spot any pattern as to who it is. I did wonder at one point if it was a band trying to keep some of the rapidly improving bands from getting good gigs. A lot of the cancellations did seem to be in the Ponte/Wakey area into South Yorkshire but I don't know it that trend has continued? I don't think my band are regarded as being particularly good musically so I don't think other bands feel threatened by us - we get a lot of gigs based on our image, song choice etc rather than our pedigree as musicians. On topic, I think I'm a fairly good bass player within a band context. If I was looking for areas to improve it would definitely be my singing, writing [lyrics+music]. There are vast areas of bass playing that I've barely touched on [tapping and slapping/popping, other techniques] but I am far more interested in the band sound at the moment. I know this appears very unambitious but I've a lot on my plate with young kids, a demanding job, unfinished MSc etc. I know I'm probably 'playing it safe' as a bassist but that's where I am at the moment.

Are you sure it shouldn't be you who's giving the lessons? [unless you're trying to learn a very specific technique] BTW good reviews from the Rock n Bike Show

Depends on the bass. I prefer a coloured stain so I voted no.

Use the neck pup on your jazz - problem solved!

SHOWMANSHIP - we're paid to entertain. Not always easy to do if the band is having a poor gig though...

I'm not sure anyone would want tips from me as our songs are all easy to play. [getting the backing vox right and cuing the rest of the band aren't always easy though!]. So, any 25 or so from the following: AC/DC Highway To Hell, Touch Too Much, Whole Lotta Rosie All American Rejects Move Along the Animals House Of The Rising Sun Avril Lavigne Complicated Blondie One Way Or Another, Union City Blue Blink 182 All The Small Things Bon Jovi Wanted Dead Or Alive Brenda Lee Rocking Around The Christmas Tree the Buzzcocks Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't 've) Creed One Last Breath the Cult Rain, She Sells Sanctuary Deep Purple Smoke On The Water Evanescence Going Under Green Day American Idiot, Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life), Basket Case Guns 'n' Roses Sweet Child O' Mine Hazel O'Connor Will You? Hole Celebrity Skin Iron Maiden Run To The Hills the Kaiser Chiefs I Predict A Riot Led Zeppelin Rock 'n' Roll Metallica Nothing Else Matters, So What [by Anti-Nowhere League], Enter Sandman My Chemical Romance Teenagers Nazareth Broken Down Angel Nickelback Rockstar Nightwish Over The Hills And Far Away [by Gary Moore] Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit No Doubt Just A Girl Ozzy Osbourne Crazy Train Pat Benatar Hit Me With Your Best Shot Pink Try Too Hard Pink Floyd Another Brick In The Wall (part 2) Placebo Nancy Boy Rainbow Since You've Been Gone the Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop Republica Drop Dead Gorgeous, Ready To Go Robert Palmer Bad Case Of Loving You Slade Cum On Feel The Noize, Merry Christmas Everybody Steeleye Span All Around My Hat the Sweet Teenage Rampage System Of A Down Chop Suey! Thunder Love Walked In UFO Doctor Doctor the Undertones Teenage Kicks Weezer Hash Pipe

Cool, let us know how it goes. We have a gig there on 1st November and we're playing Ebeneezers [just nearby] the night before.

The ONLY basses that have blown me away when watching other bands live in the last couple of years have been by Status. One was a 5 and the other was a 4 tuned BEAD. Both were very articulate & balanced all over the fretboard and had well defined bottoms (oo err missus). Neither bass was slapped and were being used for rock/metal. I've never been able to afford a bass like that so it's a good job I never had a go on either of 'em!

In the old days we'd get ripped to the tits on drink and drugs and go on the rampage wherever we were . Sadly this is not possible anymore... [drugs are bad m'kay]

Yes I always have a hangover after gigs - no doubt caused by the heat from the lights and smoke machine etc. Sometimes even after a normal pub gig I can't get to sleep until 3. My kids get up around 6, 6:30ish so yep, I'm knackered the next day. I find that eating after a gig helps my energy levels next day - but then I've had 4 meals so that's not great for my beer belly!

Always for a proper paying gig. Don't bother if we're playing a 30-40 minute slot at a charity all-dayer. The spare I usually take is a fretless which I use for 1 or 2 songs. I take my Crate powerblock as a spare amp.

...be careful with your mythbusting - a lot of people get upset. Next you'll be telling us that tube watts aren't really much more powerful than solid-state watts!

Looks like a Burns Nu-sonic to me. However there were quite a few similar looking basses from that era including some Italian ones.

Not at all anal. I mainly look for things like fret wear as I put a lot of wear on frets during gigs. I clean strings regularly and clean the bass fairly often. Dings are fine in my book.

Yep, if the gig's going okay I dance around as much as space permits. Our singer (F) sometimes does things in reponse to the lyrics and pretends to flirt with the rest of the band and generally mucks about. If the gig isn't going well I'll hardly move as I tend to be the one giving cues to the rest of the band... we really should be a lot more consistent by now...

[quote name='tonybassplayer' post='247102' date='Jul 24 2008, 06:17 PM']Just collected mine so will have a listen ( also looking forward to the Rush article !! ) Tony[/quote] Tony, if ever you get bored of the Geddy Jazz, I'd be more than happy to 'look after' it for you for a while..

Good work fella!