JamesBass

Frank Zappa - Tink Walks Amok Countless theory stuff Also been learning my bands new album in depth

Diablo - I have what's known as a portfolio career, I drop projects quick and pick them up even quicker, all depends where the demand and money lies, so by putting bass player and music professional I think I cover all my abilities rather well? For instance, I'm currently involved with running and managing a promotions company, I currently have 2 hours of regular teaching a week and get around 1 session a month, roughly. So most of my time is focused on the promotions company, though we have our final event of the year on the 12th September, so once that's over, the band I'm currently in should have our debut album out so we can press on with that. The promo company will be dropped from the number 1 space in my life and replaced by what's giving me the most income. The question of using VistaPrint or not, is one that I'm looking in to more. I'm not enamoured by any of their designs and am somewhat awkward with designing things, I was always useless at Art in school! Though I have PLENTY of friends who'll do a design for me as a favour, in fact a few owe me favours, so time to call them in I think! The other question is, do I do back and front printing?

I was thinking something along the lines of "Bass player and music professional"? Anyone who then wants to know exactly what I do can ask Obviously the relevant details such as how to contact me etc will be on there

So, I'm looking to really begin pushing myself as a music professional now. I'm currently teaching bass, doing sessions and del work while also having a few fingers in management and promotions. I want to get a/some business cards made up, but not sure on what to be putting on it/them. I know there are some pros and semi-pros on here and am looking for a bit of help! Many thanks, James

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1396600729' post='2415478'] Good post ! What exactly do people mean when they say they [i]know[/i] their scales ? For most, it means being able to play from root to root all over the neck at a million MPH. While this is not a bad thing it is not the full story. Really knowing scales means being aware of how chord tones are made from them and why some chords are minor, some major, and some diminished. It also involves knowing how to harmonise the scale. NOW !.....how many people know their scales ? [/quote] ME! I've actually been working a hell of a lot on theory as a wider thing, however scales are the absolute foundation of Western Musical theory. They are simple but I still get a bit bogged down thinking about what will be THE best note to play next. I know chord tones, modes, diatonic theory, rhythmic theory and my scales but sometimes I just think too much. Being appreciative of the music around you and listening and reacting without thinking is what sets most of us apart from Pino et al. I think!

That's scarily on the money! Let's hope music doesn't degenerate as far as he predicts!

So, I'm 20 years old, I'm just finishing up on my HND in Music Performance and have submitted some applications to some Uni's to finish my degree next year. However, as time goes on I'm finding that doing my final year isn't as appealing as it once was. Having been looking at what graduate level jobs are out there relating to music, I feel rather depressed at my chances of finding one! I am looking at potentially doing my PGCE so as to enable me to teach, however, I don't want to teach yet. I might want to in the future, but I'm not 100% sure yet. I am in a band and we are due to release our debut album this year, though I haven't played on the album, I have produced some of it and mixed it. I joined after all the bass lines were tracked by the rhythm guitarist. Now, the most happy I am, is when I practice, write and gig with my band, well whenever I'm with my band doing music! I also have begun building up a small teaching business teaching bass guitar privately. On top of that, part of my HND has been to organise and promote a gig. Many have seen my post about the gig, which is tomorrow night in The Spinnaker Tower if you're interested, and I've enjoyed doing that, but there's not much money in anything other than teaching, and only then it's only worth it if I can get more than 5 hours of teaching time a week, currently I do 2 hours a week on average. So do I go full hog in to my teaching, band and promoting work while always looking for the next project and find myself a part time "anchor" job? Or do I go finish my degree? At the minute I'm split down the middle.

[quote name='Tom Brookes Music' timestamp='1395842457' post='2406978'] Cheers for the replies, the whole, building up a fan base at gigs and giving out flyers to the next gig on the night will be in place for our next gig.....I'm going to look into Twitter more as it seems to be a much more direct way of promoting than Facebook. I'm also going to really look at how to be more savvy with our YouTube channel. ....and carry on gigging too! [/quote] When you are gigging and tweeting, make friends and contact people! Choose who you follow carefully! You'll get random accounts from LA and The Mid-west add you in America, these while good probably aren't worth a follow back on your part. Twitter shows you exactly what people you're following are saying, so getting the right people appearing on your feed goes a LONG way! Remember to always build relationships, bands are a business and need to be managed with long term goals in mind and not to "make it huge in a year" etc. Good luck though! Check my twitter account out as I post fairly regularly jamesfoxbass and my promotions company is bigwaveports!

The best ways I've found are: Gig. Just go out there and gig, the more people that hear and see your band the more chances you have that people will like you and buy your stuff. Get a manager/promoter that you always use. Having a manager to deal with the majority of the promo and finding you gigs etc is a HUGE help! Everyone says it's do-able on your own but it takes up most of your time and you'll get stressed at not hearing back, getting rejections etc. Finding a good promoter is akin to finding a block of gold on your front door. However if you can find one in your area then stick to him or her like glue! They will know other promoters from other areas and will recommend you to them for future gigs.

Ashdown CTM300!

For influence I'd be looking at the Ashdown CTM300 all valve amp, it's simple yet has enough features to help the gigging bass player rather than confuse you with all the bells and whistles! Plus the tone on it is absolutely killer! The front end drive is awesome! I've not had the chance to fully drive the back end yet :/ I will soon hopefully!

James Jamerson, Pino Palladino, Steve Harris, John Entwistle, Jaco, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Nathan East and Guy Pratt! Just to have a single hour lesson with all of these would be incredible! Hell even an hour with just one of them would be truly amazing!

[quote name='Captain Rumble' timestamp='1395401576' post='2402022'] have they fixed the lift or are you going to lug all your gear up the stairs [/quote] The inside lift works, it's just the glass outside one that's never worked! However, you should come see for yourself Book your ticket via: http://www.big-wave-promotions.com/contact-us/

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1395081156' post='2398444'] Sounds like it'll be a 'great gig in the sky' almost best of luck - I hope it's a great success - sorry I won't be there Edit: BTW not the "PJB" Phil Jones is it? [/quote] Sadly not Phil of PJB! Would be nice to know someone like that aha! As for others reading and thinking about coming, do! Seriously come along it's in support of 6 amazing local acts in Portsmouth's biggest and most iconic landmark! Tickets available from http://www.big-wave-promotions.com

My band Caught in a Crossfire are preparing to release our album within the next 6 months and are in the early stages of booking gigs and potentially a tour to support the album release. Can any members recommend any good promoters or venues suited to our genre? For those interested find a demo here http://www.musicxray.com/artists/caughtinacrossfire/1113156 EP's available from here http://coffeejinglerecords.bigcartel.com/product/caught-in-a-crossfire-ep

Charity gig bump!

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' timestamp='1395005917' post='2397753'] Thanks Everyone We went to Guitar Guitar in Epsom last weekend (just "happened" to be passing). I wanted to try out the Gibson Midtown Semi as I wanted a woody thump for my new project. I tried the Gibson out (lovely lovely) and saw the Ric sitting in the corner and had to give it a go. It was love at first sight, but way too expensive. Alice preferred the sound of the Ric but I decided to have a think about it. I guess my mind was made up for me! [/quote] They are great in Guitar Guitar in Epsom! I got my 2012 Walnutburst from there! It's still to this day the best sounding and playing bass I've ever played! I really hope you enjoy your 4003W and gave it a good going over at band practice, I certainly just gave mine a good run out!

Best advice I can give is find someone to manage you guys if you haven't already? It might help in getting gigs elsewhere! My band are in the process of sorting things out with our management once again!

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1394696036' post='2394042'] Bargain! [/quote] [quote name='Merton' timestamp='1394713146' post='2394261'] Holy crap that's ridiculously cheap!! If I find a bargain like that the CTM100 will be on its way out the door!! [/quote] [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1394810939' post='2395519'] You What??? You are barred. How dare you..... Seriously though - nice one! Cheers Geoff [/quote] Haha yes it was a bargain and a half! The guy just wanted shot of it as he developed arthritis in his back and instantly went out and bought a TC Electronic! Think he said he'd been trying to sell the Ashdown for about 2 months with no sniffs even at a grand, so he dropped it to £795, I saw it and luckily had £600 cash on me and offered him that! He took a day to think it over and agreed! I couldn't believe my luck! I guess it's one of those moments of "destiny" first time in all my life that I've had something like this ever happen to me!

[quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1394802012' post='2395381'] I'll pass the word but my total lack of a head for heights precludes from doing anything more than that. Have fun and wave hello to my chum Dick Taylor on the Isle of Wight for me (Stones original bass player to keep it relevant). [/quote] Haha I'll give him a wave, just not sure he'll be able to see with all the fog! Plus we have more bands down in the cafe than higher up, purely for acoustics of course aha!

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1394313173' post='2390275'] Hello! Yes I bought Gareth's CTM100, and fan-bloody-tastic it is too! I gig it with either one or two Barefaced Super Compacts. They have to lie on their side for the amp to look sensible, plus the feet are slightly too far apart for it to sit on the cab with the cab the "right" way up: As for how it copes, 100W is the minimum I'd gig with when talking valve power, I think that there will be some gigs where I could do with a little more clean headroom but on the whole it's an immense sound and I love it EDIT: yes you can rag the power valves and get a lovely creamy breakup without making the guitarist cry or the hotel manager come and escort you from the premises [/quote] I've got the CTM300 and I can certainly say the extra headroom over the 100 is welcome for me, it allows me to push the amp a little bit more without it breaking up. Plus the tone is just killer! The first time I used it in a band situation was in the audition for my newest band, it blew them away! They LOVED my tone and on gear alone said I was in (Obviously joking) But the Ashdown CTM series are all exquisite sounding amps! I'm keeping my 300 for a LONG time! Plus the self-bias is great and simple to use! To the OP: As for the Laney, my experience of Laney valve amps is good, they sound great and are fairly simple to maintain, like most amps really! But you need to know what you're after from any amp. I've not much experience with this specific Laney model but it seems fairly decent. You certainly could get more amp for your money with a different purchase. I managed to get my CTM300 for £600, no issues with the amp at all! It's just a case of looking and finding the right thing!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1394320544' post='2390368'] Just out of interest, what was the other thing you were doing at the same time? [/quote] Re-stringing my P Bass and wailing along to some of my bands new demos aha!

Bands are odd beasts! I've been in plenty that are about to really take off but instead spontaneously combust and leave me picking over the pieces to work out what went wrong! However when I have been in a band it's been great, covers and originals! The key is just to relax and have fun! Enjoy every part of it! As for rehearsals, I've always found working on two or three songs a session to be most beneficial as you get to grips with really going over them and making them sound amazing! Good luck though!

Cheers Merlin, if it's not too much to ask, and if you're not too far away, but let all your friends know about it! It's gonna be a hell of a night!

So that might be a confusing thing to some people but, in Portsmouth we have the lovely Spinnaker Tower, this is right on the harbour in Gunwharf Shopping centre. My promotions company are holding a charity gig there. For more details please follow this link! http://basschat.co.uk/topic/231891-charity-gig-in-portsmouths-spinnaker-tower/