ambient

Thanks. I wasn’t aware that Dave Swift did that. Interesting.

I thought it was, I wasn’t sure though.

Does anyone do this? I only play 6 string basses, I have done for fifteen years or more. I’ve often felt that the high C never quite sits right, tonally. I’ve also never really liked over-bright strings - I also dislike thuddy sounding strings. Some double bassists have a mix and match approach to strings, mixing different brands to get their ideal sound and feel. I recently read an article about John Patitucci where it listed his gear. I was already aware of most of what it listed, and I knew he used two different types of strings on his double basses, I was surprised to read that he used the same approach with stringing his electric 6 string basses. I knew he used D’Addario half-wounds, apparently though he only uses the high C string, using nickel round wounds for the other strings. Anyway, I tried it and I’m really happy with the results. I’ve used D’Addario nickel .130 and .105 round wound strings for the low B and E strings, and a D’Addario half-wound set for the rest. I’ve previously found the low B and E in the half-wound sets to be very dull, almost dead sounding, whilst the top strings in a round wound set tend to be too bright for my tastes. This hybrid approach though solves both of those issues. The strings don’t sound too different. The low B and the E sound full and focused, whilst the higher strings sound clear without being too zingy.

I remember a story where a top session guy was playing in a studio. The producer kept asking for a different guitar, after each request the player would bend down and make out that he was changing guitars, he’d then ask ‘is this OK?’, and play a few chords. Finally the producer was happy and the tapes began to roll. He only had one guitar with him, all he was changing was his hand position, or playing technique.

Who are they?

Do we ‘need’ a new sex on fire?

I tend to resort to my tried and tested ‘polite, nasty, kick it’ method. 1) talk to it calmly and politely whist switching it on and off, and twiddling the knobs. 2) start muttering and swearing at it whilst switching it on and off, and twiddling the knobs. 3) lose my temper and give it a good kick.

Really nice, he was a huge influence on me when I first started taking bass playing seriously. Thanks for sharing.

Yes, my DB was collection only. You have to use the eBay app though. The buyer is sent a code that they give to the seller. They enter it to confirm collection.

My MacBook has only ever had 4Gb- I believe the most it can have is 8Gb? it’s never struggled, some of my PhD pieces have over 50 tracks. I would suggest Reaper, it does have a few - to my mind - quirks. Once you get over them it’s pretty straightforward to use, and very adaptable. There’s a ton of videos on YouTube, and a very helpful and friendly Facebook user’s group.

From my experience, and that of various friends who have sold an instrument through them, they tend to sell it for more than you might on here, helping to mitigate the commission fee. They’re also responsible for the shipping, and completing customs paperwork, and for any after sale service. They’re a long-established shop with a good international reputation. It makes sense - to me at least - if you’ve got something a little out of the ordinary, to use them. They have a wider customer base to sell to. If you look at the BC marketplace, there’s some instruments that have been for sale for absolutely ages.

Rehearsing is really just to fine tune, and make sure everyone is together. Learning the songs is done beforehand individually.

Yep, still there too.

There’s an interesting Twitter thread here explaining how we’re being fobbed off. https://twitter.com/timmoworldwide/status/1423926916021620736?s=21

I can understand the flow test, not the double vaccination requirement - at least not on its own. My double vaccinated doctor sister-in-law recently had a very nasty case of Covid. It can lessen the seriousness of the symptoms, so you might have it without realising it.

The one jazz band I play for has a bi-monthly residency at an old folks home. We have to do a LF test before each gig. I’ve got into the habit of testing myself every two or three days anyway. Personally I wouldn’t play somewhere or with someone if I didn’t feel comfortable doing so. Not so much for me - though I know people who’ve had it and been very poorly - more so for my parents and anyone else vulnerable that I might come into contact with.

I’m aware this is a musician’s forum, but we need to remember too that this is affecting the whole creative industry. Freelancers across the skills board who work in films, TV and stage shows, behind the scenes in operas and classical music shows, they’re all detrimentally effected by this.

Yes, which is why you’re unlikely to see anyone performing that hasn’t got a lot of finance behind them.

Nothing has actually changed, the government is being its usual duplicitous self.