DanOwens

[quote name='The Funk' post='166030' date='Mar 29 2008, 07:47 PM']Exactly. I find my lack of reading skills a hindrance rather than a help. How could anyone find being able to read a hindrance? That doesn't make any sense.[/quote] I'm an idiot. We share similar values, and I'm sorry for the misunderstanding..... Trying to get my students to read and to learn the theory is difficult, so I mainly work from pieces of music. Like a minor funk in E with a C#-to-D thing going on. Once they've got the riff, We look at embellishing it and to do that you need to know the Dorian mode. Every one of them has eventually took it on board (except the 11 year-old beginner whom I'm taking it slowly with). Dan

[quote name='The Funk' post='165178' date='Mar 28 2008, 12:34 PM']EDIT: I don't read music (notation or tab). It's a hindrance rather than a help.[/quote] Is that not rather contradictory? Dan

Hey Bomber. I totally agree with you .. some of the best players from the best groups don't understand theory. It does not mean, however, that they don't know it. Music theory is just a load of labels put on things that our EAR has already decided. The best way to learn for some people (and I do this with some of my students who aren't interested in learning the 'rules' of theory) is to play one note, and play another with it. Listen to the way it sounds. Remember that gap so if you want to create the same feeling, you can use that gap and you'll be like 'oh yeah!!!'. This is how I learned Klezmer theory. Droned the D string and played the G string up and down. Once I'd decided on the sounds I liked and wanted to reproduce I tried it in a new key on a new open string. Once I'd exhausted the open strings I tried it in G or C or something. I learned theory by ear for about two years before I started to really practice, just by hearing one note over the other!!! Dan

For this I would be really focusing on the modes. For the major chords you could be playing Ionian, Lydian or Mixolydian (E Maj7, EMaj7#11, E7) and for the minor you could explore Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian and Locrian (Em, Em13, Emb9, Emin11b5). Knowing how these are composed (there are LOADS of resources online) can really open up some new sounds to your ears and get those all-important cadences and counter-melodies going (God I don't sound like a bassist sometimes). Dan

Simply, get a GOOD teacher or find a friend who does know this stuff. Some of my students have said they've been trying for years to get their heads round theory and I have opened up their brains to the whole complex, yet simple (should that read, simple yet complex??? :s) concept. The key thing with it is not to learn it as a mathematical or geometrical principle, but to use these as the path to letting yours ears hear and understand what is being heard. It's very hard to explain on a message board, and much easier in person. So (if you can afford it - I couldn't when I was a beginner) get a good teacher!! Good luck!!! Dan

I should add that only the audio signal cuts out (the digital effect led stays lit), bookended by a very slight clicking sound, not unlike a switch!!!! Dan

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='158680' date='Mar 16 2008, 10:59 PM']put it in for repair![/quote] More like pull it to bits with a soldering iron at the ready!!!! I'm one of those guys!! Dan

I thought something similar. Maybe there was some kind of trip-switch if there was a power spike designed to cut rather than put out a massive square-wave and tear everything to shreds? Again, just guess-work. Dan

Ta BOD. Figured 'loose connection' just wondering why it comes back on after a specific amount of time, rather than until I next hit it, you know? Dan

Hey peeps, I have a reasonably cheap little vocal PA that I also use for amplifying my students. Problem is, when I moved into my new house it seems to have gained a bit of a problem in that it all works fine until I tap my foot on the floor a little too hard, or knock the table it's on lightly. When this happens, it cuts out for about 10 seconds then comes back on again. As such I've only been using it in my teaching room and I'd like to use it with my groups too. I'll take it apart and have a look, assuming something has got knocked in transit and I have only to push it in a little. Any ideas before I dis-mantle the thing??? Thanks peeps!!! Dan

And are these all from Rondo? Is that the place to buy SX online? Dan

Cheers Eude. Its safe to say (at the moment) I'm never doing large gigs unmonitored. Problem is, if that changes I'd rather not have to go and buy another head because I didn't have to foresight or patience to wait for a LM2 500w. I'm struggling to afford one head as it is. I had seriously considered the LM250, but if I'm gonna sacrifice anything it'll probably not be power (although having written that sentence, I realise it's utter tosh.) Dan

I'm on the hunt for a suitable head (gonna have a peak at the little giants). If that doesn't go well, I way let the cab go, so I'll keep you all posted!! Dan

I know my modes and scales, like a pianist or guitarist, but mainly play root or triads with the drummer. My practice is mostly rudiment-inspired stuff (paradiddle picking, alternate picking, string skipping) so I can pull off a tight line that I can be proud of. +1 giganods to playing as a drummer though. I've always used the analogy that we are inbetween the drummer and the pianist/guitarist as we play rhythmically but with harmonic/melodic content. My nugget of wisdom is this: [b]Every line I've ever worked on has become more and more simple, and the simpler it is, the happier I am with my playing.[/b] As such I get all my students to learn the first 5 frets like the back of their hand. I get hired because of how well I expone these ideas. Dan

Alex, thanks for the advice!!!!! If that cabs are the right price, i'll be onto it immediately!!!! Dan

Alex - So you're suggesting a second mid-range cab, such as the ones I listed in my first post? That's what I thought as I'd reckoned i'd need the mids to actually hear the fundamentals, as opposed to just ball-shaking bass. Warwick - I mainly play in reasonably low-volume groups but the DnB band play large stages with pretty rubbish monitoring and the drummer really hits the kit. That's the only one but it's also the one that I gig with most, at higher level of gigs (not just toilet circuit). So it looks like I should hold out for the Little Mark II then the 1x10 or 1x12 after? This is what I've been doing, but how often to Tech NDs come up second hand? What a blag!!! Anyone wanna part with theirs? Please? Pretty please? Dan

I'd never even thought of just using the 15". The online specs state it's a fullrange cab but on the back it actually says it range ends more around 4.5kHz. I take it this isn't too low? I suppose I'd know if I had a head to try it through and I originally intended to just take the head out of the Marshall but after removing all the screws, it still wouldn't budge so in 2 years, I've actually never heard the cab. Oh the embarrassment!!! What do you reckon for the Hartke cabs? Not great nick, but the transporter with replaced speaker is nice? I also don't drive, so pickup is a must?? Thanks everyone!! Oh, and Ste, if you insist I'll take your tech cab off you ... for free? I couldn't .. have a chomp on me!!! Dan

Hey guys. Two years ago Warwickhunt sold off two of his Tech Soundsystems cabs and i got the neo 1x15. I bought it because I was gigging in a DnB band a lot and I thought I needed a 'sub' cab. Problem is, I've been skint since then so haven't bought a head for it. Thankfully I'm earning enough again but I've now realise I'll also need another cab to be able to gig (I'm no longer just playing DnB, and I need some definition as well as sub). I've also collected a Hartke MX 4x10 and Transporter 1x15 with upgraded speaker, and still have my old Marshall BassState150. So now I'm waiting for a TechSoundsystems 1x10/2x10/1x12/2x12 and a second-hand Little Mark II to finally put this rig together but when I bought the 1x15 the market was full of these and now they're gone. So what to do? Do I sell the Tech 1x15? Do I buy a head and use the Hartke cabs (I REALLY don't want to carry them!!!) and keep waiting?? Or do I sell the lot. EVERYTHING!! For whatever I can get for it and just buy my girlfriend a holiday. I'm totally exasperated!!! How long do you have to wait for these things?? Dan