DaytonaRik

10 hours ago, bassist_lewis said:

... I just got charged a further £53.06 in duties and handling fees...

Did they give you a breakdown of charges?   VAT would be about £26 of that - what's the rest?

8 hours ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

And - oldie alert - this was what I didn't mind ogling, around three decades ago - despite the person himself being a complete idiot (even then).

Justice era Metallica featuring the Cowardly Lion?  Hell yeah!  The music, not the oggling bit! 

15 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

I like them all.

but still...me and a NR thunderbird...really doesn’t work.

You've gotta get it looooow!!!

Just a whole lotta NOPE!!!!!!

9 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

@DaytonaRik...

Pump up the volume. No, not the overall volume (the generic is quite loud enough, thank you...); your mic volume. Get it closer, or use a Lavalier-style mic..? It doesn't matter that it's in shot, s'better than straining to catch the quips. Just sayin'; subscribed anyway. 

Cheers @Dad3353 - I do have a lav mic on a wireless system - I might use this and record the audio directly into Reaper which will allow a degree of manipulation before adding to the video footage.  GoPro's seem to require lots of additional add ons for external mics!  It's easier just to record the audio and import it into iMovie!!

9 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

It's the spring (or springs...) in the pedal that return the beater, and these would be adjusted to the tension needed, depending on how one plays. At first, a fairly strong spring is required, but, as one's finesse increases, the tension is backed off, to enable more 'ghost notes', and a more precise control of the pedal. Too soft, and one gets double strokes and poor rebound control. Too hard, the ankle is fighting for control. Best a bit hard at the beginning; this tones up the muscles involved, which are not used to this stuff yet. Same for the hi-hat; the ankle soon tires, so exercise is needed just to build up the hitherto unused body parts. Yes, drumming becomes quite athletic, and needs preparation and progressive training. Eight-hour sessions are not a good idea at the start..! Medium-short sessions, with rests (or changes of target...) are recommended.  

Of course -it's the springs in conjunction with releasing the pressure on the pedal - durrrrr!  Does being a cyclist impact this?  Lost of ankle/leg strength already going on here - toe down riding (out of the saddle efforts for climbs and sprints) feels very similar to the muscle groups used in heel-up, whilst a quick dabble at heel down gives that same foot/ankle feeling as a traditional pedalling technique.

I'm trying to stick to a 30 min session each day split into 2 halves - one half concentrating on the homework set by my tutor, the 2nd being time to experiment and try different things.

It's the first time that I've had a formal tutoring in an instrument - being self taught as a guitarist and transitioned to bass playing so I'm open to pretty much anything and everything re progressing this further - unlike my preference for playing rock on guitar/bass.

Hi all,

if you like to laugh at unfortunate souls trying to do new things then please feel free to watch, like, subscribe and click the bell icon at my new Strings to Sticks YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCToZAm9iHojrp-Hc1Rizb-A 

There won't be any reviews, top tips, best ofs, what kit you should get etc - just a journal of my journey from absolute beginner to hopefully something slightly more than a beginner!

Ta!

2 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

That's darned good, and pretty much rock-steady. The key is to go s-l-o-w-l-y, as you're doing; it's by far the fastest way forward. S-l-o-w is the new fast.
A word..? There are two schools of bass drum pedal: heel up and heel down. I see that you're 'heel up'; it might be worth doing exactly the same exercises 'heel down'; this brings into play different muscles and tendons, and is very useful for expression and finesse. As it is, you're 'burying' the beater into the skin; it's useful to have the beater strike, then come off the skin, without rebound, in the same way as your sticks don't stay down on the drum head. Discuss, maybe with your tutor..? A looser grip of the snare stick (a more supple wrist..?) would be something to think about, too, right from the start. Again, your tutor will have advice on these minor points. Good Stuff; here's my usual encouraging phrase...

'It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things, sometimes, tend to get slightly better'. You're doing well. 

Thanks @Dad3353 - appreciate the encouragement and kind words.

Funnily enough, whilst practicing today I noticed how different foot positions produced that rebound and had intended on asking my tutor about looking at foot down - it takes a lot of effort to consistently bury the beater head into the skin (without an unintentional double strike), whilst the foot down method works, as you say, the same way as a snare - relying on the head to push the beater back and not gravity when you lift your foot.  Foot up and playing with rebound are not, I think, a good pairing?  Perhaps as with most things, being able to adapt and not get stuck with one or the other but to be equally comfortable with both (although you will naturally have a preference) is the ideal way to go?  In the same way that not many drummers practice playing open handed but stick religiously to crossover?

I've already been pulled up about that left hand grip with a view to 'holding it like a tube of toothpaste not wringing its neck' - and holding the stick closer to the end.

These are some of the reasons why I wanted to have lessons - as much for good habits and techniques as providing the encouragement and push back, making me explore the drums rather than just learning parrot fashion.

Pleased that you think I'm doing well though 😎😁

After a 3-4 days of 30 mins a day...

As long as it keeps out the noise, it would be an improvement on any Flaming Lips show!

This is the Crimson II kit that i ended up with...and already added a 4th 8" rack tom and a 2nd dedicated ride that will be used as a china type.

Absolutely loving learning to play drums which is sort of scratching a life-long itch if the truth be know.  I have no idea of the drum-learning curve - how long it should take to play off beats (before and after the beat), open hats, simple 4/4 open handed, hi-hats triplets as a fill - I don't know where the hell I am in relation to what's good/bad/indifferent progress but I know I'm having a load of fun and it's taken about a week to get the hang of the above on a 4/4 beat!

Lessons have proved to be a good thing in terms of technique, exercises to ensure progression etc.

(I have also cabled wrapped the cables nicely - it was day one and I wanted to hit things!)

When I read the title I thought it was going to be an in-depth observation on people you've never met and/or don't know...but alas not!

More non-bass purchases - Alesis Crimson II electronic drum kit!

I've also taken the plunge into electronic drums but went a slightly different route and opted for the Alesis Crimson II kit - hopefully it'll arrive later this week.  My theory is that if I actually splash some cash then I'll be much more likely to stick at it, where a cheap/used kit that only cost a couple of hundred may sit there gathering dust and I wouldn't be too bothered.

Our drummer is a drum tutor and I'll be taking lessons with him on a weekly basis via WhatsApp.  I must admit that I'm looking forward to getting stuck into something that I've been fascinated by for years.

1 hour ago, Dad3353 said:

Big savings indeed, if one was going to buy these at the 'top' price anyway; otherwise, not really a 'saving' at all. Just sayin'. 

...

 

I'm trying to break away from the Slate subscription model so took the opportunity to start stocking plugin arsenal with the most used items - SSL 400 E console, Neve 1073/1084 console, Pultec pre-amp - at a bargain price.  the problem is that for $15 per month I get access to everything Steve Slate produces...and that's all of the EQs, preamps, compressors, gates, verbs, delays, virtual tape drivers, mastering tools and everything in between

I dipped my toe back into the plugin market and snagged the Lindell Audio Channel X strip - a software emulation of their 6X-500 preamp, PEX 500 EQ and 77X-500 compressor (even though it's marked as a 7X it has the variable attack/release functions of it's big brother) in one package.

I also picked up the Brainworx Townhouse compressor emulation of a famed piece of hardware built in-house by Townhouse Studios engineers from an assortment of SSL components that they had laying around.  Primarily a buss compressor, it also works well on individual channels.

Big savings to be had using the Plug-in Alliance voucher and sale - £29 for what usually retails at $448 the pair!

They both go well with my Brainworx SSL 400 E and Neve VXS channel strips, and my Lindell Audio 80 1073/1084 channel strip.

1 minute ago, dmccombe7 said:

I used the projectors on the rear goalpost to give that pin spot look. Its a great effect having pins coming from a rear goalpost.

Dave

It's such a simple but effective trick - full whites, chases, alternating colours, even run them as 2 x banks of 4 - say green and blue then fade between them - really effective with blues/reds as 'police lights'

I tend to have a few patches - scrolling colours, a big end to flash then a black which fades back up to pastels, perhaps certain patches for specific intros etc.  I'll swap between patches for verses and choruses but keep it pretty simple. I have a simple rig - 2 x par 64 LEDs running as sides and 8 pin spots running as effect lighting behind the band, occasionally I 'll move these to the sides if space is a premium and there's no backdrop stand

15 hours ago, thebigyin said:

Wow....i think your right, i have good days and bad on both, really in a rut, what would you suggest.

For me it was a change of material - I play both guitar and bass but really only play heavy rock.  Once lock down started myself and two members of the rock covers band I play in formed an acoustic/unplugged rock trio and playing stripped back versions of song where the bass has to work to fill space has really improved my playing, along with material that I'd never have consider playing before - The Police, The Pretenders, Ryan Adams, John Mayer to name just a few.  Anything that encourages you to learn is always better than just going over things you already know.

New Plugin Alliance discount code WELCOME-21 which gives a $21 discount and is valid until 4th Jan

1 hour ago, mike257 said:

I was looking at this, chucked in the extra tenner to get the full Lindell channel strip, seemed like a good deal! Haven't tried it yet but it might break my habit of using Waves SSL E Channel on absolutely every track 🤣

I've picked up the Console N (Neve VXS), SSL 4000 E and the Lindell 80 (1073/1084) strips this week.  Popped the Lindell 80 onto a track I was struggling to get the kick right and bam!  Took me about 10 mins with this!

I've got a Slate FG-N habit in the same way - hopefully I can start to use the full functionality of the new strips (The Neve VXS looks particularly good) rather than the VMR but we'll see - the Slate solution is so elegant and simple - Preamp X, with EQ Y, add compressor Z, and bit of extra EQ here and there...genius and it sounds great too.

I got the Focusrite console as a freebie when I bought my interface but I can't get over the appearance - it just looks like a mad gaming machine on serious recreational substances!  The functionality is amazing but nope, can't look at it!!!!

By comparison, the VXS, SSL and Neve consoles all have a certain atheistic that doesn't burn into your retinas!!!!

I found MagicQ brilliant (haha!) but complete overkill for weekend warrior gigs so opted for using Luminair on an iPad instead controlled by a McMillen SoftStep.  Easy to program scenes, control multi-channel fixtures etc and assign scenes/sequences to the foot switch pretty much out of the box. 

Just discovered Robert Jon and the Wreck - cracking country blues rock.  I found them via Warren Huart's Produce Like A Pro Academy as one of their tracks (Blame It On The Whiskey) was available as a full tracks download to mix yourself - really enjoying listening to the album and using it as a reference for my own mix.

https://open.spotify.com/album/4RxUU9OJtfW5J2FEANa1Aj?si=O_7N-dcVS02CZ2A9DIUIrg

9 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Can you play for free ? If he gets a boosted take he might pay something next time.? @DaytonaRik

"Phone a landlord" is a generic phrase for chasing venues, not just a landlord - I personally just don't think it's the time to be doing it.  Way too much uncertainty and stress for those in the hospitality trade to be worried about gigs for weekend warriors IMHO

Just 2 x bike rallies.  I don't even have the heart to phone a landlord that's barely managing to keep his head above water and have the bare faced cheek to ask for a gig in 2021!