NickD

This has just popped up on there, looks like they're trying to get a documentary off the ground... I hope it happens!

Hurrah... For the sympathy vote! 😂

I was lucky to pull that off in another quality field. I think that's my first singer/songwriter thing ever, and it kinda worked. Really must learn to sing though.

I've just been combing the interweb and I reckon I've got something that's quite open to interpretation. I'll get it across asap.

Back from holiday bump!

1 hour ago, Paul S said:

I've seen them loads of times but find, increasingly, Derek the Draw thinks it is all about him. 

That's not going to be a problem anymore though, is it? 

https://gollihurmusic.com/string-identification-chart/

I'm on my phone and I haven't got my glasses, but helicore pizzicato maybe?

Thanks Folks, here's hoping for the best!

This so nearly didn't happen. I expected it to be a bit tough as we were away with the kids... What I didn't expect was to have a bloody stroke the day after we got back. Still, medicated to the eyeballs, and with most of my left arm movement and strength back (by what miracle I don't know)... Here goes...

My entry to the April round of the Basschat Composition Challenge, inspired by the picture chosen my the previous winner Andy Travis.

The picture invoked memories of doing stupid things with groups of friends, and how while time marches on and we're flung to the far corners of the earth, if we got together today we'd probably be just as daft.

Tech Stuff - Cubase Elephants 10, my old Westbury acoustic, Jake 5 on bass (I couldn't quite get it together on DB, which was my initial plan), and Monster Drums on, er, drums. There's a sprinkling of piano mixed well back for a bit of thickening, and the vocals are treated with CLA vocals.

Nice one!

A cracking entry and a proper runaway winner.

12 hours ago, NickA said:

Man up! 😉😁

 

I had full strength Spiro's on my 4/4 and no trouble with night in Tunisia .... But is your action too high? You can go really low with high tension strings. Higher positions are much easier since I dropped the bridge a bit and thumb position possible without injury.

 

Nb: switched to full strength Eva pirazis a couple of years back, to make bowing easier, intending to swap Spiro's back in for jazz, but the Eva's are ok and stay put ... I'd probably struggle with the Spiro's now!

I think I'm going to look at action first. 

I've just measured and I'm running - B = 9mm, E = 11mm, A = 13mm, D = 11mm, G = 9mm.

It's fine in the first few positions, but gets trickier further up. Unfortunately my bridge is as low as it will go, so I'll have to get it looked at.

Well that threw up a fine crop of tunes. Every one in a different style. It was really tough to choose just 3.

That's handy to know... Cheers!

Thanks Clarky!

Looking around it seems it's quite common to use a mittel E with weich for the rest. So me keeping the B and E mittel wouldn't be unusual. The narrower guage would probably require bridge work though. I'll investigate further.

I suppose the sensible thing would be to book it in to Thwaites and see what they think. I think the action could come down a touch too, and my bridge is as low as it will go.

I'll go and have a look for that, cheers!

Thanks!

I did consider that but it looks like they don't do a Low B in Weich, so the Mittel would have to stay. I don't really have much of an issue with the B and E as the action is obviously easier low down, which is where I spend most of the time on those strings, and being fatter they don't hammer my fingertips as much.

Does anyone do this?

I have a set of Mittels on, and while I love the sound across the board they're bloody hard work by the time I'm halfway up the board (think the riffy part of Night In Tunisia). A combination of tension and action screws my hands pretty quickly. I was considering leaving B and E as they are, and trying Weichs on the A D and G.

What I'd like to understand is how different the tension is, and what difference there would be in tone between the different strings, what would I lose in terms of projection and punch/growl?

Or should I just man up a bit and get it together.

Cheers!

I appear to have accidentally become a bit of a Double Bass guy lately, so a lot of bass guitar stuff has started gathering dust.

First up is a Line 6 Helix LT. 

I picked this up from this very boutique just as lockdown was starting, driving out to the wilds of Essex, and maintaining social distance. Given what ensued the timing was perfect. It's been a recording tool for both Bass and Guitar, and has been great for both. Everyone knows how flexible and customisable they are. It's running firmware 3.50 (the latest), and works perfectly. I'll give it a factory reset over the next couple of days.

The finish is rugged, and I can't see any real knocks or scrapes, just a few light surface marks. It works exactly as it should, and has never given me a moments concern. It wears a screen protector I had  sent from the States. and comes in the insanely expensive official backpack padded softcase. I would have never bought this at what they ask for it, but having had it come with the unit, I can see why they make it. It's rugged, well padded, has weatherproof zips, and obviously it fits perfectly.

Looking at sales on here, I reckon a firm £550 collected from Bushey, Herts, is an absolute bargain.

My contribution to the March round of the Basschat Composition Challenge, inspired by the picture chosen by the previous winner...  *checks notes* ... er ... Me.

I got a bit of a Bugsy Malone vibe from the pic, which pushed me towards a swing (ish) style. It's a minor 251 going to the relative major for the brief chorus. There are probably hundreds of jazz tunes you could play over the backing, it's such a standard form.

Tech wise -  Recorded in Cubase Elephants 10, Bass is the NS EUB with just a touch of compression, Guitar is a Vintage Strat (Vintage the brand, not an inexplicably expensive old shed) straight in to the interface and treated using the bundled effects (amp sim, overdrive and octaver). Drums are the 'toothbrush' kit from Monster Drums and vox are through an SM58, treated with CLA Vocals to mask my wailing. Keys are Cubase VSTs.

Sounds tidy! 😎

🤣

Happens around here all the time!

I'd go with here too. Sure they're not something you can post, but I drove from London to Scotland for the right bass. I think all markets are a bit slow at the moment, but I trust the folks here, and it's well worth it for that alone.

It's what happens when you play unamplified Double Bass with a Drummer... A foolish experiment. On the upside it gave me an idea of where I want to take a track, I suppose I can at least try to program the drums.🤣

I think I know where this is going... But the bass isn't going down this weekend!

He's been my favourite youtuber for a couple of years now. I discovered him back in pre-vax lockdown when the Mrs had Covid and I was staying out of the way in a room with a computer and an EUB. I love his analysis of things.

13 minutes ago, Wolfram said:

Congratulations @NickD - great tune and really took me back to my Amiga days!

Damn!

I was going for Sega Megadrive at least!😂

Thanks Folks!

Genuinely surprised to have squeaked this one in a really strong field, particularly with a mostly electronic track, which is not something I really know how to do.

I'll dig out a pic for Lurks as soon as I get a minute!