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SteveO

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Posts posted by SteveO

  1. I just have to let off some steam here. Please excuse the mess...


    So we're a covers band in Oslo. played a few gigs, but struggling with singers has meant its taken 2 years to get to the point where we feel we can gig regularly.

    I have a connection in a hard rock club in a town about an hour North of Oslo. Been trying for ages to get us a gig there, but singers dropping out or not being able to sing without lyrics has been a problem. This is one of the biggest venues In Norway outside Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen (the 3 principal cities)

    New singer. She's great. Whole band fired up, things are looking good. Get asked to play festival at this place, but can't because of holidays. :(

    Get asked by my connection if we can support B.a.c.k.s.t.r.e.e.t G.i.r.l.s in November - Now for those of you outside Scandinavia they are a boogie rock band. Not HUGE, but big. Think Status Quo. Good music, great atmosphere. Not the kind of gig you turn down. Especially not when you're new on the scene. Especially not when Invited by one of the owners of one of the largest Rock venues in Norway. Especially not when you've already turned them down once.

    It appears that one of the band has babysitter problems that night. LIKE THERE'S ONLY ONE F@@@@@@ BABYSITTER IN OSLO????????.

    Gaaaargh. :facepalm:


    All names withheld or altered to prevent google from popping this up if anyone does a search. I don't really see a huge problem here as I'll drop my kids and babysitter off at "his" house for the night if we have to. Plus he's actually a great guy and will no doubt be trying to frantically sort something out, but I don't want to start a row. For those that have guessed please don't mention the venue name or band name or I'll have to delete the thread.

    And for those of you who are not scandinavian and are wondering, the BSG's predated the Backstreet Boys by about 10 years, and they're all blokes :)

  2. [quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1347272776' post='1798575']
    Yeah, kinda lost me on the analogy there, but that's because I'm thick. Point of the matter to me is it's going to cost me the price of the bass, 24 Euros for transport (excellent), minimum of 70 Euros for currency conversion (not excellent).
    I'm not going to waste that money, simple as that. No johny foreigner issues, no single currency issues (our governments decision,not mine), simply a matter of it becomes finacially un viable in my eyes.
    I very much doubt I am the only one that makes that kind of decision. The sellers loss.
    A year or so back, there used to be a lot of ads for 2nd hand basses, direct from Japan, on FEEBay. There are virtually none now. My guess is because of VAT increases in Britain, plus exchange rate, their basses seemed to become expensive, British buyers bought less, so the sellers stopped advertising.
    There comes a point for some folk, no matter how desirable an item is, it is not worth to them what it is going to cost.
    [/quote]

    :) I tend to do random analogies. apologies for being off on a tangent. Try this one:

    I'm selling a bass for £500

    you want to buy it, but because its going to cost you £25 for the currency conversion you want me to sell it to you for £475

    I can take your £475 or I can sell for £500 to anyone that doesn't have an archaic banking system (I like that phrase, thanks Highfox) this includes pretty much anyone not in the UK.

    It's not your fault that the banks charge for the transfer, but it's not mine either so why would I want to take less cash for it? As you say It's my loss, but as long as people in the rest of the world want to buy them then I'm not going to worry too much about loss of sales in one country.

    Anyway, I'm pretty sure that the EU trading laws say that a company cannot offer something at different prices to different countries. Maybe you should be writing to your MEP.

    On a tangent again... I wonder how much money the banks stand to loose if they couldn't charge for foreign currency exchange. After all not much is made in the UK these days and so that's a lot of cash being paid to foreign firms, and a lot of fees to the banks. The cynic in me wonders if that is one of the real reasons for not wanting to adopt the Euro.

  3. [quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1347258157' post='1798466']
    I wanted to buy a bass from Thomann, they wanted bank transfer. Our bank this end wanted £24 for £509 changed to however many Euros. They said the bank at the other end would charge but they couldn't tell me how much :o . I didn't buy the bass.
    I have just, last night, had exactly the same with Bach (Czech) and I'm not going to buy from them either.
    People who only sell bass gear in Euros need to think of the extra charge that is putting on the British members of the EU.
    Or lose business.
    I am sure I am not the only one who will think sod that for a carry on!
    [/quote]

    Ahh the benefits of remaining in a single currency. Can't really expect johnny forreigner to sell to us at a cheaper rate just because the banks want to take a cut for currency conversion. Bit like me asking you to take £300 for your bass advertised at £500 because the courier charges to here are £200.

  4. I guess that this would give you an extended range without having to get more strings, but it's going to be tough to play. stretching over 6 frets is easy on a mandolin or violin, its a bit tougher on a cello and would be impossible on a bass (upright or electric) without huge hands. Maybe thats why we tune in 4ths? If you can't stretch that far then you're going to be moving your left hand a lot, or maybe restricting your playing to what is physically possible?

    Anyway, all this is theory and the proof is in the eating. Maybe you could tune down in 5ths (BFCG?) to see what the extra stretch or hand movement feels like to play with before buying strings / cutting the nut etc. The floppy strings could be a bit distracting though :)

  5. I also use IBAN for transfers to the UK. It's the international version of your account number and so Its no different to giving a UK resident your account number so they can do a transfer.

    I don't think there is anything dodgy about this guy, but personally I'd also wait a couple of days so you have the paypal protection (such as it is)

  6. [quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1337082572' post='1655028']
    Damn, I'm an only child! :D

    Anyway, slightly off topic, best thing would be to be able to memorise each song and do away with the pages altogether - which I'm totally unable to do! I'm a reader through and through, whether it's notation, or simple chord charts, or even scribbled letters such as A, Bb etc. I [b]loathe[/b] tablature, though.
    Does anyone agree with my pianist friend who believes that musicians are divided into readers and memorisers, and you're either one or the other, but very rarely both?
    [/quote]

    No, don't agree at all. Memorising a verse riff, and a chorus riff, and memorising "Verse, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, End" is fairly simple and would be a waste of paper to print it out.
    Memorising the whole of the planets suite is nigh on impossible.

    Saying that, my mother could not play without sheet music, and her favourite music was the beatles. Maybe its a piano thing. Maybe some people just need it as a reassurIng prop. In reality it's easier to play from music whether its full notation or just a chord chart as a memory jogger, but having bits of paper with notes is frowned upon when playing live in most bands. Of course there are the other gigs where you don't have chance to rehearse at all and being able to read is the difference between getting the job or not.

  7. Similar experience to JTUK, in our year long search for a singer we auditioned this nice looking girl of about 25ish, recommended by friends. Anyway, launch into track 1... she could have been on stars in their eyes as a Nina Hagen double. managed to get through the song by biting the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing out loud, (IIRC it was kiss's rock and roll all night if you can imagine the scene) and could tell that the rest of the guys were having similar problems keeping a straight face. Everyone is too embarrassed to say anything so we start the 2nd song. Then the 3rd. 4th. 5th. I swear that she never sung a note, just narrated the lines in that croaky burlesque monotone.

    Thanked her for her time and showed her the door, then let all the pent up laughter out.

    Kinda regret it a bit because we were just looking to have a bit of fun doing pub covers. Could have been something interesting...

  8. Tip from my orchestral days: most pieces have at least one point per page where you have time to turn over. If you photocopy multiple copies then you can arrange them so that for example you start out opened at p1&p2, then when you turn the page you can see p2&p3, then p3&p4 etc. Mark the place on p2 where your turning opportunity is, then overleaf on the next copy of p2 mark the same place in highlighter so you can quickly catch up to where you are. Of course you can arrange this on 4 sheets p1,2,3&4, then p4,5,6&7 etc.
    Works a treat.

  9. This looks promising. I don't have much to contribute just yet, but I'd say that learning "Sweet Child" was the song that marked the change from someone who played the bass to being a bass player for me. Opened up a whole new era of playing [i]with[/i] other instruments, not just playing underneath them.

  10. Coincidently I stood on my lead on Friday whilst running across the stage resulting in a broken scratchplate, and as I have a load of stainless plate in the workshop I thought I'd make one today, and see what it looks like. I can't imagine there's going to be any problems - some scratchplates are shielded on the inside with foil anyway, but If there's any issues I'll let you know.

  11. Once in the late 90's I was doing some welding on a friends car and this fella (I think he was my friends step brother) brought me a cup of tea, got chatting about life n stuff, said he played guitar... Ok. Anyway, nice guy, said he was in town for a couple of nights, I invited him to a student party. When we got there there were loads of people with their jaws on the floor. friend:"bloody hell, that's justin Sullivan", me:"yeah, he said his name was Justin, do you know him?", friend: "he's in New model army", me:"really?, who're they then" :rolleyes:


    Edit to add my best wishes for everyone waiting for a reply. :)

  12. In Sib 6 its on the editing keypad thing, 5th tab (Jazz articulations), alongside the single and four bar repeat signs. (the button looks like '//.) Just select the first of your 2 bars and hit the button. I think you may be using the "create -> symbol" from the menu bar to try to insert it, which just doesn't work. (or at least not for me)

  13. [quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1332360631' post='1587365']
    Oh, and as this is a random thread, SteveO - I've actually been to Honefoss which I noticed you're from (apologies for missing the accents off that). I've got a few mates who live there.
    [/quote]
    Cool. Actually I come from Teesside, but small world and all that. :)

  14. Hmmm. shall I stick my oar in? oh yeas I think so....

    We have people of many nationalities at work here, so here's a quick summary...

    [b]Nationalities that have said "Oh, you mean you play Bass" (rhymes with Grass)[/b]
    Germany
    France
    Norway
    Turkey
    Sweden
    Denmark
    Spain
    Lithuania
    Peru
    Poland
    Belgum




    [b]Countries where Bass rhymes with Race...[/b]
    UK


    I guess we can add USA and Australia to the last category.


    So it's decided then, It rhymes with Race. :rolleyes:

  15. [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1331514456' post='1574134']
    Only piece of Behringer equipment I ever disliked was one of their bass cabs, mud city! Everything else of theirs has been well worth the money, and more, if you look after it :)
    [/quote]

    Another Behringer fan here. The only problem I have with their gear is that it "feels" flimsy. I/we use their mixers, pa cabs, fx pedals, bass amps, and microphones - nothing has broken in the last 10 or so years, although it always feels like its just about to. Unfortunately the problem with their copies of the Ashdown amps and cabs is that they [i]sound[/i] like Ashdown amps and cabs. :yarr:

  16. I'm pretty sure the mb210 has a 3 amp internal fuse anyway. Been a while since I sold mine so I can't check, but there may be a fuse holder on the back. Most of the rest of the world don't have fuses in their plugs, the appliance has its own fuse. Highly likley if it was shipped with a EU plug. If this is the case you can use whatever fits as the internal fuse will blow before either a 6A or 13A lead fuse

    EDIT: According to the manual on the GK site its a 10A circuit. Also they do a UK specific model. Can't see what the differences are, but yours appears to be the EU version (hence the EU plug). As OBBM says (next post), Stick a 13A lead in there, you'll be fine.

  17. So whilst idly browsing amazon this morning up pops [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-P-C-Chambers-Popular-History/dp/1845536363/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329905691&sr=1-1"]this book[/url] in my recommendations. Congratulations on getting it finished Mr B, at least I hope you have finished it. They say the release date is in August so I hope it's not a brutal publishing trick to make you work faster. ;)

    Still puzzled how you managed to hack amazon to push your book 6 months before release though...

    Anyway, its on pre order and I'm looking forward to having a read when it gets here. :)

  18. Had a gig in the pub under my flat once. Finished playing, Bass in case and could have been home in about a minute, although it actually took several hours because the bar got in the way. :)

    Longest trip home (not including the ones where we arranged to stay overnight because of the distance) was about 8 hours when our Singer got lost on the drive home from Newcastle to Middlesborough (A trip she must have made hundreds of times) To be fair it took only 4 hours to drive the 60 or so miles home, the other 4 were taken up by the rest of the band getting pissed before we started loading up, then no-one remembering how we managed to squeeze everything in the van on the trip up, which required several loadings and unloadings assisted by more beer :P

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