No lust in Jazz

Well, for me there are a lot of conclusions drawn from one rehearsal; new cabs and borrowed amp for me would require a considerable bit of trial and error - but that's just me. In my experience, I have a similar issue(s) with a single 15" - keys washing out the 'presence' of the bass and I'm looking for a 2x12 (probably) for a more one cab fits all solution. Good luck with your quest (opens Crisps)

Have these 'issues' come about since you took delivery of the Mesa Boogie prodigy?

This Bass looks fantastic...

I had a similar experience of this in my pre-basschat days, I was selling some stuff on ebay and I was sent an ebay email from someone making an effort to, "come across as a youngster who really needed the item that I had" and then 'was struggling to get the funds, could I do a deal on the price?" - We came to an arrangement and he paid, I later found out, before I'd actually sold it to him; he had listed it on here, yes for more than I sold it to him. He list stuff fairly often - I often wonder if there's a similar back story

Go for melody and focus on the music.. Lennon and McCartney are a reasonable starting point - this is a cover of a Jaco cover, but you could easily construct your own. [media]http://youtu.be/D2-mQjx2_9c[/media]

1 - Have a laugh, playing music 2 - To complete my cover of Jeff Berlin's 'Dixie' - (main tune is 'there' but, from now on its awfully noodly and if I'm honest, its a bit 'up itself'). Move on to and 'get under the bonnet of' something else. 3 - Get the 'event band' to play some, Steve Morse / Dixie Dregs or more Zappa - takes them a while and there's a lot of work, but audiences love it. 4 - Possibly change out my Berg NV 1x15 for a multiple 10" speaker cab (3x10 or more) 5 - Get some pro live recordings of the event band - for possibe promo, but more to get a feeling for the majesty of the band in its current form. 6 - Get the band in general to put more production effort into to each gig.

[quote name='funkgod' timestamp='1419509171' post='2640494'] THIS 100% To everyone that is staying away from cheese, ....thank you,, its kept me in ALOT of work over the past 30 years Merry Xmas to Yall.. [/quote] No worries - compliments of the Season

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1419509169' post='2640493'] you obviously didnt play the right retirement do ... [media]http://youtu.be/A_WAvi4ikCU[/media] [/quote] Well you don't know how close you are with Dog Like Sparky - I'm pushing for some Cardiacs - Lol

I look at set list construction as a punter, so I want something to listen to early on and as the night rolls on I'm looking for something to throw some moves to. As a musician I want something that showcases the band. I'm not a fan of stuff that other bands do, not through snobbery, just that there's around 50 years of electrified pop(ular) music to draw upon and good music is good music. Clearly I'm playing my cards close to my chest on which stuff we choose. Suffice to say that our version of Beck's Sexx Laws, monumental as it was, didn't do it for the audience.

Its not what you play, so much as how you play it and at what point in the set you play it.

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1419379212' post='2639478'] A 100% improvement, musically. I still think Jamiroquai was an obscure musical joke. [/quote] Many thanks for that, its not just me.

For me, production values are of much less interest than content. If someone would have told me thirty years ago, that one day the contents of all of my records and cassettes will fit on a device the size of a cigarette box - they've have described a beta version of the iPod and I'd have laughed at them Through the experience of growing up listening to and taping John Peel from the radio in the early 80's - I have to say that not all production values were 'top notch' plus after making up my own compilation cassettes, buying bootleg vinyl and cassettes, my ears and expectations have become spoiled over the years. I listen to most music from said iPod in the car, road and wind noise both having an input - but I enjoy it.

There's no way the money we make can be seen as compenstion for our efforts, so we hire a PA even for small gigs, this gives some degree of control of the sound and comes with a man to operate it, sound engineer us and and transport it. Money goes into a pot which pays for PA and insurance and then what's left goes on a social night - Indian, Thai and some drinkies every couple of months which keeps us all mates. That's the terms when we invite a new member to join. In playing my bass live, I translate the professional approach that my job requires to my 'serious hobby' - as a group we rehearse the nuts out of our material and avoid like Ebola stuff that we hear other bands doing. The thrust for the New Year is to keep working at it to make it better - in the work place, oddly enough known as professional development. Its easy to over think this.

One of my band mates summed up our combo as a 'serious hobby' which suits it.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418771907' post='2633312'] He's good, there's no doubt - but with all due respect... he [i]should[/i] know the material, really! [/quote] Well discreet, you beat me to it.... That said, Groovesonix come across to these ears as Jamiroquai 'lite'... I wish them well.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1418758569' post='2633060'] Hear the line, 'pro player' used here by many and I wonder what most people think it means..? [/quote] If I use the term 'pro' on this forum, I use it to differentiate that this individual earns their living though playing bass. If you have to do other things to supplement this income to make a living, then I don't mean you, to me this is 'semi pro'. Others may have different views, the above is mine.

The only sensible way of sorting this out seems to be to have a 'straightner' between 'Get Funked' and 'The White Keys' to see which is the "best"...Winner takes London. On another note - lots of people having fun and a band playing live - even I have difficulty seeing a negative in this.

The phrase 'if it (a decision) has to be now, it has to be no' has served me well as a contract engineer; as is the general understanding that all agents are sharks - even the 'nice' ones. Is it the same in the music 'biz'? You were probably just the next on his list - perhaps a lesson learned, perhaps not. -

We're not pro musicians, this is a live topic in our band, as a band we exist in a couple of forms, one form is playing pubs where we play songs that we like, whilst another is a sanitised function party band (because we make good money and its actually a good laugh) with a very different pool of material and discipline, so due to the volume of material, we've accepted the need for stands for the vocalists, with first line of a verse prompts rather than full lyrics and one of the vocalists writes down prompts for the night, like an enhanced set list, and it works. We have noticed that one of the 'team' who has been busy with work, has started writing chord progressions on his 'prompts', his performances reflect a lack of gusto and rehearsal, so after the Christmas gig this weekend we'll have a 'do you have the time for the band?' chat with him. We have around 70 songs that we can call upon with constant addtions; its a tall order to know the lyrics to every one of them. On a personal note, by the time that I've twisted and gyrated my way though a song, I've often forgotten what's next, so I'm usually frantically searching for a set list or asking what we're playing next -

Doesn't sound like a jam if there's a 'lick agenda'. I like occupying the space where guitarists and keyboard players like to 'noodle' - this renders traditional jamming deeply frustrating for them, but on the positive side we can then concentrate on music <edit> Like many bass players, I have a range of 'traditional' perhaps expected, licks, 'tasteful runs' and twiddles that I draw upon and I've picked these up over the years - I prefer situations where there isn't an expectation that the bass will be a 'bed' for a general lack of discipline.

[quote name='DiMarco' timestamp='1418583868' post='2631444'] Try one where? Welcome to the Netherlands where every shop has the same sh*tty stack of class D bass amps. Nope, I studied all the manuals, specs, forums, watched all the youtube vids there can be seen on ANY current full valve amp. Prodigy is the one. I never regret any purchase as I am smart enough to make good decisions time after time. [/quote] I wish you well.

[media]http://youtu.be/glXSLY34uAw[/media] I didn't realise the 'joke' until my daughter told me.

[quote name='DiMarco' timestamp='1418391514' post='2629835'] It can compete with other valve amps in its price range easily imho and shouldn't be expected in the price range of vietnamese ampegs and chinese ashdowns. In my case the choice was between Ampeg Heritage SVT, Fender Super Bassman and Mesa Bass Prodigy. The Fender being somewhat cheaper. Of these the Prodigy has the best options on board with its active bass and treb dials and passive mids plus the 5way voicing switch. It can also be run at half power which is handy at smaller gigs. I don't think I will regret purchasing this. [/quote] I hope that this purchase works for you - have you tried one?

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1418374816' post='2629603'] A comparison here [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4rY1wLlKak"]https://www.youtube....h?v=z4rY1wLlKak[/url] [/quote] I'd really like to see one of these comparison / "shootout" videos to feature a real band, with different musical styles. I took a P bass with flats through a valve preamp to rehearsal last night, it covered everything in a 24 song genre varied function set beautifully.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1418383502' post='2629709'] try and get away from 12 bars stuff..which is great fun for the guest gtrs, but not for bass and drums.. [/quote] For this reason I avoid them like I'd avoid an Ebola ward. But for starting out, they're great, find your level and have fun.