Wonky2

Sounds like a great plan that could work really well.......

But in the whole, Forget looks.....

Personally, I would KILL to play this song with this lady........

http://youtu.be/7QlKRPRwjZo

it don't matter what she looks like........

Anyhow, not sure I'd be quite up there with the "class" acts hahaha

If you want to have a listen to the recording ive done with the guys, here's a couple :

https://alroberts.bandcamp.com/track/wake-up-and-dream

https://alroberts.bandcamp.com/track/live-in-a-sunny-day


Nice songs, great song writer

Cheers admiral ...... I'm genuinely touched by the support, acknowledgment and appreciation of how hard it is..... That not to whinge on about it, but "invisible illnesses" are very hard for folk to comprehend.
Your friend the golfer, that will be a very hard thing for him to accept..... I bet on a good day he could play well, but doin so would likely knock him off his feet for a week....

Funny enough, as per your advice, that's exactly what I do at present....... I have been playing sessions for a very talented songwriter who's had a few publishing deals over time..... Not my exact bag but All very good songs..... Home rehearsals then studio with full band..... We have the odd gig lined up which is great......
But it's the drummer and guitarist in the band who play in a full time covers band.... They are very good and want me to dep for their bass player but I just know that by the time they are ready for their 2nd set I'd be done in !!! No but seriously, if I wasn't in a good spell I can become horrible ill From it... So, I'm reluctant to commit, because if I wake up on the day and it's a wrong'un there's no way I could deliver.

So,I'll stick to the studio stuff and odd short session type gig..... It working for now, even if I do have to soak my hands in hot water for time to time ...... (#premaddona)

Thanks for the positive comments.... Every little helps

Wonky

Cheers buddy, appreciate the support

Thanks Simon ..... It is what it is..... .. I just pray to God my two boys don't suffer with it (I inherited it off my dad)
Mechanical back issues are often fixable but it takes a really good chiro.... Your lucky to have found one
I can't use one, they'd basically break bones.....

Tauzero - don't know, can't get my groove on in a chair and it doesn't really look right on stage I guess....dare I say, I'm fortunate enough to be able to play well enough to negate any such faupars

Chris b - keyboard bass? Never ! Hahaha. But no seriously, I don't have too much problem playing ( ones my stiff fingers have got moving ,which sometimes takes a soaking in very very hot water for ten mins before playing) the trouble is standing up or sitting down on anything other then "the right chair" ????

To be completely honest, it's not the stiffness or pain that causes my biggest issues, it's chronic fatigue that comes with it.... If I'm hit with it before a gig or rehersal I just can't do it..... If it gangs up on me mid way through I can become desperately poorly quite quickly. This is what puts the mockers on playing / reliability.
Quite sure it sounds a bit wet and self pityful..... Trust me, I hate it and would love to feel energetic and pain free. Even if just for a short while

Sorry to unload, moan, bore a bass thread with my "ailments" .... Never intended that, but just wanted to say to everyone never take your playing for granted... I love to play bass, have done for around 25 years.... Can do it quite well on a good day........
But I miss it terribly. Would love to work regular again..... Sick of turning folk down

Rock on dudes

Have a bump,for a wicked little amp ..... Mega tone from these

You see for me, personally, I'm either bang on in tune or its like someone's crapped in my ears. Seriously, it dements me if I, or anyone else is "even a smidgen" out of tune....

Only Two rules really.... one, be in tune your self, two, be in tune with everyone else.

Leave the experiments for the jazz club

Ahhh wicked.... Cheers

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1441619552' post='2860212']


Yes, but not through spondylosis (both the current and the previous Mrs Zero suffer from that, so I sympathise). After suffering some damage in a motorcycle accident in 2001 (broken ribs, punctured lung, but the main long-term problem was the soft tissue damage), I start finding it painful to stand after some period of time - it used to be about half an hour, it's gradually improved. I use a Kinsman dual-stool like Happy Jack.
[/quote]

Spondylosis, close, but different to spondylitis.... In short, Ankylosing spondylitis translates to fusion of the joints caused by inflammation... The inflammation is caused by a faulty immune system ..... Gets in everywhere really not just back
To confound things further, like you I also suffered a horrendous motorbike crash ten years ago in which i shattered femurs , left forearm and smashed right hand to bits ....... Either way I'm broken...

It's hard, but if I give up on playing bass it will have taken everything away from me, that just can't happen.

I have to turn down lots of requests to play or gig or dep etc... As one offs can be ok if I'm feeling right enough on the day..... But I'd just hate to let anyone down.

I feel for all those out there who struggle to continue, maybe due to stroke, back trouble, arthritis etc etc..... Never ever take your playing for granted guys , although it can last forever and you can play till the end, you can just as easily have it taken away from you and you can't imagine how that feels


Sorry, whinge over hahaha

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1441530078' post='2859463']
Just looked up your condition - Jesus, that's horrible. Really sorry to hear that.

For all my gigs I take along http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kinsman-KGS-Guitarists-Dual-Stool/dp/B0030GIGW0

Cheap, cheerful, doubles up as my bass stand, and a more comfortable perch than my amp.

At gigs where I have been experiencing serious back trouble, on a couple of occasions I take this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Koing-and-Meyer-14045-000-55-Musicians/dp/B003ERX2UQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441529832&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=k%26m+performance+stool
from my studio. I always sit on this when rehearsing.

You need both the backrest and the built-in foot rest to really make it work. This stool has the advantage that you can actually play double bass while sitting on it. On the other hand, you'll need a roadie to carry it for you ...
[/quote]

Cheers appreciate you taking the time to look it up, I have many folk around me who don't care enough to even do that so thank you....

Ive used one of the stools before in the studio, don't know why I never thought of one !?!

If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me ?

Saw this thread and it grabbed my attention........

I have a condition called ankylosing spondylitis , in short it gives me a wicked time with my back and also, my energy levels.

This makes playing and being reliable gig wise very tricky.

I do keep my hand in so's to speak but in more recent times have taken to playing sat down. This obviously don't help with feeling a groove and certainly can look a little half arsed in relation to stage presence etc.... But it is what it it is....

If it's a short gig, I'll sit on my amp , which I suppose is still acceptable to some degree..... But for full gigs, I need to sit down, I'm yet to find a suitable perch !

A chair is no good, a stool is too hard and can make things worse...... In the rehearsal studio I have been know to play quite comfortably sprawled across a bean bag type thing hahaha but that ain't gonna work at a gig.

Any one else have this kind of issue ?


In the same kind of issue, I'm having to think about selling one of my fenders as it's just a little on the heavy side...probably fine for most guys but when your up against it, you need every advantage. A new musicman sterling has brought me this as it's far smaller and lighter.....

Back issues are crap

Hi folks

Can anyone help point me in the right direction to find a scratch plate for my ernieball music man sterling ?

I can find heaps for sting rays and sterling by musicman and all other Rays, subs yadda yadda.... But specifically for a Californian ernieball ball music man sterling (2002 model ) I can't find any anywhere ?

Just one MM style pickup in it...

Don't know if any of these other copy bass plates would fit, I'm reluctant to order one and it not fit !

Mine MM is trans gold body and headstock with rose neck, looks and feel great but it has a white sparkely scratch plate on it that as nice as it looks, just isn't me

Looking for tort or black, any help will be greatly welcomed

(Sorry if this is in wrong section)

I've got the same finish bass but the mm sterling....... The trans gold finish , rw neck and white plate is a class combination.....
Truly excellent basses..... Glwts

I'm disabled, but don't use a chair....... Key factor here must be weight. One of my first "real" basses many years ago was a Bass collection ..... A fine slender and very lightweight bass with a great tone.... Infact I had a 4s and a 5s I liked them that much. Active, easy to set up well, slender neck profile.....

Seen them very cheap on ebay recently, circa £100, same bass I paid £450 quid for many moons ago...

A great cheap alternative the the ibanez sr range but similar standard....

The chair is not the issue here as it's likely the sides will drop down or be removed, the bass sitting on a leg that may have impaired feeling is the issue, especially if the bass is heavy enough to affect circulation .....

Go light weight....

In fact, here's one here !!! Absolute bargain and looks just right for a lady
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bass-Collection-SB301-active-bass-guitar-in-beautiful-candy-apple-red-/201391079812?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2ee3d80184


I had one of these for years and did hundreds and hundreds of gigs with it without a single issue, sounded great too.

I've got a set of the fender ones on my jazz..... Solid in design and very secure but a little big

Saw the first few shows... There was a young lad on who was a travis picker ......exceptionally good...

Pull the input lead out of his amp and wave it at him in the most condescending fashion whilst saying "And you can have this back when you've thought about your actions young man".........

There has to be a clear message but it must be delivered with good humour and a sense of commeradery !

Once the laughter has stopped you can deliver the clear, reasonable request such as "mate , honestly, you gotta chill that volume the fck out....it's a bit disruptive and if nothing else, bloody annoying "
You can soften the statement with a big gay I love you buddy at the end of it.......


He's your mate, he'l be ok with it if you get your message across right......

What about a picture !

Cheers guys .....

The song I posted as an example..... Poor choice really as the octaver detracts away from the compression element I was curious about....
I've got a boss me50b multi effect board...I bought it simply as an opertunity to fiddle with a few effects as I've never used any before....
After I had finished tossing off over playing with a wah up/ down type filter I realised I pretty much had a tuner.
There is however a compressor on it. I assume this type on here is pretty poor in relation to a stand alone unit and the level of control seems limited.... I had a good long fiddle with it on Sunday afternoon... I couldn't decide if I liked the sound of the dcomp on or completely off... ?

I did manage to get the sound on that song I posted quite easily though with the octaver/ down and Dcomp on..... Sound pretty close to be honest......

I'd be frightened to,death of using this in a live setting though hahahaha

Your comments are appreciated folks...

Would like to attend, Manchester or Wirral ......

STEREOLAB

[quote name='clauster' timestamp='1436371231' post='2817620']
Could you give an example of the sound you hear that you think is compression?

As other's have said, ovnilab.com is a great resource.

I love compression. But not all compressors are created equal. After 20+ years and lots of different pedal compressors, I'm now using a rack compressor. It's great, and using a low threshold and very low ratio it subtly thickens my tone but doesn't kill my dynamics - compression as a tone tool. This then goes through to the second channel, with a high threshold and high ratio to catch any unwanted accidental spikes and makeup gain set to make the most of my amp's headroom - utility compression.

A lot of pedals give you control of only one or two parameters, the rest of the action is preset. The old Trace Elliott dual band was highly regarded by some. I had one and to me it was just an expensive, large and heavy DFA box . The BBE I found to be smaller, lighter, cheaper version of the same. I've had a few Boss CS2 and CS3s. They're the opposite. Extreme squash and pump and great as an "effect" compressor. The Maxon CP9 Pro+ was great for tone thickening. Boss LMB-3 great for "utility" compression.

One thing I've learnt over the last few years is that a lot of recording engineers won't apply just one compressor to a bass, they will apply several compressors for different qualities.
[/quote]
[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1436722201' post='2820219']
Wonky

Can you link to the types of sound you like/are trying to achieve?

I've just got my hands on a Cali 76-G which goes into the 'always on' series loop on my basswitch and my bass has a very 'studio mixed' quality to it (how it's EQ'd will play a factor). It's a fat, round tone that from what I have heard so far just sounds just how I hear some studio bass tracks I'm gigging it tonight (in a trio) and looking forward to hearing it in my monitor mix with the band. I'm playing flat wounds on a 5'er jazz bass and its a just a great tone - I was playing along to Cosmic Girl by Jamiroquai earlier and feel like i'd a really good solid version of that tone on the go to give you an idea of what I was aiming for.

I wasn't using the germanium to dirty up the sound - but I will be experimenting with that tonight at the gig (might have the 4 string p bass with rounds along too just for fun)!
[/quote]

[quote name='clauster' timestamp='1436371231' post='2817620']
Could you give an example of the sound you hear that you think is compression?

As other's have said, ovnilab.com is a great resource.

I love compression. But not all compressors are created equal. After 20+ years and lots of different pedal compressors, I'm now using a rack compressor. It's great, and using a low threshold and very low ratio it subtly thickens my tone but doesn't kill my dynamics - compression as a tone tool. This then goes through to the second channel, with a high threshold and high ratio to catch any unwanted accidental spikes and makeup gain set to make the most of my amp's headroom - utility compression.

A lot of pedals give you control of only one or two parameters, the rest of the action is preset. The old Trace Elliott dual band was highly regarded by some. I had one and to me it was just an expensive, large and heavy DFA box . The BBE I found to be smaller, lighter, cheaper version of the same. I've had a few Boss CS2 and CS3s. They're the opposite. Extreme squash and pump and great as an "effect" compressor. The Maxon CP9 Pro+ was great for tone thickening. Boss LMB-3 great for "utility" compression.

One thing I've learnt over the last few years is that a lot of recording engineers won't apply just one compressor to a bass, they will apply several compressors for different qualities.
[/quote]


Thanks for all the info guys.....
Ok what sound is it I think compression is doing..... ???

Try this : there are a number of runs at the end of most phrases 2:40 will take you straight to one...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc165VGs1Bg
NOTE ! I realise there is another effect at use here allthough im not sure what exactly it is, but it's the fluidity of the runs, the seamless transitition between notes where no particular one stands out..... I guess, compression?

Most likely the use of the other effect PLuS compression , not to mention playing technique !!

( realise the song may not float everyone's boat but the bass line really brings the track to life without being right forward in the mix.)

I like many things, play many styles.... But have a soft spot for my old CSN stuff

Hi folks

In all the years I've been playing I've never really had any use or need for effects of any kind really....

I'm lusting after a certain sound I hear from time to time, and I think it is compression ?!?

Sorry if this sound all a bit daft and ignorant, but I'd really appreciate some advice on a first step into using a compressor...... My understanding of them is pretty crude in the sense that I understand they limit the attack or level of a note and squash it so that the delivery is consistent ???? (Is that right) I'm sure they do more than that, but it did warn you I was crude hahaha

Any advice is welcomed, in regard to what to use, how to use it....

Is compression something that most modern bass players use ? The sound I want is that kind of rounded tone on runs ? Sorry , pathetic description I know hahahah

Help !

I've recently picked up one of these, it has usurped all other basses in my arsenal..... Sound is just tremendous.
Good luck with it