Nicko

Finally finished the planned offloading of equipment and I'm now +4 for the year. Fender American Special Precision sold in February Markbass Blackline 250 turned out to have developed a fault and was given away (technically I sold the soft carry case and included the amp for free) in July Markbass 102P traveller was collected today I must say that the BC marketplace is an absolutely fantastic way to trade. All the people I've had dealings with have been thoroughly decent and there's been no messing around at all.

If I was doing stuff for anything other than a bit of fun I'd agree, but there is a limit to how many versions of the instrumentation I can lay down, and how much time I can spend polishing the monthly turd. If I carried on until I thought it was the best it could ever be I'd never actually end up doing the final audio mixdown.

I can't wait for the oud, saz and bazouki to make an appearance - presumably something written (or hummed) in phrygian.

You should always improve your technique and know how to play across the whole fretboard, using as many strings as you have. I don't think anyone here would state otherwise. Whether playing all those notes is really effective for the instrument's role in an ensemble is another matter. Some band structures and songs permit more notes than others - some of Flea's work in the RHCPs is an example where he not only plays lots of notes but in some cases includes two or three different bass pats at the same time. Sometimes he chooses not to play anything and that's just as effective..

I think writing and recording as a band would be entirely different for me too. Firstly I'd expect the other musicians to be vastly superior in ability and technique* to me so once I'd got a rough idea it wouldn't make sense to restrict the various parts to what I can do rather than what they could do. The only time I've recorded as a band in a studio we basically did it live because none of us were experienced in playing the songs in isolation - I'd have missed the changes without having the other members doing what they normally did. *I'm competent at playing guitar - no more - and use a few techniques that others might find unusual.

I always wondered how your entries to the monthly comp were posted so quickly - now I know.

Glad to hear it's not just me.

The playing and techniques seem to be very similar to the stuff that Joe Satriani and Jennifer Batten have been doing for years, with the addition of some slap bass. I find all those guitar virtuosos technically brilliant but for the most part unlistenable and the only saving grace for this bass part is its short. When I took guitar lessons Midnight by Satriani was virtually a set piece for the exam for one of the levels (level 6 IIRC) if you wanted to demonstrate your proficiency in right hand tapping technique. Personally I think it's a technique that should be used sparingly if it's not to become an exercise in showing off. Thew tapping part in EVH's eruption is the only part of it I can play (he only taps with one finger of the right hand) and is my go to show off bit for playing in guitar shops.

Just wondering if mine is the norm, or if others use a different approach. Basic bits of the song lodge in my head, or I'll have a verse and no chorus. Write some lyrics if using a vocal Lay down a simple drum track (basically select a pre-programmed beat and set a tempo) I record a rough version of the main theme, guitar* and bass ** I record a rough version of the chorus, guitar and bass, or plug away endlessly until I find one if the song needs it Put a vocal over the main theme and chorus Cut and paste the rough versions into a song format Add the vocals over the rough song, writing more or rewording to fit Re-record the guitar parts - if I get it bang on on one verse and chorus I might copy and paste it that over to all the verses rather than play the song all the way through. Sometimes I have to tidy up the transitions and sometimes the rough version is good enough. Lay the bass down - in the same way - very occasionally I'll play all the way through and put in variations. Spend a bit more time trying to get the sound I want - always finding it elusive. *** Edit or re-program drums Mix Seek assurance from Mrs Nicko that the mix is OK, and that the whole thing isn't complete pants. * at this point I get stuck for hours trying to find the right sound for the guitar and to a lesser extent the bass, Often I settle for something that isn't what I want because I cant get the sound I think I want. ** sometimes I lay down a bass idea with a guitar rather than a bass especially if a melody idea ends up sounding better as bass. *** by the time I get to this the song has taken over my brain like the worst earworm ever and I can think of little else. I convince myself it's actually good even if it isn't.

As someone who dabbles in songwriting and have access to DAWs that are capable of doing the low stuff, I find physical instruments are still more versatile and being a reluctant keys player it's easier to compose on a bass than on a sequencer. A look at last years biggest selling albums also shows a healthy dose of traditional instrumentation.

Firstly I never said that there is no difference between those two tax scenarios. Secondly, any view I have on tax is nothing to do with my view on what makes a good band. Thirdly I'm entitled to an opinion on the importance of members of a band whether I am experienced or not - in the same way that you have views on tax when you have both no experience and no insight. I wasn't aware that amateur musicians on this forum were restricted to commenting on certain subjects. However since the OP is asking about PA set up in a pub perhaps it's you who are on the wrong topic here? Fourth if you'd been bothered to understand the point I was making it was that a band consists of a core of members - on rare occasions there is a single member that defines the band. In some cases the peripheral members are dispensable but this is not the majority. Lastly if you want to enter a discussion on anything I suggest you don't start a reply with "WTF are you on about"

I'm not. I read your post and it was clear you were basically talking about either the vocalist or - and I quote - occasionally there might be a star guitarist/instrumentalist. Your suggestion was that the drummer, bass player and other band members were disposable. Nuance is the argument of someone who posts something that is utter nonsense. Either post what you mean or accept that when someone points out the inconsistency suck it up.

I was simply responding to the suggestion that the frontman is the be all and end all of a band. In all the examples I gave the driving force isn't the frontman at all - with the possible exception of the AC/DC.

There are a number of examples that completely disprove this, Iron Maiden AC/DC Black Sabbath Deep Purple Genesis Pink Floyd Maybe things are different now.

A distant echo, Of faraway voices boarding faraway trains?

Closing Time - Semisonic

I would say it depends on what they want to play. If they are reading dots and therefore playing parts that are composed in standard tuning the the original finger positions would not be available. There's a reason why pentatonic scales for example are popular in guitar based music - it's because the scale tones are naturally under the fingers with the tuning of the instrument.

When I saw that pic I thought it was the station I used on my daily commute. I can't tell for sure. but be afraid - the station in question was Baker St. In other news I accepted an offer on the house yesterday. That means the dining room can convert back into my temporary studio. Be afraid -I think I'm back.

Seems you don't need to be in Europe to be in the Eurovision Song contest given that Australia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Israel and Morocco have competed. Apparently Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon Libya and Tunisia are all eligible to participate. Eligibility is dependent on the broadcaster being a member of the European Broadcasting Union.

My nephew's band just released their first single (he's on guitar). I hope you like

Ozzy was in Van Halen???????? I agree though. The PA is the singers responsibility. I've been stung getting involved in buying a PA as a band when it really wasn't anything I wanted to be responsible for. When the band broke we had to sell it to the singer at a big loss.

I have never needed a monitor when playing pubs, but typically the singer has had one.

Bigger string gauge = more volume IMO. I increased the size of my higher strings and kept the lower strings as were to balance out the volume across the strings a bit. I didn't notice much difference other than that.

The best advice I can give is to give up on the idea of putting the bass pedal through the PA. It's almost never needed in a pub setting. I think you'd find the Stagepass limited in the long term.

Hmm. My first gig was two weeks after first picking up a bass* in a band playing popular covers. At the time I was working 60 hour weeks and the band practiced once a week. I put in some time learning the 2 hour set but was along way from knowing any, let alone most, of the material properly. I had chord charts and winged most of it. I can assure you that talent did not play any part in my ability to get through the set, but the alcohol content of the punters might have. * I'd played 6 string guitar for years in my bedroom but had never in a band.