Nicko

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1430563190' post='2762606'] Sounds like he auditioned [u]you[/u] and has decided he wants you all in [u]his[/u] band. [/quote] Yes, but he could have done that and brought his plank couldn't he?

So we contacted a rhythm guitarist and he came along to practice on Thursday. We told him we had a gig coming up and told him we could only give him half an hour. He turned up without a guitar and told us he didn't want to distract us, listened to us for a while and left saying he hoped we'd call him after the gig. What was the f***ing point of that?

Amen to that.

Can't Get Enough of Your Love is an absolute all time no no for me. Its kind of everything I hate in a cover song all in one go.

I dont care what they think in the shop. I'm the customer and its my money so if I wanna play a one note ACDC line its my choice. But the whole point of trying the thing out is to see how it fits with what you do, so I thik the last time I went with: Love Cats by the cure to see how it feels and low down Scar Tissue to see how it feels and sounds up the dusty end and how it sound with more than one note ringing Some chromaticwarm up exercise stuff to check theres no duff notes anywhere

Difference between my fretting and non fretting hand is not as pronounced as the OPs pic. I put this down to the exercise the muscles on the fretting hand get - I assume these are muscles for span because muscles for clenching are mostly in the forearm.

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1429025875' post='2747168'] I've heard of people being stopped and searched for receipts when going through customs for this very reason. From what I remember, the personal allowance for bringing items into the UK from outside of the EU is quite low and might just be enough for a set of stribgs (but certainly not enough for a bass). [/quote] The limit is £390 assuming you're arriving on something other than your own plane! Once you go over £390 it incurs duty and VAT so unless you're saving a upwards of 25% its not worth it.

Every song has its place, but every song by Bryan Adams place is in hell.

The answer would be something small and very expensive. Bear in mind you are [u]supposed[/u] to cough up duty when you bring it through the airport on landing, and don't forget to warn her about the sales tax which is added at the till.

I feel the OP's pain. Usually its a bunch of cut and paste originals who think theyre gonna be the next big thing. Everytime I have the misfortune of seeking a new band I really wonder about giving up and concentrating on home recording. Cue observations about me playing with myself in the spare bedroom.

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1427974574' post='2736502'] I have noticed that I seem to walk a step back and then forward again quite regularly...no clue why though. [/quote] Do you have a Shadows fixation, but cant remember the rest of the moves?

In response to the OP I generally roll up to the rehearsal room with my plank, pedaltrain and two leads. The kit in the hired room is generally as good if not better than my own kit (lovely Trace Elliot yesterday , normally use an Ashdown there) . I don't see much point in messing with my own set up to fine tune settings thet will probably sound completely different in another room anyway. The guitarist takes several guitars, a mahoosive pedalboard, several suitcases full of essentials and an unfeasibly loud amp. I think he does it for the attention.

.... well, do you?? Generally I don't and people find it strange.

[quote name='Qlank' timestamp='1427924053' post='2736038'] Learn some Rush songs. "Hey guys, "2112' has some tricky parts but I think we can make it work". "I've nailed all the bass parts". "C'mon guys , lets give this a go". "You can't play this stuff?" "It's been 2 months?........ What songs are your band doing OP? We are here to help you be better [/quote] Having listened to the OP's suggested track - I'm not sure suggesting Rush would result in anything other than instant sacking! Stick with it Juliet. I'm constantly amazed by the songs that I actually can play after putting in a bit of work.

To me classical music is all about developing a theme. The closest I come to this in modern music is trance and ambient which on the surface is all about rhythm which is not really my bag but given the right, ahem, "state of mind" can have people feeling quite emotional. This is the new prog rock.

Upstrokes for offbeat. Downstrokes for onbeat. Or alternatie if the speed needs it.

There was a suggestion that Sloppy Seconds would work, mainly cos we're not that tight and do covers, but ......

[quote name='Jonnyboy Rotten' timestamp='1426689377' post='2720820'] Rock Paper Scissors (Lizard Spock)? [/quote] Ah, The old band was Lizard based

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1426683553' post='2720699'] Relatively speaking I'm a better cook than a photographer and, again, an upgrade to my hob a few years ago really improved my cooking skills. [/quote] I read this and realised my cooker cost twice as much as my bass. The fact I though that this might be an excuse to buy a more expensive bass probably tells you where I stand on the OP.

I've been with a band a while. The guy that started the band left and basically took the name with him (which is fair enough!). I'm really struggling to come up with a new name for the band which is a) not trying to be comical not pretentious c) not used by anyone else d) appropriate to the material we play We are a covers band, but basically play indie/rock stuff from 90s onwards. I've ave looked at a few random name generators but they're exactly that - random. Any ideas where I can find inspiration?

I played guitar for 20 years or so before seeing the light. I find it really useful to have a mental picture of a chord or arpeggio in my head, because I know where the chord notes are on the fretboard. I dont have to think in scale tones at all unless I want to get more complex. Although I'm not much of a lead guitarist I used to solo using the same mehod for resolving phrases. Technically this is the wrong approach, but it works for me and I'm sure others would benefit from knowing a bit more guitar theory .

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1426080892' post='2714133'] That version is 25years old! I keep reading people saying ''far too many bands" and "everyone" is playing all the old favourites but then claiming their band is different because we play more up to date tunes. Then cite 90s tunes. So who is it that's playing all those old tunes that no one wants to hear? Seems it's none of us here on BassChat! I'd say we must be pretty representative of 'most bands'. I'm sure this is just another one of those untruths we like to repeat. [/quote] I really dont think this is an untruth. I've been asked to play songs from the 60s and 70s at quite a few auditions - generally I dont get as far as the audition if thats what they want to play anymore but its not long ago I was playing Cant Get Enough, Sweet Home Alabama, Twist and Shout and Credance Clearwater Revival songs on a regular basis. Most of the songs on the list were hits before I was born.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1426068158' post='2713905'] These basses have not been involved making a single piece of music that I have liked or listened to since I discovered what a bass guitar was. [/quote] This is an astonishing statement, unless you only listen to trad jazz played on a standup. As for Ric, never played one, and got past the "they look cool" phase some time ago.

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1426008569' post='2713379'] I disagree with the above, you'd be surprised how many bands want to trot this old crap out at gigs. Lazy. [/quote] I agree. Too many bands trotting out the same old crap. Its far too lazy, and Joe Public really is capable of appreciating other songs from what is, lets face it, a massive choice of successful music. Its quite possible to construct a decent set list that doesn't include the Beatles, Hendrix, Dire Straits, EC, ACDC, GnR and the Eagles. My covers band is deliberately avoiding the "classic", we're absolutely aligned with #84, except Hard to Handle which we should have dropped by now. Black Crowes version is only 90s though.... All the other songs are pretty much late 90s onwards, successful chart tunes that everyone should recognise. I was in a previous band that got stuck up its own A by pidgeon holing itself as "post punk" covers. Absolutely loved playing the songs at rehearsal, but ran out of suitable material to play to an audience far too quickly TBH.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1425904683' post='2711961'] Why don't you just join a band? [/quote] ^^^^ This. Join an originals band,