Unknown_User

Thank you @EBS_freak.  I think I mostly follow that.  I've no idea how the correct solution would be implemented on a PA as I have little to no experience with using them.  The closest I normally get is to stand there looking on and tutting as the singer struggles to control the feedback by twiddling with the dials.

I found this earlier which I think explains the less elegant solution.  I have a passive DI box and one of the guitarists has a headphone preamp, so hopefully we can get it working after some sort of a fashion!

Cheers for your advice.

Or would it make sense to do this?

iPad > DI box > homebrew splitter cable > PA/Headphones

25 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Make sure you put your non balanced splits through a couple of isolated DI boxes. Inadvertently sending phantom power WILL kill your iPhones audio output.

Thanks for the heads up!  Unfortunately I'm not quite sure I follow properly.

I have a passive DI box.  If I plugged the XLR output into that and then went from that into the PA would that suffice?  The only place I can think phantom power might come from is the PA as nothing else would be plugged in to the mains, but I may be misunderstanding this. 

Would I have to do anything to isolate the DI? 

Sorry if this is basic stuff.  I'm pretty new to electronics so my reach extends my grasp a bit with all this!

EDIT: My DI box only has an XLR output, not an XLR input.  So I guess I can't use that?

3 minutes ago, itu said:

That Roland is uncommon, as all its channels are: 3 hot, 2 cold. Not everything that those chaps behind that big water do is always a good thing. Well, not that uncommon but I have not seen such a unit in years. You might say that it is rare (like people tend to say that on any bass, that has not been built during the last two decades).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XLR_connector#Technical_usage_information

Brilliant.  Thank you for the explanation!

Now I know if it goes wrong I only have myself to blame!

2 minutes ago, itu said:

You may need to play a bit with levels, but other than that, you're on a right track.

If the mixer/PA has normal inputs, 2 is hot and 1+3 go together because of that unbalanced signal. A friend of mine just bought a Roland mixer that has 3 as hot. It took a few minutes to figure that out...

tip = red = right

So the wiring of the cable could need to be different depending on which PA you use?

Hoping to get my soldering iron out tonight and I just wanted to run my daft plans by the electrics wizards on here.

I've got some backing tracks for some songs which I've put a click track to.  The click is panned over to the right and the backing track to the left. 

My plan is to put this stereo track from an iPad into a 3.5mm headphone jack and have the left output (the backing) route to an XLR socket (for plugging into a PA) and the right run to a 6.35mm headphone socket for the drummer's headphones.

Looking at wiring diagrams I think I need to wire the left lug of the input socket to pin 2 of the XLR socket and ground pins 1 & 3.  Then the right lug of the input socket to the left and right lugs of the output jack socket.  Then connect all the ground lugs.

Is this as sensible as it sounds or are there any obvious pitfalls that I'm missing?  Just wondering if I should spare myself a few hours of looking perplexedly at a load of sockets and wire whilst swearing!

Thanks in advance!

• I'm pretty bad at learning songs by ear
• I'm not great at plucking with my fingers so use a plectrum
• I can't play slap bass at all (and have very minimal desire to learn)
• I'm not great at improvising
• My musical knowledge is pretty thin in that I can't read staves and there's probably gaping fundamental gaps in my knowledge of theory

On the plus side, apart from slap bass I'm markedly better now at the rest of them than I was a year ago.

12 hours ago, Teebs said:

I wouldn't dream of mocking you, my dear Unknown!

I am equally in the dark as to the machinations of the computer-wotsit things!

Plus, aliens landing behind a partition wall sounds interesting, & probably better than my first attempts with the software-thingy!

     

😄 I didn't take it too much to heart!

The good news is that I managed to increase the tempo, add a sample from an old song and was subsequently able to release it as a dance single.

*little fishes, big fishes, then cardboard boxes*

Don't laugh at me, @Ricky 4000 & @Teebs.  I'm trying my best, you heartless monsters!

😀

6 hours ago, stewblack said:

Completely agree. Audacity. I use it every day. Brilliant tool. Copy and paste track, increase pitch by 100%, boost mids with eq tool and roll off the top.

Could you please expand on this bit for a total novice at this sort of thing?  After a few goes of trying it for myself I mostly managed to make a song I am trying to learn sound like aliens were landing behind a partition wall.

31 minutes ago, Soledad said:

So does this work like disallowed goals? I need to check the rules

We need to get VAR* on the case.

*Video Assistant Retailer

I'm not a guitarist (I can knock out a few chords like) but as someone who can't read music at all I wouldn't know what the hell all that would be about!

If I was writing something like that for myself I'd just write out the names of the chords.  If there was a particularly weird chord in there then I'd draw a diagram like this:

4 hours ago, Ricky 4000 said:

Its like the Special Brew of pasties. 👍

Who was it who used to play slide guitar with a can of Special Brew?  I doubt you'd get the same timbre with a steak bake!

On 10/08/2019 at 14:25, DoubleOhStephan said:

I often play acoustically with my chin on the top horn to help boost the sound. 

Me too!  With my mouth wide open to act as a speaker.  If I want a wah-wah effect I just wiggle my lips back and forth.

13 hours ago, spongebob said:

Today.....souless, sanitised....I think there was a turning point around the early 00's.

I think there's something to this.  A lot of things seem more professional these days than they were.  Perhaps with better technology, processes becoming more mature, etc..  Which can mean things get tied down a bit more which may leave less room for maverick creativity.

12 hours ago, skankdelvar said:

Rock music is either re-packaged compilation albums or un-listenable tripe performed by old men or un-listenable tripe (in a different way) performed by young men. Heritage acts dominate the touring circuit; Metallica and the Foo Fighters are applying for their bus passes. Young rock acts perform in toilet venues to two barmen and a dog but it serves them f*cking right because they're either copies of bands from the 1970's or their material is un-listenable tripe.

You definitely have a point about the biggest rock acts being people who were around 20/30 years ago.  Which is a shame.  There's always been that but if you look at festivals and the like, they seem to be full of these heritage acts whereas 20/30 years ago it was mostly new bands with the odd golden oldie thrown in.  Perhaps promoters are now playing more safely with acts they know will bring in the punters rather than helping bring new artists into the fold?

Rock music does have a population problem.  So many bands writing so many rock songs over so many decades, there's only so much room left for manoeuvrer and reinvention.  There are still numerous good new rock acts, just don't expect them to be radically different from something you haven't heard before!

12 hours ago, knirirr said:

It does seem to be true for most people.
Somehow, I seem to have ended up being an exception; I recall that all the music I heard around that age was either unpleasant to hear, or simply boring. It took until university to hear something I actually liked.

I'm similar.  I only really got into music when I was around 14 and most of the albums I go back to now are the ones I got into when I was around 17 to 22.  Until then it was stuff I was passing through on the way to finding something I really enjoyed.

12 hours ago, spectoremg said:

What's on the end of the stick?

I don't know what it is, but it's something that just kind of gets to you in the end.

12 hours ago, lozkerr said:

Leave it - he's just trying to milk it.

Dairy me!

D'oh!  I get you now.  I missed that you were going to relic it back to bare wood. 

So you're going to relic it first and then put the gloss on?

Personally I think it would be hard to cover up the wood as it is, but it should look really unique with what you have planned.  I guess it will need a light touch with the relicing to not go through the stain and gold rub and buff too?

6 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Thanks buddy - still in half a mind as to whether or not leave it and just oil it up and not rout a second P either , but then again - I have always had a hankering for Shoreline gold and a double P bass like the elite but with passive electronics and have bought the spray cans now......!

i suppose it would make the thread more interesting to do it!

It sounds like you already know the answer as to which direction you want to take it!

Are you going to spray a nitro gloss over it?

That's beautifully stained and the gold looks great.

8 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Oh, oh! The puns begin. Be afraid, very afraid. I think think some folks are angling to derail this thread. I don't disapprove, as some lightheartedness can tackle some of the heavier comments, which often ends in the posters making a rod for their own backs. 

 

Ooh, is that my coat?

You're just trying to bait me now.

32 minutes ago, NikNik said:

And fishing. None of that here....😔

Reelly?  You should float some fishing threads.  I'd be hooked.

12 hours ago, DJpullchord said:

This site is very biased towards bass guitar though. Sort of assumes all bass comes from a bass guitar.

I was pretty disappointed with this too.  I signed up hoping to talk about cans of shandy, not all this music palaver!

44 minutes ago, MrDaveTheBass said:

^^^
This. 

Play as many different basses as you can. Go for something second-hand - you'll get a lot more bass for your money, and you shouldn't lose any money if you sell it on. You'll probably find your next bass on  t'internet, but whatever you do, play it before you hand over the dosh.

This seems like the best advice.

I have a Squire bass and after a setup it plays really well and sounds nice.  You can get well built instruments for not much money these days.  Then if you like the bass you can always look to upgrade the hardware (pickups, etc.) later if you want to.

Sounds like, asides from putting one song in the wrong key, you probably did pretty well.  I've never depped myself but would be interested to try.

Even if they don't call you back it sounds like you've learned lots from it.  I think playing with people at a higher standard makes you raise your game too.  So that should stand you in good stead.

Plus you have £150 in your back pocket.  So win-win!