PaulWarning

the[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1385743280' post='2291788'] Paul, which venue was it that was booked for all of 2014 already? [/quote]the Lion at Basford

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1385738953' post='2291726'] I know this is hard to believe, but there is a bunch of bass players our there that don't play rock [/quote] yep, there most certainly is, but I was trying to say it probably wouldn't work in a rock band situation.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1385739608' post='2291739'] Kev's advice is good, about getting on standby list. We have pub bookings up until December 2014, [/quote] Yeah we've been on standby lists before, sods law being what it is we usually can['t do the last minute gigs for one reason or another

tried to get a gig about a month ago at a local pub, took a DVD in spoke to the landlord and he said "we're already booked up to 2015!" and that's before he's looked at the DVD. This happening more and more, is this happening to everybody or am I getting paranoid

totally pointless in a rock band situation, always think our job is to add definition while the guitarist does the wall of noise bit

I would imagine the majority of Bass players started out playing, or trying to play, 6 string guitar, bass is not an obvious instrument to start off with. Note, I did say majority. Good job you didn't say white players are better at something otherwise it could start a whole new "what is racist" thread

it all sounds a bit sterile and lifeless, as someone else said, record yourself live at a gig, We did that and there's a lot more energy in the live recording than the studio one we did.

Me to the guitarist, "where's the Gibson tonight?, "oh I snapped a string last gig and couldn't be bothered to change it"

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1385041911' post='2283734'] My Nanowebs start to "fray" (not sure I've ever seen them flake or chip) after about a 9 months to a year of VERY heavy finger playing. Oddly enough DR's start to go at the frets after just a few plays for me. [/quote] Yeah, I noticed that the frets had dug into the string last time I changed my DR's, I just put it down to the fact that it showed up a lot because of the bright colour, Better than the string digging into the frets I guess

I used them for a while, and suffered with flaking I thought it was because I used a pick, then someone on here, sorry can't remember who suggested I be very careful when fitting them to make sure I didn't damage the coating when pulling them through the bridge, they were a lot less 'flaky' after that, very smooth feel. I now use DR neons, (cause they come in pink and green, great for Punk ) they're also coated but feel like normal strings and last ages, although they don't flak the colouring comes off were I hit them with my pick

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1384713924' post='2279853'] I got the point, and it's a fair one, but it just highlights the difference in creative output between Sinatra (very little) and Macca (little short of astonishing). But Sinatra was just a crooner, so it's not really a fair comparison. As an aside, all the 'Beatle haters' out there might be interested in this: [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03h6yrv"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/b03h6yrv[/url] [/quote] thanks for that, really enjoyed it [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1384632462' post='2279028'] yeah his voice has gone, interesting that he did Mr Kyte, a Lennon song, talking of Lennon wonder what his voice is like in some parallel universe where Macca was the one that got shot? as you can see I'm a bit of a fan of what ifs? [/quote]

yeah his voice has gone, interesting that he did Mr Kyte, a Lennon song, talking of Lennon wonder what his voice is like in some parallel universe where Macca was the one that got shot?

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1384552544' post='2278219'] IMHO there's a difference between a bass "solo" and a bass break in the middle eight. Free's "All right now" springs to mind. The break is short, in keeping with what went before and maintains the rhythm of the song. Same with many drum "solos". Too often a bass solo is used as an excuse for the bass player to gurn to hell and back and play, badly, what a guitarist could do whilst yawning, and bears little relationship to what went before or goes after. Jazz is, of course, an exception Steve [/quote] nail and head spring to mind here, solo's as part of a break in the song are good, they add light and shade, we do Hate To Say I Told You So, which has quite a long bass solo, (depending on when the singer decides to come in ) but it's part of the song, I just play what I normally do but on my own.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384523794' post='2277701'] Tell that to the flamenco and classical guitarists. [/quote] yep tedious, IMO of course

but guitar solo's (as a rule) aren't really solo's. the drummer and bassists carry on playing, when people talk about a bass (or drum) solo they mean just that instrument playing, a guitar playing on it's own for any length of time is just as tedious as bass or drums doing it

that's a very good reason for buying second hand, someone else has already done it, and they're cheaper

of course you can do both, the band I play in do 2 covers and 1 of our own, roughly, most people want to hear something they know, but will put up with the odd one they don't,(and eventually get to know them) we also occasionally do support slots where we do all our own stuff, but mostly it's pub gigs.

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1383238770' post='2262017'] I'm in my forties and play in both an original metal band and a rock covers band, both of which , i've been told ( by people not on my payroll ) are pretty good. However getting originals gigs is like pulling your own teeth out, and you only usually get 40 mins, and theres no pay-check and usually very little audience. The covers band plays 2 plus hours to packed sweaty pubs with a good party vibe, and theres a roll of notes at the end of the night. I love both, but you can't beat playing your own riffs that you lovingly sculpted yourself. Real world though, I'm never going to play my own stuff at a major venue at my age, so yes, being in a covers band lets me enjoy a bit of rock star vibe when the crowd is really into it and singing along!! I still reckon the singer in the covers band in question here is a bit special though. [/quote] this is my experience [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383241484' post='2262068'] And my experience is completely the opposite. I'm in my 50s and I had to recently quit by covers band because I'm simply too busy gigging, rehearsing and recording with my originals band. The covers band were struggling to get a gig a month while the originals band plays on average once every week - and paying gigs too. While the gig fee for the originals band isn't as consistently high yet as the covers band was when you deducted all the expenses that each band incurred actually doing the gig the originals band comes out slightly ahead! The covers band was basically plodding along playing gigs to roughly the same people - mostly mates of the guitarist and drummer while the originals band is off all over the country playing enthusiastic audiences of all ages, some who are discovering the band for the first time others who come and see us play at every opportunity. It is probably more to do with the attitudes of the members of each band towards how the bands were run rather than the choice of material, but the covers band was prepared to coast along, while the originals band is actively doing stuff - playing chasing up gigs interacting with our fans on social media. I know which one is most fun for me. [/quote] And my experience is completely the opposite.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1383313337' post='2263027'] [url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/odds-and-sods/the-gloves"]http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/odds-and-sods/the-gloves[/url] [/quote] Oh right, there's me thinking he'd got a cold hand

not listened to the whole thing but why does he wear a glove?

that's GAS for you, in a live band situation as long as you can hear the bass, (often you can't, especially when going through a PA, it's just a low end rumble with no definition) that's good enough for me, I've got a MIA P but would have settled for a MIM one if they did them cack handed

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1383229625' post='2261854'] Sweet Home Alabama, Mustang Sally & Alright Now have been completely ruined for me by poor covers; I used to like those songs [/quote] I have a similar problem by the time I've learnt a new cover to play with my band I'm sick to death of it, mind you that's probably because It takes so long for my ageing muscle memory to kick in.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383219694' post='2261655'] No deny that they are technically good, but like every other covers band I've hear my immediate reaction on hearing any song I liked was to go and check out the original recording to remind myself just how good it was. For me to a large extent with pop an rock music the writing and the playing go hand in hand, these songs are best performed by the people who created them in the first place. I've been in a covers band, and for me it was a mostly depressing experience because IMO we didn't play the songs well enough. Not necessarily because of a lack of technical ability, but because we didn't have that extra spark that being the writer as well as the performer of the piece gives you. I like new original music. And OK you do have the wade through a degree of mediocrity to find the stuff that appeals to you, but I find the effort worth it. And IME these days age is less relevant than ever when it comes to playing original rock music. Hard work at both the musical and non-musical aspects of being in a band, the ability to perform under almost any circumstances and put on a show that is more than standing on stage and playing count for far more. Give the audience something special that they can't get from the next band that's what it takes - and of course a lot of luck and being in the right place at the right time, but if you play a lot get noticed and deliver on your performance being in the right place at the right time becomes far more likely. And if I want to sing along to some well known songs I'd far rather be listening to the original recordings that I know and love than yet another covers band's half-assed interpretation of the same. [/quote] Yeah but just listening to the original recordings you don't get the atmosphere of live music, which when you get a room full of slightly oiled folk singing along to a song you like can make for a great evening. I agree listening on you tube to a band doing a cover version close to the original is pretty pointless

to be noticed in an originals band you've got young, totally committed and above all lucky (as well as having good material), once you hit 30 if you've not made it you aren't going too, so what do you do? start doing songs you loved in your youth, get paid a bit of pocket money and stick to the local scene. When people go out on a night out they want a good time and something to singalong too, mostly anyway, that isn't going to happen if they've not heard the songs before

thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll pass them on