Stub Mandrel

If I'm not gigging I typically go to see one or two local bands at the weekend. Last night was worthy of mention. Somehow the chap at the club who has taken over bookings from my SO booked an originals band, guitar, sax, bass and a small drumkit. I wasn't expecting a lot, just something mellow. Well the Albino Frogs were brilliant. A strong dose of Steely Dan, strong danceable tunes, excellent musicianship. Bass player had a nice Stingray direct into a well-adjusted Markbass head and BF super twin. He was glued to the drummer and played great jazz-funk lines with plenty of space and groove. But guitar/singern sax and drummer were all excellent too. Despite the main competitor venue having a very good rock & roll band on, it was a busy night, and I think virtually everyone stayed the night. The band really appreciated the reception they got, and it demonstrated how people can be open to music the haven't heard before.

Is there a crèche for drummers? 😁

I was just about to say that!

I've found over the years that a bginner often makes some rapid progress, but then overestimates their capabilities. As a beginner botanist I found many 'rarities', n electronics I found 'new, simpler ways' to do things, and so on. I learnt that the better you get and the more you know, the more you realise your shortcomings and the challenges you face. I tried playing some basslines I thought I knew that were featured in a tutorial... and discovered how badly I was playing most of them. I have briefly attempted double bass a few times; I've come to accept that I would have to learn completely new left and right hand techniques. My preference for one finger per fret and right hand muting technique (using my fingertips) are just utterly wrong. I'm impressed by the progress the OP has made, but I have no illusions of the challenges of playing what is an utterly different instrument.

It's often possible just to let the audience sing it!

Mostly local bands, but in january the guitarist from our blues band is supporting Cardinal Black with his other band (The Rogues) in Cardiff. Just booked tickets for Hawkwind in Birmingham in April.

James is bringing Norman to Barry in November, only ten minutes walk away for me, too.

Eh? I thought this was a forum for chatting about bass matters. If we all agreed it would be a pretty boring place... Sorry... I didn't realise that some comments may have got a bit personal.

THree songs to learn... sit down by James is the most complicated(!) plus Ring of Fire and a Dua Lipa song.

Changing the topic a bit, we've been booked to do the sort of gig @Bluewine seems to thrive on. It's a 'christmas' event for the local supporters club for Liverpool FC at Cardiff Tramshed. There are 5,000 members but the venue is 1,000 capacity. Looks like we'll only have to do an hour, but it's an amazing venue (I've seen bands like Phil Campbell and Black Star Riders there) and we get house PA and lights with pros on both, so really excited!

Ouch. My Epson head dries out a bit if unused for several months, but clears with a few cleaning routines that use tiny amounts of ink. It's only four-colour printer but the quality is excellent, I have several A4 'photos' framed up, landscapes and astrophotographs. Generally they are better than ones I have had done professionally as I have adjusted the print profiles.

Got me looking at all my stuff. Cabs: PJB - Neutrik GRBASS - Neutrik Fun Generation (Thomann) - no nameme Peavey - no name Amps Orange - no-name with metal channel. Behringer - Chen Shung (or something like it) 4-pole (PA amp, for bi-amping) I've been using mostly Stagg cables and one Pronomic, with no issues whatsoever for about four years.

The Epson EcoTank printers are like that from the beginning, so no stupid nag screens or chipped cartridges.

They are ace, I've had one for ten years and only filled the tanks twice. Also a HP laserjet that is decades old and uses a refill every two years...

I like a set list, but I don't mind if we alter it to suit the audience.

The club I'm involved with insists on a break as it precipitates a rush to the bar, but it is a venue with the bar in a separate room to the music (although people can go in and out during performances).

My double knobage: Flea Jazz: Hohner Jack Custom V: Sire P10: Do I win? 😁

Adapt one of these?

I regularly drive past a scrap steel smelting plant, the rail yard adjacent usually has three or four different 08s in an array of different contractor colour schemes.

He didn't appear to have fluidity issues sat down with Beato. Bear in mind that he performs that stuff live too.

This is the way to go...

His music is also very melodic, rather than the rhythmic rattle of most slapsters.

Both my bands NORMALLY get asked to do 2x45 minutes (plus an encore or two). Usually we end up playing closer to 50 then 50 plus encores, simply because we'd rather play than stand around*. A few venues ask for a bit more, e.g. one venue does 5:45 - 8 on a Sunday. Some want less or have a strict curfew. We've just been booked for a private club Christmas party (a football supporter's club with 5,000 members!) in a 1,000 capacity venue, but we have only been asked to do an hour. We recently did a three-hour gig, 8 to 11, we did three roughly 40-45 minute sets, then ended up doing two encores, one of which had to be a song we'd decided not to do (and it went the best we've played it, probably because we were well into the groove by then). We've been asked back, and agreed because we had a real blast. I negotiated an 8:15 start, so we can leave at a slightly more civilised time. It's a long drive, but as we now know it's a quick setup as the low ceiling limits what gear we can use, that 15 minutes means leaving 30-45 minutes later. *One guitarist said "I get paid to have equipment, travel, set up and pack down. I play for free, because I enjoy it."