stingrayfan

Nice - had a go on Clarky's on Saturday and couldn't fault it.

Normally I try to look like I'm enjoying it, even when I'm not but we did a charity gig recently, a 20 min thing, and our guitarist kept turning himself to ear bleeding levels and drowning out the drums. I had a face on. Band after us (classic rock covers, frontman in a stonewashed demin jacket w/mullet) says "you lot look like you were just going through the motions....". Cheers! They were crap. And too loud.

[quote name='ped' post='622706' date='Oct 10 2009, 09:29 PM']Here are some pics taken on my camera. I didn't take many as I was so busy chatting to people and listening to the seminars![/quote] Great pics Ped.

Is there a list of winners please? (being optimistic....)

Bier Keller, Bracknell - pain of a staircase down to the basement. Played there on and off for two years before someone mentioned they have a goods lift (in the kitchen). Still a pain in the arts to get/out of that venue. Wouldn't recommend the place, it's a bit "desperate housewives".

Well done silverfoxnik et al for organising today's bash. Good to see a few familiar faces and try out some great gear. I arrived not wanting anything...and left thinking about getting one of Alex's Barefaced cabs. Damn you Basschat! Enjoyed playing the Wals and Clarky's Shuker P Bass... ...and the drum kit! Good work.

Having seen/tried out a Compact briefly at the SE Bash today - please could I try out the one going round the south please? Would really like to gig it to see how it performs. I'm in Fleet in Hants, near Reading/Guildford.

[quote name='obbm' post='615128' date='Oct 2 2009, 07:19 PM']I want to go but I'm not up to it yet Craig. Recovery is taking longer than I thought.[/quote] You'll be missed. Get well soon, Dave.

I use a 4-ohm Warwick 4x10. Not the smallest or lightest of cabs but does the job nicely.

Lug PA from car, try to get everything set up quickly to allow time to sit down and slug down a bottle of beer before starting! Guitarist always needs a slash, drummer always late because he's getting six pints of water.

Been listening to The Beatles - Rubber Soul after stumbling upon it again. Had forgotten how good some of the basslines are on that - esp Drive My Car, The Word and You Won't See Me. Macca was on fire on some of the tracks on that album..worth digging out if you haven't listened to it for a while.

Fender PT100. £40.

Shoot me down here - but is the process of setting up made to look more complicated than it actually is? There's no doubt that a well set up guitar plays a million times better but I'm not sure there's an alchemy to it. I've paid for a couple of "pro" setups and been really underwhelmed with the results. So much so, I've had to get the allen key out and tweak it myself. I'm no expert and it's a bit of trial and error but I've managed to straighten the neck, set the action and intonation and adjust the pickup height without calling an ambulance!

[quote name='ezbass' post='610394' date='Sep 27 2009, 10:17 PM']I know that it is a P bass in the verse and Stingray in the chorus.[/quote] Great bassline - it's a bit nerdy to use two basses though!

3 well recorded tracks with good clear vocals is all you need. Something that sounds polished rather than raw. We spent £150 and [url="http://www.wagthedogband.co.uk/Demos.html"]recorded 6 tracks in a day[/url] at a small studio. Your band will get hired on how good the vocalist sounds, so vocals are top priority, I reckon. Condenser mic in a studio type setting - rather than shouting down an SM58.

Any Reef fans? Put your hands up. (sic)

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='605579' date='Sep 22 2009, 01:54 PM']"I don't do this for fun I do it for the music" isn't music suppose to be fun? for God sake.[/quote] Me thinks he's talking <a word that rhymes with> frollocks.

[quote name='Kev' post='604847' date='Sep 21 2009, 06:48 PM']is this only open for attendees of the bash? Giving and receiving?[/quote] Makes sense that it should be. It's a crap raffle, if no-one's there to collect any prizes! Will add something to the list shortly!

Root, fifth, octave.

Just to stoke the fire some more.... How many of us have bought an expensive 'brand' bass despite the fact that it didn't feel that nice and was a bit heavy to gig with? I know I have.

It's difficult knowing what the market value is for stuff, if people don't put prices to things. Personally, I prefer it out in the open. If you're selling something, say what you want for it!

[quote name='alexclaber' post='592832' date='Sep 8 2009, 12:52 PM']Don't set your levels so they feel weird then! Alex[/quote] They're set so they're good out front.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='591859' date='Sep 7 2009, 03:06 AM']Advice: Learn to play the bass part entirely mechanically, so you only really think about the singing. Singing should be 90% of your effort, the bass part should mostly take care of itself. Being super-familiar with the tune you're playing makes this easy[/quote] + the 1. [quote name='KevB' post='592767' date='Sep 8 2009, 11:46 AM']Don't dismiss the beatles too much, some of Macca's basslines that he sung over aren't all that simple. I can happily play All My Loving, I can sing it. Both together? hopeless...[/quote] Funnily enough, was thinking the same thing the other night while watching that docco about the Beatles' first trip to America. He's playing some complex bass parts and singing lead over the top, with no stage monitors and at one point, his bass amp facing the other way! Makes you realise how spoiled we all are now, worrying about whether to get in-ears or personal monitors.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='592782' date='Sep 8 2009, 12:06 PM']We agree to turn down, then one of the guitarists turns up for a solo and doesn't go back down again afterwards ...[/quote] This is the problem I've got. We soundcheck, levels are set (even if they feel weird to us), then lo and behold, we're three songs in and I can see him turning around to turn up. He's then louder and then it all starts getting mushy as the vocals get lost in a wall of distorted guitar. Sometimes I have to shout at him to turn down inbetween songs, which looks crap.