AM1

Find out if there is an attenuation control on the desk. If you can activate this, you should be able to use the gain over a larger portion of it's range, therefore less clipping, as opposed to turning the gain down.

[quote name='bassman2790' post='467086' date='Apr 19 2009, 11:06 PM']My dilemma is that I don't have any spare cash at the moment. The guitarist in our band has got his sound well and truly sorted. He runs his Gibson Explorer through a Hughes and Kettner Switchblade amp into a matching 4 x 12 H&K cabinet. The sound he gets is incredible. By comparison, my poor Trace 2x10 combo pales into insignificance. It's not like we're into a volume war as we have known each other for a long time and work well together for the good of the band. I often have to tell him to turn it up . I just feel that my tone lets the side down a bit at the moment. I've only just got back into work after being made redundant in October. I can't even afford a car and travel everywhere by bus so the chances of me taking home an Ampeg SVT and 8x10 cabinet are zero. Maybe I should just keep puttin my gig money to one side until I can afford a big valve head and quality cabinet.[/quote] Have you thought about a Sansamp? There is a pretty good Ampeg sound to be had without actually buying an Ampeg head. PM me if you are interested in more detail, I know of one that might be for sale for around £100. Have a look on youtube for some Sansamp clips.

[quote name='The Funk' post='466536' date='Apr 19 2009, 08:12 AM']Don't bend your wrists. For fear of being accused of being a technique nazi, it's bass suicide. Do whatever you have to in order to play with your wrists as straight as possible. My standard recommendation is use your elbows as opposed to your wrists as the hinge. Bent wrists + tense forearms = inflamed tendons.[/quote] Hiya That's just the thing though, sometimes bending the wrist (fretting hand) is promoted as the best technique, sometimes not. If I play with my wrist straight, my hand goes into that classic guitarist shape, thumb hanging over the fretboard etc and I struggle to fret notes that are far apart on the fretboard. I think with the wrist bent, it is easier to open out your hand and actually have the range to fret intervals bigger than say 2 frets apart properly.

I forgot about this thread. I can play those little taps now!!!! It just started happening without me even thinking about it! My fingers have got the funk!!!

Hi, just a quick update. Thanks to all for the advice. OK, I laid right off the bass for a few days and there is still pain in my arm and going into my index finger. Anyway, it is a bit better so I have been playing most of this afternoon again but just jamming, not practicing scales etc. I had a look in the mirror whilst playing and I can see what I think part of the problem may be. It does look as if I am pushing my index finger too hard onto the frets sometimes but the reason is because I seem to be compensating for the fact that when my wrist is bent, the muscle in my forearm (underside) is really tight. I noticed it particularly when I stretch my pinkie to play notes 3 or 4 frets away from my index finger. Probably going up to 45-105 strings so quickly hasn't helped. But it does seem to be partially technique/partially muscle related. I just did a comparison and my right wrist, I can bend to 90 degrees but the left one nowhere near. That's the problem. In fact now when I try and bend my wrist any further, it is hurting that muscle a lot. This is really frustrating, any ideas welcome. Cheers.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='465536' date='Apr 17 2009, 09:09 PM']If it was me they'd have failed the audition already. If you're going to do something, do it properly and giving a song list without keys is not doing it properly. I'd ask for the keys & reschedule if it takes them a while to reply. Life's too short to make up for other peoples' laziness.[/quote] I agree. Whether you can transpose on the spot or not is not really the point. The point is that they are auditioning a full rhythm section at once, meaning if the drummer is not up to scratch or hasn't learned the songs, you're pretty much on your own, as well as trying to work out what key they are playing each song in, since they appear unable to tell you. They appear to be unable to communicate as a band and ask their guitarist to provide you with some simple information to get the most from the audition. If this is how they conduct just an audition, how will they operate as a band? Booking gigs? Organising and arranging stuff? If you set the tone from the getgo that you expect a bit of basic professionalism then how they respond will speak volumes.

Just crank it up and live your life! You're in a detached house and you're not playing at anti-social hours, tell the neighbours to come over for a sing a-long! Where I used to live, my neighbours came over one day to apologise about their teenage son playing loud music and didn't mention me having my own house shaking with music! Obviously I told them I had no issues whatsoever with loud music, day or night! There were two garages between my front room and theirs so they obviously couldnt hear the racket I was making. I did point out that Slipknot weren't cool though and directed their son towards System of a Down. Mehe. Same goes in a flat, I've had my bass amp cranked to maximum volume and gain, the whole place was shaking...no one has ever complained!! But..it's a two way street...when they make noise, I've never complained...even at 4AM. Live and let live! If people in Britain were a bit more laid back and less grumpy, it would be a happier place. Miserable fools.

[quote name='escholl' post='464587' date='Apr 17 2009, 12:10 AM']don't boil use meths!![/quote] Tell me more, young Jedi!

[quote name='silddx' post='464579' date='Apr 17 2009, 12:01 AM']Or spend less on oxygen. [/quote] You're right, what a frivolous waste of cash, I'll hold my breath instead

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='463960' date='Apr 16 2009, 02:22 PM']Everything's gone up with the exchange rate collapse - I paid £23 for DR fatbeams 40-100 last year. Now they're £30. I like the strings, so I just go on paying. Luckily it's just for one bass. The rest of mine are on Status Hotwires 30-90 or 30-115. Even Hotwires have increased in price this year.[/quote] Yeah, you're not kidding. In the true spirit of being an utter cheapskate, I think I'll have to resort to a bit of string boiling!

[quote name='The Funk' post='464529' date='Apr 16 2009, 10:55 PM']Phhfft. Told you your technique was all wrong. Seriously though, what kind of pain and when? When are you gigging next btw? I've found my old metronome, which you can have if your band's good. If you're bad, I'll throw it at your drummer's head.[/quote] Last Saturday in Belgium!! Some guy dropped his trousers and hung his ass over the metal barrier at the front, while our singer then proceeded to climb on it and crowd surf. Am I supposed to play basslines whilst this chaos is going on?!?!?! I got absolutely wasted on free beer until 6AM then kipped on a piss stained mattress for about 2 hours then had more beer for breakfast. It didn't help matters that a few of us also stayed up drinking the whole night the night before going over to Belgium. I think I had 3 hours kip in 3 nights. Oh dear. Yeah...we're playing more gigs in London soon, I'll give you the details, come along, no mooning or crowd surfing though!! I think it's pure overdoing bass playing that's caused a bit of strain....

[quote name='escholl' post='464440' date='Apr 16 2009, 09:36 PM']what kind of pain is it? dull, sharp, shooting, etc, etc[/quote] A damned annoying one as I've just got a book of slinky basslines and I'm *itching* to pick up my bass. I have managed to resist the temptation so far....but I may not hold out much longer!

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='464442' date='Apr 16 2009, 09:37 PM']Train don't strain. You've got to give the body a chance to adapt Anne Marie. That's you told then [/quote] I AM training. It's *special* training. It involves drinking beer and eating cake. Mehe. No, seriously, my body is a temple. Of doom. Haha.

Just after some advice. I have probably been completely overdoing the practice but for the second time now there is a pain in the underside of my left forearm..the first time around it went away in a few days, now it's been here all week but it's also going down into my index finger now, so when I flex my finger, there's pain in my arm! I probably didn't help matters by vowing to lay off the bass for a few days then idling away a few hours every day jamming with old forgotten tunes. Whoops. It's probably a muscle strain, just wondered if anyone else has had similar? How long is it going to take to get the strength up in my hands and arms that this type of stuff doesn't happen any more?

[quote name='Lee Van Cleef' post='463559' date='Apr 16 2009, 12:20 AM']Is there also an element of nostalgia to this? People always bang on about The Beatles being the best thing ever, and whilst I appreciate their significance and enjoy their music myself I wouldn't call them the greatest band ever because they don't hold that level of personal importance to me. In 30 or 40 years will people revere Radiohead in the same way or does the elevation of certain bands, such as those you mentioned, to a godlike status make the elevation of successors that much more difficult because part of how much we enjoy music is on that personal level and often involves some level of nostalgia.[/quote] No, it's not nostalgia, it's just disappointment at the lack of outstanding musicianship, in most genres. [quote name='Lee Van Cleef' post='463559' date='Apr 16 2009, 12:20 AM']The great music being produced now might be entirely electronic, would that affect your acceptance of it into the same echelon as your personal favourites?[/quote] I am open minded enough to be able to recognise great musicianship, whatever the genre, even if I don't like the music, I appreciate on a "musician" level. For example, I absolutely hate Moby's music, but I can recognise that he is an extremely talented musician.

[quote name='Lee Van Cleef' post='463555' date='Apr 16 2009, 12:13 AM']I think the proliferation of the internet has had a negative as well as positive effect. It's made music more available meaning more bands can get their music out there, but at the same time it means a bunch of third rate bands that bring nothing new to the table are getting a slice of the pie thanks to the hype the internet generates. Do I think music these days is crap? Not at all, but everyone and their mother has a band so there is a greater amount of chaff to filter out before you find good artists. In terms of the truly commercially viable stuff there's quite a bit of retro stuff that's been doing the rounds.. I heard something called Ladyhawke a few weeks ago, regurgitated 80's crap, and when that hits it big then record labels fall over themselves to sign something similar, it's style over substance. I think my enjoyment of music has survived by developing an interest in different styles of music. I used to be all about the heavy metal, but these days I'm listening to hip-hop, jazz, punk, prog rock, folk, electronic and noise as well my staple diet. It's also been helped by metal itself growing in so many directions that I find more bridges to those other types of music.[/quote] This is an excellent summary of the overall issue and bigger picture. I have always had diverse tastes but it's just the general lack of musicianship I am lamenting more than anything and I think that is partially down to music "commercialisation". Playing ability is absolutely secondary now to marketability/image. But getting away from the commercial music scene, where are the great players? I have not seen one guitarist on youtube who can nail the solo in The Rover with that perfect phrasing on the original. It's ALL about the phrasing. That's what I mean when I say the internet and the "play music now" mentality is killing musicality. That phrasing simply cannot be developed overnight, it takes years and years.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='463548' date='Apr 15 2009, 11:59 PM']But the point isn't about your capacity for obsessing AM, it's about the fact that it takes so much more to be amazed now because you've already experienced so much amazing stuff (which is why you obsessed in the first place)..[/quote] Yeah but where is the rest of that amazing stuff! Where is the modern day equivalent of Led Zep? Black Sabbath? Killer riffs? Great basslines? "Lead" bass playing?

[quote name='dangerboy' post='463537' date='Apr 15 2009, 11:45 PM']And accept that you'll never obsess over a band like you did as a teenager because you've heard so much more now and have so much more music in your life.[/quote] Wrong wrong wrong! My capacity for obssessing about music is unchanged, I still have the exact same passion for actual music, I just hate the bullshit that surrounds it! [quote name='dangerboy' post='463537' date='Apr 15 2009, 11:45 PM']My latest obsession is My Disco www.myspace.com/mydiscomydisco I saw them last week. Mind-blowing.[/quote] Listening now.

[quote name='SteveK' post='463521' date='Apr 15 2009, 11:24 PM']I have some sympathy with AM1. A question I've been asking myself for quite some time: Where are the exciting, intelligent arrangements? The killer bass/guitar riffs? Where are the virtuoso guitarists, drummers, keyboard players etc playing music that excites?[/quote] YES!!! [quote name='SteveK' post='463521' date='Apr 15 2009, 11:24 PM']Please don't point me to any jazz. I know there's some great jazz out there and I appreciate a lot of it, but sometimes....gotta rock.[/quote] Yeah!! Where's the rock n roll!!! Not this dumbed down pervasive sh*t! Thank you for getting it!!!!

It's nothing to do with age/era and everything to do with old school musicianship. When I was at school, all the musicians I knew were a minimum of grade 5 player and theory, by the time they hit teenage-hood, myself included. Most of us thought nothing of practice regimes that would be considered ridiculous by the internet generation of "become a guru in ten minutes". The internet and the culture of "play music now, take the shortcuts" is killing musicianship in a lot of instances. It is true that the really determined will crack on and do the hard work but there's an equal amount of zero to heros. I am disgusted by some of the crap that passes as "music" now let alone releasing albums and touring. It's a f***ing joke. I know loads of good musicians that won't go near the music scene now for the very reason that no one will touch them because their image/age/attitude is "wrong" and not marketable enough. It's that "commercialisation" that I hate.

[quote name='XB26354' post='463386' date='Apr 15 2009, 08:55 PM']Interestingly I read in the London Paper today that last year UK bands made more money (£1.28bn) from touring than from selling records (£1.24bn) for the first time in years, indicating that most bands are having to go on the road to make even a decent living. When they do tour I'd imagine that the majority of it is outside the UK, probably mainland Europe, the US and the Far East.[/quote] Heya Mat That's interesting about the touring. And yes, the music scene in the UK seems to have died a death, Europe scene is definitely more alive! What is causing this?!?!

[quote name='YouMa' post='463430' date='Apr 15 2009, 09:50 PM']Id say the quality has lowered a lot,i hate to say it but i think this is due to people not being able to play as well,plus teenagers favorite bands seem to be bands i liked when i was a teenager RHCP, misfits, nirvana etc,surely this is wrong? and there favourite bands should be someone fresh. One thing that has suprised me is that goth exploded and didnt die a death all these kids going round in black,its really funny. Maybe the fact that so much technology is about and easy to get hold of.If guitar pro had been around when i learned guitar i doubt i would have spent as much time training my ears and just listening,also i spent a lot of time trying to scout out previous influcences so spent time listening to my dads stuff like the velvets,stones,beatles etc. I doubt if my fathers favourite band had been something 80s i would have ever become as interested in guitars.[/quote] That's exactly what I mean by commercialised. It's not about talent, it's about marketability. The quality is dire...unless you really, really dig around. All the bands I liked as a teenager are what I'm still listening to! Purely because there's so little around that can match up it in terms of musicality. Music isn't about talent now, it's about sex/marketing as others said, f***ing depressing. I can't remember the last time I listened to a signed band and got excited by what I heard. Probably 1995. This is a truly crap time for good music, compared to the late 80s/early 90s..

Yeah - as the question goes, is the music scene at an all time low?? Online downloading just seems to have killed off bands making money and even touring bands are not exactly rolling in it. Why are there no new decent bands appearing?? The music scene is SO commercialised now, it's depressing. Any thoughts...am I alone in feeling like this?

[quote name='charic' post='463009' date='Apr 15 2009, 02:09 PM']Im currently in a new project and were seeking a singer and drummer in the cambridgeshire area. Cambridge bands is mainly people in cambs and we dont really want to have to travel that far. Were thinking more huntingdon/peterborugh area. Was wondering how you fellows go about finding new members?[/quote] Alright young Ric, good to see you getting back on the horse! It's a tough road finding people who are committed to making music...try musolist, it's quite good and go take a look at the ads at your local studios/music shops as others said. Good luck!

[quote name='alexclaber' post='462759' date='Apr 15 2009, 10:05 AM']Is your bass gear better than your ability to use it? Not your playing per se but your ability to actually get the best sound out of your gear? Based on the frequency of tone related questions I'd suggest that many bassists are far from really getting the most from what they already own, yet are inclined to throw money rather than intelligence at the problem. Alex[/quote] Yeah I agree. My main bass is £100 FrankenFender and I gigged it in Belgium at the weekend, at a shall we say, lively, punk venue, with no fear of an expensive bill :-) It is much better to put the hours into developing your own tonal capability in the fingers than wasting hours lusting after expensive gear in the hope that it makes you sound better by replacing fundamental skills. There's no substitute for back to basics, old school musicianship.