Eight

[quote name='Adrenochrome' post='398259' date='Feb 2 2009, 08:03 PM']I had a ZOOM RT-123 or similar (not sure of the name?).[/quote] Zoom always seem to make the weird stuff that fits into gaps in the market. Looks good; I fancy something like that myself.

Some drum machines have step-sequencers etc. built in, but I don't think you'd be able to program in a set length for the track. It'd loop a rhythm until you stop it. Edit: Hence needing something a bit more advanced.

[quote name='Stan_da_man' post='398246' date='Feb 2 2009, 07:57 PM']It dosen't need to be able to produce it's own beats, I'm perfectly happy with the default ones (as long as you can edit and save them!)[/quote] I don't get you.The MPC has some sounds stored in, but the main idea is you load your own samples into the box (or record them onto the box from other sources). You're not synthesising beats, just sequencing them. Then you sequence i.e. program in sequences of those beats into rhythms etc. Above that, you can create "songs" out of sequences etc. etc. Edit: finding a drum machine which can do all of that will be hard. I've never seen one; not saying they don't exist though.

It sounds like you'd be looking more towards an Akai MPC type device. In fact, the MPC is pretty much the de-facto standard for that kind of beat sequencing on hardware. [url="http://www.akaipro.com/mpc500"]http://www.akaipro.com/mpc500[/url] Great machines; not cheap though. (£399 for the 500 version)

[quote name='PauBass' post='396040' date='Jan 31 2009, 11:35 AM']You need to download all the 8 parts before trying to extract them.[/quote] Get Linux. Xarc can extract files from the parts you have downloaded. i.e. I have parts 1 - 4 and got the tracks out of that even though 5 - 8 are still downloading. Had quite a laugh with them so far. Open in Audacity, mute most of the tracks and jam away. Must have played Livin' On A Prayer a hundred times yesterday - or tried to at least. Bit harder than it looks.

Erm... if it meant wearing my bass up around my chin, I think I'd quit the band and play something else.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='396995' date='Feb 1 2009, 04:49 PM']Sweetheart! They're playing our song :wub:[/quote] Hahahaha. Babies have been made to that, I'm sure. Er... not by me I might add.

Ah ok. Thanks for all the input guys - its much appreciated.

[quote name='Pookus' post='396420' date='Jan 31 2009, 08:39 PM']Funnily enough some of the more established classical musicians had real problems improvising anything.[/quote] Classical studies don't really do much improv in my experience. I can totally respect jazz musicians for that ability and its something I want to work on... just got to find a way of doing it on bass that doesn't involve jazz.

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='396214' date='Jan 31 2009, 04:04 PM']If the note played is a D then it should be notated as such, I think.[/quote] I don't have much bass sheet music really - what I do have has tab underneath and generally seems to put the note that the fretboard tab would have played in standard tuning. That's what got me wondering. Doesn't seem right to me somehow.

Couldn't resist some pollution Edit: as soon as I can figure out how to post YouTube videos. LOL.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='395614' date='Jan 30 2009, 06:23 PM']Since on all the quality brands you can unscrew the keys, there's nothing to stop you having something more interesting made. The guy who made the Bass Surgery basses used to cast his own.[/quote] Hmmm... I must admit I never actually thought of that. Might have a word with some metal guys (not the long haired, big necked, leather clad ones) and see if anything comes from it.

I wish you hadn't bumped this - I hadn't seen the thread either and if I could go back in time I wouldn't read it. How come its fine not to like death metal, noise punk, opera or trance (just random examples) but if you don't like jazz then its because you don't know how to hear it!?!? I am not an ignorant pop-conditioned musical monkey just because I don't like "jazz" (or to avoid generalisations, any of the jazz I happen to have heard so far). If jazz is Greek, then early industrial like Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire are [s]Latin[/s] [s]Arabic[/s] [s]Chinese[/s] Old Norse. In which case I am as high brow as you.

[quote name='MananaMan' post='396173' date='Jan 31 2009, 03:01 PM']don't know why they haven't brought out a stand alone box full of DSP of this - much as Guitar Rig and Liquidmix have.[/quote] Probably sales. Guitar Rig spanks every VST known to man in terms of money spinning capacity.

If you're doing a transcription in notation with detuned guitars, is it the norm to indicate the note that is actually played or the note that *would* be played if the guitar was in standard tuning? E.g. guitar tuned down 1 step. First note is a D. Would you put a D on the score or an E? It seems that if you're including tab underneath, then the notation is written as it would sound in standard tuning? i.e. tab says 0, notation shows E but we know the note is D. Or is there no real convention?

[quote name='dr.funk' post='395975' date='Jan 31 2009, 09:57 AM']How many samples do you need?[/quote] I don't know really. It was kind of an industrial project - so quite a few. I helped him set up a pc with Sonar etc. for them to work out tracks but now they're wondering how to do the thing live without adding a synth-type guy to the group. I'll check out the other suggestions you've given there; but from everything I've seen it looks like the hardware units just might not do the job. In which case its back to my original thoughts of a laptop, Ableton and some midi foot controls. Thanks for your input though - you've managed to give *me* GAS

[quote name='YouMa' post='395075' date='Jan 29 2009, 11:52 PM']Has anyone seen Derek smalls in the movie spinal tap?[/quote] Er no... but why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret asking?

I had a few minutes to kill the other day and wondered if anyone's selling stupid looking tuning pegs (idk, skulls or something) and didn't find anything. I mean... nothing. I know it'd be a pointless, annoying addition to a sh*tty guitar, but it'd be fun. Has anyone ever come across some?

[quote name='KarateKid' post='393972' date='Jan 28 2009, 07:30 PM']I know I have not been on this forum for a while because I am tyed dowm on schoolwork, but can anyone help me for a Grade Exam. I am aiming for the starter grade now, but I feel like I want to go for it. Can anyone give me advice for my grade exam?[/quote] Not sure what kind of advice you're after - but I did ABRSM grades a fair while ago (not bass) and the most useful tips etc. are pretty general. E.g. plenty of sleep the night before, drink water, and stay calm. Realise that failing doesn't matter. Also be nice and friendly to the examiner when you walk in - they want you to pass so keep it that way. They're also used to seeing people nervous so don't feel like you're any different. An examiner once told me (after the test) that she'd had a solder in a few days earlier. He'd served in various warzones and seen his friends shot down in front of him. Surely that would change your outlook on priorities and pressure.... but when it came to the music test he was a bag of nerves and could only barely hold it together. They are scary... but its just a music test. The only pressure is what you put on yourself.

Put Willie Dixon "The Chess Box" compilation on loop and sit there for at least 24 hours. Then move on to Otis Spann - piano based so hopefully you can stop thinking about bass and soak up the blues.

[quote name='crez5150' post='392513' date='Jan 27 2009, 10:48 AM']I used to fire an Akai s5000 from a midi foot controller.... worked very well[/quote] Were you able to change sample banks remotely? I looked at a Roland SP-404 Sampler on Dr. Funk's suggestion and it seemed perfect except for one issue. It has 10 sample banks (each one holding 12 samples) and samples can be triggered from MIDI IN. Different octaves etc. trigger samples on different banks - which sounds great; except if you wanted more than 12 different samples in a song, then you need some kind of controller which can send the full range of pitches. I'm not sure if there is a foot controller capable of doing that in a handsfree fashion. Wish I hadn't got involved now - my head hurts.

Apologies for not hitting this thread recently. I did work out one option which I think would be cool - an Akai MPC and a set of midi foot pedals would probably do the job nicely. You can certainly trigger the pads via midi input; but I'm still a little unsure on the bank switching. So probably very similar to what you're thinking there Dr. (Jammen - )

[quote name='spacebeer' post='392423' date='Jan 27 2009, 09:24 AM']hahaha, definately not a Motley Crue fan, I just love this bass[/quote] I find it very hard to dislike Motley Crue - and god knows I try. They may be the biggest collection of tw@ts assembled in one band but the music is too damn catchy.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='392460' date='Jan 27 2009, 09:58 AM']Haven't you heard of the MarkBass "Jeff Berlin" combo....?! ^_^[/quote] The tweeter-less MarkBass amp with a 15" speaker and 300w output @ 8 ohms? [size=1]( Nope... but thanks to Wikipedia I can pretend I had )[/size]