biro

where do you hear the buzz? the rule of thumb in this cases is that to check the exact location of the rattle/buzz. if it's on the first 4-5 frets, the neck is too straight, otherwise it's just a matter of frets/touch. can you adjust the string spacing on your bridge? that might be an additional tweak, if the rattle is located on a determined spot. shimming the neck always helps if you want to lower the action, as it provides more room to do so. I am aware of some theories about the effects of a shim as far as sound vibrations are concerned, but I've never experienced any problem even when using with the most unsuitable materials. btw, I've always heard wonders about Sads' fretwork, so I take it that you could easily get a relief as low as a 0.20 mm gap between the bottom of the string and the 8th fret (while, obviously, pressing the first and last fret).

ok, and here we go: I'll try to explain everything I've done as thoroughly as I can. First of all, I'm only covering the PC side. I know for sure that you can do that on a mac even more easily, but, as I don't have one here, I'm not able to provide any explanation. What I know about it is that OSX should have a native utility to handle midi over wifi messages, but, hey, that's all I know, and it's definitely not much. [b][/b]what you need:[b][/b] a musical instrument/microphone/et cetera; a laptop with an audio interface/integrated sound card; an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch; an iOS application called iXY[url="http://www.cmsoftwaredesigns.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=59"](link)[/url]; [url="http://nerds.de/en/loopbe1.html"]A free virtual midi driver like LoopBE1[/url] a server application known as DSWiFiMIDI - download it from [url="http://code.google.com/p/dsmi/downloads/list"]here[/url]; then: 1) install loopBE1 -> it's also free; 2) unpack DSWifiMIDI in a folder you like (I created a folder within dropbox since I'm always scared of accidentally deleting things); 3) run LoopBE1 and DSWifiMIDI; 4) within the DSWifiMIDI window, choose LoopBE as the default midi output: this will eventually allow to rewire the incoming midi signal from your iPhone to your favourite DAW. Like this: [url="http://postimage.org/image/ovarnj7o/"]http://postimage.org/image/ovarnj7o/[/url] 5) open your DAW and be sure to add and activate LoopBE1 as a midi input. [b]And what now?[/b] Well, whilst the procedure might be slightly different for other DAWs, the procedure in reaper shows some general principles which could come handy to refer to even while working with a difference sequencer. First of all, open reaper and create two tracks. Open a guitar rig instance as an insert on the first track; feel free to arm the track and switch the monitoring button on. On the second track, right click on the "arm recordin button" and select "input: MIDI" and in the dropdown/dropout menu coming out select "all midi inputs". Once you've done that you have to create a send from track 2 to track 1. Why? Because this way you will manage to send a midi signal to guitar rig while simultaneously being able to feed it an audio input. so, holding down ctrl, click on the send/receive area of track n. 2 and drag and drop a send on the same area on track 1. This should come out: [url="http://postimage.org/image/1j6humvk4/"]http://postimage.org/image/1j6humvk4/[/url] basically, let it send every midi signal, and prevent it from sending audio - although it won't happen anyways. Now, arm track 2 as well and press the monitoring button. As far as the DAW configuration goes, your job is done. You only have to configure guitar rig and you are good to go. click again on guitar rig until the window gets in the foreground, open a preset you want to be able to control, click on the "options" button to open the correspondent pane. click on "controller" and select "add a controller". associate the controller with the device you want to controll (e.g. whammy pedal, delay feedback, amount of distortion...), then press learn. all you have to do now is open iXY on your phone and start moving your finger across the screen in the desired direction. remember you can control (as I am given understand) 4 different parameters on two pads with a split screen. of course, you can also associate more controllers to the same movement on the X or Y axis. as you move your fingers on the iPhone you should start seeing a movement on the controller [b]and you're done![/b] hope this helps

I'm trying to move on to associate one of the pads on the iphone to the start/stop loop machine button in guitar rig. more on that when I'm done with the next video.

yeah, but the tanglewod might actually be (i.e. sound) better if it's wooden. although really had to say that my cort curbow fretless was a killer bass.

you know you've got the greatest nickname ever, do you? btw, I would check have you tried cort? I they're still making a 5 string curbow, that would probably be a great choice. if you are into [cheap] fender clones, why don't you check rondomusic for 5 string JBs. as far as I know, they come with very narrow string spacing!

anytime!

hey, here's just anexample of how you can use an iPhone to control various parameters within guitar rig. i hope it comes handy to someone!

in brief: any good? if it's a first generation RBXJM (the one with 2 pick ups) I would go as far as to say that it's VERY good. I've heard mixed opinions about the newer model. I've only seen it once, and it didn't impress me. But I have NOT played it. The only thing a little wrong with that bass is probably the electronics (not the pickups), but you are gonna stay safe as long as you don't tweak the pots too much. It's got a very fast attack, something that is not really usual (IMO) with yamaha basses, and the ebony fingerboard makes it sound very... I'd say "precise", if you will. I personally like its sound a lot. One important thing to be aware of: string spacing. It is very narrow, around 15-16 mm, and you really have to get used to it (you do, eventually, in 20 minutes). It is by no means as wide as that of a TRB. this said, I remember that bass as a joy to play. the narrow string spacing allows for a slimmer neck, which is a plus for me. I wouldn't pay more than £500.

reaper, reaper, reaper. but I've really got to say that I'm a big fan of propellerhead softwares. Reason has been a companion of mine for many years now, and I must say that as far as audio production goes, it really allows you to do some stuff you migt even like to listen to in a very short amount of time. This said, there's almost nothing you couldn't do with reaper + a bunch of free vsts and soundfonts, so, If I were to choose now I would definitely try to use reaper as much as I can. It really is one hell of a DAW.

I understand that having a router in my pedalboard makes me look like some facebook addict. But what I'm trying to do is actually a completely different story. About one year ago I saw Muse performing in Milwaukee and I was really impressed by Bellamy's use of the Kaosspad. As far as I can understand, he Kaoss Pad is actually in his pedalboard and he controls it via midi with a touchpad embedded in his guitar. Well, I happen to own an iPhone, so I've decided to try to use it as a control surface in order to achieve my ultimate goal: looking extremely cool. I'm just messing around while controlling the whammy pedal simulator in guitar rig, but still I think it's a pretty good example of what one can create out of pure boredom (and of the endless capabilities of Guitar Rig, of course).

[quote name='Dad3353' post='1350573' date='Aug 24 2011, 07:28 PM']Good evening, biro...[/quote] thanks a lot, it sounds great. i'm gonna be very short of funds really soon, and knowing that there are some other inexpensive sixers makes the idea much more tolerable.

some three years ago I played at a pretty famous busking festival in Ferrara, Italy. All the buskers had to comply to some strict regulations, most importantly 1) no more than 20 W; 2) bring your own power supply. When I first read the above-quoted rules, I had already been selected to play there, and I kind of freaked out as I was absolutely sure that 20 W would have never been enough to spread the love. I eventually decided to buy a roland microcube bass thinking that I could always return it. As it turned out, this little 10 W box went on to perform beautifully, and caused no problem at all. I played solo for about 3.5 hours every day, and I really have to say that its behaviour impressed me greatly. here's a link to a short video of me performing at that festival. the video/audio quality is really bad because it was recorded with a compact digital camera. The sound is slightly distorted, but no distortion at all was provided by the microcube (although its volume knob was cranked almost all the way up!). [url="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ANYVFAFifDvPOu93eC4g-LHkMCPjOXcOyLdxq70kUq4?feat=directlink"]https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ANYVF...feat=directlink[/url] My needs have evolved since, and I eventually sold the roland microcube, but I maintain that it's one hell of an amplifier. If you are going to play along an acoustic guitarist or to perform solo and electricity is not supplied, then the roland microcube is probably one of the best choices available.

My bad: in Italy they're price tag is somewhere around EUR 620. The situation could be entirely different up there.

one of my biggest regrets is having waited so long before buying a jazz type like bass. I just don't know why and how, but even though i regularly fell in love every time i tried a JB it took me like ten years before eventually deciding to finally take the plunge. and even if it's just an SX (beautifully crafted and playing and all, but still an SX), I'm currently not playing anything else. I'm such a retard at times.

[quote name='Dad3353' post='1346046' date='Aug 20 2011, 08:14 AM']I have a 6-string 'Douglas' fretless' active; it cost under 200€ delivered from US to France. Excellent value for money, imho, and definitely not a 'cheap' instrument.[/quote] [quote name='Mog' post='1347696' date='Aug 22 2011, 02:25 AM']Picked up a Brice 6 string for €70 notes SH. Stuck a Glockenklang pre-amp in it and couldnt be happier. Doesnt sit so well on the knee but its perfectly balanced on the shoulder. Well worth looking at IMO. Definitely comparable to the SR300 line from Ibby. Slightly wider string spacing but nothing a solid week of scales didnt sort out.[/quote] hey fellas, do you have any sample/video of these two? In the mid term I will probably be spending a lot of time in the US, and having an inexpensive yet playable bass there wouldn't be bad. thanks in advance!

as far as i am concerned, and being a proud peavey tim landers six owner (mine's one of the early 1991 models, trans brown finish - one of the most useless finishes on ever conceived: however transparent, is still brown and definitely looks blackey to me), I am bound to say something about this bass. If you find one of them used on ebay, just get it. It's just one of the best basses I've ever played, and I ended up selling many other and more espensive basses because of it being the only bass I would play. this said, £ 600 IMO is more than enough to get a great sixer, and I guess that any yamaha trb or Ibanez BTB (I happened to try the new 676 model recently, and I found it absolutely gorgeous to look at in person, and extremely nice to play. also, it's really, really lightweight) would fit your needs. Anyhow, if this is your first six string bass, yous should definitely try some models in order to understand thoroughly some of your needs: first of all neck width and scale length. It could just be me, but I tend to feel uncomfortable with longer scales (35+) on a sixer, even if I have rather Sasquatch-like hands. Oddly enough, this did not apply to the above-cited Ibanez BTB, whereas I've found the Yamaha 1006 a troublesome fellow. I also have to stipulate with the very cheap bass theory. Sometimes, and without any justification, some extremely inexpensive basses play are almost as awesome as their much more pricey brethren. I got a 200 euros worth HS sequoia fretless 6 on ebay years ago, and it still has one of the best low Bs I've ever heard. To sum it up, try some basses, and find what you like. Then, pretty much any bass within that price range is going to fit your needs beautifully as far as finish, electronics and fretwork. Just pay attention to some details about the "size" of the bass: a bas you're not comfortable with can be a nasty beast to cope with.

[quote name='Kongo' post='519350' date='Jun 20 2009, 03:57 PM']It's a shame almost no one knows this guy. Not only does he have 4 hipshot D-tuners he also has a bridge that slams into any tune too...Takes him a good 30 mins to tune but...[/quote] I had the chance to attend a michael manring masterclass in Milan some years ago. He brought three basses, as he had to use all of themmanring's music for "my three moons", and he eventually told us that it took 2 hours to put a new set of strings on the three of them. this said, he's the man.

[quote name='bartelby' post='516651' date='Jun 17 2009, 06:24 PM']Cheers. I am seriously tempted by the BTB676,[/quote] I know that temptation, and I have been very close to yield to it. Such a great sounding sixer is a steal at that price. Not that I need another sixer, but I've already started telling lies to myself. You know, the ones that go like "what if a string brokes. I may need a backup". in short, the dangerous ones!