uncle psychosis

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1322853828' post='1456781'] Everything we hear coming out of a loudpseaker is "processed". The very process of amplification is a process itself. There is an argument that digitised processing is not as natural as analogue processing but I can`t see anything natural about any of it. And that`s ok, because it sounds good. [/quote] This. If you like the sound that you're making then it doesn't matter how many amps/cabs/pedals/pickups/effects/ADCs/DACs/DI boxes you're running through. A simple signal chain is not inherently better than a complicated one. Just different.

[quote name='rapscallion' timestamp='1322665491' post='1454154'] Has anyone else had trouble with the floor covering on these pedal cases? After chopping and changing the effects in my signal path countless times, its starting to come up at the corners. I know they're cheap, but this seems like a pretty large design oversight. Any recommendations for a fix? at the moment i'm considering ripping it out and cutting a large sheet of fluffy velco and replacing it with that. I would staple it in the corners, but I'm not sure there's really much to tack on to [/quote] I had to fix a pedalboard which was in a similar state once. I went to poundstretcher, bought some self adhesive carpet tiles (a cheap car mat would probably do the same job), cut them to size and then stuck them down (using some "no nails" adhesive for added stength). Total cost less than £5 and works brilliantly.

If a [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CPHnZV0K-k"][u]ten year old girl[/u][/url] can play the bass then a fully grown man shouldn't need to do any kind of "strengthening". If you do, then you're probably using the wrong technique in the first place.

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1322579166' post='1453019'] I've been browsing some wanted ads for band members and have found a band that claims to play venues on 'the house pa circuit' (sic). Also, wouldn't you be radically limiting the gigs you could play if you relied n the venue having a PA every time you wanted to play? Anyone able to enlighten me? [/quote] My band has done gigs in dozens of venues in both Edinburgh and Glasgow and we have never had to provide our own PA. All of the music venues around here provide PA (and limited backline). You might find that supplied gear varies greatly from area to area.

I really like it--thanks. I'd probably make a few changes if I were in charge of it though...are you taking (constructive) criticism?

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1321991481' post='1445292'] No worries - when I'm playing the D & G strings, I place the tip of my thumb on the A string & use the flesh on the side of my thumb to mute the B & E strings. It sort of borrows from floating thumb... Hope it helps? [/quote] Thanks, thats basically what I'm trying to do. What do you do with your ring finger and pinky? Mine keep getting in the way!

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1321955383' post='1444696'] Check out Scott Devine or Adam Nitti's tutorials on YT (not very got at embedding these on here) regarding this very subject. I find the "moveable anchor" the most useful - thumb on pickup when playing the thickest string and then dropping the thumb down onto the string above (as you're looking down) the one you're playing and so forth and doing the same thing in reverse coming back up (hope this makes sense?). [/quote] Thanks for the tip. I kind of do that already. The problem is muting the E and (especially) the low B string on my 5er whilst playing the D and G strings. I'm good at muting the string immediately below the one I'm playing but not all of them at once!

Hi guys I'm trying to work on my right hand muting as I slowly get my way into playing fingerstyle (been playing for a while, but always with a pick). Floating thumb seems the closest technique to what my hand wants to do "naturally" so I'm trying to give it a whirl. Does anyone have any good exercises/videos/suggestions for floating thumb/ right hand muting? Cheers

Zvex fuzz factory has many levels of craziness. If you can solder you can also build one cheaply: http://www.musikding.de/product_info.php/info/p2192_The-Factory--germanium-fuzz-kit.html I've done it. Well worth it, especially if you're looking for mad sounds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S8xRiOqXtc

I mainly play with a pick and in my experience the thicker the pick the better. I'm currently using 3mm big stubbies and they do the job very nicely indeed. Am currently trying to learn more fingerstyle though---want to increase my repertoire a bit!

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1321377032' post='1438452'] Wooten may only have chosen the colour but he's damaged his reputation by allowing his name to be associated with that wretched bollocks. [/quote] Thats my take on it too. I've always wondered how the scientists/engineers who work on this kind of thing feel about it. Do they really believe their own press releases?

The question which I've often asked audiophiles---and none of them have ever answered---is why high end scientific equipment doesn't come with these fancy conditioned power cables and directional leads and so on. You can buy oscilloscopes that cost £10k (or more). They're for measuring signals with the utmost accuracy and minimising noise and so on. Why aren't scientists making the most of this awesome power cable technology to improve the accuracy of their signals? Why do pieces of scientific equipment costing into the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of pounds not come with fancy power cables?

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1321306264' post='1437693'] Have you ever tried a test of the Naim powerline and a standard mains cable? [/quote] Don't need to. It doesn't work. If I told you that making a pot of tea with 15 teabags would make a brew that, once drunk, would allow you to fly unaided to the moon would you insist on a test before you dismissed my claims? Anyone that buys a power cable and expects it to do anything beyond placebo effect demonstrably has more money than sense.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1319576630' post='1416094'] As well as JJ Burnell, probably the only current bassist whose tone I`m fairly confident of recognising is Duf McKagan. And possibly, Mike Dirnt. [/quote] I'd be confident of spotting Matt Freeman from Rancid too. Very distinctive sound/feel/style for a punk bassist.

I'm lucky enough to have played with some great drummers. One of my old band mates is currently playing with Tim Minchin---he's also played with the likes of the Streets, Massive Attack, Newton Faulkner...to say that I'm jealous would be an understatement! The drummer in my current band is also great (not that I'd ever tell him that!!). It makes such a big difference having someone good behind the kit.

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1319227305' post='1411672'] Just wondering if anyone can advise on thickening the sound up. [/quote] Everyone else has given bass-specific advice. I'll give some guitar advice! Get your guitarist to get a second amp and run a stereo setup. Having two different guitar sounds (even if there is only one guitar part!) makes the sound huuuuuuge. We do this in my 3-piece and it works really well.

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1319197563' post='1411119'] I think the only thing to be aware of is that the equipment is generally not built like the proverbial tanks that some manufacturers achieve and therefore they can't be thrown around by roadies; p****d or p****d off band members; adoring fans jumping onto the stage; etc; etc in quite the same way as some of the others. [/quote] Dunno about that... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QL-6eTHSHQ

After many years just playing by ear I'm finally trying to learn Bass Clef. I can already read treble clef well --- does anyone have any tips specifically aimed at learning to read in a different clef?

Hey guys Many thanks for the replies---managed to get a hold of the Standing in the Shadows transcription. Its a monstrous bassline---much harder than I thought it was at first! Think I've got the notes down now, just need to make it sound good

It certainly appears that many of the Behringer pedals are cheaper versions of other companies pedals (not just Boss---there are MXR and Line6 ones too, and probably more I've forgotten). Some of them are really great pedals, others are really terrible. Are there any in particular you are interested in?

Doesn't Mark Hamilton from Ash only use 3 strings on his bass? I'm sure I read once that he'd snapped one when he was a teenager learning to play and couldn't afford a replacement so he's played like that ever since!