paulbass

This guy is a top bassist. To get that punchy tone he uses a tc electronic impact twin,which is an interface that you plug into when recording.They are great bits of kit and they sell for around £250. Hope this answers your question.

Hi all i hope i'm in the right forum for this question! In my band its been left to me to design some posters/flyers to advertise our band when doing gigs as im the only one with a colour printer. I havent a clue where to start! Do any of you know of any useful design sites or programs i can use for this purpose? Cheaper the better as i'm pretty useless and it would be a complete waste of money for me to spend on anything too complicated! Thanks for reading, Paul

Hi, I used to use a 1210 trace elliot with a 1518c bottom cab which to be be fair had a thunderous sound and the thud was something to die for! I now use a 450 Rebelhead with a rs210 cab ( I do use my TE 1518c with this rig as a bottom cab as it packs a punch!). This was a big change for me as i simply loved the TE tone but as i'm getting older the TE was proving very heavy and i fancied a change.At this point there were many new compact amps on the market that have a big name and i decided to opt for the RH450 which is what i use now. I have had it for 2 years now and i dont regret it at all! I play allsorts of gigs from small pubs,big clubs and festivals and it can certainly hold its own for such a small rig. The difference i found was it was obviously smaller,easier to carry and the tuner is very handy.In my opinion its louder than my old TE it has a cleaner sound and has a wider range when trying out your tones. It has a sweet top end and a big bottom end and if you use the DI the engineers that used mine said it was the best they ever encountered. It does take some getting used to using the controls but you will soon get the hang of it and it has more useful features than the TE had. The RH450 doesnt have the brilliance of the classic TE tone or colouring of the sound but it does have it own identity and its own tone which is more varible IMO. I'm very pleased with it and i plan to keep this rig for a long time. Good Luck!

Thanks for all your tips and advice guys its appreicated. A few of you have mentioned the importance of white lighting which is something i've never thought of.....i can see myself shopping around again very soon Thanks!

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1356250053' post='1908304'] I use a combination of PAR LED's from Thomann, KAM and Showtec some sourced from ebay and others direct from Thomann at £30 each aint bad. Total of 12 set up 4 each side on stands and 4 on back goalpost stand with each musician having a dedicated spot. Overkill for most gigs except larger stage venues. On the goalpost i have laser, 2 projectors, scanner and 4 PARS. On the floor i have 2 projectors facing forward from each corner of the drums. Stands are from Maplins at £39 each. Lighting desk is a Showtec 24 cost around £140 but you can pick them up lot cheaper now. Most can be set up sound to light but helps if one of your mates can operate. [attachment=125739:564095_10151938656000082_2012560764_n.jpg] Hope this helps. Remember to start with the minimum and work your way up to what you feel makes a great light show. Other suggestions for effect are white pin spots which cut thru smoke like lasers. Also make sure you do a lighting check for angles and that spots are hitting where they should. It does become a tad addictive as i now have a garage full of them. Dave [/quote] Thanks for these tips Dave,this is the sort of advice i'm after.I think i will get some stands as the lighting in your pic looks great!. I can relate to you about getting addicted to lighting as my shed is starting to become smaller! I am learning that it is so easy to waste money on lights if your not careful. Your tip about starting with minimum and working your way up is very useful thanks

[quote name='whizzzy' timestamp='1356181062' post='1907677'] I've not used the i-color 3 wash lights personally (I've used NJD Spectres which are quite similar) but I think that you may still be better off perservering with those rather than spending money on low cost LED lighting. From a quick bit of research on Google it looks like the i-colour 3 uses 3 x 500W K1 lamps and if all lamps are full on this means that you will be drawing about 6.5 amps in power. Double that it you have a pair and you are up to 13 amps and so if you are connecting these to one power socket (plus any amps and other kit which may be plugged in) then no wonder the plug / socket is getting warm!! It looks like the i-color 4 however is fitted with 3 x 300W lamps and so this brings the power down to about 4 amps per unit (or 8 amps if you are running a pair) and so this gives you a little more reserve if everything is running full tilt plus other kit which may be connected. From looking around it seems that a K9 lamp is available in 300W form so it could be worth investigating if you can downrate the 500W lamps you have in the units down to 300W. There will be a slight noticable difference if you A - B them but nothing to worry about. There are plenty of suppliers on the web so Google is your friend. Another tip when using any sort of lamp as destinct from LED lights is to give them 10 - 15 mins or so to cool down before moving them, also don't put them on top of speaker cabs as excessive vibration will shorten the lamp life when they are hot. Also when bringing them into a warm / humid room leave them for 20 - 30 mins if possible to come up to room temperature before switching them on. In other words lighting is the last kit to set up and the last kit to pack away. Simple precautions like this can extend the lamp life considerably. When positioning lights on stage they need to be in front of the band, putting them behind the band puts most of you in the shade and so loose the impact of the lighting. Try and get them up on stands as well as the coverage and effect will be greater however this is not always possible if you've tucked away in the corner of the local pub! If the venue has a low ceiling and is white or a light colour then one effective solution is to bounce the light off the ceiling into the stage area. LED lighting has its place but unless you spending serious money on the fittings then you get what you pay for IMHO and low cost fittings become cheesy 'disco-dave' eye candy rather then serving the useful function of lighting up the band. "Why is it always left to the bass player to do the lights?!" - dunno - but I've often tried to work that one out as well [/quote] Thanks for this advice,i never thought of bouncing light from ceilings in small pubs.This could prove a useful tip thanks!...btw the icolor units i have used 3 800watt bulbs in each unit....serious lighting lol! i was going to downgrade them to 500 watt bulbs but i'm having difficulty finding some

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1356170536' post='1907542'] I know what you mean about the current draw though we regularly play pubs where the whole band, PA and lights have to run off a single double socket under the dartboard (you know the type) and we've not had a problem. We've popped a couple of bulbs (luckily the lights continue working so not a big deal) but have sourced replacements easy enough. I'm not saying the i-colors are fantastic/the DB's but for a band wanting a cheapish, compact wash of colour they are fine... obviously didn't realise you were aiming higher than that. [/quote] To be honest i think they are a great wash light and are value for money.The problem i had at one gig we melted a socket(dodgy pub with dodgy wiring!) during a gig and i was advised to use led as they dont use much power.As the bulbs started to go over time i got some American dj mega par cans at £40 each and they really are good value.I would still use my icolor lights if i could get some bulbs.I keep them in a shed which doesnt help as the cold weakens the bulbs....bugger!

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1356169373' post='1907526'] morning. we use something like this which is a little different, i've not seen a band on our circuit use one (yet!) [url="http://www.soundbasemegastore.com/lighting/27912-scanic-oil-projector-120.html"]http://www.soundbase...jector-120.html[/url] we use stands with our LED's, off to the side, or sometimes behind us, sometimes we may have them in front pointing up but it all depends on how much space we have (the biggest problem playing in pubs IMO) My biggest tip however would be to AVOID any sound to light pattern on your lights! This will make you look like a cheesy school disco! We use a slow fade in/out pattern so the colour changes slowly every 30 seconds or so. I also may have one static colour for a particlar song if the mood takes me. I control all this via an MXR foot controller (as well as the PA and playing bass and backing vocals!) [/quote] I havent seen these types of lights but they look good for the price. Why is it always left to the bass player to do the lights?! thanks for the advice

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1356168865' post='1907520'] i-color lights are pretty inexpensive (deals can be had with stands and the controller) and they are very easily transported. They do a good job for pubs where you need a colour wash (they are sound to light or timed chase, so no need to have it too static). The i-color 3 is probably as good as you need the extra band of colour added by the '4' isn't probably worth the extra expense and size. [/quote] I have got 2 icolor 3 wash lights but the bulbs didnt last long and the needed their own socket as the were so powerful.They are awesome for a wash effect. I dont know where to get bulbs from for these lights now,they seem to be discontinuing these now. Thanks for the reply

Hi peeps i play in two bands and both are completely different,ones a rock band and the other a function band. The function band plays a lot of clubs etc and most of the time there are lights already provided but in the rock band i play in plays mainly pub gigs and we are looking for some ideas on how to create a bit of presence with lighting. We do have 4 mega par cans that throw out some serious light and also two LX5's that give off pretty patterns,a bit basic but they are cheap and cheerful and bright.We also have a smoke machine. The lights we do have are all led. We havent got stands as of yet and wondered if they would be better on stands or on the floor,at the front of the stage or behind us or to the side maybe? If any of you guys got any pics or youtube footage that you could show me for some inspiration or any advice that would help i would appriecate it. Thanks for reading

Hi All, recently we have been expermenting with recording ourselves with a HD camera and its early days yet and we are trying to get the hang of it! We do have a facebook page with a couple of raw unedited clips on there and we were wondering how to get a bit more exposure with our Youtube clips. We are doing this purely for fun but i'm curious on how far you can go with this. Hopefully it would lead to more gigs for us! Thanks for any advice

Hi everyone, I hope i'm in the right forum for this advice! I'm hoping that my fellow bass people could tell me what is the best 'free' editing tool is for editing recordings our band rehearsals. We are using a panasonic fz150 video camera and would like to be able to merge a few clips together and put them on our website and youtube just to give everyone the taste of what we do.Ideally we would like to do a 4/5 minute clip and blend samples of a few songs together as a bit of a montage.I dont know how to fade and merge clips together and I'm not very clued up on this type of thing! I hope you guys can help. Thanks

[quote name='Floyd' timestamp='1347967023' post='1807218'] I've got my first audition coming up. I've got a set list that I'm working hard on but I'm wondering what people do to psyche themselves up for it so nerves don't wreck the day. [/quote] Keep it simple and keep it tight.....and remember that your also auditioning the band too! I auditioned for a band that gave me a set list of 40 songs and to get started i nailed the easier tracks and got them tight. Relax and be cool! Good Luck and let us know how you got on

[quote name='mark77bass' timestamp='1346168573' post='1786030'] Hi Guys, New to playing bass again after a 16 year break! Looking for reccomendations on amps and what i should invest my couple of hundred quid in? Should I go Ebay, rather than new? Cheers [/quote] if its a separate head and speaker your after in your budget i would go for an early Hartke model. I had one for 15 years done over a 1000 gigs and it never let me down. Infact i've still got it as my back up amp.A great little work horse that create a decent sound that is powerful. The model i have is a Hartke 2000ha.

Pick yourself up,dust yourself down and do your thing.Use this experience to make yourself stronger.Just because a band has been approached by a label it doesnt mean they have 'made it'. I can only mirror what everyone else has said on this thread.The music business can be very unforgiving and i was once told its there to make music not friends.Form a band and kick some butt but most of all be happy!

[quote name='ChrisB' timestamp='1346513665' post='1790136'] It's better than this: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw8sNoodIDk[/media] [/quote] Dunno where to start on this! The signature drum fill at 2 minutes is something else! What the hell did they think of this clip after watching it?!!! Awfulness at its most awful lol.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1343928821' post='1757505'] Pump it Up by Elvis Costello & The Attractions. A great groove to it. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3Jh8Wkf5dE[/media] [/quote] +1 on this!

Hi i'm an old skool bassist and the people that inspired me were Pino Palladino( Paul Young and Gary Numan) and anything by Duran Duran.....dont laugh! From these guys you get an array of basslines that require a feel and they carry a groove. May sound simple but there will be more to it! Have a listen

I went through a phase like this when i was younger.Like you i played in a heavy rock band and being the driving force in a band gave me belief and recognition but something was missing. At this time i had been playing for 3 years and i felt my playing had become dull so i left this band not knowing what to do. I had all the kit but no music knowledge....if that makes sense?!! By fate a year later i was asked to join a covers band that covered stuff like Duran Duran,Paul Young,Talk Talk,Frankie goes to Hollywood,Madness etc....typical 80's stuff. After playing heavy rock music this was a culture shock and totally against the grain for me but at that time something felt right about playing with this band.Maybe it was the challenge of playing something different and what i thought was 'cheesy' was going to be easy money......how wrong was i! I discovered a new way of playing that interested me and took me to another level and unknown to me at the time it suited my style and i played it well! I would of loved to learn more theory but i found i didnt have time.I was too busy discovering new ways of making the bass groove by listening to allsorts of music and trying to create the same feel and groove as some of these talented bassists. That was 25 years ago! I've played in allsorts of bands since and learnt something from all of them....did i have music lessons? NO! i still havent got round to that and now with the internet i have discovered more interesting styles and ways to play so that keeps me entertained! By the way at the age of 42 i now play in a heavy rock band playing the stuff that i used to get bored of playing but this time i've learnt to groove and add a bit of colour to the lines i play and really enjoy it....strange how its gone full circle for me on that one but one thing i have learnt is that playing an instrument is like having a relationship.You have good and bad times you just need to keep working at it and keep it interesting! Ive played bass longer than i've been with my wife and the big difference is my bass never answers me back!

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1341055394' post='1713260'] One should always stand on the side that allows you smack your drummer in the face with your headstock without having to turn your back on the audience. [/quote] lol.....if only there was a 'LIKE' button!

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1341054170' post='1713237'] I stand where ever there's room. [/quote] lol to be fair in some bands the bassists do stand where ever there is room! They seem to be treated like a piece of furniture sometimes....thats the impression i got helping this band out! yet no band can play without one

Hi I've been playing bass for a fair few years and a young friend of the family who has taken up bass has join a band and asked why i always stood on the snare side of the drummer. I explained that for me i can communicate with the drummer better and watch what he is doing so we keep a strong groove. However i helped a band out recently as their bassist fell ill and he stood on the opposite side and his band was used to him being in this position and i found it very strange to play on this side! Whats more i found the head of my bass kept clashing with the cymbals! How many of you guys and gals play on the right or left side of the drummer?

Hi,this is a Thumb bass.I cant really tell if its a B/O neck but i can tell you its a warwick as i have one myself. A great bass and i'll never part with it. They seem a little heavy in weight until you get used to them but they have a great tone. Good Luck in your search for one!

Without sounding rude,have you thought about changing the battery in the guitar? Sometimes with active basses when the battery starts to die the volume drops.If anything you should be a little louder with an active bass.