flyfisher

I wonder whether the rise of 'clubbing' and DJs as performers in their own right has been significant in eroding the live music scene these days? My memory may be selective, but I don't remember 'clubbing' being such a big thing back in the 70s. I recall 'discos' though I was never drawn to them and would always prefer live music. Plus, it was more necessary to actively seek out music when I were a lad. We've previously discussed the thrill of buying a new album and then spending the rest of the weekend just listening to it, but these days pretty much everything is available instantly online, usually for free, including band info and video performances. Music is simply not such a big deal these days because of its easy availability, so why would the current generation bother to go to 'dingy dives' to watch a live band when there are so many other ways of accessing what they want to hear - whereas all us 'oldies' do it out of habit and, perhaps, for the nostalgia of remembering our youth. Times change and people change with them.

But where is the merit in music? You either like it or you don't. I suppose one could assign some merit to a particularly complicated piece of music, or to a difficult piece played very well, but that sort of thing strays into the academic realm rather than the emotional realm.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1414396470' post='2588784'] In general i hate music that has no story or any talent. I hear a song song on the radio and its just sparkly junk written purely to make money. Which is not a new phenomenon. [/quote] But surely even 'sparkly junk' requires a fair amount of talent? I suspect that when people berate the likes of Simon Cowell for 'ruining music' it's mainly just because they don't like the results of what he does - which is fair enough. But I reckon to get where he has got requires a hell of a lot of 'talent' in the broadest sense, otherwise there would be loads of people doing the same thing and reaping millions as a reward. Talent, to me, means a lot more than 'I could do that'. We know that loads of people have the ability to write and play music - youtube is full of them - but how many have the 'talent' to actually make a big success of their ability. All those purveyors of 'sparkly junk' on the radio must have something to have got where they are. After all, there aren't many people on here getting their stuff played on the radio are there, so it can't actually be quite so easy as it might seem.

[quote name='zero9' timestamp='1414350165' post='2588548'] I'm not a snob, just choosy. I know that my time here is limited and that I won't possibly be able to listen to everything. Therefore I choose to listen to stuff I like most, but that doen't mean I hate or do not appreciate other genres. [/quote] That's an interesting point. The internet has put more stuff at our fingertips than we'll ever be able to listen to in our lifetimes, and more literature than we'll ever be able to read, more films than we'll ever be able to watch. On this basis, it could be considered to be a waste of time looking for new stuff that you might not like when there is already plenty of stuff you know you will like.

I disagree with the premise that disliking a piece of music or a genre makes you a musical snob. Surely that would require you to consider one genre to be superior to others? I'd say that different genres are just that - different. Not better or worse or superior or inferior, just different. And different people will like or dislike them according to their own personal taste - and that can change from day to day anyway! Being snobbish about music is about as pointless as being snobbish about colours.

Can it get much simpler than this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIQRjT3_hG8 (forget the video, the miming is terrible!)

True, though with something like, say, a blues in C, you get to know which notes - or perhaps which fret positions - will be 'in key' even if you can't actually name them quickly or play a scale on demand. But you're right about there being a lot of 'trial and error' notes along the way. Still, as long as you can tell they are the wrong note then you're on the right track - if you can,t then you're in serious trouble!

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1413885676' post='2583047'] Picking up a line by ear is fine (indeed, excellent, imo...), and music theory learned and applied is also excellent. Combining the two gives one an excellent base for going further than the learned piece, to be able to create one's own lines, or develop a solo, knowing how the piece is constructed. Learning by ear alone does not necessarily give that ability (although it can lead to it...). Being able to play by ear is a gift which deserves to be complemented by some harmonic knowledge, I'd say, to be complete. [/quote] Yep, I agree with all that, and I'm acutely aware that I'd be a better player if I understood more theory, especially when it comes to soloing (though who really likes a bass solo anyway? )

I can't read music (well, not fast enough to play along - maybe use it to learn something) but have always played along to records. Not necessarily to play a note perfect copy of the original bassline, but certainly enough to play in tune. For a totally new song, I'd probably start by picking out the root notes until I've got the basic structure of the song and then gradually build it up from there. That's the basis of jamming isn't it? I can't imagine not being able to play that way. The 'not having a clue without the dots' seems strange to me (probably as much as not being able to read seems strange to others) and how would you be able to work out a line for an original song without being able to jam?

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1413836814' post='2582657'] With my rudimentary understanding of such things; if I place the new power supply as close as possible to the G50 receiver and keep the power cable as short as possible then I should notice no detrimental effects? [/quote] Switching PSUs can cause noise through conduction down the cable (which the ferrite filter should reduce) or by radiation through the air (which the filter won't affect), so placing the PSU as close as possible to other devices might actually increase any interference problems. It's not easy to predict the effects of such things because it can depend on the amount of interference generated by one device and the susceptibility to that interference by another device. This sort of thing all comes under the general heading of 'EMC' (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) and there are various international standards to limit both the emission of such interference and the susceptibility to it - the basic idea being that devices should emit less interference than they are susceptible to, so that everything is compatible. It mostly works, but not always. The fact that the PSU has a ferrite filter suggests that it would fail the conducted emissions test without it, but that doesn't automatically mean it will cause a problem when it is removed because that will depend on the device it is powering. In short, the only way to be certain is to try it and see what happens.

An American colleague was flying out of Baltimore and failed the 'chemical swab' test that checks for explosive residue. He was duly taken away for further tests and questioning. It turned out he had been at a shooting range on the previous day! They eventually let him go without charge, but not before he had missed his flight.

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1413782507' post='2581709'] They would market materials for different types of music. Just like today, but with science on their side so you don't need to use your own ears or judgement anymore. You'd be a fool to disagree with SCIENCE! Science..ience..ence.. [/quote] True. Just like they market signature basses so that we can all sound like our heroes as well as fancy cables and a million effect pedals, not to mention celebrity endorsements. Perhaps most musicians are not confident enough to want their own sound, or even know what they want it to be, and therefore strive to sound like someone else?

Even if wood can be shown to have a perceptible effect on the sound of a bass guitar, what would anyone do with that knowledge? Indeed, what [u]could[/u] they do with it, given that wood is an organic material and that every single piece will have have some unique characteristics, even pieces from the same species and quite probably even pieces from the same tree!

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1413741258' post='2581442'] Many large companies will try to find a way to get the maximum amount of money out of consumers, which will often mean making different products at different prices. For cars, there are different models at different price points. With basses they can sell more or less identical products except that they are made with more care and with better quality components. With books, they can sell hardcover and softcover editions. Supermarkets will sell the same food products as 'basics', 'normal', and 'premium' versions. I don't think it stands out too much that with basses they can sell essentially the same product with a different quality. [/quote] I agree with all that as far as specifications are concerned but I wouldn't include build quality under that heading. Thus, cheaper machine heads, less expensive wood, lower spec pickups etc etc can all contribute to a 'lower quality' bass without it being a badly built bass. Paint finishes might be another example. Single colour, one coat plus a lacquer or three colour sunburst with each colour having two coats before another two coats of lacquer. A clear reason for different pricing but no excuse for the cheaper option to have runs in the paintwork - that would be poor quality and would be unacceptable regardless of the price point.

[quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1413735954' post='2581361'] I've never understood marketing based on where the product is made. The only sensible business strategy is to make it in the location that gives you the biggest profit. The myth that the US produces the best quality musical instruments was exploded in the 1970s by the Japanese, and the only way the myth can be maintained at all is by deliberately reducing the quality in non-US factories by using lower spec components and dropping quality control. And all that does is screw your brand. It might pander to xenophobia in certain parts of the US music fraternity, but I can't see why anyone in Europe would give a damn where their guitar is made. [/quote] Very good point. Different pricing based on different quality components is one thing, but different build quality is ludicrous really. Imagine buying a car and being told by the dealership that you could have one built properly for one price or built a bit shoddily for a bit less. Quite an odd marketing model when you think about it.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1413726622' post='2581242'] And I bet some unprofessional 14 year old lad was still such an idiot to not take a spare wall of sound too, I'd not even lend him a plectrum just to teach him a lesson! [/quote] Hat duly doffed!

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1413673745' post='2580885'] Customs and Border Control can do pretty much whatever they want for whatever reason they want and just because your papers are in order doesn't mean they're going to let you in. [/quote] So is this the conclusion about all this? That border control people can simply say 'no', for whatever reason they choose? No right to talk to a manager? No official reason need be given? No scope for appealing the decision? If every country operates like that then it's certainly something to consider before stumping up large amounts of money for a holiday abroad . . . . Well, outside the EU anyway! I wonder if travel insurance covers this sort of thing?

[quote name='grumpyguts' timestamp='1413659975' post='2580712'] Seen him twice. First at the Hammersmith Odeon back in 1990 or 91 - its was a long time ago.... He was superb, a great gig cos Mr Cray was the warm up for BB King. [/quote] He was also playing with Clapton in those days at his annual Royal Albert Hall concerts, along with Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Johnny Johnson (of Chuck Berry piano fame) among others. Wonderful concerts!

[quote name='alhbass' timestamp='1413645141' post='2580499'] What is it meant to do? [/quote] Depends what you mean by 'meant to do'. Electronically, it will affect the boost and cut (making louder or quieter) of various frequencies, the exact ones will depend on the precise circuit design but they will tend to be the ones in the 'middle', which could be quite a wide range but is basically the ones higher than the bass and lower than the treble. Audibly, it adds another control for the user to twiddle until they get the sound they like best, just like the bass and treble controls, which are not 'meant' to be adjusted to any particular settings as such, they are just a way of giving the user control over the sound according to their preferences. Very simplistically, if you like to hear more bass you turn up the bass control and if you like more 'zing' on the cymbals you increase the treble ( and vice versa of course). If you like to hear more of the singer or the solo instruments then you could turn up the 'presence' control. In practice it's just another control to play with until you get the sound you like best - no real rules as such, though some results will be more widely liked than others . . . But then that applies to music as a whole really!

Wouldn't the upper harmonics be handled by the 'treble' control though?

I've always though of it as boosting the mid-range frequencies to help boost the vocals, or anything else in that area of the sonic spectrum. The exact range and amount of boost will no doubt vary greatly between different designs and manufacturers.

Yes, that's a good point about the importance of ID when abroad, something that's easy for Brits to overlook because we seem to be quite relaxed about it at home. As an adjunct to my previous story about giving a hotel address while in the US, yet being able to simply check out without letting anyone know, I almost had a problem last year in the US when stopped for speeding in North Carolina. I had entered the US in Washington DC and gave a friend's address as where I was staying. No problem. But during my trip I drove down to NC where I was stopped for speeding and when the cop ( state trooper actually) checked my details he saw that I was from out of state, which apparently meant he could not give me a ticket and would have to arrest me to ensure I paid the fine . . . And no, I could not pay him there and then. I explained that I was already booked into a NC hotel ( actually less than a mile from where I was stopped) and he told me to wait in the car while he checked. He went back to his car for 5 minutes leaving me pondering what NC jails were like but when he returned he told me he had updated my address record to the NC hotel and handed me a ticket - actually a court summons with a hearing date, but with the option to pay a fine instead. So I guess he wasn't all bad

[quote name='Diablo' timestamp='1413624722' post='2580219'] Accountants, VC's and the like are a funny bunch. Take a company started by an enthusiast and technical specialist to build excellent products, the best possible, then take it to market. Now expand out and you need capital, then it goes wrong. Decision makers are only looking at spreadsheets, couldn't give a toss about your basswood, pots, magic O2 free copper windings etc. I deal with quite a few London based finance types as part of my engineering consultancy. I'm constantly amazed by how little any of these very wealthy people know about the markets/investments they are looking at from the technical side. They have much more fancy suits than me, and a nicer office, and know more about business finance than I ever will (or want to..) but to them wood is wood, and copper wire is copper wire, and their first phone call after investment is to China! [/quote] Good points there, which highlight the very different skills needed to run a successful business. The enthusiasts and tech specialists can become so enthralled in the product design that they can't see beyond everyone wanting one and the VC types have the necessary ruthlessness to only focus on the money-making potential. This is played out, albeit in somewhat pantomime style, in Dragon's Den for all to see. While I'm sure we wished it wasn't always this way, it's funny how the VCs are the ones with all the spare money to invest.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1413615637' post='2580102'] Maybe they're heading back to an early-80s style contraction, cutting the line back to a handful of the most popular instruments, and scaling back production...? Wouldn't be a bad thing from a brand POV. [/quote] But if they really do have hundreds of millions of debt then that may not be an option, because a scaled back business might not generate enough to service those debts, never mind actually repay them. I guess this is what the proposed IPO was intended to fix, it it's a one-time action and if it doesn't raise enough to clear the debts then it could leave them in a worse state than they are now. Skank has rightly noted the characteristics of VC investors but at least they can still be tempted with the promise of a profitable IPO. If that scenario is receding then FMIC's fate might well be determined by the patience of the VCs. That said, I can't believe the brand will ever disappear, but who knows what manner of Phoenix might arise from the financial ashes?

How odd. Who goes abroad these days with all the cash they need to survive for the duration in their back pocket. Have immigration officers never heard of cash machines and bank cards? I once had a minor hiccup trying to get into America at Washington DC. It was a business trip and I had given the company office address as my place of residence because I didn't know which hotel they had booked me into until I arrived at the office. The immigration guy spotted it was a company address (probably from my record of going there 5 or 6 times a year!) and wouldn't accept it. I explained that I would only know the hotel they had booked for me when I got to the office but he wouldn't accept it and said they needed an address where I could be contacted if necessary. So I said they could always contact me through the company office wherever I happened to be, but I was told it had to be a residential address. So I asked what happens if I check out of my hotel after one night and how could you contact me then . . . at which point he looked very serious and asked me if that was my intention! Knowing that these guys are not to be joked with, I assured him this was not the case and asked if I could call the office for the hotel detail, which he allowed and all was well. But I reckon I could have said any hotel because they can't check every hotel booking in the country . . . Or can they? And even then, I could easily check out and disappear if that was my intention, so it's one of those examples of strict bureaucracy that isn't really fit for purpose in the first place.