Franticsmurf

I've gigged my B6 and I'm happy with it. It has two footswitch selectable inputs which might be ideal for your set-up. But if all you're after is a simple bass tone with a couple of effects, some of the less costly options mentioned above might be more practical. The MS60b is great as long as you don't mind sequential cycling through the effects (it worked live for me). I've used the Behringer BDI21 with an EHX Clone chorus, and the Laney Digbeth preamp gives a clean sound or nice tube simulation that is selectable with a footswitch.

In any line up it's usually stage left for me - mainly so that I'm not clouting anyone or anything with my headstock. It's also easier to turn to look across the band for the same reason. In a trio, I'm level with the guitarist in front of the drums. If space allows I'll do the same with a 4. By the time we get to 5 there's usually not enough room and I'll be besides or slightly in front of the drums with the three egos in front. The Hulla is usually a 13 piece and I tend to stand stage left next to the drums in the back row.

Yes, talk it through. Let him know your concerns and maybe you can come up with a solution that works for both of you. He may well be thinking along similar lines. At the very least it gives him an opportunity to raise the issue with the BL with the knowledge that you feel the same.

I've met Mr Mandrel. I claim my fame by once removed association. 😃

A productive rehearsal for The Hulla last night. We usually agree on a core set before our gigging 'season' and play through a selection of it each rehearsal night along with working on any new songs or changes to previous arrangements. We'll add material from our reserve list as required by the expected audience. Over three Sundays we'll usually cover the full set plus three or four new songs. Last night, apart from a couple of warm up songs, it was all new things. Four completely new songs, two new arrangements and a key change. It's rare we play through songs several times in a row (we usually play through once or twice and then break it down into the problem sections if there are any) but we played the new stuff three or four times each last night which gave me a chance to try out different bass lines. We're playing a wedding anniversary in two weeks where the demographic will be older then our average audience, so some of the older 'easy listening' toons will be aired next week. 😃

Like this, you mean? I used to use it in a duo. Both necks are fretted though. Edit: Just found this in an unrelated search.

I prefer a 4 mainly because of my small, un-bassplayer like hands. But I have a Sterling 5 and I used it last week in rehearsal. The Hulla have a wide repertoire and there are a few songs that benefit from the extra string so I thought I'd experiment. We are finalising our core set for the year and at the moment there are only 3 (from about 40) songs that work better with a 5 than a 4. So I'll probably stick with the 4 unless I can negotiate an opportunity to swap basses mid gig (the BL likes to keep going so we don't lose the energy but he also likes to talk to the audience so perhaps I can work something in there.) I fall in and out of love with the Sterling - it's been up for sale (with no interest) and its been gigged.

A duo gig on Saturday with the BL/singer/guitarist. "Where is the gig?" - "Oh, you know, big house on the Marsh Road." There are many big houses on the 'Marsh Road', (which is actually called Culfor Road). "What are we doing?" - "Well, I'll bring my acoustic and we can do some songs. It'll be fine." No, it won't be fine if only you know what you're doing. "What's the gig?" - "18th birthday party." Your solo/duo songs are not suitable for an 18th birthday with, by definition, 18 year olds making up most of the audience. - "They'll want to play some songs themselves." I hope they bring instruments, then, as they're not using mine. I am very tempted to cry off this one. Edit (after Neepheid's reaction): Explained to the BL that there were so many unknowns that it would be better if I wasn't there so he could do his solo set (which is far more varied than anything we could seriously attempt as a duo). Gig off. Anyone need a bassist/guitarist on Saturday? 😂

Yes, 'twas he. I do it too where it's appropriate.

Lots of good advice. For me there's three things: - Pre-gig nerves are about the unknown and by definition there's not a lot you can do about the unknown. So be generally prepared, know the basics (ie the set list). I make crib sheets up for the songs I'm not sure about - they're basically simplified chord charts (or detailed set lists) with only the bits I'm not sure about written in as a prompt. I don't expect to sight read from them. - On the night nerves: As has been said above, the rest of the band think you're good enough, so you must be, but it sounds like you haven't accepted it yet. Its a jam session so there will be mistakes but let them go. Most people will be concentrating on the folks getting up to jam so you won't be the focus. And most non-musicians will not spot bass mistakes. Once you've made a couple and realised its ok, your confidence will grow and you'll be able to... - ENJOY! 😃 Good luck (And don't forget to let us know how it went).

I depped for a mate's 'band' several times. The band was actually a three piece (guitar/guitar&vocals/vocals) with backing tracks and no bassist or drummer and I was asked to play bass as the guitarist couldn't make it. As the BL also played guitar and shared vocals with the female singer (who played acoustic guitar of a few songs) it all seemed under control, if not a little unusual, but he was a mate so I was happy to help out I used the gigs as a means to try out my new speakers, a new pre-amp and a couple of basses I hadn't used live before. Several songs into the second half of my third gig with them the backing tracks system (a laptop) crashed and we were left on stage with me playing bass and the female singer singing. The BL, strumming away on his Strat and looking cool was revealed to be completely muted with no sound coming from his amp or microphone. Our bass (with some improvised fills and runs) and vocal duo completed the song, the BL realised he had to step up and we finished the set with both of them playing guitar. It was my last gig with them and the trio folded shortly afterwards. The money was good, though!

You should do it - as has been said you'll regret it if you don't. And think of the thread you could start here. 😃

This is the over riding factor for me now. The band as a whole should genuinely be having a good time regardless of the performance. The audience will pick up on that whether they realise or not. I've had a few compliments over the years along the lines of 'you looked like you were enjoying that', which to me is job done. But part of the enjoyment for me comes from knowing my part well enough that I'm not working hard at playing it. So I'll put the effort in behind the scenes so I can relax during the performance.

Early in my live playing career I thought the same. I practiced endlessly and never thought I'd reached the level of skill to play live, let alone perfection. I fretted (pun intended) about every mistake I made and cringed at every botch-up of an arrangement made by the band. But the BL at the time explained that most audiences wouldn't notice and/or care if there were mistakes, missed verses, wrong words etc. Sadly, he was right and for a few years afterwards I didn't make the effort I should have, using his explanation as an excuse not to practice or learn specific parts for songs and the repeat bookings as evidence that it didn't matter. To my shame! Then I discovered the joy of 'making and effort and getting it right', which coincided with a new band. Now I don't care if the audience care or notice. If I (or my bandmates) notice, then it's an issue that needs to be addressed.

Usually it's bass of choice into the B6 along with an mp3 player loaded with the songs I'm learning into the aux in, and headphones. If I'm trying a new sound/patch I'll plug in to an amp and cab - usually the TCE BAM200 and either a TE 1x10 or my homemade 1x12. I'll wait for the neighbours to go out before turning up the volume.

All my basses have the random delete function permanently engaged. 😂

I can't help thinking that when McDonalds were planning their locations, they took into account the routes musicians would take returning home from gigs. 😂

Whatever the gig, the bass guitar(s) get put away first, then the rest of my kit. I'll help anyone else in the band (usually removing amps/ speakers etc from the stage). Once everything is packed away, it depends on the venue. A pub usually wants you out as quickly as possible so they can get on with closing, so it's a quick thank you to the boss and off. If there's another act on after us, I would normally be polite and watch a bit of their set. Often at clubs we're chatting to the punters post gig as we're loading up the van and I won't rush that as they may be the influential members that get us a repeat booking. If we're all in the van, the BL (driving) usually goes for a burger on the way home and we sometimes share the chips (just to help him out 😃). If it's me on my own, I'm home as soon as possible with the TV on, a cuppa and some chocolate biscuits to wind down.

If we can find enough people to go to Bargoed. 😂

Bargoed? Take a GPS with you. 😁

Bury it under the patio - unless that would compromise other packaging previously secreted there? 😀

As I recall, the specific incident was after a gig in one of the working men's clubs in Bedlinog. But in the duo days we regularly used to get lost trying to find these tiny venues. 😀

"On a dark, lonely mountain, With the wind in my hair I could see the street lights Several miles over there Then a voice in the distance Said 'turn left by the trees You can drive off any time you like But you can never leave' Welcome to the Rhondda Cynon Valley Such a lonely place, such a lonely place Playing a gig in the Rhondda Cynon Valley No bars on the phone, and no way home"

My mate Simon, the drummer in the first few bands I was in, was an excellent drummer. He had the technique for our music (prog/rock/heavy/indie) and in the studio he was able to focus to nail the drum tracks every time. He didn't play to a click and wasn't metronome perfect but he had the feel of the songs (maybe because he wrote or co-wrote many of them) and it was rare for him to be more than a few seconds over or under the time for each take. It was a rare day that he wouldn't get his drum parts done within two play-throughs and they never had to drop in to correct him. I would offer to play a guide guitar part with him and more often than not I'd be making mistakes while he carried on with the correct part despite my distractions. Later I started recording the band myself and I think I was spoilt with him as a drummer as I assumed that was how all drummers were. The reality was that with the few other bands I went on to record, the drummers never matched up to his standard. They were pretty loose and hard to work with, often didn't know how to tune their kit (I didn't either but I knew that they usually needed to be tuned), relied heavily on their bandmates to play along so they knew where they were in the song and inevitably they'd take the longest to get their parts right.

I'm days away from turning 60. 1. Done that. In darkest South Wales, where many of the valley villages have yet to experience electricity* 2. Similar, relying on directions from locals and ending up on top of a lonely mountain looking down on the lights of the road I'm meant to be on, several miles away and with no clue of how to reach it. 3. Introducing the wife of the guitarist I'd been playing with for more than 10 years to a friend, and at the crucial naming moment, finding out that I'd forgotten her name. 4. For variety, I also use 'pardon', 'what' and occasionally just nod and smile in the hope it will satisfy the individual. 5. Done this, with the added horror of having asked the FOH sound guy what he'd done to my amp when plugging in the DI cable to make it die on me before checking the volume controls. I did apologise. It was awful. I deny flashing anyone, but see #3 for a possible explanation. (*may not be true)