scalpy

Like any musical equipment usage I think there's a degree of chemistry, not dissimilar to taste in food or choice of life partner! But yet again, it's been a case of don't meet your (Ampeg) hereos for me. Firstly, a pair of B15s, but I just about forgave them because they were old. But on Sunday I realised a lifelong ambition of using an SVT11, albeit with a 610 not an 8, and just couldn't get on with it. Open air gig, couldn't find a tight, punchy sound that wasn't compromised in some area and couldn't find a spot on stage I could hear it properly. Nevermind, I know people love them and they've done more great records and gigs than I'll ever have hot dinners but the current rig will be upgraded in a non-Ampeg direction!

Hello, from just the other side of the border!

Two things spring to mind. As this is a "head" thing, not technical, try showing him some basic drum movements, right hand does the hats on the left knee and left hand the snare on the right knee, right does kick. You could then play along to him doing that, increasing your use of accents and complexity as he gets the hang of it. Alternatively, could he sing the line instead of drumming? With the instrument, you could double the bass line and then throw in the first beat or two of the guitar part before going back to the bass line. Again, increase the complexity and periods of concentration gradually until he's got it. I often use techniques like this, thinking of them as musical "stabilisers", like a kid riding a bike, with a success.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1369162420' post='2085703'] I assumed the actual stage was dry . . . . but I remember it well and didn't the rain do a good job of enhancing the lightshow! [/quote] The footage shows rain running off Gilmour's Strat!! This is excellent advice, thank you folks. Boils down to buy a wireless and the affinity squier I keep meaning to get. Going to be an expensive gig...

Basschat's collective knowledge/experience here would be appreciated. One of the acts I play for has been booked for a few small festivals this summer, including one on Sunday. I've just checked the forecast and it ain't good! If it sheds it down on a typical small festival stage, covered but not a marquee type situation, am I safe and is my bass ok to get wet? This gig will be a kit share, and it sounds like they (the festival organisers) know what they're doing, but I don't use a wireless and even my limited understanding of this electric stuff extends don't mix with water. Less importantly, but still a concern is that I don't want my beloved bass getting trashed for an hours set should the heavens open. I've seen bands play in the rain, Pink Floyd at Knebworth 90 springs to mind but I wonder how they got away with it. Tips and advice are most welcome.

I'd be sorely tempted if you do want to shift it! Play a lot near Stroud too...

Love doing this. We do a few newish songs in the soul band this way. Poker Face with a purdie shuffle. Crazy (the Gnarls one) like a tango Single Ladies with a Bo Diddley rhythm. Me and the Mrs also do acoustic versions of Valerie in a cod reggae style, Ace of Spades like lounge jazz and Can't get you outta my head bossa nova!

Because it is fun.

Have you asked around at local studios? I've tried two and they were both "residents" in that situation! A case of don't meet your heros for me but you might have more luck.

A very aptly timed thread as I've blagged a gig at Cheltenham Jazz Festival next week and I'd never, ever say that I was a jazzer! Glad I'm not the only one who struggles with the brain speed jazz requires or who finds "proper" jazzers intimidating. What I'm learning is that you have to think like a jazzer, if you can't hear it, guessing you're way round a chart just don't work. Back to the wood shed for me, and some proper analysis required!

This was really getting to me a while back too! Aside from trying to read the ladders the main issue for me is that often any runs don't fit bass the same way as it does on the piano. You end up effectively doing three jobs, reading what's obvious, decoding the illegible and improvising an adequate bassline. I now ask MDs to order a bass part if the budget allows it, you get a better arranged and more coherent part to play, you don't have as many page turns and you don't have to try and remember what you decided the night before as much. The one advantage of having the piano score is that you get way more cues, particularly useful with one male lead around this way!

Personally I'm against the badger cull but if they make such good straps for fine players that might be different. Great idea and well executed!

Still available! PM me for more details. thanks for the interest Harry

Ah the Jailhouse!!! Played there many a time when it was the Jailhouse for the first time around. As for the Plough, did it once, that was enough! Had a similar experience of two gigs though in one day at the start of this month. 3pm in Cheltenham and then 7pm in Bristol both in record shops. Don't know how people do it all the time, being a combination of roadie, driver, performer, marketing etc etc...

Hi there. I need a dep on bass for an afternoon band call on Sunday 25th May for Chess! in Pershore, Worcestershire. The rehearsal is 2-5pm at the Number 8 Theatre for the local amateur dramatic society. Obviously good reading skills required if you haven't done the show before. PM please if you're able to help and for more details. Many thanks Harry

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1362640110' post='2002444'] Please go to your local luthier in Exeter and show him this diagram: [url="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=fZQQ1LSp6XsxkM&tbnid=cVGFZDywK6biIM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atheistnexus.org%2Fprofiles%2Fblogs%2Fmr-ken-ham-the-science-guy&ei=Ujw4UdWfNsju0gWQ5IGgCA&psig=AFQjCNEmUfffCGoKoFS90Z_alT5Lxu_Sgg&ust=1362726320386114"][/url] I've never seen a nicer piece of maple and by God there is nothing wrong with the grain pattern in that wood. As anyone has said all it needs is a fret redress. And I have never heard a luthier talking so much crap. He should be shot. [/quote] This bass is in Exeter? I'd so laugh if the luthier was Hugh Manson! If it isn't, just take it to him, he seems to know a thing or two.

A student of mine turned up with the new M series. It's a lot of bass for the money, with a really easy neck and is more refined than the old L series/ASAT preamp, but... no GAS, the ASAT still takes some beating!

I play for a lot of am-dram stuff, so that can go from root fifth root fifth for an evening to anything really. Ceilidhs were the same! I also do a soul band, which has lots of fun lines to play, and a singer songwriter gig which can go from flat out rock to jazz to funk in a verse! I started in power trio type things but don't enjoy that kind of rocking out so much anymore.

This weekend 3 rehearsals and 2 gigs! Apart from that snippets every day if possible. The fingers benefit but I need to keep my brain sharp more.

[quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1362084822' post='1995654'] As of today I'm now 2x 2x12 [/quote] Wanted those so badly and a steal at that price. Reports on how they sound would be greatly appreciated!

Played the Bull&Gate in 1999. Had to take a day off work, travel halfway across the country, with a mini-bus of people from our usual crowd, all of whom were missing a day at work too. I paid for the bus otherwise no-one could be persuaded to come and play twice the price for everything all day in London. Turns out we're on the bill with three other bands all doing the same but from other parts of the country. Hence, absolutely no chance of building an audience as we were head-lining and they were all desperate to leave and travel to their respective towns. Repeat this experience, over and over for several years and I had enough. Last year I had the opportunity to dep at a gig at the Clapham Grand. Aha, I think, with the age of the internet and social media, this should be a different story. I checked out the other bands on the bill, and in total the views on youtube were in the millions. So I booked a day off again, travelled for three hours, rehearsed all day, sound-checked, and... played to 40 people. And all the other bands were good, entertaining, well-prepared and professionally minded, a good night out in other words, but no-one one was there. I've always blamed the promoters, no common sense, no creativity. The Catapult Club in New Cross was the best London gig I ever did, but the bill was arranged like Later with Jools. So the audience stayed around, there was a compere, an acoustic set from residents and good in-house visuals. The place was busy and a fantastic experience. But the promoter had some imagination and some flare. Went and played there again, back to straight through the bill, no-one there, lesson learnt finally.

If you asked three years ago I'd of said 100 quid and it's yours. Somebody did and now it's theirs. Whoops.

Playing mine too! In April. The future missus Scalpy is our singer. Not about about look at we can do, that's terrible musicianship for starters, it's about saying thank you to everyone for being part of lives in the most meaningful and articulate way we can. Mustang Sally by the way, is not in the set!