Thurbs

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1421679663' post='2663863']Stuff about business being difficult...[/quote]Starting a business is hard. Getting money out of people is hard. It is the same if you are running a tiny record label or a multimillion pound business (as I do). Nothing you have said surprises me. There is a reason only a tiny amount of businesses stay around for the long term... To the OP, if it’s a hobby, then make sure you do it for the “love” and ignore the sh*t. If it is a business, then be prepared to enter the world of commercialising a product or a service and the real world realities of doing so. Of all businesses out there, starting a label would be a great challenge for any entrepreneur... !

I would go the direct sales route, visit each shop, pitch the concept and then try and flog them some of your records. I would target maybe 3 albums of each release and then schedule monthly followups. Dont forget to make it clear how they contact you WHEN (see what I did there) it sells out. I would also back it up and offer the band to play acoustically to promote the album in the store (witht he band bringing more stock along for that event + signing the records etc). Try and get them to buy them outright, then if you have to, go sale or return. Work on the old 100% margin rule for retail, e.g. wholesale for £5, retail for £10.

[quote name='2stringsmcginty' timestamp='1421144960' post='2657530'] motorbikes don't have radios.[/quote] Mine does. http://www.cardosystems.com/scala-rider

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1421147120' post='2657558'] [i]Tit[/i]nternet?? Is that like a porno app?? [/quote]Like the internet, but from Yorkshire.

Echo what has been said about the rythm. Get in to the habbit of tapping your foot on the "on" beat through all of the song. Will help when you and or the drummers go off on fills. Getting the changes is all about bar counting and or listening to vocals or another part. When I first started I religiously counted each bar, really helped understand where I was in a 16 bar solo for example. Once you get practiced, you can relax in to the song more, listening for the changes with the feel of the 8/16/32bar structures most songs are in. Some songs can catch you out if they are not standard and it is a case of remembering that this middle 8 is a middle 12 or whatever.

Quite often turn up with the wrong notes or no notes at all. Never forgotten the music stand though!

I forgot to answer the op's question... any player who puts themselves before the music would make me leave the band. Keys or otherwise.

Some balance.... I have or am in bands with 3 different keyboards... The first is a concert standard pianist who plays the top London hotels. A total inspiration, played sympathetically, with finesse, style and class every time. A total joy from beginning to end. The second is into creating his own songs based on 80s synch and plays in a covers band. Nailed every song, played with the right noises and added a nice layer to the 6 piece. The third is not a great player, but loads of fun and bangs our simple chords and synth in all the right spots. So, none had a heavy left hand and all complemented the music for the good of the band. Keep the faith people!!!

Fretless all the way for me... Punk, rock, pop, funk, its all good. I do like a mellow sound though and put some black flats on it.

I can assure you for the months your kit spent getting from the factory to your climate controlled room, know one cared a jot what the temperature was. Humidity can cause problems, not the very small temperature range your room will go through being unheated. I would spend your money on some snake oil and rub on to the fret board.

Also see: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/136973-feedback-for-thurbs/page__hl__feedback+for+thurbs__fromsearch__1

Have a Zoom 9.1ut and a Fishman Platinum Pro.... In a 3 piece punk originals - loads of effects, often playing just with bass and drums. Think Muse but more sh*t. In a 3 piece acoustic - just double bass, don’t tend to use comp or EQ. In a covers band - minimal effects, just a bit of comp, dirt, wah and chorus when required. Often just plug the output of the boards in to the PA so don’t have an amp to tweak. When I do it is flat and do any adjustments on the guitar / Fishman if required but mostly the sound man takes care of it.

Friend of mine was in a band called http://www.geoffleppard.com/ and released a charity single. Pushed it like mad but unfortunately it didn't chart and I had a new found sence of how hard it is to get a charting single.

I have played intimate pubs, busy saturday night pubs, parties, weddings, clubs, functions, concerts as bass, lead and backing vocals with rock, blues, indi, punk, funk, folk, jazz, lounge with origionals, deps, function and pub covers.. all with a music book. The only people who notice are the odd band member and it tends to be (I imagine) the nay sayers who think the book is akin to doing a dump on stage. I make it clear I am a "reader" at audition and won't learn a set off by heart and have a "take it or leave it" attitude. I am sure I have lost some gigs (probably the bands where everything has to be note perfect), but I have never had a problem finding good bands to be in. This is the stand: http://www.ipswichpa.co.uk/quiklok-ms303-clamp-on-music-stand---clamps-to-microphone-mic-stand-1487-p.asp and I put stuff in a A5 ring binder with plastic wallets. I was thinking of going tablet based, but the thought of digitising about a foots worth of lead sheets and scores rapidly puts me off.

Range may be an issue unless rooted to the spot.

Hi guys. Finally finished recording 3 of the 4 tracks. Herding cars is hard work... I can see the attraction of hitting it all in one go in a hired studio! Here they are so far: https://soundcloud.com/richard-thurbin/speed-camera-demo https://soundcloud.com/richard-thurbin/how-i-feel-demo https://soundcloud.com/richard-thurbin/up-high-demo I have sent them off to a friend of mine to see if they can do any better. The 4th track is still waiting for lead vocals... Will keep you posted! Now for the re-mixing challenge...

Everything through the PA. I find it much quicker, there is more space on stage and you get the best control. I havent yet managed to convince the guitarists though. Really anoying...

I am surprised by some of these responses to be honest. You are mostly a bunch of miserable gits!!! ;-) I have no problem letting anyone use my gear. If it is a gear sharing gig, I wouldn't take anything too expensive and would make sure if everything was at 11 then no harm was done. 99% of punters couldn't tell anyway. I always ask if it is ok to plugin and have never been turned down. Most of the time I just DI anyway... Maybe Cambridge just has nicer bass players ;-)

The worst thing I have is a guitar case. The BFB midget, little giant and notes bag are all a breeze..

I go cabless all the time. It is very liberating, I find and really helps be confident in what I am playing and you can always hear the bass given it is so omni-directional. Interestingly, the weaker members of the band get really stressed out unless they hear themselves twice as loud as everything else...

1. Bassace - Upton and Bryant basses, Clarus amp and Crazy 8 speaker. 2. Owen - 5 string DB, NS5 EUB, Clarus/Acme rig, Fdeck/Berg rig and some bass uke things. 3. Zero9 - Gedo 'Blonde' 4/4 hybrid DB with Thomastik Solo strings, KK Rockabilly and AI Coda R combo 4. StingrayPete1977 - Gedo 3/4 half carved 'antique' with Thomastik Spirocore weichs ebony board/tail, Yitamusic carbon fibre french bow. 5. Geoffbassist - German trade bass with Evah regulars 6. Sarah Thomas - German flatback, Superlight EUB, Nemesis 50w amp 7. Oggiesnr - worked upon Antoni plywood bass (see what a bit of money can do ) 8. Len Derby - coming along to gorp and say hello. 9. Thurbs - Gear4Music Archer 3/4 with Innovation Honeys and K&K BigTwin, BassMax & GoldenBullet Mic pickups into a Ashdown LB30 & matching LB112

[quote name='Sercet' timestamp='1407417425' post='2520281'] Can you recommend any particular attenuator? Would one 40db be better than two 20's? [/quote]I went with 2x20dB, which has been ok recording to date. I cant remember who I bought it from, any on that link will be fine, just check the returns policy (or buy from the UK for distance selling regs). I also bought some small XLR's to reduce the tension on the socket it plugs in to.