Bass Guitar Magazine editor

[AndyBob09]

Welcome aboard, Joel. It really is nice to see you here.

I guess my tuppence-worth is the reviews, as with most people. However, my beef with the reviews is that of course a Fodera is going to get 5* - Or is it? I don't know - BUT when you give a sub £200 bass 4* or 5*, it totally loses validity of review because how on earth can the two be compared? I understand that a sub £200 may get 4* or 5* because it may play more like a £500 bass and that is great for THAT bass but it doesn't play like the multi thousand pound Fodera which, on star basis, would have got a similar rating.

Maybe have a theme of reviews per issue? I don't know.

I can +1 the full transcriptions (no tab please! If you don't even give tab as an option, it may encourage people to read actual music. People who play woodwind or brass instrument don't get a handicap) but I do understand the issue of paying publishers. IF the transcription wasn't accurate - out by a quaver or something - where does that have you stand?

I like the bassically speaking section and when I was a student, studying music, I liked the Bass Scholarship section. It was interesting to see what people elsewhere studying bass were up to. Even for those not studying music, it may show things they could work on.

Oh, and also, free gifts for renewing subscriptions? I didn't continue my subscription after a couple of years for a number of reasons. One being that I felt that some of featured bassists in the issues weren't people that I related to - But you OBVIOUSLY can't please everyone all the time. I just felt it was happening more and more.

Some more session players as featured bassists? I particularly liked the one with Take That's bassist.

Please use the forum to your massive advantage. As the UK's largest bass guitar forum, this form of communication may be the best way of communicating with your readers and putting in what we REALLY want - But based on all of the suggestions so far, I feel your issues may DOUBLE in size! Ha!

[charic]

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1341946489' post='1726874']
I think blind tests where the reviewer doesn't know the make or value of the instrument would be a great idea, if you can find someone brave enough to do it - maybe someone who actually is blind.

As soon as anyone sees the name on the headstock and the price tag, it colours their view and it would be very interesting to see what happens without that bias.
[/quote]

I like this idea but instead of just not letting them know what it is etc.. they should have to say how much they would be willing to pay for that bass before it being revealed!

[ras52]

[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1342022427' post='1728297']
I can +1 the full transcriptions (no tab please! If you don't even give tab as an option, it may encourage people to read actual music.

[/quote]

It's been observed here, by publishers I think, that the market for a tab-less book is a small fraction of that of a tabbed book. So it's probably economical suicide to go tab-free. However, IIRC there are or have been a couple of columnists who don't put tab in their articles, which I think is a nice balance: tab-fiends are catered for to a degree, and are also given a glimpse of what they're missing out on.

[BottomE]

I think the mag needs more boobs and scantily clad women.


(i've already got my coat)

[seashell]

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1342028834' post='1728450']
I think the mag needs more boobs and scantily clad women.


(i've already got my coat)
[/quote]

No, leave your coat where it is and get yer nob out!!!

Tee hee :-)

[discreet]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1342029816' post='1728461']
No, leave your coat where it is and get yer nob out!!! Tee hee :-)[/quote]

Shell, I'm shocked! (Did you see what I did there?) ...I would certainly never post anything so salacious. Mods! Mods!! HELP!! HELP!! There's a naughty old woman on the forum!!

[seashell]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1342030033' post='1728465']


Shell, I'm shocked! (Did you see what I did there?) ...I would certainly never post anything so salacious. Mods! Mods!! HELP!! HELP!! There's a naughty old woman on the forum!!
[/quote]

Guilty as charged, and I do apologise for lowering the tone. :-)

Now, back to BGM...

[seashell]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1342030033' post='1728465']


Shell, I'm shocked! (Did you see what I did there?)
[/quote]

Actually my nickname used to be Shellshock Shell back in the day.

Sorry to go OT again.

[AttitudeCastle]

Welcome to forum Joel!

I've always felt from reading it, the magazine seems more aimed towards the older bunch (Mid twenties up) (Sorry! I'll duck for cover...)

Though I have noticed it seeming much more "younger bass player friendly" these days, though all under 20 bass players I've met seem to act more middle aged anyway

Though it seems harder than ever to get folk my aged (16ish) to read things like this, and with bass it's even tougher!

Props to you guys at BGM.

Also, can I be in the magazine?

[BottomE]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1342029816' post='1728461']
No, leave your coat where it is and get yer nob out!!!

Tee hee :-)
[/quote]

[RandomBass]

[quote name='Joel McIver' timestamp='1341393081' post='1718068']
> Joel, I'll do the proof reading for a free subscription. Nothing puts me off a mag more than poorly proofed bits!

Believe me, no-one is more anal about proofreading errors than me. Some of you may have read my books. When an error makes it into one of them, I’m ready to kill someone! With BGM, the assistant editor and I work really hard to nail any grammar/spelling/punctuation screw-ups before publication. In the new issue (Geddy Lee cover), there’s just one boo-boo that I’ve seen. Ten points for anyone who spots ityet read the…

[/quote]

I've not yet read the whole issue from cover to cover (with Geddy at both ends funnily enough), but the only thing I spotted was in Franc O'Shea's 'Bass Beyond' - the musical notations in examples two and three are identical - but one should have leading notes a semitone below the root, the other a semitone above, according to the narrative.

Have I won a point?

Cheers

Geoff

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1341692153' post='1722944']
^THIS - in spades! Pages of Fenders and/or Fender clones of any level of build is what turns me off buying a magazine when having the WH Smiths flick-thru.
Can you actually make this a law of the BGM staff's writing? If you do I promise to take a sub for the rest of my natural life.
[/quote]
There are few things more annoying than the "flick thru" people at Smiths etc. Have they no shame? Have they no money? Can they please get out of my way? I'm actually trying to buy something. And why do they all dress like train spotters? There are better ways of looking cheap - but I can't think of any.

Edited July 12, 2012 by The Dark Lord

[xilddx]

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1342078248' post='1729033']
There are few things more annoying than the "flick thru" people at Smiths etc. Have they no shame? Have they no money? Can they please get out of my way? I'm actually trying to buy something. And why do they all dress like train spotters? There are better ways of looking cheap - but I can't think of any.
[/quote]

I went to WHS to check the music mags yesterday and there was a young bloke who looked like Taylor Hawkins sat on his bag reading Rolling Stone, obstructing most of the music mags. I even reached across him to get to BPM and BGM, he didn't move and seemed pissed off when I deliberately got in his way and nudged his mag. I'm not violent but I felt like giving the **** a good smack and a talking to. I just left muttering profanities within his earshot.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1342022427' post='1728297']
I can +1 the full transcriptions (no tab please! If you don't even give tab as an option, it may encourage people to read actual music. People who play woodwind or brass instrument don't get a handicap)[/quote]

A great mindset for a musician; a sh*t mindset for selling a magazine to a wide audience, and thus maximising your likely return. This isn't [i]Elite [/i]Bass Guitar Magazine and it should set it's stall out accordingly, I would suggest - and punishing novice or intermediate players to satisfy a demanding, yet actually very small, part of the demographic doesn't sound like commerical sense to me.

Though, perhaps, you could have more themed sections - grouped by difficulty or level of required knowledge, to help direct people to the content they might find most appropriate for their needs. There are probably some tricks to learn here from the likes of the car mags - who break things down by themes, including the review section - a good comment from AndyBob above, to that effect.

I'd echo Shockwave's comment for a wider basis of interviewed musicians. I'm tired of hearing from Anthony Jackon, [i]et al[/i] - whilst they might be masters of their art, they represent very little of the music in circulation at the moment (I'll add some colour. "Man, this is gonna be a long drive - so I brought some CDs"; "Yeah, what have you got?"; "Anthony Jackon... all his back catalogue! Gonna be sweet!"; "(Who? / f*** off and walk"). I acknowledge them as superb players; but I don't listen to them in my car; they don't get played at parties; so why am I constantly reading about them?

Unless you're giving out free, matching, elbow patches with odd numbered issues, I'd try and broaden it out some. I'd like to hear more from both amateurs and pros, at all stages of their careers or journies - with an emphasis not just on technique, but the whole story of their development and experiences, their pragmatic learnings. It's a large part of the appeal of this forum, and I don't see why it wouldn't work for the magazine. Indeed, Guy Pratt shifted an enormous amount of books by avoiding the detail of his technique.

Get this right, and get on top of the social media, and you'll entice me back.

[merello]

Well done coming on here!
I am an infrequent buyer - mainly when I see a cool photo on the front and think, 'let's be 'aving that!'
Must be difficult to pitch to such a wide audience!
If I had a say, I'd like a feature where an average player and pro were paired up to review and swop tips while reviewing a bit of kit - one of the photography mags does it and it's always fun!
Pub band of the month?
Another idea would be to reunite a player with the bass they regret selling to see if it really was a bad move or just regretful nostalgia!
Best of luck.

Edited July 12, 2012 by merello

[Commando Jack]

[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1342022427' post='1728297']
I guess my tuppence-worth is the reviews, as with most people. However, my beef with the reviews is that of course a Fodera is going to get 5* - Or is it? I don't know - BUT when you give a sub £200 bass 4* or 5*, it totally loses validity of review because how on earth can the two be compared? I understand that a sub £200 may get 4* or 5* because it may play more like a £500 bass and that is great for THAT bass but it doesn't play like the multi thousand pound Fodera which, on star basis, would have got a similar rating.
[/quote]

I think in this regard everyone is under the assumption that the rating is weighted according to the price range, i.e. a Squier is 4 stars (or whatever) [i]for its price[/i]. However, some would also argue that a good squier could feel as good as a high-ender (there are certainly numerous accounts of Squiers playing better than Fenders) so maybe it would deserve its 4 stars regardless of price. The key is clarity. One of the computer magazines my brother gets has a nicely comprehensive explanatory page at the start of the review section that addresses a number of points to help a reader assess the review. Not only does it discuss the standardized test rig, but also breaks down the way they award points. This particular mag uses an additive system of scoring features out of x, value for money out of y, etc adding up to a final percentage value. So we can see what is important to the reviewer and assess the score. A similar bass system might be scoring the sound, feel, features and price each out of 25, and adding together to obtain a final percentage. Of course, this is just an example and it isn't really important so long as you can see all the numbers in the review and it's easier to make an informed decision.


[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1342022427' post='1728297']
I can +1 the full transcriptions (no tab please! If you don't even give tab as an option, it may encourage people to read actual music. People who play woodwind or brass instrument don't get a handicap) but I do understand the issue of paying publishers. IF the transcription wasn't accurate - out by a quaver or something - where does that have you stand?
[/quote]

Other people have mentioned that this is commercial suicide and I'd tend to agree BUT I think this is a cracking suggestion for online content. With a magazine subscription you could get access to the extras online, including dots only transcriptions of the features in that months magazine (which would feature dots and tab to reach out to most people).

Edited July 12, 2012 by Commando Jack

[Happy Jack]

Only just found this thread (been having a complete 'mare at work recently).

Two things:

1. Welcome aboard Joel. Brave move, but the right one IMHO, and I think you'll get a lot of value out of engaging with Basschat.

2. Basschat = +++ AWESOME +++. As I started reading page one of eight, and given some of the recent rows, I must confess that I rather expected it all to degenerate into some sort of name-calling by about page five. Oh ye of little faith! This is one of the most positive threads I can remember reading ... constructive, helpful and very creative.

Group hug, guys.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Happy Jack

[Sibob]

Just wanted to say I'm very appreciative of this months interview with [color="#000000"]Jonathan Hischke, great player and incredibly nice guy![/color]

[color="#000000"]Cheers[/color]
[color="#000000"]Si[/color]

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1342078248' post='1729033']
There are few things more annoying than the "flick thru" people at Smiths etc. Have they no shame? Have they no money? Can they please get out of my way? I'm actually trying to buy something. And why do they all dress like train spotters? There are better ways of looking cheap - but I can't think of any.
[/quote]

Plenty money - and shame ............ when it's warranted.
I'm just not about to fork out a fiver for a magazine full of opinions by either nameless wonders most folk have never heard of or never will again in a few months time - or revues about planks of wood which have never been near a craftsman in their entire existence.
The kind of folk who buy a magazine just because they did the month before are the same kind of folk that play a mass produced plank because a lot of other folk play mass produced planks.

There's a big difference between scanning the pages to see what's worth reading with an intention to buy if something is spotted - and using a shop as a library. The stacks of old guitar & bass mags in my loft will testify to that - as well as the three articles I've been asked to write - and had published.

[such]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1342105472' post='1729695']
Plenty money - and shame ............ when it's warranted.
I'm just not about to fork out a fiver for a magazine full of opinions by either nameless wonders most folk have never heard of or never will again in a few months time - or revues about planks of wood which have never been near a craftsman in their entire existence.
The kind of folk who buy a magazine just because they did the month before are the same kind of folk that play a mass produced plank because a lot of other folk play mass produced planks.

There's a big difference between scanning the pages to see what's worth reading with an intention to buy if something is spotted - and using a shop as a library. The stacks of old guitar & bass mags in my loft will testify to that - as well as the three articles I've been asked to write - and had published.
[/quote]

Exactly.
I do buy magazines that interest me, but I always flick through them before. There's a lot of subjects I'm interested in, if I was to buy all the magazines (that I buy sometimes) every month, it would be hundreds of pounds monthly. Like, I buy a photography magazine if I see a good test of an interesting camera, or a feature on some interesting techniques, or sometimes even just for a good picture that I know I will enjoy looking at. But sometimes there's none of those for me. So why buy without scanning first? To show that I have money and shame? I have no shame. I have money, but I worked hard for it, and I respect it, won't give it away in exchange for something that I can have no use for or no enjoyment from.

[bertbass]

I have subscribed to the mag, I don't like a lot of what's in it. I don't like the interviews much and I never look at the tutorial pages. I do like the news items, editorial, Alex's fine columns and most of all the gear reviews and I prefer the amp to the bass reviews but it is the only dedicated bass mag that we've got and I'd rather buy it with all it's imperfections than to not have it all.

With Joel at the helm it can only get better.

[Mykesbass]

Picked up the new copy because of this thread and also because I know of Joel's work from my previous life at a record company. Much improved, and great to see Michael McKeegan in there - great player and really nice person to boot. Nice to see some negative comments in reviews and a good spread of articles.

One criticism Joel, could you set the cliche monitor to a slighly higher setting please!

[BigRedX]

Joel, just finished reading all the way through Issue 80, July 2012 (the one with Geddy Lee on the cover). On of the things a good editor should be doing is checking for consistency throughout the publication.

So I was surprised to read in the review of the TC Electronic BG250 Combo on page 58 the following:

"Of course, with a 15" speaker, the low end is pleasingly full..."

and then to find 14 pages later a whole article by Alex Claber completely disbunking the myth that a particular sized speaker has a particular sound and that the bigger the speaker diameter the bassier the sound.

Also your artworkers still haven't worked out the difference between
" the inch symbol
and
” the closing double quote symbol.

[Joel McIver]

Back after a couple of weeks and I'm very gratified about the friendly comments and suggestions. There are too many to address here (I'm on deadline with issue 82, which is a 25th anniversary Jaco cover) but I've noted every single one.

As the Austrian Oak said, I'll be back!

Cheers

Joel

[paulconnolly]

Hi Joel and welcome.

Going a little off kilter here but how about an article on hearing protection, dedicated ear plugs etc... As well as promoting bass playing and extolling the virtues of players and kit, a little social responsibility on how to protect our hearing would be interesting - once it's gone it's gone man

Also perhaps the mag could acknowledge Bass Chat for all the great ideas for future issues