Lunch Report for Wednesday April 7, 2010 HUMPDAY+++++

LUNCH:

Lunch today is going to be Moo Goo Gai Pan from a local Hunan to Go chinese restaurant. It is fast and reasonable there.
I will probably have a nice iced tea for a beverage.

Yesterday’s Report:
I echo the strategy the most of you in dealing with an unfamiliar bass amp .It is best to set all of the tone controls flat and then judge how your bass sounds through the amp before changing anything. I hear too many bass amps that are hurting the tone of their owners because of the EQ that is set to boost all lows and highs and no midrange. A good flat line EQ can help because you then can really hear the sound of your bass.

Beat–up basses vs. pristine basses:

Many of you noticed that my white SB-2 has been around the block a few times. I really like playing that bass because I don’t have to worry about putting another ding or dent into the finish. It’s already broken in and very comfortable to play.

Most instruments that I own are in very good if not near new condition and I like to play a clean axe, but I do own a couple of beater basses that fill the need when I don’t want to worry about the next nick or scratch.

How about you? Do you prefer to play a looker or a beater?

I now am a member of three bands and ironically the band that gigs the most practices the least. I am facing the reality that gas prices are affecting my ability to keep these groups viable. The drummer in one group said that he could not play at a certain club again because it was costing him as much in gas to get there as we were likely to make per man. I have to respect that and since none of these groups is really making any money, the rising costs associated with driving are impacting these bands and my ability to accept gigs for low pay or just to play.

Playing in front of a live audience is a kick that can’t be described and if you haven’t done it as a musician I highly recommend it.
The thrill of hearing the hard work of practice pay off in a tight performance really makes playing fun and I do suggest live playing at an open mike or blues jam to get your feet wet if you have never performed. That is where you really can get a feel for what you can do and how you sound.

Joining the “right bunch of fellows” to quote BTO, is another step and it is difficult to balance personalities, time, expectations of spouses and kids along with a musical endeavor. I find that there are things that you have to ignore and let slide to keep any band together. Nobody is perfect and you have to take to good with the bad (within reason) with any musician you work with in order to keep a group gigging.

Please add your band experiences or observations:

Have a great Wednesday

bassman Bill

For me I like to keep my guitars in good condition. I'm not super anal about it but I don't go out of my way to get the beaten up look. I really don't see the point of relic guitars and don't get me started on Fender's 'Road Worn' series. My 12 year old Godin which I used a lot giging looks almost brand new the only wear is on the back of the neck from playing and a couple of little chips where the strings go through the body. I will admit to cutting the buttons off of the right sleeve of a suit jacket I wore on stage so it wouldn't damage the finish. They were non functioning. Ironically the two dings in my Nocaster are from collisions with the case locks!
I do like playing with other people and have had some great times in groups. But it can be a bit fraught, it has to be the right people. I don't like butting heads with wannaby Axel Rose types. It is also a very different thing here in London as there really are not that many places to play. I tend to like smaller groups three or four but right now I tend to just perform alone which is good fun and challenging. I do find I get more of a nerves thing when playing in a group than alone, I don't want to mess it up for the others as well so that is an added dynamic. But nothing beats playing live and connecting with an audience. Of course I started out in hardcore bands in the early 90's when the only connecting that went on was with objects thrown onto the stage but that was when I was young enough to get out of the way.

I'd like to play with some other guys, but just haven't hung my shingle out there yet. I know that I can add more to the vocals mix than the guitar situation, and eventually will find some guys to play with. I have noticed that a band that plays together, doesn't necessarily stay together. From what I surmise, personalities and egos do seem to get in the way more than anything. This probably changes a bit with age. I know that when I was singing with a couple of bands after high school, I just wasn't putting the time into improving the way the other band members were. I didn't last long, and somewhat unfortunately, didn't care that much, as I had other stuff to do.

I have a couple of guitars and basses in excellent condition. Yes, I'd hate to ding them up, and be the first in nearly 25 years to do so. However, most of my guitars are players that have their share of character marks and battle scars. I like it that way, as I practice in a small area now and occasionally bang my guitar into things. Fortunately, these things are mostly plastic. The biggest hazard is that stinking cheap Hamilton music stand . It's metal and presents some nice edges that are perfect for scratching and chipping. I try to be careful though.

Most of my guitars and basses are in at least very good condition and some quite a bit better than that. I don't usually take them out of the house (nobody wants to hear me play them!) and I have enough instruments that rotating them keeps all from getting significant wear.

Hope you weren't referring to the Middlebrook Tavern as the place your band-mate no longer finds it worthwhile to play. Hope to catch you there again. I trust you won't get snowed out next time! - ed

BTW, I'm really looking forward to showing you my L1K acquisition. Just a beautiful example that looks and plays wonderfully!

Hi Ed,

I can assure you and say that our Middlebrook Tavern gig is safe. The drummer that I was referring to is in another band and it is a different set of circumstances. RAGs, the band scheduled to play at Middlebrook on April 16 is going strong. I hope to see you there.

-bassman Bill

How about you? Do you prefer to play a looker or a beater?

Joining the “right bunch of fellows” to quote BTO, is another step and it is difficult to balance personalities, time, expectations of spouses and kids along with a musical endeavor. I find that there are things that you have to ignore and let slide to keep any band together. Nobody is perfect and you have to take to good with the bad (within reason) with any musician you work with in order to keep a group gigging.

Please add your band experiences or observations:

bassman Bill

I like pristine guitars and if they don't pass the art test I do not buy them. I did buy a bass that had been down the road and it is getting a resto. If I had one that I had worn out I would keep it like that.

Bands are another story, personnel come and go. When people are younger egos can become a problem especially when an individual thinks that they are getting "good". Our band is a bunch of old dudes. We have two original members of the sixties band that we had. We all got back together in 2000 but things happen due to different goals. A couple of us wanted to get better and that isn't what the others intended. If it isn't fun, then you shouldn't do it. We now have a group that loves to play and are way beyond ego's and it is sooo fun. We now enjoy music in a way that most of us were never able to in the earlier years. Or crowds comment that we seem to enjoy performing. Is that maturity?? Dunno. The best thing that ever happened was when we recorded. The person who thought he was a hot vocalist was crushed when he heard himself. He is a pretty fair vocalist but wasn't what he thought he was. So in the final editing I use Melodyne and that will really fix vocalist problems. Humbling experience it was!! -- Darwin

I've got some semi-beater guitars (players, actually) as well as pristine ones, but when I play out, I do prefer to take one or two with me that I don't have to worry about getting dinged a bit.

Regarding bands, over the last 40 years or so, I've only been out of a band once for about six months and had to get back into it to avoid going crazy. I live for playing with other musicians. I'm currently playing in two blues bands, but they're quite different from one another. I'm also doing a third gig with a bunch of jazz guys that only play special events and private parties during the summer months.

I agree with what's been said here about the notion of playing with fickle or egotisical musicians, but as I grow older, I find that those musicians that are still around and wanting to play usually take their craft pretty seriously. I've been fortunate enough to have played with some great guys in the 70s, but it's even better with the guys I'm playing with today. Best of all, we're actually great friends while respecting one another for our individual talents as well.

How about you? Do you prefer to play a looker or a beater?

Looker. I'll take a good beater over a crappy looker, but given the choice, I like both. I really don't like beaters, but crappy instruments are worse.

Please add your band experiences or observations:

I've never accomplished much of anything with a band size greater than two. I'm definitely in the art side of music (vs. production or craftsman) and that works better. It's much harder to convince four people to do concepts that their favorite musicians aren't doing. Find one person who gets it and you're good. I'm working on the most substantial musical project I've ever touched right now, and it's huge. Took me about seven months to deliver the first draft of lyrics, and Matt's been working on the music for about a year and a half since (he's handling it all, even the bass) and it's mostly written. Total runtime is likely over an hour, with 15 tracks. The longest track hogs just over 10 minutes. The shortest is about one minute.

I did some recent demos by myself, and they aren't effective as what I do with someone else around helping, even on a short timetable. I may or may not get a solo release out by the end of the year. I'm still trying to gel up material. I've already alienated a friend of mine who's clearly on the production/craftsman scale, but pictures himself more on the art scale, and in relative local regularly performing terms I suppose he is. But, compared to someone who's told off an audience before (politely, as in "Please, buy our release. We want your money, we don't give a damn about you. Thank you. Goodnight."), it's a different world.

Lame bands are easy to set up. Outside the mold is more difficult.

I'll choose a beater 90% of the time. Why? Because they are cool to me. I figure if it's beaten' up and well played that's because it SOUNDED GOOD and PLAYED GREAT! How else would it get that way?

By artificial aging at the factory, making it 'Road-Worn', or 'Rustic', etc. The unfortunate side of the current 'vintage look' craze where 'vintage sound' is not necessarily included.