What's to chat about?

[RYNO20]

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Just ordered a little mount/tripod for my phone, to take video. I'll post my progress... Show me what ya got! Play that funky music Netherlands boy!

I have recording gear, tripods and all, but I'm not much into uploading my admittedly limited skills. So many people out there who can do better. I believe there is one or two tracks on soundcloud where I play bass, that's about it.

If you've got a link, I'd enjoy hearing it/them.

If there was a way some of us (Tom, you too) could buddy up and progress our skills somewhat interactively, I think that would be cool. For me, it's not so much showing off what I can do, like I'm somewhere near being good. But, more of documenting and demonstrating my progress. I feel proud of the progress I've made. I think anyone should be proud of progress in anything one puts time and effort into improving. If you aren't that good and you want to improve, I'd be happy to be witness to your improvements. Who knows, our individual improvements may help the other guy/s out in one way or another.

The guitar player that met up for the jam last weekend had been playing for 30+ years. He seemed to find his chords effortlessly (most of them. some he played flat), but his knowledge of music structure was lacking. There were questions he had that I had answers for, things I learned from the YouTube videos in my first week of playing. He had some skills, but not the knowledge. I had some knowledge, but not the skills. We're all at a different places in the journey. If any of you guys want to join in, especially if you're essentially a beginner in one way or another, feel free. I think it would be fun to have a little group here to progress with. As it is, it's pretty cool how we're all peppered across the planet and our mutual interests converge here. I enjoy you guys quite a bit and wouldn't mind expanding our shared commonalities.

If it's just not a thing you guys are interested in, I get it. That's fine. Sit back and enjoy watching my fumble fingers become more nimble.

sounds cool —- do it
I’ve got drums sitting waiting on me lol
Me at 15 and my Heath kit amp twin reverb and Greco lol
Drums and peavey

[Grant Bunter]

Drums and peavey

I would say Pearl drums lol, I'm down to 2 kits now.
After 45 years of playing drums I still know nothing other than if you have good pitch and call guitarists, bass players and vocalists for bum notes, it pisses them off.
I also have a Schecter Damien6 paired with a Marshall combo, and a K.Yairi acoustic I've had since the 80's. I play guitar badly...

[RYNO20]

Drums and peavey

I would say Pearl drums lol, I'm down to 2 kits now.
After 45 years of playing drums I still know nothing other than if you have good pitch and call guitarists, bass players and vocalists for bum notes, it pisses them off.
I also have a Schecter Damien6 paired with a Marshall combo, and a K.Yairy acoustic I've had since the 80's. I play guitar badly...

Lol pearl custom session all maple — don’t matter much except it sounds great to me , to bad I don’t
Peavey is guitar I have to pass on to grands
Oh yeah pic of young me was 1965 I think

[AntonZ]

I will PM you a link or two of tracks on soundcloud, Seth. Mind you they are from quite some time ago. No interest in sharing these here in public, hope you and fellow bf builders don't mind

I don't know what options there are for more privately sharing progress.

[Grant Bunter]

pearl custom session all maple

My main kit is earlier than the Session Customs.
Mine is a 1984 DX kit, birch based but hybrid shell.

The other kit is a 1972 NC series kit...

[RYNO20]

pearl custom session all maple

My main kit is earlier than the Session Customs.
Mine is a 1984 DX kit, birch based but hybrid shell.

The other kit is a 1972 NC series kit...

Great vintage

[AntonZ]

With all those drum kits we need some serious compensation. Last time I counted I think there were about 8 bass guitars in the house, some 4 and some 5 string, fretted and fretless. Please don't tell the war office

[Seth]

pearl custom session all maple

My main kit is earlier than the Session Customs.
Mine is a 1984 DX kit, birch based but hybrid shell.

The other kit is a 1972 NC series kit...

Which is the set you painted blue? That came out so good looking.

[Grant Bunter]

Which is the set you painted blue? That came out so good looking.

Seth,
That was the 72 kit.
It's been refurbished again since then, with a midnight blue faux wrap.

[Grant Bunter]

On a slightly different tilt lol;

I've heard of this before with certain Soundcraft analogue mixers, but discovered it to be true for an A&H Zed16FX as well.

The right main out dropped. the culprit appeared to be a sticky insert socket on the output.
It was also the culprit on a channel strip on the same mixer.
Contact cleaner in the sockets, along with a bit of the old in out with a stereo 1/4 plug until feeling free sorted it.
I did that to all the sockets just to be sure there should be trouble free operation until next time.
Errr we have a lot of dust where I live.

This was a repair job for a client, so nice to not ask for mega dollars for parts then wait wait wait for them to turn up.

Just something to tuck away should the need arise...

[Seth]

Which is the set you painted blue? That came out so good looking.

Seth,
That was the 72 kit.
It's been refurbished again since then, with a midnight blue faux wrap.

Yeah, yeah... that's the one. I'm not one to ogle over drum kits. I see them. They're all a little different and unique. Your set (this one) is the only one I've ever seen that has tickled the portion of my consciousness that says "WOW, look at that!". I absolutely love that color and finish.

[Seth]

On a slightly different tilt lol;

I've heard of this before with certain Soundcraft analogue mixers, but discovered it to be true for an A&H Zed16FX as well.

The right main out dropped. the culprit appeared to be a sticky insert socket on the output.
It was also the culprit on a channel strip on the same mixer.
Contact cleaner in the sockets, along with a bit of the old in out with a stereo 1/4 plug until feeling free sorted it.
I did that to all the sockets just to be sure there should be trouble free operation until next time.
Errr we have a lot of dust where I live.

This was a repair job for a client, so nice to not ask for mega dollars for parts then wait wait wait for them to turn up.

Just something to tuck away should the need arise...

Contact cleaner is amazing. I've only used it a time or two. Before I had any need for it, I'd read/learned about it's existence and usefulness, probably from a post just like this. I bought a can and put it in the gig bag, where it sat unused for years.

On a show we did, the guitarist brought a backup guitar. I guess he hadn't played it in years, but he put fresh strings on it. As soon as he plugged in it was buzz buzz, snap crackle pop, buzz buzz. He looked up at me and said, "New strings and a fresh battery. Any idea what's wrong?". It's pure luck that I actually remembered I had the contact cleaner. Gave it to him and told him to give it a little shot up there. He asked if I was sure it was okay to spray up in there. I told him, no, I've never used the stuff, but that's what it's supposed to be for. For a second, I could see him contemplating whether he should or not. Then he shrugged his shoulders and squirt a couple shots in the jack. When he plugged in again, the world was all good. No more noises. We were both quite impressed with the results that just a quick little shot or two produced. He never did end up playing that guitar in the show. But, still good to know it was there and ready to go if the need ever arose.


Definitely something to tuck away should the need arise. If you guys don't have a can in your gig bag, I'd strongly recommend it.

[AntonZ]

Did you get my soundcloud links Seth? Mind you, for us mere mortal amateurs there is no judgement when playing music for the fun of it, just enjoyment. Curious to hear if you have any suggestions on how to exchange things. I know from some guys who are not able to play in a band setting currently due to the covid19 situation. Instead they record a track, send it on to the next who records his own track while listening to the first on headphones and so on. By the end you have recordings of all instruments (and lyrics, if there is a singer). Just some DAW software to add the tracks together and you have a nice recording of a song where none of the musicians has been in the same room for the entire process, or recorded their tracks at the same time, or in the same time zone, or even on the same continent.

There is also software that allows for real simultaneous playing with two or more players. But that requires low latency computer audio gear (quite affordable these days) and preferably geographical proximity. I'm not sure if we could use that to play together live while on different continents.

[Seth]

Did you get my soundcloud links Seth? Mind you, for us mere mortal amateurs there is no judgement when playing music for the fun of it, just enjoyment. Curious to hear if you have any suggestions on how to exchange things. I know from some guys who are not able to play in a band setting currently due to the covid19 situation. Instead they record a track, send it on to the next who records his own track while listening to the first on headphones and so on. By the end you have recordings of all instruments (and lyrics, if there is a singer). Just some DAW software to add the tracks together and you have a nice recording of a song where none of the musicians has been in the same room for the entire process, or recorded their tracks at the same time, or in the same time zone, or even on the same continent.

There is also software that allows for real simultaneous playing with two or more players. But that requires low latency computer audio gear (quite affordable these days) and preferably geographical proximity. I'm not sure if we could use that to play together live while on different continents.

I did. Thank you for sending those. Not too shabby Anton The fretless bass definitely has a different sound to it. Perhaps there were some plug-ins on the recording too. I've got to imagine it's a little more difficult instrument to master without having set increments with "stops" to create perfect notes. I enjoyed you're recordings quite a bit. I also found the Guardia Nueva recording of just the bass, guessing a home practice session. That was quite good too.

I'm game to try anything. I suck, but I'll do it. I'm down for a world wide cyber song collaboration. Why not? I have Reaper and can use my mixer as an interface to record, or just get a small USB interface. Might be able to use Dropbox to transfer files. No matter how well it comes out, it'll be fun. I'm good with any genre, but something right down the middle seems appropriate. Neil Diamond, Simon and Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Creedence Clearwater Revival kinda stuff would be my vote. But, I'm ultimately completely open to anything that's not a gymnastics routine for my fingers and brain.

Anyone else want in on this? Grant on drums, Bruce on guitar?

Now that I think about it. Isn't there an app that does essentially what were talking about? I kinda recall my dad telling me someone asked him to sing for something like that. Hmm. Might warrant some looking into.

[AntonZ]

I did. Thank you for sending those. Not too shabby Anton The fretless bass definitely has a different sound to it. Perhaps there were some plug-ins on the recording too. I've got to imagine it's a little more difficult instrument to master without having set increments with "stops" to create perfect notes. I enjoyed you're recordings quite a bit. I also found the Guardia Nueva recording of just the bass, guessing a home practice session. That was quite good too.

Thank you
Yes fretless bass is a different ball game. Very nice to do, at times it can be a challenge indeed to get the intonation right. That one was recorded with the bass plugged straight into the little Tascam device, with the built in chorus effect. The tango was a very rare occasion where I played with pro musicians and had to play each and every note exactly as written by the composer. The bass by itself was indeed practice at home. Since I had to play from sheet music but I hardly read music, the piano player recorded her part so I had some material for practice. Usually I play rock or pop music where the bass part is supposed to be about right but with some degree of freedom to fool around.

I'm game to try anything. I suck, but I'll do it. I'm down for a world wide cyber song collaboration. Why not? I have Reaper and can use my mixer as an interface to record, or just get a small USB interface. Might be able to use Dropbox to transfer files. No matter how well it comes out, it'll be fun. I'm good with any genre, but something right down the middle seems appropriate. Neil Diamond, Simon and Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Creedence Clearwater Revival kinda stuff would be my vote. But, I'm ultimately completely open to anything that's not a gymnastics routine for my fingers and brain.

Anyone else want in on this? Grant on drums, Bruce on guitar?

Now that I think about it. Isn't there an app that does essentially what were talking about? I kinda recall my dad telling me someone asked him to sing for something like that. Hmm. Might warrant some looking into.

Sounds good to me. Three bass players at the same time is a bit too much, but if Grant and Bruce want to join in we're good, other players welcome too (drums, guitar, vocals, keys, horns.....).

The house CEO here teaches music. All teaching is remote these days. Mostly the music goes one way, but for a few students they play together simultaneously. For that to work one needs low latency hardware and software. She uses Jamkazam. It works fine for piano "quatre mains" with a student here in the same town. We have never tried intercontinental though, not sure if that still works with increased latency due to the long distances. I have reaper too. And we have two pc's with decent audio interfaces.

This afternoon I plugged a bass into the little Tascam, first time in several years. It went better than expected, although some songs with more complex structure and bass parts really had pieces missing from memory. They will come back to me with some time and practice. E.g. "Stuck In The Middle With You" and some Eagles songs used to be auto pilot for me. Not anymore