steve mac

Whilst I love this site, it definitely needs a new injection of umph. Will watch with intrest.

I have one but find that the hard plastic of the locking end has rubbed the finish on my guitar, i simply don't use it now.

I find myself constantly reviewing my set lists these days, partly to cater toward my "slightly" younger audience but mainly to keep myself interested. To that end these are a few that I have recently added. Crazy - Gnarles Barclay (play it in the same key as original and have added a bluesy solo at the end) Venus - Shocking Blue / Bananarama (I was looking for a song that went from open chords to bar chords for my students) this song was top of the charts twice twenty years apart so fits nicely with my demographic. Call Me - Blondie (translates well to a solo performer) a hit in 1980 which is scarily nearly 40 ago The Boxer - Paul Simon (I am a weak finger picker, but someone requested this and I thought why not)

Hi, good advice from DaddyMac as as always. Although I have no experience with a Crate amp, I performed many times with a Roland ac60 in fairly large venues i.e. Seating maybe 50 plus people, it was also fine for small patio gigs. I positioned it on a pole directly behind me ( it has a pole socket ) or in a smaller venue on a table at my side. Therefore your more powerful amp should be fine. Now when I play venues that don't have there own PA systems, or sometimes even if they do, I use a single Yamaha Dbr10 powered speaker on a pole behind and slightly to the side, depending an how much room I have as I am frequently crammed into a corner. If feedback is an issue, tone fair it seldom is, I find that by moving the speaker directly behind my head to stop it as my body shields the mike and guitar. I now play sat on a bar stool but still aim to have the speaker just higher than the crowd. This stops the people nearest being blasted out and the sound reaches far further. I would imagine your amp will have a spread of about 90 degrees there for ideally you will be in the corner of the room so everyone can hear. I use a TC Helicon playacoustic pedal for both guitar and vocal effects and also for looping. I also use a TCHelicon mo75 mike which I have found bulletproof and gives a warm clear sound. My Hurcules boom stand sits on my right if room permits and this also holds my tablet holder. Speaking of which it's been quite a while since I have seen a performer using a ring binder on a music stand, a cheap second hand iPad and Onsong app will allow you to sort your songs in anyway you can imagine, deal with any backing tracks/break music and be far less noticeable and less to carry. ( I will post a couple of picks of my set up and you will se how unnoticeable it is.) (I use a hybrid PRS usually so hat is what the Atomicfirebox pedal is for) Hope sope of this helps Cheers Steve

The standard of amps sims is such that I would take a long hard look at the new Atomic Ampli Firebox which is due out any day. It's the size of a single pedal has some built in effects and can handle downloaded IRs. Their existing products produce, to mine and others ears, some fantastic tones both magnetic and acoustic. Plus of course the advantage of having your amp in your guitar case and a single lead out to the board. Just an alternative for consideration. https://blog.andertons.co.uk/guitars/atomic-amplifire-namm-2017

Just added "So Happy Together" by the Turtles after watching them perform it live and the "baa baa ba ba bas" in the chorus really encourage the audience to participate. I also added The BoxTops " The Letter" I toyed with this once before but never felt I could do it justice vocally, so tried it again changing it from am to em and voila right into my comfort zone. My audience especially in the off season is more mature so this era really suits and I love doing songs that folk havent heard for years that "take them back". Having never done an instrumental, I decided to start off easy with "Apache"

Have my first gig of the year in a couple of weeks and with a couple of addtions my set list will be chosen from these The Searchers - when you walk in the room CCR - Bad Moon Rising Beatles - Hard Days Night Monty Python (Eric idol) - Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi Sam Cook - Bring It On Home Van Morrison - BEG Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love Eddie Cochran - C'mon Everybody Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Dobie Gray - Drift Away Elvis (all done with BT) - Thats All Right Momma - Girl of My Best Friend - Teddy Bear - Just Can't Help Believing - In The Ghetto Robbie Williams - She's The One - Let Me Entertain You T Rex - Hot Love Slade - C'mon Feel The Noize Buddy Holly - Oh Boy 4 Non Blonde - What's Up Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger Beatles - The Night Before Lionel - Easy Rubettes? - Sugar Baby Love Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime REO - Take It On the Run Cliff Richard - Summer Holiday Dion - Teenager In Love Johnny Tilitson - Poetry in Motion Hermon's Hermits - Something Good McFly - It's All About You Tom Jones - It's Not Unusual Dexys Midnight Runners - C'Mon Eileen Eagles - Tequila Sunrise - Peaceful Easy Feeling Leo Sayer - One Man Band Beach Boys - Then I Kissed Her Lobo - Me and You and a Dog Named Boo Beatles - She Loves You Gerry and the Pacemakers - Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying The Knks - Waterloo Sunset - Sunny Afternoon - Lola Baloo the Bear - The Bear Necessities Labi Sifre - It Must Be Love Cheers Steve

Nice list Dad am surprised by the inclusion of The Fab Fours I Need You, not one of the more common ones, so good for you Cheers Steve

Am trying to do Help Me Rhonda as a solo act using a harmoniser on the chorus but still very much a work in progress Cheers Steve