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When you see an unprofessional band with terrible tone...


GoldJim

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Went out Saturday night and saw a local band and OMG, the only person with decent tone was the bass player. The club was small, so it was very intimate. The drummer was hitting the drums as if they had ticked him off, so every cymbal crash was an ear piercing experience for the listener. I remember thinking, you can be Neil Peart some songs, but most of the night, you should be Charlie Watts. I hope you get the references. The guitar and the bass were wireless. If this was a blues or early prog rock gig (e.g. Pink Floyd-esque), compression might be a worry, but this was a pop cover band gig, so no worries. That said, the guitarist couldn't stop messing with his sound. He was constantly adjusting the levels of the PA and his rig. They had an iPad controlling the PA, and mid-song, in a 3 piece, he was constantly adjusting the PA; but with the din of the drums and the level of compression, his adjustments were completely undetectable. He would finger his chords, but not strum a chord for 2 or 3 measures. The bassist/lead singer was used to this, because she just kept right on playing.

 

The guitarist then went to work on the output of his wireless system and his multi-effects pedal. He was using a Zoom G3X, and it sounded like he was using the "Heaviest Metal" setting, even though much of their set was full of 80's pop! I don't think anyone told the guy that he might get some perceived volume and more control of his tone if he just backed down on the gain and took some of the fuzz out. After they finished about 5 songs, he walked up to his mic and said, "we've got some sound issues we have to look at, we're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back." Back? You didn't leave the stage! LOL. Anyway, then he proceeded to make some more adjustments to his G3X to no avail, then he threw his took his wireless pack out of his pocket and threw his guitar on the floor. "CLANG!!" it went to the floor loudly enough to grab the attention of everyone. You would have thought

was about to give investment advice. (Did I lose you in my pop references yet?) Good thing he had an identical axe on a stand. I have to hand it to Schecter for making a decently unbreakable axe, cause this guy was putting it through the paces.

 

Because this guy was wireless, he was running all over the place, constantly dodging people who were trying to deliver drinks or just get to their tables. The poor girl was stuck on the stage and was just burning batteries, because she could have been wired the whole night. Then came the inevitable "Our friend is coming up to sing a song with us", and here comes Drunky McDrunkerson to slur his way through "Pride and Joy". Finally, the bassist could use her wireless to give him some room, and it's just Drunky and Neil Peart-alike on stage.

 

All of that aside, most of the crowd loved them, and they were entertaining and fun. Girls were dancing, guys were buying beers, and people were really digging the songs. Almost every comment I heard was positive. Was their tone awful? Yes. Did the guitarist act like a 12-year old for the first half hour? For sure. Did they settle in and entertain the people and give the folks a good time? Heck yes! Well done, guys, and yes, I would come out to see y'all again. It was fun.

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It's all about the ladies, dancing and booze sales. It moves the economy and generates $$$. Repeat next weekend

 

Gear issues have plagued musicians since way back it the day.

 

 

 

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So how was the eye candy on the dance floor?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The eye candy was incredible. The bass player was a sweet little red head as well. As I said in my wrap up, despite everything, this was a good gig, the girls were cute, and the crowd was spending mucho denero. Overall, I'd give the gig a strong 7.

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It's the entertainment business. How you entertain them really is secondary. Add as much musical art and skill as you can and still be entertaining---and with any luck you might even move some people with your art. But never forget that those who entertain will get the gig. Even if their tone sucks ass

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Went out Saturday night and saw a local band and OMG, the only person with decent tone was the bass player. The club was small, so it was very intimate. The drummer was hitting the drums as if they had ticked him off, so every cymbal crash was an ear piercing experience for the listener. I remember thinking, you can be Neil Peart some songs, but most of the night, you should be Charlie Watts. I hope you get the references. The guitar and the bass were wireless. If this was a blues or early prog rock gig (e.g. Pink Floyd-esque), compression might be a worry, but this was a pop cover band gig, so no worries. That said, the guitarist couldn't stop messing with his sound. He was constantly adjusting the levels of the PA and his rig. They had an iPad controlling the PA, and mid-song, in a 3 piece, he was constantly adjusting the PA; but with the din of the drums and the level of compression, his adjustments were completely undetectable. He would finger his chords, but not strum a chord for 2 or 3 measures. The bassist/lead singer was used to this, because she just kept right on playing.

 

The guitarist then went to work on the output of his wireless system and his multi-effects pedal. He was using a Zoom G3X, and it sounded like he was using the "Heaviest Metal" setting, even though much of their set was full of 80's pop! I don't think anyone told the guy that he might get some perceived volume and more control of his tone if he just backed down on the gain and took some of the fuzz out. After they finished about 5 songs, he walked up to his mic and said, "we've got some sound issues we have to look at, we're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back." Back? You didn't leave the stage! LOL. Anyway, then he proceeded to make some more adjustments to his G3X to no avail, then he threw his took his wireless pack out of his pocket and threw his guitar on the floor. "CLANG!!" it went to the floor loudly enough to grab the attention of everyone. You would have thought

was about to give investment advice. (Did I lose you in my pop references yet?) Good thing he had an identical axe on a stand. I have to hand it to Schecter for making a decently unbreakable axe, cause this guy was putting it through the paces.

 

Because this guy was wireless, he was running all over the place, constantly dodging people who were trying to deliver drinks or just get to their tables. The poor girl was stuck on the stage and was just burning batteries, because she could have been wired the whole night. Then came the inevitable "Our friend is coming up to sing a song with us", and here comes Drunky McDrunkerson to slur his way through "Pride and Joy". Finally, the bassist could use her wireless to give him some room, and it's just Drunky and Neil Peart-alike on stage.

 

All of that aside, most of the crowd loved them, and they were entertaining and fun. Girls were dancing, guys were buying beers, and people were really digging the songs. Almost every comment I heard was positive. Was their tone awful? Yes. Did the guitarist act like a 12-year old for the first half hour? For sure. Did they settle in and entertain the people and give the folks a good time? Heck yes! Well done, guys, and yes, I would come out to see y'all again. It was fun.

 

 

 

Back in the day, I bought a fuzztone (don't judge me!) so I could get that overdrive rock sound. An older guy I played with pulled me aside and told me to junk it. He then asked me to sit down and really listen to the bands we were trying to cover- ZZ Top. the Allman Brothers, Free, the Stones, Santana, and so on- and listen to the guitar tone. And so I did, for hours, until I had that "AHA!" moment and realized it was almost all natural overdrive I was hearing, and the tone really wasn't all that distorted. At the time I had an old late 50s Bassman head (which I traded away because I'm a dumbass) and I removed one of the output tubes and got a more natural overdrive at a lower volume. That as the beginning of getting away from high output heads and stacks and going with lower wattage combos and letting the PA do the work.

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