I sold all my big gear Im so happy and life is better

[lifeloverwg]

 

Generally, I'd say that's correct.   Anymore, I avoid restaurants or any place else where there's live music

[agedhorse]

I know where Mark's coming from. It seems like vereybody wants to play on top of each other. There is a reason for "space and time". SPACE exists so things do not happen on top of each other and TIME exists so it all doesn't happen at once.

 

I am a big stickler for good arrangements. That means each part has it's time and space, they work together rather than against each other. I also tend to like the more folk side of rock, blues and jazz. For these genres to succeed, the arrangements must be constructed to allow for time and space.

 

Oh something else that really sticks in my craw... I would much rather hear a band play a simple arrangement with good execution that folks in way over their heads (their chops not as solid as their egos) trying to play more difficult arrangements poorly. Save that for practice or the living room.

[W. M. Hellinger]

 

i never leave on the second song just out of respect of the performers.

 

I show as much respect for the performers as they appear to express for their audience and/or their "profession". When I look on stage and see an order or two of magnitude difference in the value of the PERSONAL instruments being used vs. the GROUP's production gear, I have a hunch I know where their priorities lie. I usually stay until the start of the second song out of an inborn respect for the performers, but I'm usually proven right with my hunch and realize by the second song that it

[rhat]

 

WOW! What a bummer life would be for me if I have that outlook on live music,I try to get the best out of every live performance i go to and i never leave on the second song just out of respect of the performers.the only reason for me to leave that fast is if it wa.s to loud and some are,i just would leave then to protect my ears. But hey we are are different. Peace!

 

 

 

If its too loud I will bail .....Typically if its too loud, you wont hear anything worth staying around for anyway. rat

[Preacher Will]

 

But all of that is not particurally my point. My point is: If more gear, or less gear ,or more expensive gear, or cheaper gear, improves the entertainment product or makes it more suitable for the situation, then the decision is fine. If less or cheaper gear is decided on 'cause it's cheaper and easier, but it negatively impacts the quality of the finished product, then that's just taking the easy route without respecting the customer or profession. off as professional entertainers MOL without regard for doing what it takes to produce a quality product (and oftentimes taking the lazy or cheap way out, 'cause it's cheap and easy)... resulting in a bad product, then this is one customer who isn't gonna buy it.

 

 

When I was in college, I had a poster which proclaimed "My tastes are simple, I like to have the best." The photo was a Rolls parked in front of a mansion. In the ensuing years I have learned that "the best" is not always everything its cracked up to be and that not everything has to be "the best." There are many times when "good enough" is, indeed, good enough.

 

While, like you, I don't believe in paying for bad product, I have different expectations between your average bar band and an A-level touring act. The fact that a set of Yammie Clubs isn't going to be nearly as clear as a Meyer rig doesn't bother me. For many applications, they're plenty good. I have to admit that I have chosen to use some "less or cheaper gear" because it is "cheaper and easier" even knowing that it "negatively impacts the quality of finished product" because I never intended to deliver anything beyond "good enough."

[W. M. Hellinger]

 

Just last Monday we had a great night with Too Slim and the Taildraggers at a little hole in the wall BBQ joint.

 

Tim "Too Slim" Langford and The Taildraggers are a Spokane, WA band (right in my back yard). I've worked with them many times in the past. Unfortunately, they don't play as much in their backyard as they used to. Too Slim is one of the great bands from the area. Another is "The Fat Tones":

 

http://www.thefattones.com/

 

A truly excellent band.

 

Spokane and the general area has a history of some great bands, but as an interesting side-note, last summer I worked a show with Jr. Cadillac... which is another great Inland Pacific Northwest band. During the show, they did a short tribute to other past great area bands... but admitted, that was the past (like what happened?) I believe Ned Cullan (leader of Jr. Cadillac) now lives in Mexico.

 

Wiley and The Wild West is another great local band, but I only know of one (1) instance where they've played locally.

 

http://www.wylieww.com/

 

Wiley lives near a neighboring small town that's even smaller than Farmington.

[alcohol]

I'm sick of roots music, Americana and anything that smack of "good taste."

[W. M. Hellinger]

 

While, like you, I don't believe in paying for bad product, I have different expectations between your average bar band and an A-level touring act. snip I never intended to deliver anything beyond "good enough."

 

When what seems to be passing for "good enough" is just cheap and lousy, then what's the point? Why have a band if it drives the crowd out of the venue, and what little crowd is left "comes alive" when the band quits playing? As is all-but the rule of what I've seen in these parts in the past few years. Why buy more cheap/lousy cloths if none of them fit well, feel well, or look good?

 

"Good enough" generally needs to have at least a modicum of "good" quality to it.

 

I don't think I'm alone in this. A few years ago I cruised music row in Nashville. On a beautiful Saturday night, the street and sidewalks were PACKED. You couldn't hardly make your way down the sidewalk for the crowds. The only place downtown where there was any elbow room was in many of the clubs. One club after another with a crap band, no cover, tumbleweeds blowing through the place, and nothing but a few drunks at the bar... and a sea of people outside looking to have a good time. I didn't care how cheap or cold the beer was, I wasn't gonna stay in the club and endure the crap flowing off the stage that was being passed off as "professional" entertainment. Judging by the empty clubs and the sea of people right outside the door, I wasn't the only one with that attitude. Gee... what's wrong with this picture?

[W. M. Hellinger]

American Idol cultural mindset doesn't help either. The fact of the matter is most people don't have any real talent and they should just sit down and shut up.

I happened to actually see American Idol the other day, for the first time. The announcer for the show explained there was some excellent talent among the female contestant pool, but they were groaping for finding similar talent among the pool of male contestants.

[agedhorse]

 

I don't think I'm alone in this. A few years ago I cruised music row in Nashville. On a beautiful Saturday night, the street and sidewalks were PACKED. You couldn't hardly make your way down the sidewalk for the crowds. The only place downtown where there was any elbow room was in many of the clubs. One club after another with a crap band, no cover, tumbleweeds blowing through the place, and nothing but a few drunks at the bar... and a sea of people outside looking to have a good time. I didn't care how cheap or cold the beer was, I wasn't gonna stay in the club and endure the crap flowing off the stage that was being passed off as "professional" entertainment. Judging by the empty clubs and the sea of people right outside the door, I wasn't the only one with that attitude. Gee... what's wrong with this picture?

 

 

One of my clients just returned from a few days in Nashville and he said almost exactly the same thing. Lots of great players playing for nothing with pretty crappy systems to few patrons. It's endemic to the Nashville scene.

[W. M. Hellinger]

 

IMO a lot of band's problem arise from too many instruments trying to play at the same time. No one seems to want to stand there holding a guitar and not playing it, while someone else plays a part in well arranged song structure. Same goes for keyboard players, it seems they think they allways have to playing SOMETHING, no matter that it muddies everything up. When you get a keys player and a bass player who both like to walk the basslines, it really goes to pot. An acoustic/electric guitar doesn't have to play every chord in the song or play lead licks throughout the entire song. It also seems that EVERYONE wants to sing. Every rider we get lately seems to have 6-7 vocalists on it. There are VERY FEW, and I mean VERY FEW bands that can pull off a good sound with 6-7 instrumentalists singing. One place you don't seem to see all the "extra" notes is with classically trained orchestra players. If the horn player has a part to play he plays it, then he shuts up until the next time he has a part. I've never heard a tuba player randomly playing notes "just to fill out the mix". Having been a music major in college and studied classical guitar and vocals for 3 years may have jaded me, but I like a well arranged piece of music where everyone has their own part to play, they play it, and then they shut up. Les

 

On the nose. If you don't mind, I'm fixin to print this and hand it out at our next vanity band practice.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

IMO a lot of band's problem arise from too many instruments trying to play at the same time. No one seems to want to stand there holding a guitar and not playing it, while someone else plays a part in well arranged song structure. Same goes for keyboard players, it seems they think they allways have to playing SOMETHING, no matter that it muddies everything up. When you get a keys player and a bass player who both like to walk the basslines, it really goes to pot. An acoustic/electric guitar doesn't have to play every chord in the song or play lead licks throughout the entire song. It also seems that EVERYONE wants to sing. Every rider we get lately seems to have 6-7 vocalists on it. There are VERY FEW, and I mean VERY FEW bands that can pull off a good sound with 6-7 instrumentalists singing. One place you don't seem to see all the "extra" notes is with classically trained orchestra players. If the horn player has a part to play he plays it, then he shuts up until the next time he has a part. I've never heard a tuba player randomly playing notes "just to fill out the mix". Having been a music major in college and studied classical guitar and vocals for 3 years may have jaded me, but I like a well arranged piece of music where everyone has their own part to play, they play it, and then they shut up. Les

 

 

 

Yup.

[J.]

I'm happy to have "downsized," although we usually use house PA's so gear isn't much of an issue aside from our backline. Before I was playing slop rock with loud guitars and drums and whatnot, and now I'm playing old time country tunes with acoustic guitar, upright bass, and snare drum. Needless to say the PA requirements are much less for such a set-up (guitar and upright both have pickups and small amps) than they were for a full drum kit and big backline gear.

[hamer]

Look how this conversation has gone when all i said was ,

I sold all my big gear Im so happy and life is better !

[Al Poulin]

Look how this conversation has gone when all i said was , I sold all my big gear Im so happy and life is better !

 

 

Try starting a thread called ''I sold my mixwiz and Yorkville Elites and picked up a Behringer mixer and Behringer Eurolive speakers. Life is better!'' That should get a few responses.

[preacherman672]

On the nose. If you don't mind, I'm fixin to print this and hand it out at our next vanity band practice.

 

Don't mind at all, in fact I'm kinda flattered but IME if they aren't willing to learn something different you're better off dumping them and finding someone else. Around here the same basic players get tossed around to different bands until a good match is found. Sometimes it sounds good sometimes not

 

One local band has 5 electric guitarists, two drummers, one "percussionist", a bass player, a keys sit-in, and all of them sing, including the drummers. I may have forgot a few, I can't remember. We've only run sound for them outdoors so we usually mic up everything and send them a good monitor mix, cut everything out of FOH except a couple guitars, two vocalists, and one kick drum.

 

Everyone is amazed at how "good" they sound on our system

 

Les

[hamer]

Try starting a thread called ''I sold my mixwiz and Yorkville Elites and picked up a Behringer mixer and Behringer Eurolive speakers. Life is better!'' That should get a few responses.

I sold all my crown and shure mics and replaced them with wallmart mics

LOL!