Funky, Bluesy Band... Plse check out audio

basscentric · #1 07-03-2005, 09:45 AM

Hi all...

If any of you have a moment, plse check out audiofiles at www.spinynormanband.com. I'd appreciate your thoughts.

basscentric · #2 07-04-2005, 11:27 AM

any opinions?

burk48237 · #3 07-05-2005, 06:24 AM

I hate to be the first to post on something like this. I listened to two tunes, Cissy strut and Footprints. First overall, I liked the kind of 70's Miless "looseness" thing it worked great in spots. Guitar player had a unique tone, cool in and of itself, but it didn't always work in the bad setting, and the drummer was "punchy, dynamic," but needs to watch his time . Now to the tunes Cissy strut, Nice pocket on the verses good bass tone, but on the Choruses the drummer is dragging a lot, He needs to be a little less busy and push the pocket more. On Footprints, it sounds like your using some type of Delay on your bass, and the guitar player using delay or chorus too, IMO one of you should go back to a clean sound. Maybe your looking for spacey but it never really tightens up and I can barely pick out the melody in the head. In a trio setting two guys using delay at the same time is usually not a good Idea. Hope this helps, you guys have a lot of potential so keep at it.

basscentric · #4 07-05-2005, 06:41 AM

Hey man...Thanks for the input. I appreciate it... i like the looseness myself but i think sometimes there does need to be more melody in some of our tunes, notably footprints. Thanks for listening.

Whafrodamus · #5 07-05-2005, 10:50 AM

I listened to Cissy strut. The groove is okay, the guitar players tone is unique. The guitar player drags a little bit, and I can't stand the tone (yes, I mentioned the tone twice). The bass was solid.. Overall, nice work.

bassballnut · #6 07-05-2005, 02:05 PM

I listened to most of the MP3's. Very cool overall. I agree the guitar players tone was unique, but I really liked it. I also dug how he came through with one new idea after another in the long jams, very talented. Interesting bass effects too. I didnt have a problem with the dual echoes on footprints. Its a very trippy interpretation of footprints, you do the chords a little differently. I could see how somebody used to the straight jazz version might have problems with it, but it is what it is.

I couldnt tell on CS whether the guitar player was playing behind the beat or dragging ever so slightly. I guess whether you dig what he was doing depends on which thing you think is going on. One way or the other, he seemed to be playing on the beat for the other tunes.

I thought you were very in the pocket most of the time. Like someone else said, the drummer was off time sometimes. He plays a lot of interesting fills and seems talented, but he may need to be a little more boring and stay on time a little more until his chops develop.

I might like to hear you explore a little more during the long jams, improvise some lines as counterpoint to the guitar player.

all in all, good work.

basscentric · #7 07-05-2005, 02:26 PM

Thanks for those comments. I have noticed that sometimes I play it a little bit too conservatively and should improvise more. I'm always afraid of the ship crashing and that holds me back. My bandmates do a lot of phrasing variation and fills and I feel like somebody should be "watching the shop." I think that's one downfall of a trio. Although, there are a few songs like waterwheel where i think i could do more.

Groover · #8 07-06-2005, 01:28 PM

What is that effect that you are using at the beginning of "Footprints"? Is it a pedal of some sort?

I really like that intro.

basscentric · #9 07-06-2005, 08:06 PM

I use a Behringer V-Amp Pro... I'm not a huge Behringer fan (most of their stuff is pretty bad) but there are a number of cool settings which i have found useful on the unit. I'm at work...and i dont remember the exact setting it's on for footprints... i did some knob twisting and saved it as a preset. I'll check it out and let you know once I'm home.