The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club part 22

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by 9mmMike

Anyone using the OnSong Ap? Our primary worship leader has fully embraced this Ap. It is pretty cool if everyone has an iPad.

The pastor of one of the churches I do work for was so taken with what OnSong did for their touring band, that he bought iPads for the whole worship team.

Truly a killer app. Really comes into its own, once you get them networked. The WL jumps to a new tune on the fly, and everyone's screen updates accordingly. How sweet is that?

I'm playing there this weekend, for a Peter Jackson conference. It will be my first time with them sync'd, and I'm pumped.

BTW, you don't have to give everybody an iPad. I've also seen regular LCD computer displays screwed to music stands with a VESA mount. The WL's iPad is connected to a hub via the video output, and away you go.

Clunkier than sync'd iPads, but cheaper, and probably more reliable.

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by dDaddybass

http://www.radialeng.com/r2011/selecting-dis.php
I used this when I choose my JDI. It may not be that easy for you. I know when I go in and set up, the sound guy always says, did you get something new? I've tried to explain the concept of the link I posted, but they don't seem interested. I recommend Radial, whatever route you choose to go (active or passive). I would bet your problems lay in the signal to the board. Output from different basses (active/passive) into the same DI can drive a sound guy crazy. I would suggest staying away from any box that has tone controls, unless all three of the bass players fully understand how the tone settings on their basses really work and how it effects the overall mix in the room.

I should get a commission from Radial for all the JDI's I've sold over the years.

I don't bother with articles or arguments. I just have the sound guy hold it, and feel the weight. Next, I explain that some of the weight comes from the genuine Jensen xformer.

Then I play through it, back to back with their cheap generic DI, and it's generally game over. The truth is, there are lots of high end DI's that sound great, but for most amateur sound people, that's the first time they've heard the difference with a good box, so it makes quite an impression.

[SoVeryTired]

House bass? We have a Squier P for when someone doesn't have their own bass. But of three regular players...

One plays fingerstyle and a little slap. He's only ever played 4-strings.
One plays with his thumb only and won't play a 4-string.
I play fingerstyle with occasional pick, use some effects, and can manage on 4 but prefer 5.

I don't think there's a bass in the world that would make us sound the same! We all have different styles and I like that, as long as the PA guys are getting a useable sound. I like to check that they're happy with my tone, especially when I'm changing anything around.

[Versatek6]

Originally Posted by 9mmMike

Anyone using the OnSong Ap? Our primary worship leader has fully embraced this Ap. It is pretty cool if everyone has an iPad.

I showed it to our MD's husband - our guitar player - a few weeks ago and he's all over it!

We don't have that many iPad users, but I can probably get my employer to donate seven or eight 17" monitors and an 8-channel video distribution amp that are in storage. We'd have to buy the vesa mounts and cabling, but that's not a huge cost.

Lots more cables to mess with, but I know my eyes have trouble with the 9.6" iPad screen at any distance. We'll get into the serious consideration phase in January, I think.

[SoCalBassman]

Originally Posted by joelb79

Thank you for your advice and I do hope to find another church some day. I have kids who got involved and a wife too with a similar story with the same church rejecting her and being judgemental,etct even to her face. She lost interest in going for over a year, but I kept going being the selfish bass player getting what I could out of the situation myself. It's been rough just walking away, but it was the right thing to do.

Late to the game here.

It's unfortunate that you were treating so unlovingly. I don't know why some people treat other Christians like they expect them to be perfect when they aren't perfect themselves. It's pretty sad actually.

If I have one word of encouragement it's to keep in mind that men will always fail you at one time or another and that our walk, our faith, and our life is in Jesus. He is the Author and finisher of our faith and our eternal salvation.

I'm glad to hear that you still consider yourself a Christian. You walked away from a church, not from God. He is still in your heart and always will be.

Being a lover of diversity and having many friends (and some children) who are not mainstream but lovers of Christ, I'm curious what you mean when you say they think you're "The weird one". That is if you don't mind elaborating.

God bless your day brother.

[jmclearnon]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

Then I play through it, back to back with their cheap generic DI, and it's generally game over. The truth is, there are lots of high end DI's that sound great, but for most amateur sound people, that's the first time they've heard the difference with a good box, so it makes quite an impression.

I would definately agree that there is a massive difference. Mainly because the grnd lift actually works properly and removed the mysterious hum from our PA

Tbh our amp is so bad in church i mostly just plug straight into the PA via an EQ rack on stage and sometimes use the amp as a kickback monitor..... Its a bit nuts having 3 amp outs on the JDV lol

[SoVeryTired]

I think a DI's just moved further down my list - I brought my guitar amp for one of the guys to use last night and... the lights are on but no-ones home (I can get a signal using the line out but nothing through the speaker). Either the speaker's blown or there's a bad wire, but I don't have a spare £50 for someone to fix it. It is 14 years old and wasn't that expensive to start with. Maybe I'll just call Marshall - the factory's only 5 minutes' drive away!

If it's reached the end of its life, that's something that jumps ahead of bass gear on my 'to buy' list.

[jmclearnon]

Luckily i can fix most of my equipment when it starts breaking

Thank you Uni education

Stuffs soo expensive i am tempted to design my own stuff and build it myself

[kbaxter26]

Practicing to get good enough to play in my local Church. Praise be to God, He is getting me there. Been 30yrs since I played seriously. Fingers are older and my work has made them a little less nimble than way back then. But, God will get me there.

[SoVeryTired]

Originally Posted by jmclearnon

Luckily i can fix most of my equipment when it starts breaking

Thank you Uni education

Stuffs soo expensive i am tempted to design my own stuff and build it myself

I have the uni education but no useful skills!

[jmclearnon]

Oh electronics degree . . .

[invalidprotocol]

Thanks for all of the responses guys. Going to try and hit everything in one shot.

All of us play 4 string, fingerstyle, no slap. One bass is active with 2 yr old dead stainless strings, one an old precision with 3 yr old flats and mine is a jazz with 3 month old DR Sunbeams nickels. Styles of each player to their bass? R&B, country and rock respectively. We may be playing the same songs in the same format but you can hear the style influences in each. Our fills, accents and general striking technique are all different.

Soon we're considering instrument specific breakouts where we could work together on unifying approach for each song. I think this will be helpful but won't address the sound issue outside of what we may be able to control through our hands.

Our monitoring is totally in ear so no amps onstage. We were having random problems with the power amplification and the boards. Just had to replace the mains because the horns were fried. I think the power amps may have just been replaced as well. We used to have compression on the bass but don't any longer.

My thoughts also were on one of the programmable Sansamp boxes but a solution like that I think would be better managed and protected behind the sound booth. I'm not familiar with rack mount options but hat might be overkill. Maybe just keeping it put away safely until needed would be good enough to protect the settings. Either way documenting settings will be vital.

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by jmclearnon

Stuffs soo expensive i am tempted to design my own stuff and build it myself

I'm still convinced the tube bass amp I built as a kid outshone everything I've ever heard since, to the point I tried hunting it down recently (to no avail, sigh! ) - yes, I stupidly sold it for pocket money.

But, I'm embarking on a new project; starting with speaker cabs that genuinely start rolling off at 30hz (lo-B). Then comes another tube amp.

There's something really satisfying about doing it yourself.

M. <><

[FellowBass]

Playing two of the most "fun" songs for bass this weekend -- The Wondrous Cross (starts with a bass soloing the melody) and I Stand Amazed (very fun line on the chorus). Can't wait!

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by FellowBass

... and I Stand Amazed (very fun line on the chorus).

Ben Cantelon style? Most 'fun' indeed!

M. <><

[mtb777]

Originally Posted by jmclearnon

Luckily i can fix most of my equipment when it starts breaking

Thank you Uni education

Stuffs soo expensive i am tempted to design my own stuff and build it myself

Does anyone here have any experience with BFM Bill Fitzmaurice Cabinets and speaker enclosures?

[khutch]

Originally Posted by kbaxter26

Practicing to get good enough to play in my local Church. Praise be to God, He is getting me there. Been 30yrs since I played seriously. Fingers are older and my work has made them a little less nimble than way back then. But, God will get me there.

Keep at it brother! I was in the same boat just about a year ago except that I had not played seriously 30 years ago, I had only played around with the bass guitar 30 years ago. So I am a far better bass player today than I ever was. Actually I started riding a bicycle again about 3 years ago after a similar gap and I am better at that today than I ever was before too. God is gracious, I'm in the rotation now. Due to a cancellation I'm playing this Sunday and again on the 16th and I am surprised to find how difficult a lot of Christmas music is!

I am also stunned by something I just discovered in the music files for the 16th: a written out part for the electric bass!? I mean it just doubles the bass line for the piano but this is a first for me. Obviously they did not invest any thought into it since it goes down to the A below the B in BEADG so even a fiver would have to be drop tuned to play it as written. But the Hipshot Detuner on my Reggie Hamilton will handle that so I am good to go if I want to use the part. There is another curious thing about the song (Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, arr by Shane Ohlson). There are written parts for 11 instruments, a small orchestra, yet the practice mp3 is an entirely a Cappella performance from the Tomlin Glory In The Highest: Christmas Songs Of Worship CD. The mystery only deepens when you notice that the Ohlson arrangement claims to be based on this very a Cappella performance!!

Ken

[MissingHighs]

^^^ It looks like our MD has also heard the Tomlin version as we're also doing it tomorrow; I've been asked to sub for the bassist who is subbing for the roster'd drummer who can't make it (life can sometimes throw complicated curve balls!).

M. <><

[mtb777]

Tonight is the International Night of Ministry Fundraiser for Believer's Bridge at Grace Cafe and Arts Center for their big send off to a new missions endeavor to an area in the mouth of the Amazon River. Full Dinner and time of ministry with us doing a couple of short sets of Worship and hopefully some instrumentals during dinner time.
Set 1:
Like an Avalanche (Hillsong)
Your Great Name
Beautiful (Kari Jobe)
Set 2:
Jesus is the Lord
10,000 Reasons (now in F for female singers)
You're Beautiful (Phil Wickham)
Should be a great night. These folks started a great ministry opening Pastors Schools high in the Peruvian Andes. When they first went in they told a couple of towns that they would have to build a school or classrooms to have them open up a school, word spread, and when they came back 3 months later, many towns had built classrooms and they ended up training hundreds of new Pastors there in the region where communists had killed many, many Pastors over the years. Good stuff coming to Brazil!! Pray God's Hand moves strongly.

[nick98338]

Originally Posted by khutch

(snip) There is another curious thing about the song (Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, arr by Shane Ohlson). There are written parts for 11 instruments, a small orchestra, yet the practice mp3 is an entirely a Cappella performance from the Tomlin Glory In The Highest: Christmas Songs Of Worship CD. The mystery only deepens when you notice that the Ohlson arrangement claims to be based on this very a Cappella performance!!

Ken

We are playing that song, this week. Our "guide" is a version recorded by Daniel Renstrom on album named "On The Incarnation".