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It's also a matter of sounds/frequencies. My corporate band is a 14 piece and we still run sequences. We're essentially "competing" against DJs so we need to sound as big as a modern club recording when it comes to the dance stuff. There's nothing worse than coming on after a DJ and sounding like a 90 pound weakling by comparison.
+1 all the way. Music has changed radically over the past 5-10 years, as has customer's expectations as to what live music 'sounds like'. The primary organization I work through (a big 'party band' type booking agency) now includes a DJ as part of the band. Of course, this isn't a cheezy DJ that many are familiar with, but a relatively high end 'hip hop' type DJ that really is 'another instrument'. There are a few of these guys in the organization now (for when there are multiple large gigs per night in different parts of the country), and it really does open up another dimension. These guys dial tracks in and out, add percussion and a bit of scratching, and most importantly, allow the agency to sell 'continuous music' (i.e., no breaks throughout the night) without killing the players. We do a 40 minute full band/20 minute DJ per hour.
Kind of the 'best of all worlds', since you have the fullness of 'tracks' without the pre-programmed limitations on song form, etc. You can still stretch out nicely and keep that 'interactive' feel that tracks sometimes suck out of a performance (IMO).
Pretty cool. Audiences expect much more than a typical 'bar band' that has learned a few pop tunes these days (at least for the high end stuff that really pays).
The requirements of bass tone have changed quite a bit also. Gone (IMO) are the days of the zingy stainless steel active bass modern sort of thing. You rarely hear that in the 'top 40' anymore. Of course, any good player can work with any sort of instrument and sound great, but at least in my world, it is all about fat low end and low mids at this point.
Regarding playing 'simply', of course, I agree. I guess I would just point out that a skilled player playing tastefully with great time is quite a bit different from a player who plays simply because that is the limit of his skill set. Time, time, time!!!!!! It is all about time
It's also a matter of sounds/frequencies. My corporate band is a 14 piece and we still run sequences. We're essentially "competing" against DJs so we need to sound as big as a modern club recording when it comes to the dance stuff. There's nothing worse than coming on after a DJ and sounding like a 90 pound weakling by comparison.
What's interesting is that many bands use keyboards to play the strings and horns. In your band, you actually have the strings and horns on stage, but you sequence the keys. Any reason why you don't have a keys player in a 14-piece band?
Thanks for the encouragement, guys. It's really a fun band to play in, as everyone gets along remarkably well and has a genuinely good time on stage. Munjibunga - good question. We actually do have a keyboard player full time now (the same guy who played on the sequences) and one less violinist.
That's an interesting approach that sounds as if it could work really well. I'd love to see a clip!
Here is a rather dated and a bit bland promo clip for the 'group' (the DJ is much more integrated into the group at this point). My buddy Zeb is actually playing on this demo. There are three or four bassists in rotation in the organization (using the old school terminology, I am 'second call' behind Zeb, who is a monster player), and sometimes there are three or four virtually identical 'bands' playing around the midwest or even farther afield! Fun group to play with... literally hundreds of tunes in the book, and a group of 10-15 singers who are all decent.
Just click on the video screen to start the brief demo.
I guess we are getting pretty far off the Sadowsky path here. I have used my Sadowsky regularly with this group, and Zeb has borrowed my Vintage on occasion! I do have some shots of me with the group, but I'm playing another brand, so not going to post those here.
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Does Sadowsky sell their bridges? I don't see any listed on there site in the on-line store. They resemble Gotoh 201's, but the saddles are flat on the bottom instead of just whole cylinders, I assume so they can be adjusted lower. I've read where Gotoh 201 users cannot adjust theirs low enough.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Joeykun
pronounced ジョーイくん
- Jun 22, 2007
- 4,200
- 16,150
- Disclosures
- Endorsing: LAKLAND SADOWSKY GENZLER DARKGLASS NORDSTRAND TEMPLEBOARD KIRLIN DRSTRINGS ACCESS
Chef
In Memoriam
LutherHeggs00 said:
I plan to buy one from Kevin this week, but I'm not sure if it's open only to NYC bass owners. Call the shop or shoot Kevin an email for more details.
To elaborate on my previous post, I'm buying it to change string spacing on my NYC from 19mm to 18mm, so maybe that's why it's allowed. Again, check with the shop when possible.
This is timely! I was not feeling comfortable with my new to me Modern 5 in the upper registers- I was bumping a lot, especially when skipping a string to get to the next note. It's got the standard 1 7/8" neck. It felt like the string spacing was too wide, wider than on my Jazz Basses. I went to Sadowsky today in Long Island City, and Kevin Drexler was gracious enough to measure the Jazz Bass I brought with me to compare. Surprisingly, the spacing on my Jazz Bass was actually a tiny bit wider than the Modern's. Regardless, I still purchased an 18mm bridge, because from a feel perspective it seemed like my Modern needed to be narrower. After installing it, it now feels right to me. Of course, how a bass feels is an entirely subjective experience. However, for whatever biometric reason, I needed the 18mm bridge for the bass to feel good to me. The string width is narrower than that of my four string Jazz Basses and my MTD five-bangers, but that's what it took for the bass to feel right...to me. It's now ridonkulously ez to play.
So I think they sell bridges, at least if you own a Sadowsky. The bridge is a great design, btw. The half circle saddles allow you to lower the saddle lower than if it was a full circle, so it gives you a lot more height adjustability. It's also surprisingly beefy. Prolly brass, and it's definitely got some mass.
We will sell replacement hardware for NYC owners as needed.
We do NOT sell black hardware for the Metro Line.
Roger
We do NOT sell black hardware for the Metro Line.
Roger
That's interesting - I had the exact same issue with my Sadowsky 5. It had the same spacing as my MTDs but felt too wide for my liking. I actually posted here about it (suggesting that the spacing was wider on the NYC than on my 535) and no one seemed to get where I was coming from. If I'd known about the bridge option I might still own that 5er!
