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| The dim reality of spending the rest of a beautiful day in here... |
Back at the Atlanta History Center's Grand Overlook Ballroom with Platinum on Saturday (the 10th of March - I date it for my use, as I just completed my taxes reporting and this blog serves as one of many references). This time, as more often than not, we were all there: Virginia, Kevin, Lexxi, Glen, Derek, Anton, Gus, and myself, along with Junius on sound & lights. I got there early with the notion of formulating a signal path for the NS/Stick (to be used with the 10-string Stick as well, naturally). It wasn't meant to be. I have some serious issues with it. I think for sanity's sake, and respecting my role in this rather large cover band, I shall just keep it as simple as possible. I do wish to come up with some kind of plan for the future. Maybe I'm just not that kind of player (yet). I do harbor hope of gaining monstrous "free hands" independence and generating wonderous sheets of sound with my rig. It just seems to require too much floor space with the gear I have.
Part of me is down from the mistakes I made last night. I need to prioritize in a better way to prepare for some of these songs that I think I really know. After playing in this band for 3 years or so, I ought to know how to play You're the One That I Want in my sleep. In all fairness, it wasn't on the list, but still, I should know it. It's one of the few that we drop down a whole step for the vocalists. It's also one that on which I reach for a pick. It's clearly played on a Precision Bass with a plectrum. The part and the chords is fairly interesting. Hey, it's a showtune, so it's not a cheesy doo-wop kinda thing:
Gm
Eb Bb
D7 Gm
Bb Dm Gm Eb
Bb Dm Gm Eb
Bb Eb Bb Eb F
There, I can type it out as I hear the song go by in my head. Why can't I trust myself to remember the changes on stage? A big part of my problem is that I rely on my charts. Then, in the heat of performance, I look up so that I don't look transfixed on the sheet music and I lose my place, then the panic instills itself and it's a minor train wreck. I'm fumbling - this after patting myself on the back for getting the 1st verse perfect. Another tune that was sour was Jlo's On the Floor. I made my great chart, but I still can't understand it well enough to know when to play, lay out, do my thing, whatever... Need to really sit down and just go over it until it's in my head. So not fair! One other excruciating flub was hitting a Bb at the beginning of a chorus on Barry White's Can't Get Enough of Your Love (ouch!). I think we all had a few shaky moments, but when the bass hits a sour note, everybody hears it loud and clear.
Many other songs went very well. I did play the NS/Stick quite a bit and it worked well as a bass guitar. I had raised the action on the B, E, A & D by varying amounts in order to get a better plucked tone. I may back them down just a tad, but I enjoyed the relief and ability to dig in without fretting out. I was also able to tap a good amount. We do Boom Boom Pow and that is a great 2-handed bass tapping motif exercise - easy but more fun to tap than just pluck. Of course, I have always tapped that counterpoint in Just Dance. My synth tone was a bit different and not sure that it was an improvement. All in all, we had a good show and the B&G were very pleased, as were the elder party guests.
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| Detail of my rig: note amp head on it's side (not on the cab); NS/Stick 8-string guitar/bass & Tobias Fretless 5. |
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| Shrimp 'n grits - tasted better than it looks here. Hastily gobbled before I thought to save for posterity. |
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| Hangin' in the green room - in this case, the youngsters classroom in the basement. |
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| More hangin' |
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| Clearly, a conversation in progress. |
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| Just damn glad to be here! |
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| Lexxi is a superstar presence - a great performer! |
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