Latest
The Tour Survival Kit: Practical Tips For Making Life On The Road A Little Easier
The Tour Survival Kit: Practical Tips For Making Life On The Road A Little Easier…
Life on the road is a very daunting as well as an incredibly exciting reality of professional musicianship. Ever since the dawn of musicians making a living at their craft, the need to travel to perform, sometimes for long periods of time, has come with the territory. Whether you are doing a small weekend tour in a minivan or going on an international Lear jet tour for 200 dates, some basic rules apply to all.
My goal for this piece was to try and give some practical tips and reminders for new musicians to seasoned players on how to survive and make life on the road more pleasant while keeping your health and sanity. It is very important to understand the realities of time distribution as well as how you will be interacting with others.
Etiquette and time management are both crucially essentially to any successful tour and one that will make the stress of long term travel seem something more fit for a career rather than a temporary fling.
1: The time you spend playing bass is miniscule compared to everything else, occupy yourself.
I had just come back from my first headlining US tour, 40 cities, 14,000 miles. And the one thing I can tell you after years of touring both on high and lower status are that touching my bass is a tiny portion of my day on the road. Commuting, loading in, sleeping, eating, and waiting are a much huger portion of your day-to-day life.
Occupy these down times and days off with useful educational literature and videos. As much as traveling is a physically exhausting endeavor, thanks to the miracles of modern technology you can now occupy your time with intellectually stimulating articles, videos, and social media outlets to keep the idle mind busy.
If you are a headliner, load in times are either very early (for big bands) or not until 6-7 pm for club acts. The other parts of the day are going to be occupied by the drive and the prep of performing. Idle minds tend to drive people to drink excessively or get into drugs in certain scenes. While I am not in any way fighting, having fun or a few drinks during a show, you can see how all the ‘Behind the Music’ documentaries all had a similar burnout theme by bands that indulged too heavily. If you are a hired gun, this could be a slippery slope that can easily get you fired depending on the attitude of the bandleader. Have fun by all means, but getting drunk because you are bored is a rough road to go down.
2: Make friends with your fellow touring bands and road crews
Life is filled with networking opportunities that you have to be aware of in order to succeed. Apart from a strategic business advantage of knowing fellow touring bands (you never know who knows who), it is also good decorum to be friendly and open during a long and arduous tour schedule.
Over thousands and thousands of miles you come to understand a certain honor-code and procedure for the working musician pulling long road stints. Some people can become your best friends and it might lead to more gigs or more touring with different acts. Sometimes the other band’s members will be difficult to work with, but if you meet someone halfway you are being the bigger and better person in these scenarios of keeping stress to a minimum. This is especially important decorum when it comes to tour managers and booking agents. A bad reputation with a tour manager or agency can lead to a compromised professional future and can be the determining factor in which someone hires you again for a tour/hires your band, or decides to take their business else where. Going the extra mile and helping people on the road is what it’s all about. If you see that you can help with equipment, help move something, or share something, it is greatly appreciated. People do not forget favors like those when thinking about your professional reputation.
3: Bring reliable equipment on the road, and enough of it
Bringing the bare minimum on tour is a recipe for getting seriously fucked over. If it is a cable of some sort bring at least 3 and if it something crucial at the very least bring one back up if you can. While this is very difficult with amps, always bring at least 1 back up bass and as many adapters, power strips, and other portable items. If you have an active bass absolutely always carry back up batteries, trust me your bass will be on empty when you least expect or need it, so watch out for that crap.
If a bass has a temperamental neck that moves every time the wind blows two degrees cooler, leave that shit at home. A bass for the road should be able to take a beating and deal with climate change with resilience. If you have a bass set up really well or have one with a properly reinforced neck, you might be able to go an entire tour without a single adjustment, which saves you an enormous headache.
4: For the love of God simplify your rig
On tour is where Murphy’s Law likes to laugh hysterically at your ignorance and revel in your misfortunes and miscalculations. If something can break easily it will, and I repeat IT WILL BREAK EASILY. Simplifying your rig as much as possible allows you to pinpoint easier any scenario in which an issue may arise. Rehearsals are not just for playing but also should be done with the exact set up you intend on using on the road down to the last detail. A simpler setup will also make your bass much, much easier for the engineer to sit-in the mix and to achieve your optimum tone. Remember that if you have a pedal train wrong or a small cable on the fritz it could cost you money and precious time you do not have. This should go triple if you do not have roadies.
5: Protect your ears:
Whether they are in ear monitors or earplugs, you need to protect your hearing on the road.
Some photos from the road…
Positive Grid launches Spark 2, the next evolution of their cutting-edge smart guitar practice amplifiers and Bluetooth® speakers.
Engineered for acoustic, electric guitar, and bass, Spark 2 delivers an immersive practice and playing experience. Enjoy detailed sound and an all-new upgraded speaker design powered by Positive Grid’s exclusive Sonic IQ Computational Audio technology. With an onboard creative looper, optional battery power, and intuitive AI features for tone exploration and practice, Spark 2 is the gateway to a musical experience that goes beyond expectations.
Proprietary Audio and Advanced Technology
Spark 2 represents a leap forward in amplifier design. It integrates a new DSP amp modeling engine with double the processing power, and at 50 Watts, it packs 25% more volume than the original. Positive Grid’s proprietary Sonic IQ Computational Audio delivers incredibly detailed and dynamic sound. New HD amp models, enhanced by multi-band dynamic range compression and virtual bass augmentation, redefine the sonic landscape.
Equipped with two premium FRFR speakers and reflex ports, Spark 2 offers wide stereo imaging and broader frequency response, ensuring refined bass and clear, immersive sound.
Built-In Creative Looper
Spark 2’s built-in Groove Looper features hundreds of hyper-realistic drum tracks. From basic loops to multi-layered soundscapes or the ultimate jam session, this intuitive tool inspires endless creativity. Onboard amp controls provide quick, on-the-go looping functionality.
AI-Powered Tone and Smart Jam
Spark AI revolutionizes tone exploration. Describe any desired tone in the Spark app – from practical to outlandish – and Spark AI will suggest tones to audition or download. The more it’s used, the smarter it gets, delivering the perfect sound.
Additional smart features make it easy to practice, learn new songs and improve playing skills. Smart Jam listens to the user’s playing style and generates accompanying bass and drum parts, while Auto Chords analyzes any song streamed and displays the guitar chords in real time, to make learning and practicing new songs easier than ever.
Enhanced Hardware Design and Portability
Spark 2 allows for storing up to eight customizable presets directly on the amp for quick access to favorite sounds. Perfect the tone with large, visible onboard controls for looper, EQ, gain, reverb, and more.
Designed for convenience, an optional rechargeable battery provides up to 12 hours of playtime for on-the-go sessions. The new double-thick strap and durable build ensure easy and secure transport. Spark 2 is also Bluetooth® ready, allowing for music streaming and jamming along with favorite tracks anytime, anywhere.
Multiple Outputs and Advanced Features
Spark 2 offers versatile connectivity with a headphone out for private practice, stereo line outs for external audio sources, and a USB-C port which enables it to function as an audio interface. WiFi-enabled, Spark 2 allows convenient over-the-air firmware updates, keeping the amp up to date with the latest features and improvements.
“I’ve used a ton of practice amps while touring the world for over 38 years and it was always just a technical, bland exercise,” says guitar virtuoso, singer-songwriter and producer Nuno Bettencourt. “Spark 2 is like taking Madison Square Garden wherever you go – epic and versatile.”
Color Options
Available in Pearl or Black finish with a dark weave grille and premium finish.
Special Event, Upgrade Pricing & Availability
Join the special live premiere event featuring Nuno Bettencourt and surprise guests on August 1, 2024, at 8:00 am PT/11:00 am ET. Visit positivegrid.com/pages/livestream for more details and to sign up for a reminder.
Regularly USD $299, Spark 2 will be available at special early bird pricing during the pre-order period. Registered Spark 40 owners can also receive exclusive upgrade pricing.
For more information and to sign up for pre-order alerts, visit positivegrid.com/products/spark-2.
A review of the Joyo Gloam – Sub Octave Fuzz Pedal for Bass
Disclaimer: This pedal was kindly provided by Joyo for the purpose of this review. However, this does not influence our opinions or the content of our reviews. We strive to provide honest, unbiased, and accurate assessments to ensure that our readers receive truthful and helpful information.
Introduction: The Joyo Gloam is a sub-octave fuzz pedal specifically designed for bass players, combining modern sub-octave effects with rich fuzz tones. With two independently controlled circuits, the Gloam aims to provide a versatile range of sounds, from deep, aggressive fuzz to Moog-like synth effects. This review will explore the Gloam’s specifications, controls, and overall performance, highlighting both its strengths and areas for improvement.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 130 * 110 * 50 mm
- Weight: 403g
- Working Voltage: DC 9V
- Controls: The Joyo Gloam features a comprehensive control set designed to provide bassists with a wide range of tonal options:
- Dry Tone: Adjusts the tone of the clean signal.
- Dry Volume: Controls the volume of the clean signal.
- Sub Octave Volume: Adjusts the volume of the sub octave signal.
- Gain: Controls the amount of gain in the fuzz circuit.
- Fuzz: Adjusts the intensity of the fuzz effect.
- Bass: Controls the bass frequencies in the fuzz circuit.
- Treble: Adjusts the treble frequencies in the fuzz circuit.
- Fuzz Mode Switch: Switches between two different fuzz modes.
- Dry Tone Frequency Switch: Selects between two different frequency points for the dry tone.
Performance: The Joyo Gloam excels in its dual-circuit design, offering both a sub octave and a fuzz channel that can be controlled individually. However, it’s important to note that the octaver cannot be used without the fuzz circuit activated; the only way to solo the octaver is by turning down the fuzz while both channels are engaged.
Fuzz Circuit: The fuzz circuit includes standard controls such as gain, volume, bass, and treble, along with a fuzz mode switch that toggles between two distinct fuzz modes. While one of the fuzz modes is highly usable and delivers a rich, aggressive tone, the other mode falls short and is less practical for most applications.
Octaver Circuit: The octaver circuit features controls for sub octave volume, clean volume, and clean tone, along with a dry tone frequency switch that provides two different frequency options. This allows for significant tonal versatility, enabling bassists to fine-tune their sound to match their preferences. Despite its limitation of being tied to the fuzz circuit, the octaver produces a deep, balanced sound that stands out.
Combined Effect: When used together, the fuzz and octaver circuits create a wide range of sounds, from classic, aggressive fuzz to synth-like tones reminiscent of a Moog synthesizer. This combination makes the Gloam a powerful tool for bassists seeking to experiment with their sound and achieve unique, textured tones.
Pros:
- Versatile Controls: Extensive control options for both fuzz and octaver circuits.
- Rich Tones: Delivers deep, aggressive fuzz and balanced octaver sounds.
- Sturdy Construction: Durable build quality ensures reliability.
- Wide Range of Sounds: Capable of producing everything from classic fuzz to synth-like effects.
Cons:
- Unusable Fuzz Mode: One of the fuzz modes is less practical.
- Dependent Octaver: Octaver cannot be used independently of the fuzz circuit.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the Joyo Gloam sub-octave fuzz pedal offers a versatile and powerful option for bassists looking to expand their tonal palette. Despite some flaws, the Gloam delivers impressive sounds and flexibility. Its combination of rich fuzz and deep octaver tones, coupled with a sturdy construction, makes it a valuable addition to any bassist’s pedalboard. For those seeking a modern bass distortion with the added depth of sub-octave effects, the Joyo Gloam is a compelling choice for a very compelling price.
Visit online at joyoaudio.com/product/281.html
Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…
Click to follow Bass Musician on Instagram @bassmusicianmag
FEATURED @jermsbass @ramabass.ok @adamovicbasses @mgbassguitars @marleaux_bassguitars @overwaterbasses @mauriziouberbasses @elrickbasses @zemaitisguitars @sandbergguitars
Behind the Strings – Jim’s Corner…
D’Addario & Co. proudly announces the launch of “Jim’s Corner,” a captivating new YouTube series telling the 400-year-old story of the D’Addario family creating the world’s largest music accessories company. This series features Jim D’Addario, Founder and Director of Innovation at D’Addario and Co., sharing his family’s remarkable journey from 17th century Italy to a 21st century global enterprise.
In the first four episodes now available, Jim D’Addario takes viewers back to the beginning, making strings from animal guts and knotting ukulele wire as a family around the television. Countless generations carried the passion forward until the 1970s when the company made it official and never looked back. Jim recounts the creation of strings that inspired legendary riffs, including one by The Who, the launch of Darco strings, the merger with Martin Guitars and the company’s humble beginnings with his wife, Janet and brother, John. Jim D’Addario’s firsthand accounts provide an intimate and personal perspective on the milestones and challenges that shaped D’Addario into the revered brand it is today.
Episode Highlights:
- Episode 1: The Early Days in Italy and the Move to America
- Episode 2: Inspiring Iconic Riffs and Legendary Partnerships
- Episode 3: Launching Darco Strings and Merging with Martin Guitars
- Episode 4: Building the D’Addario and Co. Legacy
Watch & Subscribe Now:
Join us in celebrating this incredible legacy by watching the first four episodes of “Jim’s Corner” on YouTube. New episodes will drop every month so please subscribe to our channel to ensure you don’t miss any future episodes and exclusive content from D’Addario & Co.: www.youtube.com/@daddarioandco
Gear News
Gear News: Aguilar Amplification Unveils Limited Edition NYC Gold Skyline Tone Hammer Preamp
Aguilar Amplification announces the release of the Limited Edition NYC Gold Skyline Tone Hammer Preamp pedal. Hand serialized 1-100, this exclusive edition celebrates Aguilar’s deep roots in New York City with a tribute to its iconic landmarks and vibrant spirit.
Born in the heart of NYC and raised on the road, the Tone Hammer Preamp DI has been an indispensable tool for bassists seeking inspiring tone and versatility. The new Limited Edition Gold NYC builds on this legacy with striking custom graphics encapsulating the essence of New York City. Featuring iconic landmarks from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building, this pedal is not just a tool, but a piece of art embodying the soul of the city. Each unit features a sharp platinum silkscreen over a stunning matte gold sparkle finish, that is as visually captivating as it is sonically powerful.
The Tone Hammer is an essential preamp/direct box for every bassist’s toolbox. The Tone Hammer features fully sweepable midrange frequencies in addition to bass and treble controls. With the Tone Hammer’s pristine D.I. players are set for either studio or stage. To give this tone shaping unit the ultimate flexibility we introduce our proprietary Adaptive Gain Shaping circuitry (AGS). AGS allows the player to kick in an additional gain structure and EQ with the “stomp” of a button. You can go from modern slap sounds to vintage or overdriven. 18-volt operation gives the Tone Hammer plenty of headroom to reproduce the most dynamic playing styles. Separate gain and master controls allow players to dial in just the right gain structure for any instrument.
Aguilar Amplification’s Jordan Cortese adds, “With only 100 hand-numbered units available, this third iteration of our NYC edition Tone Hammer is a collector’s dream. “It’s a homage to our city’s monumental influence on music and culture and celebrates the craftsmanship and the story of Aguilar”.
Street price: $299.99 For more information, please visit www.aguilaramp.com
Gear News: Future Impact V4 Guitar & Bass Synth Now Available in the U.S.
Interview With Barker Bass’s Inventor and Writer Lee Barker
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #4 – Boutique and Vintage Basses, Dress Code for Summer Gigs
Gear News: Ibanez & Graph Tech Launch Multi-Scale Bass with Cutting-Edge Tuning
Album: John Entwistle, Rarities Oxhumed – Volume Two
July 22 Edition – This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Gear News: Positive Grid Launches Spark 2
Gear Review: Exploring the Joyo Gloam – Sub Octave Fuzz Pedal for Bass
Alberto Rigoni On Unexpected Lullabies
