J. Dan

Fretless Intonation

So are the wood blocks just sitting on the "arms"? Is that the part that slides? Can you just lift it off.

The ability to slide the top board forward and back is a VERY novel idea and takes care of the issues of acces to lower tier controls.

I don't think this is always true. I have played in several casinos where I would agree that this is the case. But I've also played in some where the Musical entertainment is used to attract new people to the casino. Still true that the ultimate goal is gambling revenue, but in those cases, the band is the main attraction - a means to an end. I would agree, even in those cases, times are very strict - they often plan promotions, etc., around break times, etc. to draw the band crowd into the casino. In terms of volume, I've never played a casino where house sound was not provided. So really, it's up to them to control the volume. Incidentally, this is no different than any bar. Bars don't hire bands because they want to promote the music, they hire bands because they want to sell alcohol. Alcohol, gambling, same thing - you're there to get butts in the door making them money.

Don't have to get a license, but you are considered a vendor. Have to go by security and turn your drivers license in for a vendor badge. No drinking or gambling. Also, they do criminal background checks. You have to supply your places of residence going back 10 years. One of the local bands has to get a sub for their bass player every time they play a casino because he had a DUI conviction.

Actually, I was just posting on FB regarding an ex bandmate, and happened to thing of one way back. We were doing a Duo at the time and both had long hair. We were loading in the side door to the bar, and had stopped to chat about something. Our backs were facing the street. This old guy pulls up and says "Ma'am, Ma'am, excuse me, ma'am..." Finally we turned to look, and he just says "OH!" and drives off.

OK, a little OT because it's my day job...but my division sells Industrial Flow Meters. Some of our shirts say "Flow Team", others just say "Flow". So I don't remember if I was at a hotel or a bar (or a hotel bar), but this gal asks me my name. I say "Dan". She says "then why does your shirt say "Flow"? Needless to say, they called me "Flo" for the rest of the week.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of information on here on modern technology, with the exception of the video part. I'd suggest you search the forum for existing threads about the technology to get you started, then ask specific questions from there. Just to bring you up to current technology and terms, following are some terms: Analog/VA - you're familiar with analog synthesizers like the minimoog and prophet 5, I'm sure. While there are still analog synths out there, you'll also see "VA" which stands for Virtual Analog - it's a digital model of analog synths. Sampler - means you can record your own sounds and play them back (like the mellotron, but digital). ROMpler - is a term used to describe a keyboard loaded with a whole bunch of samples that does sample playback, but does not allow the user to sample their own sounds Modeling - like VA, there are other modelling engines that emulate anything from B3, to electric pianos, strings, acoustic pianos, etc. Unlike samples, they mathmatically generate the sound the way the original would have. The advantage is that you can control parameters specific to the orgininal instrument, like key click, bleed, etc. on B3. Workstation - a workstation combines one or more synthesis types in a keyboard along with an onboard sequencer. Some sequencers allow for not only MIDI tracks, but audio tracks as well. An example of a modern workstation is the Korg Kronos which includes 9 different synthesis engines with an onboard sequencer that includes audio tracks and onboard effects. Various manufacturers have different terms for what could be considered a vary complex Arppegiator. Korg has Karma, Roland has RPS (at least that's what they used to call it, maybe they've changed that). Those can help in doing more complex arrangements "live" rather than canning your backing tracks. In terms of lighting and video, those don't tend to be discussed much here. Roland has some products geared towards this such as the V-1 which is like a video sampler. Video clips can be triggered via MIDI as well as looped, speed controlled, etc. They also have video mixers, etc. Lighting generally uses DMX, but a lighting controller can be controlled via MIDI to change scenes, etc. You'll find you want to approach something like what you want to do from one of 3 angles. 1) Use an onboard sequencer to trigger tracks, video samples, lighting scenes from a hardware workstation, 2) Record audio/video in a studio with a click track and play along, 3) do a laptop based system with sequencing, audio, video all in the laptop and use a controller keyboard to control sounds in the laptop and/or modules, etc. Anyway, welcome again - look around, and feel free to start threads asking questions as they come up.

Playing While Singing

I occasionally fire up my Mac Classic running Performer on System 6.7. 4 Meg ram, 40 Meg HD. As long as it's just MIDI, it does everything I need.

Not if you want them to occupy the dance floor. Depending on how you look at it, the 99% could be the ones on the dance floor, or all the other punk-ass bands in town.

The 1% (first album: Occupy the Dance Floor)

4EA Transforms

That's you in the video I posted? Nice work - I'd be interested in you shedding some light on exactly what you had set up as far as splits, layers, and anything else going on to accomplish all the parts.

I really want to rig up some robotic birds and legs, leave the stage, and do Herbie Hancock's Rockit. [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBOBpLJeOb4 I could have a camera offstage pointed at my hands and put it on a little B&W TV onstage. The opening scene with the milk bottles would be me kicking the damn beer bottles off the edge of the stage.

There was a group of gals looking over the stage as I was loading the set list in my keyboard last weekend. I just figured they were checking out the giant rubiks cube or other 80s paraphanlia on stage. Then I hear one say "there it is" and I could see the mischievous looks of a girl contemplating jumping on stage. I just gave them a "don't even think about it" glare. One of them says "I'm a tambourine player".

Any clone would be better than the triton. It has some ok organ sounds and the Leslie sim isn't bad, but there is just no comparison to a clone. I have a triton and thought the organ sounds were good until I bought a CX3. No comparison. I feel like I can't find a good organ to save my life on the triton now. And the cx3 (used, purchased from our own Hookie) was relatively cheap.

This one may hav already been on here.... C, E-flat and G go into a bar. The bartender says, "sorry, but we don't serve minors." So E-flat leaves, and C and G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished and G is out flat. F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough. D comes in and heads for the bathroom saying, "Excuse me. I'll just be a second." Then A comes in, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor. Then the bartender notices B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and says, "Get out! You're the seventh minor I've found in this bar tonight." E-Flat comes back the next night in a three-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender says, "you're looking sharp tonight. Come on in, this could be a major development." Sure enough, E-flat soon takes off his suit and everything else, and is au natural. Eventually C sobers up and realizes in horror that he's under a rest. C is brought to trial, found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of D.S. without Coda at an upscale correctional facility.

-5Celsius more like 23 Farenheit. BTW, Celsius is the "normal" degrees. Oh, Americans........ Oh how wrong you are. I was joking, but for the record, Tf = (9/5)*Tc+32. So Tf = ((9/5)*5)+32 In otherwards, 41 degrees F. So my off the cuff estimate of "around 40" was pretty frickin close, but who's counting? ...wait a minute... you have MINUS 5, I thought he had 5.... BIG difference. Well, if it's 5, I'm right, if it's minus 5, you're right. How's that? EDIT: I just went back and looked. On my screen, the minus was at the end of the line, and the 5 was on a new line, so I missed the minus, sorry.

5C? What is that in normal degrees? Like, 40 or something? Who has a 5 ft deep pond at their house, anyway? I'm surprised you didn't tell us it was 1-1/2 Meters deep or something? Glad you're OK!!! The stories I hear on here never cease to amaze me. Beats a desk job any day, doesn't it? BTW - you could probably almost fit your hobbit house in that pond, eh?

Yeah, I'm on week 2-1/2. Honestly, it's probably a bit above my normal ability level, but I'm one of those guys who, if I practice it enough, will eventually nail it. People think I'm better than I am because of stuff like that that I've taken the time to nail.

Since I've started speeding it up to "boston speed", I've noticed some of my voicings aren't working so well. I've made modifications that probably aren't right, but then again maybe they are. As far as slowing it down, you read my mind, I was thinking of doing that and transcribing it note for note. I'm probably currently more accurate on the hard parts than the easy parts because I just skimmed over the easy parts and didn't really transcribe, just to get it down to where I could play it through. So far, the way I'm playing it (right or wrong), I can pretty much do it almost mistake free at about 3/4 speed. When I get up to full speed, it's sloppy and full of mistakes. But I'm getting closer.

I've been playing it 888420000 just because it seems like the higher parts are missing a little sparkle when it gets going, but I agree that at the very beginning 888000000 sounds about right.

You look a lot different that your foot with the expanding eyeball! Your singer doesn't speak European in Europe? Last time you were in my neck of the woods was a weekend and I was playing, but the time before that was a Sunday at Broadway Oyster bar I think (or maybe BB's, I don't remember). I had just (re-)joined the forum and didn't think as much of it. Next time you're in St. Louis area or Central IL and it's not a Fri or Sat night, I'd love to check you out!

WOW, that's really interesting! I had ALWAYS heard that he did that with the motor break. In fact, I read a CX-3 review that criticized it because the recovery from the brake was not fast enough compared to THAT song. Not that I don't believe you (I do), but can you cite sources?