Double-barreled Rant: Unpreparedness & Wanking. WTH?

[Winston Psmith]

I've also found part of the problem is a lot of guys don't use any kind of logical troubleshooting. They'll randomly check one thing or another rather than use a systematic approach that quickly identifies the problem.

 

For instance, bypass the pedalboard and plug into the amp. Does it work? Great, plug into the last pedal in your chain, does that work? And so on and so forth working your way backwards until it doesn't work, and there's your problem.

 

Of course, the issue with my friend with the multi-fx processor was just that he didn't really know how to work it. When it's all in one box and something isn't working, you gotta use a similar approach to troubleshooting except going through the menus instead of plugging cables.

 

Good point, J. Dead; process of elimination is critical in hunting down a fault. It doesn't hurt to have some kind of bypass loop available, either, so you can keep playing. Like I said before, people aren't giving up their time and money to watch some wanna-be try and get his act together.

 

For that same reason, having a piece of gear you don't know how to operate or troubleshoot is unprofessional and inexcusable. I really don't want to watch some poor jerk on their knees, dialing up sub-menus, trying to get their sound back on. Sadly, I think some inexperienced players approach Multi-FX units as some sort of 'magic box', that will do everything for you, just plug-and-play. That's true, to the degree that you really know what the device is doing when you dial in a new patch.

[Eric Iverson]

I'm glad there are people like, Mr. J. Dead - who have a mind geared to "logical troubleshooting", LOL. It certainly doesn't come natural to me!! But:

 

Let me tell you how I get my kicks

I'm an old dog who still learns new tricks.

 

In other words, what you see makes a lot of sense; and not EVERYTHING I hear these days makes a lot of sense to me, at least in politics......... Not that it seems to matter!

 

 

[Scott Fraser]

For that same reason, having a piece of gear you don't know how to operate or troubleshoot is unprofessional and inexcusable. I really don't want to watch some poor jerk on their knees, dialing up sub-menus, trying to get their sound back on.

 

One I'm seeing increasingly these days in the classical or contemporary classical world is people reading scores on an iPad, turning pages with a foot operated bluetooth pedal. Except, well, except when it doesn't work, which is often enough that I won't trust the technology at this point. People don't understand the gear well enough to know how to re-establish the bluetooth link which is lost if either device is shut down or goes to sleep mode after sound check, or battery levels are low, etc. And you MUST have a paper score in case all else fails. It's just part of the same Boy Scout concept of being prepared that tells us to bring 8 or 10 cables to a gig where our guitar-pedals-amp setup uses 6 cables.

[Eric Iverson]

Yes, it never hurts to have an extra cord or two!

 

"Better to have and not need, than need and not have."

 

Of course, that applies to other aspects besides equipment. Say, learning a tune in more than one key, if you have time. Since singers are prone to wanting to change keys, they're funny that way! LOL

[p90jr]

Yes, it never hurts to have an extra cord or two!

 

"Better to have and not need, than need and not have."

 

Of course, that applies to other aspects besides equipment. Say, learning a tune in more than one key, if you have time. Since singers are prone to wanting to change keys, they're funny that way! LOL

 

People make fun of me for bringing backups... I always have a Crate Powerblock for if my amp blows or something plus a Sansamp to make that sound better or to go direct if it's a speaker that blows, and a backup guitar, and a big bag made for musicians full of cables, extra one spots and effects cables, amp power cords, batteries, strings... I use a pedal snake with a couple of extra lines not used in this rig so I can just switch the line I'm using if it has trouble. Down here in the endless humidity oxidation is a problem with pedalboards, so I will unplug and replug each effect when I set up quickly to make sure that isn't an issue (it still often is by the time he set rolls around after soundcheck or set up).

 

As far as keys, I don't learn songs in a key to begin with... I was lucky enough to live in a musical household (music teacher parents) that was like a long ear-training boot camp, and I learn songs by listening to them and analyzing the melodies and chord changes. It's just abstract relationships to me, so if someone wants to do it in C instead of E, my brain isn't thinking in chord positions at all to begin with, but in chord relationships that aren't anchored to anything. It's been a real asset that makes me look like a genius to most folks. "You've got a Nashville number system brain."

[Caevan O’Shite]

As far as keys, I don't learn songs in a key to begin with... I was lucky enough to live in a musical household (music teacher parents) that was like a long ear-training boot camp, and I learn songs by listening to them and analyzing the melodies and chord changes. It's just abstract relationships to me, so if someone wants to do it in C instead of E, my brain isn't thinking in chord positions at all to begin with, but in chord relationships that aren't anchored to anything. It's been a real asset that makes me look like a genius to most folks. "You've got a Nashville number system brain."

 

Very cool. I generally don't have much trouble with Key changes, myself, so long as important parts are easily enough rendered, as opposed to running out of fretboard and/or strings one direction or another and having trouble voicing said parts convincingly.

 

Hehhehhehh... I apparently amazed some people once when I got on stage and just winged it playing along with a guitarist/singer and bassist (and drummer) whose instruments were tuned a half-step down to Eb, without retuning my axe. It really wasn't any big deal, and easier than hastily retuning and adjusting anyones instrument... For any time that use for a low Open/1st-Position "E"/"Eb" grip rolled around, I just played the Bb and Eb on the 5th and 4th strings at the 1st Fret, omitting the 6th and other strings, sometimes- but not always- using my Octron octave-fuzz pedal for a little added low-end 'oomph'. Other than that, and not always being able to rely on open strings, it was just a matter of playing in whatever the given key was, really no big deal. Players just need to break out of their boxes a little more!

[Larryz]

+1 on being prepared for gigs. I always bring a backup guitar just incase. I also bring extra mic's, chords, picks, etc. I can also go direct to the PA if I have an amp breakdown and can sing through my amp if need be...

 

On the music side, I prefer to have the set list and the keys all determined before the gig...there will always be a few changes for requests, etc., on the fly...but structure is very nice and avoids last minute adjustments and fumbling around with transposing, etc. (which I don't care for). Jams are different and allow for more freestyle and not knowing what will come up. Both gigs and jams are fun...

[J. Dan]

This is off topic, but after some of the responses, I thought I should say something (not that it matters). I spend most of my time in the keyboard corner, and over there we change our avatars and online names for Halloween. So you may not know as "J. Dead" that I'm usually "J. Dan". Furthermore, there was a history. I'm Dan. My stage name in my old 80s band was "Dan Duran". I left that and became "Just Dan", then later shortened it to "J. Dan". The dead thing is just for Halloween.

 

 

For some of you who are my FB friends, I'm Dan Elze. Good to still see you all here, btw!

[whitefang]

Yeah, I remember they used to change avatars here for other holidays as well. I was never able to do that( still can't)but thought it was cool.

Whitefang