Everything used to be "analog", as I call it , back in the 70's and '80's - just plug and play.

I don't really mean analog, just my phrase for simple - picking up your instrument and playing. Just you and an amp.

Now things are so complicated. So many music software programs, and complex effects rigs. The young musicians I hear talking these days mention use of these. They sound like scientists. It seems like you have to know alot about computers and these programs to make it these days. Chains of differing amp heads. Use of more than one distortion pedal in a row. All i have to offer is plugging in my bass and playing for someone. I don't know anything else about the biz. I feel so outdated. And I am only 43!!

My job interview for playing bass in a new headliner group these days would be:

Q: So, besides playing bass, what else can you offer the band? Are you familiar with SquirrelMonkey ProStudio 2.5?

A: ...the...which???...(listless, soft, thumps on bass during awkward silence).

Q: OK, Have you ever submitted an entry on YobiSing?

A: Oh, I know him! He was Luke Skywalker's mentor in the Star Wars movies, wasn't he?

Q: I see you brought that '68 silverface Bassman head and cabinet to play for us today. What would you actually need onstage for your rig?

A: uhhhh.....

It's all Bill Gates' fault. He started the whole sorry path to each of us having to be our own system engineers.

_________________
Shirley Has The Blues

Blacktop P Bass
mim Deluxe P Bass Special
mim P Bass
Ibanez BTB405

All the modern Electronics have really got me buffaloed I don't know whether I'm coming or going. So far I haven't blown anything up but there's always a first time
----Danny,

THREE KNOBS AND THE TRUTH!

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

I see where you're coming from. There is a lot of high-tech gadgetry out there these days. I am just barely learning how to use computer recording software. When it comes to playing though, I play through a single channel tube amp and One overdrive pedal. Simple is better for me; and I have accomplished a tone I really like with minimal gear.

_________________
Check out my new FB music page!

https://www.facebook.com/TheDevilandMe.Music

No, because it's the only music world I've ever known. That said, I prefer analog recording to digital, tube to solid state, etc...

_________________
Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

"For anyone who plays music on skins, strings, and tube amps with a vintage attitude. No solid state, effects racks, electronic, drum machine or sampling allowed! Post pics of your old amps, give and solicit advice, talk shop!"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/130892083655852/

_________________
Shirley Has The Blues

Blacktop P Bass
mim Deluxe P Bass Special
mim P Bass
Ibanez BTB405

"Do you feel obsolete in this modern music world?"
lungimsam, no. I see opportunities to work with new gear very helpful. Keeping up with new information can be time consuming. I don't use pedals often but have used them in the past with good results. I agree with your guitar cable amplifier simple method of creating music, but you might find a pedal or other electronic gear that you like in the future. You aren't outdated, from your post you say that you're a bass guitarist, so that explains it, bass guitarists can get emotional then project those emotions onto other subjects. Keep on playing that bass guitar

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I do feel that way sometimes. There was a time when I was getting into just a basic Cubase program. I still use it for practice writing solos and vocals, but not anything more. I found that when I was getting into all of the recording aspects in depth, my playing skills live would suffer.

There are certain things where I'd just rather leave it up to other people to do. I don't really want to get into being an engineer or producer, I wanna write and perform. Too often these days the younger generation wants to be musician/engineer/producer. Online collaborations are rampant as well. The internet can be friend or foe. Too often, a strive for internet fame is enough for musicians. But eventually, people want to experience it live, and guess what? Recordings and youtube vids generally become lost in the cesspool.

probably the best thing I ever did as a musician was walk away from the idea of recording as a hobby or goal to make a living. The amount of countless hours spent sifting through the billions of ways to record and edit was too time consuming. I'd rather pay a good studio to do it any day. I think I actually save money in man-hours by going that route.

I've gone through my share of multi-effects units as well, only to revert back to individual pedal use for the same reason. So much time spent programming sounds and trying to bank them, only to have set-lists change and do as much or more tap dancing trying to get to the right bank, accidental tapping the wrong button or switching on the onboard tuner and having sounds drop off completely. It's just a mess to me and a headache. At least with the individuals, it's on or it's off. Act accordingly.

As far as tube vs. solid state? I'm not sure where that fits in here. I do know that these days we play 10-15 shows a month, and I have no problem using SS just for that reason alone. We play outdoors a lot in high temps. My tube amp wouldn't stand a chance for very long, and I don't want to put it through that kind of abuse. Secondly, the very idea that an average crowd can distinguish the difference is very low.

I wouldn't sweat it very much. Always keep in the back of your mind that live performance is king. If you can play, you can play. In the end, your musicianship is the heart and soul of it all no matter what you use. If some other musician can't accept that, that's their problem.

_________________

I have a friend who owns a very modern "AxeFX" system. Computer in, computer out, all kinds of gimmicks in between. He can do this, and that, and change everything again and ... whadda whadda. Last week his band wanted him to pay for a wireless headset they decided to use.

He's always surprised when I ask him to fire up his Bad Cat amp instead. Pure, simply music. Sounds better than any processed stuff.

Cheers

David

_________________
"Humans think they are smarter than dolphins because we build cars and buildings and start wars etc...and all that dolphins do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around. Dolphins believe that they are smarter for exactly the same reasons."

Every band needs a Bass Player, not every band needs a Software based Studio Engineer.

If you want to be a more valuable asset, learn how to sing harmony.

And, honestly, any self respecting band leader would be proud to have a '68 bass man sittin' next to the drum riser, assuming it's works every time you turn it on.

_________________
"Persistence Is The Father Of Invention"
-Crazy Old Man In Training

NO Music styles change..or more correctly Popular Music styles are about as constant or consistant as quicksand...once upon a time using an electrically amplified instrument was considered a crime on par with blasphemy...the saxophone wasn't deemed worthy for consideration as a legetimate instrument. Fortunately music in all it's various forms, genre's is ageless. Mozart, Bach and Beethoven's music is just as vital to those who like it as it was when it was being performed by those composers. Just like life..music changes and the methods of making music grow also. But new methods do not invalidate older methods and it is the combining of the new and old that fuels the spark of creativity that ends up being MUSIC

_________________
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancin'

No, I do not. My day job is making music for advertising, video, shows and games, and I would be obsolete if I had a Luddite attitude about modern rchniques. Right now, I'm working on a video game score that blends hip-hop, dance and horror movie elements with a slightly comical edge... And it uses instruments ranging from a phreaked NES chip to a 1950s lap steel played through a 1940's Ampro-branded Magnavox speaker. This music could not be produced without modern computer recording tech.

From my perspective, talking about "straight into the amp" as if that were the natural baseline is no different than players 50 years ago talking about how electric guitars sounded like crap and it didn't take any talent to let the tubes create the harmonies for you.

_________________
Jim Bordner
Gravity Music - www.gravitymusic.com
Composer, producer, Egnater Artist

Foo Fighters recorded there stuff on tape in a garage, Weezer only uses a Wha and a DS2, not everyone uses 10 plus pedals with 5 pre amps and power amps into a Berlin Wall of Marshalls and then into protools. Blame the 80s for all the guitar effects, blame the late 90s for computers

_________________

Don't kid yourself: I've seen pics of the "garage" Foo Fighters recorded that last album in, and it was crammed with mic preamps that cost more individually than your entire guitar rig. And you think those Weezer albums sound they way they do using nothing but a wah pedal and a juice box? Sure, that and about a zillion dollars worth of top-shelf mics and outboard.

There's plenty of analog flag-waving going on, but there's also usually a shiny aluminum Macintosh in the room. "Hey, Rivers, what's with the Mac?" "Oh, that's... uh... mumble, mumble... er, it's a.... murmur, mumble.... uh, the, um... ProTools rig."

_________________
Jim Bordner
Gravity Music - www.gravitymusic.com
Composer, producer, Egnater Artist