A live version of Tina Turner's River Deep, Mountain high by Groovething The North West's premiere party and function band. Featuring our fantastic horn section.Looking for a party or function band, then look no further. Check out our website at groovething.co.uk for more information on how to book.
TC Nova System Preset Delay - Patch or Preset mode?
A short video on the TC Electronic Nova System, explaining the differences between Patch or Preset mode and debunking some of the myths about the preset delay issue. This is also known as the preset lag problem. If you have any more question, just ask!PeaceNeil
Ibanez RG550 White - 25 Years on
Well christmas is the time to spend with loved ones, and I was fortunate to spend mine with one of my most precious things (children!).....my Ibanez RG550 WH, which I have owned since 1988! It wasn't my first guitar, but it was my first 'proper' guitar, and I do love it more than anything! I am aware that I have butchered it by removing the original paintwork, but that is a long story. After playing my original guitar, which was a dubious Strat copy, but equally important as I know what effort and struggle went into my mother purchasing it for me, but two years in and with the influence of Satch and Vai and just how f*****g cool Ibanez guitars looked when compared to Fender's and Gibsons, I knew it was the one for me....well kind of. I was also a massive fan of Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith, and he had a white guitar and he played it on Stranger in a Strange Land....and that was cool. Anyway, I did briefly look at getting a BC Rich Warlock (thankfully sense kicked in, plus you couldn't play it sitting down!), but after saving my pocket money for years, and with a little help from my mum, the RG arrived, and I was instantly in love, a love which is still the same today as it was then! I am not ashamed to admit that I have fallen asleep holding his guitar, we have been through so many gigs together over the years, good ones, bad ones, one where guns were fired, strippers and cream, ho downs, Blues Brother tributes, originals bands, metal bands, funk bands, soul bands, school bands..and I think it shows a little bit on the neck, I think it really needs some TLC, and it will get it!
So why did I strip the paintwork? Well, firstly as an idiot I thought it would be cool to write on it with marker pen (ala Joe Satriani and Tom Morello), but i am a s**t artist! So that was really bad, and also Nuno Bettencourt at that point in time was becoming one of my favourite players (funk and metal combined...now that is where I am coming from!) and he had an natural guitar....and I thought...cool. But at the same time I was studying for my degree in Acoustics, and we had a module on musical acoustics and I was fascinated about the natural resonances of wood and it's properties and how this affects the string. I do strongly feel that a cellulose paint drop dampens the natural resonance of the instrument and reduces it's tone, particular in the HF. I feel, in a more hippy sense, that the natural wood breathes and breathes life into every note, and this was my prime motivation behind stripping the the guitar....just which I had done a better job!!
So why don't I currently play a natural finish guitar.....good question, well I am still waiting to find that dream guitar, I would probably love a Suhr or a Godin, but they are prohibitively expensive as a 'working' instrument, being thrown around at gigs etc. I am sure it will appear one day, and who knows, recently purchasing a Telecaster....maybe I am changing.....nah...Ibanez still RULE :)PeaceNeil
Cornford Roadhouse 30 Combo Review
Now this is an easy review as this is simply a most fantastic amp. I really, really love it, but I say that with a cavat or two. This amp sounds awesome and it has one of the most organic sound overdrives I have ever had the fortune to play. It feels like you really are connected to the sound coming out of the speaker, it is so responsive to your touch and you can so easily coax as note into the most glorious feedback and sustain.
The character of your guitar really shines through, the amp to me has a vocal like quality and the best thing I find is the boost function.
To quote Spinal Tap, it really does give you that push over the edge when you need it, but is a way you couldn't imagine, it adds a kind of velveteen shimmer to the sound and makes you want to play for ever.
So why is this not the top number one amp ever of all time?
Well, having said all that, it is kind of only really applicable to the rock/blues fraternity. Yes it does clean, but not much of it before you get a glorious break up tone, so if you want clean, then go back to Fender, if you want headroom get the 50 Watt and still probably go back to Fender. If breakup is your thing, then welcome aboard.
The open back cabinet seems to fill space gloriously, with real bass meet to the sound, the cabinet and speaker (Celestion V30) work in perfect harmony). Then when you kick in the boost, wow you are like a tone king. The is the first amp I have used at a gig where the other guys in the band went....wow that was awesome.
The amp also takes pedals really well, I used it in conjunction with a Rothwell Audio F1 Booster and this sounded fantastic. In effect creating three levels of boost, with the existing boost switch, giving crunch, distortion and lead tones.
So why don't I gig with it?
Well, the clean is an issue, I do need Fender cleans to cover the material I play with Groovething but it is not just that, it is a very heavy beast (especially when you live up stairs), and the cabinet is slightly deeper than most cabs, and that extra depth makes it difficult to carry over distances, side handles would have been very useful indeed.
Whilst, I love this amp very much and the mere thought of it makes me want to play through it, it saddens me to say I think it is primarily a one trick amp. If you need an amp to cover many bases, then perhaps you need to look else where. If you need an amp to do one thing and do it so so well, then check this baby out!!
Pros
For Blues/Rock, you would be hard pressed to find a better sounding amp (in this price range!)
It sounds amazing, and when you kick in the boost...wow!
Fantastically crafted and sensitive EQ section which is extremely responsive and well tied together
Cons
It is heavy (not Fender Twin heavy) but quite a bit when you live up three flights of stairs and as the cab is deeper than most combo cabs, it is a little tricky to lift over long distances.
It is a bit of a one trick pony (and it pains me to write that), the trick it does it does totally amazingly though
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Neil
A new music video - California Gurls- Katy Perry (Live) - Groovething North West Party Band
So here is a live version of Katy Perry's California Gurls from the recent Moon and Stars Charity ball in Cheshire. The great thing about playing in a function band is the variety of material you have cover. I have to say that this is actually quite enjoyable to play, and quite tricky as the original part is sampled and edited into place!Enjoyand if you are looking to book us then pop over and visit the website here.PeaceNeil
Dunlop Crybaby Jerry Cantrell Wah
So I have been through a few wah's in my time, mostly because I have a tendency (yes believe it or not) to break them. Not the pedal casing etc of course as most wahs will stand the test of time and a nuclear explosion! But the potentiometers and/or internal gubbings tend to go. I have been gigging pretty intensely (and rehearsals, recordings etc) with the Vox V847 Wah for well over a year and a half now, and it is starting to crackle and drop out. I am sure I can fix it easily with some contact cleaner and a bit of soldering.....but the Jerry Cantrell wah caught my eye when it came out, and I really really like the fact you can change the voicing with the control knob on the side, you can set it with across the spectrum featuring at the top end, more...well top end and at the lowest point a much more deeper wah sound, which when you add bit of dirt, you get a lovely vocal wah (and of course it sound very Man in a box at the low end of the sweep). With the control in the middle it sounds to me like a classic crybaby. It is possible to imagine that this wah provides you with not only a classic wah, but a talkboxy style wah and then a high frequency boosty type wah, which could be used to give a nice sound to a lead break.I should add that after all these years of playing this is my first 'signature' piece of gear purchased. Generally, signature pedals, amps, guitars etc are not for me, and personally I guess I see them as a bit of a marketing ploy to get you to spend more cash on what you could pick up much much cheaper (with a few tweaks, which if we are honest relate to the player in question, in their set up, with their gear, playing stadiums etc). But then, why did I break the rule of a lift time, well, because this pedal is fantastic, in a sense Jerry Cantrell isn't an obvious 'signature' player choice, so you know there is a purpose behind this instead of labelling something EVH or Vai because the marketer's know that those guys have the most massive of followings and people will just by a Phase 90 because it has EVH and some stripes on it. (Sorry I should stop being cynical!).Pros
- The range of sounds possible
- Personally I love the 'vocalish' tone you get at the low end of the sweep
- Looks fantastic
- You can't stop playing the Man in a Box riff
- Guthrie Govan uses one :)
Cons
- It is much more expensive that other wahs (unless you manage to get a deal....which I did and I think there are a few about at the moment)
- Let's see how long this one lasts
Video review coming soonPeaceNeil
New live music video - Groovething UK Party and Function Band
What do the Trammps, Donna Summer and Madonna all have in common? Why not check out live concert mega mashup from a recently charity event for the Moon and Stars charity in Cheshire. Currently working on a whole series on videos from the event and a new promo video. We have also recently created a new soundcloud page abd we will be updating it weekly with new tunes!! Hope you enjoy!The songs included are : -The Trammps - Disco InfernoDonna Summer - I feel LoveMadonna - MusicEnjoy and if you are looking to book us then pop over and visit the website here.PeaceNeil
Steve Vai - Back in black
Came across this new video of Steve Vai and 2Cello's doing a cover of ACDC's back in black and I had to post a link to it as it certainly made me smile, it took me back to being 15 again, just joyously appreciating rock and roll and it's simplicity! The same feeling I remember when I first saw the video for Steve Vai's The Audience is listening, which was how cool it is to simply just rock out on the guitar!Hope it brings a smile to your face too.EnjoyPeaceNeil
10 uses for a tablet and the gigging musician
Tablets are pretty fantastic aren't they! I currently have a Google Nexus 7, and it is the perfect size for taking to gigs and using it in a gig related capacity. There are so many things tablets can do, but what about for us guitar players and gigging musicians? Well, I have put together a list of 10 things that I think make a tablet indispensible for the gigging musician and guitarist, that is without looking at guitar apps1) TuitionSo we all have lots of time sitting around waiting at gigs before we go on, sitting wondering what to do. So it could be a great time to do a bit of practice and learning. Thankfully, there are no end of little tutorial applications available for tablets, everything from learning scales and chords, to full on theory apps! Personally, I particularly enjoy watching youtube tutorials or dvd tutorials I have copied to mp4 on my tablet, I can place the tablet where I want it, get comfortable and learn.2) Jamming (warming up)It is always pertinent to warm up before a gig, why not copy over a few tracks onto the device and then jam along, without having to switch on computers etc etcBut what other things for the gigging musician?3) SetlistsHow could would it be if everyone in the band had their set lists on their tablet, all controlled by a master document, saved on something like Google Drive, or something which auto updates. Then, if you decided to make a change, then this could be sent to everyone! Failing that, they do look really cool if you have want to have your set list on the screen!4) Sheet musicChords and crib notes...for those one or two songs you are quite sure about :) Seems like the perfect application!!5) Click tracksIf you or your band play to a click track, then something like this could be invaluable. You can set up your whole set worth of tempos and setlist and bang you are ready to go. If a song changes order, it is quite simple to swipe to the relevant one!6 ) Contacts, Contracts and documentsMight seem obvious, but it is so much easier to read a spreadsheet of relevant contacts details relevant to a gig, rather than scrolling through an address book, on a large screen. It is also possible to have a pdf of the gig contract on the tablet that you can show the relevant people (should you need to!), also you can have pdf's of any relevant insurance or PAT testing documents on the screen to show the one person who wants to see them!7) Manuals I would suggest downloading all the manuals and equipment guides for all of the gear you use in pdf form - then if got a problem at the gig, whip out the manual and rectify the situation!8) Performance recorderThis might sound like a bit of a strange one, but as a learning and improvement tool, it is always useful to record gigs to find out where you are making mistakes and any issues with your technique. The built in video camera means you could point the tablet at you and record you whole performance, watch it back later and look for where you can make improvements! (TIP : make sure you set the input level very low, as stages can be very noisy!)9) SPL monitor and Spectrum AnalyserSometimes it can be quite useful to know what kind of SPL (roughly as any tablet device won't be fully acoustically calibrated) your band is knocking out, particularly is you come across the bane of any bands life....'the sound limiter'. It might not be able to help you prevent the thing from kicking in and powering down all your gear, but it should give you a rough indication of how loud you are, and with a spectrum analyser you should be able to also see where most of the energy is coming in the frequency domain.10) Recording the funny things that happen (and then sharing them on social media!)Gigging can be a funny old business, with a tablet you can record, video, notate all the funny goings on, pre, during and post gig....and then share them on facebook or twitter! Rock and roll!What are your uses for your tablet?PeaceNeil