Is it me or my drummer? Our weak attempt at Atomic Punk

[LanierP]

Ok, here is 'So this is Love', which should be called 'So this is bad', cuz in my opinion, our drummers issues are even more obvious on this tune. 2nd to last tune of the night and only done because of a couple VH heads requested it, most of the band is pretty sloppy at this point. I thought the Mezzabarba sounded pretty good on this on tone wise. Bring on the bashing on this one. It's pretty rough.
L

https://youtu.be/nv1XmGDwXkY

 

[d1469d]

I don't think the drunk people can tell the difference. Do yourself a favor and don't play songs your band sucks at. It is not worth the band drama it may cause. Nit picking everyone's playing isn't going to get you more gigs. Showing your having fun and getting the crowd to drink the well dry will however. I have seen bands half as good as yours get booked solid just because of the crowd following. Also don't take request. Play what you rehearsed for. A bad mistake a lot a bands make is trying to make everyone happy and that won't happen. EVER. Maybe the drummer is talking smack about your playing on a drummers forum. Who knows ? Chill out and fun. You guys look stressed on stage. I thought for second your lead singers feet are glued to the floor. People want entertained. I DID NOT SEE ONE karate kick out of any of you ! You obviously actually practiced your guitar to get as good as you have. But know karate kicks, dry humping the air or anything ? Do yourself a favor and strap your guitar on stand in front of a full length mirror and practice your karate kicks and dry air humping. If nothing else it will attract all the lounge lizards too your side of the stage. This will make your lead singer jealous and then he will try and out do you. Next thing you know everyone in the band will be trying to out air hump everyone and now you have a stage show. let's get with the program ! YOLO !

 

[LanierP]

I don't think the drunk people can tell the difference. Do yourself a favor and don't play songs your band sucks at. It is not worth the band drama it may cause. Nit picking everyone's playing isn't going to get you more gigs. Showing your having fun and getting the crowd to drink the well dry will however. I have seen bands half as good as yours get booked solid just because of the crowd following. Also don't take request. Play what you rehearsed for. A bad mistake a lot a bands make is trying to make everyone happy and that won't happen. EVER. Maybe the drummer is talking smack about your playing on a drummers forum. Who knows ? Chill out and fun. You guys look stressed on stage. I thought for second your lead singers feet are glued to the floor. People want entertained. I DID NOT SEE ONE karate kick out of any of you ! You obviously actually practiced your guitar to get as good as you have. But know karate kicks, dry humping the air or anything ? Do yourself a favor and strap your guitar on stand in front of a full length mirror and practice your karate kicks and dry air humping. If nothing else it will attract all the lounge lizards too your side of the stage. This will make your lead singer jealous and then he will try and out do you. Next thing you know everyone in the band will be trying to out air hump everyone and now you have a stage show. let's get with the program ! YOLO !

I get your point brother, I really do, but you watching clips here from set 4 second to the last tune. We started at 8:30, this is around 1am. My Eddie splits as well as the rest of the bands signature moves had already shot their wad hours prior. And for my cut of the take (150$), that's all the entertainment that the 10 people left at 1am in this bar are gonna get out of my 48 year old ass.
That aside, I'm just trying to make us better, but to do so, you got to address where the problem is. I think our drummer has a chronic timing problem that effects this band and keeps it from reaching a higher level of polish. There's no tension. Just thought this would be a good spot to get some feedback because nobody else in my band is hearing this. If you want to see animated air-thrusts and such, I can post a tune or two from the first couple sets, but showcasing my guitar moves on here isn't why these vids were posted. I assure you, we ain't glued to the floor brother, and 20 years ago, I was often criticized for being to friggen goofy and animated on stage.
No big deal though man, I hear your words of jamdom and agree, the show is a giant part of the gig. It's important to me bro. I mean, scope them lights and fog brother. Thems be mine!
L

 

[messenger]

A few months ago my drummer started using in ears and downloaded a metronome app for his iPhone. Seems to help with tempos.

 

[Rick Lee]

I wanna play. As far as I can tell, our drummer only missed the clicking sticks part at 1:52.

 

[Loudness250]

Your drummer seems to be heavy handed, not really crisp and super on point but he gets it done. I can see why that might be frustrating. It's like he's lagging just barely. Your singer is pretty good! He does a good early Dave vocal minus the high high scream.

 

[LanierP]

I wanna play. As far as I can tell, our drummer only missed the clicking sticks part at 1:52.

Now that's what I'm talking about. Friggen solid. Great cover man.

 

[Rick Lee]

Well, the OP's guitar playing was right on, but he could only work within the parameters of the drummer's mistakes. The duh duh - duh - duh after the guitar solo was skipping some beats, but that was on the drummer, so the others had to play along. Not their fault.

 

[LanierP]

Well, the OP's guitar playing was right on, but he could only work within the parameters of the drummer's mistakes. The duh duh - duh - duh after the guitar solo was skipping some beats, but that was on the drummer, so the others had to play along. Not their fault.

Hey man, looks like an older Marshall you got there on your video, curious what your blowin thru brother. Sweet lookin Ax and great playing man!
Len

 

[Rick Lee]

Thanks. That amp was a last second change. I had my EVH Stealth packed up in the car and decided to bring the Marshall 1959SLP RI just as I was heading out to set up. Cab is an EVH with V30s in the bottom, stock speakers up top. Pedals I used are a HOF Mini, MXR Phase 90 (script) and MXR Flanger. Marshall has had a pre-PIMV, cascade mod and loop installed. That thing absolutely nails the Brown Sound better than any other expensive boutique and was way, way cheaper. It's just one of the good ones.

I think I had my DiMarzio AT-1 in that Frankenstrat for that show. I had just gotten that neck a few days earlier, so it wasn't set up as well as it is now. But that neck is a lot more dense and with better tone than the last no name neck that was on there. If you browse my YT channel, check out Everybody Wants Some from that same night. My Marshall just sang on that one. This is one of those amps that I feel just makes me play and sound better than I otherwise do. But then I've always been a good faker and, like George Costanza, my whole life is one big lie.

 

[LanierP]

Thanks. That amp was a last second change. I had my EVH Stealth packed up in the car and decided to bring the Marshall 1959SLP RI just as I was heading out to set up. Cab is an EVH with V30s in the bottom, stock speakers up top. Pedals I used are a HOF Mini, MXR Phase 90 (script) and MXR Flanger. Marshall has had a pre-PIMV, cascade mod and loop installed. That thing absolutely nails the Brown Sound better than any other expensive boutique and was way, way cheaper. It's just one of the good ones.

I think I had my DiMarzio AT-1 in that Frankenstrat for that show. I had just gotten that neck a few days earlier, so it wasn't set up as well as it is now. But that neck is a lot more dense and with better tone than the last no name neck that was on there. If you browse my YT channel, check out Everybody Wants Some from that same night. My Marshall just sang on that one. This is one of those amps that I feel just makes me play and sound better than I otherwise do. But then I've always been a good faker and, like George Costanza, my whole life is one big lie.

Very cool brother. I'll take a look at your channel and check out EWS. Really tight band and you guys have the look down. Your Diamond Dave had me doin a double take! My 76' mxr Flanger shit the bed right before showtime, so I had to do atomic without the cool airplane sounds in the various parts. It developed a bad buzz between our last practice and when I showed up to set up at the gig. It's the only tune I use it on, so it wasn't a total loss, but I need to get it diagnosed. Where do you put your flanger in the signal. I was putting it first, then phaser, then a little boost from the Cusak...into amp.
Thanks man. Good to talk to a fellow Eddie expert.
Len

 

[Chris6870]

Drummers are drummers. I got one. Says the same thing yours does.

I have one too. Why do I need a click track ,I'm playing in perfect time.

I wouldn't sweat it. It's just covers and it looks like fun. Your band sounds great and most non musicians won't notice/don't care.

 

[Rick Lee]

Drummers are drummers. I got one. Says the same thing yours does.

I have one too. Why do I need a click track ,I'm playing in perfect time.

I wouldn't sweat it. It's just covers and it looks like fun. Your band sounds great and most non musicians won't notice/don't care.

Yup. If I weren't a VH disciple, I'd have never noticed.

 

[mdc1mdc11]

Drummers are drummers. I got one. Says the same thing yours does.

I have one too. Why do I need a click track ,I'm playing in perfect time.

I wouldn't sweat it. It's just covers and it looks like fun. Your band sounds great and most non musicians won't notice/don't care.

remember you are in a band, playing with your drummer, not Alex Van Halen. Flying in formation means playing as a band and you need to lock into your drummers playing...your audience will appreciate it, at least those that notice (lol)

 

[JP Overdrive]

Hey there,
we have something in common, i'm working on a bunch of Van Halen songs for a project, and i'm using the exact same amp you have! A early version/2015 Mezzabarba Overdrive, with single foot-switch. ( the new one have a bigger foot-switch). I am part of the Mezzabarba outfit, their home base here in USA, I liked the amp so much, i wanted to be part of.
I like the sound i hear from your videos, it’s interesting that you use the first channel, and i find myself using the second ch, to get my Eddie sound.
Here’s a video clip of me with the amp the simple gear i use to get there.
Second ch preamp volume at 6, minimal boost in from of the amp with a pedal ( any boost/dist/overdrive pedal can sort of do the job here, as long as it is set up right ) i’m using a Jetter Helium boost-pedal, I got a BOSS DD3 delay in the loop, and a noise gate before it. Don’t really need the noise gate, but this particular one, a older version of the Decimator, works so good, that i leave it on and don’t feel it at all, and zero noise is kool. Amps like Bogner, Friedman, Custom Audio i like, the Mezzabarba for me was the choice because of the “feedback”, i get a lot more usage from the amp using it. Like you, i run it about 1/2 above the middle, for Van Halen tones, in the middle for fatter bluesier/Les Paul tones, less for darker/heavier tones still.

www.facebook.com/overdrivedistribution/ ... 4052161553

 

[LanierP]

Hey there,
we have something in common, i'm working on a bunch of Van Halen songs for a project, and i'm using the exact same amp you have! A early version/2015 Mezzabarba Overdrive, with single foot-switch. ( the new one have a bigger foot-switch). I am part of the Mezzabarba outfit, their home base here in USA, I liked the amp so much, i wanted to be part of.
I like the sound i hear from your videos, it’s interesting that you use the first channel, and i find myself using the second ch, to get my Eddie sound.
Here’s a video clip of me with the amp the simple gear i use to get there.
Second ch preamp volume at 6, minimal boost in from of the amp with a pedal ( any boost/dist/overdrive pedal can sort of do the job here, as long as it is set up right ) i’m using a Jetter Helium boost-pedal, I got a BOSS DD3 delay in the loop, and a noise gate before it. Don’t really need the noise gate, but this particular one, a older version of the Decimator, works so good, that i leave it on and don’t feel it at all, and zero noise is kool. Amps like Bogner, Friedman, Custom Audio i like, the Mezzabarba for me was the choice because of the “feedback”, i get a lot more usage from the amp using it. Like you, i run it about 1/2 above the middle, for Van Halen tones, in the middle for fatter bluesier/Les Paul tones, less for darker/heavier tones still.

https://www.facebook.com/overdrivedistri ... 4052161553

Hey man,
Thanks for checking out my post and yes, it's very cool that we have the same amp. I haven't found anyone else that does. Since it seems your more in the know on these amps, I'm curious as to what the difference is between our version and the newer ones. I see they have a 2 button footswitch. Any idea what the extra button does? I only had about 4 days with mine till I had my gig, so I had to quickly dial in a sound that worked for our songs(we do 4 Van Halen, out of 40 songs). I figured dial in the VH sound first, and the switch the boost off and on with the toggle on the front for songs that require lower gain. I played the whole gig on channel 1. I like channel 2 a lot, but to be channel 1 seemed more alive, but I needed just a tad more gain out of it. I hit it with the Cusak up front and it sounded really nice. I am going to dive into channel 2 more deeply and see if I can bond with it. Let me know what your settings are for channel 2. I like your tone in the clip and it would be a great starting point for dial in.
Len

 

[glip22]

Footswitch has an extra boost that activates by footswitch only on channel one which adds quite a bit of gain. Plenty for rhythm. No boost control knob on new amp. Not sure if it equates to boost knob on full. Channel one can get a great plexi high gain vibe.

 

[LanierP]

Footswitch has an extra boost that activates by footswitch only on channel one which adds quite a bit of gain. Plenty for rhythm. No boost control knob on new amp. Not sure if it equates to boost knob on full. Channel one can get a great plexi high gain vibe.

Hey brother, do you have one of these? I totally agree with you about Channel 1. Very plexi sounding and can get up into hi gain with my boost knob dimed. I'm actually glad that mine has a boost knob, instead of just on or off. Would be really cool if it were footswitchable. Also I think having a Master volume on this amp would have been nice. At my gig, the sound guy wouldn't let me turn the amp up past 1 on the volume knob. Volume comes on quick and at 2.5, it's loud as shit. I'm liking the amp a lot, and think it's a keeper ( got by the weekend to send it back).
Len

 

[JP Overdrive]

My settings on the video, on CH2 are: everything at 6, at a starting point, and usually i leave it as is, depth 5/6 ( depending on what spks i'm using ) feedback 1/2 ( depending on what spks i'm using ). I have two cabs, one with Celestions 75w, one with Greenback 25w, the 75w are more V-shaped eq sounding, so i back off on the depht & feedback, the 25w are smoother sounding, more sweet mids, less bass, so i ad bit of depht and open the feedback for extra "bite". With the mids, i find myself adding bit more , if i'm using the 75w spks, bit less with the 25w.
The issue with the loudness of the amp...yes, it scared me, at the beginning, how loud it gets as soon as you turn it up, i asked the engeneer/designer of the amp about it, he told me that the amp is designed to be "up/gained up" at any volume, so to get that thick/overdriven sound, the master is not a conventional master, it keeps the sound steady at any volume, and since we all like that crunch tone, the amp gives you that tone from the beginning. I got used to it, at live gigs i do bring it up 3-4, and i like the fact that it's the same sound i get at home. My Van Halen tone on my video is nice, but if i want to be totally honest, let me tell you this: i use the CH2 because i'm....lazy!!! LOL. I use CH2 because, since it has the extra gain, it gives a more compressed overall sound, that, for me, it makes it easier to play...i give it a bit of a boost with a pedal and i get a great sound, BUT, if i want to hear yet a closer-to-Eddie tone, then, CH1 is where i find it. CH1 needs to be pushed more, with a good gain pedal, to reach the level of distortion needed, but, CH1 is truly like a Plexi, where the sound is open and responsive, i have a original 73 Marshall hand-wired-with Mullard tubes head i bought when i was a kid, that sounds like... ( GOD ) and the CH1 is right there with "that" sound.

 

[LanierP]

My settings on the video, on CH2 are: everything at 6, at a starting point, and usually i leave it as is, depth 5/6 ( depending on what spks i'm using ) feedback 1/2 ( depending on what spks i'm using ). I have two cabs, one with Celestions 75w, one with Greenback 25w, the 75w are more V-shaped eq sounding, so i back off on the depht & feedback, the 25w are smoother sounding, more sweet mids, less bass, so i ad bit of depht and open the feedback for extra "bite". With the mids, i find myself adding bit more , if i'm using the 75w spks, bit less with the 25w.
The issue with the loudness of the amp...yes, it scared me, at the beginning, how loud it gets as soon as you turn it up, i asked the engeneer/designer of the amp about it, he told me that the amp is designed to be "up/gained up" at any volume, so to get that thick/overdriven sound, the master is not a conventional master, it keeps the sound steady at any volume, and since we all like that crunch tone, the amp gives you that tone from the beginning. I got used to it, at live gigs i do bring it up 3-4, and i like the fact that it's the same sound i get at home. My Van Halen tone on my video is nice, but if i want to be totally honest, let me tell you this: i use the CH2 because i'm....lazy!!! LOL. I use CH2 because, since it has the extra gain, it gives a more compressed overall sound, that, for me, it makes it easier to play...i give it a bit of a boost with a pedal and i get a great sound, BUT, if i want to hear yet a closer-to-Eddie tone, then, CH1 is where i find it. CH1 needs to be pushed more, with a good gain pedal, to reach the level of distortion needed, but, CH1 is truly like a Plexi, where the sound is open and responsive, i have a original 73 Marshall hand-wired-with Mullard tubes head i bought when i was a kid, that sounds like... ( GOD ) and the CH1 is right there with "that" sound.

Very cool man. I'll try these settings on ch2 and see how it goes. Do you feel that our amps being the earlier version don't need whatever was done to the more recent ones with the two button footswitch? I'm still not clear on what the difference is between the 2 versions . Mine has a serial # that starts with 15xxxxx.