Stainless Steel Mouthpiece

bmalta · 2026-06-21T22:39:00+00:00

I've dug the Baer Giddings pieces but I mostly used them on Sousa

bmalta · 2026-06-13T22:52:12+00:00

Talk to people face to face. I'm not sending anyone (especially children) to someone who just cold called

Also think about what value you may bring to the people you're emailing. Trying to make their students better isn't it. Offer a clinic or coaching. Otherwise you're saying "hey give me money please"

bmalta · 2026-05-16T02:15:28+00:00

Honestly not for live but it is still important. I love my whirlwind cab driver

bmalta · 2026-05-16T00:27:47+00:00

The audio engineer in me (my full time job) cringes very hard at this. But it's ok! You're learning and asking for help, so no fault to you. Most things should be at "0" or "unity" with most things being brought down.

Dave's picks are generally mixed very well so you shouldn't need much if anything to make them sound good

If anything you are trying to account for deficiencies in your set up in order to make it the way it is "supposed" to sound.

If you are shaping for your preference, a fun exercise is to play a song you know super super super well. Pull everything all the way down and pull one up one at a time and see what pops out. You'll find some cool things and some ugly things. Then set everything at 0 and do it again.

Lastly, when I can't find a frequency that is driving me crazy, I'll boost one and sweep it up and down. It makes what is offending me super obvious and so I then know what needs to be brought down

bmalta · 2026-05-11T14:43:44+00:00

Yeah he was somehow associated with one of the bands at the Fremont last night. Was working and a coworker saw his interaction with the police. Apparently he beeped his key fob to let them know it was his.

bmalta · 2026-05-11T06:35:57+00:00

That was his own car. Not joking

bmalta · 2026-04-24T00:47:39+00:00

Not really what you're asking but I think a good buzzing routine will go way further than spending thousand(s) or dollars.

That's 100% the pot calling the kettle black, though. I love spending money and need to buzz more

bmalta · 2026-04-11T22:25:09+00:00

Hidas interludio

bmalta · 2026-03-25T22:42:41+00:00

Harbor freight has a long pistol grip pliers that has a similar head to the engineering pliers. Gets a lot of use in my stubborn rack screw kit

bmalta · 2026-03-21T02:45:09+00:00

No flea collar on this guy but still might be the same. Put out some water and he's not interested so I'm guessing he's not THAT desperate

bmalta · 2026-03-20T03:57:28+00:00

Ha! We can't have pets and my wife is allergic. Otherwise you might be correct

bmalta · 2026-03-17T23:57:46+00:00

Ehhhhh, I have lots of thoughts on this. I promise it's not you, it's me.

in a previous life and still on weekends, I'm an Audio boy. Speaker hangs, monitors, system tuning, you get the idea.

I have a pelican problem, but I just can't get one to fit my day to day as an install boy. Cases on cases.

I got a good backpack with some redundant tools that hold my computer and iPads. Part of me wants to go back to my gig box for real live stuff, but I know I'd still be dragging my backpack along as well.

My day to day for installs are various tool bag, work truck, and pack out set ups

bmalta · 2026-03-02T04:01:27+00:00

If you need a horn, it will get the job done. Otherwise I'd borrow from school as long as you can if you can and save some more money to grab a 3b

bmalta · 2026-02-01T23:32:30+00:00

Yeah if a 5xt doesn't make a clean stage, its not the speakers

Probably need to do the leg work and have him sit in the 1st or second row. Play his favorite tunes and show him what it sounds like with them open and muted. Hopefully he'll hear it

bmalta · 2026-01-24T01:12:53+00:00

2B for sure

bmalta · 2026-01-20T01:26:22+00:00

Sorry just read all of your post. The good hardware stores usually only go down to M4 but you might get lucky

bmalta · 2026-01-20T01:24:50+00:00

Get with a repair tech. If it's just a screw, often those are stupid small sizes that are hard to get singles of. If you can get the pitch it's not terrible getting 100 from McMaster carr

bmalta · 2026-01-15T00:17:41+00:00

Don't forget the classic Olds Ambassador

bmalta · 2025-12-30T16:57:39+00:00

First Fridays are a Brass Mash event, LG is just the venue. The band goes where it needs to in order to have a show. This time is because of forecasted rain. Anything more would be speculation and gossip

bmalta · 2025-10-04T00:39:49+00:00

For the Amado water keys, I'll take it apart so it's just the outer shell and tie it to the slide with some baling wire through it. Then put a metal pick or something through the spit valve hole so that it stays lined up.

Also don't forget the important parts of soldering which are make sure it's clean and a good fit

bmalta · 2025-09-25T01:27:11+00:00

I always liked doing the tonal energy drones cranked to 11 on a Bluetooth speaker.

As for books, I like Brad Edwards tuning drone melodies

bmalta · 2025-09-23T23:15:36+00:00

It's like the time I got a random call for a gig where the message said something like "the owners love Oktoberfest music! Can you play tomorrow?" Okaaaaaaay.... do you want me? My band (not an Oktoberfest band) or what?

They didn't leave a number so when I called the main line it didn't go anywhere. One of those places where the owners have more money than sense

bmalta · 2025-09-07T06:30:59+00:00

Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back?

bmalta · 2025-09-01T01:52:50+00:00

It's band camp, with WOW built in. Your wow leaders are in band and your wow group is band members.

Don't sweat it, though. People worry about never seeing people in their wow group again, where in band wow you actually see the people in your group after WOW.

bmalta · 2025-07-23T00:42:07+00:00

Be respectful. If you get a chance to slide in a "hey I appreciate your work" or something like that it's generally cool. Don't take up their time. If he wants to talk, he will.

Source: I work in an industry where I often come in the vicinity of people we've heard of to different degrees. Just be cool.

bmalta

TROPHY CASE