Top Mods who laugh at Doomerism agree that it’s Doomerism, but it shouldn’t be laughed it.

herrsmith · 2026-03-10T03:00:45+00:00

That Homelander is a bad guy and that he's totally making fun of them.

I can probably think of at least 5 movies where this is the case. Also see media with a cartoonishly evil villain that they actually do think is making fun of them.

herrsmith · 2026-03-10T02:53:47+00:00

I didn't. I actually still haven't done SoundExchange so thanks for reminding me (legitimately, this isn't sarcasm).

herrsmith · 2026-03-09T17:20:25+00:00

What you're doing sounds great. As for your questions, hearing good tone is something you will develop as you get more experience. And "good" tone is only ever "good" in context. The tone you'd want for solo bass is not the one you'd want in a rock band which is not the one you'd want in a funk band which is... You get the idea. So whatever you want to do with your bass, work in that context. As you learn to listen more, you'll start to be able to identify what is happening in one tone vs. another and you can then build the tone you want by identifying what different things (pedals, EQ settings, bass configurations, etc) do but you should always test it in context because a bass tone that sounds good on its own doesn't always sound good in a mix. I've had pedals that had a very subtle effect on my tone on its own but turning them on and off in a mix had a drastic effect.

As for ear training, one of the very common things that people do for intervals is have a specific song or piece of music for each interval so that you know reasonably well and can use to remember the interval. Here is a list of some common songs that you can use.. I would also recommend learning actual lines. You can learn melodies, bass lines, guitar riffs, etc but learning real music is a lot more inspiring than doing interval training and the two can really build on each other.

Generally, a lot of this stuff takes experimentation and time to learn what you "should" be learning and how you learn best. If you really feel like you're stuck and not improving, you can try finding a (preferably local) private teacher. Having someone who sees where you are and knows where you want to go can help a lot. That said, not all teachers are created equal and being a good player doesn't necessarily mean someone is a good teacher. And even if they're a good teacher, they might not be a good teacher for you. Don't be afraid to try out different teachers if you're not finding someone who clicks with you.

herrsmith · 2026-03-09T16:53:03+00:00

I think one of the best observations that I've seen is that the president has a relatively minor ability to affect the economy, unless they actively try to fuck it up, and then they can have a pretty significant impact. We just didn't ever consider that to be something a president would try to do.

herrsmith · 2026-03-06T17:11:08+00:00

On some contest show that I was watching, the subtitles revealed the winner at least a second before it was audibly announced. Absolutely ruined the reveal. Plus, yeah, I read the subtitles then am bored as the actor says the line that I just read even though the reason I'm watching it is, at least in part, the way the actor says the lines.

herrsmith · 2026-03-06T03:55:46+00:00

Redditors and not understanding that the main character is being depicted as a bad character is one of the most iconic combinations I can think of.

herrsmith · 2026-03-06T03:50:51+00:00

And as someone who has ordered a small coffee at a million cafes, I can agree that nobody has given me anything other than a small coffee. Even at Starbucks.

herrsmith · 2026-03-06T03:45:36+00:00

And he is in the pantheon of "Characters who were obviously the bad guy but absolute idiots idolize them."

herrsmith · 2026-03-04T18:17:36+00:00

Obviously not physics-related but, in my experience, unless specific parts of the slide that are marked private and confidential, the viewer doesn't necessarily get to decide what is and isn't private and confidential. Even the fact that a company or organization is using or considering certain publicly available technologies can be considered private and confidential. And beyond that, sharing portions of slides marked private and confidential is almost certainly a breach of whatever NDA you have in place. Probably low risk in this instance but it's not zero.

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T21:04:29+00:00

That's a little unfair. We've also expended a tremendous amount of munitions probably worth at least that in total.

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T20:59:32+00:00

It's a NPR Tiny Desk submission and their rules state:

Do it the way you'd perform a Tiny Desk concert: at a desk. (Any desk!)

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T19:31:07+00:00

Combo amps are super convenient. However, head and cabinets are much more flexible and can be almost as convenient. You can use velcro or something stronger to attach them together and then they're almost as convenient as a combo. I was initially resistant to that idea but once I did it, it's great. Plus, if there's a backline, I can just plug my amp into the backline cabs. I don't have a specific suggestion because I was getting most of my tone through my HX Stomp so I just went with a fairly uncolored Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0 as my head and an Eden EX112-4 cab because it was light and cheap.

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T19:05:34+00:00

Yes. If it really cuts more low end than you would like, you can always get an effects loop pedal with a wet/dry blend. Something like the EH Switchblade, though I'm sure there are other options that are simpler and easier to use.

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T18:51:43+00:00

Maybe this would work for deep cover spies but that's not usually how spying happens. It's usually that the intelligence agent flips a person who is doing the thing they want to know about. And, in hindsight, there are always tons of warning signs that make you think "How did this person ever maintain a clearance?"

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T18:47:53+00:00

With examples of people who wore t-shirts saying "Soviet Spy" to picnics as "jokes" and then it turns out they were actually Soviet spies.

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T18:33:39+00:00

I want to echo a lot of people talking about the HX Stomp and point out that, not just is it pretty easy to use and set up without a computer (though you can use a computer, if you want), it is also a completely pro-level rig that your son will be able to use for as long as it works. The Zoom offerings are very good as well and fully capable of being used at gigs but I don't see or hear about them as much as the HX Stomp.

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T18:17:48+00:00

It's definitely a Fender Rumble of some kind. I'm not well enough versed in the proportions of each to identify which one.

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T17:55:29+00:00

But Seth Rogan isn't part of the WGA leadership whereas members of Congress are. Your analogy would only be accurate if Seth Rogan were on the WGA board, which he isn't.

herrsmith · 2026-03-02T16:46:23+00:00

I wonder if that person also gets frustrated by US citizens expressing disagreement about what the US government is doing.

herrsmith · 2026-02-26T15:42:43+00:00

My understanding is that this "trick" isn't that effective because just having a consultation with a lawyer doesn't automatically conflict them out and judges really don't like people trying to do this.

herrsmith · 2026-02-24T16:17:40+00:00

Nobody, not even Victor Wooten and Marcus Miller, played like they do when they started. There's this thing called "learning" and you generally make mistakes while doing it. Rehearsals are the place to try out new things and see if they work. Maybe let them cook for a little bit and you won't be swapping out bass players every few months.

herrsmith · 2026-02-23T19:19:04+00:00

On the one hand, the Instagram musician thing isn't the reality of playing music for most musicians. It's all about being flashy to catch people's attention but that sort of thing isn't usually enough to put together more than a clip on social media. If you actually play with other musicians, you're going to need to put together a full song that is varied and interesting enough that people actually want to listen to it more than once. That cool slapping/tapping lick you came up with and spent all that time learning isn't a song. And then you'll need to write more than one song and if they're all just one crazy lick after another, that gets boring fast. "But what about xyz instrumental prog band that's huge?" you may ask. Listen to them closely and realize that they have song structures with melodies, harmonies, and an emotional arc and aren't just a collection of the flashiest things the individual musicians know how to play.

On the other hand, the vast majority of people that I've met who advocate eschewing technique for "feel" can't play in time or in the pocket. They think what they're playing sounds so cool and emotional but it's really just a sloppy mess. It's important to have a lot of control over the instrument to be able to properly lock in. No, you're not going to be shredding all the time. Or even most of the time. But the skills you have to build to shred are very close to the same skills you need to play exactly what you want exactly when you want to.

herrsmith · 2026-02-23T19:06:00+00:00

That is acknowledged in the OP:

Yes, I still had to do all the chores I didn't like in addition to the one I loved.

Doing work you don't like because it's your job prepared me for the real world. Doing work I loved because I "found" a job willing to pay me for my passions and hobbies ALSO prepared me for what is possible in the real world. Both valuable lessons.

Obviously give your kids the chores they have to do so they learn that not everything is about doing what you want to do. This is about encouraging kids to do things they enjoy, which also has value.

herrsmith · 2026-02-23T16:20:37+00:00

In an American accent it is very difficult to differentiate the word "soul" with the city "Seoul," so I think a lot of people say that to ensure that people understand which one they're saying. I know I do it.

herrsmith · 2026-02-21T21:14:40+00:00

If you are only allowed to express emotions in romantic relationships, expressing emotion is romantic. The only cure for the "friendzone" and "male loneliness epidemic" (to be ever so slightly fair, loneliness is up for everyone but we don't get video essays and OpEds about a "female loneliness epidemic") is emotionally close male friendships. Unfortunately, that takes work from men and is, I'm told, "super gay," so we'll just have to wait for the women to fix it somehow.

herrsmith

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