I agree completely, an awesome album, always in my daily playlist. But Animate in particular was an eye opener for me.

I've always really like Rush's "Animate". The whole Counterparts album is great; the material and the recording.

Glad to hear it is going well. With your attitude you can't help but go far! You are a busy man, so thanks for taking a couple of minutes for your cyber friends on the board .

Hey, I've been studying. A lot. The quarter system is equivalent to being repeatedly faceslapped by knowledge. Some things stick, but most just hurt. My accent is getting better, I'm trying to make a name for myself by trying to excell in every course; having good references at the end of my studies will be invaluable, and I want to have a huge pool of potential recommeders. I got a summer internship already because of that attitude, so that's awesome. I'm pretty busy/tired all the time though On the bass side, I've put Payson's stainless steel strings on the C2. I had flats on for a few months before, and those flats blew my mind. For whatever reason, I love these stainless steels, they somehow work better then the stock Dingwall strings which somehow did not work that well on the C2, though they're great on the AB-II. Maybe it's the increased tension that I like on a fretted bass, dunno, but the C2 just sounds a lot better since I moved on to Payson's. I wish I knew more about all this so that I could explain by experience better. I've been also trying to learn that Geddy's flamenco technique and incorporate it in my playing. Man, switch to the neck pickup, a lot of treble fed into overdrive, and that technique together just have so much energy and drive... I play like that, listen to the sound I'm getting, and I cannot sit still. The good thing is that you could theoretically play normal fingerstyle and switch to that technique only for a fill, or the chorus, or just to accent a few notes. I've been trying that out as well, playing non-Rush songe I know from before but finding that perfect spot where to incorporate that technique. It sounds a lot busier then normal playing, so like you would be cautious on using strong spices while cooking, you need to be careful and have taste on where to use this and where not. That taste I don't have, but every now and then I'll stumble upon a place where a fill/scetion played like that just works with the song. The technique I'm talking about can be seen [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzXH3ZW3Wik:2mn4gpxi]in this song[/url:2mn4gpxi] where Geddy uses it exclusively. It sounds chaotic, active and energetic. Notice how offensively stupid the bassline actually is, but how much it fits the song when played with that technique. Notice the "fill" at 4:29, it couldn't be even called a fill, but with that bouncy sound it does more than enough to take the listener's attention between the verses. Perfect. Geddy is god. ..so that's what I've been doing, glad to see someone cares

Hey Bo, how are the "Cultural Learnings" and the studies going? Give us a little update once in awhile - even Canadians are interested in your experiences of North America (which includes us BTW )

Hey Funk, I've bought some decent headphones. By decent I mean they have a bass response and did not crackle the moment I boosted my output. I've used my cheap skype headphones for about two weeks before getting these ones and the left speaker has completely blown I also have my Boss GT-10B here so I can have the sound I want, and can plug into the computer and play along to stuff.. What I'm worried about is not playing with people enough. I'll look for people to play with next quarter or later maybe, whenever the dust settles a bit. PS the flats are outright amazing. Ever since I've put them on the C2 it's like I got a new bass, can't stop playing it and spend more time looking at the sounds I can make then practicing. I would so like to make some sound samples, but I'm too busy these days. I should have more time in early December.

[quote="Bocete":1vsx5zhv]Hey, thanks Came here for PhD studies at UCSB, from Serbia. I guess I'll be here for a while, the studies take ~5 years to complete. I don't think I've said anything about moving out or coming here, humph. Well anyway Santa Barbara is beautiful. The weather is brilliant, the ocean within 5 minutes of walking, people calm and friendly to the point of seeming sedated; with many things going on, yet just quiet enough; I don't think that there's a better environment for grad studies anywhere. A beautiful beach town.[/quote:1vsx5zhv] Hey Bo, I just caught this thread. Did you ever get an amp? Be careful not to develop apartment hands while practicing without an amp. It's a heavy handed attack that comes from playing harder to hear yourself unplugged. Welcome to the US. Drive the Big Sur.

Even people who live in the Eastern US have trouble wrapping their heads around how big the western states are. San Fran area is yet another planet and still only half way to the most far out place of all: Northern Cali and southern Oregon. Make it to Yosemite sometime, it's something you'll never forget, one of the most jaw dropping places on earth. Some classic cultural reading: Ecotopia, the 1974 novel, set in the "future" 1999. Oregon, Washington and Northern California have left the United States to form a new nation. Some of it is pretty nutty, some of it's pretty accurate prediction. Kind of like going back and reading Fahrenheit 451 these days. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotopia It's an idea that is looking pretty good these days.

I'm yet to realize how huge the US is. Just the other day I got in contact with some friends at San Francisco, saying hey, we should meet. It's all Cali, right? Turned out, it's about 10 hours by bus in one direction..

Kind of like America, but it's really Southern California, a completely different planet! Cleverly disguised with strip malls and fast food franchises. Welcome to the states, do some traveling if you get a chance!

Welcome to America, Bocete! I hope you enjoy your stay here

Hey, thanks Came here for PhD studies at UCSB, from Serbia. I guess I'll be here for a while, the studies take ~5 years to complete. I don't think I've said anything about moving out or coming here, humph. Well anyway Santa Barbara is beautiful. The weather is brilliant, the ocean within 5 minutes of walking, people calm and friendly to the point of seeming sedated; with many things going on, yet just quiet enough; I don't think that there's a better environment for grad studies anywhere. A beautiful beach town.

Which country did you travel from? Enjoy your life in the US!

Whoa, you moved to the States? When/why did this happen? Did you tell any of us, or is this the first you've mentioned it? Welcome here. I haven't been to the States for a long time (never to Santa Barbara), so I can't say anything about the culture, but welcome none-the-less!

As a Canadian let me welcome you to North America and to the USA!!!!!