Author Topic: The Unpoppables -- Balloon Bass TV Show (Read 192 times)

hb3 · « **on:** January 20, 2011, 10:07:39 AM »

My friend the balloon bass player has a show coming out on TLC next month -- Feb. 7th to be exact.

http://tv.msn.com/tv/series/the-unpoppables/

I haven't seen it yet and I don't know how much balloon bass is in it if any, but he seems happy w/ how it came out -- six episodes. I assume he's playing balloon bass in there in addition to the balloon sculptures; I think they filmed some live shows, now that I think of it.

He's running this rig with a million effects and was trying out amps trying to find something that didn't feedback, as if that were possible. I was like, Dude, your electronics consist of a piezo pickup scotch-taped to a balloon. It's probably gonna feed back.

811952 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2011, 09:34:45 AM »

Detune the output slightly. Maybe shift pitch down just a few cents and see if that helps. Maybe more. It's a broadcasting trick for eliminating telephone feedback, and might work with balloons as well..

John

hb3 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2011, 01:24:03 PM »

His neck is a slack balloon pulled to pitch, so I don't think we're gonna be able to deal in individual cents here...

Hey Mica, time to get to work on those Series 2 balloon electronics...

And actually, he is running a stereo rig now: one bass amp, one keyboard amp, and sending the higher pitched effects through the latter.

811952 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2011, 01:33:46 PM »

Not the balloon itself, but the signal. If he's already running through effects, add slight detune to it. It can't feedback if it's a different frequency each time through the chain..

John

hb3 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2011, 02:03:26 PM »

Oh, I see. Yeah, he's running a Digitech Whammy through there...the feedback seemed to be coming from, first, trying to get enough signal, and second through the higher pitches generated through some of the effects.

Here's a video of the rubber tree quartet, with all balloon instruments...I keep saying this could play the nation's colleges for all eternity, but the problem is, you know, you've got some volatile equipment there....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9F6BDeiLLg

hb3 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2011, 02:04:29 PM »

I also like this one....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJHUwlsY9g4&feature=player_profilepage

(Message edited by hb3 on January 22, 2011)
[moderator's edit for fixing the link]

(Message edited by adriaan on January 22, 2011)

811952 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2011, 02:13:22 PM »

That's just unbelievably fantastic. Wow!

John

hb3 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2011, 04:00:54 PM »

Thanks, adriaan.

Yeah, he's gotten better. It's noticeable.