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First rehearsal in 6 years


Jamesemt
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I decided a couple of weeks ago to start a band. Got a few members together last night for our first rehearsal.
Problem is, I can't hear myself with a loud drummer...
Where does everyone place their gear in relation to where they stand? I had my amp on the other side of the room and moved over to stand next to the drummer.

The drummer said he could hear me fine?? I seem to really like a traditional thumpy bass sound, but play rock...should I just bite the bullet and thin out the sound with the tone? I did try that in desperation, but it just sounded thin and honky.

BTW the rig is way up to the job - maybe I should have turned it up above 4...but without the drums it sounds really loud - it's just when you add a guitar to the noise that I can't hear myself.

This is my first real attempt at playing bass to a higher standard in a band - played guitars for years in different bands, and never had this problem :)

The cab was quite low on the floor - would lifting it up to my ear level help?

Edited by Jamesemt
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[quote name='Jamesemt' post='147908' date='Feb 27 2008, 03:49 PM']I decided a couple of weeks ago to start a band. Got a few members together last night for our first rehearsal.
Problem is, I can't hear myself with a loud drummer...
Where does everyone place their gear in relation to where they stand? I had my amp on the other side of the room and moved over to stand next to the drummer.

The drummer said he could hear me fine?? I seem to really like a traditional thumpy bass sound, but play rock...should I just bite the bullet and thin out the sound with the tone? I did try that in desperation, but it just sounded thin and honky.

BTW the rig is way up to the job - maybe I should have turned it up above 4...but without the drums it sounds really loud - it's just when you add a guitar to the noise that I can't hear myself.[/quote]

Hell yeah, it goes up to 11 doesn't it? [quote]This is my first real attempt at playing bass to a higher standard in a band - played guitars for years in different bands, and never had this problem :)[/quote]

Poacher turned gamekeeper ;-) [quote]The cab was quite low on the floor - would lifting it up to my ear level help?[/quote]

Yes, and put its back against the wall.

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[quote name='bremen' post='147910' date='Feb 27 2008, 03:52 PM']Hell yeah, it goes up to 11 doesn't it?[/quote]

Mine goes down to -5 :)


also - are you in a rented rehearsal room?

If so - ask to try another - or rehearse somewhere else. A dead practice room is not the place to be.

Edited by bigjohn
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The closer you stand to your speaker, the less you will hear yourself.
The lower the speaker is to the ground, the less you will hear yourself.
Putting your speaker on the floor and standing next to it is therefore a Very Bad Thing.

Options:
1. Put the combo on a chair and stand some way away from it.
2. DI your bass through the PA. If your DI box is a splitter, do it as well as, rather than instead of, using your combo.
3. Use an active bass rather than passive.

Regardless of those three suggestions, get the drummer to turn it down. Max volume in a rehearsal studio = hearing damage.

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For a rehearsal you want to watch the volumes so watch you don't get into a competition between yourself and the the band members all turning up trying to be heard. Try to rehearse with the volumes as low as possible (this is usually limited by the drummer who can't really turn down !). It's better for your ears and it makes for better rehearsals as you don't get volume fatigue. If you're still quite loud consider wearing ear protectors - you don't get a second chance with your hearing.

Putting the cab against a wall will give it some extra volume, as will putting it in a corner (but see above !)

Lifting or tilting the cab to point to your ears rather than your knees is probably a better strategy.

Also, in a small room you can sometimes get areas where the bass is louder or quieter - move around a bit and make sure you're not standing in a quiet spot.

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EQing your sound into the mix rather than making it sound nice solo'd will help a lot as will the other suggestions above.

Maybe this will help (from my own experience.) Perception often plays a part, for example my bandmates say they can hear me and they really do mean just that i.e. they're aware of bass sounds being present. But as a bass player I also [b]need[/b] to be able to hear pitch (and preferably tone) from my bass in order to be certain I'm playing the right notes. I can play from memory without hearing but as soon as I doubt myself I get lost unless I can hear exactly what I'm playing, if you get my drift.

So the perception between what I [i]need[/i] to hear and what my band mates are just OK with differs. Maybe that's why your drummer is hearing you but you're not hearing yourself - so long as he hears the rhythm of your playing he's happy but you need to hear the individual notes clearly too?

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[quote name='Forcemaster' post='147922' date='Feb 27 2008, 04:13 PM']what rig are you running and what's your EQ like?[/quote]

I was using a TE head and a 15'' Trace cab which is the room's bass rig - as it sounded a lot louder than my Superfly running one sided (ie 250w).
I left the EQ as it was when I plugged into it - a sad face, but boosted the lows slightly.

Edited by Jamesemt
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[quote name='Happy Jack' post='147940' date='Feb 27 2008, 04:36 PM']The closer you stand to your speaker, the less you will hear yourself.
The lower the speaker is to the ground, the less you will hear yourself.
Putting your speaker on the floor and standing next to it is therefore a Very Bad Thing.

Options:
1. Put the combo on a chair and stand some way away from it.
2. DI your bass through the PA. If your DI box is a splitter, do it as well as, rather than instead of, using your combo.
3. Use an active bass rather than passive.

Regardless of those three suggestions, get the drummer to turn it down. Max volume in a rehearsal studio = hearing damage.[/quote]

No, the drummer wasn't giving it serious beans, just completely alien after all these years - took ear plugs but didn't put them in. I've got quite sensitive hearing, but no ringing afterwards. I think I was stood a bit too far away, with my rig blocked by the guitarist.

The PA idea is a good one, will try that on Saturday :)

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[quote name='bass_ferret' post='148024' date='Feb 27 2008, 06:44 PM']Roadkill! Pick em up on the way. If there is not enough elevation go for badgers.[/quote]
Those German giant rabbits are the proper job. Failing that, smear the drummers neck in lettuce juice* and shout "angriff!" Don't forget to also point at the drummer.

[b]WARNING:[/b] Casual use of lettuce juice is dangerous.

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