PaulWarning

on the subject of monitors, according to Rod Stewart in ear monitors saved his career as his voice was giving him trouble because of straining with normal monitors, tried to tell our singer that but he won't listen just like he wouldn't about ear plugs, he's now got tinnitus, and guess what, he now wears ear plugs, just the same as me

I carry a spare, my very first bass, a Hondo, I leave it in the car most of the time as I've never needed it, but being cack handed the chances of me being able to borrow someone else's is pretty slim

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1418055601' post='2626348'] Some people just have the luck to have a great voice with no tuition or care of said voice. [/quote]remember an interview with Eric Burden (of the Animals for our younger readers) and he said he never does anything to protect his voice he just calls it up and it's there, who said all men are born equal? load of old bollocks

our singers always getting colds and being the front man he is a complete narcissist, so we're always getting emails from him saying he's not sure whether he'll get through the gig, he always has so far, drinks copious amounts of honey and hot water.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1418036109' post='2626096'] There's a smallish festival I've been going to for a number of years; audience of maybe three thousand, fairly large main stage. The music tends to include folk-based things, some world music outfits and a fair bit of reggae but very little rock. Because it's a remote site down a long access road, most bassists use the rented gear on stage. They hire in a decent system and sound guys each year but the quality of the bass sound has been variable to say the least. Many years it's been the sort of indistinct mush complained about in this thread. One year the bass sounded better than usual, not overwhelming in the lows, plenty of mids and nice definition. As it happens, the supplied backline that year was an SVT and 8x10" with a mic in front of it. I have no idea whether that was the root of the better bass sound or just a indicator that they had a different and more sympathetic sound team than in other years! I'm prepared to accept that mic-ing cabs isn't always the solution, but I wonder if it tends to correlate with better sound simply because it's a sign that the sound guy is paying some attention to the band. [/quote] I play a very small festival every year, they use the yamaha mixer/amp for vocals/keyboards and mic up the guitar, snare and bass drum but not the bass, just use the back line, and every year the bass sound is music to my ears, mind you the sound on stage is crap

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1417726194' post='2623575'] but a bass player's cool is able to pervade the surroundings and mesmerises the rest of the players, translating even a mediocre player into a veritable force of nature and they all think he's ([i]edit: [/i]or she's) amazing. It's our secret weapon. What do you mean, you didn't know that? Are you really a bass player or do you just play a bass guitar? [/quote]Oh I just thrash hell out it playing Punk Rock with a pick, so I guess it's pushing it a bit to say I play a Bass guitar

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1417719606' post='2623472'] Damned right! Why would I do anything else? [/quote]maybe so you can help out a not so good drummer?

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1417711601' post='2623368'] I don't do compromise. I insist on playing with drummers who are better / more experienced / more talented than me. Strangely enough, I'm not trying to be funny. I genuinely believe that I'll only improve as a bass player if I face the challenge of not embarrassing myself in front of the other half of the rhythm section. [/quote]so you expect drummers to play with an inferior bass player so they can improve but not the other way round?

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1417703835' post='2623237'] Kevin Ayers Bob Dylan Steve Harley Tom Waits This could be a LONG list. [/quote]Dodgy singers can add character to a bands sound, dodgy drummers, or bass players or guitarists don't, as with anything it's how dodgy that's the vital ingredient here, our drummer speeds up a bit but I can easily live with that, in fact I don't notice, when listening to a recording of a gig it's my partner that will say "you speeded up there". I have played with drummers that slow down, that is irritating.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1415524654' post='2601057'] I nearly always have a mild overdrive on, so that's my compressor! [/quote]^ this

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1417619196' post='2622304'] You both missed the point about the mid/treble frequencies being cut to make way for the other more important frequency components? [/quote]there's nothing more important than hearing the bass seriously, I know I'm biased but the most enjoyable gigs I go to is when the bass is prominent, a recent Stranglers tribute being a case in point, I went up to the sound guy, who I know, and said "The bass needs to be this loud at all gigs", if you've got a nice audible bass it adds so much definition to the overall sound

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1417514391' post='2621079'] It's very simple. Bass is not absorbed by people. It effectively washes over them and bounces round the venue. The bigger the venue, the longer the reverberation time for bass. Soft objects like seats and people absorb higher frequencies. The louder you make the bass the more it will reverberate around the room. As posted several times, it's not the other instruments making it an inaudible mush it's the echo from the bass itself. Sit near the front you get more direct sound which has less of the reverberation and more of the high frequencies which define the note. [/quote] so how come we have no trouble hearing the bass drum?

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1417602295' post='2622064'] There's a simple solution for that one. Stop playing such guff! [/quote]lol, one man's guff is another man's classic, a fine singalong for a pissed up Saturday night crowd

[quote name='Cameronj279' timestamp='1417567760' post='2621950'] I definetly found the DR coloured strings to die pretty quickly, usually within a week and a half which (in fairness) is longer than Ernie Ball/Rotosound/Fender strings have lasted for me. My sweat must be made of acid or something but D'addario prosteels and Payson SS strings are the only strings that have kept their zing for more than a month for me. Including Elixirs which still sounded great 8 months later (only stopped using them as I sold that bass and can't actually fit them on my current bass). [/quote]just wondering whether it's just Black Beauties that people are having trouble with or all DR coloured strings,. I use neons and they last me about 6 months, admittedly they're not quite as zingy after a month or so but I can compensate for that with a touch more treble on the amp

I have the same trouble on 2 4 6 8 Motorway, I use the edge of my picking hand to choke off the note, never played this song but it sounds like you could mute the bottom E by just touching the E string when you fret the A string, I could have the wrong end of the stick though, like I said I've never played it

[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1417514144' post='2621070'] Speaking personally, I've had great mixed sound as long as it's my amp that's DI'd, and not a DI feed from before my amp. Having my cab miked doesn't add much but then I don't have vintage tone anyway. [/quote]which is why I always make sure my effects pedal (which is always the same setting, apart from Ace of Spades lol) is before the DI box

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1417489508' post='2620960'] I hate threads like this and as such don't normally contribute but there's been some utter nonsense posted with regards to bass guitar, it's sonic space and the capability of modern sound systems... Modern sound systems (line-array setups) are designed for the best dispersion accross a large area. There's no 'gaps' in their frequency response (causing a lack of punch(!)) or indeed any 'fashion' issues going on, certainly not in my experience at least. They are the pinnacle of design and when correctly setup, work beautifully. Sound in smaller venues (such as the place I mainly work) can be an issue but thats more likely caused by an issue on stage or an inherrant problem with the room itself. The system I use has horn-loaded 18" subs and bi-amped tops with a 15" direct radiator and a 2" compression driver on a horn. 98 times out of 100, the bass sounds just like it should, the other few times are made up with incompatible and/or un-useable sounds. The old 'I couldn't hear the bass' thing usually stems from 'the bass doesn't sound like or isn't as loud as I percieve it should be' or by young johnny's dad saying he couldn't hear his lad. Never mind the rest of the group, eh.. We're all bass players on this forum covering all styles, shapes and sizes but so many complain about this subject, it really gets my goat. I've been a pro engineer for nearly 15 years and a bass player for 18 and I've both played and mixed up and down the country for all sorts. I've met and dealt with a number of jackasses from both sides but with decent communication a decent result is achievable as long as whoever you're dealing with has a clue.. Some engineers are poor at their job, can't listen or simply don't understand but we're not all like that. A comment on previous page about 'you're sticking a mic on this' would go down like lead balloon with me (and most engineers -good and bad- that I know) because it's not always the best option. Does the musicain know and understand the room? Do they know what the system is capable of? Do they know how to mix their own group? Probably a 'no' on all counts so being so arrogant as to assume they know best simply shows the short sightedness of some and the root of many problem. I shouldn't comment on threads such as this because all it does is make me mad at some of the bad / wrong knowledge out there but the 'bash the engineer' thing feels like it becomes personal as so many think we're all clueless muppets with a stinking attitude not even capable of mixing a bag of concrete. I'll gladly help anyone who wants to learn how to mix a group (or indeed a bass guitar) but I won't be told by a musicain how to do my job. If they know better, I'll zero the desk and system then they can mix the whole thing their way. Thankfully it's never got that far. I'm signing off at that as I could go on and on but its 3am and my feathers are ruffled.. Indeed. [/quote]I realise that you are far more knowledgeable than I on such issues, all I will say is why is the sound so bad so often (but not always by any means) in large venues or when a full PA is used, everybody associated with the band I'm in agrees we get the best sound with just vocals are miced and we use the backline and unmiced drums in small venues? As for fashion, it is the current fashion to have a loud bass drum, much as it was the fashion to have a loud snare in the 80's.

[quote name='notable9' timestamp='1417457829' post='2620550'] arent engineers just trying to recreate the mush on the record. To me the bass in most modern recordings is just that...mush. Oh for the clarity of recordings from the late 70's, early eighties... [/quote]yes, it seems to be the fashion at the moment that the bass is just there to add some bottom end, as I've said before I thought that's what the bass drum was for

[quote name='magee' timestamp='1417454618' post='2620498'] PaulWarning - nope. I guess they're too embarassed to sing about dying before they get old at 70-odd years old. There was, in fairness, outrage about this in the toilets afterwards, so the well-lubricated ageing mods started their own singalong. Great reverb in there. [/quote]shame you might have been to hear the bass on that one or perhaps that's why they didn't do it

[quote name='magee' timestamp='1417449845' post='2620447'] I honestly didn't hear a single note he played all night. [/quote]Wot, no My Generation?

most bass tones floor me, if I can hear them above the drums. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/250318-how-do-i-mic-up-a-kick-drum/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.u...__fromsearch__1[/url] http://basschat.co.uk/topic/250059-bass-mix-in-live-concerts-disappointing/page__fromsearch__1

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1417427470' post='2620098'] As others mentioned before, went to see PG in Sheffield last night. It's definitely the kick drum/low floor toms that are ruining it for bass. During a song with little drums for a lot of it you can hear Tony Levin, even on fretless. As soon as the full drum kit comes in he's completely drowned out. Chapman stick? he might just as well been up there playing my ironing board with rubber bands attached. Swings and roundabouts though - crappy bass sound but otherwise the mix was fine and you wouldn't fit that superb light show into a small venue. [/quote]Yep, the drums are king as far as sound engineers are concerned, bastards.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1417252230' post='2618526'] It probably is. But everyone knows it's Rod Stewart's song. Even the Stereophonics said it was a cover of Rod Stewart's! [/quote]I know I'm being an insufferable smart arse, but I didn't, maybe it was mentioned in this thread, if it wasn't it should have been [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/247193-hits-with-cover-versions/page__st__30__p__2578219__hl__cover%20versions__fromsearch__1#entry2578219"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/247193-hits-with-cover-versions/page__hl__cover%20versions[/url]

did a gig last night at a small venue supporting Vice Squad and sound wasn't good, muddy, indistinct vocals and something was booming, my partner reckoned it was my bass but but on parts of songs where I played on my own it was on the trebley side, at least 2 people went up to the sound man to tell him but it didn't seem to make any difference and Vice Squads bass sound was a muddy mushy mess (stingray with a pick)

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1417186519' post='2617967'] You don't - you let the bass do it. See previous thread re muddy bass sound in live mix. You use the bass drum for standing the cymbals, toms, drink, everything else on, that's all. [/quote] I can't argue with that, bass drums just invade my frequency space