Help with my live sound please

[Guest MoJo]

Over recent years I've changed my live 'rig' more times than I care to remember. Those which I remember:

[list]
[*]Trace Elliot 1215 Combo
[*]Hartke HA5500 driving Trace 2103H and 1153 cabs
[*]Marshall MB4410 combo
[*]Marshall 72410 combo
[*]Laney B1 driving 2 x Marshall MBC410 cabs
[*]Peavey TNT160 combo
[*]Trace Elliot 122H combo
[/list]

At the moment I am playing a Yamaha BB414 through a Peavey Max 450 into a Peavey 410TX cab. Whatever I play through, I never seem to achieve the fullness and presence live that a 3 piece requires. I usually solo the neck pick-up and leave the EQ flat on the amp. Recently I have seen a couple of live bands where the bass player has been using some of the newer Trace gear and the live sound has been huge. Although often seen as uninspirational and basic, the Peavey amps and cabs are well regarded as giggable pieces of kit. Before I start throwing even more money at my live rig, is there anything else I could try to achieve a huge, driving tone with what I have.

Thanks in advance

Edited April 9, 2011 by bassman2790

[GarethFlatlands]

I've never tried one but maybe an Aphex bass xciter or a BBE Sonic Stomp to enhance your current tone? If that doesn't appeal, maybe a DI to blend in with your amps tone to beef it up a little.

I use a Peavey TKO 115 and wasn't a fan for ages but I'm running a Sansamp bass DI into the front end and it's a lot more usable now.

[citymariner]

Are you perceiving the lack of fullness based on you being stood on stage or in the audience.

I've had a similar thing happen to me where I thought my rig was not cutting through and having the lows etc. When I got my wireless unit and sound checked in the crowd (much to their amusement) it sounded full and cut through well.

[Guest MoJo]

I haven't got a radio system. Perhaps a very long 'sound checking' lead is called for

[ThomBassmonkey]

I'd definitely suggest it. Even with the best gear in the world, sometimes it can still sound lacking on stage. I had a gig last night where I wasn't really enjoying my bass tone, but our manager gave me the thumbs up during sound check and mouthed something about me sounding [insert F word]ing awesome.

I find that in a 3 piece (I technically play in a four piece, but our fourth member is often on flute so I need to fix my sound as though in a 3 piece) a bit of growl goes a long way into filling out the sound. Maybe you could look at a Sansamp BDDI or similar to add a bit of grit without forking out for a whole new rig.

[munkonthehill]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1194171' date='Apr 9 2011, 11:44 PM']I'd definitely suggest it. Even with the best gear in the world, sometimes it can still sound lacking on stage. I had a gig last night where I wasn't really enjoying my bass tone, but our manager gave me the thumbs up during sound check and mouthed something about me sounding [insert F word]ing awesome.

I find that in a 3 piece (I technically play in a four piece, but our fourth member is often on flute so I need to fix my sound as though in a 3 piece) a bit of growl goes a long way into filling out the sound. Maybe you could look at a Sansamp BDDI or similar to add a bit of grit without forking out for a whole new rig.[/quote]


+1

Get a nice o/d pedal in your chain before your preamp and you will be laughing. Funnily enough there is a Markbass tube pedal that im having serious thoughts about in the effect sale section just now. I know I dont need it, but I really really want it. Its just a shame im not much of a drinker because I know if I had a few ciders in me the noo I would have snapped it up hahahaha.

[slave]

I had this same lack of fullness - and no amount of pedals or preamps ever changed it.

Then I got a passive P-bass and dressed it up with TI Jazz Flats.
Now I have that 'sound-in'my-head' after years of constantly fiddling with my setup.

Get some flats if you don't already.

[chrismuzz]

Putting more mids in my sound helped me out a lot

[Phil Starr]

Since you've tried so many rigs it's actually unlikely to be that. I'll bet the audience isn't hearing what you hear on stage, that would defy the laws of physics by the way. For a bassist the grass is always greener on the other (audiences) side. Either get a mate to play while you listen to your rig or get a female jack/jack socket and join your two longest leads together and get right out there.

If you are still unhappy with the sound you have to listen to other bassists and plump for ones who have the live sound you want. It could be the rig but it could be the guitar, the strings or eq.

You've been trying a lot of respectable gear, I suspect youre just not hearing what the audience hear.

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='Phil Starr' post='1194280' date='Apr 10 2011, 08:11 AM']You've been trying a lot of respectable gear, I suspect youre just not hearing what the audience hear.[/quote]

+1

I like to sound check out in the audience

Even then, as the place fills up, the dynamics change!

Play it loud and sweep those mids

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1194287' date='Apr 10 2011, 08:32 AM']+1

I like to sound check out in the audience

Even then, as the place fills up, the dynamics change!

Play it loud and sweep those mids [/quote]

Excuse my ignorance but when you say 'sweep the mids' do you mean cut or boost the mids? What frequencies are we talking about?

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='bassman2790' post='1194118' date='Apr 9 2011, 10:36 PM']I haven't got a radio system. Perhaps a very long 'sound checking' lead is called for[/quote]


Definately.And fiddle with the EQ,it's what it's for!

[Lozz196]

At one of my old bands gigs, in a fairly big venue, I set my bass sound so it sounded great where I was on stage, plenty of lows, great mids, enough highs to have a presence, the same sound as in rehearsals. Then, went way out front and what a shock that was - all bass, boomy, and sludgy, no definition at all. So, back to the amp, cut the bass by 1, upped the mids by 1, went back out front, sounded great. But, sounded "clanky" and obnoxious on stage.

So, from now on, I adopt that principal. Set up with a great on-stage sound, drop the bass by 1, up the mids by 1. I`ll live with not liking it on-stage if it sounds great out front. But, I always walk way out front now, to check. That long lead - contact OBBM on Basschat - is well worth the cost.

Edited April 10, 2011 by Lozz196

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1195160' date='Apr 10 2011, 10:27 PM']At one of my old bands gigs, in a fairly big venue, I set my bass sound so it sounded great where I was on stage, plenty of lows, great mids, enough highs to have a presence, the same sound as in rehearsals. Then, went way out front and what a shock that was - all bass, boomy, and sludgy, no definition at all. So, back to the amp, cut the bass by 1, upped the mids by 1, went back out front, sounded great. But, sounded "clanky" and obnoxious on stage.

So, from now on, I adopt that principal. Set up with a great on-stage sound, drop the bass by 1, up the mids by 1. I`ll live with not liking it on-stage if it sounds great out front. But, I always walk way out front now, to check. That long lead - contact OBBM on Basschat - is well worth the cost.[/quote]

Some years ago, when I had a radio system, I had a similar situation where I had what I thought was a decent onstage sound but as I came off stage (a drop of about 3 feet) and played right in front of the band, my cab sounded weedy with no lows and harsh top end, awful. As Phil Starr stated, it's all down to the laws of physics.

I'm going to try sound checking from the audience next gig and see if that helps. If not, I'll look at some of the other suggestions on here