BigRedX Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1346686951' post='1791925'] When there is too much going with a new engr, he will likely have his hands full without me adding to it. But, fine, if you want to change sounds and then wonder why the sound has dropped out of the mix. [/quote] Don't you listen to the whole band though and add what's need both sound and note-wise? A good band mixes itself as it plays. That's why you spend time in the rehearsal room fine tuning arrangements, so that all the instruments slot together in the mix. There have been several posts in the past moaning about keyboard players invading the bass players sonic space. But sometimes there's nothing better than getting a big fat synth sound holding down the bottom end while the bass guitar gets to do something melodic higher up the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1346687926' post='1791936'] But sometimes there's nothing better than getting a big fat synth sound holding down the bottom end while the bass guitar gets to do something melodic higher up the neck. [/quote] Welcome to my world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 In my world of medium to small gigs on stages of varying size and material (when there is one), rooms of even more varied shape and size, my main concern is always to get a basic acceptable tone from my kit. I often have to adjust radically to compensate for boominess, natural reverb, or a number of other problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 In the studio, working out a decent tone is everything for me right now. I've experimented a lot recently with playing through guitar cabs and utilising their spring reverbs for an 'Enrico Morricone' baritone sort of sound, using different mic combinations in overdub situations. There will also be times when all that is required is a DI in, or we'll mic up my regular cab. I'm always trying to work out what's right for the end product, then there's the 'do I play fingers or with a pick' plus pickup selection etc. Live it's a totally different story, I don't have the time to faff around with loads of different sounds/amps and effects so instead I've got a fairly 'stock' EQ setting that I try and work to the room and the rest of the band. I vary my sound with my hands and occasionally play with a hard pick. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford the liberty of a big setup and loads of different amps and different basses on stage but that's going to take a while!! Tone is important, but right now it's more important for me in a recording environment than it is live. I'm not necessarily out to recreate exactly what happened on the original record unless it's very specific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1346687926' post='1791936'] Don't you listen to the whole band though and add what's need both sound and note-wise? A good band mixes itself as it plays. That's why you spend time in the rehearsal room fine tuning arrangements, so that all the instruments slot together in the mix. There have been several posts in the past moaning about keyboard players invading the bass players sonic space. But sometimes there's nothing better than getting a big fat synth sound holding down the bottom end while the bass guitar gets to do something melodic higher up the neck. [/quote] I do listen to the whole band mix on stage ..I am very particular about it and our general band mix is very good ( we are reknown for it ) for small venues with very little enhancement thru the P.A I give the stage mix the maximum I can even if we have multiple mon mixes and a mon engr... but I can only look after the stage mix in, I am in the hands of the expertise of the FOH engr and all I can give him is level... We forge relations with good engrs but in our recent experience, they aren't as common as you would like... Yesterday was the first time in the last few months where we have been happy and confident of the sound crew. Case in point..direct DI from my amp... and the stage guy plugged it in for me.... he went post EQ but didn't adjust the output level... I have levels of both post and pre DI and it was down at 4.. I asked the FOH after whether that was enough for him..to which he replied he thought the signal a bit light but he worked round it.... Fortunately we had people go back 100mtrs from the stage and they said the mix there was great.... so I was pleased they dodged that one Obviously, I took their business card and hire co details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dincz Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Frequency, Q and cut/boost controls on a multi-band parametric give enormous control over tone but they aren't something I'd want to be fiddling with during a gig. I've got a standard tone set up on the EQ and deviate from that with the right hand where necessary. From digging in deep over the bridge pickup to thumb strokes over the 12th fret would be the extremes of the range. I do it this way in case Lee Sklar ever shows up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 [quote name='dincz' timestamp='1346690277' post='1791982'] Frequency, Q and cut/boost controls on a multi-band parametric give enormous control over tone but they aren't something I'd want to be fiddling with during a gig. [/quote] Don't ever gig a double bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1346684985' post='1791898'] Sure bass guitar in rock music is often just a thickening effect underneath the guitars, but that's just rock music. There's other music. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Live it's strictly Fender Precision on heat,in a studio setting I'll experiment a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) I don't understand this constant need to fiddle with EQ for different venues. Ever since I got my Gramma Pad, if I'm using my own rig I simply plug in and there's my sound. I have controls on my amp if really necessary to adjust the overall sound (but these rarely get touched) and the pod takes care of the song-specific tonal changes. TBH I'm not entirely sure how effective a frequency domain solution (EQ) is when dealing with a both frequency domain and time domain problem (room acoustics). Edited September 3, 2012 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1346685486' post='1791902'] I don’t care how the original sounds; I'm the bass player so all the numbers I play get my tone. I must be doing something right because, while I’ve been asked to turn up and turn down, I’ve never been asked to change how I sound. [/quote] Pretty much my approach I have worked quite hard to develop my own sound, which I assume is part of the reason that people call me....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I play in a guitar/bass/drums trio, so have a lot more freedom than most to choose my tone. As long as I fill out the bottom, I'll play around a bit with the tone depending on the song or how I'm feeling at the time (or whatever tone I had in the last song if the guitarist's just seque'd!). As I play in a covers band doing mainly rock I'll have some Ampeg emulation on my effects box, but might clean it up & round it out for more funky stuff. There again my strings need changing, so they've lost their twang a bit anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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