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Chasing that overdrive sound


thebassman
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I am currently getting a great overdriven sound from my combination of orange terror bass/ Mesa boogie 2x12/ stingray 5.
I sounds great in my 3 piece band, real cutting overdrive sound. Its very driving and articulate.
The tone seems to get a bit lost in the 5 piece band, this has an extra guitar in it. I'm sure this is the problem as we are competing in the same frequencies.

I know it's not a volume problem.

Any ideas how to get around this problem?
Any suggestions of amps that might not get so lost?

Cheers

Thebassman

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I had this a bit when moving from a 3 piece to a 4 piece (extra guitar). I used a Marshall JCM800. It got lost. I ended up finding a cleaner sound that sounded much the same in the mix with my Ampeg pre / power amp combo.

I needed to find another (deeper) space and needed more power.

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Agree, I`d back off of the gain a bit. A Stingray, being quite toppy anyway, when those highs are driven, is going to be much like a rhythm guitar, hence sounding great with only the one guitar, but not being so present with the two.

In a 2 guitar band I`d look much more at locking in with the drums, and providing a steady platform for the guitars to sit on, whereas in a 1 guitar band, the bass needs to do a lot more on melody etc, so a change of style possibly as well, dropping runs/fills for nice & solid.

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Bigjohn and Lozz
You are both probably right, it is definitely a tone thing and not a volume problem.

I'm not sure that would work though. The 5 piece band is a covers band and we do a lot of songs with very prominent bass work. The songs wouldn't sound right with the bass being lost in all the low end frequencies.

Cheers
Thebassman

Edited by thebassman
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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1359936496' post='1962398']
Do your EQ with the guitarist playing.
[/quote]

This.

If your guitard scoops the mids, then cut your treble and bass and boost your mids.

Basically start from the opposite EQ shape. So if he has a mid cut smiley face - you need a frown!

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Cheers for the replies guys.
So in answer to my original question, the only way to not get lost in the mix is to change my EQ settings.
I thought this was the case.
This just means i cannot achieve the tone i was looking for.
Perhaps i should just nobble the rhythum guitards amp.

cheers

thebassman

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[quote name='thebassman' timestamp='1359983620' post='1962847']
Perhaps i should just nobble the rhythum guitards amp.
[/quote]

Sounds like a plan! It might be that the rhythm guitarist is stomping on your frequency range, not the other way around. Try cutting some of the low frequencies on the guitar amp.

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[quote name='Mikey R' timestamp='1359984014' post='1962852']


Sounds like a plan! It might be that the rhythm guitarist is stomping on your frequency range, not the other way around. Try cutting some of the low frequencies on the guitar amp.
[/quote]

Yeah I could try.
He's one of those annoying people that twiddled the knobs after every song, that's tone and volume.
Cheers
Thebassman

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Yeah, the amount of guitarists who bung lots of bass in their sound (and my pet hate, too much reverb as well), saying "but it sounds really beefy man" not realising it`s actually the bassists job for all that low-end, and the guitarists job for the highs. Each on their own sound ok. But put them together, yum! Now that`s when it sounds "beefy man".

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Reverb in the right context can fill alot of space. In the wrong context is also fills alot of space, unfortunately its the space that everyone else is trying to fit into as well.

The real problem is sealed 4x12 cabs. A 30 watt open backed combo sits really nicely with a rock drummer and bassist, and doesnt make anyones life difficult, but then I just like that retro sound. :)

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