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Bloody hell I'm stupid!!


barneyg42
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So I play a Status Series 2 classic 5-string. It's my only bass, I've had it for about 5 years. If you know the bass you'll know that it has bass/middle/treble pots and a switch that either cuts or boosts the mids, it has a middle setting that is neutral. There is a middle pot that adjusts the mid frequency. So here's the stupid bit, I tend to run it flattish, maybe a bit of bass boost and nip up the treble occasionally depending on the song. The mid control I set up to give a little boost if a certain song is in the set as I have a bit of a solo in it so I switch it in when needed. Looked at the set list the singer chose, said song is in so I set up a sound for the solo. No problem, except I didn't return the switch to neutral. Start the first set and I'm loving the sound, punchy mids, lovely bottom B sound and a nice clear zing to the top end when I popped a couple of notes. I'm thinking perhaps the speaker is reacting nicely to the room and floor, this is a venue we play regularly so a bit strange. Why the hell has it taken me five bloody years to realise the excellent tone shaping of this part of the bass, and it took a mistake to realise it!! I feel so foolish, also I'm so looking forward to tonight's gig!!

Any if you guys and girls made a mistake like this that ultimately gives you a great result??

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Kind of. For years I`d had the same eq settings, sounded great on stage, a perfect mix of low end and enough highs for clarity on the notes. And then I walked out front in the soundcheck to check the vox and all I could hear was a wall of mush. Hastily retreated to stage, upped the highs to the point where I thought it sounded a tad too weedy, went back out front and all was good in the world, perfect sound out front, no mush, no ice-pick highs.

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[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1484393479' post='3215136']
I set my mid frequency on my J retro to boost the low mid, and turn it up full. It adds clarity and punch to my sound. I regularly get compliments on my tone from other bass players (if not my playing).
[/quote]

I was doing this on my amp (Markbass LM3) and when I walked out it sounded very nasally, the amp is now relegated to being an amp only, all tone control is handled by my Hartke vxl pedal and now the mid control on the bass. All good fun!! :)

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I think you have to be careful when pushing the mids. You only need a touch to get some definition in the sound. To much and it becomes very weary for people to listen to.

I was watching a band a couple of years ago and the bass was punishing in the mid frequencies, nothing in the bass, at the break I asked him to adjust it a bit, which he did (he was actually quite grateful, as I would be as we often have no idea what the audience can hear) and it sat much better in the mix.

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I played with people who's timing was........ interesting. It turns out that mine is really good, but it took a long time to realise that. I suspected that I was ok on the timing front, but gigging and recording told me different. By now, if stuff is shifting I know it is not me. That is a comfort and a relief. To have the same engineer over a period of 5 years doing different recordings say "I will fix you later Owen" made me believe it was me. Not so. I have been told by someone who actually knows, that actually I put the beat in a sexy place, and that is good enough for me Thanks for letting me share.

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[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1484395450' post='3215162']
I was doing this on my amp (Markbass LM3) and when I walked out it sounded very nasally, the amp is now relegated to being an amp only, all tone control is handled by my Hartke vxl pedal and now the mid control on the bass. All good fun!! :)
[/quote]

How did it sound in a full band context though ?

I think too many people fiddle endlessly with the tone controls on their gear, then complain that their amps aren't loud enough or whatever.

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[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1484439567' post='3215539']


How did it sound in a full band context though ?

I think too many people fiddle endlessly with the tone controls on their gear, then complain that their amps aren't loud enough or whatever.
[/quote]

Using the Markbass eq I haven't been able to dial up a good punchy sound, it's strange, there's so many much variety on there with the VLE/VPF etc. I'm now thinking I've been eq-ing the bass wrongly, when I walked out on the last two gigs it's had so much punch and presence with the mid switched in. I agree though, there be too much fiddling, I've tended to run everything flat if I can, I hate getting too technical with it but this time seems to have been a lucky mistake!

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[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1484482015' post='3215720']
If you read 'Playing the bass with three left hands', it turns out you can play a gig without being plugged in and not notice it yourself!
[/quote]

https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Bass-Three-Left-Hands/dp/0571329969

This? Looks like a laff. Thanks for the pointer.

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[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1484465481' post='3215571']


Using the Markbass eq I haven't been able to dial up a good punchy sound, it's strange, there's so many much variety on there with the VLE/VPF etc. I'm now thinking I've been eq-ing the bass wrongly, when I walked out on the last two gigs it's had so much punch and presence with the mid switched in. I agree though, there be too much fiddling, I've tended to run everything flat if I can, I hate getting too technical with it but this time seems to have been a lucky mistake!
[/quote]

I'm prettty sure the markbass stuff is pretty flat, so you get out what you put in.

Where a lot of guys go wrong is they cut the mids. It the mid range frequencies that give you the punch and ability to be heard in a band sound.

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[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1484465481' post='3215571']


Using the Markbass eq I haven't been able to dial up a good punchy sound, it's strange, there's so many much variety on there with the VLE/VPF etc. I'm now thinking I've been eq-ing the bass wrongly, when I walked out on the last two gigs it's had so much punch and presence with the mid switched in. I agree though, there be too much fiddling, I've tended to run everything flat if I can, I hate getting too technical with it but this time seems to have been a lucky mistake!
[/quote]

If you're trying to dial up punch from the VLE and VPF controls you're looking in all the wrong places. One rolls off treble and the other is one of those mid cut pre-shapes so beloved of slappers and the like. On my LM the VPF is always off and since I've gone from rounds to flats the VLE has gone from a smidgen to none.

Try setting the EQ flat and then adding a touch of bass and low mid to taste. That's pretty much how I set mine and there's more than enough punch!

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