So many parameters to achieve your sound

[bassjim]

 

I find sometimes its a great plug and play room and sometimes its not and sometimes its somewhere inbetween.  I have a mental tool box of "try its" . Some of these rooms require I add more. Something like an extra cab, pre-amp pedal  plus some eq-ing and in some the answer is to take away.

Some of its band dependant too. Like the drummers volume and attack, guitarists volume and proximity to me ect.

Not wishing to teach anyone to suck eggs and this is not a solution but if any of this helps anyone, here's a  few things I try. .

 During a gig, if you are standing right up close to your cab, before you adjust anything on the EQ,  try stepping just 4-5 feet forward. The difference can be quite a lot. You may already have a sound you are happy with but don't know it.  If its good standing here and you are able to, stay here.  Alternatively  you may be able to suss out what you have too much of/ not enough of.

 If you have a two pickup bass, even if just using the back pickup on its own goes against your instincts, try this. It may be perfect with the band playing. 

If its an active bass, turn everything flat, turn the amp up loud to gig volume and start from there. The difference the eq has between playing loud at gig volume and practice at home are huge.

[chris_b]

2 hours ago, bassjim said:

. . . .  in some the answer is to take away.

This.

I reckon if you are having problems with a room it is usually because you're adding too much of something. That might be EQ, pedals or volume. IME the answer is never to add more of what is causing the problem. OK sometimes dealing with a stupid guitarist means you have to turn up but I'm talking about playing with sensible people.

Bad bass sound on a gig is usually caused by too much bass or low frequencies and not enough definition. I played for years in what I thought were "bad" rooms, but when I started using Bergantino cabs most of the "bad" went away. That is because the Bergs tightly control the bass and the emphasis is in the low mids. The sound from my Barefaced cabs is pretty much the same, but bigger. I get very few "bad" rooms these days and even in the worst rooms the bad sound seems to be confined to the stage and doesn't escape into the audience.

[discreet]

3 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I reckon if you are having problems with a room it is usually because you're adding too much of something... ...bad bass sound on a gig is usually caused by too much bass or low frequencies and not enough definition.

Aye. The number of 'bass players' who think that because they're playing a bass they need to add bass EQ is startling. In the past I've rashly lent my gear to other bands on a bill before only to return to my amp to find everything maxed out. And I was worried because I thought my rig sounded crap... duh. Why??

If playing an unknown rig, the first thing I do is set the EQ to 'flat', or what I imagine to be 'flat' - I'm looking at you, Hartke LH500 - or better still switch out the EQ entirely if that facility is available. Start from there. And keep the bloody volume down.

 

[dmccombe7]

Almost every amp i've ever used the EQ started at mid-point flat and only ever moved 1 notch (anywhere between 11 and 1 o'clock) either way to adjust for room acoustics.

it doesn't seem to matter what cabs or amps or even bass for that matter. That little tweak is always enough to compensate.

Dave 

Having just posted this and re-read it why the hell have i been buying loads of gear to get that perfect sound ??? 

Edited November 27, 2017 by dmccombe7

[discreet]

9 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

...why the hell have i been buying loads of gear to get that perfect sound ???

Why indeed.

[M@23]

On 26/11/2017 at 13:17, chris_b said:

When you discover the "it just works" thing, don't analyse why, just gig the hell out of it.

Definitely! I've enjoyed gigging a whole lot more for it. I'm very happy with my sound. But, must admit that I've been fooling myself chasing 'the sound in my head' tone for the last few years. I think it's just a bit of a GAS fuelled game and an excuse to buy more gear, or, was for me anyway. 

[Bluewine]

C'mon guys.

If your a local bar band guy like me, it's merely about being competent and having a good time. 

My sound is really about being focused and my fingers. Yeah I have a full boat pedal board and all, but I no longer give it a lot of attention.

Don't take things too seriously. Those of us that have been doing this for 50 years (and I'm not the only one on BC)  know what we're talking about.

Blue

[krispn]

I play a p bass into a decent amp which has a 3 band baxandall eq, normally set flat for my regular gig and tweaked for some funny rooms/stages when necessary. My pedal board  adds a wee bit of comp and a bit of transformer based goodness...the salt and pepper if you will!

My favourite live sound was captured at the last ever gig with my old band. It was a packed house and I was playing my old 78 p bass into an Ashdown Evo head and cabs. For one tune it was just Drums and bass while the singer was doing an intro thing and I did a call and response to a line he said. The natural break up from the amp, the notes I played to the improvised banter he delivered was just perfect. It never occurred to me to buy an Ashdown rig but who knows maybe my ideal tone lives inside an Ashdown amp in a sweaty wee room in Belfast ten years ago?

 

[oldbass]

Here's a true story which completely killed my interest in gear and gig/stage tone in a sec. My home practise tone is another matter entirely.

I was doing a minor outdoor festival..vintage P, old flats, tone rolled off a hair,  light touch and let the amp do the work. On stage sound seemed nice and thick with plenty of crisp low mids, spot on I thought but the tone on the video play back was that of an Alembic wearing fresh rounds......bright, gnarly, clangy. 

I've seen the reverse too. Name funk band. Active Jazz Bass..probably wearing rounds...FOH sound, a boomy indestinct mush.

 

 

 

[Bluewine]

15 minutes ago, oldbass said:

Here's a true story which completely killed my interest in gear and gig/stage tone in a sec. My home practise tone is another matter entirely.

I was doing a minor outdoor festival..vintage P, old flats, tone rolled off a hair,  light touch and let the amp do the work. On stage sound seemed nice and thick with plenty of crisp low mids, spot on I thought but the tone on the video play back was that of an Alembic wearing fresh rounds......bright, gnarly, clangy. 

I've seen the reverse too. Name funk band. Active Jazz Bass..probably wearing rounds...FOH sound, a boomy indestinct mush.

 

 

 

I never walk out to listen to the house sound. I could sound like complete garbage  for all I know. My only reference is what I hear on stage.

Blue

[dmccombe7]

That could be down to either a poor sound guy or the recording isn't too good quality. Also depends on what you are playing it thru. My laptop speakers are crap but when i use headphones i have the premium sound setting for headphones and it changes the tone dramatically to give a full rounded bass tone.

I always set up my stage tone and volume with the band and then bring the PA in. The sound guy will swing between my on stage tone and PA tone to make sure they sound same. During set up song i will walk out front if possible to hear the PA sound.

[xgsjx]

To me, one of the most important parts of buying a bass is that it is comfortable to play.  I've played many basses, but my Ibby with the flat wound strings on it is by far the bass that fits me best.  And, it sounds decent too.

A fellow bassist has a very nice Sandberg Jazz.  Sounds lovely & is nice to play.  He had a go on my bass & his first words were "Wow, this is just so comfortable".

I've had a few different rigs over the years & yes, there's a difference there too, but regardless of whether I'm playing through the PA, the Markbass rig I used to have, the valve rig I have now or through whatever battered thing they have at a rehearsal room, the core bass sound is still there.  It sounds good regardless.

The best thing... Ibby SR basses aren't out of most people's reach.  But then if you're used to a wider neck, then you might find the Ibby uncomfortable.

[Skol303]

As someone who records rather than gigs, my sound is mostly determined by a good DI and compressor.

[Creeper]

Strings strings string, how many people have sold amps and guitars when they are not happy with their sound or feel of their instrument when changing strings makes such a huge difference. You gotta get the right strings on the right bass.

i would consider myself to be a string whore and I’m constantly chopping and changing strings, and go from loving my bass and sound to hating both just as quick.

[bonzodog]

2 hours ago, Creeper said:

Strings strings string, how many people have sold amps and guitars when they are not happy with their sound or feel of their instrument when changing strings makes such a huge difference. You gotta get the right strings on the right bass.

i would consider myself to be a string whore and I’m constantly chopping and changing strings, and go from loving my bass and sound to hating both just as quick.

Thats exactly the point I was trying to make in my OP. How many times do we change something to improve our tone when it was something else that needed to change.

I posted a while ago on here about how often people use the tone dial on their bass, and like me, I was surprised how many people just leave it on full whilst messing with their amp settings.

[krispn]

I’m a big fan of using the tone control. My 4 string p has the best most usable volume control I’ve experienced. Great taper and useable all across its range. If I’m playing with round wounds I’ll use the tone knob more (generally) than if it’s an all flats gig. 

[EliasMooseblaster]

On 11/25/2017 at 09:05, bonzodog said:

 I recently bought a thunderbird from here and tried it out at last night's gig. Sound was fantastic with tonnes of bottom end keeping the same EQ settings I normally use on my MIM Jazz.

Sounds like switching to the 'bird may be the answer!

I'd echo all the previous comments to make sure you're as happy as possible with the minimal setup. There are already enough choices of strings, bass, amp and cab to keep you wondering (and chopping and changing) for years! If you're not happy with the bass, you can end up spending a fortune on different pedals to make it sound like another bass...or you could just buy another bass.

At least if you're happy with the basics then any pedals are just decoration on an already satisfactory cake, as opposed to trying to cover an unappetising lump of charcoal with pretty icing!

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

Sounds like switching to the 'bird may be the answer!

I'd echo all the previous comments to make sure you're as happy as possible with the minimal setup. There are already enough choices of strings, bass, amp and cab to keep you wondering (and chopping and changing) for years! If you're not happy with the bass, you can end up spending a fortune on different pedals to make it sound like another bass...or you could just buy another bass.

At least if you're happy with the basics then any pedals are just decoration on an already satisfactory cake, as opposed to trying to cover an unappetising lump of charcoal with pretty icing!

I agree, however I'm now dependent on certain effect in order for the songs my band performance to sound right. I need a lot of sustain and overdrive and in some cases bass octave to give the band a bigger sound.

Blue