Monitoring for pub gigs...?

[uk_lefty]

So, here's the idea. Having a little wedge shaped bass combo to use for monitoring on medium sized gigs. 

Why? 

For large gigs it's not an issue, we are fully PA'd up and equipped with individual monitors. However, for medium sized gigs I think it could be helpful to have some monitoring. I am usually crammed in close to the singer who has his monitor which is mostly vocal. The drummer has a monitor speaker giving him a bit of everything, I quite like that idea. 

I have recently bought a Helix Stomp so I think I could run two outputs, one to my amp and another to my monitor amp... Maybe? 

Why a bass combo? So I can use it at home for practice and also on gigs. No other reason. I recognise that if this even will work it won't give me the lead guitarist, stood far away and slightly in front and I can't see or hear him properly. 

Alternately, if I got one of the monitor speakers like my drummer has (his looks like a Behringer combo amp) would I just use that as a bass combo for home practice? 

Is this a rubbish idea? 

[jrixn1]

30 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

The drummer has a monitor speaker giving him a bit of everything, I quite like that idea. 

Where is the signal to the drummer's monitor coming from?  Is everyone already going into a mixing desk?

[uk_lefty]

1 hour ago, jrixn1 said:

Where is the signal to the drummer's monitor coming from?  Is everyone already going into a mixing desk?

Most of us do on medium gigs, all if sound man can be bothered/ drummer arrives in good time. 

[jrixn1]

In that case I'd get a powered speaker and take a feed from the desk.  Then you'll be able to hear not just yourself, but also the lead guitarist.

If  there was no sound person at a gig, you could do your suggestion of just plugging the second output of the Helix directly into the powered speaker.  The same direct setup will work for  home practice too.

[skidder652003]

I have used my markbass combo on a tilted stand as a monitor, i.e. in front and to the right of me, as well as going through that and DI to the PA. Worked well, could certainly hear myself for a change.

[dave_bass5]

Agree with jrixn1, a powered PA speaker taking a line feed from the desk or Helix (assuming you want playing in stereo) would be ideal. You wouldn’t need an amp, and could control your own volume on stage from it. 

Plenty of them will work on their side, so can be directional, and for home use you don’t need to worry about setting an amp up as well,. A lot of them also have seen sort of DSP if you dont seven want to brother with the Helix. 

[Defo]

I've been doing this for years with a Hartke HD50 which I use as a monitor for my backing vocals

[Downunderwonder]

Bass from monitors messes up the bass from the PA.

[Chienmortbb]

11 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Bass from monitors messes up the bass from the PA.

It should be OK if pointed at you from the front and not set up as backline IMHO. You can also roll off the deep bass a bit as you get plenty from the FOH. However you are right, if people go mad with their onstage volume when going through the PA, it is as bad as a bad sound technician.

[Downunderwonder]

6 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

It should be OK if pointed at you from the front and not set up as backline IMHO. You can also roll off the deep bass a bit as you get plenty from the FOH. However you are right, if people go mad with their onstage volume when going through the PA, it is as bad as a bad sound technician.

Subs in pubs is a relatively new thing here but pubs aren't nearly big enough for a stadium power backline. A lot of bands don't get it.

Edited March 28, 2021 by Downunderwonder

[Chienmortbb]

9 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

Subs in pubs is a relatively new thing here but pubs aren't nearly big enough for a stadium power backline. A lot of bands don't get it.

My new band and plays pubs and when I turned up with my single 12 they all said I would need more. So second rehearsal I took my second cab and stacked them. However I did not connect cab 2. Everyone was happy with my sound. Then I showed them the unconnected cabinet. 

They all assumed that I needed a stack, based on the fact that previous bassists had all had them. 

[stewblack]

Nicely played @Chienmortbb

[andytoad]

Buy my monitor. I found it fab, then went in ear.

[Downunderwonder]

44 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

My new band and plays pubs and when I turned up with my single 12 they all said I would need more. So second rehearsal I took my second cab and stacked them. However I did not connect cab 2. Everyone was happy with my sound. Then I showed them the unconnected cabinet. 

They all assumed that I needed a stack, based on the fact that previous bassists had all had them. 

To be fair, there are some very high output 12'' cabs these days.

[dave_bass5]

9 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

To be fair, there are some very high output 12'' cabs these days.

I’ve done loads of gigs with just a 1x12. Never struggled to get heard, but something about a little cab that barely reaches waist height just seems not very satisfying to my eye. 

Edited March 29, 2021 by dave_bass5
Typo

[Downunderwonder]

1 minute ago, dave_bass5 said:

I’ve done loads of gigs with just a 1x12. Never struggled to get heard, but something about a little cab that barley reaches waist height just seems not very satisfying to my eye. 

Maybe corn height works better for the eye but the amp has to be turned right down.

[dave_bass5]

6 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

Maybe corn height works better for the eye but the amp has to be turned right down.

Haha, its too early to open both eyes. 😴

[Doddy]

Personally, rather than get an amp for monitoring I'd get a set of in ears. You'll hear everything better and it will keep the stage volume down.

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, Doddy said:

Personally, rather than get an amp for monitoring I'd get a set of in ears. You'll hear everything better and it will keep the stage volume down.

A bit of a faff to use at home when he just wants to do a bit of low level playing isn’t it?

[Phil Starr]

On 24/03/2021 at 16:50, uk_lefty said:

So, here's the idea. Having a little wedge shaped bass combo to use for monitoring on medium sized gigs. 

The drummer has a monitor speaker giving him a bit of everything, I quite like that idea. 

I have recently bought a Helix Stomp so I think I could run two outputs, one to my amp and another to my monitor amp... Maybe? 

Why a bass combo? So I can use it at home for practice and also on gigs. No other reason. I recognise that if this even will work it won't give me the lead guitarist, stood far away and slightly in front and I can't see or hear him properly. 

Alternately, if I got one of the monitor speakers like my drummer has (his looks like a Behringer combo amp) would I just use that as a bass combo for home practice? 

Is this a rubbish idea? 

I haven't contributed so far because I'm not sure what you want in your monitor. Is it just bass or do you want some guitar and vocals as well? Because the answer will be different to each of those questions. If you just want to hear your bass my preference is just as you suggest. A small combo fairly close pointed at my ears, I roll the bass off and can hear the deep bass coming from the PA because that bit of the spectrum is omnidirectional. I use a Hartke Kickback which is only a 10" with a 100W but with the bass rolled off you can turn it up higher and it's fine, in fact the best on stage sound I've had.

If you can't hear the guitarist or anyone else in the band the answer is different, you need something to get guitar and vocals to you. Your bass combo isn't going to cut it. Then you need a little active PA speaker. I use the RCF ART 310. It handles bass as well or better than the Hartke, I do a bit of bv's and I have the vocals and guitar in my monitor. Like you in tiny venues with your back against the wall I sometimes lose the guitarist. (really embarrassing at the end of All right Now when he's stuck an extra bar in the solo  )

If it's pure monitoring you want though then do consider in-ears.

[dave_bass5]

Good points, and ill add that powered speakers seem to be smaller and easier to aim up than a more boxy type of bass cab. Most also tend to have two channels which is handy for feeding the instrument and the feed from a PA in to it. 

[Doddy]

1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said:

A bit of a faff to use at home when he just wants to do a bit of low level playing isn’t it?

Not really.  Some systems have a line in, so you can go straight in to them from your instrument, out to your headphones. It's an easy practice set up.

Otherwise, I'd recommend a small, inexpensive practice amp for home and in ears for monitoring at gigs. 

[dave_bass5]

6 minutes ago, Doddy said:

Not really.  Some systems have a line in, so you can go straight in to them from your instrument, out to your headphones. It's an easy practice set up.

Otherwise, I'd recommend a small, inexpensive practice amp for home and in ears for monitoring at gigs. 

What I meant was, seeing as the Helix has a dedicated headphone out, with amp sims etc, hooking up a IEM system in to that seems to be pointless. 

[Doddy]

24 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

What I meant was, seeing as the Helix has a dedicated headphone out, with amp sims etc, hooking up a IEM system in to that seems to be pointless. 

I didn't know the Helix had a headphone out. In that case, that's the practice rig right there. Maybe a small combo, if the OP wants to move some air.

I'll always recommend in ears over floor monitors for gigs though.

[dave_bass5]

12 minutes ago, Doddy said:

I didn't know the Helix had a headphone out. In that case, that's the practice rig right there. Maybe a small combo, if the OP wants to move some air.

I'll always recommend in ears over floor monitors for gigs though.

The OP said he wants to use a cab/speaker at home.