BassAdder60 Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 I’m sure like most or many of my fellow BassChatters we are chasing that best tone / sound when playing in venues or even rehearsals in various locations. I wonder how many times we have thought 1: My cab / cabs are just not right 2: My amp isn’t for me 3: My bass guitar sucks 4: My strings need changing 5: FX pedals etc etc and so on 6: Fingers or Pick But how about the influences of the room you are playing or rehearsing in ( this includes village halls etc etc ) Has anyone been chasing this tone goal only to discover it’s not the gear it’s the room and it’s surroundings ? I even find playing at home a challenge as vibrations etc happen in the home and you wonder is it my cab !! Be interested in peoples thoughts and experiences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Most of the time, it's the room. There are some combinations of amps/cabs that just don't work...but not many. Rather than look on it as the room, look on it as the room and all other combined factors (background noise level, PA or not, drummer...keys etc etc). It all has a significant impact on how the bass is heard. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 yep the room. I used to play a pub called, The who'd have thought it, in Kent. Best bass sound ever. Every gig. Same rig used everywhere but in that room, awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Definitely the room. When you think of all the variables concerned - size, shape, reflective & non reflective surfaces, size of the crowd, room on stage to position your rig etc etc - it’s no surprise really. Am sure we’ve all done gigs where it’s always sounded great, and likewise some that no matter what you’ve tried still sound sh*t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 The room seems the biggest factor in my experience. There is one venue in particular where, if I get a good sound everyone more than 20 feet from the stage complains the bass is too loud too boomy. If I bring different gear, or raise the cabs up, or isolate them, it sounds like a wet lettuce. I have always achieved a great sound with whatever gear I fail with there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 It's the room. So happy that my gig this weekend is in an established music venue with the house backline and a sound engineer, just turn up with the bass and play - FOH sound isn't my problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 (edited) - Edited March 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 It's all down to the tonewood used in the building... 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham56 Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Nope. It's you... 😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 The drummer's rehearsal space is wonderful, a little too wonderful so I have to tweak up the HPFand turn down the low bass to settle it down. Perfect. Then I set up somewhere else and wonder why it sounds thin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Definitely a room thing, I was getting rather grumpy that a full fat American Spector Forte through an Ampeg B1E into 2 Markbass 1x12 cabs sounded weak and uninspiring, I moved the cabs to a different position in the room and bang, there was the sound that I expected to get out of a set up like that! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 The death zone is 4 to 8ft from the walls. If it's booming next to the wall bring it out from the wall or get to HPF town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 7 hours ago, Mykesbass said: It's all down to the tonewood used in the building... And the tort wallpaper 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 IMO rooms can be bad, but most are OK and some sound great. Buy good gear. Stuff that works well together, get a good sound with the EQ, in the ball park. Get a good balance with the band and play the gig. Nothing is ever perfect so don't go chasing those shadows. Rooms can be difficult but most will give you a reasonable sound if you EQ well enough and get the volume right. If you were recording you'd want perfect, but gigs just have to sound OK. It's the songs, playing and performance that makes a successful gig. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 24 minutes ago, chris_b said: Buy good gear. Stuff that works well together, get a good sound with the EQ, in the ball park. Get a good balance with the band and play the gig. Nothing is ever perfect so don't go chasing those shadows. Sums it up nicely. Since I've been checking sound/balance with wireless or a long lead, I've realised that striving for some mythical perfect sound is a waste of time. Move ten feet away from your rig and the sound changes completely to that which you hear standing next to it. You can easily end up chasing your own tail. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ribbetingfrog Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 16 hours ago, Mykesbass said: It's all down to the tonewood used in the building... I hear tone is all in the fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 Its the room. To take it to extremes, just look at recording studios. Some will be revered for the sound of "The Room" for certain genres of music. When you consider the quality of instruments, amplification and outboard that pro musicians can call on that speaks volumes, If you will. When gear you normally love sounds wrong, all things being equal, its the room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 17 hours ago, Dan Dare said: Sums it up nicely. Since I've been checking sound/balance with wireless or a long lead, I've realised that striving for some mythical perfect sound is a waste of time. Move ten feet away from your rig and the sound changes completely to that which you hear standing next to it. You can easily end up chasing your own tail. Agree, getting a too trebly sound onstage usually equates to just the right sound for the room, so moving away from the rig at soundcheck imo is invaluable if providing bass for the whole room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 Then you get the sound changing again when there are people in it! I try not to worry and just go with it - but I much prefer the controlled environment in a studio or using a headphone rig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 It's the room plus the number of punters, plus whatever instruments you bandmates are playing. I EQ the drums on the PA (when I have the whole kit on the desk) to be complementary to the bass, so the two instruments don't fight. I try to make sure that the guitars have exactly the right amount of low-mids on the PA, and no more, so they don't clash with the bass. I work on the sound via the tablet throughout the gig, changing levels and EQ in real time, taking into account how many people arrive or leave at any given time, and of course when anybody swaps instruments on stage (bass guitar to DB, different guitars, etc.) Bass tends to sound better at a distance, because of its long wavelength. The sound on stage should be set up for the band to hear themselves and each other clearly; the main job for the audience should be left to the PA and the sound engineer (assuming there is one). Mids. When in doubt, always cut the low frequencies and boost the mids on the bass. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 You can't separate them. If I haven't cut my fingernails, the root of the noise sounds awful. Even worse if I've put brand new strings on and am playing through a 4" transistor radio speaker. Especially if I'm playing on the bathroom. Whichever has the most influence is usually the one you have least control over. Cut your fingernails and that may make a noticeable change but you still have that 4" speaker problem and bathroom issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 Is it the gear or is it the room? A little out of column a), a little out of column b). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Frank Blank said: Is it the gear 1 hour ago, Frank Blank said: or is it the room? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 Where you are stood in the room is a massive factor. Most of the time I have only a vague idea / hope of how I might actually sound out front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAdder60 Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 5 hours ago, Drax said: Where you are stood in the room is a massive factor. Most of the time I have only a vague idea / hope of how I might actually sound out front. That’s a good point .. we mostly stand near our rig or a few feet away I think our ears pick up the mids mostly as shorter wave length compared to low bass frequencies When you walk further away 27ft or more you hear the full bass sound and it’s often a lot deeper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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