Manwithvan Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 I have a wedding gig coming up very soon. We're all mates of the groom: most play in a big band together, but I'm not the regular bass player. The set includes All Night Long, We Are Family, Let's Dance, Never My Love, God Only Knows, Move On Up, I Feel Love (gulp!). I've always said I hated flats, but am having to eat my words. I've tried foam damping on rounds, but only flats will do, even if the bass is a lowly Ibanez TMB30. My problem with flats has always been getting the sound to cut through. Any advice on EQ'ing for the performance? I can take a EQ pedal. The band includes brass, woodwind, strings, about 20 of us. The groom's on guitar, and as he usually plays the French horn, there's another unknown factor! (I wondered if this question should be in a technique section, but I did a search and all the related posts were in this forum) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHM Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 (edited) Just accept that flats are best at providing a strong fundamental which the other higher pitched instruments sit on top of. Don't get too exercised about cutting through, take one for the team and enjoy the experience of providing a rich harmonic and rhythmic base to the overall texture. Flats are more Lewis Dunk that John Stones, if I maybe permitted to make a Euros analogy. So start with the eq flat and don't move too far away from this. Edited June 13 by NHM spellign! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 Agree, whilst they might not be the most technically proficient band listen to how the bass works in The Sex Pistols, providing a foundation on which the guitar works. Similarly AC/DC, locks in with the drums and doesn’t cut into what the guitars are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 43 minutes ago, Manwithvan said: ... The band includes brass, woodwind, strings, about 20 of us... I would assume that, for such an ensemble, there would be someone on the PA console; that person would be best judge of what the mix should be, and maybe adjust it if required, perhaps for the song, or the venue filling up or emptying etc. He/she will EQ and treat all the feeds to the console, including bass, and make sure that each instrument and mic is 'at its place' in the mix, including bass. I'd recommend a neutral setting at sound-check, and do whatever the sound person asks for; the event will be all the more successful if all do things that way, I would expect. Enjoy the gig. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted June 13 Share Posted June 13 EQ'ing fits can sometimes be a matter of cutting some of the lows (nothing more than 200Hz) will remove some of the 'thump' - you may need to increase the master volume as you've removed a LOT of the energy of your instrument by doing this, it'll give you a little bit more 'poke' though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 What is this EQ of which you speak? They're flats ... go with the way they sound. 🙂 You'll be hooked for life by the end of the first set 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diskwave Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 (edited) For my money completely dead flats played with a light touch is where its at, and I cut the bass on the amp a bit and push the mids a bit. A recent play back of my CV70 P bass going out thru the pa and I might as well have been playing the bridge PU on a J bass. Crystal clear gnarly mid range punch but with more heft. Edited June 14 by diskwave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 One of the reasons for flat-wound strings is that they make the bass guitar occupy a different sonic space to round-wounds. IMO if you want the bass to "cut through" you should be using round wounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Roll off the highs, not too much low bass, a little extra low-mid 200-800Hz honk. Good times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 14 hours ago, Manwithvan said: . . . . My problem with flats has always been getting the sound to cut through. Any advice on EQ'ing for the performance? You might have an amp and cab problem. I've played a PJ5 with flats for 12 years, these days with TI flats and a lump of foam, and never had an issue with cutting through. I usually have the P pickup on full the J can be 80% on or completely off, depending on the room, and the tone control usually between 60-80%. I'm using Aguilar amps and Barefaced cabs so the sound always projects well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munurmunuh Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 This is just curiosity: which flats, how old, and what balance between the P and J pickups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 5 hours ago, Happy Jack said: What is this EQ of which you speak? They're flats ... go with the way they sound. 🙂 You'll be hooked for life by the end of the first set That's about the truth of it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 3 hours ago, BigRedX said: One of the reasons for flat-wound strings is that they make the bass guitar occupy a different sonic space to round-wounds. IMO if you want the bass to "cut through" you should be using round wounds. And that's another truth of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Add some mid heavy slightly nasal farty overdrive. Like Lynott / Deacon - even Duck Dunn when playing live. It won't sound overdriven in the mix but it will increase the harmonic complexity and sound lovely and fat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Add mids, cut lows. If you have a high pass filter that's adjustable even better. Raising the amp/cab off of the floor will also help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwithvan Posted June 14 Author Share Posted June 14 10 hours ago, Munurmunuh said: This is just curiosity: which flats, how old, and what balance between the P and J pickups? La Bella DTBs, not new but little used. For God Only Knows, Never My Love - all P, for We Are Family and I Feel Love - all J. Thanks to everyone who replied to any question. I have far too much 'experience' of deciding on a 'sound' for a gig, then finding out it doesn't work at all in a live setting. I like the idea of a nasal farty overdrive, but I could cause some havoc with that! I may become a convert to flats, that'd be ironic at age 65. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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