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Sub placement


Marky L
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Where, as a typical pub/club rock band would you place a sub?

 

We do the typical pub/club gigs where we bring our own gear. We only have one sub (I forget the name and output but it's plenty adequate). The only person that uses it is the drummer for his kick drum. It used to be situated out at the front under one of the tops, but he has now taken to having it on the stage by him, typically on my side of the stage between my amp and him.

 

I fully understand that sub bass is not particularly directional but I'm of the mind that it's muddying up my sound. I prefer a brighter clank than a wooly thump and I have noticed I am dialling back the bottom end now. I'm not sure if it's just me being a bit sulky though! Oh, drummer has admitted he likes it on stage as he can feel it and that's it.

 

Any views?

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Have him put it on the other side of the kit then, LF below around 100hz is largely omni-directional, although not entirely, if it's to service the kick, anywhere in the kit's proximity will work, you'll be less aware of it and the guitarist will just turn up a bit...

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When using an electric kit our drummer wanted the sub next to him on stage otherwise the sound and visual just didn't line up right. Once he pointed it out I couldn't get away from the drum sound not coming from the actual drums. With a mic'd acoustic kit we have it out front then it's not flooding the stage with low end. 

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No need, ever, for a sub with an acoustic kit. For an e-kit, I use 'sport' earphones, which are lightweight and allow all ambient sound (they're not really 'in ears'...), so I get the full benefit of my drums, mixed how I like it, whatever the FOH or Monitoring for the band, whilst still hearing what's going on on stage from the foldback monitors and backline amps.. This solution works in every case, whether practicing alone, rehearsing, in a pub or a stadium, and it costs next to nothing. I take the feed from my Tascam audio interface (two headphone sockets...) which send the audio from my Superior Drummer laptop to FOH and foldback. It would work in exactly the same manner if I was using only the e-drum 'brain' for the sound, as they all have an independent headphone 'out'. Here's the type of headset I use; no issues hearing bass drum, snare, hi-hat... whatever... Much lighter, better, controlled sound, and less messing about than any 'sub' solution, if it's only for the drummer. :friends:

 

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Edited by Dad3353
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Thanks folks.

 

Putting it over the guitar side causes it's own issues.. "there's too much bloody bass, I can't hear the guitar properly.." 

 

I think drummist is just trying to take over the stage. I think we'll just have to try and have to suggest it's not working for us, let him go hissy and then put the sub back out front. The IEM option for him could do the job.

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