All Activity

A versatile fella by the sound of it. Was he on the register? Not the keyboard register... the other one.

...was just thinking about why it's more a problem with a traditional piano sound, and listening again to the opening recording I think the attack on the piano sound is much shorter than for the bass (and guitars for that matter) meaning that although they are in time with each other, you hear the piano first on the chords and hence lose the distinctiveness of the bass. It might be that a compressor with a softer/slower attack on the piano could help a bit as well.

Ah, it's an age old problem. The problem with keys is that they're so easy to make loud and 'big' without much effort that they can always drown out the rest of the band, never mind just the bass, and because they can be employed with such versatility, keys players who love the sound of their own playing can feel encouraged to play constantly, over everything. Years ago when I worked at a hotel, we'd regularly have bands coming in to play functions and weddings. One band always used the set up worth their guy on a Nord Lead II (a keyboard I never really liked the sound of). He was invariably devastatingly loud and piercing to the detriment of the rest of the band. I always did wonder if they knew how much of the FOH sound was occupied by that noise. In this instance, I think some diplomatic conversation would be in order. A keys player can play a bass part but they can never make it sound like a bass guitar even if they have a good patch, in the same way as a drum machine doesn't bring the music to life like an actual drummer would. If the band are happy enough with stiff-sounding keyboard basslines, your daughter might be stuffed but if they band have any sense they'll recognise and address the issue.

I have played Elton John's songs and they are arranged so professionally, there's space for all instruments. But if a band just plays without thinking, the collisions are very likely. A pro arranger knows the problems in the low end, and is able to avoid them. Music physics is not magic, but some people can arrange music sound like magic.

Ask the sound guys if are having trouble differentiating between bass, bass drum and keys. Their answer might solve everything. My suggestion, take some bass off the bass and add low mids. Take some bass off the keyboards and, while I didn’t hear keys overplaying on the recording, make sure the keys aren't playing bass guitar lines. Yesterday I played at a festival and the FOH was boomy and indistinct. The bass drum drowned out the bass! The sound guys didn't seem to have a clue. If that's what your sound guy is like, get another one.

Potholes - GmacCash

Yes a problem I've also had over the years especially playing in church/gospel bands where the lineup changes weekly. Keyboardists who play a lot on their own get used to playing all the basslines with their left hand so stopping them doing this in a band situation is a challenge. I generally position myself so I can see their left hand, and notice that the "better" keyboardists still do use their left hand but generally only playing root notes on the chord changes (often as octaves with pinky & thumb). Thus said the issue is most acute when they use a traditional piano sound (as in the OP recording). If they use a Fender Rhodes or Hammond or strings patch it's not so bad.

...and as Artec is a plain tone stack, vol and balance are 250k or 500k. You can use them in lo-Z (active) and hi-Z (passive) modes. Therefore bypassing Artec would be very simple.

I agree. Big risk of travelling with a bass is theft. I travel with a Bronco bass. Once set up it’s a capable little thing and the whole outfit cost me less than £200, including headphone amp and good headphones.

I might do at least a bypass to electronics in case of a battery failure, and to get a few more sounds. Ser/par (pickups) could be another extra. If you think a tone is a must, one rotary switch position could be passive with a trimmer and a cap. With trimmer you can adjust the amount of tone, and then you'd have a preset tone ready.

I've been moonlighting as a keyboards player for the last few years and this ^ is bang on the money. Most keys people simply can't help themselves ... they have to be using both hands or it feels like "cheating". I use a 2-tier rig because I hate splits but the principle is the same. My lower keyboard is for my right hand and that plays the main thing ... piano, organ, synth, whatever. My upper keyboard is for my left hand BUT set at +2 octaves so that I'm in the same register as my right hand, and that's for the twiddly bits and flourishes, or for strings/brass. Ego satisfied, plus I'm bringing far more to each song.

The other solution is buy him a vintage Fender Rhodes and for him to learn to play it right. Pretty much one funky 70's tone and little pure bass. Best band I ever played in was with keys playing one of those.....Light tones that worked everywhere.

I like the beat on this one and the video

The problem with active/passive is that the control knobs will be different values and part of the active circuitry, so not just a case of switching off the amplifier bit and keeping the volume. Would need a bit of thought. What about balance and tone controls?