fatback

Thanks Lawrence. I see the point about losing both low and low mid. That would fit. On the notch filter side, i do have one on my amp (fixed narrow Q)and I also have one on a DHA pedal (variable Q). I'll definitely try to find the bass's resonance, but i still can't see me risking putting the cab on the floor, having a problem and having to muck with EQ. I hate the pressure of solving techie stuff in the minutes before the gig. Absolutely does my head in. In short, not brave enough. I think I'll stick with the stand - 100% hassle-free.

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1322746950' post='1455263'] Or put some of this down: [url="http://soundstop.co.uk/ZABSLAY15.php"]http://soundstop.co.uk/ZABSLAY15.php[/url] and if necessary lay chipboard on top. This will decouple the bass's spike from the floorboards. [/quote] This. Although you might try using just an single small piece of auralex under the spike (as well as the mute) and see how far that gets you. One of the few pluses of living in the country is having no near neighbours. Mind you, the ones you do have pack shotguns.

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1322746072' post='1455240'] No more than any other cab, as all react to boundaries in the same fashion. To be accurate, you aren't losing lows with the cab elevated. That would require lifting it at least 5 feet off the ground. You're reducing boundary loading in the midbass. Using a parametric EQ to notch out the feedback, rather than lifting the cab, would have the benefit of giving additional headroom in the amp and speaker, as it reduces the amp output in the notched bandwidth. It would also give you a bigger bottom, as being able to dial in the precise frequency, notch width and amount of gain reduction will stop the feedback with minimal effect on other frequencies. [/quote] Thanks, Bill. The cab on stand is chest height, so not so far off 5 feet. Do you lose midbass at lesser elevations? Unfortunately, I don't see using the notch filter as very practical in the kind of situations we play in most often, ie tiny stages and no soundcheck; just stand up and play. I'll certainly look for that resonating frequency of the bass, as Alex described, but I can't see the speaker on the floor close behind the bass body ever being other than a problem. Luckily, the cab on stand approach is workable, as long as I don't need to get much louder, as I'd reach the amp's limits (with one cab) pretty quickly.

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1322733195' post='1454929'] With two cabs you could do something cunning by separating them and putting the bass body in a null point but that's much more effort than using a notch filter! On which subject, you'll probably get the best results from the notch filter by taking out the dominant resonance of your bass, which will be the same frequency regardless of the room. So find out where it is once and then remember it for future applications. We're just tooling up some wedges for mechanically isolating and tilting bass cabs so they might help - cab on the floor for more boundary reinforcement but tilted up so you can hear the higher frequencies better. [/quote] Interesting point about the resonance frequency. All the same, I'm not sure I'd want to risk the cab on the floor in these situations as putting it on the stand always works, and there's never time to muck about. @ pbass - that's exactly my experience. Maybe a more powerful amp is needed to crank up the lows with eq? Alex, is the Midget especially dependent on boundary reinforcement because of its small size (probably a dumb question, I know)?

Golihurmusic.com do a nice adjustable bridge for $68 +pp. They do the Bassmax too, if you can't get one on here. I've found them first rate.

[quote name='thumperbob 2002' timestamp='1322580385' post='1453055'] gramma pad- you will be surprised. [/quote] I have actually used auralex strips under the cab for electric gigs on boomy stages, and I've tried it with the upright but it doesn't reduce feedback at all when the speaker is behind the bass. And imo life is too short to fiddle with my notch filter. @ clarky, don't you get the same phase type probs that Lawrence is talking about? If you don't, it would certainly be a cheaper solution than two midgets (although I'm mad to hear what that would sound like. Awesome, I guess.).

@ Clarky... I was wondering whose resistance would crack first @ Chris & Lawrence I thought maybe the separation wouldn't be a good idea. Pity. In fact my bass is as feedback resistant as could be hoped for, i think, as long as the speaker isn't directly behind the body. In that case, raising the speaker is the only option - some of these 'stages' are so small and/or crowded I'm literally a metre away from the speaker. The ideal would have been one speaker raised behind for monitoring and another in front for extra bottom. I'm pretty sure what's happening is that the loss of acoustic coupling means I lose bottom, and the temptation to boost the low then swallows watts. I can get enough volume as long as I don't do that and instead work with the mids. All is compromise, i guess. Thanks for your thoughts

I use one Midget on a stand for my upright (to avoid feedback), but seem to lose a good deal of low end volume that way. Wondering if a second Midget in front of me would give me the extra oomph I feel I need. But would that cause any kind of phase problem? Haven't a clue about these things, so your thoughts much appreciated. Amp is an EA Doubler 550.

[quote name='mercuryl' timestamp='1321811866' post='1443348'] Really? How can you hurt yourself with it? [/quote] Tendonitis in the hands and wrists, various forms of RSI, and muscle strain in the shoulders and neck. Even when you try to be careful with technique, doing too much or getting sloppy can quickly cause you pain, inflammation etc. Nasty, and frustrating in that it can stop you playing for a long time. Really, one lesson can be enough to make you aware of good technique, and after that you can keep an eye on books and vids to try and build on that. I've only been at upright for 15 months, but it seems to me that being very careful about technique from the start pays huge dividends (after the initial frustration) very quickly. Why don't you try and get recommendations for a local teacher on here?

Hey, go for it. you won't regret giving it a shot. Get a lesson before you try to play, though. Really. Number one priority is not to hurt yourself, and the upright is well capable of doing you real damage. Also, you might as well start right. It'll be money well spent.

Hey, good on you for getting out there and playing.

Didn't Elvis Costello do a couple of wonderful duets with db on Jools last year? Anybody remember that or is it my imagination? Can't play it on Youtube cos it keeps telling me my country doesn't exist or something (how does it know? Must have been talking to the IMF).

No feedback probs with a hybrid here. I have heard it said that an older hybrid can be better than new in terms of resistance to damage, cracking etc though.

Thanks for the book tip Bilbo; I'll grab that. getting sore shoulder atm from practicing thumb position and I know it's posture. Rabbath says use 'weight' etc, but that's easier said than done when you don't use the angled pin.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1319011072' post='1408752'] I would highly recommend providing your own monitoring. [/quote] +1 Having your own monitoring means you can position the speaker to avoid feedback, as well as the other advantages. Try out any old cheap bass combo you can beg borrow or steal, before you buy anything. It might even work without a preamp (some combinations of pickup and amp don't need one).. If you do need one and can't stretch to the pricy Fishman's, a cheap but good quality preamp/DI is the DHA DI/EQ (you might get a discount if you pm Dave through BC.). Just as an example, as an experiment I tried a bassmax pickup through my very old Trace elliot combo without a preamp and it worked ok.

[quote name='marvin spangles' timestamp='1318724740' post='1405663'] I have tried the following Shadow , (underwood copy) Rev solo and Fishman full circle. or these three I would recommend Fishman Full circle. Quality sound , no feedback issues, [/quote] Can totally endorse this. Bought mine from Mr Spangles, sound is top class and I haven't had a feedback problem yet. Which is almost a pity since I've got a Kent Armstrong mag fitted as a backup in case I have bad feedback probs, and I haven't yet had a chance to show off my impressive belt and braces boy scout be-prepared act.

Really sorry to hear that Clarky. What a world.

Totally agree with the all over the fingerboard and including inversions point. Really hard work but well worth it, even if like me you end up spending a month on one key .

[quote name='Doddy' post='1375597' date='Sep 16 2011, 02:50 PM']My reasoning for actually learning the notes instead of just the intervals and how to make them on the bass,is that it becomes very easy to play the intervals via patterns and shapes and with no understanding of what you are actually playing. It's the same with just blindly playing scales-it's very easy to just play a generic fingering pattern. If you know what notes are used to construct the scales and chords you will have the entire fingerboard at your disposal and won't be locked into playing in position.[/quote] I take the point, Doddy. Mind you, if you are hearing intervals you're not just playing patterns (even though you're playing patterns ) are you? Perhaps making sure you play your scales and arpeggios in many different positions and all over the board would reduce the risk of getting mechanical about it. I have to admit I have zero chance of learning the names of all the notes i all the chords of all the degrees by any route other than slow osmosis. I mean if i play the same scale over a week, I get it. But that's just one scale . Don't you think that hearing in your head what you want to play over a chord is the main thing? If patterns are connected to the pitches, then the names surely don't matter too much. Oh, I don't know. Really.