First Night on Bass

[slystewart]

I have been the last year in the front room playing through either a Ampeg PR 4 X10 or head phones through a Boss GT6B playing alone th CDS or what evers on. Got the chance to join a band playing covers of 60s and 70s stuff. On saturday was the first gig and after weeks gettin to grips with the 35 songs needed for the night it came as a shock as on stage it was hard to make out what I was playing.I use a old musicman late 70s a friend lent me to be getting on with ,Ampeg pr 4 10s and a Ampeg SVT 2 pro the band was in my view loud on stage for the music they were playing but it felt I need to turn the bass up on the guitar more to feel the sound rather than to hear it. Also due to the position on stage cab was right behind me and being on the floor was low down,some one did say that the bass was very bassey off stage... any help other than tell them all to turn down Stewart If this subject is in the wrong area then sorry.

[richy316]

Ouch! many things going on here. umm first thing is playing live is soooo much different to playing at home at low volume or through headphones, much practice with the band is required i suspect. You will get used to it and also finding a sound you can hear through the rest of the band as again the settings you have at home don't always work in a bigger room could be many reasons ie: what the floor is made from, how high/low the ceiling is, are you elevated above the crowd etc

It is hard to hear what you are playing if the cab is low down by your knees but getting tight with the other members especially the drummer will help to cure that, if you play anywhere that provide monitors get them to cut everything from yours apart from bass may help as it will be infront aiming toward your ears.

Hope this helps a bit, im sure you'll be given many many other hints a tips from the more experienced boys on here.

[OldGit]

Try elevating your cab, say on a couple of beer crates or an amp stand like this:


That puts the speakers nearer your ears.

Then add in a little upper mid tone to your sound using your amp's tone controls ("eq") Somewhere around 2k works for me but you'll have to discover that for yourself.
You have to be able to hear yourself in the circumstances you are in because you'll still be playing by ear quite a bit whilst you learn the stuff and get to know what fits where in the tunes and sound.
Once you've payed the songs a few time sit will be easier to do it without being able to hear yourself clearly but for now you should make absolutely sure you can hear yourself.

[spinynorman]

All the above is good advice.

Also, if there's a keyboard in the band, particularly if the player has a heavy left hand, try to get as far away from it or its amp as you can.

You need to be loud enough to compete with the bass drum, but don't get into a volume war with the guitarist/s. As OldGit says, you can use the tone controls on the amp to help you cut through with tone, with upper mid or even treble, rather than being physically louder. I had the same instinct as you, to add more bass, but it is likely to be the last thing you really need. Don't be surprised if the tone that sounds great with the band and audience sounds absolutely awful when you're setting up.

[seymourfluid]

As above, cab up round your ears. I use a 1 x 15 with a 2 x 10 with tweeter on top and have the 2 x 10 at ear level for my own monitoring giving me the frequencies I need to hear. With the speakers round your knees you'll find if you walk to the front of the stage you're loud but on top of it you get very little.

I'll assume you have a guitarist next to you because you shouldn't have any problem if it's a 3 piece. Guitar amps are very directional so don't run your backline flat. Get the guitarist (again I'll guess your next to the kit and he's on your outside) to angle his amp slightly away from the kit and you angle your gear slightly in to the kit. A few degrees can make all the difference.

Also look at the frequency range he is using. If you have two guitarists in a band I find you usually get the lead guitarist with a load of top cutting everyone's head off at the front of the stage, with the rhythm guitarist having a more mid range setup. It’s quite easy for bass and rhythm guitar to fight for some of the same frequency range and it gets a bit messy.

If you have on stage monitoring, keep the stage as clear as you can. Don't fall in to the trap of trying to reproduce a full band sound on stage, just ask for what you need to hear. I take cues from lead vocal so that goes in and lead guitar and I only tickle that in if angling his amp doesn't give me enough on stage. The rest I don't need.

Oh, and get those bastard guitarists to turn down as well.

Oh, and if there's a keyboard player in the band sack it.

Edited January 29, 2008 by seymourfluid

[bassmandan]

[quote name='seymourfluid' post='130357' date='Jan 29 2008, 11:12 PM']As above, cab up round your ears. I use a 1 x 15 with a 2 x 10 with tweeter on top and have the 2 x 10 at ear level for my own monitoring giving me the frequencies I need to hear.[/quote]

hey SF!...... how tall are you? Can't be much more than two feet by my calculations....

[seymourfluid]

[quote name='bassmandan' post='130366' date='Jan 29 2008, 11:22 PM']hey SF!...... how tall are you? Can't be much more than two feet by my calculations.... [/quote]

LOL Flight case, then 1 x 15, then 2 x 10 then head. Stands about 6’ 6”. Works for me.

[spinynorman]

[quote name='seymourfluid' post='130357' date='Jan 29 2008, 11:12 PM']Oh, and if there's a keyboard player in the band sack it.[/quote]

[gary mac]

Spare me some sympathetic thoughts chaps, the line up that I'm gigging with this weekend will not only a keyboard but also four of our six string brethren. Oh joy.

All the best Gary.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='gary mac' post='130463' date='Jan 30 2008, 09:30 AM']Spare me some sympathetic thoughts chaps, the line up that I'm gigging with this weekend will not only a keyboard but also four of our six string brethren. Oh joy.

All the best Gary.[/quote]

Does one of the guitars have a setting for "Drums"?

[OldGit]

[quote name='gary mac' post='130463' date='Jan 30 2008, 09:30 AM']Spare me some sympathetic thoughts chaps, the line up that I'm gigging with this weekend will not only a keyboard but also four of our six string brethren. Oh joy.

All the best Gary.[/quote]

Ha ha how many guitarists does it take to change a lightbulb?

[spinynorman]

[quote name='OldGit' post='130693' date='Jan 30 2008, 02:28 PM']Ha ha how many guitarists does it take to change a lightbulb?[/quote]

None: The keyboard player does it with his left hand.

or

One: He holds it and the world revolves around him.

(and I admit I stole those )

[OldGit]

[quote name='spinynorman' post='130720' date='Jan 30 2008, 03:08 PM']None: The keyboard player does it with his left hand.

or

One: He holds it and the world revolves around him.

(and I admit I stole those )[/quote]


Nah

6: one to change it and 5 to sit grumpy and crossed-armed in the front row saying "I could do that"