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High notes lost in the mix


rogerstodge
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I'd say that the problem is far more likely to be with song arrangement than with any specific EQ. Remember that once you're playing the D and G strings you're in the guitar range and competing with them for sonic space. Have a look at what the other instruments are doing when you are playing the notes that are getting lost in mix and make sure that they're not playing the same ones.

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Dunno about that BRX mate, I play in a threesome at the moment and go all over the neck, and cut through everywhere against distorted and clean guitar and a drummer who is like a tiny whirlwind of rhythmic chaos.

I admit I dont have any key sto compete with but there is nowhere on my neck that I drop out of the mix against the guitar ever.....

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1351333220' post='1850150']
Paul why on earth are you playing up that end in a punk band (assuming this is with Scam?)

Get back to open E or A immediately, the problem will then be solved!
[/quote]smash it up by the damned is a good example, its octave jumps on the G then over to the C, the 5th fret of g string is hardly audible, its a tad better if i go up to 8th fret.. Also shot by both sides with that funny scale that goes right up the uncomfortable end. Plus a few others..
Cheers Lozz

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[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1351355275' post='1850506']
Dunno about that BRX mate, I play in a threesome at the moment and go all over the neck, and cut through everywhere against distorted and clean guitar and a drummer who is like a tiny whirlwind of rhythmic chaos.

I admit I dont have any key sto compete with but there is nowhere on my neck that I drop out of the mix against the guitar ever.....
[/quote]

I think without actually hearing the OP playing with his band it's all a bit hit and miss and conjecture. There's stuff I do with The Terrortones where the guitar and bass play exactly in unison and because of the sound I have that makes by bass sound right in the lower register the guitar and bass blend together so that you only notice the bass (as a distinct instrument) if I stop playing or play a wrong note. If the bass did "cut through" in those passages it would either be massively over-loud or have an inappropriate tone in the rest of the song.

It may well be an EQ problem with the bass, but it could just as easily be an EQ problem with one of the other instruments or an arrangement issue. I'd be exploring all three avenues - I only suggested arrangement specifically because it hadn't already been mentioned as something to look at.

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[quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1351360618' post='1850555']
smash it up by the damned is a good example, its octave jumps on the G then over to the C, the 5th fret of g string is hardly audible, its a tad better if i go up to 8th fret.. Also shot by both sides with that funny scale that goes right up the uncomfortable end. Plus a few others..
Cheers Lozz
[/quote]

Well having seen Scam - but only with Glam Rock Glen - why not copy his settings? I`ve never had a problem hearing him in the mix (not that I want to start an Inter-Scam war of course :D )

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[quote name='andyjingram' timestamp='1351368746' post='1850646']
I'm going to agree on those filters!

The VPF is removing your mids and boosting your bass and treble- the VLE is removing your treble. All you have left is subby bass. As folks have said, they have a very strong effect, and at 50% of the way up you have some serious EQ working against you.

I expect that rolling them right down will have you and your drummer grinning again! :)
[/quote]

I use hardly any VPF at all now, the bass boost muddies up the tone, the treble boost adds harsh frequencies, and if you remove too much midrange you lose all the character and definition in your notes

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It may also be a problem with those speakers. 4x10's will always be bass heavy and top end light because of the way the multiple drivers work together. Even slightly to one side and the top from one speaker will cancel the sound arriving a fraction of a second later from another speaker. Unless you have the speakers angled so they are pointing directly at your ears you'll not hear most of your top end. It's really unlikely you aim the speakers at your drummer so he isn't going to get any of your top. Adding an extra 15 (also very directional) is only going to make things worse.

You can test this at your next practice by resting the 4x10 against something so it points at your ears and the 15 so it points at the drummers ears.

That doesn't mean the other posts aren't true of course, it may be eq etc etc, maybe a little of everything.

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1351427349' post='1851039']


Well having seen Scam - but only with Glam Rock Glen - why not copy his settings? I`ve never had a problem hearing him in the mix (not that I want to start an Inter-Scam war of course :D )
[/quote]yes you do ha ha.. I could ask him about his settings as i believe he uses a markbass 3x10 combo

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1351426899' post='1851032']


I think without actually hearing the OP playing with his band it's all a bit hit and miss and conjecture. There's stuff I do with The Terrortones where the guitar and bass play exactly in unison and because of the sound I have that makes by bass sound right in the lower register the guitar and bass blend together so that you only notice the bass (as a distinct instrument) if I stop playing or play a wrong note. If the bass did "cut through" in those passages it would either be massively over-loud or have an inappropriate tone in the rest of the song.

It may well be an EQ problem with the bass, but it could just as easily be an EQ problem with one of the other instruments or an arrangement issue. I'd be exploring all three avenues - I only suggested arrangement specifically because it hadn't already been mentioned as something to look at.
[/quote]some of the songs especially shot by both sides i'm playing exactly the same as the guitar so you could be right there..

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I used to have similar problems, as my favoured bass sound had the EQ set in the old V formation with heavily boosted bass and treble. The G and D strings disappeared above about the 5th fret. I decided to start again from scratch with level EQ, then adjust slowly to get an even sound across all the strings. I put the EQ flat, and the problem was solved immediately - so I didn't bother with any more fiddling. Maybe that would be a good start for you - turn the filters off, set the EQ flat and maybe that will give you what you want.

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[quote name='andyjingram' timestamp='1351594813' post='1852956']
The VLE gets a little more use depending on the situation, but I don't go for an uber-crisp sound anyway, and it will usually just be to adjust it to certain rooms or bands.
[/quote]

Totally, the VLE is actually such a valuable tool, should be on everything!

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[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1351594931' post='1852960']
Totally, the VLE is actually such a valuable tool, should be on everything!
[/quote]

You wouldnt be siurprised to hear that a low pass filter is one of the first things a mixer will put on the bass in a mix then - it might surprise you more to find out that they are also used on guitar, drums (not overheads so much) , backing vocals, reverb returns, keys and who knows what else, alongside high pass filters on all the above in order to 'bracket' sounds nicely into a mix.

Proper use of a low pass filter on pretty much everything can really help.

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[quote name='GregBass' timestamp='1351592998' post='1852920']
I used to have similar problems, as my favoured bass sound had the EQ set in the old V formation with heavily boosted bass and treble. The G and D strings disappeared above about the 5th fret. I decided to start again from scratch with level EQ, then adjust slowly to get an even sound across all the strings. I put the EQ flat, and the problem was solved immediately - so I didn't bother with any more fiddling. Maybe that would be a good start for you - turn the filters off, set the EQ flat and maybe that will give you what you want.
[/quote]yea thats the plan Greg, ill start from there and if i need a bit more oomph ill bring the sansamp bass driver in.. Cheers

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[quote name='GregBass' timestamp='1351592998' post='1852920']
I used to have similar problems, as my favoured bass sound had the EQ set in the old V formation with heavily boosted bass and treble. The G and D strings disappeared above about the 5th fret. I decided to start again from scratch with level EQ, then adjust slowly to get an even sound across all the strings. I put the EQ flat, and the problem was solved immediately - so I didn't bother with any more fiddling. Maybe that would be a good start for you - turn the filters off, set the EQ flat and maybe that will give you what you want.
[/quote]
Ah the much overused and generally pointless 'smiling graphic EQ' :)

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1st gig last night since being helped out by you guys, turned both VLE filters right off (not 12 oclock) and it sounded great, high notes were as loud or even LOUDER than the lows, it was a bit "honky" but i think that was because the mids were turned up but i never adjusted it cos it was so crisp clear and LOUD... Problem solved... I hail you Basschatters

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