Bassists You Can't Hear

[The Dark Lord]

Fender [u]USA[/u] Precision. Strap on. Rock. Simples.

[steve-bbb]

ME!

Last gig we were on the verge of being asked to turn down a wee bit

I tried the subtle tactic of ... i had my bass volume maxed out and the amp's input gain and master volume were all maxed out on ten , couldnt have turned up any more even if i needed to ....

..........................................................................................tumbleweed.........

Edited December 21, 2012 by steve-bbb

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Ziphoblat' timestamp='1356020752' post='1905863']
I think people need to be careful about stating their experiences as if they were objective facts that would hold true in any situation.[/quote]

Indeed. 'Cutting through' isn't about what your gear is, it's who you're playing with and what sounds are coming out of everything. Sounds obvious because it is obvious.

But people like excuses to buy gear don't they.

[cheddatom]

IMO it's easier to get a jazz to cut through. i guess it depends on the style of the music

[JTUK]

[quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1355993989' post='1905333']
I expect its the scoopy patrol who don't spend their lives on here over analysing like us lot, :-) and who may not realise that their great sound at home doesn't work at a gig.
[/quote]

Depends if the rest know what they are doing. I wouldn't say my bass is mid heavy at all... but it doesn't get buried.
I just think some people haven't got a clue... and you can boost the mids all you like and still have a mix of mush..
You only have to listen to most of the bands round here...and I guess this would be typical elsewhere.. to hear P-basses lost
and no definition... and higher end basses running mid-madness...with a sh*te sound.

[MacDaddy]

You can't really hear Newsted on And Justice For All, as he is pretty much doubling the guitar lines.

I think there's a difference between not hearing the bassist when they are playing (and [i]lost [/i]in the mix), and not hearing the bassist when they are not playing. You would probably know something was missing.

[grahamd]

I'm forming a new band, Scoopy Patrol

[Low End Bee]

Just as an aside. At some gigs I wish I couldn't hear the bass player 'cutting through' so much. A lot of the time it's me!

[JTUK]

Must admit, when I attend local gigs, I often think, oh no, P-Bass...!!
The only way people can get that to work is to pluck the hell out of it..and this means mostly a pick.
If they play fingerstyle, then the band had better leave some space.

As I said.. a decent FOH guy will make that room..... but mostly P-Basses can be the kiss of death..
which is the total opposite of the way they should be used on pro stages.
That is why the MM is so popular at local gigs... whereas it loses its usefulness on a larger stage.

I am not a fan of the overused Humbucker ( for example) to force its way through a mix...as mostly, all it will achieve
is to muddy up the mix.

A case in point of buying the bass you want for its sound... and not knowing how to use it...
What was that about bedrooms..??

[HMX]

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1356093073' post='1906692']
You can't really hear Newsted on And Justice For All,[b] as he is pretty much doubling the guitar lines.[/b]

I think there's a difference between not hearing the bassist when they are playing (and [i]lost [/i]in the mix), and not hearing the bassist when they are not playing. You would probably know something was missing.
[/quote]
He is doing that but I'm not sure about that being the only reason. The volume of his track is just really quiet to me.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1356045491' post='1906315']
When I was 14 I got to see my bass hero at the time who was playing with Eric Clapton at the time - it was Nathan East.

It was my first ever concert and it was at the SECC in Glasgow and I couldn't hear a single thing he played. I was so disappointed
[/quote]

To be fair the SECC is a bloody awful venue acoustically. Maybe they've found way s to improve it in recent years but I went there for several gigs and it was never a great listening experience, especially when it was at it's max size.

[arthurhenry]

[quote name='HMX' timestamp='1356097774' post='1906785']
He is doing that but I'm not sure about that being the only reason. The volume of his track is just really quiet to me.
[/quote]
Yes, he is mixed very, very low. It was a controversial issue at the time of release, with Hetfield/Ulrich, saying it was just the sound they were going for. Some expressed the opinion that it was to do with emotional issues following the death of Cliff Burton. I believe there are a series of videos on youtube called 'Justice for Jason', which attempt to remix the tracks, with more bass.

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1355935254' post='1904743']
As for 'bassists you can't hear' - honourable mention for JPJ on Celebration Day!
[/quote]

I thought it was just my crappy TV in the bedroom (and having the volume down so as not to wake the wife up).
So it was jimmy page's mix then?
Dazed and confused was even more confusing than ever without bass.

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1356101445' post='1906877']
I thought it was just my crappy TV in the bedroom
[/quote]

It was your crappy tv in the bedroom. It sounds just fine though a pair of proper speaker (e.g. the 3ft floor standers I use for my tv).

[Dave Vader]

Is that the proper DVD or the version they had on the Beeb the other week? I'm starting to think the TV version was shorter and worse mixed to encourage people to buy the DVD instead.

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1356096877' post='1906764']
Must admit, when I attend local gigs, I often think, oh no, P-Bass...!!

....... but mostly P-Basses can be the kiss of death..

[/quote]

The men in white coats are coming for you.

This is so wrong it's hilarious.

[Jacqueslemac]

So, the consensus is... there's no consensus!

[JTUK]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1356096877' post='1906764']
Must admit, when I attend local gigs, I often think, oh no, P-Bass...!!
The only way people can get that to work is to pluck the hell out of it..and this means mostly a pick.
If they play fingerstyle, then the band had better leave some space.

As I said.. a decent FOH guy will make that room..... but mostly P-Basses can be the kiss of death..
which is the total opposite of the way they should be used on pro stages.
That is why the MM is so popular at local gigs... whereas it loses its usefulness on a larger stage.

I am not a fan of the overused Humbucker ( for example) to force its way through a mix...as mostly, all it will achieve
is to muddy up the mix.

A case in point of buying the bass you want for its sound... and not knowing how to use it...
What was that about bedrooms..??
[/quote]

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1356205121' post='1907995']
The men in white coats are coming for you.

This is so wrong it's hilarious.
[/quote]


I've printed it again..so maybe you'll read it and get it this time round, but I will not hold my breath judging by most of your bass related posts.

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1356208947' post='1908064']

I nearly added something else, but didn't. But since you've been so nice, let me say this.

That post you made said more about you and your odd Fender-hating attitude than it does any form of reality.

You don't like hearing Precisions? Stuff and nonsense.

I have often thought your posts are rude, biased and of little value.

Get a life.




I've printed it again..so maybe you'll read it and get it this time round, but I will not hold my breath judging by most of your bass related posts.
[/quote]

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1356045491' post='1906315']
When I was 14 I got to see my bass hero at the time who was playing with Eric Clapton at the time - it was Nathan East.

It was my first ever concert and it was at the SECC in Glasgow and I couldn't hear a single thing he played. I was so disappointed
[/quote]

The low end within the SECC is shocking for some reason. I have seen some incredible players there but can honestly say I have hardly really heard any of them. One of the few venues where Geddy Lee & Neal Peart both sound S**t on each and every Rush tour!

Regarding the rest of the thread, getting the sound right live can be the biggest challenge of the gig for me. I cannot bare it if my sound is not sitting right in the mix.

To quote the legendary Miles Davis "turn it up or turn it off!"

[jaydentaku]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1356208947' post='1908064']
I've printed it again..so maybe you'll read it and get it this time round, but I will not hold my breath judging by most of your bass related posts.
[/quote]

Fender can do no wrong!

[JTUK]

[quote name='jaydentaku' timestamp='1356217189' post='1908174']
Fender can do no wrong!
[/quote]

Well, wouldn't go that far but I have 2 main basses that are Fender J upgrades so it isn't as though I don't get Fender.

But to re-iterate or clarify my point.
On a quick count up of bands at a local level .... I think I've seen one band that uses a P-Bass and I probably see 5-8 bands a month.

[Lozz196]

I think it`s easier to get a workable sound with a Precision, especially if using a supplied rig, set everything at midday and you won`t be far wrong. But I`ve seen some cracking bassists using a Jazz - one being a mate of mine, his sound being awesome, using a 77 Jazz and a Behringer Ultrabass head/410. And not being heard is definitely something he couldn`t be accused of.

[JohnFitzgerald]

Many of you have commented on the bedroom sound not translating well to a live setting.
Couldn't agree more.

It's all about the mid, not the scooped mid deep and trebly sound.

WIth the current Spector, I get on well with both pickups. I roll off the neck until it sound slightly thinner.
Then boost the volume to get the bottom end back. Bingo, just as fat but with more mid by biasing a tad to the bridge pickup.

Having said that, I have some video from summer's End and it sounds big beefy and fat. Not that I'm complaining. A good engineer rules.