LukeFRC Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Bass amps are a funny thing. I'm in the process of changing my rig around, and been spending a lot of time trying to work out what it is exactly that I'm after. Anyway I tend to go for a fairly clean tone. It struck me while playing today that live and in the mix the differences between different rigs isn't that massive and that if you've got PA support then half of the things that you look for in a bass rig are redundant and there's a different set of priorities. anyway just my thoughts - I took the very nice helborg preamp today into the effects return of the roland combo - honestly it sounds nicer - in the mix.... I dunno if I could tell. .... makes me think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 it depends very much on the sound you go for, if i when't to a cleaner amp it would defiantly be noticed in the mix the sound my swr amp had in the mix was very different to my orange. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 [quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1390157028' post='2342097'] it depends very much on the sound you go for, if i when't to a cleaner amp it would defiantly be noticed in the mix the sound my swr amp had in the mix was very different to my orange. andy [/quote] but you go for a clean sound... well you end up with something approaching your bass... through a DI with a bit of Eq. The current preamp I used for the first time live today is based on a console channel strip - which is great - sounds good - but... you're not going to be noticed in the mix any more or less are you. Want be be noticed in the mix pick a mid freq and boost it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 but if you not getting noticed in the mix then that a problem that starts at the beginning got nothing to do with the pa? or if you get lost in the mix could be a sound guy thinking he needs to eq your bass a certain way. the sound from your amp really does dictate the sound your going to give the pa. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 [quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1390159981' post='2342163'] but if you not getting noticed in the mix then that a problem that starts at the beginning got nothing to do with the pa? or if you get lost in the mix could be a sound guy thinking he needs to eq your bass a certain way. the sound from your amp really does dictate the sound your going to give the pa. andy [/quote] How are you defining getting lost in the mix? I agree for some sounds like we were discussing in your other thread the amp and cab add a lot to the sounds, but for others... when I was gigging more I lost count of the number of times the PA would take the bass DI before the amp- you chat about what it should sound like if you need but otherwise I've tended to just trust the PA guy's professionalism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1390162615' post='2342220'] How are you defining getting lost in the mix? I agree for some sounds like we were discussing in your other thread the amp and cab add a lot to the sounds, but for others... when I was gigging more I lost count of the number of times the PA would take the bass DI before the amp- you chat about what it should sound like if you need but otherwise I've tended to just trust the PA guy's professionalism. [/quote] most amps will sound different in the mix, some to your ear will sound further back say, others more pronounced but the change in amp does change the sound, however you can make alot of amps sound similar so i do get you in that regard. personally i wouldnt want a venue taking a di before my amp, they can plug in to the di on the head. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 My rig is a bass monitor... but also has to be a monitor for the band on a loud stage so it needs to be powerful if need be. It will cover all basses. The FOH is the FOH and unless we take an engr, it can't occupy too much of our thinking, tbh. That is just the nature of the gigs we do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I'm with Luke. With decent PA support and monitoring a good pre or d.i with EQ is plenty to get what you need,especially with IEMs. The actual tone of your bass cab becomes irrelevant to FOH and serves only as a personal stage monitor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I always go for a horrible middy, clanky noise when I use my combos as stage monitoring just so I can hear myself properly on the stage; FOH it'll be chunky and solid. I've never bothered to try to get 'my tone' on an amp for monitoring. It'll be changed beyond recognition FOH anyway. If want a FOH sound closer to 'your tone', you should invest in a really good mic and get your cab/combo mic'd up. Even then, there's no telling what the sound man might do! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 [quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1390300320' post='2343649'] I always go for a horrible middy, clanky noise when I use my combos as stage monitoring just so I can hear myself properly on the stage; FOH it'll be chunky and solid. [/quote] If you have to do this to be heard, then I think your collective band sound needs looking at.... a lot. How many in the band..?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Horses for courses but I`ve also found that to get a sound FOH that I like I also have to do what Truckstop does. Though with mine it`s nothing to do with being able to be heard, I`ve far more volume available than I`ll ever need. I just find that clanky/middy/nasally that irritates the hell out of me sounds really good in the mix - but then this is punk so maybe for Motown or stuff like that I`d need a rethink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtheelvy Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I play in two very different circumstances: 1: gigging rock band - I use a small but powerful amp to give on-stage monitoring. I EQ with a good low-mid thump as I have a bright enough tone to cut through anyway, and a bit of a thump on the back of the legs always feels good at a gig! 2: Sunday morning church - DI straight into the system, in-ear monitoring. Going for stage silence at this one as volumes are much lower and gives the PA guys a lot more control. Since going to this set-up I've been able to hear myself so much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1390304813' post='2343712'] If you have to do this to be heard, then I think your collective band sound needs looking at.... a lot. How many in the band..?? [/quote] I just prefer a clanky sound. I like to hear absolutely everything that goes on, so I like having severely cut bass frequencies. We have a dude that makes us sound good FOH; What does it matter what I/we sound like on stage? When we rehearse I use two Workingman's 10s and have a much fuller tone. The other band members are well aware of, and practice, careful EQing so no problems. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 [quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1390314426' post='2343910'] I just prefer a clanky sound. I like to hear absolutely everything that goes on, so I like having severely cut bass frequencies. We have a dude that makes us sound good FOH; What does it matter what I/we sound like on stage? When we rehearse I use two Workingman's 10s and have a much fuller tone. The other band members are well aware of, and practice, careful EQing so no problems. Truckstop [/quote] you guys obviously know what your doing so this not meant at you, but shouldn't a sound man just be reflecting the sound of the band? obviously adjusting for the room etc, also dnt most places where you go through the pa have monitors? so i can always hear myself be weird if that sounds different to the sound coming from the amp. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I think on-stage sound is very important...as it goes to the performance of the band. If you think your stage sound is not good then that could put a downer on the performance.. Also, if your stage sound is a compromise, then what is to stop that being transmitted out front. You wont know until you get feedback from it after the fact and when it is too late. A good on stage is no garuantee of a great FOH, but at least you know it isn't you guys who have stuffed it up. Because sound checks are a fraught with time issues... we would want 2hrs including set-up time, but this doesn't always happen, of course, so we work on the basis that our stage sound is simple, good and uncluttered. We know this works very well for small dates without P.A support as we are constantly told our sound is good. Since we can hear everything from our playing area, we expect this to transfer and be true anyway. There is no reason why stage sound should be different from what you want to put out front....certainly not to the point of compromising the bass. Other instruments don't tolerate this, so why is bass different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.