Bass Not Cutting Through The Mix

[Al Krow]

On 26/12/2025 at 12:30, chris_b said:

Lots of good ideas for working with your current gear. . . . but, how about buying a better bass, or a good preamp pedal to add more clarity and definition to your sound.

 

Agreed that a good pre-amp pedal, whether as a standalone or as part of a multifx, could make a positive difference, particularly if it also has decent EQ options that aren't available on the bass, amp, or desk.

 

A "better bass" is a can of worms though! Could potentially be money very poorly spent, particularly if the OP is already happy with his current bass.

[TimR]

41 minutes ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

That applies to bass players as well. Full lows and moderate mids sounds great, be it at home or when playing alone on stage. But it's not always that way when the full band kicks in, nor when you go out into the room. 

 

It applies to all instruments. 

 

Keyboard players who insist on being in stereo and drummers who expect their kick drum to knock down tall buildings. 

[Al Krow]

28 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

It applies to all instruments. 

 

Keyboard players who insist on being in stereo and drummers who expect their kick drum to knock down tall buildings. 

 

One of the massive advantages of having everything going through the desk & FoH? And if the venue says can you turn it down a bit / take it up you can oblige at the push of a slider.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Keyboard players who lean heavily on the lower keys are the worst. It turns everything to mud. They're supremely guilty of playing what sounds best when they're alone. 

[Owen]

I did a choir gig recently. Two keys players, one kit and me on bass. 

 

The conductor wanted the pianist to just play a rhythmic pattern above middle C. The kit/bass section were laying down a solid groove. She tried 3 times, but was still playing something an octave + below middle C to give her something to syncopate against. The conductor said 3 times "no, just the rhythmic thing". Eventually, I put my bass down, walked over and told her to play it again. I held her left hand and lifted it away from the keyboard and the magic happened. To make it EVEN sweeter, I have been waiting 42 years to do this with this specific player.

 

Keyboard players are clueless. Ones who actually understand a band dynamic/make up are like gold dust.

[SimonK]

2 hours ago, Owen said:

I did a choir gig recently. Two keys players, one kit and me on bass. 

 

The conductor wanted the pianist to just play a rhythmic pattern above middle C. The kit/bass section were laying down a solid groove. She tried 3 times, but was still playing something an octave + below middle C to give her something to syncopate against. The conductor said 3 times "no, just the rhythmic thing". Eventually, I put my bass down, walked over and told her to play it again. I held her left hand and lifted it away from the keyboard and the magic happened. To make it EVEN sweeter, I have been waiting 42 years to do this with this specific player.

 

Keyboard players are clueless. Ones who actually understand a band dynamic/make up are like gold dust.

 

I play in a gospel band and a couple of the keyboardists are like this - a piece of tape across their bottom couple octaves does the job!

[Chienmortbb]

On 28/12/2025 at 16:43, TimR said:

Keyboard players who insist on being in stereo and drummers who expect their kick drum to knock down tall buildings. 

Add sound techs that attempt a mass appendectomy with the bass drum.

[Dan Dare]

Keys players, especially inexperienced ones, forget (or choose to ignore) the fact that there is a massive difference between playing a piece solo and as part of a band. A solo keyboard can do the lot - melody, chordal accompaniment/harmony plus bass part - because you can play up to 10 notes simultaneously.

 

Put that kind of everything but the kitchen sink keyboard part into a band context and you'll have clashes - rhythmic and harmonic - all over the place. Not just with the bass, but with any other chordal instrument and even the vocal.

 

Some KB players are less than amenable to being told to trim/thin down what they play. The previous guy in my band was one such. He was a nightmare and would even sulk when told to thin it out. Fortunately, he decided to take his ball home recently. His replacement is great and gets it, but then, he's very experienced and knows his stuff. I'm mightily relieved, to put it mildly.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

You left out the pedals. That makes it eleven, and not in the good way. 😒

[chris_b]

I've told keys players that there is only one bass in this band, and it isn't them.  The baffled looks I get after that speech is dispiriting.

 

I'm currently playing with a guy who puts the full Boogie Woogie piano part into every number. Apparently he can't play without having both hands on the go! I gave up and just try to keep out of his way.

[Owen]

11 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I'm currently playing with a guy who puts the full Boogie Woogie piano part into every number. Apparently he can't play without having both hands on the go! I gave up and just try to keep out of his way.

You got the Jools gig?

[JapanAxe]

I used to dep on bass with a blues band where the keys player thought his electric piano sounded too middly, so he ran it through a graphic EQ pedal with the most pronounced V setting possible. As a result, his left hand was considerably louder than my bass and clashed with everything I played.

 

Eventually his expensive rack power amp went into thermal runaway and cooked itself to death.

[Beedster]

On 28/12/2025 at 21:30, SimonK said:

 

I play in a gospel band and a couple of the keyboardists are like this - a piece of tape across their bottom couple octaves does the job!

 

On 28/12/2025 at 19:02, Owen said:

I did a choir gig recently. Two keys players, one kit and me on bass. 

 

The conductor wanted the pianist to just play a rhythmic pattern above middle C. The kit/bass section were laying down a solid groove. She tried 3 times, but was still playing something an octave + below middle C to give her something to syncopate against. The conductor said 3 times "no, just the rhythmic thing". Eventually, I put my bass down, walked over and told her to play it again. I held her left hand and lifted it away from the keyboard and the magic happened. To make it EVEN sweeter, I have been waiting 42 years to do this with this specific player.

 

Keyboard players are clueless. Ones who actually understand a band dynamic/make up are like gold dust.

Two keys players in one band?