Ok guys.
Im pissed and depressed.
Have you also had those days when you try to tab a song and you cant hear the bass at all.
Anyways its like this in most cds and stuff.
Do you guys have any ideas about how i can make the ultimate boost on the bass so i can hear the notes and not that room rumble that sounds like a earthquake.
Im talking about clear solid sound here.
Its easy to hear the high notes but when it comes to the low notes it dosnt just work out.
Would a good sub-woofer do the trick?
Any help is apreciated.

Besides im new here, HI!

OK: First - if you're talking about regular, average, big-time record company rock recordings, then it's gotta be your system! Through high-quality speakers or phones, the bass is very-usually clear and separated in the mix.

Now I've certainly learned that as a bassists ear develops, you can more and more easily pick-out the basslines - but you're saying "can't hear it at all"?! Something's wrong.

So I'm picturing you getting a crappy sub for your crappy system now -- and wasting MORE money.

Anyway - here's one way to start from scratch, and end up with a system that's designed for picking-out bass lines: The Tascam Bass Trainer, and a pair of decent 'phones. I have one, and like I said, it specifically made for this. You can change tuning, change key, change tempo WITHOUT changing pitch, and it has a bass-boost feature to-boot! And of course you can plug your bass right into it to practice-along! There's also a bunch of effects for your bass - like envelope filter, EQ, distortion, echo...

At first I thought the thing seemed flimsy for US$150, but after several years - including several free-fall drops to the ground, and sitting in broiling or freezing cars for days-on-end - I guess it's not-so flimsy!

Welcome! -

Joe

Oh - and another thing: I usually don't even use my home stereo for learning tunes. I play'em through my bass rig - it's like.. MADE for reproducing clear bass guitar.

Another good feature on the Trainer is that you can mix the stereo material to mono - comes in-handy for running it through my monaural rig.

Joe

I hear good things about the Tascam mentioned. Also consider the Amazing Slow Downer (http://www.ronimusic.com) program if you use the computer with practice. I swear by it. I raise the pitch an octave and with headphones there is little I can't pick out.



Scott

Stop listening to Metallica

Get a decent system. The receiver should be at least 200W per channel with EQ. Here's the important part: speakers make the system. The should be 3-way (tweeter, mid, and woofer) with a good-sized cone (8" or more). Now turn that bass up and the treble down. Hear it now?



OK, or you could get some good headphones. Either way.

Thank you guys for helping me out.
Im gonna try everything you mentioned.

:bassist: Rock on!

OK: First - if you're talking about regular, average, big-time record company rock recordings, then it's gotta be your system! Through high-quality speakers or phones, the bass is very-usually clear and separated in the mix.

Now I've certainly learned that as a bassists ear develops, you can more and more easily pick-out the basslines - but you're saying "can't hear it at all"?! Something's wrong.

So I'm picturing you getting a crappy sub for your crappy system now -- and wasting MORE money.

Anyway - here's one way to start from scratch, and end up with a system that's designed for picking-out bass lines: The Tascam Bass Trainer, and a pair of decent 'phones. I have one, and like I said, it specifically made for this. You can change tuning, change key, change tempo WITHOUT changing pitch, and it has a bass-boost feature to-boot! And of course you can plug your bass right into it to practice-along! There's also a bunch of effects for your bass - like envelope filter, EQ, distortion, echo...

At first I thought the thing seemed flimsy for US$150, but after several years - including several free-fall drops to the ground, and sitting in broiling or freezing cars for days-on-end - I guess it's not-so flimsy!

Welcome! -

Joe


He could be listening to White Stripes. haha

...The receiver should be at least 200W per channel...(sigh.)

I know that amp power is cheap these days, and all - but I certainly wouldn't dogmatically say "at least two-hundred watts"!

Fairly near-field, with any kind of decent - even 'bookshelf' type - speakers, wouldn't TWENTY Watts be fine for hearing an instrument on a professional music recording?

Oh, Man - what am I even thinking? Like FOUR watts per side or something like that would be fine through good-quality - even if low-sensitivity - speakers! You should be able to hear the bass just fine with a few watts.

I wouldn't suggest going out and looking for a four or ten Watt amp, of course, but I just don't like dogmatic statements like that...

My stage rig is 500W, but I'd be devistating my whole apartment building if I were to drive my cab with more than.. What? -30W or 60W or something?? I'll bet my normal practice volume - and I mean loud-enough to sing along to with gusto - is more like 20W or 30W.

Anyway - Like others have been saying here also: spend the lion's share of the money on the SPEAKERS, not amps.

Joe

Faithful Bass reproduction benefits enormously from a lot of headroom and although I live in a small flat - I wouldn't consider less then 100 watts per channel from my home Hi-Fi and this always gives me good bass response.

I can quite understand if you can't hear bass on PC speakers - but then I would never use these to listen to music...:hmm: