Amp Tones

bassman5959 · #1 02-02-2011, 09:04 PM

A big problem I have with tone experimenting is that my amp sounds like hot garbage when I'm in my basement standing in front of it, but in a rock setting it sounds right at home and damn near perfect. Anybody have any tips for experimenting with sounds while still at home that will translate well in a live setting? It seems that what sounds good alone sounds like crap in a mix and vice versa. Should I just aim for crappy sounds at home???

For reference I play a Traben Array and a Rickenbacker 4001 into a BDI21 bass driver, digitech bass driver, chorus, EH Steel Leather, and BBE Maxcomm into a GK 800RB Biamped into a GK 4-10 and a a custom 1-15 built for me by J2 enclosures.

Sartori · #2 02-02-2011, 09:06 PM

No, this is often the case, especially in a busy rock mix.

What sounds good in the mix will often sound weird and even crappy by itself. I just learned to love my "in the mix" sound.

dukeisdog · #3 02-02-2011, 09:12 PM

I love my tone at home with my mids scooped, but it doesn't work in my bands setting. It may work for some, but not for me. I have to boost my mids to sound good in a band setting, but it sounds bad IMO when playing alone at home.

bassman5959 · #4 02-02-2011, 09:14 PM

Same here, my preamp pedal scoops some mids and at home I use the scoop button on the 800. Live I only use the pedal.

badboy1984 · #5 02-03-2011, 05:04 AM

thats why i hate my musicman stingray so much at home but love it to death in band settings lol.

stingray just lack of balls at home and i feel like i playing some garbage that cost over £1000 .......

Sartori · #6 02-03-2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukeisdog

I love my tone at home with my mids scooped, but it doesn't work in my bands setting. It may work for some, but not for me. I have to boost my mids to sound good in a band setting, but it sounds bad IMO when playing alone at home.

Yeah, I just learned to love the mid boosted tone.

Johnny Crab · #7 02-03-2011, 05:42 PM

Found the same here but also had to deal with 2 different rigs.
At home are ACME B2's. What goes in = what comes out.
At most gigs are BOSE PAS's with 4 "bass" bins.
I had to tweak the 16 or so patches(Line 6 BPDXTLive) to fit the BOSE's plus adjust them for live.
Recently added an MXR stompbox EQ that is put after the Line 6 to EQ all patches the same. I use THAT now to EQ the room and set the "in the mix" tone....so I can sound ok at home.

A Zoom H4N helps field-verify ears also.

NOTE:
When you hear bassist you are familiar with IN BANDS playing on a teaching or demo video alone, a LOT of them sound like a wacky version of what you are used to hearing in the BANDMIX. This situation is one we're all in.