Dialing in like an idiot.

[Ed Sewers Park]

I know this is for the most part subjective and that I need to trust/train my ears, but I was wondering if anyone might have suggestions for dialing in my sound.

Currently I'm playing a Warwick rockbass corvette $$ through an Eden e410c nemesis combo.

I play all over the neck, dominated by picking and strumming. I play the bass much more like a guitar than traditional bass. Because of this, to get a clear tone I need to dial in my amp in an unusual manner.

Anyone have any thoughts about what range of frequencies might be problematic and create mud? Any thoughts on the issue at all?

[Simon Rose]

I to am interested, i do a lot of "technical" playing and i want to be as clear as possible.

[rpsands]

Time for a parametric eq and some time screwing around. Lots of people's ears are different here.

For removing mud, focus on 100-200hz.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by rpsands

Time for a parametric eq and some time screwing around. Lots of people's ears are different here.

For removing mud, focus on 100-200hz.

Can't tell you how much I disagree with that, RP. 100-200 is the energy point for my bass sound. I've found the mud comes from not slotting the frequencies of your band's bass drum and bass properly.

[will33]

If you're playing chords and especially close harmonies on the low end of the neck, you're going to want to turn down some bass and low mid to clean up the chords. If yours is a graphic eq, pull down some sliders on the left side. Anything closer together than a major 3rd or a 4th on the low strings will make dissonant mud if you have a fuller sounding bottom like you usually hear in electric bass.

[pengyou40]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Can't tell you how much I disagree with that, RP. 100-200 is the energy point for my bass sound. I've found the mud comes from not slotting the frequencies of your band's bass drum and bass properly.

+1 , Yes, I agree.

[Oobly]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Can't tell you how much I disagree with that, RP. 100-200 is the energy point for my bass sound. I've found the mud comes from not slotting the frequencies of your band's bass drum and bass properly.

Let's make that a little more surgical, then.. pull out 125Hz and see if that helps.

[Rthm]

I would point out that cutting is often more effective than boosting. turning all the frequencies up often makes things pretty muddy, IMO. try cutting one frequency instead of boosting another. obviously dont go overboard (boosting is still important), but i've had some good luck just keeping it in mind. YMMV, etc, etc.....

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Oobly

Let's make that a little more surgical, then.. pull out 125Hz and see if that helps.

That's my favorite!

[Dustin Teel]

I have to agree with Jimmy. I don't think cutting low mid is ideal for rock music, if that is indeed what you are playing.

Try boosting some upper mids.

[will33]

Originally Posted by Dustin Teel

I have to agree with Jimmy. I don't think cutting low mid is ideal for rock music, if that is indeed what you are playing.

Try boosting some upper mids.

I like a fat sound too but this guy said he was strumming and chording, more like a guitar than a bass. Go down towards the end of the neck and play a G and a B together and see how it sounds with the usual bass settings. I'll grab a harmony like that once in a while without thinning out the eq but you play the 3rd an octave higher on the skinny string....then it works.

There are some guys who can play complex chords on a bass and make them ring clear bit I'm not one of them.. Those guys usually have a more open, less bass heavy tone as well. Not your typical fat P-bass type sound.

[Duckwater]

I would say cut pretty much everything below 60hz and keep everything else flat. Try favoring one of your pickups as well, having both of them on at the same volume creates a big mid scoop even though it most likely sounds cleaner on it's own. Keep in mind that your tonal needs will change completely when you're in a band setting.

[chaosMK]

Originally Posted by Duckwater

I would say cut pretty much everything below 60hz and keep everything else flat.

+1

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Duckwater

I would say cut pretty much everything below 60hz and keep everything else flat. Try favoring one of your pickups as well, having both of them on at the same volume creates a big mid scoop even though it most likely sounds cleaner on it's own. Keep in mind that your tonal needs will change completely when you're in a band setting.

Depending on the amp, that's a good suggestion.

[rpsands]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Can't tell you how much I disagree with that, RP. 100-200 is the energy point for my bass sound. I've found the mud comes from not slotting the frequencies of your band's bass drum and bass properly.

It's the meat of my signal too, but a huge peak in the 100-150 area especially can result in what some people perceive as mud (especially the super fast arpeggios and chord guys). It's also typical of a lot of bass amp voicings to have a lot going on there so if you add more with your technique/bass/etc it can get to be too much.

[socknroll1]

When playing with a pick, and many other times, I like to boost 1-200 Hz and 4 KHz, and cut nothing. Simple and gives me an aggressive tone that I love. Works best with a P bass I think.

[rpsands]

Originally Posted by will33

I like a fat sound too but this guy said he was strumming and chording, more like a guitar than a bass. Go down towards the end of the neck and play a G and a B together and see how it sounds with the usual bass settings. I'll grab a harmony like that once in a while without thinning out the eq but you play the 3rd an octave higher on the skinny string....then it works.

There are some guys who can play complex chords on a bass and make them ring clear bit I'm not one of them.. Those guys usually have a more open, less bass heavy tone as well. Not your typical fat P-bass type sound.

This is exactly what I was trying to say.

My recommendation was in the vein of experimenting with cuts around there with a parametric eq to try to figure out where he perceives mud to be. Not just hacking everything in the upper bass out necessarily, but giving him a starting point.

[JimmyM]

Well I'm assuming he still wants it to sound like a bass, too

[Dustin Teel]

+1

[will33]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Well I'm assuming he still wants it to sound like a bass, too

Likely gonna be a pretty fine line there between clear chords and the bottom falling out of the band.

A true parametric might help.