Live Amp Tone Setting

[DLEE]

I came across an interesting way to look at setting your tone on the Fitzmaurice forum. I tried it here in my practice room and it seemed to really work. You set everything flat ( or your amps percieved flat setting),lets just say 12 o'clock on my LMII. Next turn the bass all the way off and crank your master. I raise my pre to compensate for no bass. Slowly bring the bass knob up until you get a percieved bass bump and you're done.The theory behind this method is the low mids carry plenty of low end already and anymore bass just adds clutter & mud.I can see how this really would clean up your stage sound and help the FOH mix. I did the same with my SVT & 810 and I get the same results. No boosts,mids @ 800. Try it for yourself and chime in. All I can say is my practice tone definately cleaned up considerably.

[Dethrats]

hmmmm...... im very interested in this!
i know how to spend my day off today! thanks for sharing!

[Duckwater]

Great advice, I will try this out at my next practice

[DLEE]

I'm sure guys who want thunderous bass on stage will hate this method. I've been setting here playing a P with flats and the punch is awesome. My setup is a LMII & Schroeder 21012L. Its just basic sound 101 I believe, "cut is more effective than boost" in most situations. Well,if you know where the cut needs to be I should add.

[96tbird]

Cool, any idea how I would apply this on an old V4-B that has ONLY a volume? No pre, no master? The old Ampegs are cranked at about 11 o'clock, so do I put it there roll the bass off and bring it up? Or do I ton the volume? Thanks!

[Joe Louvar]

When doing this (although it’s not a bad idea to experiment with) you might want to keep in mind that BFM is a tweeter and low volume lover so if you’re a 15 and volume lover this may not be for you. But if you don’t already know what tone you like best or how to achieve it - experiment, and BFM's idea is as good as any place to start.

[DLEE]

I would think 12 o'clock would get you there also. The volume is going to be relevent to what you have. You may find with the bass backed off the volume knob may actually go past your usual setting. We percieve bass as volume so this may take some getting used to.

[paul_s]

Originally Posted by 96tbird

Cool, any idea how I would apply this on an old V4-B that has ONLY a volume? No pre, no master? The old Ampegs are cranked at about 11 o'clock, so do I put it there roll the bass off and bring it up? Or do I ton the volume? Thanks!

If you roll off the bass you'll likely find you have more clean headroom on the volume knob. Give it a try!

[96tbird]

Yeah, I usually run flat with a dab of mid boost, and a little cut on bass and treb. I do know that with bass dialed out I can wind the volume up and understand why. I have never approached set up this way and it makes sense. Thanks for sharing.

[DLEE]

Originally Posted by Joe Louvar

When doing this (although it’s not a bad idea to experiment with) you might want to keep in mind that BFM is a tweeter and low volume lover so if you’re a 15 and volume lover this may not be for you. But if you don’t already know what tone you like best or how to achieve it - experiment, and BFM's idea is as good as any place to start.

I read this on his site,I don't mean to imply this is Bill's recommendation. I believe the members comments said this is their rule of thumb no matter the cab involved. It really cleans your sound up.

[Joe Louvar]

Ok, noted DLEE.

[dwalk]

So how about my controls on the bass itself?

[Queg]

Originally Posted by Joe Louvar

When doing this (although it’s not a bad idea to experiment with) you might want to keep in mind that BFM is a tweeter and low volume lover so if you’re a 15 and volume lover this may not be for you. But if you don’t already know what tone you like best or how to achieve it - experiment, and BFM's idea is as good as any place to start.

Not to speak for BFM, but from reading his posts, I believe you're making unfair assumptions about his biases.

For example, he usually advocates AGAINST using a tweeter for overdriven bass tones. I believe he also suggests that you can achieve higher perceived volume from any cab by shelving the bass eq and letting the mids cut through.. if he was a "low volume lover" why would he even bother to provide hints for methods to achieve higher volume?

[DLEE]

Originally Posted by dwalk

So how about my controls on the bass itself?

That wasn't discussed but I would center active bass controls and full up on passive.

[Joe Louvar]

Queg, fair enough - but ask BFM if he likes tweeters or not for bass and have him explain - and ask him if favors big large loud bass rigs of doom w/lots of bottom or smaller lower volume bass rigs better.

EDIT:
BTW, I’m not implying what BFM likes is right or wrong - only that everyone may not like the same thing.

[Queg]

As a rock player, it's difficult to ween myself off that bass eq. The heaviness and sustain that comes with the reviled mud directly affects my playing technique - finger attack and positioning.. holding/sustaining notes rather than pedaling..

Also, I've found that the concept behind the "loudness" button on a stereo applies here as well. At low volumes, the perceived bass disappears. So the more I turn down the volume, the more I goose the bass eq. On the flipside, as my volume goes up, the bass eq gets turned down (partly because interaction with the room starts boosting the bass anyway).

[96tbird]

I guess that's why bfm suggests maxing the output stage. From there using the vol pot on the bass and next you would boost bass on the amp to compensate if needed?

[Cristo]

Originally Posted by DLEE

Slowly bring the bass knob up until you get a percieved bass bump and you're done.

Can you elaborate on what is meant by "a perceived bass bump"?

Just til you notice that the knob is being turned up?

Til you hear what sounds like "enough"?

This is unclear to me.

[DLEE]

Originally Posted by Cristo

Can you elaborate on what is meant by "a perceived bass bump"?

Just til you notice that the knob is being turned up?

Til you hear what sounds like "enough"?

This is unclear to me.

Thats pretty much it. As you turn the knob you will hear and to a point feel the bass frequency come into play.Thats all you'll need. Low midrange gives us our punch, a lot of us do not need sub rattling low. The B string on my 5'ver seems to be much tighter EQing this way. The purpose of this method is to not interfere with the FOH. Tons of low end on stage reeks havoc with your sound system. I'm sure the level of bass you're able to dial in will differ with every room. This is not an end all way of adjusting your stage sound. I just found it an interesting procedure that after trying myself seems to pretty much be on point.All I can say is try it and judge for yourself.

[chaosMK]

I've been doing that for years, that's how we got good live sound.