Purpose of Having an Amp When There's a PA

BassNoob1 · #1 01-01-2011, 07:35 PM

I understand you need something to practice with, but why not plug directly into the PA when there is one? Why put your amp in the middle of it?

Venom of God · #2 01-01-2011, 07:38 PM

You don't 'have' to put your amp in the middle, but I for one would never go without it. Tone is one reason and another is (assuming that I'm DI'ing before the amp and it's not miked) you can control your own on-stage volume a bit. Also tradition I guess, it'd look really silly if you didn't have one.

KsToaDangr · #3 01-01-2011, 07:44 PM

i wouldn't want to give up all of my tone shaping and volume control to the sound guy.

the byronic man · #4 01-01-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KsToaDangr

i wouldn't want to give up all of my tone shaping and volume control to the sound guy.

+1

Blacksack · #5 01-01-2011, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KsToaDangr

i wouldn't want to give up all of my tone shaping and volume control to the sound guy.

+2

soundmen will tend to turn the bass down in order to get the bass drum louder or will turn your tone to mud in order to get a very low end orientated "metal" sound

root fifth · #6 01-01-2011, 07:53 PM

And if you have no amp you cant brag about how many watts your running!

Savage_Dreams · #7 01-01-2011, 07:58 PM

ive spent too much time and money on creating what (i hope) is a unique tone. but if you really want to have no control over your sound and run the risk of sounding like every other crappy bar band bassist out there, go for it

will33 · #8 01-01-2011, 08:13 PM

Depends on what you mean by bass amp and what you mean by PA. Plug your bass straight into a 1/4" input of the powered mixer and pair of speakers on stands the singer is going through and you won't like it at all compared to a bass rig. Next, plug into a DI and listen to it through a cluster of subs, loudass tops, a rack of effects, a few thousand watts and a good soundman to run it all and compare that to your 15 watt "bass amp" with the 6" speaker. Then plug it into something old that has tubes in it.

Joking aside, there's the issue of independence/responsibility/civility, etc. I wouldn't walk around with an electric bass and just expect everybody else to have whatever I need to plug it into. A bass player needs a bass amp just like a guitar player needs a guitar amp, a keyboard player needs a keyboard amp (or pitch in on the PA) and a vocalist needs a PA capable of vocals (this could be the powered mixer and pair of speakers). "Real" PA's with x-overs/subs/mics for everybody could be a group deal or bring your own, just write you name on it in big letters.

Drummers are loud enough without any help and so are trumpets, reed instruments could use a mic.

lkngro · #9 01-01-2011, 08:14 PM

Besides all of the afrementioned pros, you can just run your amp as a personal monitor and let the PA do all the heavy lifting.

chucko58 · #10 01-01-2011, 08:19 PM

The PA at most small venues (e.g. the corner bar) usually isn't big enough to put out large volumes of bass. Most are barely capable of handling vocals well.

bassguitar808 · #11 01-01-2011, 08:28 PM

because you cant hear yourself on stage over the heavy handed drummer

because its awesome to stand a few feet in front of your cranked bass rig (with earplugs)

because you can't turn it up that loud at your apartment

because the amp's bass waves will make the bodies move in the front row, rather than just the middle of the room like the PA does

yes it sucks dragging it around, stop being lazy and play out more ;D
you'll get a good work out, and when lifting always bend with your knees, not your back!

gjbassist · #12 01-01-2011, 08:30 PM

I was talking to the guitar player in my band about bass through the PA just the other day. He said he didn't care for bass in the PA because the frequency of the bass causes too much movement in the PA speakers. He felt that would have a negative effect on the overall sound of the vocals. Don't know if there is any truth to that theory. He doesn't run his guitar through the PA either.

Savage_Dreams · #13 01-01-2011, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gjbassist

I was talking to the guitar player in my band about bass through the PA just the other day. He said he didn't care for bass in the PA because the frequency of the bass causes too much movement in the PA speakers. He felt that would have a negative effect on the overall sound of the vocals. Don't know if there is any truth to that theory. He doesn't run his guitar through the PA either.

i guess if you have a crappy PA that theory works. but what do i know, maybe all the major professional acts touring the world are using their PA the wrong way and your guitarist has it figured out.

seriously though, the bigger the place you play, you cant run all your sound from the stage. your chances of having a balanced sound in the whole room is pretty slim. thats the purpose of a PA.

Jazz Ad · #14 01-01-2011, 08:53 PM

There is a HUGE difference between running a PA in small venues/bar gigs (what most players face on weekends) and "pro acts touring the world" (which are of concern for maybe 1 out of 100 bassists).
The approach is completely different and indeed, it is usually much better not to run bass through the PA in small places.

mark roberts · #15 01-01-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lkngro

Besides all of the afrementioned pros, you can just run your amp as a personal monitor and let the PA do all the heavy lifting.

+1 and it can truly be a system that feeds to you like your PA monitor ie: fires back at you instead of back lining and inhibiting the FOH sound.

GrowlerBox · #16 01-01-2011, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

There is a HUGE difference between running a PA in small venues/bar gigs (what most players face on weekends) and "pro acts touring the world" (which are of concern for maybe 1 out of 100 bassists).

1 in 10000. Maybe.

seanm · #17 01-01-2011, 09:02 PM

A few reasons I use my amp even with PA support:

1) When we are playing small bars we just use my powered mixer. Only vocals and the rhythm guitar go through the PA. So my amp is the FOH for bass.

2) Moving up to medium gigs I run the bass through the PA, but still rely on my amp as both a monitor and for some FOH support.

3) When using a "real" PA, I still use my amp as a monitor. None of the places I play will run bass through the monitors. I might even point the bass across the stage rather than out into the audience.

KramerBassFan · #18 01-01-2011, 09:18 PM

It makes me feel like a hipster.

Oh, and not every place has a good and true BASS friendly PA.

chuck3 · #19 01-01-2011, 09:30 PM

It's a good question, and here's my answer as concerns my primary gigging band. We play small to medium size venues with a decent PA but it's 8 channel. We have 4 voices, kick drum gets a mike, my upright gets a DI channel when I use it, acoustic/electric guitar gets a channel and the guitarist's Marshall mic'd gets a channel. So all 8 channels are used before we get to EBG. For that reason, and because we are kind of retro, EBG plays "backline," plus that lets me be the loudest player in the band and no one can control me!

Pearldiver · #20 01-01-2011, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KsToaDangr

i wouldn't want to give up all of my tone shaping and volume control to the sound guy.

+10

Plus, most sound guys are fricking stupid.