Tone Help

[Definitely]

Not sure if this the proper forum, but I would like some help. I'm not a sound guy by any means, and I know almost nothing about what to boost and cut for certain tones. I play mainly pretty fast and would like a nice Geddy type tone with a lot of punch and not that much sustain, can anybody give some advice on what kind of settings I need to achieve this? All help is always much appreciated, thank you.

[Pilgrim]

You don't have to be a sound guy. Your ears are the best judge.

Read this link: Bass Amp EQ for Beginners | Bass Guitar Rocks

The use of EQ is an individual decision, but LESS ls better than MORE. Your choice of strings and your playing technique also have a great impact on your sound.

In brief: EQ controls turn the volume of a given frequency up or down. Try to set up your amp so that you aren't playing on the same frequencies as the guitars. Don't boost the bass frequencies a lot, or you may damage your cabs. (Less is better than more.)

Record your sessions, and listen to the result. Evaluate. Adjust accordingly. It will probably take a few weeks or months to sort it out.

[seedokebass]

I've never heard this before, interesting point (from the link):

"A good rule of thumb is that the size of the speakers in your bass cabinet dictate how far away you should be. If you have a single 15″ speaker then 15 feet in front of that speaker should be the ‘sweet spot’ where you can hear it best. This works for any size speaker – a 10″ speaker will throw sound about ten feet ahead, and having multiples doesn’t change this (i.e. a 2 x 10″ cabinet will still sound better about 10 feet away, not five or 20 feet away)."

Definitely not always possible, but I try to get farther from the cab when I can. I'll have to see if I can push it that far in the future!

[bassgod0dmw]

I'm not sure how much truth there is to that, or how much difference it would make in the real world. Don't make it the basis on what you're trying to achieve.

Just get into a position where you can hear yourself well and start twiddling knobs until you get the sound you want. I'd boost some mids and crank up the gain to get a little distortion if you're looking for a Geddy type of tone.

Keep in mind that your tone soloed vs your tone in the mix are two very different things. What sound great by yourself may easier get lost in a mix of guitars/vocals/etc.

[jgroh]

You want a Geddy like tone for...playing at home in the bedroom? Or playing live with a band? Big difference. For live band mixes, Ive learned the hard way over the years that it can depend on the band you are in or the room itself. There are no across-the-board settings that anyone can tell you that will work for you. It takes experimentation on your part.

[dog1]

Geddy will always sound like Geddy regardless of the bass he is using, the venue he is in, or the rig he is using. You probably won't.

Consider going after your own sound.

Just food for thought

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by seedokebass

I've never heard this before, interesting point (from the link):

"A good rule of thumb is that the size of the speakers in your bass cabinet dictate how far away you should be. If you have a single 15″ speaker then 15 feet in front of that speaker should be the ‘sweet spot’ where you can hear it best. This works for any size speaker – a 10″ speaker will throw sound about ten feet ahead, and having multiples doesn’t change this (i.e. a 2 x 10″ cabinet will still sound better about 10 feet away, not five or 20 feet away)."

One of the most dumb, illogical, and well-traveled myths of sound reproduction ever. The further away from the speaker you are, the quieter it will be...period, end of story. If this stupid myth were true, then my amp would be quieter when I stick my ear directly in front of my cab. I can assure you it's not quieter...it is, in fact, much louder than from 10 or 15 feet away.

[will33]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

One of the most dumb, illogical, and well-traveled myths of sound reproduction ever. The further away from the speaker you are, the quieter it will be...period, end of story. If this stupid myth were true, then my amp would be quieter when I stick my ear directly in front of my cab. I can assure you it's not quieter...it is, in fact, much louder than from 10 or 15 feet away.

+1.....and then some. That is total myth.

OP, at quiet to moderate volume, (not real loud), move each tone/eq control on your amp all the way up and down and listen to what each one does to your sound. Bass, and any other instrument, is made up of a fundamental frequency of the note you're playing, plus many, many harmonics above that. It's what gives it it's tone and timbre, so experiment. Do the same on your bass with pickup blends, tone knobs as well as your plucking (or picking) style and also where you play the strings, closer to bridge, neck, harder, softer, etc. All of these together affect your tone.


That said, for some Geddy. If your amp has any knob that seems to add some growl/grit/snarly sound, turn that one up a ways and take out a little bit of the low bass and add some uppermid eq. 1k - 3k, somewhere in there if you have that on your amp. Can attack the strings somewhere around medium-hard as well. Not total fret clanking but a bit of that.

[Definitely]

Originally Posted by dog1

Geddy will always sound like Geddy regardless of the bass he is using, the venue he is in, or the rig he is using. You probably won't.

Consider going after your own sound.

Just food for thought

Not trying to be Geddy, trying to create my own sound under the influence of Geddy. Different. And thank you for all help everybody, I've been experimenting and not only figuring out what I like, but having fun at it!

[Gearhead17]

Originally Posted by Definitely

Not trying to be Geddy, trying to create my own sound under the influence of Geddy. Different. And thank you for all help everybody, I've been experimenting and not only figuring out what I like, but having fun at it!

Good! That is the best way to learn!

[ksandvik]

Sansamp + Rotosound roundwounds + Fender J bass.

Frankly speaking you could use nearly any configuration if you know how to use your fingers like Geddy Lee. Without that you could purchase the exact copy of the Geddy setup and get nowhere.

[Kenner]

I believe if you want that super cool punchy tone...sustain is your best friend...learn to control it....