Flatwounds in metal downtuned

[rhapbus]

I jam with a guitarist friend and a drummer friend of mine, both are very talented musicians, they both help me cut through as best as i can.

Thing is, i still cant, i can barely hear myself turned up to 10 and EQ'd perfectly.

I was wondering, is it completely stupid and pointless to try getting a set of flatwounds? We play heavier stuff so maybe the dullness would be a plus

i play with a pick downtuned to CGCF, no effects.

would i cut through better? i just wanna be heard >.<

[kingpin2512]

What amp are you using?

[excane]

I played in the same tuning for years, and flatwounds only made the situation worse....much worse.

I would definitely use round wounds (nickel) and possibly try Stainless. I used Dean Markley Blue Steels most of the time in that tuning.

[tom once dead]

Try boosting mids throught the roof, sometimes you have to sound bad to be heard.

[Deluge Of Sound]

I play heavy stuff down in C standard with flats, and I can hear myself fine. Plus, I use my fingers, so according to you I shouldn't cut through at all.


Personally, I'd blame the amp. But we do need to know what kind of gear you're using to do that.

[GrindYourMind]

Look at the way you are EQd, if you are boosting and cutting the same frequencies as the guitarists (most likely scooped) distortion equalization then you guys are fighting for frequencies and mudding out.
Flatwounds are probably a bad way to go unless you just want to rumble along but that obviously isn't the case.

[Surly]

I play with a hardcore band in Drop D. A P-bass with rounds and no mid cutting works for me. I suggested flats (only after being a talkbass member )but these guys didn't think they would sound as good, and they're much more experienced than I am. The goal is to have the whole band sound good. I still may bring my other P-bass with flats to a jam, even though it's a Squier, just for a test. It's strung with Chromes so I can still get a bright sound with a pick, it just may not be the tone that would sound "right" with the music. A lot does have to do with the amp, especially in a regular jam because guitarists like to play loud. When everyone gets mixed, it's different.

[bassboysam]

I play a 1/2 down or 1 1/2 steps down, i like the sound of flats better than rounds. Never though flat wounds would work in a loud rock band this day and age but I was wrong. These clips were recorded at our last couple practices. I am playing a MM stingray 4 with D'addario Chromes through a Traynor Monoblock set flat and a Yorkville XC115. Guitar player is playing a Peavey Butcher through a Marshall 4x12. you be the judge.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...?bandID=954486

[Surly]

Either should be heard in a proper mix. Lots of rock bands wouldn't sound like themselves without the bassplayer using rounds, and the same with flats.

[chunkstyle]

i have not had good experiences when down tuning flatwounds. where rounds seem to sound cooler when going down a half or whole step, flats always seemed to go directly to pooh sound.

[Surly]

Funny thing for me is that I prefer to practice with flats and rehearse with rounds. In my room the rounds make more noise and are much more boomy since my amp is near a wall and window. In a jam you don't hear a lot of that (or any of it). The flats are so much more mellow, they sound great in my bedroom or basement! Opposite of what lots of people say!