Drummer thinks this amp/speaker combo will help

[SevenJacks]

Hi all,
My drummer and I have gone around and around constantly about whether I need a bass rig or not.

We are a covers band and play small gigs (up to 100-200 people). I have always gone straight to PA through a Zoom B3. Never an issue. Always have had good sound and good mix.

Now my drummer is set on getting (copied from craigslist):
- Peavey Session Bass Head 200watts
- 15" bass speaker cab with upgraded Peavey Black Widow speaker. 8ohms

I'm not a hardware guy but I'm slowly learning through you all on this forum. I also don't have the money, space or transportation to do a 'rig' correctly. Direct to PA is fine for me.

From my understanding so far, the next step for us would be to save up and add a sub to fill our sound, not add a single 15" cab and small amp.

QUESTIONS:
Is this going to get us anything more at a gig?
Where would you place it?
Is it a waste of money and space?

Thanks all

[audioglenn]

It sounds to me like the drummer wants you to have a bass rig so he can hear your bass better. That would make the most sense. However, if you are running direct into the PA, are you also coming through the stage monitors? If not, then he is having a problem hearing you.

[tmdazed]

I have also learned over the years, DO NOT TAKE ADVICE FROM DRUMMERS

[testing1two]

there's your problem

Your drummer just needs a better monitoring system so he can hear/feel your bass to his liking. In other words it's his problem, not yours.

[SevenJacks]

Heh thanks guys
In practice he tells me to turn down because of where he sits in the practice room...

Live could be the issue but I think he just likes the idea of 'more bass'.

Having an extra single cab for playing out, where do we put it? Point it towards the drummer? Middle front like a sub?

[4001]

Tell your drummer to get this...

[smogg]

Originally Posted by SevenJacks

Heh thanks guys
In practice he tells me to turn down because of where he sits in the practice room...

Live could be the issue but I think he just likes the idea of 'more bass'.

Having an extra single cab for playing out, where do we put it? Point it towards the drummer? Middle front like a sub?

A bass cab is not a PA sub. Two different animals. A bass rig is part of the back-line so you can be heard on stage. A "sub" is part of your FOH PA.

Are you currently using in ears or the floor wedges to monitor your bass? What is the drummer using?

[Winfred]

"Drummer thinks..."

I stopped reading after that.

J/k

[jmceachern36]

I'm in Mass too. How about we trade drummers? I've got the exact opposite problem. I'm always to loud for him. Except for last week when I just unplugged my speakers. He said it was just right!

[walterw]

wait, so you have no bass rig and you're depending on a PA with no subs?

i think your drummer may have a point.

[Jazzdogg]

Sounds like the drummer is asking for a more robust drum monitor. That's a problem for the band leader to solve, not you. I'd tell the drummer to talk to the band leader and leave me out of it.

[smogg]

Originally Posted by walterw

wait, so you have no bass rig and you're depending on a PA with no subs?

i think your drummer may have a point.

This...

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

Sounds like the drummer is asking for a more robust drum monitor. That's a problem for the band leader to solve, not you. I'd tell the drummer to talk to the band leader and leave me out of it.

Not this...


Um yeah... I wanna gig in a band bit I don't want to invest in any equipment for myself. Someone else should do it...NOT!!!

[SevenJacks]

Adioglenn: We use floor wedges for monitors.
Walterw: We have an old Peavey PA system with those big old 315s speakers. We have always had a good FOH sound but we are interested in adding a sub at some point.

Bottom line is that I now know it's not at all for FOH. Thanks guys

[dalahorse]

If you sound good in the FOH mix and can hear yourself in whatever you monitor with, there you are. The drummer simply needs to ask for more of you in their monitor mix. It seems pretty straight forward to me. Your drummer probably needs a lesson in sound reenforcement.

[hibachiduck]

Originally Posted by dalahorse

If you sound good in the FOH mix and can hear yourself in whatever you monitor with, there you are. The drummer simply needs to ask for more of you in their monitor mix. It seems pretty straight forward to me. Your drummer probably needs a lesson in sound reenforcement.

This works in venues that actually run bass guitar in the monitors. I've played at a lot of places that just don't. Some of them even have the power and speakers to do but just refuse to (probably by the owner's request due to dumb@$$ sound guys blowing equipment. A place in town that used to have FOH started requiring bands to bring their own PA system because they had fried so much of their gear and couldn't afford to replace it. Lesson learned: don't trust $5,000+ worth of equipment to idiotic "sound guys". Needless to say, that place doesn't do live music anymore).

Honestly, you can get a small rig loud enough for the drummer to hear you for less than $500 if you shop around. Being a musician is pricey, and being a bassist can be extremely pricey. For $300 I bought a 50w all-tube guitar combo that's actually way louder than I'll ever need (I kinda wish I would've gotten a 30w instead). For bass? I just dumped $1600 on a brand new SVT-CL and was actually excited that I got such a good deal on it!

[NYCbassist]

I like to have a 1/2 decent rig and get it to a stage volume that makes my drummer happy. I like to hear the drums clearly too so I figure it's a give & Take kind of thing. I don't think your drummer is out of line at all. If your rig can't fit on the stage than that's a different story.

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by smogg

This...



Not this...


Um yeah... I wanna gig in a band bit I don't want to invest in any equipment for myself. Someone else should do it...NOT!!!

If I'm using my own amp and cab(s) and it sounds great to me and FOH, but the drummer wants more, he should ask for more bass in his drum monitor. Not much difference in this scenario IMO.

[pflash4001]

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

If I'm using my own amp and cab(s) and it sounds great to me and FOH, but the drummer wants more, he should ask for more bass in his drum monitor. Not much difference in this scenario IMO.

Yes. But as I read it, the op ISN'T running his own rig. He's running an f/x modeling/preamp pedal into a pa without subs and what are likely anemic (at best) monitors. If you are going to gig, you need to invest in your own gear. I don't see this as a pa issue. I see it as a guy who needs to get his rig up to par.

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by pflash4001

Yes. But as I read it, the op ISN'T running his own rig. He's running an f/x modeling/preamp pedal into a pa without subs and what are likely anemic (at best) monitors. If you are going to gig, you need to invest in your own gear. I don't see this as a pa issue. I see it as a guy who needs to get his rig up to par.

I'm on the same page...sorta. I see nothing wrong with asking for what would normally be considered nominal backline support: amp & modest bass enclosure. Our monitor system won't handle the extra strain. Normally, I'd talk to the soundguy about beefing things up, but that's me and I know I won't do a durn thing about it.

Riis

[SevenJacks]

In our 2+ years of gigs I've never had the drummer tell me he can't hear me. His email today says:

"So I bought a GK 15" bass cab and peavey sessionbass head last night. Figure we can feed my head into it through the monitor output to tap a little more low end. "

I honestly don't think it's an issue with hearing me. I think he saw a cheap setup with the word 'bass' in it on Craigslist and thought 'YESSSSS!'...
I will find out more this Wednesday at practice.

I'm not asking you guys to decode my band chemistry of course, just providing info.
I will check our FOH sound in a few weeks at our next gig and see where it is with bass response. We may very well need a sub soon.