Terribly lostt in the mix using a Hartke setup?!?

greencow · #1 10-06-2009, 01:41 PM

Hello.

Did a few searches but couldn't come up with anything relevant.

Joined a new band and we had 2 lives together before I even played with them in a rehersal. Using an Ampeg SVT head and cab I had no problem finding my place and with my own Marshall MB4210 I was right where I wanted to be and everyone knew I was there.

Last night we had a practice session and the amp there was a Hartke 5500 head and 4x10 XL cab. I could not get a sound out of that thing that would be heard : /

The band consists of drums, lead vocals, rythm guitar tuned to drop C# and a lead guitarist. oh and me playing a Yamaha RBX 270(mostly neck pickup solod so it can be taken as a P) with flatwound strings.

I fiddled with the amp quite a bit but it sounded like the bass wasn't always there.

Anyone who has some experience with these amps can give me some pointers?

And the reason I put this in the live sound forums is because Hartke 3500 head paired with the XL cab is verry common where I live....

Jehos · #2 10-06-2009, 05:21 PM

Was it smiley EQ'd? You want a frown EQ to be heard. More mids, less high and low.

Nashrakh · #3 10-06-2009, 05:59 PM

+1 on the mid bump

Also, make sure the guitars leave enough space for you in the mix. Which means, make them turn down the bass on their amps.

sonic assassin · #4 10-06-2009, 09:50 PM

hartkes like to build in their own EQ, which is a scoop. their "shape" control.. scoopy scoop. as stated above, fight with mids.

marshall, ampeg.. they are notorious for being able to get a bunch of mid.

greencow · #5 10-07-2009, 10:56 AM

Well the thing is I tried to do what I always do. Boost the low mids a bit. Should I try and go for an extreeme boost? I also tried the smiling EQ option and as expected the thing sounds lovely for slap. Not a good EQ for fingerstyle IMHO though. So I should just try to boost the midrange a bit more and ask the guitars to leave me some more sonic space?

jaywa · #6 10-07-2009, 03:52 PM

You're getting there. A lot more mids than you probably would like to hear solo should do the trick when everyone is playing.

You can dial up the loveliest tone when you're playing by yourself and it will get totally lost in a band mix. Vice versa, get something you can barely stand to listen to on its own and it will be just the ticket when everyone is playing. Weird, but that's how it works out a lot of the time.