Getting good live/rehearsal tone...

[xolin]

Hey guys, I have a question for some more experienced players...

I play in a metal band and we rehearse in a decent studio. Unfortunately all they have working is a 100watt Fender bassman. I use my compression pedal and sometimes my OD pedal but my tone just doesnt work.

Either I'm completely lost in the mix or the amp is so high that it gets distorted. I can get loud upper bass range going fine, but then the low end is muddled and distorted...and vice versa...no matter what technique I use (softer, near the bridge, less aggressive, everything).

Do you have any suggestions for EQ, etc to get a good solid tone maybe with a bit of growl coming through with the guitars without distorting or drowning them out?

I have a 5 string Fender swamp ash 75 J replica with Bartolini J5 Passive pickups. I also have an ibanez od pedal that i dont always go through and an optical compression pedal.

Thanks!

[xolin]

Oh, and on the slower softer interlude parts of the songs, I can get a really good tone, but I'd have to completely readjust all the eq settings between that and the harder faster parts...that just wont work :?

[lemur821]

It's all in the mids. Avoid a smiley face EQ at all costs.

[xolin]

i have hi and low mids...the his turned up make a farting distorted sound, the lows turned up make mud and overbear on the guitars

[xolin]

and mids dont help with the open E and if turned up too much make my upper register G sound distorted

[IanStephenson]

Loose the pedals. Maybe a LITTLE compression is OK, but less is more - a clean sound will always work better. Effects suck tone - sounds don't get fixed by processing them: Good sounds can be improved; bad sounds just get covered up.

+1 what paul said - the mids are where the tone is - lows thump, hi's click, but mids sing. I run my EQ flat, but have a mid-boost on my bass.

Ultimatly the answer is POWER. A bassman isn't really going to get you there no matter how you mix it. I'm guessing that the rest of your band is pretty loud? More power allows you to place the sound where you want it without pushing the limits of your amp. I run 250w in practise, and 400w biamped at a gig to match the guitarists 50W Marshal heads - I don't have to turn up anywhere near full but the extra power gives headroom, so it doesn't distort.

Ian

[agreatheight]

Originally Posted by xolin

Unfortunately all they have working is a 100watt Fender bassman.

All they have is a 100 watt Bassman? Don't you have an amp of your own? Maybe it's time to step to the plate and get one !

[xolin]

I aint gonna drag my 50 pound ass amp down to a studio for a 3 hour session every week...i take the subway, dude.

[xolin]

When I dont use compression its quieter and sucks even more, sorry to say...I'm just gonna ask the guys who work there to do something.

[tlwaps]

+1 on the more power.

[xolin]

Well my at home amp is 150 watts and it still get's distorted with just my drummer playing with me (only when we are playing really heavy stuff...like death metal or thrash). Is it still not enough?

[agreatheight]

I get it now - you play at an hourly rental studio and the studio provides is the Bassman 100. Why not go through the PA in addition to you amp to get some extra volume!

[xolin]

Hmm...I guess ...if they have the mics it can be done. I'll ask them to set it up so that I dont blow their monitors .

[agreatheight]

Acutally if you have a direct box you can plug straight into the board. That's something that the studio might have if you ask for it. If not, you can get a cheap new one for less than 50 bucks, a cheap used one for for probably less than $30 shipped. Might be worth it.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ors?sku=182452

[xolin]

Oh, yeah, my compressor pedal has an XLR out, so no need. I've recorded with it before and it sounded pretty good.

Thanks.

[agreatheight]

There you go! Good luck!