Playing Too Hard, Suckish Monitors, and Whatever Cure Is Out There.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #1 09-09-2010, 08:34 AM

Okay, so the monitors we use in my church youth group are continually letting me down. I can't have a really trebley tone (the way I like it), that cuts at all, so I have to play a bit hard to be heard at all. (this isn't a surprise to us worship band players, "no punch, just provide the lower frequencies, that's your job." sounds roughly like what we're commonly told huh? Oh well.) Unfortunately, there is no amp, just DI (which I really do not enjoy, it limits my bass's sonic capabilities so much, and makes it that much harder to hear the bass.), so I rely solely on the monitors to hear myself, and with our guitarist standing a mere 5 feet from me and that monitor, he needs to hear guitar, not bass. Thus, I'm turned down to where I really have to hit it heavy to hear myself. 3rd, the PA is so clouded and fuzzy with all the signals going into it, that I REALLY have to play hard to hear myself. It really sucks. I busted a D string the other night, and had a sprained wrist for about 3 hours after that. That should tell me that I need to work towards a cure for this PA problem. Any suggestions?

I've thought about in ear monitors if I can find them. Our drummer uses headphones, maybe I should....

Advice appreciated.

J-B'ass · #2 09-09-2010, 07:23 PM

You should never have to play harder to be heard, that should just be an aesthetic choice. It's times like these that a nice outboard or inboard preamp would pay off, and I'd recommend one of those anyway.
The first obvious candidate for a solution would be to ask whoever functions as the "sound guy" to just turn you up in the moniters. The guitarist may need to hear guitar, but you need to hear bass, and neither should trump the other.
The second possible solution is a tonal one which you can implement from your end. Get Jaco on your bass; switch to the bridge pickup if you can, do what you can with the tone (not sure if your bass is passive or active) to get the brightest, growliest sound you can, and pluck firmly and as close to the bridge as you can.
That kind of tone might not be appropriate for the style, in which case don't do it; it's more important to serve the style. However if it does work, it'll help you cut through a bit more.

mambo4 · #3 09-09-2010, 08:40 PM

Google a digitech BP 50. For less 100 bucks you get a bass multi fx pedal with amp modeling that include a headphone out.

Billnc · #4 09-09-2010, 09:07 PM

Treble is where cymbals and guitar and other instruments sit, they eat those frequencies alive. The upper order harmonics IMO from a bass sound like hell mixed with those instruments. Roll off the highs boost an area of mids if need be.

**Pacman** · #5 09-09-2010, 09:09 PM

Treble doesn't cut through, mids do.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #6 09-10-2010, 08:24 AM

I have a digitech. the problem is, I need to hear the other stuff too...
And I am highly discouraged from upping the anti on my tone. THey just turn me down further, and it doesn't fit the style.

I'm talking to the Youth Worship guy about getting a small monitor with headphones next tuesday at practice.

If that doesn't happpen. I'll resort to headphoning myself only and I'll just have to go with the feel of the drums' resonating.

Stumbo · #7 09-10-2010, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OPBASSMAN1994

And I am highly discouraged from upping the anti on my tone. THey just turn me down further, and it doesn't fit the style.

Obviously, it fits their style. I suggest you stop being a problem to the sound guy by keeping trying to get into the mix differently than the way they want you to. Hey, it's their mix, not yours.

Quote:

I'll resort to headphoning myself only and I'll just have to go with the feel of the drums' resonating.

FYI, there are one-sided headphones available. http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...one?sku=242700

OPBASSMAN1994 · #8 09-10-2010, 09:51 AM

Look, it's their style. I know that better than anyone. Would I still be in the Youth band if I was obsessed with trebley, clangy, Geddy Lee tone so much that I couldn't bear to stray from it? I don't think so. Part of being a good and versatile musician is knowing how to accommodate someone else when you need to. If that means downing my tonal forwardness, then I'll do it. I'm not being a problem with the sound guys. Problem is, we don't HAVE sound guys. Somebody in the youth group'll do it, or our Youth Worship guy will. On THEIR OWN WORD, they are not good at operating it and getting a good, balanced, loud mix. I'm not trying to take over the mix. I'm not criticizing anybody. And that bit about "upping the anti" on my tone, was in explanation to a guy who reccomended changing my tone to a trebley style or a growl like Jaco. I can't and I was explaining why. Thank you for the headphone tip.

Stumbo · #9 09-10-2010, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OPBASSMAN1994

Problem is, we don't HAVE sound guys.

Yes, you do. In your own words:

Quote:

Somebody in the youth group'll do it, or our Youth Worship guy will.

Quote:

On THEIR OWN WORD, they are not good at operating it and getting a good, balanced, loud mix.

I suggest a wireless setup for you.

Then you will be able to go FOH and help out with the mix during sound check. Win win.

Good luck.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #10 09-13-2010, 08:23 AM

Thanks. I used headphones at my band's practice (my band, not the youth) and I could hear myself much better, thus I played more in my typical comfort zone, not ridiculously hard, making playing sound much better, myself less exhausted, keeping the rhythm much more in check, and I could still hear everything through our cheap little PA that we use, and the music was much more in sync and sounded so much better! I'm definitely doing that for the Youth band. That should fix things. Thanks for the advice.