Bassist who live in apartments

[bjbass1]

I'm new to the bass , just started playing this past christmas. I have a small Peavy Max 110 practice amp .I usually crank the bass on my bass pretty high, but I rarely turn the gain on the amp past 2. I have already gotten 2 letters from management ,so my next strike and were out ( eviction ) Does anybody know of any soundproofing or bass traps that I could get or make . Now I'm using my headphones cause I'm kind of shook . I like using the headphones to really hear what I'm doing ,especially since I'm just starting out ,but I know this will get tired and I like to feel the bass also. Any suggestions?

[nortonrider]

Why didn't you start using the headphone after the 1st. letter from the manager?

[Rockthesnakepit]

deny, deny, deny... worked for me for the first month ("dude you've been hearing that too? Must be next door... sounds good though right?") Headphones work, but what i've resorted to is simply sitting on the floor next to my speakers. Sounds stupid (and looks even dumber i've been told) but being on the same level as the speaker does allow you to feel the punch at much much softer volumes

[Rattman]

Nothing will work.. nothing. Besides, why bother upgrading something you don't even own? (your apt).. Nortonrider knows this.. get a headphone amp.. or if you have a headphone jack on your combo, use that. You just can't win with close quarters and bass frequencies.

[alexei]

Im in the same pool fellow

I guess with time you will be more and more confident on the sound of your bass and will be lowering your volume day by day. Otherwise you will lose your hearing soon.

I have a 120W amp and neve use it above 2 in master. EQ I use flat (i kinda love the sound of my bass right how is done by the instrument).

Lemme give you a peace of advice: don't get too used to "your" sound if you plan to play with a band of in public. Every room, or concert hall will distort your own sound in it's particulay way. With the whole band you will hardly hear that slight presence you like in home.

And a solution for the neighbourhood? We have 3:
1. Headphones. Get a good set and that's it.
2. Lower the volume and get used to that.
3. Kill everyone in the building and there would be no one to be annoyed by our sound.

There are some materials (click for a wiki intro) that dampens some sound, but they tend to be expensive and make your room look ugly and smaller.
Anyways, if you just play loud, it will be heard anyway. And if you are already in a bad relationship with neighbours, they will get pissed off even if you lower the volume.

Most of this is comes from my past experiences Now im hanging out with the Acoustic axe and it really keeps it nice 'n' 'low (I wish it'd be louder, but is not).

Cheers

[Michael Case]

I use the TV rule. turn on your TV, plug your bass into the amp, set the volume so it's about the same as the TV. This assumes you listen to your TV at a reasonable volume. I've lived in the same place for 4 years now, I practice upright bass and electric. I've only had one complaint and that was when I was playing duo with a guitarist until 9:45pm. You should also look into your city's noise ordinance, I know in NYC I can play until 10pm without worry.

Another piece of advice, you don't need earth shaking low end when practicing at home. Cut the bass on your EQ.

[Marcury]

Originally Posted by Michael Case

I use the TV rule. turn on your TV, plug your bass into the amp, set the volume so it's about the same as the TV. This assumes you listen to your TV at a reasonable volume.

I got some complaints and this is exactly what I do now. No complaints since.

I know in NYC I can play until 10pm without worry.

After 10:00 i turn down further. The later at night it gets the more i turn down, till I'm just at the point where I can hear the amp is working, but it's not much louder than without. In other words just loud enough to hear.

Another piece of advice, you don't need earth shaking low end when practicing at home. Cut the bass on your EQ.

Cut the bass and boost the mids.

[Michael Case]

Why boost anything, this is home practice, not a gig or band practice. Also, practice without an amp. You'll still hear your bass, plus you'll get a better sense of how to get the sound you want with your hands.

[dirtybass]

Headphones.

I got this little unit called...I wanna say "pocket rocket"
or somethin..plug it into bass..plug in headphones....rock.

[skeptikal]

I have that same practice amp. The Bass is what is p*ssing people off not necessarily the volume. Even though it doesn't sound loud to you bass frequencies travel farther and sound louder than a mid/high freq. playing at the same volume.

Just turn the bass eq down and you should be okay.

[jomahu]

before i got my toneport, i used this as a headphone amp:

http://cgi.ebay.com/KORG-TONEWORKS-A...QQcmdZViewItem

the filter effect is surprisingly good.

[tmart937]

I always tell people if they want to hear what I'm playing go outside it's all you will hear! That's the tricky thing about the bass, standing right next to your speakers doesn't seem loud. You just have to use headphones. Also find a guitard and go practice at his house!

[JTE]

I moved into an apartment at the age of 50. It was difficult to adapt because I'd always been in my own house. Don't go for big fat bottom. Get the amp off the floor. While I have one of those Aralux GRAMMA pads, just putting your amp on a couch or a big stuffed chair will eliminate most of the coupling with the floor that causes a lot of problems in apartments.

jte

[Chebass88]

Hey all,

There are some great suggestions here. I just finished 4 months in a hotel room, so I have used headphones (almost) every night since. Head phones are nice - you get a completely different sound from your bass with headphones, and it helps if you plan to do some recording - you'll be used to hearing your bass through headphones.

I know you are using a practice amp, but in general: Just because you have a rig that can handle so many watts, doesn't mean you have to use it to hear a sound. I've used an Ampeg B-15 Portaflex (~35W) for many years, at low volumes. Even my higher power rig (AI Clarus II (400W) into a Schroeder 1210L) can be heard at safe practice volumes.

If you're getting letters from management, you're being irresponsible (IMO). There is no reason to have it that loud. Turn it down & you'll still hear it & save your ears.

imp.

[DocBop]

Headphone practice amp. When using your amp get it off the floor and away from the wall. Put it on some cushions or foam to avoid coupling with the floor. Probably all the vibration shaking stuff in other apartments more than the volume.

Find a rehearsal studio and get couple hours a week to work on amp tone and blast away.

[Deacon_Blues]

I live in apartment. My neighbors are always surprised the first time they see me carrying my 2x10 and 4x10 speakers into my apartment. I have a 500W amp. I don't own a practice amp, so I use the 2x10 and the amp at home. Just on a ridiculously low volume. Normal speech is louder....

Keep the volume down and cut the bass frequencies and boost the mids as others have said. It's the bass frequencies your neighbors hear. No, you won't feel the bass, but that's a thing you have to accept if you want to play at home in your apartment. I'd hate if I had a neighbor playing through a similar rig as mine even on medium volume.

If you want to play loud, hire a practice room somewhere where it doesn't matter how loudly you play. If that's not an option, read the last paragraph....

[alexei]

One thing i've learnt after many years... Drummers who NEED to play extra loud, are bad drummers. Bassist who can't play at low volumes apply as well... i guess. :-/

Do we need to shake the gound to play music? Poor harmonica players... bongo drums players... acoustic bass players (haha me included) they can't play music.

[Hughsie]

I live in a tenement flat, built in (I'm guessing) the '30s or '40s, with virtually no serious soundproofing at all. I'm on the 2nd floor, with neighbours in every direction - and so I never play bass amplified at home. I've got one of those old Zoom 506 boxes which is a decent enough headphone set up, and quite often use my Line 6 Tone Port as much for practice as recording - but mostly when at home I play unplugged. Want to practice at volume? Go to a rehearsal room.

[alexei]

A small practice amp won't be such a bad idea I guess... I also have a small SMARVO 30 watt amp that can raise the vibration in the room pretty good, and it is more enough... maybe a 15 or 20 watt could be more apropriate for that matter. Im sure those aren't expensive enugh in USA, maybe less than a hundred bucks.

[69nites]

don't put your amp directly on the floor.