I have no idea what I am doing

[Lefty Geek]

At the beginning of 2006, I decided to give playing bass a shot. I like simple rock music, so as a guitarist, it thought it shouldn't be too hard. After playing only I little bit at home, I found a band of like-minded guys that needed a bassist. I was in.

Since then we wrote about about ten songs and played five shows. I'm not the best bassist, but I get the job done. Sure, I hit the root note a lot, but I am learning. However, at the beginning of the Febuary, we are going to record a few songs (live) in a studio. One thing I still haven't grasped is tone. My tone SUCKS. I just don't know how to turn the knobs, I normally just plug in and go. My sound is always weak.

To give you an idea about my situation:
we play "alterna-rock" such as Superchunk, Replacements, Pixies
looking for a standard tone - not too present, just right
I have a G&L LB-100 (P-bass clone) and the studio normally has GK 400RB heads
webstrings.com roundwound strings
I have a MXR M-80 which I use for distortion every now and then (not effectively)

Are there any simple tips I could use? I like the scoop-mids sound, but of course, I get lost in the mix. Or many tone is really in the fingers, and my fingers just sound awful! My riffs are decent, but my sound is not.

[Thor]

Open up your head to the mids. Mids drive your tone.

Lose the scooped mids and play flat EQ or even juice up the mids a bit.
You may find you like your fit in the mix better.
Give it a try.

[invader3k]

Scooping the mids out is exactly what you _don't_ want to do. Boost your mids up! Raise the bass tone a little, and then finally adjust the treble if needed. Finally, adjust your graphic EQ (if you have one) to compensate for room acoustics. If you're using any effects pedals (like your distortion pedal), try not using them at first, as effects can generally be added in later after your part has been recorded. If you need to use the distortion, keep the effect relatively low, as using too much probably isn't going to sound good in a "live" recording.

Try playing with a pick. That can help you cut through as well. The main thing is to experiment and find your tone before you get to the studio. That's the last place you want to be tinkering, while you're probably paying for the time, and everyone else is getting impatient.

[Lefty Geek]

Originally Posted by invader3k

The main thing is to experiment and find your tone before you get to the studio.

I wish I could, but we only rehearse a couple of hours a week, so I don't have much time for finding settings.

As a guitarist, I know all about scooped-mids, etc... The problem with bass is that there are too many knobs on the amp. My guitar amps have either treble/mid/bass or just treble/bass. With bass amps, no matter which way I turn the knobs, I sound like crap. Mids up, mids down, pick, no pick, nothing sounds good to me.

[James_B]

Maybe try a different bass.

[Lefty Geek]

Originally Posted by James_B

Maybe try a different bass.

I am not about to go out and buy another bass because my tone sucks. I did list the strings I have because maybe they are lacking.

Should I be using more low-mids or hi-mids? Part of my tone problem is that I sound very clanky/glassy. Don't know how to describe out, but it doesn't have a nice roundness to it. I play mostly with a pick, mainly because I forget to put it down. Some songs definitely require a pick because I am playing a constant quarter note pumping line.

[Baryonyx]

Originally Posted by Thor

Open up your head to the mids. Mids drive your tone.

I find that so many players cut their midrange. Mids can do wonders for improving your tone and giving your more presence and definition. And if you're using a P bass copy. you're going to want as much of that as you can get!

[James_B]

If your sound is clanky, maybe you should raise your strings.

It also matters where you pick. I suggest somewhere between the pick up and the bridge.

You can also lower your pick-ups. I found lowering P pick ups makes the tone smoother and less harsh But then you lose volume.

Perhaps replace the pick ups. I replaced the pick up in my P copy. Sounds pretty good now.

Maybe you just don't like P-bass tone.

[ZombieGhosTrain]

Nixing the pic could cut down on the clankiness. You say you need it for the constant quarter notes, but that isn't very fast, and is easy to do with 2 fingers. It takes practice of course, but in the long run it will benefit you if you can do it.

[xifr]

In guitar terms, glass usually translates to treble. To solve this, turn down the tone knob on your guitar (the one next to the jack).

The thing about tone, is what sounds good by yourself, doesn't sound good in a band, and visa versa. What you gotta do, is set everything flat, then play with the band, and in between songs make some adjustments and see how that affects tone. Step one would be to roll down the tone knob until you remove excess treble (this shoudl be easy, as you can do it while playing). Step two should be mess with the mids until you cut through. You probably shouldn't even need to touch the bass and treble knobs, just the tone and mid knobs. If you find your tone is not aggressive enough, a pick will solve this.

Also, low mids generally effects the fundamentals of the lower notes, wheras high mids effects higher notes (hi mids is the equivelent of ordinary mids on a guitar).

[jondog]

Originally Posted by Lefty Geek

However, at the beginning of the Febuary, we are going to record a few songs (live) in a studio. One thing I still haven't grasped is tone. My tone SUCKS. I just don't know how to turn the knobs, I normally just plug in and go. My sound is always weak.

To give you an idea about my situation:
we play "alterna-rock" such as Superchunk, Replacements, Pixies
looking for a standard tone - not too present, just right
I have a G&L LB-100 (P-bass clone) and the studio normally has GK 400RB heads
webstrings.com roundwound strings
I have a MXR M-80 which I use for distortion every now and then (not effectively)

Are there any simple tips I could use? I like the scoop-mids sound, but of course, I get lost in the mix. Or many tone is really in the fingers, and my fingers just sound awful! My riffs are decent, but my sound is not.

So your signal path is G&L P -> MXR M80 -> GK 400 RB -> Studio DI/Mic?

Look at each link in the chain and see where the clank/glass is coming from . . .

Do you ever like the sound of your bass? When? Roundwound strings are trebly especially when new, try nickel flats for thump instead of zing. Fingers should have less clank than a pick, especially if you move your right hand closer to the neck.

Take the MXR out of the chain, put it back in only when everything else sounds good.

GK 400 RBs don't have that many knobs. Is it a parametric mid? What amp do you use at home and for gigs? Assuming your bass sounds good, flat is always the place to start. Use amp eq to fit the room acoustics.

Recording live in the studio never goes well for me. Things get very loud very fast. Multitrack if at all possible. Use both a DI and a mic on your cab.

Good Luck!

[one]

I don't know how it would work with your Gk gear, but using my M-80 through my Trace Elliot, i boost the mids and treble almost fully and leave the bass almost fully scooped. A very odd setting but I love this tone, it's punky like, really together and tight. Playing with a agressive style really makes it sound so much nicer too. Works with almost every genre i play, inc punk, alternative, metal and rock.

[Lefty Geek]

I have been paying more attention to sounds since I last posted. For me, I think I sound better when I play notes on the E string compared to the A. Not sure if my pickup height should be change. I have also changed to DR medium hi-beams, and they do sound better. No more clackiness, but I wish notes on the A-D strings had more roundness.

Originally Posted by ZombieGhosTrain

Nixing the pic could cut down on the clankiness. You say you need it for the constant quarter notes, but that isn't very fast, and is easy to do with 2 fingers.

Oops, meant to say sixteenth notes!

Originally Posted by jondog

Do you ever like the sound of your bass?

No, that's my problem. I never really learned to eq a bass. Guitars were no problem. Still learning the bass.

Originally Posted by jondog

GK 400 RBs don't have that many knobs. Is it a parametric mid?

For me it does. I really that I am lazy. I play a Telecaster, because it has minimal controls. I usually just plug in and play. If I need a different sound, I change pickups. No idea about the parametric mid.