Playing bass in the dorm...

ac3320 · #1 09-15-2008, 09:28 PM

[didn't know where else to put this]
I'm playing a fusion 550 with a neo 212 in my dorm room right now. i like playing to songs, so i usually turn it up so it's loud enough for me to hear it. Problem is, i live DIRECTLY on top of the dean's HOUSE (not even his office -- his HOUSE!!!). So, as you might imagine, i've been told to turn it down a lot! I'm trying to figure out what i can do so that i can enjoy my bass playing without disturbing everyone in the building!

Here's what i've thought of so far:
1. get some headphones. I have a balanced DI on the back of the GK amp, so i could run some headphones out the back and turn the cab all the way down to nothing. But then, how do i hear the music coming from my computer??

are there any other GOOD suggestions (i don't really want to buy a whole studio just to play guitar)

jsingles · #2 09-15-2008, 09:31 PM

i live in a dorm too man and i understand that playing with headphones can get old...

try cutting out your low end a lot and just playing with boosted mids, your bass will seem louder to you at lower volumes, and the mid frequencies wont travel through walls and shake the building as much as the lower frequencies do.

You certainly do have to respect others in the end though, and play a bit softer from time to time.

ac3320 · #3 09-15-2008, 09:37 PM

wow man that was a GREAT idea. i just tried it! lol cut all bass, almost all low mids, and got mostly high mids and treble. no mid scoop. sounds good enough to practice!

Visirale · #4 09-15-2008, 09:38 PM

Glad I don't live in a dorm anymore. Granted an apartment isn't much better, but it is a big improvement over trying to play in a dorm.

Whenever I wanted to play loud, I'd just go home. But that obviously isn't an option for everyone.

I'd say get a nice pair of monitor headphones. The Cafe Walter is a nice headphone amp with an input for other audio so you can play with songs.

rodl2005 · #5 09-15-2008, 09:39 PM

if U can find the Behringer V-AMP -copy of the POD- this V-AMP is actually a pretty good l;i'l unit. It has a aux input & volume as well as a heaphone output & of course amp modelling & FX etc.... So U can get a great sound( SVT into a 8x10 cab modelled sound) for yr bass, then pug yr CD player/MP3 etc.. into the AUX in & adjust the volume for that separate to the bass vol. THUS- you get the sound of yr bass(with any FX & amp/cab modelling) AND the CD/MP3 all going into yr headphones. The V-AMP is also GREAT for guitar & keys(w/ 16 or so patches especially created for these) , & has sumthin' like 32 bass amps/ cabs modelled in it. I find it great for this function. U should be able to pick these up pretty cheap. They ARE Behringer tho- so make sure U either get a NEW One or if 2nd hand make sure it's all functioning. I am on my 2nd one- 1st broke within the 12 month warranty -they replaced it no probs- This one has lasted 3 yrs so far. My 1st one I took to many gigs, where as this one sits on my desk- & hopefull will last many more yrs too.
For what it is & the $$$ it costs, I find it to be an excellent unit.

ac3320 · #6 09-15-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodl2005

if U can find the Behringer V-AMP -copy of the POD- this V-AMP is actually a pretty good l;i'l unit. It has a aux input & volume as well as a heaphone output & of course amp modelling & FX etc.... So U can get a great sound( SVT into a 8x10 cab modelled sound) for yr bass, then pug yr CD player/MP3 etc.. into the AUX in & adjust the volume for that separate to the bass vol. THUS- you get the sound of yr bass(with any FX & amp/cab modelling) AND the CD/MP3 all going into yr headphones. The V-AMP is also GREAT for guitar & keys(w/ 16 or so patches especially created for these) , & has sumthin' like 32 bass amps/ cabs modelled in it. I find it great for this function. U should be able to pick these up pretty cheap. They ARE Behringer tho- so make sure U either get a NEW One or if 2nd hand make sure it's all functioning. I am on my 2nd one- 1st broke within the 12 month warranty -they replaced it no probs- This one has lasted 3 yrs so far. My 1st one I took to many gigs, where as this one sits on my desk- & hopefull will last many more yrs too.
For what it is & the $$$ it costs, I find it to be an excellent unit.

thanks for your suggestion, looks like it's pretty expensive! i'll look into it more...

GreggBummer · #7 09-15-2008, 09:56 PM

I have a similar problem. I practice when my wife and kid are asleep.

My solution:
I bought a cheap Behringer mixer (Xenx 802). I use it for a whole variety of things... home recording, rehearsal recording, I have even used it for podcasting. Great little mixer.

What I use it most for is quiet practice for the bass. I run my laptop into one channel and my pedal board into the another. I hook in my headphones and just play. I can "mix" the channels to get a nice balance between the laptop and my bass. I can play music on the laptop with media player or use the cheesy metronome program that I have.

One thing that I like to do: Each channel has an EQ. I will wash the bass out of the laptop channel when playing music. This will allow me to play the bassline without having the original under the mix. The drawback to this is losing the kick drum in the mix.

EDIT: The price of the headphones isn't really important. Make sure the frequency response covers the range of your instrument(s). I use a cheap Radio Shack set that sound great. The freq response on them are 20-20,000Hz. The B string is around 30Hz (I think). Sounds great to my ears!

Complicated? Seems that way, but that little $50 mixer is a great investment. Spend another $50 on a nice set of headphones and your $100 will go a long, long way.

rodl2005 · #8 09-15-2008, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac3320

thanks for your suggestion, looks like it's pretty expensive! i'll look into it more...

Nah.. U can get 'em 4 less than $100 easy - probly only $50 2nd hand!

Dogbertday · #9 09-15-2008, 09:59 PM

If you're going to go the headphone route, I would get a small mixing board with at least 3 channels and as good of EQing as possible. your bass goes in one channel and you send your computer's sound through the other two. thiss will give you left and right control as well as EQing over the left and right side. perfect for play alongs, cutting out the bass, or isolating the bass in a track. as long as there's a headphone jack on the mixer you're golden.
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...xer?sku=630262

one like this... will also suit your needs if you ever need to actually use it for a basic PA set-up as well and you need a couple Mics
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...xer?sku=630263

ZonGuy · #10 09-15-2008, 10:02 PM

Bass Trainer - CD player/Bass mix with slow down, retrack, etc.

TMacATK · #11 09-15-2008, 10:20 PM

Maybe we should start a college bassists that make neighbors angry club!

I'm in an apartment, not a dorm, but I've already got the neighbors beneath me to leave a note begging me to stop playing. I'm on the second floor, and my amp (GK 800RB through an Ashdown 15 and 12) was doing exactly what it was supposed to do - rumble the whole building!

The other day I apologized to the neighbors and retired my 15 incher. I put the 12 on top of a milk crate so it's not contacting the floor, and did what everybody else suggested - cut the bass/low mids and boosted the mids. I think even the dean should be able to tolerate a reasonable amount of noise, no louder than a TV would be.

That being said, I also play part of the time with headphones through a little tiny Behringer Eurorack mixer. It's good practice to hear the tone of your fingers through monitor headphones without the tone coloration of your cabs.

Dave Muscato · #12 09-15-2008, 10:22 PM

Guys, guys! Come on, now. This is why these exist:

SpankyPants · #13 09-15-2008, 10:37 PM

PJB Bass Buddy.

JimmyM · #14 09-16-2008, 02:19 AM

SVT/810. Tell your dean to stuff it

standupright · #15 09-16-2008, 02:37 AM

check out a pair of these

http://www.truenorthmusicproductions...age_Order.html

jsingles · #16 09-16-2008, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by standupright

check out a pair of these

http://www.truenorthmusicproductions...age_Order.html

wow thats cool

jsingles · #17 09-16-2008, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac3320

wow man that was a GREAT idea. i just tried it! lol cut all bass, almost all low mids, and got mostly high mids and treble. no mid scoop. sounds good enough to practice!

yea i actually LIKE how that sounds when you EQ it like that at a low volume hah. You can get a very growly sound that is also quiet.

ac3320 · #18 09-17-2008, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

SVT/810. Tell your dean to stuff it

HA! i'm actually one of his RA's. lol. so that wouldn't go over too well

Hawaii Islander · #19 09-17-2008, 01:33 AM

Guitarpot type device with Gearbox added to your computer and studio monitors and/or headphones.

idResponse · #20 09-26-2008, 08:51 PM

just get a cheap mixing board and run a cable from the computer to the mixing board and a cable from the amp to the mixing board and headphones out of the mixing board. i do -everything- with headphones anymore. i have a delta/44 card on my computer and run my pc audio card direct to one pair of inputs on it and the mixing board i have to the other. run my bass through my effects pedals direct into the board and run the board into my delta. delta throws its output to my stereo system (as i haven't purchased any decent monitors yet) and i plug in headphones for everything! mixer you can get for super cheap, and a cable for pc to mixer is pretty cheap. i guess my sansamp helps make my bass sound decent direct in too

r0ck 0n!