How to cut through a metal band?

[Asa Samuel]

I have a squier p/j bass and a GK 400RB/210 combo, and i'm looking for something that will let me cut through and still be heard.

We will be playing the majority of songs in drop C so i dont want to get too muffled.

Is there anything i can do to my amp/bass settings or imcorporate them both with a pedal that will help me cut through and be heard?


Thanks for any info/help.
Bass Junkie

[metallist]

Maybe get some sort of pedal that will add a little grit/growl to your tone i.e. Sansamp.

Or you can full out and buy a Big Muff

Do you pick or fingers?

[Asa Samuel]

Originally Posted by metallist

Maybe get some sort of pedal that will add a little grit/growl to your tone i.e. Sansamp.

Or you can full out and buy a Big Muff

Do you pick or fingers?

i was looking at the metal muff as its a little more compact.


i was going to decide on pick or fingers depends on what people said as i can do both as easily as each other.

[AdamR]

boost your mids way up. It may not sound great by itself but with a full band it will sound much better and cut threw.

[southshoreconor]

sansamp. used to use one when i had a 400rb. pretty cool little box.

[Lebowsky]

the less dirt you add to your sound, the better you will cut through if you are competing against 2 distorted guitars...

[zeh]

If You want to cut thru a metal band and you dont slap , you should go with sansamp and picking style.
Thats for sure... The pick will let you cut a lot more than your fingers, and the sansamp will make you sound more agressive.

[dirtgroove]

Originally Posted by AdamR

boost your mids way up. It may not sound great by itself but with a full band it will sound much better and cut threw.

Ding Ding- We have a winner!

[GeddyisGod]

Mids are your friend in metal, especially if your guitarists have the "smiley face" thing going on. You will get lost with too much distortion. I only use mine for solos anymore.

[jellymax]

point your amp at yourself, play at your best. if they complain they can't hear you, tell
them to turn down their volume!
if a song calls for finger style but it gets buried by guitar, should you accomodate &
use a pick or should guitars accomodate & turn down?

[The BurgerMeister]

Originally Posted by Bass Junkie

How to cut through a metal band?

well... next time you're on tour in Hollywood....

[fenderhutz]

You need mo' speakas for metal. Add a 15 or another 210.

[lowendgenerator]

Duh.....band-saw.

Boost your mids, buy a dirt pedal, play louder lol.

[Tomass]

+1 on adding dirt, other options could be using an EQ pedal before the what ever dirt box you get, making a more agressive mid-range focused tone.

[arai]

im going to add mids like others have said. one said " if the guitarists use smilie face"
all metal geetards scoop the mids and boost the lows and highs

[TeeMartin]

Treble 10
Mid 10
Bass 0
Light pick, pick near bridge
Solo bridge pickup
Guitarists cry

But no really, just boost your mids and pick closer to the bridge. I personally don't really like distortion since it muddies it up but it can work.

[Toasted]

Tune up?

[jollygiantchris]

play with very light OD or none boost mids and you should be good to go

id also go in the technique or general instruction forum (i forget which) and read the demystifying death metal sticky its quite informative on this subject

[pulse]

dont add too much fuzz, rather growl and aggro

also the sans amp is a mid scoop and wont help you cut thru imo

I have never used one, but every time I hear samples of the full tone bass driver I am convinced it is one of the clearest sounding dirt boxes for bass

I would save up for one and will infact save up for one,

[Asa Samuel]

Originally Posted by Toasted

Tune up?

that was my immediate thought but the rest of the band want me to play tuned down, and i dont want to get kicked out of this band as my best mate is one of the guitarists... and i'm not in any other bands.