Not cutting through with BDDI

insomniac2295 · #1 04-20-2009, 11:55 PM

Just added the Sansamp BDDI to my rig. Absolutely love the lows that it gives me and the distortion. I can't seem to get enough mids to cut through the mix though! Is there anyway that I would be able to dial in enough strong mids to cut through but still retain the beefy lows? I've been using the SVT and Bassman settings. Help someone?

**DosiYanarchy** · #2 04-21-2009, 12:14 AM

if you have the manual, its got alot of info about the mids adjustment - basically i think its set at like 500 or 750k and its static all the time, so if bass and treble are at noon, then everything 'should' be flat (never sounded that way to me, though), if you boost bass and treble - then its a mid scoop, if you minimize bass and treble, then its a mid-boost

what i would say is take Bass Treble and presence down to minimum - then slowly add from there.
Maybe also experiment with having the blend around noon.

Its gonna have to be a compromise unfortunately, I learnt it the same way. I sold my BDDI and got a VTbass, but then bought another BDDI for its awesome clankyness. Now i run the VTBass into the BDDI

B.C. · #3 04-21-2009, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DosiYanarchy

if you have the manual, its got alot of info about the mids adjustment - basically i think its set at like 500 or 750k and its static all the time, so if bass and treble are at noon, then everything 'should' be flat (never sounded that way to me, though), if you boost bass and treble - then its a mid scoop, if you minimize bass and treble, then its a mid-boost

what i would say is take Bass Treble and presence down to minimum - then slowly add from there.
Maybe also experiment with having the blend around noon.

Its gonna have to be a compromise unfortunately, I learnt it the same way. I sold my BDDI and got a VTbass, but then bought another BDDI for its awesome clankyness. Now i run the VTBass into the BDDI

+1, the mids on this device work as a function of the treble and bass. experiment with them down and see what you get

seanm · #4 04-21-2009, 12:40 AM

Bass at zero and treble at zero will *almost* get all the mids back.

You could try getting an EQ pedal and boosting the mids before the SansAmp.

tom once dead · #5 04-21-2009, 12:46 AM

I just boost mids on my amp and I cut through like a chainsaw.

insomniac2295 · #6 04-21-2009, 01:41 AM

what would boosting the bass, then decreasing the treble do the the mids, and vice-versa?

smo · #7 04-21-2009, 03:25 AM

The mids won't change.
Don't neglect the blend feature either. Makes some very cool distortion effects usable.

Think of the presence as high mids. I found it easier to EQ it this way.

varunkapahi · #8 04-21-2009, 03:44 AM

the bddi was never meant to cut through really besides the high end clank and pick attack. its the pedal which will *blend* you totally in a classic rock or similar situation, ie so as to get the bass tone to sit perfectly in the mix, complementing the guitars and drums but not really cutting through

insomniac2295 · #9 04-21-2009, 03:52 AM

I think that means that I will have to get rid of it....

Every once and a while, I do some leads that require me to cut through and be more present in the mix. Don't get me wrong, the general rock tone is great on this puppy. I just need something more versatile I think? Any suggestions as to what might better suit my needs?

i_got_a_mohawk · #10 04-21-2009, 04:15 AM

You have a Boss GEB.

If you keep the BDDI output going at instrument level, stick the GEB after it in the signal chain to pump the mids post-BDDI (of course try pre-BDDI aswell, both will sound slightly different). Use the EQ on the firebass for your overall sound, and use the GEB to change your EQ when you are soloing so that you cut through.

Never have the blend turned all the way up, that's a sure road to mud IME. Don't worry much about the EQ on the BDDI, keep it flat or with the bass & treble down a bit. You have the GEB and the EQ controls on your Max700, don't see why you should have any touble cutting with that.

I've used the BDDI with a similar setup to yours (Peavey Firebass, but a Peavey 410) with a few different basses and never had an issue. Seems more like you need to play about with it and see what it can really do before judging it to be no good!

mr pablo · #11 04-21-2009, 04:18 AM

Aguilar Tonehammer , Sansamp paradriver, mxr M80 and the sansamp VT bass all have the same/similar functions to the BDDI. I've had a BDDI, a programmable BDDI and a Paradriver over the course of the last 2 years and was never really happy with them for one reason or another (but i was going through a lot of gear at that time) in the end after I sold my paradriver I picked up the aguilar tonehammer and havent looked back

Although I would like to give the M80 and the VT bass a go in the future

varunkapahi · #12 04-21-2009, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insomniac2295

I think that means that I will have to get rid of it....

Every once and a while, I do some leads that require me to cut through and be more present in the mix. Don't get me wrong, the general rock tone is great on this puppy. I just need something more versatile I think? Any suggestions as to what might better suit my needs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

You have a Boss GEB.

If you keep the BDDI output going at instrument level, stick the GEB after it in the signal chain to pump the mids post-BDDI (of course try pre-BDDI aswell, both will sound slightly different). Use the EQ on the firebass for your overall sound, and use the GEB to change your EQ when you are soloing so that you cut through.

Never have the blend turned all the way up, that's a sure road to mud IME. Don't worry much about the EQ on the BDDI, keep it flat or with the bass & treble down a bit. You have the GEB and the EQ controls on your Max700, don't see why you should have any touble cutting with that.

I've used the BDDI with a similar setup to yours (Peavey Firebass, but a Peavey 410) with a few different basses and never had an issue. Seems more like you need to play about with it and see what it can really do before judging it to be no good!

yep you could keep the bddi if you like the flavor. i have a sansamp vt bass and a boss geb-7 after that to boost some mids, especially around 400hz to bring out the octave up runs. i turn of the geb-7 when i want a mid scooped slap bass tone. so its a win win. now i cant do with out the vt bass and the geb-7 after that

dannybuoy · #13 04-21-2009, 05:57 AM

Get a bass friendly tubescreamer clone, e.g. Digitech Bad Monkey, Xotic Bass BB, Fulltone Bassdrive. These have a mid hump that will help to overcome the mid scoop of the BDDI. The extra gain boost will also help you out when it's time for leads, plus a Tubescreamer going into a Sansamp sounds GLORIOUS!

mrufino1 · #14 04-21-2009, 06:37 AM

I don't really use effects, so I don't frequent here too much, but I was surprised to see the headline that the bddi wasn't cutting through. Just as a thought, and I say this without hearing your music so take it for what it is, but have you looked at the song arrangement in that section that you need to be heard in a different way? Maybe having someone else cut some mids from their sound, or playing in a different area of the musical spectrum, or playing less, or even playing nothing could all help.
The other thing is that if you don't already, record your band as much as possible. What we hear onstage or in the practice room is much different usually than what it actually sounds like. Ask studio engineers and soundmen lots of questions if you are able when you work with them (there is definitely an art to knowing when to ask, and I have yet to master that art, but I have gotten answers!).
For instance, in the last few months, I have been playing a stingray, never thought I liked them. But suddenly, everyone I play with and the soundmen involved have been so happy with the tone. It doesn't sound hugely different to me than my p/j bass or my warmoth 5 string before that (it is different, but still sounds like a bass), but somehow it is just fitting the music and mixes better. I recorded with it recently, and couldn't believe how easy I got a sound (stingray into sansamp RBI, just sat perfectly), but most importantly, we paid a lot of attention to the arrangement and how sounds were working together (by a lot I mean we spent 5 minutes instead of one...) and the difference was amazing.
Hope that helped.

smo · #15 04-21-2009, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

the bddi was never meant to cut through really besides the high end clank and pick attack. its the pedal which will *blend* you totally in a classic rock or similar situation, ie so as to get the bass tone to sit perfectly in the mix, complementing the guitars and drums but not really cutting through

I don't agree here. It's possible to set it to do this, but I don't think they would design a piece of equipment so you can't be heard.
I play through a pair of ported 15's, and I can cut through just fine with the correct EQ set.
I do agree, there are other option's that may get a more pronounced sound, especially when talking about low mids, but taking more time to fiddle with the blend feature will help here.

keb · #16 04-22-2009, 08:00 AM

Like others have said, there's a big mid scoop on this pedal when the blend is full up. There's an old thread somewhere where someone analyzed the frequency response of the BDDI, and there's a big scoop around 900Hz, which is the "cut through" range (at least to me.) That's probably gonna your target frequency for any external EQing.