Are there any one who saw larry grenadier in a small club?

moresbum · #1 04-14-2010, 04:06 AM

Hello, Folks.
I'm looking for your help.
My gear is garbo (velvet) and realist.
And My realist just dead.!!

So I need another Pickup. and I'm considering between PU and Mic.
My almost gig is in the small jazz club.
Most of time, I just use amp. I really love Ben and larry grenadier's tone.
However I don't know what kind of PU or mic they use.
So if you saw them in any small clubs, Please let me know their set-up.

Thanks.!!

Bruce Lindfield · #2 04-14-2010, 04:11 AM

A quick search on google gets the following :

Fly is usually trio with Jeff Ballard on drums and Larry Grenadier on bass, they were both part of the last Pat Metheny jazz quartet tour along with Brad Meldau on piano. The third member of Fly is Saxophonist Mark Turner.

The "+1" for this concert was saxophonist Joshua Redman

All of them were on the faculty for this year's Stanford Jazz Workshop and knowing the acoustics of the 200 seat Campbell Recital Hall they decided to perform as acoustically as possible. The only thing that would be amplified was Larry Grenadier's acoustic bass.

Larry has, except in the loudest band settings, stopped using a pickup and conventional bass amplifier. He has invested in a really good microphone, a Schoeps CMC6 with a supercardiod capsule and the aptly named FMR Audio "Really Nice Preamp". His rider specifies that the producer provide him with a Mackie SRM450 and a tripod stand so that he can put the speaker near ear level.

One problem with that at Campbell Recital Hall. The new light dimmer system that the University installed a couple of years ago makes any Mackie Powered speaker buzz anytime it's plugged in inside the room, whether or not there is anything plugged in to the input. FWIW vintage Vox AC 30 guitar amps and guitars with single coil pickups exhibit the same problem.

The Stanford Music Department uses this room for recitals of trios and quartets playing unamplified Mozart, Brahms and such so they don't see it as a problem that needs fixing.

So for the jazz concert we took one of the EONA ADRaudio U103 powered speakers that are usually used as the main speakers for Jazz Festival concerts in this room.

drunkenrobot · #3 04-14-2010, 04:38 AM

what is this i dont even

Nuno A. · #4 04-14-2010, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drunkenrobot

what is this i dont even

Probably cause you're drunk? lost?

Nuno

tito mangialajo · #5 04-14-2010, 07:05 AM

in this very beautiful video, I think in a small club, Larry has the H-Clamp on bass, but I don't see mic and speaker.
at Blue Note Milano, a medium/large venue, Larry played a rented bass but with H-Clamp and Shoeps, but I don't remember the speaker.
Anyway, Larry is great, and Ben Street too.

p.s.: do you know Ben's gear? I've never saw him live...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLwPY...os=3V58DT5RmWQ

Gary Lynch · #6 04-14-2010, 01:45 PM

It seems to me, at this point in time, to get really good acoustic tone out of an amplified double bass, one cannot do it on the cheap. The mics that produce a transparent tone, the amps, the pre, and cabinets that work together appear to be the most technically evolved to date. Therefore, they are expensive. At least that's how I see it.

I read a lot about how people get good tone from their pickup but I wonder what they consider good tone? Personally I want the same tone I get when unplugged. A number of the forum members are on top of this and the quest is never ending but getting a lot closer.

basstef · #7 04-15-2010, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tito mangialajo

in this very beautiful video, I think in a small club, Larry has the H-Clamp on bass, but I don't see mic and speaker.
at Blue Note Milano, a medium/large venue, Larry played a rented bass but with H-Clamp and Shoeps, but I don't remember the speaker.
Anyway, Larry is great, and Ben Street too.

p.s.: do you know Ben's gear? I've never saw him live...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLwPY...os=3V58DT5RmWQ

Ben Street is using guts on G&D (don't know which brand) and Thomastik Weichs on E&A. Full circle pickup. He's definetly one of the best bassists on the planet !

Personally I have found great results in amplifying guts mixing the Full Circle with an Audio Technica microphone, fixed on the same H-Clamp you saw in Larry's bass.

moresbum · #8 04-15-2010, 04:17 AM

Thank everyone for your perfect answer!!!
It is not true that Ben is definately one of the best bassists on the planet.
He is definately one of the best bassists on the SPACE!!!!

Bruce Lindfield · #9 04-15-2010, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Lynch

It seems to me, at this point in time, to get really good acoustic tone out of an amplified double bass, one cannot do it on the cheap. The mics that produce a transparent tone, the amps, the pre, and cabinets that work together appear to be the most technically evolved to date. Therefore, they are expensive. At least that's how I see it.

I read a lot about how people get good tone from their pickup but I wonder what they consider good tone? Personally I want the same tone I get when unplugged. A number of the forum members are on top of this and the quest is never ending but getting a lot closer.

I take your point, but surely it depends on the size of the venue?

So some bassists use their pickup as like a "reinforcment" to their acoustic sound. In a small venue, the audience are hearing quite a bit of the acoustic sound/tone and the amp is just adding a little bass and so it is just a case of getting the right mix with a pickup?

Obviously in a large venue it is all down to the gear and the best I heard in this situation was John Patitucci with Wayne Shorter's quartet.

Jaromir · #10 04-15-2010, 05:16 PM

A year ago I saw Ben Street with Kurt Rosenwinkel at the Village Vanguard. His sound was fantastic. Only after the end of the show I noticed his amp on the floor, close to the drummer: our famous little GK MB combo. The pick up was Fishman Full Circle.
About a half year ago I saw Larry Grenadier in Prague, with The Fly trio. As fantastic player he is, I was not so much enthusiastic about his amplified tone. He was playing through some kind of monitor speaker, using probably a mic only. Very acoustic sound, although a little middy, I was missing the low end a little.

dylanjohnson · #11 04-23-2010, 06:45 PM

It is not difficult to make the bass sound great at the Vanguard, it seems.... The GK sounds great at low volumes with a Full Circle and can provide just enough mid content to serve as an on stage monitor for pitch without having to blast it for the audience. Doesn't surprise me that Ben would use that setup.