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An EQ question...

dwjazz54

dwjazz54

Jan 21, 2003
500
10
Jersey City, NJ
thedrunkardswife.bandcamp.com
#1
Morning everybody-
I've got a gig coming up that is reuniting half of my old band from college (if only drummers and guitarists wouldn't move so far away!). So it's just going to be me on a Jazz / backup vocals and another guy on vocals and acoustic guitar.

We've already rearranged the music itself so it "works" without percussion or electric guitar, and it all sounds fine practicing in his Brooklyn apartment.

But the question I have concerns my EQ in a pretty laid-back, not-loud-but-not-quiet coffee shop. I'm assuming that the EQ I was using with the full band isn't going to be ideal in this situation (slightly scooped with a low-mid bump), and was wondering what adjustments I should make, if any, here.

I tried a search and didn't come up with much.

Thanks so much!

PS - if it matters, the acoustic guitar will be plugged in, and both our voices are supremely rich tenors ;)
 
#3
I was visiting my sister & bro in-law in Brooklyn last weekend with my other sister and nephew, so thanks for keeping the volume down... HA!

I doubt you'll need to carry any extra low end so maybe start with a low mid bump without and mild scoop. That's just me - seems that whenever I up those lower mids when playing my Jazz, my tone "gets out" a little better. I should also note that my J-bass is passive with DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pu's and from what I've gathered, these pickups have a little bit of an inherently scooped sounding personality.

In the company of vocals and an acoustic guitar, you may also need to reign in your low end, so consider turning down the neck pickup just a hair as long as it doesn't get overly nasally. Overall, you'll probably have a nice chunk of the sound spectrum all to yourself.
 
#4
I've done a bunch of work with flat top guitars and they can be a real problem to get past.
They put out a TON of over tone and the players always tend to want to sound fatter than reality and that can really muddy up the bottom.

1. Get him to trim his low end more than he wants (good luck)
2. Look for the hole to poke the bass through around 500hz
 
#5
i'd think "upright".

lose the attack and growl that lets the jazz sit in a dense band mix, and go for deep, smooth and not so loud.

neck pickup only/tone rolled down?
 
#6
Thanks all! I think what I need to do is just listen a little closer in rehearsal to the actual sound - rather than just focusing on playing the notes and take the advice thus received.

And don't worry about getting the geetard to turn his bass down - he's convinced himself that I know a good bit more than him when it comes to instruments and soundscapes and such. And in this, he is correct.
 

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