My amp is a Fender Rumble 200 that I purchased about a year and half ago. About two months ago while diddling the (bass, low mid, high mid, treble) tone stack I turned the low mid off. Been using it that way since with good results for recording. I record my own rock, funk, fusion songs and it seems to help with note clarity without losing too much low end. I don't play in a band so I don't know how well this setting would work in a practice or live setting. Wondering if anyone else does this?
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Anyone Else Turn Off Low-Mids?
- Thread starter Pluckoff
- Start date
It's perfectly fine to play in your bedroom or with a quiet band.
Just don't try to get heard this way with drums and guitars.
Just don't try to get heard this way with drums and guitars.
Cutting the low-mids may give an excellent tone in your bedroom or for the sound you like on a recording. However, in a band situation you need mids to be present in the stage mix or out in the house. Otherwise, you may end up not being heard well on stage or out in the audience.
To my ears, cutting low-mids has alot to do with the area your playing in, are you playing in a live band, type of material your playing and most importantly, the type of cabinet and it's voicing your playing through.
I'm with a moderately loud, 5 pcs., country/rock group.
I always have FOH support, so basically the stage amp is a bass monitor.
The cabinet I gig with is a Bergantino CN212.
Once again, "to my ears", the CN212's voice is mids foward with great clarity and projection.
I pretty much always run the amp with a cut in the low-mids, (9:00 to 10:00) on the knob.
Sounds great to me, never a problem being heard.
If completely cutting out the low-mids in your present project sounds good to you then it IS good!
Just don't be locked into never using it in your next project.
I'm with a moderately loud, 5 pcs., country/rock group.
I always have FOH support, so basically the stage amp is a bass monitor.
The cabinet I gig with is a Bergantino CN212.
Once again, "to my ears", the CN212's voice is mids foward with great clarity and projection.
I pretty much always run the amp with a cut in the low-mids, (9:00 to 10:00) on the knob.
Sounds great to me, never a problem being heard.
If completely cutting out the low-mids in your present project sounds good to you then it IS good!
Just don't be locked into never using it in your next project.
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neither does anyone else!
every playdown is different (the ax, the room, the stage, the audience numbers, yada yada). what you like vs. what it will take changes with any variable.you're using a setting(s) that you like for your recordings: good for you! keep on truckin'!
If it sounds and feels right for what you’re recording, it is right!
Big thing with EQ is if you’re going to play out with a band in different rooms, don’t get attached to any specific settings. Always EQ for the room to be heard in the mix.
Big thing with EQ is if you’re going to play out with a band in different rooms, don’t get attached to any specific settings. Always EQ for the room to be heard in the mix.
A lot more people turn down low mids, but think they don't - A lot of tone stacks (Fenders are notorious for this) scoop low mids a LOT when all the knobs are at noon. If you want "flat response" out of a Fender 3 band tone stack (there are slight variations, but they have similar characteristics) the mids need to be at 10, the treble on zero, and the bass just a bit above zero - that is the knob settings for flat. You can't actually boost mids on most Fender tone stacks, no matter what the knobs say.
Oh, and a jazz bass with both pickups dimed? That is mid scooped before the signal hits the amp - the pickup locations make that happen (though the dip is actually at a different frequency on every string).
A Stingray? Yeah, with the tone controls at center positions, there is a lot of mid scoop in that circuit.
Most bass rigs are, whether you realize it or not, scooped in the low mids. When folks here give you advice to "boost" mids to be heard, what they are really saying (though, again they don't know this) is "your rig has a lot of mid scoop, dial some of that back so you can be heard".
Oh, and a jazz bass with both pickups dimed? That is mid scooped before the signal hits the amp - the pickup locations make that happen (though the dip is actually at a different frequency on every string).
A Stingray? Yeah, with the tone controls at center positions, there is a lot of mid scoop in that circuit.
Most bass rigs are, whether you realize it or not, scooped in the low mids. When folks here give you advice to "boost" mids to be heard, what they are really saying (though, again they don't know this) is "your rig has a lot of mid scoop, dial some of that back so you can be heard".
I could not function without my low mids
250-500Hz is where the bass sings IMHO
It ain't the fundamental coming out of your consumer level sound systems.
250-500Hz is where the bass sings IMHO
It ain't the fundamental coming out of your consumer level sound systems.
Which frequencies are you guys referring to as “low mids”? 300 Hz, 500, 800?
500-700 Hz is where the Fender bass really shines - that’s a great place to boost…
However excessive low mids (around 300 Hz) impart a fullness in the bedroom, but can muddy up the mix in a love setting.
Of course every set of ears and everyone’s tonal goals are different; these guidelines work best for me.
500-700 Hz is where the Fender bass really shines - that’s a great place to boost…
However excessive low mids (around 300 Hz) impart a fullness in the bedroom, but can muddy up the mix in a love setting.
Of course every set of ears and everyone’s tonal goals are different; these guidelines work best for me.
On the Fender Rumble 500 I use at practice, I typically bring down the low mids a good bit. It's just so muddy. Running from the line out, it sounds fine. For me, I prefer a boost in the 500 700 hz range for clarity.
I’m a big proponent of mids- it’s not often that I even make a slight cut. BUT— I had a fender rumble 200 combo for a little bit and found that the only way to produce some clarity was to cut the low mid down to 9:00 or so. For that amp, the voicing of that cabinet- it’s absolutely is the right call imho.
above all else: if it sounds good, it IS good.
above all else: if it sounds good, it IS good.
Yes, when I am at a gig I cut the mids back. I am heard very well. Mids to me just don't sound good, especially when playing a P bass. Has that 'nasally" (as some bass players describe it) sound. I do this on my Rumble 100 at my small gig and my TC head at larger gig. I have always liked a big low with a little punch on top. Worked well for me for many years with compliments,
I always set my EQ for the room I'm in. If taking out the low mids works for you, do it.
