Bass missing

[Thumper19605]

Last night I went to see Ringo Starr and his all star band, I also saw Kansas a few months back.
Both concerts has one thing in common. No bass!
There were lots of equipment, sub's etc.
There was a real backline, two Ampeg amps with 4x10 cabinets.
All you could hear was bass drum! It was deafening!
These guys were playing their hearts out without being heard.
Have you guys experienced this trend in your area?

 

[RoadRanger]

We are not allowed to speak of such things here - repost in misc.
Bashing Sound Engineers...no longer allowed.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Are you saying there were no bass players or that they couldn't be heard?
I haven't seen any soundman bashing here, yet.
The OP is asking about a trend.

 

[RoadRanger]

Are you saying there were no bass players or that they couldn't be heard? I haven't seen any soundman bashing here, yet. The OP is asking about a trend.

An honest discussion would require violating said rule .

In any case, yes the trend is to lose the bass and go with just "lead kick". So we should all burn our gear and just stay home LOL.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

An honest discussion would require violating said rule .

In any case, yes the trend is to lose the bass and go with just "lead kick". So we should all burn our gear and just stay home LOL.

Interesting. Coincidently, I watched an Austin City Limits with The Steve Miller Band. Part of the time the keyboard was kicking bass with his left hand and part of the time, the second guitar player switched to bass. In both cases, I felt like the bass was so hidden I couldn't tell want was being played. I was thinking it was either the broadcast or the live mix.
If this is the new style, I don't care for it, but the sound men are doing a great job of burying the bass to get the new "in" sound.
No rule violated.

 

[DWBass]

Last night I went to see Ringo Starr and his all star band, I also saw Kansas a few months back.
Both concerts has one thing in common. No bass!
There were lots of equipment, sub's etc.
There was a real backline, two Ampeg amps with 4x10 cabinets.
All you could hear was bass drum! It was deafening!
These guys were playing their hearts out without being heard.
Have you guys experienced this trend in your area?

Absolutely! It's disheartening that these modern day 'mixologists' have no idea how to mix sound! Not really bashing. It just is what it is. Makes for a sucky concert experience!

 

[seamonkey]

If you wear earplugs you'll hear a much different mix. More like what the sound engineer hears.

 

[4Mal]

saw dave mason's 'Traffic Jam' last fall. no bass player. left hand of keys and a punched up kick. after 2 songs I forgot about it and just enjoyed the show...

 

[davegt666]

Happens here all the time too.

Not all the time. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised by the mix but it is a trend. Seems especially so with the younger engineers.

 

[Thumper19605]

If you wear earplugs you'll hear a much different mix. More like what the sound engineer hears.

It was way over the top, I don't believe plugs would have helped.

 

[petrus61]

That's pretty much the norm with large scale concerts now. The sound is tailored for the soccer mom used to listening to Drake in the minivan. It's intentionally kick drum/low bass focused because modern music is produced this way. Even modern country.

 

[WayneP]

Often times it’s just a case of poor EQ overall channel-by-channel: Low end in the guitar, low end in the keys, low end in all the drums, low end in the male vocals. It all adds up to low-end mush, and the bass can’t cut through. You’d be surprised how many sound men don’t know how to EQ a band. You don’t do it the same was as if each instrument was a solo performer.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt


Administrator, Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
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[NOVAX]

This is why I have a 118/410 biamp monolith.
That's the way you think you're going to roll me?
There is justice. You just have to help yourself to it.

 

[HolmeBass]

I definitely hear a range of mixes in professional live show settings and sometimes the bass is pretty quiet.

I think there is an aesthetic that truly relegates bass to the distant background. Unfortunately I work with a few SEs who simply adhere to this aesthetic. They love guitar, or drums, so those are the instruments that get slotted for most of the mix. Keys and bass are out, even horns are quiet and thin compared to the guitars.

 

[SAlcott]

When I played with Dan Hicks, his first words to the sound tech after "Hi, how ya doin' " were, "Do ya have subwoofers?", and if the reply was yes, his next words were. "Turn them off".

 

[Tony In Philly]

All too often sound engineers do things right technically, but lack that proper aesthetic required to get a good mix.

 

[bwoodman]

I saw Steely Dan a few years ago & the mix was totally lame - was hard to hear Freddy Washington! Same problem - subs & boomy bass drum - no good.

 

[ptensioned]

I've noticed this more and more, lately. To the point that I actually started to worry about my hearing a while back (since tested okay).

Arena acoustics don't help, as I've heard awful bass mixes for bands that should have it front and centre (Iron Maiden!) and where it's maybe more of a foundation (U2). Who knows how much is the mix and how much is just luck of the draw in a big space with lots of dead spots? It can be done, though. Geezer's mix for the most recent Black Sabbath tour was perfect and clear as a bell.

It's less forgivable in smaller venues known for good sound. I'm seeing lots more bands where the bass is almost subsonic, and as mentioned, the kick is so loud, it swallows any note definition.

 

[000_Unknown]

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

It appears to be the ethic of "bass is only really low freqs" - so the one time I FINALLY get to see Anthony Jackson play, I can't hear him - only a muddy rumble. Bad mixing - it happens, I guess.