Bass rig controlled via PA board

[Dp1363]

I'm sure this has been beaten to death on this forum, so I apologize in advance. I mostly run the sound for my band while playing bass on stage. Occasionally, we get someone to run sound.

I have run my bass either through the PA, From the bass amp D.I., or just went all backline on various gigs. I like running my bass through the PA to give a sound guy control of the mix. But, I don't care how the subs mud up the sound of my bass. So, I was wondering if anyone ran their bass directly into the board (D.I. Box if needed) and then run 1/4 inch out of the board to their bass amp input, bypassing the signal going to the mains, and give the sound man control directly over my bass rig. I figure that way I could retain the sound and punch of my bass amp but still give the sound guy control over the overall volume mix.

Any positives or negatives?

 

[carl h.]

Sounds like you need an active bass with a 3 band preamp and an Fdeck or similar to take the sub out of the equation.

 

[s0c9]

Unless you're walking out front and listening to the bass in the mix, the subs will usually sound far "muddier" when listening from behind them.
The whole point behind having subs is NOT to bypass them. If you need to bypass them, why have them?

What you suggested will NOT give the soundman full control of your bass, as you can still reach over and tweak your bass amp at any time, plus he'll LOSE control over the full band mix.. because you took that control away!

You are - if your DI goes to PA and amp, or from amp DI to PA - already doing what you suggested. You can bypass the PA by muting the channel or keeping the fader down. It's the same thing. Sound guy has no control.

 

[Gearhead17]

In situations with booming subwoofers and hearing a wall of mud on stage, I typically just sent a DI signal (a few pedals and mostly my bass only). This way, I can tailor the amp on stage so I can hear what I am playing. I would reduce the low end heavily between 30hz and 150hz. You will be left with the low mids through the highs. I would end up hearing the low end from the subs while my rig focused on the definition and punch. It definitely worked, but was not always my preferred method of running things.

 

[musicman7722]

Actually I do that but not for the reason you suggest. I mix via IEM for our band and I have a 30 foot 12 channel snake I set up. I run it all the way around the band and then along our front to the drum kit. All guitars are ampless but our lead guy has a little baby Randal amp to warm up to. You can't hear it really onstage at all. We plug them into the snake. I take a monitor send out of my board (aux 6) and plug it into my amp which sits on top of the IEM rack. I do the same for using aux 5. My mixer sits on top of the bass amp. This cuts down on cables on the floor and the signal I send is pre so the mixer doesn't impact the amp sound. On a few tunes our drummer comers out and plays acoustic guitar and sings. We use a drum machine then and I actually fold it into my bass amp as way for a little onstage feel.

 

[musicman7722]

Most stand along DI''s do just what you are asking and split your output to both 1/4" and xlr. If you use the DI out from your amp make sure you send it to pre then the FOH and yourself have independent control FOH out front and you on your amp. So simple even a drummer could do it, hmm well maybe not

 

[Barisaxman]

Not to sound crass, but if you're deploying FOH with subs and mixing yourself, you should learn to EQ your bass signal to sound good. Bass, for me anyway, was one of the hardest instruments as a FOH guy to learn to slot into a mix. Not sure what your mixer is or what tools you might have, but there's really no excuse for your bass to not sound good through FOH if you spend a little time experimenting and learning how to EQ it properly. Use your ears and give it a go!

 

[stonewall]

Your post makes zero sense.You say you run sound?? Especially when you have a sound man just worry about your job plug in your bass to your amp and start playing.The sound man will do his job he will get a signal from your set up how ever he wants.

 

[ga_edwards]

I think the key thing here is to communicate how you want your bass to sound to the soundman. A lot of engineers, unless otherwise instructed, will just dial in a generic sub bass heavy tone that isn't to every bass players taste. Dial in a sound you like on your amp, invite the engineer onto the stage and politely ask him/her to make it sound the same out front. Assuming you have employed them to run your sound, they should be more than accommodating in helping you sound the way you wish to sound.