• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Do you set it and forget it at gigs?

Set it and forget it. If I want to change tone, I play closer to the bridge or fingerboard; use a pick; change my picking style, etc. If someone says I'm not loud enough, I tell them they need to turn down. I'm not playing the volume wars any more. I set volume at the beginning of the night and never touch it again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jazzyvee
At an open jam a friend of mine was hosting he asked if I would attend and play a few songs. Minimal gear, no pedals. At the time of the jam I wasn't using pedals...have since added a few that I use occasionally.
When I got off stage another bass player approached me and asked how I my 'sound'. Not sure what he meant he noted, "you don't use any pedals".
I replied that I only had 2 sounds...good and better.
No tweaking of my amp during the night. Any necessary changes I can make on my bass.
 
I tore out the internal preamps on all my basses and went passive. My amps are pretty much always set dead flat unless the room is a real mess. The only thing I ever change at a gig is the master volume. I was taught by a session keyboardist/bandleader I worked with a long time ago that you never touch your rig on stage unless it's an emergency, you should be dialed in before you go on. His reasoning was simple and made sense - he didn't want us ever turning our backs on the audience. Doesn't look professional.

ETA: I should add that this was shooting for a TV pilot, so we REALLY couldn't turn our backs on the audience, but it's good practice in general.
 

Latest posts