What a lot of people miss about that last percent or two in tone is that it's not so much for the audience. That last percent or two of tone puts me (the musician) in my happy place, and when I'm "there", I play much better. The audience doesn't get excited about that last bit of tone, but they do notice (I think) that the performance is better.
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Does it REALLY make a difference?
- Thread starter sedan_dad
- Start date
I agree. Just struck me funny. These discussions always bring everything imaginable that's half the fun.
This feels a little like a troll, but I'll bite. No, none of it matters beyond the point that your instrument is audible and clear in the mix. That's easy if you're going direct (amp is completely out of the picture, unless it's post-eq). Pretty much any modern commercial instrument from a Squier or Sterling or Tribute on up will do the trick, and the audience will have no idea without looking if you change from a $150 bass to a $4K bass, much less if you blend in more or less bridge pickup or switch between active/passive humbucker/tap parallel/series.
Appearance is a different question; the audience definitely will "hear" that. Cue the "tort."
Appearance is a different question; the audience definitely will "hear" that. Cue the "tort."
Well, see...there we go...
"The science is in..."
It's all the same until that last imperceptible x percent...
Opel or BMW, Bugati or Honda, Volvo or Kia...they're all Model T's...
Does anyone remember when generics had only one label, "Light Beer," "Cola Soda," "Corn Flake Cereal," "Detergent (Laundry)"?
No, really it's "all" the same." No, really. I swear.
No more 10's or 12's, best bass for metal, stainless or nickel, J or P or PJ, tube or solid state, or active or passive questions...wrap it up TB, no need for TB.
...and to think, I could of had a V8!
"The science is in..."
It's all the same until that last imperceptible x percent...
Opel or BMW, Bugati or Honda, Volvo or Kia...they're all Model T's...
Does anyone remember when generics had only one label, "Light Beer," "Cola Soda," "Corn Flake Cereal," "Detergent (Laundry)"?
No, really it's "all" the same." No, really. I swear.
No more 10's or 12's, best bass for metal, stainless or nickel, J or P or PJ, tube or solid state, or active or passive questions...wrap it up TB, no need for TB.
...and to think, I could of had a V8!
Hogwash. If you are talking about huge venues with a massive PA and and actually good sound guys, whatever you push out to front of house will sound reasonably good after being tweaked in the board. I played a gig this summer with 16 x 18in subs at it. Any bass shaped object would have sounded good. For most of the gigs I play, the dance floor only fills up because of what I'm pumping out of my rig. I'm OK with being a gear nerd.
I think things like tone woods, fingerboard wood, scale length, etc. may not be that noticeable to an audience, but I think they do effect the player and how they feel/connect with their instrument and satisfaction of the music experience taking place. An analogy is the driving experience/satisfaction of an automobile. A sports car vs a minivan...both deliver to a given destination, but the experience and enjoyment to the driver may vary depending on their preferences.
Well mixed studio recordings reveal a lot about equipment, as well as the preferences of the studio engineer, if played back through high quality equipment.
A booming bass through a compressor, a head and a cab is a different story. Acoustics of the venue often play a major role in what we hear. About a year ago I walked through the hall during a punk rock concert. In some spots I could hardly hear the bass, while in other spots it was like the bass was soloing.
A booming bass through a compressor, a head and a cab is a different story. Acoustics of the venue often play a major role in what we hear. About a year ago I walked through the hall during a punk rock concert. In some spots I could hardly hear the bass, while in other spots it was like the bass was soloing.
wmhill
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I have a lot of people (musicians and general public alike) compliment me on my tone, and I can tell- and that's pretty important. Some guys get by with an old Peavy TNT 130, a cheap P-bass knock of and strings that are probably 3-4 years old. More power to em, but not for me.
I definitely don't hear the difference between "tone woods" in a band setting. Maybe it's there and I just EQ to compensate, but it sure means I won't spend a lot of money on some fancy rare wood unless I just like the look of it.
So you don't hear the difference a tort pickguard makes??
well: i'm right there with you.
the differences in sound/tone are pretty real, but does it matter? not really. i agree with you that most basses/rigs sound like most basses and rigs.
What gig? What style of music? What level of performance? How are the band being monitored? How good is the FOH? Are you using IEM? how good is the sound tech? What's their background? What kind of music again? Is that originals or covers? Did you get a soundcheck? For how long? Is the sound tech working for you to get "your bands sound" or is it generic sound for the genre type mixing?
Lay out that kinda info first and then lets chat about bass in the live arena. Theres a massive difference between a jazz trio, a headliner at a stadium show, A mid level touring circuit or a cover band in the pub.... and one of the main differences is the quality of the PA and the team running it
Lay out that kinda info first and then lets chat about bass in the live arena. Theres a massive difference between a jazz trio, a headliner at a stadium show, A mid level touring circuit or a cover band in the pub.... and one of the main differences is the quality of the PA and the team running it
.
I learnt years ago, after spending too much time and money chasing sounds, that the only place I really heard any difference was at home, playing by myself.
On stage and at rehearsals it sounded like, well ...... bass guitar.
I learnt years ago, after spending too much time and money chasing sounds, that the only place I really heard any difference was at home, playing by myself.
On stage and at rehearsals it sounded like, well ...... bass guitar.
It doesn't make a difference when everything sounds good. But when the sound is bad...
the differences between amps is so great I can't believe this is a real post.
Well, to be perfectly honest, in a lot of "band settings", I can't really hear the bass at all. Best not too go too far down that road, though. Otherwise you start thinking about how nothing ultimately matters, and everything you do is eventually forgotten, or bought by Disney, or both. Those are the nights that end badly.
I can see as a listener in a crowd how one may not be able to tell many of these details. Now if it were a show with two or more groups, I'd bet one would be able to tell differences between gear of the different players. Maybe not specifically what, but that there are differences. I can usually tell if a player is playing flats or rounds, with a pick, often if through a GK or Ampeg, etc.
I've never been on the bandwagon of which fretboard wood sounds best though. Unless you're a fretless player, the string is vibrating on a fretted string between two pieces of metal, or an open string between metal and plastic, or bone, or whatever your nut is made of. The rest of the signal though, from pickups to cords, to amplification, to how you strike the string, will make a difference in sound.
I'd say that it's very easy though to notice a difference in your own sound if something changes. Others may not, but we will.
Being from a fairly small local market, I have often been walking into a club, and been able to name the player that happens to be playing inside, without knowing the name of the group on the bill. Some of that has to do with the sound, and of course some has to do with the style.
I've never been on the bandwagon of which fretboard wood sounds best though. Unless you're a fretless player, the string is vibrating on a fretted string between two pieces of metal, or an open string between metal and plastic, or bone, or whatever your nut is made of. The rest of the signal though, from pickups to cords, to amplification, to how you strike the string, will make a difference in sound.
I'd say that it's very easy though to notice a difference in your own sound if something changes. Others may not, but we will.
Being from a fairly small local market, I have often been walking into a club, and been able to name the player that happens to be playing inside, without knowing the name of the group on the bill. Some of that has to do with the sound, and of course some has to do with the style.
No, because I used non-tort tone screws. They cost more than a box of Orange Drop caps.
