DOES THE AUDIENCE REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR TONE?

[rdmjazz]

Only if the audience is full of musicians!

 

[tranceFusion]

at the places i play, i am just lucky if the audience acknowledges that there is a live musical performance taking place..

 

[Bassmunnky]

Good question.

We did a east coast tour, on the way to SXSW.when we stopped in Nashville, there were like a million bands playing live within a 3 block radius...great players, P basses, J basses, Rics...Hoffs, Sadowskys..etc. etc... etc....

I noticed, that geez louize, even I couldn't tell the difference who was playing what from where I was in the crowd.

If the songs were great, I was happy. But NO bass 'characteristic' could be heard out in the audience..just the low rumble along with the Bass Kick drum. And the sound systems were killer.

That was the day I stopped getting my undies in a bunch about what bass I brought to the gig, and brought the best bass that let hear myself on stage, so I could lock in with the drummer...even though my drummer argues that passive is best...it's just not true for live..

now recording, that's a different thread!

m

 

[rappa29]

The only comment I ever got about my tone at a gig was from a drummer. He liked it and said it was very warm. Other than that I've never received any comments other than the usual, "Bass is too loud\soft."

 

[MtManiac]

99% of the audience doesn't know what "good" bass tone is...

You are the artist and that's what matters. If you really like your tone, the other players you play with will usually like it too.

+1 - Van Gogh I'm sure didn't give a rat whether his "audience" could tell the different between Belgian Cobalt blue or Prussian Cobalt blue, but I bet he could have - assuming those are actual colours.

I doubt most people in the audience focus on any one instrument, unless there is a solo - they hear the whole sum - and the whole sum is made up of parts, like the tone of the acoustic guitar, the electric guitar, the bass, etc as well as everyone's timing, sense of rhythm, etc.

Our acoustic player had always EQ'd his guitar very bassy, as he felt that's what sounded best by himself, and was always reluctant to EQ for a brighter tone when playing with the band. I recently convinced him to try it, drop the bass and mid to flat or even just under flat, and increase the treble. This weekend - two gigs, all kinds of complements from new audience members and also previous listeners on how much we've improved since our last gig (with no rehearsals???) and even a job offer for a new gig. I think tone absolutely matters!

 

[JustOpenYourMind]

Depends on the sound tech.

It's true, but I think that this applies to any instrument.

If you add a keyboard player to your band, what is the point if he has no room and is eq'd out or very low in the mix. I've seen that

Some bands have 4 or 5 guitar players at the same time, yet everyone of them has a sound that doesn't step over the others. There are other bands where two guitars are filling all the sonic space and sometimes burying all the other instruments.

If a band has no sonic room for a bass player, and no one notices if he is playing or not then why have a bass player in the first place?

Yes a bad soundmen can make the bass tone dispear. I'm pretty sure that if you take the same audience and make them watch the same show two nights in a row, one with proper bass and one without, they'll be able to tell the bass sounds good or not or if it's there or not, that is, as I said, if the songs have space in them for bass in the first place.

 

[Bassamatic]

Yes, placement in the mix is very important. I sometimes play with a group with 3 guitars. They are very careful in their placement from high to low so that they are all heard well, and I have to do the same.

One guy who thought he was a smart music critic asked me why I was only playing on the top 2 strings. I had to explain what it meant not to step on the guitars.

 

[TheJohnG]

Some of you are selling yourself short I think.

Make a list of the truly famous bass players in this world...
What of their tone? Is it good? Usually.

I've only played in 3 piece bands. Tone is heard, by all.
They may not know what it's called, or why they like it, they just like it.

 

[Michael Case]

Forgive me if this has been posted before. I don't think the audience notices how good the bass tone was, but I do believe that they can tell when it isn't right. Like a band with bad time, people don't notice that the drummer rushed and the guitar dragged, but they know the band "didn't groove". People have an intuitive sense of what's happening.

 

[baba]

I think bass tone in a band situation is completely overrated and often needlessly obsessed over. People often sit in their bedrooms crafting the perfect tone which will usually not be a good tone with a live band. The audience does not care and usually the soundman doesn't either. The soundman just wants it to sit well in the mix like the rest of the instruments.

Get some good gear, find a good tone you can live with that cuts through the mix, be nice to your soundman, and play.

 

[john turner]

they'll care if it sucks.

btw, please use the correct forum when posting. basses is for bass guitar specific conversations.

 

[Jerry Ziarko]

I think the average audience person, wouldn't know the difference in bass tone or a good mix if their life depended on it. Would some? Probably, but the percentage would be so small it's insignificant. How many shows have you been to in your life where the mix sucked? I'll bet 99% of those engineers are still working. How many big shows have you attended where the bass was little more than low end filler? Play a recognizable tune, and most audiences will say how great it sounds. Sad, but true.
Jazz audiences don't seem to fit in this category in nearly the same percentages however. They they seem to be much more aware of dynamics and clarity. Sure they might not be able to pinpoint great bass tone, but they'll know if they can't hear it or it's too loud. They are usually there for the music and not the party/event.

 

[Lauryan]

i think, depending on the music you play, the 'average' crowd will be paying more attention to the song, then to the total sum and every now and then, for example during solo's, they'll focus on single instruments..

but then again, i talk about this with my girlfriend sometimes and we come to the conclusion i listen completely different to music then she does, not being a musician. I analyse the music, analyse the mix etc. she is more looking at the visual presentation of the band and if the overall sound / songs are good. It's hard to place myself inside a non-musician's head to figure out how they listen..

 

[The Golden Boy]

Unless it's really bad, the audience generally doesn't care about tone. There's going to be people that may notice it- otherwise... not so much.

A month ago I played a festival- and the monitor guy came up to me after the show and gave me a huge compliment on my tone- and coming from him, it was a huge compliment.

 

[knarleybass]

I am going to say that the audience doesn't care about bass tone, but I will say that the average listener knows when something sounds "Wrong".

 

[Jerry Ziarko]

I am going to say that the audience doesn't care about bass tone, but I will say that the average listener knows when something sounds "Wrong".

Actually I think you need to get to the above average category before that applies.

A month ago I played a festival- and the monitor guy came up to me after the show and gave me a huge compliment on my tone- and coming from him, it was a huge compliment.

+1 I've had that happen before on occasion, and it really feels good to see someone actually noticed. Back in the late 90's my band did a show with one of the true musical legends. His bassists tech said pretty much the same thing to me. To this day that was the best musical experience of my life, and will never be repeated. Hearing that after the performance, put it over the top.

 

[rarbass]

Good tone inspires me to play better, and I need all the help I can get.

I've found the same thing. I've messed up solos or songs if I don't have a good tone/sound for myself, but when I have a really good sound, I find myself playing better. Weird how that works. As for the audience, I'm not really sure. I'd say musicians would notice it more, but I've also heard some non-musician folk comment on good bass tone, so I guess it depends on the audience.
If you went to a Rush concert, people would no doubt notice it more than at a Green Day concert. At least that's how I see it.

 

[Bassamatic]

All great answers, gang. Thanks.

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum - I was thinking about the tone of different basses when I posted this question.

 

[knarleybass]

One thing I do believe is that the audience knows when you are having a good time and knows when you are not, therefore a great bass tone will help you to have a good time.

 

[Benjamin Strange]

Of course! The audience cares deeply about tone. Which is why I only use the most expensive, high tech audio and power cables money can buy. I know that some may think of spending $300 on a 6' power cord is excessive, but when it comes to my audiences critical tastes I spare no expense.

Proven fact: the drunker an audience gets, the more critical role your tone plays in their enjoyment of their beverage of choice, and how easily they'll be able to convince the opposite sex to go home with them. Duh.