Does your bass sounds better when somebody else is playing it?

[gimmeagig]

I had a Jazz gig playing in an outside cafe in Santa Cruz in the 80s. We were playing really hip material back then Lorber Ritenour Steps that sort of stuff. John Pena was playing in town with tanya maria, he hung out for a bit and listened and wanted to sit in. I was playing a music man sabre through a little Roland cube 60 ( it had an EV speaker in it so it sounded better that a stock cube 60) and John made that setup sound incredible. John has always been one of my favorite players and that was a lesson and a seriously great honor.I'll never forget that day

 

[MonetBass]

It depends on who the other person is. But typically, no.

 

[wluffman]

When a better player is using my bass, it always sounds better.

When someone with a better playing style is using my bass, it often sounds better, and always sounds different.

When I'm just listening, rather than playing myself, almost any bass sounds better than it would if I were playing it -- provided the player is more than halfway competent.

All this is due to two things. First, I'm too personally involved with my playing, so I'm overly critical of my playing; I tend to be more forgiving of another player's faults or stylistic differences. Second, I know my limitations, and recognize that I can always learn more; even an average player can always teach me something new, which will then allow me to improve my own playing.

My playing limitations are always due much more to my own abilities than those of my bass. Another player can always get something out of my bass, or any bass, that I would never even consider. And lots of players can just plain better than I am .

 

[GIBrat51]

If you ever heard me play? You wouldn't have to ask...

 

[Great Hobo]

I think a lot of it has to do with how close we practice with our amps.

It takes 24 feet for the sine wave of an E string to complete its first cycle. The sound that you hear close to your amp is different than the sound that you hear further away. You tend to get more bottom end when you are closer as well.

I recently rearranged my home studio moving my amps further away and had to re-eq everything.

#thingstoconsider

I was going to say the same about wavelength

Another fact we're often oblivious to is that our knees aren't the most efficient part of our auditory systems, raising our cabs to chest height changes what we hear dramatically in the mids and highs.

Cheers.

 

[jetgraphics]

Only my Rickenbacker. I've never gotten the tone that I hear on records or demos. I would define a Ric as bright and growly, unless I am playing one.

According to Chris Squire, you need to split the Ric signal into two amps - one set for clean bass - the other for dirty highs. When combined, the low end is smooth, while the upper harmonics are clipped and nasty.

 

[artsta]

There are many layers to this question. Factors could include

- What you think of your own playing in general
- Differing levels of experience
- You might prefer their taste and/or touch
- Does Interesting or Different really = Better?
- Your physical position relative to the amp

 

[CheesyCheesebourne]

It depends on who the other person is. But typically, no.

It depends on who the other person is. But typically, yes.

 

[NoSlapForYou]

When a better player is using my bass, it always sounds better.

When someone with a better playing style is using my bass, it often sounds better, and always sounds different.

When I'm just listening, rather than playing myself, almost any bass sounds better than it would if I were playing it -- provided the player is more than halfway competent.

All this is due to two things. First, I'm too personally involved with my playing, so I'm overly critical of my playing; I tend to be more forgiving of another player's faults or stylistic differences. Second, I know my limitations, and recognize that I can always learn more; even an average player can always teach me something new, which will then allow me to improve my own playing.

My playing limitations are always due much more to my own abilities than those of my bass. Another player can always get something out of my bass, or any bass, that I would never even consider. And lots of players can just plain better than I am .

This is brilliantly stated, in my opinion, and really sums it up for me.

But as I said in this thread already, I don't think being critical of oneself and forgiving of others is a bad quality at all. It could be, if it leads to giving up. On the other hand, it could also push you to work harder in a way that being self-satisfied or overrating your abilities wouldn't.

 

[brianjfox]

Well it depends. When Hadrien Feraud plays it, it sounds *much* better.

 

[togril]

View attachment 3420755 Is it just me or does your gear sound better when your bass friends come over and play it.
I’ve gotten my gear down to a reasonable array where I never have to buy another bass and so far it’s been a real GAS killer.
4,5,6 string Jazz Basses, P bass, fretless , Acoustic bass and an upright.

Now the amp thing is a different animal.
So today my buddy came by and I got to sit back ,tweak and really listen.
I think it’s fixed...... lol!
EA Doubler 2 and Wizzy cab with Eminence Beta 10 for DB
EA Doubler 2 and (2) Aguilar SL112 for electric bass


Everything else is optional.

For me it is always very prominent on the double bass, we only hear a small amount of the full tone, and our fingers on the strings, due to playing position. First time I heard my double bass plyed by another good player stunned me, I was thinking how weedy it sounded - but it really wasn’t it was full and had a massive punch. Good job, I was going to sell it.

 

[Cldbenny]

I used to own a nightclub where we had open mic night.

We had a “house band” made up of some local asskickers and they sounded great.

Towards the end of the night, I asked (very humbly) if i could sit in with the band. The bassist was gracious enough to let me use his bass (vintage Jbass). I showed respect by not changing any of his settings as I thought they sounded good.

After I played, he commented that his rig sounded different (better? Who knows!) when I played it even though I changed nothing. (oh BTW, this guy was light years better then me!).

What we decided was that based on finger pressure and placement of my “picking hand” (somewhere between the upper and lower pickups), it can make a difference!

 

[JIO]

An open, objective ear and a skilled player will guarantee it will sound different. I enjoy hearing my basses played by skilled players and do my best to sound as good when I play them.

 

[Randy Tupper]

Depends on how many drinks you had when someone else is playing your gear.

 

[Ian Lewis]

View attachment 3420755 Is it just me or does your gear sound better when your bass friends come over and play it.
I’ve gotten my gear down to a reasonable array where I never have to buy another bass and so far it’s been a real GAS killer.
4,5,6 string Jazz Basses, P bass, fretless , Acoustic bass and an upright.

Now the amp thing is a different animal.
So today my buddy came by and I got to sit back ,tweak and really listen.
I think it’s fixed...... lol!
EA Doubler 2 and Wizzy cab with Eminence Beta 10 for DB
EA Doubler 2 and (2) Aguilar SL112 for electric bass


Everything else is optional.

Years ago, at The Basement in Sydney, a friend played my Precision for a set. It sounded better than when I played it - because he was a better bass player!

 

[Manuel Bass]

With my 61 year old drummer's ears I can hear 38hz in headphones. Our ears "hear" changes in pressure not wavelength. Given a sine wave of 40 hz, that change in pressure happens 40 times a second no matter how close or far we are to the source.

The effect you describe is real enough but it has nothing to do with wavelength except that wavelength affects how the sound interacts with the room so you're hearing the affect of room modes and not distance to or from the amp. Another variable with distance is the change in direct and reflected sound but again this is independent of wavelength.

Mugre

Está bueno tu sobrenombre

 

[aureliab20gt]

I used to own a nightclub where we had open mic night.

We had a “house band” made up of some local asskickers and they sounded great.

Towards the end of the night, I asked (very humbly) if i could sit in with the band. The bassist was gracious enough to let me use his bass (vintage Jbass). I showed respect by not changing any of his settings as I thought they sounded good.

After I played, he commented that his rig sounded different (better? Who knows!) when I played it even though I changed nothing. (oh BTW, this guy was light years better then me!).

What we decided was that based on finger pressure and placement of my “picking hand” (somewhere between the upper and lower pickups), it can make a difference!

I definitely agree about finger position and pressure making a difference

 

[Joseph Long]

I think a lot of it has to do with how close we practice with our amps.

It takes 24 feet for the sine wave of an E string to complete its first cycle. The sound that you hear close to your amp is different than the sound that you hear further away. You tend to get more bottom end when you are closer as well.

I recently rearranged my home studio moving my amps further away and had to re-eq everything.

#thingstoconsider

I think a lot of it has to do with how close we practice with our amps.

It takes 24 feet for the sine wave of an E string to complete its first cycle. The sound that you hear close to your amp is different than the sound that you hear further away. You tend to get more bottom end when you are closer as well.

I recently rearranged my home studio moving my amps further away and had to re-eq everything.

#thingstoconsider

 

[Joseph Long]

Thank you so much for your information about how the instrument/amp sounds at different distances.I practice at low volume and mostly with the treble turned up because it obviates my mistakes.When I play with the sound I like,the neck pickup is 100% and the bridge pickup is about 10%.I like the amp setup for a sound that is rich in low tones,has some decent mids and a touch of highs,just like I set up the bass.I do all of this within a few feet of the amp.Now I know that it's important to check the bass and amp settings from a good distance so I can hear the true sound that the audience hears.Thanks for the info.

 

[TheJoker88]

I've had others play my rig just to step back and hear the actual performance. Our drummer and guitarists do the same thing. Although styles may differ, stepping back to hear the entire mix is important to be certain that what you're playing is sounding the way it should.
I have done the same for others and due to the style I play, (area of the strings I use, closer to the neck or bridge, and muting techniques), most will come back and say they hope they sound like that when they're playing. I've had other bassists come up after I have played two or three songs, with looks of awe, telling me they've never heard their bass sound that good before. Technique is huge, but actually being able to hear what the true output is is the tale of the tape. If you don't do that, I'd encourage you to, just to get a better ear on what the audience is hearing.
Our band is always complimented on the quality of our sound, and that being mostly by other bands and musicians. All of the area bands take the time to listen to each other and help tweak the sound. That's supporting the local music scene too. Honestly, we play more than any other bands in the area, but that's given us an edge simply by being tighter as a group. Having others come and sit in, and doing the same for them, improves everyone.