• 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 free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Electricity, Phase Problem, or Gremlins?

Sanctum

Sanctum

Jan 25, 2002
1,243
3
Conjunction Junction
#1
Hey all,

Due to a change in drummers we've not been gigging much, but after two recent gigs in the same club I'm kinda stumped to this problem.

My current rig Berg EX112S, HT122S, SansAmp RBI, run through the power section of an Ampeg amp - sounds just great in the practice room.

Gig 1 - Took this exact setup, changed not a single setting, including levels and volume -- started playing, heard this farting sound like I blew a speaker. Played the gig, got home, next day in practice room everything was fine. Go Bergs! :)

Gig 2 - Last night, same club. Took only the HT122S and an Ampeg 1x15 (borrowed) for some extra lows maybe, been trying this at practice, again no problems at all. Made SURE I plugged into a different outlet onstage as maybe last time it was a power issue. Started playing, I kept "hearing" myself out of tune??? Checked tuner numerous times, everything seemed right on. So I figured maybe a phase issue with the two unmatched cabs.

Anyhow ... what do you think? Its just this club, that room, their power, or some weird gremlin? Its downright puzzling I tell you.

Next gig I'm going back to both Bergs ... that's why I bought them after all, hehe.
 
#3
My guess would be that the room is somehow accentuating certain overtones that are giving you the impression you are out of tune when you're not. Of course, it could just be that the rest of the band is OUT of tune...

Lonnybass
 
#4
I've sounded out of tune sometimes. sometime I was playing the wrong note :eyebrow: other times I was NOT. I tried moving my cabs closer or farther away from who I thought I was out of tune with, either the PA or a loud guitarist or keyboards. sometimes it helped other times it didn't.

Alternate Bandaid: turn up or down your volume so you or the competing instrument are significantly louder and lessens the "apparent" out-of-tuness... most bands seem to never get enough of the bass so maybe TURN IT UP!!!! :bassist:
 
#5
Some rooms have "dead spots", where the lows are nulled out more or less. If you are in one, you'll think the lows need boosted, and crank them, only to find out you ran out of power, hence farting sound.

A similar issue can cause the timbre of the sound to apparently change, which you could possibly interpret as out of tune, maybe?
 
#6
Jerrold Tiers said:
Some rooms have "dead spots", where the lows are nulled out more or less. If you are in one, you'll think the lows need boosted, and crank them, only to find out you ran out of power, hence farting sound.

A similar issue can cause the timbre of the sound to apparently change, which you could possibly interpret as out of tune, maybe?
Click to expand...

Well I didn't crank anything, so I'm leaning toward the timbre side of things. Just watched some video that was shot last night and everything sounds fine on that .... so weird, I just hate that room.

Next gig there I'm taking the other side of the stage to see what happens.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back