EQ problem? Amp/cab sim? volume?

Problem overview: BL says he can't hear the bass when everyone is playing. Sound guy and I can't seem to find an acceptable solution.

Sorry for the long post, but here's the relevant details followed by my opinions and my question:
* Church band, playing on large, carpeted, raised stage facing a gym with chairs and side curtains.
* Everyone has their own Aviom so can get their own individual mix through their own monitor.
* Usually a Carvin PB5 (sometimes JB5). My PB5 has PJ pickups. I tend to play 98% P pickup on most songs, and roll off treble a small amount.
* I play through a Line 6 POD HD500 to sound board.
* Noise gate, volume pedal, sometimes chorus, GK800 with 4x10 cab sim. Used to use a compressor but couldn't find a clean tone with it, so usually disabled.
* Drive at 7%, bass at about 32%, low mids at 75%, high mids about 75%, highs about 40%.
* I use IEMs. Everyone else uses wedge monitors except one of our drummers. I've made it clear that I have had tinnitus since I've been young, and I'm not willing to lose more of my hearing by playing with a wedge.
* We have decent FOH support, including subs. Don't know model, drivers, or wattage but could find out.
* BL sings and plays guitar. When playing electric, prefers to play through a tube 2x12 combo by Fender or Peavey, miked.
* BL knows stage volume is a problem, but likes to play *loud.* My opinion/understanding as to why: to get the tone (timbre for you pedants), and because he likes to feel the air moving/vibrations.
* BL is completely unwilling to use IEMs himself. He sometimes talks about putting his amp in the back room, and using electronic drums to control stage volume. Not sure I really believe he's willing to put his amp in the back room, but I think he's more than willing to "blame" the drums for the stage volume (since I sometimes play drums with this group too).
* Other bass player will only play through an Ampeg BA210 that (IMO) ends up sounding like mud on stage.
* Our best sound guy (of 3) likes the approach I'm using (no amp on stage, IEMs) but not sure the other two are as knowledgeable/capable.

When the BL has his guitar amp cranked, and we're playing parts with guitar (maybe 2), drums, bass, and keys plus singers, he's complaining about not being able to hear the bass. I thought we had this problem licked a few weeks ago, when our best sound guy and I convinced the BL that we need the subs on so that he can *feel* (not necessarily hear) the low frequency vibrations. But it raised its ugly head again this week, even with the subs on. BL had his amp cranked even louder than usual (IMO). This morning he tried to solve the problem by "stealing" a wedge monitor from the rhythm guitar station (who wasn't there today), configuring that Aviom only to play the bass signal, and pointing it at him. Even then, I'm pretty sure he wasn't happy with it.

My take is that he is 1) listening with his eyes because I'm using the Line 6 pedal and I know he's got a problem with digital pedals (though I gather he's also wanted me to try some simpler digital bass pedal that the church owns), and 2) not happy with the particular amp sim (GK800) that I have been using, and 3) a little bit deaf from having played for 25+ years in classic rock/heavy metal bands, and 4) a little bit deaf from liking to play *loud.*

I'm sending a strong signal to the sound board, with mids emphasized as described above. It has highs rolled off to try to control any fret clank, because I feel like I'm having to play so *hard* to please the BL that I end up clanking frets rather than relying on the pedal/FOH do the amplification. I know I could provide an even stronger signal to the board: disable amp/cab sim and get a tone that's less warm, or just increase volume in a couple of ways, but I figure the sound guy should adjust the trim at the board to get the same effect. I also assume that the solution is *not* to add more volume by adding more bass in monitors, but to do a better job emphasizing/de-emphasizing frequencies that will help him "hear" the bass. I also don't think that using the church's bass pedal (not sure make/model) is any different from using the bass amp/cab sims in the HD500.

OK, anyone have any reasonable, actionable suggestions about what I can change to make myself more "visible" in the mix? Again, this is a person who is *not* willing to use IEMs, will only listen to the one sound guy (not me), and likes to play loud to get his tone.

 

The idea of “in the back room” is similar to “in a sound box.” But that goes back to the “gotta feel it” argument that I interpret as having to feel the vibrations, which he wouldn’t get if he’s got his amp in a sound box, the back room, or using IEMs.

Thanks @Stumbo for the suggestions. Will have to enlist the good sound guy to help again. I forgot to mention in my original treatise that BL just got a new telecaster and I think that contributed to the over-the-top volume this week.

 

Thanks for the response. We tried pointing a bass amp at him. I split the signal chain within the HD500 so that the amp/cab sim part was sent via XLR to FOH, and 1/4” out to an Ampeg BA210 aimed at him. (This was before we established that the subs need to be on, even in rehearsal, if he’s going to feel the bass frequencies.) All it did was make things muddy and raise stage volume.

As far as going to the elders: I should have been more clear in the OP that the guy is my friend. I also know I’m far more replaceable than he is, and that our church’s leadership (elders, pastor, or music director) wouldn’t get involved in this situation even if I did try to make some sort of complaint.

Yes, I’m frustrated by the situation but I’m trying to figure out if there’s something I can do that I haven’t thought of that will let us “have our cake and eat it too.” Something that would help me cut through the mix more without increasing stage volume. Maybe using my PJ5 (or favoring the J pickup on the PB5 instead of the P pickup)?

 

He’s got his combo angled up at his head. It leans back on a stand or even further back on a makeshift stand consisting of an old, currently non-functional Fender amp head. Wedge monitor angled up at the other side.

 

I’m making this sound like a hot mess. I guess maybe it is. Our music director is over music as a whole at the church, but the BL is over music at the contemporary service, has his own budget, etc, so it is almost like there’s two music directors.

Re: Keys-our regular keys player who was awesome at this style music developed some health problems well over a year ago. The person who has been playing with us since is classically trained, with no rock or pop background, and she definitely plays with a heavy left hand. But in this case, the complaint came during our Sunday morning rehearsal and keys wasn’t there yet.

Just to round it out, drummer from Sunday is a very heavy hitter.

 

@Wasnex, thanks for the suggestion to turn off the cab sim. I have played using that chain before (no amp or can) and remember it to be brighter. I can use EQ on the bass to emphasize mids, or maybe the pedal still works for that. Do you recommend just disabling the cab sim or both the amp sim and cab sim?

 

Agreed. Reading about these situations over the past 5 or 6 years has helped me be (hopefully) a more thoughtful drummer when I'm playing drums with this group, and (hopefully) a more thoughtful bass player.