Fattening up my live sound

[Steamtronic]

I have a three piece, playing hard & heavy stuff along the lines of Nashville Pussy, Motorhead, Orange Goblin, Fu Manchu, Offspring etc. Mainly originals but a few covers thrown in. We're getting ready to start gigging - small pubs/clubs and some local music festivals.

As we're a three piece Im trying to fatten our sound up as much as possible, and I'm after hints/tips/tricks/hacks for you hardened road warriors out there! (Please!

So far the options I'm considering include:

1. Reverb / Echo
One or both together? Any tips on setting delay length & repeats?

2. Subharmonic Generator / Octaver
I have a Peavey Tour head which features a Kosmos subharmonic generator. However it tracks like poo the more you turn it up, especially if playing two strings at once. Ive heard the dbx120A is the ducks guts when it comes to subharmonics - anyone have any experience they'd like to share using one live (either standalone or as part of the driverack?)

3. Multiple Amps
Thinking of running two amps (and getting the guitarist to do the same). Either two bass heads (one wet, one dry) or adding a guitar amp. Is it possible to add a "humanized"micro delay to one so it sounds like there are two players? What is your experience with running dual amps live?

4. Drum Machine under the drummer
Not only making sure he keeps time & the right tempo , but adding an 808 kick and some perc.

Any other ideas? Thanks!

 

[smeet]

A good start is a P bass and good fat but not too saturated distortion, preferably from a big tube amp.

 

[4Mal]

Bigger drums ? How about ddrum kick and snare triggers plus a sound module (old Alesis D4, etc can be had cheap). That can beef up a drum set pretty dramatically.

Baas sound, work the mids to get fat, not flabby. IMO, this is not the place for much in the way of time based effects. That's just going to mess with your groove and unless you and the drummer are twins, it's going to lock him into a smaller box.

Listen to early Zeppelin. Notice how far forward the drums are and how the bass plays off them? Let's the bass guy use a big fat sound appropriate for more sparse playing.. Compare / contrast with Houses of the Holy...

Finally, Listen to some old Free. Notice how fat ? Notice how little they actually played ? Play clean, arrange like you're auditioning for the devil...


Well, it is metal after all... St Peter could be a stand in if it were gospel, I suppose.


Oh right plus a tort guard on the P and carrots. Lot's of carrots...

 

[dheafey]

I'm not sure if you're in the market for a new amp, but Invalid Link Removed. dUg Pinnick is famous for using a distorted guitar amp to merge high end distortion with low end bass and this accomplishes that in 1 head. I was 10 rows back the last time I saw King's X and his rig nearly tore my head off.

 

[smeet]

I would definitely agree with 4Mal about not using time-based effects. I think they make bass sound thinner and less defined. A lot of it has to do with playing style, too. Big fat notes with lots of fundamental seem to take up more room in the mix. If you are careful about your attack and muting and cutting off notes at the right time, you can be pretty loud in the mix without stepping on other instruments. Flatwound strings can sometimes help. I personally wouldn't do the subharmonic thing. At high volumes, your sound will seem a lot heavier anyway, and the problem is usually too much low end, as opposed to too little. The two amp thing can work nicely if you can deal with the hassle. Using something like a micro pog and feeding the wet octave-up signal to a guitar amp would probably give you a great sound. A thick cleanish flatwound sound with heavy attack and lots of fundamental coming from your bass amp, and the octave-up sound coming out of a driven guitar amp would sound HUGE, and if especially if you keep the two amps a few feet apart, I bet it would give a really convincing effect of two instruments.

 

[JmJ]

EHX Knockout might work for you, an EQ pedal with a direct blend, fattens up the tone

EHX.com | Knockout - Attack Equalizer Reissue | Electro-Harmonix

 

[Steamtronic]

Bigger drums ? How about ddrum kick and snare triggers plus a sound module (old Alesis D4, etc can be had cheap). That can beef up a drum set pretty dramatically.

The drummer has a massive new kit and some of the loudest Paiste cymbals I've ever been assaulted by. The triggers are a good idea, Ill look in.

Finally, Listen to some old Free. Notice how fat ? Notice how little they actually played ? Play clean, arrange like you're auditioning for the devil...

Major Free fan. Ride On A Pony is one of my all time faves. Spot on, I want to get that massive presence.

I personally wouldn't do the subharmonic thing. At high volumes, your sound will seem a lot heavier anyway, and the problem is usually too much low end, as opposed to too little. The two amp thing can work nicely if you can deal with the hassle. Using something like a micro pog and feeding the wet octave-up signal to a guitar amp would probably give you a great sound. A thick cleanish flatwound sound with heavy attack and lots of fundamental coming from your bass amp, and the octave-up sound coming out of a driven guitar amp would sound HUGE, and if especially if you keep the two amps a few feet apart, I bet it would give a really convincing effect of two instruments.

Great stuff, thanks I hadn't thought that the problem would be too MUCH bottom.

Came across a band called Royal Blood - Two piece, drummer and bassist only. I like what they're doing!