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Get outta my frequency range!

D

DubnBass

Jul 25, 2010
66
1
Chch NZ
#1
Ever had that one band member who always encroaches into your domain, the low end? This, frustratingly, happens to me all too often!

In my six-piece reggae/dub/funk band, we have a drummer, a guitarist, a saxophone player, a percussionist, myself on bass and then my frequency nemesis, the keyboard/synth player!

On a keyboard skanking rhythm, he always plays a pedalled bass note which not only cuts me out, but creates a heinous muddy sound. Or a extremely low (lower than my B!) pulsating synth bass line that, again, cuts me out.

Wee bit of a rant, but hey, what are bass players for?:bassist:
Our guitarist agreed and summed it up perfectly at a practice... "Let's just let the bass player play the bass aye?"
It seems to me like a repeat of the 1980's!

Share your stories of frequency encroaching experiences!
 
#2
Some players, in a similar fashion to that Monty Python scene in the Meaning of Life get a toy, device, or an urge to use something in their gear bag that goes 'bing'.

We've all been there. When it tries to work its way into the art, it should at the very least, add something. In this case, it seems to 'bing' without adding anything...right?

Try recording it, and letting folks hear it. If it sounds ugly, it will disappear.
 
#4
If the keys player is agreeable, maybe have the board operator cut his low frequencies. Maybe the keys player keeps better time having both hands in on the music(?). Similar to some singers not being able to sing without strumming a guitar... Just a thought.

For those youngsters out there: back in the day, The Beatles utilized this frequency thing by recording bass guitar and tambourine together so they could get more instruments on one track (back then, they only had four track recorders you see, sonny...). Those specific two instruments being on the same track would allow more frequency/sound control (bass being low, and tamb being higher) with two instruments inseperably mixed. I'm sure others used this idea too...

But I do hear you in the whole sharing thing. Very frustrating. Been there, fought that.
 
#6
it's usually the keyboard player that can't keep their freakin left hand out of the bass player's world. Perhaps but a piece of blue tape on the keyboard to let them know where not to play...hahaha
 
#8
I have an ongoing dialog with my keyboard player about his left hand. We EQ his lows out, and I have to remind him every rehearsal and at least once every gig. The organ patches are particularly frequency cancelling. Fortunately, he doesn't get pissy about it. But it's a pain in the butt.

Note to anyone hiring a keys player: Tell them up front you don't need a piano bar player. Some of these players are used to solo performance and their left hand just goes bonkers, it's usually way over the top in a combo.
 
#9
Low cut filters on the mixer work wonders. I've had problems with the low end of an acoustic guitar. Some guys are used to playing alone so they boost the bass.

Some styles like Dub Step have bass lines and sub bass lines. The sub bass should be Low pass filtered so it doesn't get into your space and your tone will need to have some mids to be heard. But then again some of those crazy bit crushed bass lines are everywhere so there isn't much you can do other than wait them out or get a bunch of effects and move to a different sonic territory.

I'm lucky now, my keyboard player totally get's it and she stays away from the bass. I'm also the sound man so everyone gets a high pass filter except for the bass drum and yours truly.
 
#11
electracoyote said:
Note to anyone hiring a keys player: Tell them up front you don't need a piano bar player. Some of these players are used to solo performance and their left hand just goes bonkers, it's usually way over the top in a combo.
Click to expand...

Yup. There are great solo pianists, there are great combo pianists, and there are great keyboardists. Occasionally you get two of the three in one player. If you get all three, you are probably playing with a full-time professional cause those players are few and far between.
 
#12
So being aware of this, you leave the very bottom for kick drum, right?
Click to expand...

Of course! :D
We're all about rhythmic space in our songs and were, for the most part, privy to frequency spacing as well, up until recently when the keys player got that Micro Korg synthesiser. Making him turn a what should be R/H skank to a sub bass "wub wub" bassline. Maybe it's because it's a new toy of his and the novelty will wear off after a while?:confused:

As P.Aaron said, maybe we should do a recording at our next practice and show him what a horrible muddy mess he's making!:D
 
#15
I'm surprise that no one have thought of maybe playing higher on the neck ... leaving the very low the the synth and you playing higher , closer to the guitar...

It could fill some space and it is an occasion to play something more involving than root-five pattern.
 
#16
Mayers said:
I'm surprise that no one have thought of maybe playing higher on the neck ... leaving the very low the the synth and you playing higher , closer to the guitar...

It could fill some space and it is an occasion to play something more involving than root-five pattern.
Click to expand...

Meh... I just have visions of people leaving the dance floor whenever my hands start creeping up above the 9th fret or so. If I start to feel the need to do that, I just let the keyboard do his thing, and I either pick up a percussion instrument or go get a beer... so long as I still get paid the same for the gig...
 
#19
I am lucky my keyboard player stays off the left hand only runs on it when he is soloing and I stay out of his way during that time. low end is the kick for our band and I am happy to cut the lows to have some mids since I do a lot of fret work when playing that I need to cut through. I would record a practice and let the band along with the keyboard player hear that he is stepping on things and for the good of the band sound he needs to move out of that range.
 
#20
DubnBass said:
Of course! :D
We're all about rhythmic space in our songs and were, for the most part, privy to frequency spacing as well, up until recently when the keys player got that Micro Korg synthesiser. Making him turn a what should be R/H skank to a sub bass "wub wub" bassline. Maybe it's because it's a new toy of his and the novelty will wear off after a while?:confused:

As P.Aaron said, maybe we should do a recording at our next practice and show him what a horrible muddy mess he's making!:D
Click to expand...

But "he" isn't making an ugly mess. Both of you are. Just as his low frequency playing interferes what you are playing, so does what you are playing interferes with him. It is a problem for both of you to solve, not for one of you to dictate a solution.
 

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