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How to address solo levels/volume ?

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by pfschim, Apr 14, 2012.

  1. Apr 14, 2012 #1
    pfschim

    pfschim Just a Skeleton with a Jazz bass

    Apr 26, 2006
    SF Bay Area
    I'll put this in Amps because that's where I think it fits best, but maybe it belongs elsewhere.

    I am wondering how everyone addresses the issue of getting a good solo level as opposed to the level used for the rhythm section role of the bass in a band setting ?

    I do not solo a great deal, perhaps 2-4 times per gig. I play in a a couple of bands. One is an original jazz/world music thing, the other is more of a cover situation (60's-90's sort of thing leaning heavily to the blues/funky side). Neither of the bands is terribly loud and we do not run our own FH/PA, so no sound guy to cue for a hotter level.

    My working rig is one of several basses (Jazz 4's or a Turner fretless 4) into a Mesa Walkabout 12 combo, to which I sometimes add a Scout 1x12. My playing style is clean/no dirt, mostly fingers, but a little thumb/pop for occasional emphasis (think Chuck Rainey rather than Marcus or Victor W.)

    What I am interested in hearing about is how do my fellow TBer's address the issue of increasing "presence" when moving from regular playing level to a solo.

    I have been playing pro/semi pro for 40 years, and how I handle it today works ok, I am just thinking there is probably other ways to handle it, perhaps with better/more satisfying results.

    talk to me.
     
  2. Apr 14, 2012 #2
    HeadyVan Halen

    HeadyVan Halen Guest

    Jun 11, 2010
    Turn the volume up.
     
  3. Apr 14, 2012 #3
    Jeff Scott

    Jeff Scott Rickenbacker guru..........

    Apr 11, 2006
    Out there!
    Volume pedal, or just change to a more bridge pickup oriented tone. Also, the rest of the band should know how to play a bit quieter to let the soloist cut through, whoever that soloist may be.
     
  4. Apr 14, 2012 #4
    will33

    will33

    May 22, 2006
    austin,tx
    I don't really solo, very little if at all, but I just play the bass like a guitar in that my rhythm volume is about 7 on the volume on the bass. I use that most of the time, when vocals are happening, etc. When a little hook in the bass line comes up, or I need a fuller sound to fill in behind a guitar lead in a 3-piece, roll the volume up to wide open, then back down a little when the vocals come in again.

    And +1 to both changing to a more cutting pickup blend, or playing a little closer to the bridge, etc., different tone for solo's, and the rest of the band staying out of the soloist way, whatever instrument is soloing.
     
  5. Apr 14, 2012 #5
    Passinwind

    Passinwind I know nothing. Commercial User

    Dec 3, 2003
    Columbia River Gorge, WA.
    Owner/Designer &Toaster Tech Passinwind Electronics
    I'm partial to having the band mostly lay out and not changing a thing amp-wise or playing much harder than the rest of the time. Might not work so well in a rock context, but it serves me well in the jazz and country situations I mostly play in these days. I solo on at least 80-90% of the tunes in my main jazz group, FWIW.
     
  6. Apr 14, 2012 #6
    pfschim

    pfschim Just a Skeleton with a Jazz bass

    Apr 26, 2006
    SF Bay Area
    thanks for the replies so far.

    agreed on pushing the bridge p/u, and playing closer to the bridge to get a more cutting tone. Thats pretty much what I do now. Both my Jazz basses are V V, and I generally just have my V's all the way up on the bass, so I need to cut the neck p/u to get the bridge focused tone change. (This is actually not a bad justification for a single V V knob with a middle/center detent IMO).

    After decades of playing jazz, I find I kind of dislike the std jazz approach for everyone to drop out during a bass solo - I like to hear some element of the changes happen while I play over. That's how I develop my solo vocabulary - over the changes, so I like to hear them when I solo. It keeps the context for me.

    I had a Mesa MPulse600 amp for a while and it had the footswitchable Solo level function. Now that was a pretty cool way to go, but the WA does not have that.

    I do have a TC RH450 with the 3, user programmable footswitchable settings. That could work too, but I have not been using this amp as my main gig rig because I can't quite get it to sound as sweet as the WA.

    I guess I am starting to think about using a Volume or boost pedal along with some sort of "color" pedal (EQ, fx ??) to get a solo tone I like, and then just pop a footswitch when my solo spots come up. I just have not used much outboard gear over the years, so I am not totally clear on how I would set that up.

    Anyone use that approach ?
     
  7. Apr 14, 2012 #7
    lowphatbass

    lowphatbass **** Supporting Member

    Feb 25, 2005
    west coast
    I play in a lot of similar situations. I usually dial in my sound with one or two extra clicks of bass and treble(on my bass' preamp) so I can get a hair more thump and definition for solos. Generally the band comes down a bit, or creates some extra space so I can do what I do. When people are dancing I generally groove the bass line with a little more sack and some minor embellishment, often broken down with the drums n bass then built back up again gradually.
     
  8. Apr 14, 2012 #8
    Jeff Scott

    Jeff Scott Rickenbacker guru..........

    Apr 11, 2006
    Out there!
    I am not talking about the typical jazz band approach to laying out, just providing a bit more space so you can be featured.

    There are lots of boost pedals out there so that could be an approach, I still think there is more to this than just a volume increase, however.
     
  9. Apr 14, 2012 #9
    RickenBoogie

    RickenBoogie

    Jul 22, 2007
    Dallas, TX
    There are clean boost pedals that will give you a decent bump in volume, without coloring your tone one little bit. Creation Audio's Mk.4.23 comes to mind- 24dB of pure, clean boost. No noise, no color.
     
  10. Apr 14, 2012 #10
    vin*tone

    vin*tone

    Oct 19, 2008
    Ballaarat, Ostraya
    IMO I think you should try a VT pedal. You can pull some great tones out of it and can add a little hair. IMO you probably want something that can give you a slight mid bump and a touch of natural sounding overdrive - basically to mimic the sound you get when driving you pre a bit harder.

    Personally, I tend to just dig in harder for solos and the band steps back a bit. I've had similar amp experiences to you - and have always meant to set up a channel or preset for soloing but have never actually stopped and used it (I totally suck at using pedals). I always just used live dynamics to cut through.