How to cut through the band?

[AugustusFlora]

Always was my problem in loud 2 guitar bands until I started playing Ash/Maple basses with active preamps that have sweepable mids. Alder/rosewood can be too warm for a loud band. The difference is VERY obvious in a live setting but negligent on recordings.

 

[hsp-sandiego]

Always was my problem in loud 2 guitar bands until I started playing Ash/Maple basses with active preamps that have sweepable mids. Alder/rosewood can be too warm for a loud band. The difference is VERY obvious in a live setting but negligent on recordings.

*this ^^ and the lack of power in his rig

 

[Warriorpride43]

I had the same problem when I used to play a G&L JB2 thru a 1x15. Totally lost in the mix and very muddy/boomy. I bit the bullet and changed to a p bass and 4x10 and now have control over my tone. Sweepable mods are nice but my P with rotosounds have been a godsend. Seriously. Hope you can figure this out and leave your mark with some sweet lines!!

 

[Dirk Rockbottom]

Not sure if you have the option to try a Precision bass instead but I often have trouble with a Jazz bass and a lot of other harmonic instruments.

Been seriously thinking about a PBass with a maple neck and alder body. Jazz is what I bought when I didnt know diddly about basses. Just hate spending another $K but may pull the trigger one of these days. Thanks.

 

[Dirk Rockbottom]

A Rumble 200 with one 15" ? unless you are going through a good P.A. or house system. I would say you need some power and air being driven. When I played with a full group- variety dance band i played a swr 750x and a 4x10 or two of them! there is your answer. If power is not needed, get a outboard Preamp. Aguilar tone hammer: this will fatten up your line in substantially.

Well we play regularly in a small club and the guitar players said they love the sound of my Rumble. I don't care to lug around a big rig. The Rumble fits nicely in my trunk and I don't drive a truck so at this point I think cranking the volume more and turning up my tone knob on the Jazz and also the mids on the amp should do nicely. I do have an Aguilar TLC compressor. You think that would add something?

 

[4Mal]

The thing with flats is that you become a kick drum that changes pitch in time to the music. It's the ultimate punch as there is a rapid big note followed by ... Not much if you get the feel for muting a 1/4 and 1/2 note. Basically you're doing percussion in a key...

When evaluating J pickups... The output level,volume is a trap. There is 'full range' volume and 'apparent' volume. MIM J's are kinda famous for an overwind that produces a big low mids bump. Sounds 'loud' bit in reality it lacks lows and upper mids. Just a bunch of mud in the mix. I avoid overwound/unbalanced pickups like the plague.

 

[Rayjay]

Add compression. Adjust it so that it's light and barely audible but fattens up your tone

+1 flatwounds.

+1 mid boost. It will help you slice through the mix, but be careful because you can really bogart the band.

-More power. I don't think that's the issue here.

Cutting through the band is often a matter of composition too. Maybe trying simpler lines that really focus on melody. You might be playing too many notes and/or poorly composed fills.

 

[crucislancer]

I just started playing with a country/classic rock 5-piece band (2 guitars, keys, drums, me). After listening to a recording of our 2nd gig, I would like my bass to be more defined. For example, when I play a lick, it just sounds muddy. I play a Fender Jazz but don't like the tone knob up. Just sounds crappy to me. My bass setting is bridge pup at 10 and neck pup at about half. Tone knob all the way down. My rig is a Fender Rumble 200 with one 15" speaker. My strings are D'addario nickel wound .50 .65 .85 .105. What I'm considering is getting a lighter set of strings, say .45 - .100 but hate to go through another setup adjustment on my axe (intonation, neck rod, bridge). At the gig, I had all my amp tone knobs flat (12 o'clock) with the bass up to about one o'clock. Should I turn my bass knob down and up my treble and high midrange? I just would like more definition for next gig, but At the same time I understand my responsibility to provide a solid bottom.
Thanks, Dirk

I use a similar amp, though mine is the Rumble 500 combo with a 210 extension cab. Turn down the bass, perhaps down to 11 o'clock, maybe even a little lower, and get the amp onto a stand of some kind. Your sound is going into the floor and not up to where it can make a difference.

You shouldn't have to make changes to string gauge or type. If you don't like the tone knob up on a Jazz bass then you need to compensate a bit at the amp, maybe boost a little high mids.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Neck pickup on full with bridge pickup on 9 makes a nice prominent growl, so long as you don't kill the tone knob!

 

[pudgychef]

+1 to what has been said - what sounds great solo can often be lost in the mix. I use to insist on scooping mids..but after listening to many a live recording I realised I was scooping out any note 'nose' or definition..when I forced myself setting my tone so it sounded just a bit to middy - it started sitting much better and was very noticeable on gig recordings.

 

[Mattrill]

1. Switch out to chrome flats, let them settle in for a couple of weeks. Your patience will be rewarded... The twang goes away and you get a really nice defined steely thump. Outstanding for country/blues/roots... They feel nice too!

2. Turn the friggen' tone control up! You're losing all your highs and upper mids! That's where definition lives.

3. If you don't dig the clack, turn down the treble and high mids to compensate at the amp. If you can't find the offensive fret clack, it is often between 1.5 and 2.5 k. An EQ pedal might help you zero in. Parametric if you have the patience for it. Not hard to use but there is a learning curve.

I'm not in love with the Rumble but it isn't terrible. I find 1 x15 combo's to be kinda boomy. Usually the cab is sized small for portability and not large for tonality. IMO that is the case with the a rumble. Could I gig with one? Absolutely. It would be in line for an upgrade if I were gigging one a lot though...

4. You didn't mention which Fender J. If it's a squire, then move up the chain. Upgrading it is a losing proposition. If it's a MIM with stock pickups, an upgrade could be in order. If it's a bass with better pickups than those I've mentioned. You can probably skip the upgrade.

5. When you can do it. Demo a Lakland 44-01. I've done a ton of country and blues/roots dates with one and frankly it is hard to find a bad sound on that bass... Mine has Chromes. Most of my dates are done with a GK mB2-500 and 2 1x10's and a line into the PA.

I had the same problem - muddy, boomey sound. Then I switched to flats and never looked back.

Chromes are great strings, I like GHS precision flats at the moment especially on a Jazz.

For your style of music flats wouldn't be a bad shout

 

[cheapbasslovin]

Again, not the popular opinion on TB, but might help you cut through without sacrificing your sound.

I think more surface area (or more efficiency) might be the ticket, especially if his problem is a distorting speaker.

 

[jassthebass]

like others have said, don't be afraid of the tone knob !!

What amp do you use?

I use a Jazz Bass (As well as others !!) through an Ashdown 500 & generally set the Bass & upper Bass flat/midway (45Hz & 110Hz). For me the fun begins in the mids. In my case 340Hz,660Hz & 1.3KHz dials/sliders are maybe boosted a couple of notches - of course this will differ on venues & speaker placement (Not too near a rear wall etc ..)

I like bit of clack so the rest of my settings won't match the description of the sound you like. When listening to live recordings of myself it never sounds as toppy (!) as it does when I'm right next to the cab, in fact it evens out quite nicely. I play in a classic rock band with 1 guitar, keyboards etc. so I understand your limited sonic space availability
It may take a bit of experimentation, perhaps try adjusting one knob at a time, including using your tone knob !!

I apologise if any of that sounds obvious

Have a good day !!

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

Loose the 15" amp. It will never get you to cut trough the mix. This if you only use your amp to reach the public. But if you have PA support than it´s a matter of FOH if your bass goes trough a DI.

p.s: too much DI, FOH, PA, symbols right??

 

[Thumper19605]

Live bass sound tips

A good read.

 

[tedsalt]

If you like the Fender tone stack (and it sounds like you and your band does), pick up a used Hartke LH1000 on GC Used (for plenty of good clean headroom, just don't crank it too loud), and a good 410 cab. The Bassman Pro 410 Neos sound great with the Hartke, and there is a display model on FullCompass with free shipping, or several listed here on TB Classifieds ...

I am not affiliated with any of these, just happen to love mine ...

 

[Mr_Martin]

How come I hear so many guys here saying they scoop their mids because they sound terrible? When I boost my low mid, it sounds sort of "boomy". I kind of like the high mid better than the low mid.
Thanks,
Dirk

read this:

Bass EQ Basics

 

[1954bassman]

I am surprised no one has asked how your recording was made. The recording may not reflect the true sound of your band.

 

[spaz21387]

I think you should just get a musicman stingray. It sounds like a j bass on steroids. You will never have problems cutting through a band mix with a stingray!

 

[Mr_Martin]

I think you should just get a musicman stingray. It sounds like a j bass on steroids. You will never have problems cutting through a band mix with a stingray!

Or the budget version: the IBANEZ ATK