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how to fix the muddy sound

L

Low_Ryder

Feb 13, 2012
155
8
Michigan
#1
Hello TB

I'm a new member and this is my first post!

So after about 9 years, I'm clearing out the dust and rust, and I'm playing bass again! :hyper:
I have a small gig coming up, and I have the ability to rehearse in the location of the gig. The sound is lousy. What do I try for a solution? I'm playing through a Peavy TKO, and my wife (I know, how cute, husband and wife duo!) plays an acoustic guitar and sings through a Peavey Ecoustic 112 or something like that.

I have a few ideas already but really I'm a total newbie, so I would love to hear some ideas from anyone with experience with this type of thing.
 
#3
I'll definitely try that. Thanks

Even when either of us is playing solo it still sounds kind of undefined. Could the room make a difference, or the placement of the amps? The TKO has a 15" speaker, and I,ve read that they don't always sound very clear, especially in a mix. I'm looking to upgrade my amp anyway.
 
#4
You could get yourself a new amp, but I would suggest doing yourself a favor (even in the long run) and picking up one of Invalid Link Removed first. Drop that puppy into the TKO's effects return, max the blend, and run the XLR to the board. You shouldn't have any problem coming through loud and clear in the mix.
 
#8
Jimbob Jones said:
Cut the 40hz slider on your amp some, that'll help. If the cut leaves things feeling a bit thin, boosting the 120Hz slider a little will help. Also a small boost around 1-2k will help bring out clarity without overpowering the guitar.
Click to expand...
^ +1

Amp possitioning is a factor as well, elevate or tilt it if possible.

Are you using one of these?

This is an anti mud bass:bassist:

What strings are you using on it?
IME certain strings don't seem to have as much definition between the notes as some other do.

If you just dont care for the amp, replace it. Many people have run in to amps that didnt work for their taste.
 
#11
So I'm guessing there's no PA support?

Generally speaking I would say cut the lows on both amps, that should clean it up a bit. She doesn't need lows in her tone for the frequencies produced by guitar or vocals so you can get fairly aggressive cutting them on her amp. I'd also make sure her amp is well off the floor, like at head level if you can especially if there's no PA.
 
#12
I'd start by

Put fresh phosphor bronze strings on her guitar - then plug the hole

getting a long cord and setting the controls from a distance

Often standalone sounds good doesn't do well in a blended band mix

I'd put bass tone on hold and only focus on guitar and vocals - this is where peoples attention is being focused... Once this is clean you can move onto bass

---
Your amps are fine - both are gig worthy
 
#13
We don't have a PA but are thinking of getting one. Any thoughts on Carvin? There are a few used around here, plus new they seem affordable as well.

Thanks again for the suggestions. Can't wait to try them out. Easy access to the space, but finding someone to watch the kids is the hard part!
 
#15
Scobby Bott said:
You could get yourself a new amp, but I would suggest doing yourself a favor (even in the long run) and picking up one of Invalid Link Removed first. Drop that puppy into the TKO's effects return, max the blend, and run the XLR to the board. You shouldn't have any problem coming through loud and clear in the mix.
Click to expand...

Where as I have had the Sans Amp BDDI and hated it because it scooped the mids and made it harder for me to hear myself.

My suggestion is to move your picking hand closer to the bridge. If I have a two pickup bass I will either dial in the neck pickup and pluck be the bridge or dial in the bridge pickup and pluck over the neck pickup. In general I use the neck pickup and pluck near the bridge.

Most things that make you sound good when you are by yourself make it harder for you to hear yourself in an ensemble. It only gets worse when everybody in the band use things that sound good when solo'd. Don't sweat your solo'd tone, work on tones that work better when you're both playing then listen to it solo'd. You will learn what will and won't work in an ensemble.

KO
 
#17
When you are having problems with a muddy sound, I find the following help:

EQ Less lows on your amp.
Take your amp off the floor if there is still too much.
Pluck near the bridge.
Use a Foam mute and play with a pick.

The highs can always be tamed easily, but getting the lows right to sit in the room and making the note attack right are where its at. I don't think that TKO plays anything below 100hz well, nor above 1khz, so enhancing what it does rather than enhancing what it doesn't do is your best bet. Seriously, try turning down the 40hz slider and/or running the EQ flat and use your tone knob to dial the highs the way you want.

I could never get it to sound good with the EQ. I always thought this was because the speaker was slammed into too small of a box creating a huge midbass peak and impedance missmatch.

When I get a peavey for a backline, I always plug my VT Bass into the Power Amp in and I've never been happier with peavey stuff when I do that. ;)
 
#18
So back in the day (before the 9 year almost complete lack of playing), me and some friends had a band, and we played every week. Even had a few gigs, though it was really just for fun. I didn't think too much about tone back then, but I remember that it was always pretty hard for me to hear my bass that well.

I'm sure that a good part of it was EQ, but I'm also pretty sure that my amp is just too "entry level" to work well especially in a larger band situation. We had a fairly loud drummer, an electric guitar, my wife the acoustic guitarist/singer (still girlfriend at that point), a half-deaf keyboardist who was always turning up, a trumpet player (and GF/wife would play sax on some stuff), and a djembe player. And me on bass, rockin the TKO!:bassist:

Some of the old band guys got the itch again, which is one reason I'm thinking of upgrading the amp. Now out where I am, there isn't a big music store, so I have never really tried many different rigs to find one I like. I just tried the new Ampeg PF500 with the 210 cab, but the store guy was working the EQ and I have to say I didn't really find a cool sound. The one amp I've tried (there was a used one at one of the small local places) that really struck me was a GK 800RB. Wouldn't mind getting my hands on that.

Anyway, what would make more of a difference in a small room? Upgrading my amp, her amp, or getting a PA. We actually already have a small mixer that I assume would work fine for now. It's an Alesis Multimix 8.

You all have been so helpful with your ideas so far, thanks!
 

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