How to Replicate "Big" Sound at a Low Volume (e.g. w/ Headphones)?

[RedPerkele]

I am a beginner bass player (well, not clueless, but I'd rather be humble).

I fully understand that getting stellar sound, like what we hear in professional-level recordings, is out of the question with an entry-level amplifier.

However, besides my entry-level bass and entry-level amp, I do have a Zoom B1 effect pedal and I've gotten a pretty good "basic" sound using headphones – I define good basic sound as a full, bassy, punchy tone.

Having said that, I've been less successful trying to replicate the sound of some famous bass players. No matter how hard I try to set up what (I think) they're using – in terms of effects, e.g. chorus, as well as equalization – the result isn't the same.

My question is:
Am I trying in vain? Is it at all possible to replicate "big" sound – coming from amp stacks – at a low volume, as in with headphones?

Perhaps I should ask this another way: Is it the big fat amps what give some players their recognizable tone?

To name one particular example, I've been trying to replicate the sound of Misa, of Band-Maid, and it's proven rather difficult. Having said that, I've seen at least one cover on YouTube with a guy who seems to have an identical sound. Is the sound we hear on the video a result of an expensive amp, or can I hope to replicate it through headphones, by tweaking my Zoom B1?

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[Sailfish]

First off, what amp do you have, that'll help get us in the ballpark of eq options. But to get the tone in the video, boost bass slightly, low mids also boosted, and have just enough treble to get that grind without thinning your tone out. Now, be careful not to overboost, as you probably have low headroom through headphones, so overdriving is very easy, but it seems like just a little bit of drive is present in this tone. But, overall, you can get huge sound out of little amps, just by adjust the eq correctly. You may want to read about eq's and how you can utilize different frequency areas to get the tone you like. Good Luck.

 

[RedPerkele]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I only have the Harley Benton HB-20B that came with the (Harley Benton) bass. Both entry level
https://www.thomann.de/fi/harley_benton_hb_20b.htm

I can get a much better sound plugging the bass to the Marantz amp of the home Hi-Fi system

Thanks for your suggestions, I'll work based on those

 

[Sailfish]

Ok, listening to the sound samples, this amp needs less treble, so keep that at 9-11 o'clock, Mids boosted to 1-2:30, bass boosted to 1 o'clock, more if needed, overdrive may be likely with the gain, but it seems like you can push this without much breakup, hope this was helpful.

Edit: I forgot to ask, is the Harley Benton bass you have single or double pickup?

 

[BarfanyShart]

IME Reverb is the thing that makes things sound good in headphones. I got a little Fender Studio 40, that makes a lot of good sounds, but its all going to sound wrong without something to mimic natural room reverb. The Zoom should be able to do enough stuff - eq, reverb, warmth/overdrive.

The tone you're chasing sounds a lot like the clean tone everyone wanted to sound like in the 90's, with a punchy low, and attack-heavy upper-mids, and a little pure high brightness - gk amp with a scooped eq, basically. Back in the day, i played the Warwick, I didn't use the pick, I mainly used a big Carvin combo instead of the GK, and of course I had the big dumb smiley face on my eq - and that got me close enough.

Nowadays, I play a short scale with flats, but the GK and SWR (my old Carvin was basically designed to be a middle ground between these two amps) amp models - scooping the eq and adding reverb - get me in the ballpark.

The rest is in your hands!

 

[Wambemando]

I practice through my Rumble 500 at night with V-Moda M-100 headphones.
There have been times where I've actually stopped playing (to check the headphone input/cord) because it sounds so much like "the amp"... and nope, it just sounds THAT good!

 

[RedPerkele]

Thanks for the new comments as well, I'm very grateful for the insights.

Edit: I forgot to ask, is the Harley Benton bass you have single or double pickup?

It's the Harley Benton JB-20, using 2 single coils

 

[dkelley]

Well you'd have a hard time getting a warwick tone out of anything other than a warwick. That is a warwick in the youtube video you posted.

That particular tone sounds like both pickups on full, treble turned down pretty low, mids cut back a bit, and plenty of bass.

However I doubt your amp will get you that tone - but the Zoom B1 can definitely get it through headphones or direct to "the board" (which in your case would mean to whatever recording device you're using).

The speaker and tone stack in your amp aren't going to get you nearly the deep tone that I hear in that youtube clip.

But you definitely can get a GOOD tone out of it. The Zoom pedals are little miracle workers... hard to edit, but great once you have learned how to edit them.

I used to own the Zoom B2 (the old all metal square floor thing) and it was awesome once I spent lots of time with the manual creating a new setup from scratch. The compressors, amp sims, cab sims, overdrives, modulations, and even pitch effects were all outstanding. It just had horrible horrible editing controls with a 2 digit display and 4 knobs. Ugh.

But once you get there, you can save things and not worry any more.

I couldn't tell you more than that of how to get your tone, but definitely sit with a pair of better-than-dollar-store headphones and the B1 without your amp and learn how to get the tone you want.

Then put that into your amp and try to set the tone controls on the amp to NOT degrade the tone from the great sound you get from your B1 (After learning how to do so), and you'll be as close as you can get.

IF your amp has a line in or aux in, B1 to that input would remove the amp's tone controls from the equation, which would give you only the great tone of the B1 into whatever that little speaker can deliver. IMHO more likely to be what you want.

 

[MuttThud]

I am a beginner bass player (well, not clueless, but I'd rather be humble).

I fully understand that getting stellar sound, like what we hear in professional-level recordings, is out of the question with an entry-level amplifier.

However, besides my entry-level bass and entry-level amp, I do have a Zoom B1 effect pedal and I've gotten a pretty good "basic" sound using headphones – I define good basic sound as a full, bassy, punchy tone.

Having said that, I've been less successful trying to replicate the sound of some famous bass players. No matter how hard I try to set up what (I think) they're using – in terms of effects, e.g. chorus, as well as equalization – the result isn't the same.

My question is:
Am I trying in vain? Is it at all possible to replicate "big" sound – coming from amp stacks – at a low volume, as in with headphones?

Perhaps I should ask this another way: Is it the big fat amps what give some players their recognizable tone?

To name one particular example, I've been trying to replicate the sound of Misa, of Band-Maid, and it's proven rather difficult. Having said that, I've seen at least one cover on YouTube with a guy who seems to have an identical sound. Is the sound we hear on the video a result of an expensive amp, or can I hope to replicate it through headphones, by tweaking my Zoom B1?

Thanks in advance for any input!

I pretty much use headphones exclusively now for practicing. Can't make much noise in my house so amps are out (for now). Secret I've found is...

1) EQ... low mids are your friend here, with high mids dialled up to taste for punch, and don't dial up the bass EQ too much. A high-pass filter (HPF) helps... this dials out the very low bass frequencies your headphones cannot reproduce. I usually dial out everything below around 40Hz (that's the HPF) and then boost a little around 120-200Hz and also somewhere between 400 and 700 Hz depending on the bass and tone I'm after. Bass EQ usually flat. But.... these are just numbers, key point is to use your ears and play around in the 100-800 Hz range to see what works for you. This should give you the punch you're after. If the B1 has bass cabinet simulators, add these in as well and, again, use your ears not your eyes (i.e. on the B1 display) to work out what's right for you.

2) A little bit of room reverb to simulate the sound of your amp in a rehearsal studio. You don't want a cathedral effect... just some short tight ambience, mixed about 30% wet. Reverb makes all the difference IME... it suddenly puts you in the room with the sound rather than the dry sound just appearing in your ears.

You can achieve 1 and 2 with the Zoom B1. Then...

3) Use good quality studio headphones. You don't need to spend a fortune (good value options out there from Sennheiser, AKG, Audio-Technica). Cheapo cans/earbuds won't help you get the sound you want.

 

[eddododo]

I never feel lacking in headphones, assuming they're at least decent enough to handle what they're asked to do. Good bass sound doesn't really live in the lows/subs.. two things to note for the example you gave- the bass is dirty (like overdriven) and it's VERY LOUD in the mix.

another lesson, taken from brass and other horns, is that the BIGGEST tone you get doesn't come from the HARDEST you can hit the note. It comes from a well controlled note, with a strong reliable left hand and an accurate and as-firm-as-needed-but-no-firmer touch with the right hand. The aggression here comes from the stroke and the littttle bit of the string slapping around on the frets as he hits it .

 

[subtlestew]

These folks all have great suggestions. Do what they say... then add this and you'll really feel like you're playing Wembley with an 8x10 fridge behind you: BackBeat - Play Bass, Feel Bass

 

[Killing Floor]

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I don't have any experience with these, but they appear to be made for people like you. One cool feature was the "stationary" amp (it uses the fade/balance settings to automatically sound like the sound is coming from one location when you turn your head or move).

BOSS WAZA-AIR Wireless Personal Guitar Amplification System Headphones | Music Store Live | Reverb

 

[DJ Bebop]

I am a beginner bass player (well, not clueless, but I'd rather be humble).

I fully understand that getting stellar sound, like what we hear in professional-level recordings, is out of the question with an entry-level amplifier.

However, besides my entry-level bass and entry-level amp, I do have a Zoom B1 effect pedal and I've gotten a pretty good "basic" sound using headphones – I define good basic sound as a full, bassy, punchy tone.

Having said that, I've been less successful trying to replicate the sound of some famous bass players. No matter how hard I try to set up what (I think) they're using – in terms of effects, e.g. chorus, as well as equalization – the result isn't the same.

My question is:
Am I trying in vain? Is it at all possible to replicate "big" sound – coming from amp stacks – at a low volume, as in with headphones?

Perhaps I should ask this another way: Is it the big fat amps what give some players their recognizable tone?

To name one particular example, I've been trying to replicate the sound of Misa, of Band-Maid, and it's proven rather difficult. Having said that, I've seen at least one cover on YouTube with a guy who seems to have an identical sound. Is the sound we hear on the video a result of an expensive amp, or can I hope to replicate it through headphones, by tweaking my Zoom B1?

Thanks in advance for any input!

Is it this one

Or this one?

Anyway, as some have said, whichever one you have, use the reverb setting with what amp/drive sound you are trying to use. On the first one, put the reverb at the end of the chain of pedals or effects you are using in the B1. There might be an effect called AIR, that's a good one for headphone use.

 

[Makoa Johnson]

Big sound can absolutely be achieved through headphones (especially if your headphones are capable of reproducing accurate low end.)
One thing I will throw out too is don't get too hung up on the "big fat amp" sound on records coming from some unattainable, roadie-carried, behemoth rig. A ton of the "huge" bass tones found on recordings across genres are wholly or partially DI signals, and often times the "big amp" sound is in reality either a sansamp type device or a single-speaker combo micd up.
Not saying that records haven't been made with bone rattling stadium rigs, but a lot of times in the studio (and not just for bass) what is able to end up sounding big in the final mix, might not actually be very big, or even very loud when recording.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Big sound can absolutely be achieved through headphones (especially if your headphones are capable of reproducing accurate low end.)
One thing I will throw out too is don't get too hung up on the "big fat amp" sound on records coming from some unattainable, roadie-carried, behemoth rig. A ton of the "huge" bass tones found on recordings across genres are wholly or partially DI signals, and often times the "big amp" sound is in reality either a sansamp type device or a single-speaker combo micd up.
Not saying that records haven't been made with bone rattling stadium rigs, but a lot of times in the studio (and not just for bass) what is able to end up sounding big in the final mix, might not actually be very big, or even very loud when recording.

Yep!

As an example most of these I believe I could get a close enough approximation from the new Zoom B1 pedal.









Not exacted but close enough for headphones

 

[RedPerkele]

Thank you all so much for your great recommendations, I'm thrilled to have found such a great place for, well, talk[ing]bass

Is it this one
View attachment 4065525

It's the top one. The closest I've gotten to mimicking the sound is a setup with:

• Chorus (I think I can hear some sort of chorus effect in the sound I posted; reminds me a bit of the Duff McKagan sound). CoronaTri provides a similar effect
• Room Reverb (based on recommendations here)
• AMPG SVT (adjusting according to recommendations here)

What I'm still lacking compared to the sound in the video is this kind of "pinchy" but full high end. With treble high, it's pinchy but not full; with treble low, it's full but muddy, not pinchy.

I'll keep experimenting! Once again, thank you all.

 

[Makoa Johnson]

To me the specific tone in that video sounds like a "both pickups on" type of tone, so if you are not already doing that try turning both pickups on your bass all the way up and having the tone all the way open as well. As far as inside the zoom, there are almost infinite things you can mess with but I think you are going in the right direction with the svt model. You could also see if any of the bass overdrive effects do anything to get you closer, and also you may want to experiment with some compression because there is definitely some happening in that video, and with the right settings it will help the attack of the picking to be more even and punchy.

 

[Dr Zee]

I think a lot of recorded Bass sounds fat because it's been through a compressor.

 

[RedPerkele]

Actually I have been experimenting with some compression myself; it's tricky to know if I'm in the right direction – I've discovered that compression is one of those things that can make the sound worse if you don't use it properly – but good to know it's likely that it's used. I'll keep experimenting.