I finally found my sound

[jaco944]

There have been many times over the years that I believed I found "my tone". Then the onslaught of variables took me out back and beat me up 'side the head:

• Every room has its own unique acoustics. Tone changes, sometimes dramatically, from room to room
• Temperature and humidity effect tone
• Age and condition of strings effect tone
• The tones from all the other musicians in your band will have a direct effect on how personal tone is heard
• A player's distance and angle to the bass cab(s) and any other bass-reproducing source (i.e. Floor wedge) effects tone
• The cleanliness of a player's ears effects how tone is heard
• etc., etc. etc.

I found a solution for this.
A. Find your tone
B. Go amp less/IEM
C. Turn everything else down in your mix and enjoy your tone.
*(Hope your sound guy is competent)

 

[Bass V]

yeah I know its fleeting but I wound up practicing for like 4 hours just bc it sounded so good

those are the moments we live for! and all too often that sound ain't there the next day LOL

 

[two fingers]

It took a few years, more basses than I can remember, couple of diff amps and tons of different strings but as of yesterday I found my tone!

for now haha

So after a set up like that you're not gonna give us the rundown of what it is?????


Come on, man! Don't leave us hanging!

 

[drewphishesp]

hahahah first person to ask! Here goes:
Bass : Alembic Epic
Strings: DA chromes
Rig: eden wt550 into 2 112ex cabs
pedals: tuner>mxr octave > vintage microtubes > mxr bef >mxr chorus > sansamp VT DI (for when the band wants the ampeg sound)

 

[Tom Howland]

After years of playing. I realize your tone is what you hear in your own head. What is pleasing to your ears. Everyone is different. What I like, you may dislike.
It can change, or evolve over time. Flat wounds, a tube amp, reverb, and overdrive works for me. For now.

 

[MrLenny1]

Great, it can be a long search.
Good luck on gigs. Venues present a challenge
every night.

 

[rtslinger]

It took a few years, more basses than I can remember, couple of diff amps and tons of different strings but as of yesterday I found my tone!

for now haha

Yes for now and when the air quality changes even a little you will be wondering what the heck happen ha ha ha. But I am glad you got to enjoy it while it lasted

 

[pbass2]

I found "my sound" when after almost 30 years of playing many basses and rigs, I started going for a totally traditional p-bass sound. Which of course, is everybody else's (well, almost) "sound" too!

 

[Peteyboy]

hahahah first person to ask! Here goes:
Bass : Alembic Epic
Strings: DA chromes
Rig: eden wt550 into 2 112ex cabs
pedals: tuner>mxr octave > vintage microtubes > mxr bef >mxr chorus > sansamp VT DI (for when the band wants the ampeg sound)

Dang. I wanna find your sound too...

 

[dbsfgyd1]

It took a few years, more basses than I can remember, couple of diff amps and tons of different strings but as of yesterday I found my tone!

for now haha

Congrats, it took until age 60 to find mind. And now thanks to this board, I’m apparently an idiot because it weighs more than 5 pounds.... such is life....

 

[sharkbait130]

I found my sound about five years ago. I haven't bought anything to change it since.
P Bass with Chromes
Ampeg SVT Classic head
8 10e
I did pick up a PF 500 a while back to save my back a bit and it's darn close to exactly what I want but I still pull out the big rig regularly.
Oh yeah , I have a second 8 10 but no one will let me use it.

 

[saltydude]

After years, plenty of upgrades, gas tank always overflowing, every tool to adjust or compensate for the situation I still don’t feel I’ve found it. I will continue the journey and see it to the end if it ever comes.

Glad you found your sound!!

 

[LowEndOperative]

I thought I “found my tone” with my Ray34 but over the weekend we played in an open-architectural sports bar and it was all over the place

 

[Usidore T Blue]

Is that an older Eden?

I will settle for finding the notes and rhythm for now--tone can wiat.

 

[JRA]

yeah I know its fleeting but I wound up practicing for like 4 hours just bc it sounded so good

sounds more like a zone than a tone. just sayin'. congrats on your new practice schedule!

and you find yourself chasing it again ...

or not.

 

[SirMjac28]

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

So as long as your strings don't age from now, and every venue has the same acoustic properties you're all set.
Congrats.

D'oh!!!

 

[gelinas666]

Yep.. I find my tone everytime I buy something.. Its a great feeling... Then I up the ante and try to make it better with the next...

 

[smogg]

hahahah first person to ask! Here goes:
Bass : Alembic Epic
Strings: DA chromes
Rig: eden wt550 into 2 112ex cabs
pedals: tuner>mxr octave > vintage microtubes > mxr bef >mxr chorus > sansamp VT DI (for when the band wants the ampeg sound)

So what did you do differently yesterday than the day before to get you to nirvana?

 

[JGbassman]

I'm all over the place chasing tones, From early Rush and Godsmack, to the killer tone on "you're the one that I want" on the Grease soundtrack. My personal tone seems to be a mashup of all three.

I normally practice unplugged, just myself and the bass, and I like the tightness of the low end, and richness of the overtones without the harshness. It seems that's the sound I enjoy most and try of cop it every now and then plugged in.

I'm glad you found your perfect tone. For me, it's about as enduring as a fart in a windstorm... But I'm sure the next gig I'll find it.