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I sound like crap (tone)

A

aurian4parker

Apr 29, 2008
337
0
Home: Houston Current: Queens
www.myspace.com
#1
I've asked this before but I have new gear now. I am looking for that Marcus Miller SLAP tone, but at the same time I want to have some pretty good lows for some Rage sounding stuff.

I know for slap you need a fair amount of treble, but now I feel like I have way too much.

In some instances I think it is my bass. My bass just sounds more like a guitar, if that makes any sense to any of you.


Here is my gear:

-1990 Fender JP-90 usa (I think THIS is my problem due to the crappy pickups... but I'm getting a euro spector soon)
I have it on the middle pickup selector(mix between the J and the P pickup) with the tone all the way up.

-Ampeg B2R.
Gain: 12 o'clock.
Bass: 3 o'clock.
Mid: 10 o'clock.
Treb: 2 o'clock
limiter is OFF
EQ is on with the bass all the way up, treble flat in the middle and my mids scooped.

-Alesis 3630(i know...)
Running it stereo... settings on both sides are equal:
I have it set to PEAK, INPUT, SOFT KNEE,
Compression:
Threshold: 6db
Ratio: 6:1
Attack: 1ms
Release: 100ms
Output: 0db

-2 Carvin BR410's
 
#2
A couple things to try. First, is your 3630 inserted in the FX loop? If not try that, also I would start with the threshold at 0-zero, and reduce the ratio to 2.5,3. This should get you some more gain, and then try putting the limiter in. I use the graphic sparingly. I wouldn't "all the way up" anything there. Try backing off some of the bass there, and increasing it on the knobs.
Good luck.
 
#4
Start by plugging straight into the amp, skip the compressor for now. Keep the bass with the vol and tone knobs fully open. Then set everything flat on the amp, and play a song with your band or along to a record. Your solo sound is not very interesting, the important thing is how you mix with the rest of the instruments.

Then start tweaking the eq to find your sound and add your compressor if you like to even out things a little.
 
#5
what the deacon said. go from zero and adjust as needed.

go click the link at the bottom of my sig and look for the eq thread too.

with live sound you usually have to take a different approach to tone than when you are alone in your house.
 
#6
I've never seen Marcus in a live setting, but that tone he gets on his recordings would probably be pretty tough to duplicate around a band. A guitar would have to pretty much shut up to let his high's through and without enough mids, there's no audible tone and the bass just doesn't cut. I used to have a Warwick Corvette with a nice Bartolini system dropped into it and that made a phenomenal TM Stevens slap sound when I played it alone in my room. Playing out with the band though, that rig was pretty tough to hear, even with a competent amp.

Now I primarily use a passive J bass and if I want to slap a little, I just open up my tone control for more bite in my attack. No compression, no mid scoop, no more bass than when I'm normally groovin' along. I even play with the tweeters in my 2x10's switched off. If you've never tried a Sansamp BDDI, those can conjure up a rather bold slap tone in short order, too.

Try some slapping when you're at a practice session and let someone else tweak your tone controls as you're playing. You might find something good if you look for a "second opinion". You could also let someone else slap away on your rig while you step back into the room and take it in. EQ controls shouldn't need to go more than a little above or a little below flat to tailor your sound.
 
#7
aurian4parker said:
I've asked this before but I have new gear now. I am looking for that Marcus Miller SLAP tone, but at the same time I want to have some pretty good lows for some Rage sounding stuff.

I know for slap you need a fair amount of treble, but now I feel like I have way too much.


Compression:
Threshold: 6db
Ratio: 6:1
Attack: 1ms
Release: 100ms
Output: 0db

-2 Carvin BR410's
Click to expand...

I´d try different settings on the comp.

1. a slower attack. maybe around 10-15ms... too quick and it eats the low end energy...

2. threshold set so it cuts back around 6dB on the loudest peaks

3. slightly slower release, maybe 150ms. see if it makes matters better

4. output set so it makes up the comp´s gain loss...

also, pay attention to your attack on your plucking hand. sloppy technique in queue with too hard an attack will kill your sound.
 
#8
You might want to look at the strings you are using as well. I normally use a medium-ish gauge however on one of my basses I put light gauge strings on and the slapping/popping really came alive. Probably because the lighter strings have more harmonic content (actually it's more likely less fundemental tone).

The strings I used are the DR Marcus Millers....

Dave
 

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