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I sound like poo on my teacher's rig

Raw Amateur

Raw Amateur

Feb 9, 2011
48
2
Montana
#1
Just felt like sharing here. Not sure there is an answer to this. I play at GK MB112 combo amp at home with a VT Bass pedal with my Music Man. I get a nice tone and love the warmth. I am working on different songs and when I think I've got something to show my teacher I'll say, "Hey check out what I've been working on."

Problem is that my teacher's set up is really sensitive. He sounds awesome on it, but I sound like poo sometimes. Not always, but with really syncopated material you can hear all the volume fluctuations, and it sounds really honky, as in goose honky, not Pemberton Thorndike honky.

Anyway, there are times when it completely throws me off. I know a piece cold and it sounds good at home but then I try it during a lesson, and it's like....meh. And I'm like, "It sounded better at home."

He recommends I play with headphones to improve my touch. I am certain that is an area I can work on. In the long run, maybe it's good to have rig that shows your flaws, maybe I'm fooling myself with my VT pedal. But ****, I sound good on it.
 
#3
Raw Amateur said:
Just felt like sharing here. Not sure there is an answer to this. I play at GK MB112 combo amp at home with a VT Bass pedal with my Music Man. I get a nice tone and love the warmth. I am working on different songs and when I think I've got something to show my teacher I'll say, "Hey check out what I've been working on."

Problem is that my teacher's set up is really sensitive. He sounds awesome on it, but I sound like poo sometimes. Not always, but with really syncopated material you can hear all the volume fluctuations, and it sounds really honky, as in goose honky, not Pemberton Thorndike honky.

Anyway, there are times when it completely throws me off. I know a piece cold and it sounds good at home but then I try it during a lesson, and it's like....meh. And I'm like, "It sounded better at home."

He recommends I play with headphones to improve my touch. I am certain that is an area I can work on. In the long run, maybe it's good to have rig that shows your flaws, maybe I'm fooling myself with my VT pedal. But ****, I sound good on it.
Click to expand...

I agree with Greg- play without pedals of any kind- if you use pedals, they mask dynamic variations. Once you can play at a selected volume without changing the control settings, AKA controlling your dynamics, THEN start using pedals again.

Re: "It sounded better at home", that reminds me of a friend who was at a bar fro Karaoke night- he finished a song, badly (he was pretty gooned) and said "Wow! That sounds a LOT better in the car!).

Also, if you can, record yourself and listen back to it, being only moderately critical. As you progress, be more critical. Being too harsh on yourself at first will only be discouraging.
 
#4
I didn't know the VT had compression... Makes sense now in terms of my sound. I have not tried songs with and without the peddle, but I will now. Knew somehow that advice would be to ditch the pedal, but it's so cool sounding.....

In terms of recording, and I know this is very broad, but any recs on basic equipment for that?
 
#6
FretlessMainly said:
Yes: a bass and a cord.

Just go straight into the board; let the sound engineer embellish from there, if needed.
Click to expand...

Seems about right. Better to get an uncompressed, unequalized signal that has plenty of headroom recorded - that way at the mixing stage the best changes in the right order (for minimum unwanted artifacts and noise) can be made. Things like effect automation, and multiband compression may be a distraction when the take starts.

On the other hand what works, works. If it records great through a pedal board and you are careful when recording that might work great too :D. You can't put off tone and effect decisions forever.
Might be best to split the signal and have clean and effected signals for the mixing person(s) to work with!

I wouldn't know really.
 
#10
For practice, try to be basic. A little bit of EQ is fine, stay away from compressors and pedals when you're just working on technique, scales, etc.

I used to practice alot with no amp and I've found that this has helped with dynamic consistency and control.

Recording yourself isn't a bad idea. You can use a 1/4" to headphone-plug adaptor and go straight into your computer with some basic recording software or even just your webcam software. It's much easier if you can still hear yourself, so using the line-out in your amp is a good idea.
 
#11
Ben Wilkie said:
For practice, try to be basic. A little bit of EQ is fine, stay away from compressors and pedals when you're just working on technique, scales, etc.

I used to practice alot with no amp and I've found that this has helped with dynamic consistency and control.
Click to expand...
This is not a good idea. Practicing unplugged ruins your muting skills.

Clef_de_fa said:
hum I wouldn't recommand to turn up everything on the preamp ... it is better to put everything in the center and adjust to your taste.
Click to expand...
For a show or recording yes, but cranking it all up accentuates every small error.
 
#12
Raw Amateur said:
I didn't know the VT had compression... Makes sense now in terms of my sound. I have not tried songs with and without the peddle, but I will now. Knew somehow that advice would be to ditch the pedal, but it's so cool sounding.....

In terms of recording, and I know this is very broad, but any recs on basic equipment for that?
Click to expand...

I have been using a Zoom H2n..hard wired..recording right from my mixer..also use headphones to practice quite a bit. Both recording my playing and using headphones has helped a lot to improve my playing.....especially the recording. You may think you nail a tune until you here the track played back! Both good tools IMO..Peace!:bassist:
 
#13
Back in the sixties my swimming coach had us swim laps while wearing sweats to build endurance and refine our technique. After we'd warmed-up thoroughly, he'd have us strip down to our speedos for sprints.

If you want to improve your technique and the nuances of your playing, try to achieve the tone, attack, and dynamics that comprise your ideal sound using just your hands; when you're able to do that, using your VT and EQ will be like a short sprint in a speedo. ;)
 
#14
Raw Amateur said:
In terms of recording, and I know this is very broad, but any recs on basic equipment for that?
Click to expand...

Audacity is a free and a very capable recording software to use. Easy to use as well.

You can use any audio interface, but if I'm recording for myself I usually use the Zoom B3; it is also a good multi-effect, tuner, looper, has some drum loops, great tool to have.

Regarding the sound issue, fully agree on those who said play without effects and learn to get a good sound with just your fingers. It takes time, but bear with it; the results will be worth it.
 
#16
Thanks for the input everyone. Turned off the pedal today for my practice session...gonna try and work more in the raw state so to speak. As for recording, yeah I was looking for basic home options...names Raw Amateur afterall. Ha. I have audacity and m audio speakers but haven't really explored their features. I will now though. I'm guessing I can play the song track and record my bass on another track and go back and listen to it. That seems like tha would help. Thanks for the ideas and thoughts.
 
#17
Don't "ditch the pedal". Just practice both with and without it. Compression can be a "crutch". Learn to use your fingers to control volume, attack, intensity, etc. But if you dig the tone of the pedal, use it all you want live and sometimes during practice.
 
#18
Tupac said:
This is not a good idea. Practicing unplugged ruins your muting skills.


For a show or recording yes, but cranking it all up accentuates every small error.
Click to expand...

It didn't ruin mine, in fact I had a better touch since.

A good bass with a good setup will reward a good musician and punish someone with a not so great technic, no need of cranking your preamp for that.
 

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