The few inches off the floor that casters create won't cause a decoupling issue. You have to go a couple of feet in the air before you lose any measurable audio output.
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The few inches off the floor that casters create won't cause a decoupling issue. You have to go a couple of feet in the air before you lose any measurable audio output.
I’ve never done it. But I’d be willing to give it a try. Take one for the rhythm section team. Could be cool to have the kick in my ear along with the bass.
I’d double check that I had a lot of margin on amp to cabinet power specs.
A sub would be preferred of course.
One concern might be that to avoid clipping with both instruments you might have to turn down the bass too much.
I’d double check that I had a lot of margin on amp to cabinet power specs.
A sub would be preferred of course.
One concern might be that to avoid clipping with both instruments you might have to turn down the bass too much.
NO. NEVER. NOT ONCE.
NOT TRYING IT. NOT TALKING ABOUT IT.
Tell your drummer to kick harder, get a bigger drum, or get the powered sub.
His kick IS NOT your amp’s problem.
+1...
Your sound guy doesn't know what he's doing. Get someone that does.
Was thinking the same thing...
It's a stupid idea that won't work worth a crap, and is highly likely to damage most bass cabs...
MDBass
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No.
Not a solution.
Not smart.
If someone asked me, I would tell them “no, and don’t ever ask me again. stop smoking crack.”
It would suck the energy needed for bass reproduction, would screw with the stage balance, could damage your drivers at high volume- especially if there is no HPF.
Not a solution.
Not smart.
If someone asked me, I would tell them “no, and don’t ever ask me again. stop smoking crack.”
It would suck the energy needed for bass reproduction, would screw with the stage balance, could damage your drivers at high volume- especially if there is no HPF.
I'm just curious. How does your sound guru intend on accomplishing this? Kick mic thru a lo-z to hi-z adapter into a parallel input on your amp? How will he mix the respective volume levels of your bass and the kick? How will he EQ the kick without affecting your tone? This has teenage garage band written all over it...
MDBass
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I mean really, that's about as smart as using a screw driver for a hammer: it might work in a pinch, but you're probably going to break something.
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MDBass
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Seriously though, firing that guy and getting someone who actually knows what they are doing is probably prudent.
Your bass amp has ONE 1/4" input: how does he expect to send TWO signals to the amp, one of which happens to travel through XLR cable?
Your bass amp has ONE 1/4" input: how does he expect to send TWO signals to the amp, one of which happens to travel through XLR cable?
MDBass
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I would first try putting the kick through the mains with just enough volume to hear the attack and not so much low end to cause a distraction. Believe it or not, just bumping up the attack through the mains will give an overall impression of more kick, even though they won't move much air.
I don't think it would hurt to try a kick signal through your bass rig, just to hear it for yourselves. Hearing is believing, and you can't hurt anything if you do it right. Again, just be careful with how much volume and low end you send to your rig.
Of course, there is the distinct possibility that if his kick drum is big and loud enough, and your bass rig is small enough, your bass rig won't be helping much or at all. It might just constitute extra wear and tear on your rig. Something to think about as you move forward with this idea.
Obvious best-case solution: Someone saves and splurges for one powered 18" sub. They've been out long enough now, and getting lighter and cheaper, that you can find one gently used for not much coin. However, even with a dedicated sub, you still need some kick in the mains to catch the attack, so you may as well start there.
I don't think it would hurt to try a kick signal through your bass rig, just to hear it for yourselves. Hearing is believing, and you can't hurt anything if you do it right. Again, just be careful with how much volume and low end you send to your rig.
Of course, there is the distinct possibility that if his kick drum is big and loud enough, and your bass rig is small enough, your bass rig won't be helping much or at all. It might just constitute extra wear and tear on your rig. Something to think about as you move forward with this idea.
Obvious best-case solution: Someone saves and splurges for one powered 18" sub. They've been out long enough now, and getting lighter and cheaper, that you can find one gently used for not much coin. However, even with a dedicated sub, you still need some kick in the mains to catch the attack, so you may as well start there.
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Teenage garage bands the world over are offended by that comparison
Come on now. You know back in the day, we all did crazy things. I had no bass amp when I bought my first bass in the 10th grade. My dad got all kinds of pissed when I ran my bass through the phono inputs of his 'The Fisher 400" receiver...
MDBass
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This is so funny to me that I can't stop typing.
The "sound guy" has literally taken the simplest problem ("we need a sub for the kick so it has more bottom end in the PA") and come up with the most complicated, least functional solution possible ("we need a separate unpowered mixer to sum the kick and bass signals together before sending them to a standalone amp not designed to reproduce sub lows at high volume and possibly destroying the drivers with the huge transients and 60Hz peak of the kick").
The "sound guy" has literally taken the simplest problem ("we need a sub for the kick so it has more bottom end in the PA") and come up with the most complicated, least functional solution possible ("we need a separate unpowered mixer to sum the kick and bass signals together before sending them to a standalone amp not designed to reproduce sub lows at high volume and possibly destroying the drivers with the huge transients and 60Hz peak of the kick").
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Good question. If I was doing the sound I would mix kick and bass in mixer board and take out through a dedicated aux channel. Bass in through DI. Aux out (line level) through a -10dB pad into the bass amp. You could EQ bass and kick separately in mixer, if needed. But I would keep it flat. Probably would be fine.
