• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Kick drum through my bass amp?

#161
Downunderwonder said:
Subs with onboard crossover are usually powered as the crossover is done at line level not speaker level.

Signal from mixer goes to sub which amps the lows and sends on the highs for whatever is amplifying those.

If passive sub you need amp for it and a rack crossover.
Click to expand...

As currently constituted our PA is a powered mixer driving 2 passive mains. We also use the mixer line out to drive 2 powered monitors.

How would we connect the sub in this configuration?
 
#162
oldrocker said:
As currently constituted our PA is a powered mixer driving 2 passive mains. We also use the mixer line out to drive 2 powered monitors.

How would we connect the sub in this configuration?
Click to expand...
With your config, you are limited to using an AUX output, then assign what you want in the subs by each channel, adjusting the send level on each to get a good balance.
This is basically what is known as "AUX Fed subs"..
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldrocker
#163
Yeah, you need a "sub" for your sound guy... pun intended.

Seriously though, why the heck do you even use a sound guy for small speakers-on-a-stick powered mixer shows anyway? Blend the vocals at sound check and do the dang thing. You actually PAY somebody do fade vocals up and down for that kind of show?
 
  • Like
Reactions: s0c9
#164
two fingers said:
Yeah, you need a "sub" for your sound guy... pun intended.

Seriously though, why the heck do you even use a sound guy for small speakers-on-a-stick powered mixer shows anyway? Blend the vocals at sound check and do the dang thing. You actually PAY somebody do fade vocals up and down for that kind of show?
Click to expand...

The sound guy helps on the load in, sets up the PA, connects all the mics and sets the levels. We have 5 vocal mics and 4 different lead singers, depending on the song and occasionally a sax mike. The KB player used to set the levels but the singers were not happy. This guy makes the singers sound better which makes the band sound better. He has the board out in the audience and sets the faders and levels based on who is singing that particular song.

IMO, for the little compensation he gets it's well worth it.

Actually IMO he's worth it just for helping on the load in and load out and to keep the KB guy away from the PA ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brad Johnson, Downunderwonder and s0c9
#165
oldrocker said:
The sound guy sets up the PA, connects all the mics and sets the levels. We have 5 vocal mics and 4 different lead singers, depending on the song and occasionally a sax mike. The KB player used to set the levels but the singers were not happy. This guy makes the singers sound better which makes the band sound better. He has the board out in the audience and sets the faders and levels based on who is singing that particular song.

IMO, for the little compensation he gets it's well worth it.
Click to expand...

And this competent "sound guy" wanted to run kick drum through your bass rig.....
 
#167
Brad Johnson said:
Anyone done a gig where the kick is the only drum amplified?
Click to expand...
Actually one of the groups I'm playing with now uses a mic and amp specifically for the kick and nothing else. And still the drummer is plenty loud on the rest of his kit. Didn't know he was using it until he asked me to check the light on it to see if it's on...it wasn't. First time I've ever seen a kit that was mic'd only on the kick. Will be playing the first gig with them this Friday.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brad Johnson
#170
Mark Andrew said:
Many. At that point where miking the whole kit is too excessive but the bass drum needs that extra carry. Smallish venues usually. Strangely enough the less is more approach can work very well providing the sound man stands his ground with the guitarists......
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've done a fair amount of small venue shows where we just mic'd the kick, or the kick and a 58 as an OH mic - worked pretty well, actually... This setup was sometimes augmented by a vocal mic for the drummer...
 
#172
Just to provide a slightly different viewpoint...

My bass and the and the kick drum get all their volume from mains and 2-4 subs we have in our PA. My tone comes from my DI style pedalboard. But, the drummer and I like to have a bit of thump coming from the back of the stage. While a sub is ‘ok’ a lot of the punch from my bass and the bass drum happens in the frequencies above that of a sub (+125mhz). So, we use a 15” full range powered speaker that we feed with an Aux out. We send it bass and kick drum and we eq it to get a nice low mid punch in addition to some lows. Works like a champ.
 
#173
tshapiro said:
Just to provide a slightly different viewpoint...

My bass and the and the kick drum get all their volume from mains and 2-4 subs we have in our PA. My tone comes from my DI style pedalboard. But, the drummer and I like to have a bit of thump coming from the back of the stage. While a sub is ‘ok’ a lot of the punch from my bass and the bass drum happens in the frequencies above that of a sub (+125mhz). So, we use a 15” full range powered speaker that we feed with an Aux out. We send it bass and kick drum and we eq it to get a nice low mid punch in addition to some lows. Works like a champ.
Click to expand...

What you're doing there isn't much different than a typical drum monitor setup - which is a bit different than feeding kick drum into a bass amp, IMO...
 
#175
s0c9 said:
Totally agree, but as I stated - with his powered mixer - he has no other option if he wants to run a sub off it... :)
Click to expand...
Except if there is a spare input
Downunderwonder said:
You could use the mixer monitor lines as your FOH mix. Split that high low and put the highs back in a spare channel for FOH. Use an AUX send for your monitors.

Better selling the power mixer and moving up the PA food chain a step or two.
Click to expand...
 
#176
UGH !!!
That (IME) would be horrible.. and I'd recommend your 2nd line... "Better selling the power mixer and moving up the PA food chain a step or two." over the "rigged" routing :)
 
#177
s0c9 said:
UGH !!!
That (IME) would be horrible.. and I'd recommend your 2nd line... "Better selling the power mixer and moving up the PA food chain a step or two." over the "rigged" routing :)
Click to expand...
But just in case he went for the reroute, if they pulled the monitor send knob off the returning channel at 0 it ought to be ok, not that I have done anything quite as radical, but Frankenrig is my mother's maiden name. Curious what you think would happen?
 
#178
Downunderwonder said:
But just in case he went for the reroute, if they pulled the monitor send knob off the returning channel at 0 it ought to be ok, not that I have done anything quite as radical, but Frankenrig is my mother's maiden name. Curious what you think would happen?
Click to expand...
LOL - it would def be a frankenweenie approach, but might work. I try to avoid doing anything with powered mixers due to their routing limitations, tho I do run across them occasionally.
It should work (in theory) but not sure how well it would in practice. My concern is around using [just] channel EQ as a impromptu crossover - and hoping no-one moves the monitor send knob for that channel off zero :)
 
#179
Drgonzonm said:
I spoke to my favorite recording studio dude, "The kick will drown out the bass". All we need is a cartoon showing a bass (the guitar) being water boarded by a drum kit.
Maybe the sound guy doesn't like bass players. (Former drummer who was fired by a bass playing BL?)
Click to expand...

The idea that the kick WILL drown out the bass is silly. Almost as silly as a soundperson unfamiliar with gains.
:D

I'm beginning to think there's a whole world of people who only have on-off switches.
;)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back