My overly bright bass

[inanimate_carb]

1. Put your credit card back in your wallet and log off Musician’s Friend. Buying new gear is a TB default to solve any problem and 90% of the time it’s wrong answer.

2. Set everything flat on your bass and on the amplifier, lose the compressor, and take the time to figure out what the EQ knobs actually do.

3. Improve your technique.

 

[TrevorR]

Echoing a few previous responses...

1) You say it’s an active Jazz... what were the EQ settings on the bass? Was the treble or mid boosted? Was the bass cut? Start with everything no flat - tone controls halfway round, there should be a little click when they are set flat with no additional boost or cut. Only make small EQ adjustments to dial in your core tone.
2) How was your amp EQ set. Again, start with that at flat - zero cut or boost on all bands. Only make small EQ adjustments to dial in your core tone.
3) Ditch the compressor until you’ve got your basic tone settings on amp and bass sorted. Then work out how the compressor works and what settings you need to obtain the effect you need from it.if you don’t know specifically what you want it to achieve in the sound... don’t use it. As others have said, setting everything at 12 on a compressor is meaningless and won’t necessarily give any sort of decent sound.
4) In those mellow worship moments there are lots of ways to mellow out the tone... once you e sorted 1-3 above, rolling back the treble on the bass should help. Or move your plucking position up to over the end of the neck (anchor your thumb against the side of the neck by the last fret) and/or use the side of your thumb to pluck the strings - the fleshy bit on your thumb will give a mellower attack to the note. You can use your fingers to anchor under the bottom of the neck while you pluck with the thumb.

PS as others have said, use the active input on the amp. Using the passive input will add extra gain to the signal - maybe an extra 6-10db - and could actually accentuate different frequencies, including the ones you’re trying to tame.

Hope that helps...

 

[Kevin1960]

Fender flat lights are the way to the force that you seek my friend.

 

[JRA]

Buying new gear is a TB default to solve any problem and 90% of the time it’s wrong answer.

the electronics in the instrument (assuming they are not faulty) is enough. technique may be a 'contributing' issue (we don't know that!). bottom line: if you don't like your sound = there's a knob for that.

compressor = a problem solver. no problems? then why use a compressor?

 

[thewildest]

Don’t touch the amp, the knobs nor the strings...It is time to join a Funk band and slap the heck of that bass. Yeah baby!

 

[TheLowDown33]

Without OP reporting back with his setup and diagnostic attempts we're all flying blind.

OP, we need your signal chain and all of your settings, as well as your technique and possibly some sound clips to help you.

 

[StraffordMike]

Wow! All these suggestions and nothing said about technique. Try not sliding your fingers along the strings. I like rounds, I like the brightness and clank. Sure, flats and tone down if you're doing Motown but if it's you and a drummer behind a single guitar there's going to be a huge hole in your live sound. Develop your technique it's time well spent.

 

[Gord_oh]

Flatwounds+turn down the treble and crank the bass.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

flats

And some rounds have more fret and finger noise than others.

 

[Artman]

Maybe return the compressor, do the things others have suggested about your tone/eq settings, and if you think that your occasional heavy hits/humps/pops might be spiking your speakers a little too hard at stage volume, try a simple bass limiter. Begin with the ratio (how much it reduces level) low, the threshold (how sensitive it is to your attack) high, and take it easy on any “enhancer” feature as they add ultra-highs.
Compressors are similar to limiters, but part of the compressors’ function is to raise the level of any soft or quiet signals. This can be good if you really know what you are doing, but if there is any unwanted signal noise, be it electrical or technique related, it will be amplified by your compressor. A limiter will only tame the spikes and let the bottom end breath more naturally. Some artists like to use compression in the studio where you can really dial it while listening to isolated tracks and then bringing in the mix for further fine tuning, but use only a limiter for live performances since they are a little more forgiving.
Or you could go direct and let your church’ soundman sort it out.
Good luck, and cheers!

 

[202dy]

Strings don't make noise unless acted upon by fingers. So the noise comes from the fingers, not the strings.

This is a technique issue.

Technology might be used to disguise the problem. But it will always be there until the technique is corrected.

Respectfully submitted.

 

[Whil57]

I blame the bass. I had one of those LTDs in ash. Could not tame the bright for anything. It also sounded like an octave above or something. Had it about a year, then sold it. Plus it was also the heaviest of my basses.

 

[micguy]

How old are the strings? I try not to go to a gig (I also play at church) without at least a week's worth of playing on a new set of strings - 2 weeks if I can swing it. I'll take a different bass if I can't get the strings tamed down enough.

But yeah, before you buy something, try the knobs you have - string age, tone control on bass and amp.

Also, if you were on in ears, it could be eq at the mixing board that's causing you headaches.

 

[DavC]

try GHS Pressurewounds , ... or any Rollerwound type string ...

the outer wrap is wound under enough pressure to make it have an 0val shape = less finger/fret noise !!

Active - turn down the Treble

EQ - find and lower that annoying ' finger noise ' freq ... 2.5k ish .. ??

 

[Two-Spirit]

This morning during a church set of 4 somewhat mellow songs, I really struggled with string noise from my fingers as I changed chords.

My bass just seemed really bright. It’s an active,jazz looking ESP/LTD. I used a compressor for the first time live, with everything set to 12 noon. There are passive and active input jacks on the amp, and I used the passive in an attempt to soften the sound. Just felt like I was battling the instrument the whole time.

It’s got round wounds on it, so I’m going to try half rounds, which I have seen lots of love and hate for around here. Apart from changing strings and adjusting the tone knobs on the bass itself, are there any other things that I should try? Maybe with the compressor or technique?

Any and all ideas appreciated. I’m new at performing in front of people; it’s much easier to make mistakes and adjustments in my home! Thanks in advance...

turn your tweeter off. My treble is flat on both my Peavey Cirrus and My Ampeg BA115v2. I turn my amps bass all of the way up with treble and mid flat. It can't be your Basses fault if you're hearing string noise

 

[eriky4003]

Big Jelly,
I'm hoping you can provide the strings used so the TB braintrust can provide better help. It would be nice to eliminate one possible variable.

 

[chaosMK]

Put more of your "mojo" on the strings each time you play and dont change them (ever).

 

[Two-Spirit]

I have Blue Steels Round Wounds on bass and I've never had a problem getting a bass heavy sound, a growly sound, or a bright chord sound. My Strings are 8 months old but they sounded good new.

 

[MrLenny1]

Your EQ on the amp and bass should be sufficient enough to
get any tone you want.
Are the strings stainless steel ?

 

[zon6c-f]

If Rounds is your sound ?

With a lot of daily playing that nails across blackboard screeching will subside but leave plenty of overtones to keep Your sound

Meantime back off the tone on your bass to taste