My Place to Say Something?

[baddarryl]

Hi all. My stepdaughter that I regard as my own is participating in a franchised school that emphasizes band practice and playing live. She takes concentrated singing lessons from them, but not Bass. She has started playing bass and learning songs they assign and making great progress. When she feels comfortable time wise I intend to get her private Bass lessons as well. So far very happy with her progress.

My issue is their live sound. She has performed in 3 live concerts I think. They use the cheapest SS tiny Fender amps that you can think of. They are using a Rumble something that sounds pretty good and cuts through depending on the player of course. Some are good and play with confidence and others are working on it. The guitar sound is the worst gutless crap I have ever heard. Last week they took the bass out of the mix and there was nothing.

Now I have never been a fan of the Fender distortion in their cheap amps. Their tube amps are another discussion. So maybe I am a little biased.

I am thinking of sending an email to the director with the suggestion of upgrading the guitar amps at least for live performances. I understand budgets, business etc and I don't want to be "that guy". I also understand how good it felt to play through good gear when I was not used to it. I certainly have enough sense to do it in an assertive, complementary and diplomatic manner. I don't really communicate with them normally as my wife does that, but she is tone deaf. They have been in business here maybe 2 years.

I am not talking Marshall stacks, but certainly there is infinitely better gear for short money. What say you?

 

[Skeezix]

Maybe you could talk to a local music store into sponsoring the school.
If they could supply an amp or two for a mention in the program?

 

[Jrussblues]

Shoestring budgets get shoestring sound. If you want better sound then donate some amps and money for better sound. I’m sure they would be thrilled. If you don’t have the money for that then maybe you could organize some fund raising.
As a gigging musician if someone tells me the mix is crap or my tone is off then I fix it. If someone did that to me in high school I highly doubt it would be well recieved by a know it all music director and personally I would be crushed just because of my lack of confidence at that age.

 

[nixdad]

Hi all. My stepdaughter that I regard as my own is participating in a franchised school that emphasizes band practice and playing live. She takes concentrated singing lessons from them, but not Bass. She has started playing bass and learning songs they assign and making great progress. When she feels comfortable time wise I intend to get her private Bass lessons as well. So far very happy with her progress.

My issue is their live sound. She has performed in 3 live concerts I think. They use the cheapest SS tiny Fender amps that you can think of. They are using a Rumble something that sounds pretty good and cuts through depending on the player of course. Some are good and play with confidence and others are working on it. The guitar sound is the worst gutless crap I have ever heard. Last week they took the bass out of the mix and there was nothing.

Now I have never been a fan of the Fender distortion in their cheap amps. Their tube amps are another discussion. So maybe I am a little biased.

I am thinking of sending an email to the director with the suggestion of upgrading the guitar amps at least for live performances. I understand budgets, business etc and I don't want to be "that guy". I also understand how good it felt to play through good gear when I was not used to it. I certainly have enough sense to do it in an assertive, complementary and diplomatic manner. I don't really communicate with them normally as my wife does that, but she is tone deaf. They have been in business here maybe 2 years.

I am not talking Marshall stacks, but certainly there is infinitely better gear for short money. What say you?

Let them know you appreciate all of their efforts and hard work but that their live sound is suffering, thus nullifying the end result. Let them know you have some suggestions which could help, and see if they’re open to them.
If they don’t have the budget to act on your suggestions, but you’re in a position to help them see this through, do what you can. You’ll be the hero and you’ll also benefit from the tax write-off.

 

[baddarryl]

Maybe you could talk to a local music store into sponsoring the school.
If they could supply an amp or two for a mention in the program?

I think they have a contract with someone as they offer them for sale through the school. Thus the cheap Fenders and Squires.

 

[QweziRider]

What say you?

I don't know your budget or budgets of friends you have that are musicians, but I found donating something is much easier than making suggestions to a program that probably has a real tight or even impossible budget. My daughter finally jumped into jazz band last school year and their amps are rough. I have more than I can use since switching to lighter gear - rigs I'll probably never touch again but are nowhere near beat up or the ends of their lives. One of those got donated to the program and they sound great in the bass world.

Just an idea to toss around. It was much smoother for me to say "Could you use this rig I'll never use again, it has tons of life left" versus suggesting they need better amps.

 

[joelns]

You're missing an option in the poll. Raise some money, buy an amp, and donate it. Then talk to the music director. They likely don't have the budget to buy anything. Likely they barely have the budget to stay afloat.

Or, if you're willing to do the fund raising, maybe talk to the director and see if he likes the idea. If not, gracefully bow out and say no more about it.

 

[two fingers]

If you're not prepared to DONATE those amps, I wouldn't bring it up. They're probably doing the best they can with their budget. Simply saying "You should go out and buy" whatever amp you deem worthy isn't helpful, even if worded in a polite manner.

Again, if you wish to volunteer to help set the mix, and provide some nicer gear, that's serving your fellow man at a "whole nuther level". But simply telling them your opinion of what they should buy and how they should sound, no matter how diplomatic,is not kind or helpful.

 

[buldog5151bass]

School music programs are disappearing. @two fingers is a wise man.

 

[Killing Floor]

Man, there's always room on stage for a Fender Twin Reverb or a Princeton. Even one of those lower cost Champ X2 with the digital preamp, 6L6 tube power can give a really nice breakup on a budget.
I don't have a Fender bass amp but there are some Fender bass combos I've heard that sound really good.
Sometimes with students they're not super confident and so focused on the task at hand and doing their best that there's a chance they don't notice the tone like a more experienced musician. Can't hurt to offer to help.

 

[BarfanyShart]

If you suggest they buy something, they won't do it; if somebody donates something, they will use it.

 

[fhm555]

Hi all. My stepdaughter that I regard as my own is participating in a franchised school that emphasizes band practice and playing live. She takes concentrated singing lessons from them, but not Bass. She has started playing bass and learning songs they assign and making great progress. When she feels comfortable time wise I intend to get her private Bass lessons as well. So far very happy with her progress.

My issue is their live sound. She has performed in 3 live concerts I think. They use the cheapest SS tiny Fender amps that you can think of. They are using a Rumble something that sounds pretty good and cuts through depending on the player of course. Some are good and play with confidence and others are working on it. The guitar sound is the worst gutless crap I have ever heard. Last week they took the bass out of the mix and there was nothing.

Now I have never been a fan of the Fender distortion in their cheap amps. Their tube amps are another discussion. So maybe I am a little biased.

I am thinking of sending an email to the director with the suggestion of upgrading the guitar amps at least for live performances. I understand budgets, business etc and I don't want to be "that guy". I also understand how good it felt to play through good gear when I was not used to it. I certainly have enough sense to do it in an assertive, complementary and diplomatic manner. I don't really communicate with them normally as my wife does that, but she is tone deaf. They have been in business here maybe 2 years.

I am not talking Marshall stacks, but certainly there is infinitely better gear for short money. What say you?

Give her a good amp and let her advocate for using it when she performs at school functions.

 

[JKB1957]

Don't know your financial situation. But if you have some extra cash talk with your accountant to see what kind of a tax write off you could get for donating an amp, or two, to the school. You might actually come out ahead financial on this. Good luck.

 

[dkelley]

I endured my kids' high school concerts having the PA for choir WAY too hot and SUPER BRIGHT - all with half decent yorkville audio gear. It was just that the teacher (who single handedly did everything) was clearly incapable of setting appropriate levels and eqing things.....

I wanted to jump in and fix it for her. But it wasn't my place, and honestly it was tough enough just getting there with my family and sitting in their horrible portable bleachers as seats in their gymnasium for 2 hours. I was there for my kids. But it was ear piercing at times....

They also had multiple electric bass players in the junior grade bands, and they were plugged into a mixer of some kind that then went into one amp. THAT actually worked surprisingly well, and at least it was a real bass amp (And not half bad).

I stayed out of it. I could have helped and solved it, but I didn't get the feeling that the teacher was interested in any help.

C'est la vie. Either way, the teacher had a huge amount to do every time and pulled it off, so more power to her.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

What say you?

I say buy 'em some amps.

 

[gln1955]

If you are willing to supply some gear and help them get their mix in order, great. Otherwise you are just another complaining parent and they will tune you out.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I believe there's a better way to answer this (which isn't one of the options), but I chose: "They may hold it against her"

What I would do is invest a little bit of money in my daughter's future and buy what you consider to be a decent bass amp. for the school (I recommend the new SVT as I have one and I am quite pleased).

You said you weren't happy with the distortion sound ... perhaps a new effects peddle would do the job to everyone's satisfaction?

 

[lowphatbass]

For the most part tube amps aren’t really suitable or practical for most school situations. In a general education setting amps and equipment get moved around and stored in ways that’s not conducive to glass. How old are these kids? Is it possible that a significant improvement could be made by someone who knows how to dial the amps in better?

 

[JimmyM]

Money is a HUGE issue for music schools. And at this point, it's not all that important that the guitarists have Fender Twins. I probably wouldn't say anything unless you have replacements or are willing to spring for them.

 

[BlueTalon]

I've been the bass player of a high school jazz choir before (when I was in high school, duh). The school had an amp, but there was nothing stopping me from using my own amp for performances. If you want your stepdaughter to use a better amp, loan her one of yours.