Need Suggestions on Gear, to HEAR!!

[foldgerz]

My problem is i cant hear myself on stage... everytime i get it to where i am comftorble and can hear, our sound guy and drummer tell me im blaring out front and super loud. which i understand but i need to hear myself?!? i play threw a genz benz shuttle 6.0, my lds 12126, and either my p bass or ibanez. i usually play anywhere from 6ft. - 15ft. away from my rig at most times. i love my sound, thats not the issue, its just that i need to hear myself better and i cant. i have tried tipping my cab back by taking the back casters off which does help a little. i have tried tweeking my sound slightly, and i have even raised it. we have tried turning me up in the monitors too but it doesnt help, im lost in the mix. what are some suggestions???

 

[foldgerz]

we use p.a. support always and 9 times out of 10 its a small to medium venue

 

[SirMjac28]

Have you tried in ear monitors? and a serious question how is your normal every day hearing? have you thought about seeing a specialist?

 

[Blue_Whistle88]

Try turning your low mids up, rather than your bass frequencies. That'll give you warmth and and the "balls" associated with bass, but it'll be tigher and cut through the other instruments more. I combine low mids with treble to get a decent amount of cut.

 

[foldgerz]

Have you tried in ear monitors? and a serious question how is your normal every day hearing? have you thought about seeing a specialist?

Nice!! my hearing is great and yes i have tried in ears. i cant get used to them its very hard for me not having all the other noise and interaction with the croud, and yes we have tried ambient mics... it just dont work for me!?!

 

[foldgerz]

If we purchased a decent pair of monitors might help too... we have one name brand pair that work pretty good and then the ones that is in front of me is some bottom dollar, no name 10 inch...

 

[chuck3]

hard to say, sounds like you should be pretty loud.

Maybe the whole band should reduce the stage noise and go through the FOH? Use the DI out of that Genz Benz to go into the PA - works great. And then just use your rig as a monitor.

 

[Rockin Mike]

The drummer has no idea what you sound like out front.
If you have back-ported cabinets he will get an earful but that's just an occupational hazard.

Try to get the speakers at ear-level for you.
Or tilt the cab with a 2x4 (sideways) under the front.
+1 on turning down the bass EQ and turning up the low mids

Don't rely on the stage monitors, the singer needs those.

 

[Ben Noblit]

What's your EQ look like?

 

[foldgerz]

hard to say, sounds like you should be pretty loud.

Maybe the whole band should reduce the stage noise and go through the FOH? Use the DI out of that Genz Benz to go into the PA - works great. And then just use your rig as a monitor.

this is what we are doing! but then when i turn my cab up just enough to be able to hear and use as a monitor they bitch about it being to loud...

 

[foldgerz]

What's your EQ look like?

i have my genz benz shuttle 6.0 at - lows slightly boosted inbetween 12 and 1 oclock, mids boosted around 2 oclock, mid freq cut about 10 oclock and highs cut slightly inbetween 11 and 12 oclock. all my knobs on sr500 stay flat at 0, no cut, no boost...

 

[foldgerz]

The drummer has no idea what you sound like out front.
If you have back-ported cabinets he will get an earful but that's just an occupational hazard.

Try to get the speakers at ear-level for you.
Or tilt the cab with a 2x4 (sideways) under the front.
+1 on turning down the bass EQ and turning up the low mids

Don't rely on the stage monitors, the singer needs those.

the thing is, he helps set all the sound up the way we want initially every show, and no my cab has front ports. also, thanks. i will try all of your ideas. last weekend i tilted it back and away from the sound table, but still towards me and it was plenty for me and no one else complained... just space sometimes is the issue.

 

[nick98338]

Yep! Get the cab closer to your ears. Maybe tilt it back more. Maybe get the cab up off the floor. Maybe some of both.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Maybe get an Ampeg 8x10. lol

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I had the same problem as you. I realized the sound I was using was great solo'd but awful in a band setting. Are you set up for a great band sound? Or are you using a sound that is great by itself? Usually a sound that works in a band context can sound awful when it is by itself.
I have cut the lows and boosted the mids and I can hear myself a lot better. I also cut the highs a lot as I heard them coming through too much.

 

[TimmyP]

Boost somewhere between 400 and 1K to get the notes to cut through, then cut the highs to get rid of the click/clank that does nothing but get in the way.

 

[foldgerz]

I had the same problem as you. I realized the sound I was using was great solo'd but awful in a band setting. Are you set up for a great band sound? Or are you using a sound that is great by itself? Usually a sound that works in a band context can sound awful when it is by itself.
I have cut the lows and boosted the mids and I can hear myself a lot better. I also cut the highs a lot as I heard them coming through too much.

thanks alot, i never really looked at it that way! your right i am more focused on my sound alone than, making it work...

 

[foldgerz]

Yep! Get the cab closer to your ears. Maybe tilt it back more. Maybe get the cab up off the floor. Maybe some of both.

last few shows went way smoother, i tilted back at one, and the other i was so close to my rig i set it ontop of my road case with my gear in it to make it work!! i will just have to make it work at these smaller gigs!!

 

[foldgerz]

Boost somewhere between 400 and 1K to get the notes to cut through, then cut the highs to get rid of the click/clank that does nothing but get in the way.

thanks!