Octave pedal problems in FOH

[Wasnex]

I also do sound and am a gigging bass player who uses the octave. Of course you should use whatever pedal you want and it's the sound person's responsibility to dial in/out whatever's needed.

However, if you are using pedals, you need to be at the ballpark. Unfortunately, I'm experiencing a lot of players who don't get the levels right on their pedal(s). They get too loud or disappear when they step on a pedal.

Not saying you're not doing it right, but just wanted to tell that if your pedals are not adjusted right the sound person can only do so much. So the sound person, and the player both have the responsibility.

Teamwork!

 

[trevcda]

Not sure if you did this, but always let FOH know ahead of time that you’ve got an octaver, so the two of you can work things out before the gig. If I’m FOH and someone kicks one on in the middle of the set without advance notice, I’m not gonne be happy.

And if you try to spring it on me without telling me ahead of time, I'll high pass your bass channel so high, you'll be lucky if your audience hears your pick noise. A long time ago I used to use a set of Taurus II bass pedals. I made it a point to very deliberately stop the FOH guy and tell him what I had, how I was going to use them, and what to expect from them. Most of the time it was appreciated and everything went great. Occasionally, when I was blown off and/or the main graphic was improperly being used as a kick drum EQ, it was a bad time for Mr. Don't bother me I've got it covered.

 

[DavC]

FOH usually has 'Subs' ... the FOH reproduces frequencies that your bass rig usually will not ...

you kick on the oct ... you only hear part off it , whereas he suddenly gets a bunch of extra low lows ...

seems bandpass and compression would help with the added sub/lows ...

 

[Korladis]

Mic the bass cab.

The engineer's woes are self-inflicted.

 

[Ulf_Hansson]

what I ran into was the girth really blooming around 200 in our main room. Bass sounded great at all other times, so I just cranked back the girth and added some growl in. He loved it, I loved it, we all made it through. together.

That's the way to do it, working at it together. Your soundguy is your friend.

 

[the low one]

Some great replies here guys. Thanks so much. The FOH guy does know I have an octave pedal and sometimes he comments, sometimes not. He does use a HPF so not sure why he has an issue. I don't think my settings of all knobs at 12:00 are extreme in any way.
I did like the comment about FOH thinking bass shouldn't use effects I've come across them too.
As has been said teamwork is the key so I'll make sure I check the octave at soundcheck and not just let him get away with a basic level check.

 

[micguy]

Always keep in mind that the FOH person is responsible for not blowing up the PA, which is (as I mostly play ampless gigs) also my amp. If I want to be heard, if I want to be asked back, and if I want the gig to go without animosity, I always treat the event as a team sport - it is.

If you treat the FOH person with contempt or animosity, things are just not gonna go well. Yes, a lot of the time I'm a more capable FOH person that the person doing it, but that's not a good reason to start with an attitude. I'm there to do my job to the best of my ability, they're there to do theirs to whatever ability they have. If i'm nice and we get along well, things will likely go well, and they might even learn something from me about FOH. If I'm a jerk, nothing good happens.

 

[the low one]

Yep, teamwork is the key as you say.

 

[Wasnex]

Always keep in mind that the FOH person is responsible for not blowing up the PA, which is (as I mostly play ampless gigs) also my amp. If I want to be heard, if I want to be asked back, and if I want the gig to go without animosity, I always treat the event as a team sport - it is.

If you treat the FOH person with contempt or animosity, things are just not gonna go well. Yes, a lot of the time I'm a more capable FOH person that the person doing it, but that's not a good reason to start with an attitude. I'm there to do my job to the best of my ability, they're there to do theirs to whatever ability they have. If i'm nice and we get along well, things will likely go well, and they might even learn something from me about FOH. If I'm a jerk, nothing good happens.

Yes, and the unfortunate fact is real compromise is often required. If it sounds great at FOH, often the player can't hear very well or doesn't like the sound...and if the player is happy, often FOH sounds like .

To be absolutely fair, an incompetent audio tech can do a lot to make the bass sound bad, but so can a bassist who is only focused on getting the sound right where he/she is standing.

 

[Ender_rpm]

Mic the bass cab.

The engineer's woes are self-inflicted.

While I agree on both points....

Played a bigger room a couple months ago, once song I use a Flanger. The FOH added so much bass BELOW my miced sound that the low sweep of the flanger would cause feedback in my (hollow body) bass!!!! I backed off the flanger a bit, and he seemed to back off the added bass a bit, we got through.

 

[Korladis]

While I agree on both points....

Played a bigger room a couple months ago, once song I use a Flanger. The FOH added so much bass BELOW my miced sound that the low sweep of the flanger would cause feedback in my (hollow body) bass!!!! I backed off the flanger a bit, and he seemed to back off the added bass a bit, we got through.

Yeah, it's hard to predict how some effects will sound through a full PA with subs. I use a lot of effects myself, though no octaver yet. Never had a hollow body bass, though those new Guilds look pretty neat. I imagine hollow body basses are more prone to feedback in general?

 

[Ender_rpm]

Yeah, it's hard to predict how some effects will sound through a full PA with subs. I use a lot of effects myself, though no octaver yet. Never had a hollow body bass, though those new Guilds look pretty neat. I imagine hollow body basses are more prone to feedback in general?

Yeah, I have a Jack Casady and it howls like a ravenous beast on a moonlit night. I love it. I play most of one song with a fuzz and dance on the edge of feedback, just long sustaining notes. My guitar player also plays a semi hollow, and she does the same thing on several songs. It ends up very dreamy.

 

[Paulabass]

I only engage the octave once I've moved up into the second octave of my bass. Below it is just mud.