Properly EQing your amp and bass.

[levonrocks]

"With a very versatile bass like yours, you may even be able to dial in using mainly the bass itself. So, if you find your sound is too thin, try slightly boosting the lows and/or mids on the bass." -Quoted from a user on the second page of this thread.


That's fantastic advice. Start Flat on the amp, and then dial in the tone on the bass. That's really a great place to start.

If you have a bass with good electronics and a versatile range of tones, you should get to know those features. I play an MTD 535, and I can find just about any tone just using the knobs on the bass.

I think that's the last thing I will say on this subject.

 

[BurningSkies]

"set your eq flat' is a misleading phrase.

So many people take that to mean 'make the pointers on the knobs go straight up' which on nearly every amp is not "flat" in the least.

 

[Funny That Way]

I understand that if you don't learn to recognize the spectrum using the standard nomenclature then reading the amp's EQ specs won't help - because you'll have no idea what it means - but making up pretend names for parts of the bandwidth won't help either - you still can't garner any useful information from the spec's because the manufacturer did not utilize your make believe approach when they wrote the manual and reported the operational characteristics of the amp's EQ section.

If you don't want to learn the real and actual names for different parts of the spectrum, what's so confusing about letting X = X, that is to say why not just call the Hi-Mid knob, "the Hi-Mid knob"?

How is it "more useful" to call the knobs something different than labels?

Perfectly true, it's not more useful... except at first. The point of a mnemonic is to help remember things that seem abstract by giving them more commonplace labels. To your earlier question about renaming the notes after the seven dwarfs, no, but why not? Students remember the notes on the spaces as "All Cows Eat Grass." Could just as well be Axlerod, Cornelius, Eustace, and George (although I suppose it would work better if anyone actually remembered those dwarf names ).

Also consider that the note names (A, B, C, etc.) are themselves mnemonics. Would you expect most people to learn them by their frequencies?

Incidentally, my GK manual (like the OP's) does list the center frequencies, but it also uses terminology ("pretend names"?) that a bass player would understand more easily, e.g. treble gives "edge and definition," hi-mid gives "punch," etc. Nothing wrong with those labels either, in my opinion.

Anyway, different strokes and all. Lots of good advice being given here.

 

[Foz]

Also consider that the note names (A, B, C, etc.) are themselves mnemonics. Would you expect most people to learn them by their frequencies?

No I'm suggesting we should all call "Eb" - "Eb", cause its easy to say and people will know what we mean. Also there is the not unreasonable concern that everyone will immediately suspect we are mad as Hatters if we use the term "Sad Eustace".

As long as we're changing the subject... What's your favorite guitar chord?

I can't decide... I like "Little Triangle + Pinkie" & "Bear Claw Lifts a Finger".

=

Ideally, I like to play at 7 across the board. (everything at 7, except the gain).

Mine goes to 11 so I use all 8's [cause that's one more see and makes it match].

At first this was a bit hot in the Hi-Mids [around 1.5 kHz] but since I changed the dreamtime name of that knob from"Gank" to "Zing" its working out great.

 

[Passinwind]

? I never learned much about EQing and EQing bass terms or about gear and such. Im not very tech savvy when it comes to bass/guitar gear. I always focused more on my playing and music knowledge.

If you want to change that here's the deep end of the pool:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/some-discussion-amp-eqs-950782/

 

[Jim Carr]

I like Alex Claber's bass cabinet web pages (barefacedbass.com) and magazine column reprints. Great insights into bass tone are to be found there.

Here is a good starting point: Link Removed

And here are his columns: http://barefacedbass.com/bgm-columns.htm

N.B., I am not a Barefaced endorser or customer, though I think their products are intriguing, and I admire Alex's writings.

 

[hbarcat]

And now for something completely different . . . . practical advice for EQing your bass in a mix.

When playing in a band setting, each instrument needs to have space of its own to make itself heard. Instruments should not interfere with each others' most prominent frequencies.

At or near these frequencies:

80 Hz - CUT your bass a bit so it doesn't interfere with the drums, particularly the bass drum.

120 Hz - BOOST your bass a bit as this is the area where your low fundamentals are most important.

200 - 2000 Hz - CUT your bass just a little bit, but in a wide swath, so as to not interfere with guitars, keys, snare, vocals.

4000 Hz - BOOST your bass to add some clarity to make up for what is lost when you cut the midrange.


Just as important: Make sure the other musicians EQ properly as well. Particularly important is to make sure other instruments aren't intruding in your space around 120 Hz. The guitars and keys should be rolled off substantially below 200 Hz. The kick drum is the reverse of the bass. It should be cut at 120 Hz (try boosting around 60 Hz to make up some bottom end).


Remember, these are all starting points and should be played around with depending on room acoustics and other factors, but of you're doing things that are substantially different than the above settings, then you should probably re-evaluate what's not right with your sound.

 

[Funny That Way]

No I'm suggesting we should all call "Eb" - "Eb", cause its easy to say and people will know what we mean. Also there is the not unreasonable concern that everyone will immediately suspect we are mad as Hatters if we use the term "Sad Eustace".

As long as we're changing the subject... What's your favorite guitar chord?

I can't decide... I like "Little Triangle + Pinkie" & "Bear Claw Lifts a Finger".

=



Mine goes to 11 so I use all 8's [cause that's one more see and makes it match].

At first this was a bit hot in the Hi-Mids [around 1.5 kHz] but since I changed the dreamtime name of that knob from"Gank" to "Zing" its working out great.

You're more interested in misconstruing and exaggerating my points than in having a thoughtful discussion. I'm done with you on this thread.

 

[JimmyM]

My favorite chord is "giving the finger."

 

[jnewmark]

My favorite chord is "giving the finger."

I like to play on " the one " myself !

 

[Gaolee]

My favorite chord is "giving the finger."

That's the dis-chord.

 

[kellyrojo]

"set your eq flat' is a misleading phrase.

So many people take that to mean 'make the pointers on the knobs go straight up' which on nearly every amp is not "flat" in the least.

Yeah? Is this true? I have always been under the impression that it is the center point with a boost to the right and cut to the left. The last three amps I have had seemed this way for sure.....am I dumb???

 

[R Briere]

"Mad as Hatters" "Sad Eustace".

"Little Triangle + Pinkie" & "Bear Claw Lifts a Finger".

=

Foz....While slightly off Topic you've just come up with Several Excellent Band Names.

 

[milkman-27]

I kind of have the same problem as the OP. I always used combo amps with just the standard three. I am in a band now and I had to buy a cabinet and head (Peavey Tour 450 thru Headliner 410). I never took the setup to band rehearsal because it would be a big hassle dragging it to our drummers basement. I was trying to dial it in in my bedroom where I have it setup and I could never get the sound that I thought that I wanted out of it and to me it just didn't sound that loud. The day of our first gig I was still messing with the graphic eq and just got to the point were I said " THis will have to do" and I hoped for the best. When we got to the bar that we were playing at and I got set up it was like, WOW!! What a difference! It was plenty loud and it sounded great with the graphic eq off. THe band members kept going on after the show about how great the amp sounded. I was happy and relieved.

 

[Rockin Mike]

"set your eq flat' is a misleading phrase.

So many people take that to mean 'make the pointers on the knobs go straight up' which on nearly every amp is not "flat" in the least.

You know what would be neat is some kind of EQ ear training web page similar to all the interval and note training web pages out there...

I would like to improve my ear for what flat really is. Or is it a case where it's relative to the input signal, i.e. what's flat for a P-bass is different from what's flat for an Alembic?

 

[BurningSkies]

You know what would be neat is some kind of EQ ear training web page similar to all the interval and note training web pages out there...

I would like to improve my ear for what flat really is. Or is it a case where it's relative to the input signal, i.e. what's flat for a P-bass is different from what's flat for an Alembic?

Our ears are trained by default to enjoy a bit of a mid scoop. Partially because of how our ears work, and partly because that's what so many amp makers already provide.

 

[R Briere]

You know what would be neat is some kind of EQ ear training web page similar to all the interval and note training web pages out there...

I would like to improve my ear for what flat really is. Or is it a case where it's relative to the input signal, i.e. what's flat for a P-bass is different from what's flat for an Alembic?

Trying to Define the Term FLAT in a Musically Relevant Way is, IMHO, Impossible.....and really not all that important because we're almost always playing in a ROOM...which is an entirely different Musical and Sonic Environment. The most effective way to hear what your GEAR "sounds like" is to run an extension cable out into an open field. No stage....Just You, Your Bass and Amp....Green Grass and the Blue Sky. Upon actually Doing that also be Prepared for Your Family Members to Send you to a Home for Observation....but, for the first time, you'll actually hear your Gear...and not the Area/Venue you're playing in.

I highly recommend finding YOUR sound.....and no matter how much you DON'T know about knobs, you'll be happy.

Paul McCartney was asked about his gear.:

"Sir Paul, What Kind of Strings do you Use?"

"I don't know...Long Shiny Ones....I don't really know about all that stuff nor do I Care Much About it."

 

[tonym]

You know what would be neat is some kind of EQ ear training web page similar to all the interval and note training web pages out there...

Not a web page, it's an iOS or Mac app/program that quizzes yu on the tones of frequencies, different EQ settings (using your own source audio), etc. Has settings for a lot of instruments including electric and upright bass. Pretty fun, and has easy to hard levels. I've had a few "oh, so that's what everyone is talking about..." moments with it.

 

[boomboom4200]

I said before, I played around with my livingroom sound, sounded awsome!! Got it into a live mix and it was horrible, really subjective I geuss, I been comming up with this slight distortion coming out of my svt3 pro.boosting my onboard volume, boosting the gain knob on the ampeg, messing with the selector and mid and getting a really nice Jack Bruce like classic tube grind.what are you playing through, what Lind of music u play,? Tort gaurd.? Maple board? Jk, yeah tweek the knobs and enjoy?!

Not hiding

 

[boomboom4200]

No milk crates...EVER!!!

What if ya paint em black cover them in tolex and couple them to the floor?? .
Jk, no milk crates ever!!