So, this probably looks like I've posted to the wrong forum, but stay with me, this is really about technique.
Late last year I bought a Sansamp RBI preamp, looking for that Ampeg sound plus some flexibility. When I first got the RBI I was really disappointed, it sounded very clicky and buzzy. A quick trawl through posts on here led to one inescapable conclusion - it wasn't the RBI that was at fault, it was my playing.
I found some settings that filtered out the clicking well enough to get away with, and started working on my right hand technique, with my fingers and with a pick. I got used to the settings, not so Ampeg but good for our style, but I still had to try and play well to get it to sound good. I also had my bass set up properly, and switched from light weight to medium weight strings.
Last week I thought I'd have a play with the RBI settings again, so I dialled the presence and the blend up for the Ampeg tone and guess what - it sounds fanastic! No clicking with finger plucking, only a little with a pick which sounds OK anyway. I just hadn't realised how much progress I'd made.
The moral of the story, for me, is if you want to improve your technique find some gear that really highlights your mistakes. The more unforgiving the better. If I hadn't got that RBI I bet my right hand technique would still be a bit dodgy. As it is I've got floating thumb working now and I play nice and lightly with my right hand. I can still improve but the difference is incredible. When I play with a pick it's fully at right angles to the strings which gives a much nicer tone and less click.
I suspect this is true for other things too, I've seen comments on here about using scrunchies to help muting, but I didn't succumb to the temptation and my muting is getting pretty good now.
Late last year I bought a Sansamp RBI preamp, looking for that Ampeg sound plus some flexibility. When I first got the RBI I was really disappointed, it sounded very clicky and buzzy. A quick trawl through posts on here led to one inescapable conclusion - it wasn't the RBI that was at fault, it was my playing.
I found some settings that filtered out the clicking well enough to get away with, and started working on my right hand technique, with my fingers and with a pick. I got used to the settings, not so Ampeg but good for our style, but I still had to try and play well to get it to sound good. I also had my bass set up properly, and switched from light weight to medium weight strings.
Last week I thought I'd have a play with the RBI settings again, so I dialled the presence and the blend up for the Ampeg tone and guess what - it sounds fanastic! No clicking with finger plucking, only a little with a pick which sounds OK anyway. I just hadn't realised how much progress I'd made.
The moral of the story, for me, is if you want to improve your technique find some gear that really highlights your mistakes. The more unforgiving the better. If I hadn't got that RBI I bet my right hand technique would still be a bit dodgy. As it is I've got floating thumb working now and I play nice and lightly with my right hand. I can still improve but the difference is incredible. When I play with a pick it's fully at right angles to the strings which gives a much nicer tone and less click.
I suspect this is true for other things too, I've seen comments on here about using scrunchies to help muting, but I didn't succumb to the temptation and my muting is getting pretty good now.
