??Slap and EQ in live R&B/Soul/Disco setting??

[tonemachine]

1)What is the sonic/science reason for "cut your mids" for slap? Is more fret clanking and/or different harmonics activated and we need to tame them?

2) Seasoned giggers of slap bass in a 70's 80's soul/R&B/disco settings (or any setting that uses non-distorted, tasty guitar riffing on top 4 strings rather than big, fat metal chords) ... what's the real deal? Do I need my mids to cut through live, and will the honk (described below) get lost in the mix like so many other mid frequency things frequently do?

I've never had occasion to play an entire song slapped in a live band situation so I don't worry about the finer tone points but I have a couple songs next week in a live situation without a reheasal.

At home cutting mids, indeed, sounds better for my slapping. Particularly, for me, without cutting, the A string seems to be impossibly "honky" in the mids (no jokes, please) and non-focussed; that is, it punches but doesn't die as I'd lIke it to...assume that it's not my muting because I get the same result even when intentionally muffling excessively as could not even be done while actually playing a song.

I've cut mids separately with my amp eq, with my bass eq and with the VPF (turned up 3/4 to full) on my Markbass head. Which method matters not to me...just fyi.

The regular bassist doesn't cut his mids when he slaps and he always sounds great, but he also eq's in an upside down smile face "so I can turn up without getting mud" and it works very well. I don't do that (but I may try there at gig- not sure what sort of soundcheck I'll have, though).

Thanks.

 

[WayneP]

One thing I’ve noticed when I’ve been in the audience at a live show, is that when a bass player starts slapping the low end disappears. So I can see where cutting the mids (or boosting the bass, which amounts to the same thing) would be the ticket.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt


Administrator, Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
Pedulla Club #45

 

[bass12]

I find the necessity for changes in EQ depends a lot on the bass and the condition of the strings. I certainly never change any EQ settings on my amp to achieve a "better" slap tone. In general I play basses that would be considered "good" for slapping (MTDs, Sadowskys) On my passive jazz I might turn the tone control right up so that the sound is brighter. On active basses it will depend on the bass. I never cut mids for slapping (although I might not boost them either). I will sometimes add a little bass or high end (again, depending on the strings).

 

[LiquidMidnight]

You don't want to cut all of your mids for a great slap sound. Really, the cut should be a narrow band somewhere between 1.5 - 2k to pull out some of the ugly gank. A super scooped slap EQ sounds as a bad as super scooped EQ for finger or pick playing.

 

[tonemachine]

You don't want to cut all of your mids for a great slap sound. Really, the cut should be a narrow band somewhere between 1.5 - 2k to pull out some of the ugly gank. A super scooped slap EQ sounds as a bad as super scooped EQ for finger or pick playing.

Thanks for the specifics! I'll have to bust out my manuals and see where my bass and amp's eq knobs cut. Of course, I'll use my ear but nice to have some data in mind. Dang, my backup amp, bx500, has a graphic eq so I can see what cutting right there sounds like.

One thing I’ve noticed when I’ve been in the audience at a live show, is that when a bass player starts slapping the low end disappears. So I can see where cutting the mids (or boosting the bass, which amounts to the same thing) would be the ticket.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt


Administrator, Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
Pedulla Club #45

Cool. A bassist/soundman seems like a great source for this info!

 

[Alex J]

70s and 80s funk slap tone was always pretty muscular and fat. I play a lot of that stuff live, and use either a P, a J, an MM Sabre or an Ibanez Musician. In every single case, I keep my amp (A Markbass CMD 102) pretty much flat but with a little boost on the low mids. What might sound a bit nasty on its own suddenly becomes a great tone when everyone else is playing.

If you cut the mids, you disappear in the mix.

 

[BassistForJesus]

I know this is a generic response but leave the mids at center detent (assuming active EQ) and boost either lows or highs or both, but DO NOT be shrill. It's unpleasant in FOH.

If you have a passive bass I have always had good luck putting both bridge and neck pickups volume at identical volume and usually turn the tone control (For VVT setup) just enough to hear brightness. If you have a passive bass, I HIGHLY recommend the Sadowsky outboard preamp/DI. It just adds a thickness for that tone specifically. Especially with DI bass at 9 oclock and treble at 9 oclock. The tone control with the DI becomes very magical.

However, someone stated that strings are very important to get a good slap sound. A fat Marcus sound will need nickel or SS strings. I like Elixir Nanowebs. They last forever!

 

[ahc]

On your Markbass, with the eq set flat (noon) and the VLE off (fully counter clockwise), turning up the the VPF should get you into the ballpark.