Sound dropping out

[Lordbeans]

Hi all.

Firstly apologies if I've posted this in the wrong forum but I think it's more of a bass issue than an amp or hardware one.

I've noticed that when I'm playing in the band I'm in that when I go to play on the D and G string that the sound disappears. We play rock standards.

I play a MIM fender precision bass, an aerodyne jazz, a squier classic vibe precision and a Warwick standard streamer. I use and Aguilar tone hammer 350 through a Aguilar sl112. The amp is Di'd though. I have the gain at 10 o'clock, the drive at 8 o'clock and everything else flat with the bass up a little.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I solve this?

Thanks

Peter

 

[Korladis]

I've tended to have trouble dialing in a sound that works well for all strings with a bass that has a traditional P-bass pickup layout.

What strings are you using, though, and what gauges? Have you tried different brands/gauges?

 

[jd56hawk]

Four different basses with the same issue?

 

[Lionel Albert]

How do you play your basses, fingers or pick ? How do you use your thumb ? Where do you put it ?

 

[Lordbeans]

Yeah same problem on all 4 basses. It's not so bad with the two precision basses (the squier is the 50's style one with one straight pick up) but on the Warwick and the aerodyne the two strings really don't cut through. It's like I'm not playing. I use 45-100 gauge strings. Flat wound on the MIM p bass. I play finger style mainly, I use a pick on a couple of tracks.

 

[Lionel Albert]

What's happening when you play with the pick ?

 

[Lordbeans]

Pretty much the same with the pick. I think it might be a string gauge thing, but I have no reason why I think that. I've tried turning up but that means the strings that were cutting through before are booming.

 

[bftbassman]

is this in general when you play by yourself or in a band setting ?

 

[Lordbeans]

Just in the band setting. When I'm playing myself at home it's fine.

 

[quickfix]

I've a Precision that I had to raise the pickup to get an even sound on all strings. Or lower the loud side and turn up the volume a bit. Either way, adjusting pickup height can have a dramatic effect on volume.
Just a thought.

 

[Lordbeans]

Ah! I never thought about doing that. So what is the rule of thumb? The closer the pick up is the louder the output?

 

[Lionel Albert]

Ah! I never thought about doing that. So what is the rule of thumb? The closer the pick up is the louder the output?

I was asking because sometimes when the thumb stays on the pickup, attacks can be different on D and G strings : the fingers are not really perpendicular to the strings, that was an idea, I used to have this problem.

 

[IBJammin]

Try changing the EQ. You say you are "everything else flat with bass up a little". Try all flat with mids and maybe highs up a little.

 

[bftbassman]

Just in the band setting. When I'm playing myself at home it's fine.

I have noticed in a band setting, when you go to an octave into the guitar range you can start to "blend" in with him and sorta get lost. Being in metal genre, i have purposely stayed as low as possible, sometimes it can make playing more basic..but the bottom does not fall out then.. one thing over the years i am noticing..less is more.....also i did switch to an Ampeg a year ago..and i def have cut thru more...especially in recording..mite be that mid growl or bite the Ampeg has been known for

 

[Lordbeans]

Thanks everyone. A lot of things to think about here. I'll try them all and see what happens

 

[meatwad]

I agree that it's an EQ thing, and will add the suggestion to boost mids around 800hz. It will sound crappy in the bedroom, but will cut better in the mix.

 

[Marko 1]

If it's happening on all four basses, and only in a band setting, then it's obviously an EQ issue.


The higher notes are blending in with the guitar.

 

[okcrum]

I agree that it's an EQ thing, and will add the suggestion to boost mids around 800hz. It will sound crappy in the bedroom, but will cut better in the mix.

I would even go with 200-400 Hz boosted too, since he's losing the G and D strings in the mix.

 

[Dan Bass]

Just in the band setting. When I'm playing myself at home it's fine.

A lot of people at home tend to scoop there mids when by them selves, I have heard, it sounds better when a Bass has a little scooped mids by it self. From my experience I have left my Bass the same way I had it set at home, scooped mids, and then jammin in the band loud and on PA's bunch of people at a club and I could not hear my Bass that good, and mostly the D. G. string could not hear. I have active 3-band EQ on my Basses and all I did was turn up my mid boost to 500hz 550hz that's half way center click on my mid knob, and going all the way scooped to half little more and my Bass just jumped right through the mix. I could totally hear every note every string easily. A BASS GUITARS BEST FRIEND IS THE MID RANGE IN A BUSY MIX. unless you like that Fieldy of KoRn sound which I do, you turn up the volume, Bass, and treble on 10 totally clear and you can hear that clanky sound through a mix too.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

A BASS GUITARS BEST FRIEND IS THE MID RANGE IN A BUSY MIX.

Yeah. It is.