Sounding like a helicopter

[Dean N]

Maybe check if there's a trim pot on the preamp? Might need turned down.

Lol. I was stationed at an Army aviation post for three years. Huey's and Blackhawks do make very different sounds. At one point I could pick out the aircraft, (Apache, Chinook, Blackhawk, or Huey) just from hearing it.

I used to live almost next to Willow Grove AFB. I was there for 911. I got to witness what a sky full of low-flying Blackhawks sounds like. It sounds like imminent death. From above.

 

[Toptube]

So here's the issue. When playing 8ths often I sound like a helicopter. Whoop Whoop Whoop.

Setup. Orange crush 50. 1/2 bass, full mid, 3/4 treble. 2/5 freq 1/10 blend 1/2 gain.

Schecter elite 5 with jamersons and dunlop gator grip 2 mm. Stock EMGhz. Knobs set to full on both pickups and full bass, 1/4 treble. Standard B tuning.

Anything below a 16th is whoop whoop whoop like a helicopter. It is hitting the notes but not a boom or a waaaarm. Its a whoop. I am decent at palm muting the other strings, so I don't think its sound bouncing off of them. But it's just not the sound I want.

I am looking for more Steve Harris meets Bass ghoul from Ghost. Think the Trooper gallops meets Pinnacle to the Pit waaaarm.

Any ideas?

I would say a resonance issue in the cab/speaker. Or that cab just doesn't have what it takes.

I had an Orange Crush 30 a few years ago and it just didnt have it.

 

[Ellery]

I suggest experimenting with picking the strings at different points, closer to the bridge or neck. Sweet spot will probably be at a different place for each string.

 

[Grumpynuts]

Well we are all kinda right. So i turned everything down and just ran through notes all up the neck and added volume till I maxed. Hit all over with the pick as suggested too. Nothing. Slowly added gain and blend. Nothing.

Cranked everything up and started again with slowly adding volume. Then I heard it. That oscillating whoop. Then I started paying attention to hands.

Found it. Slight fret hand muting. Running the labella flats for awhile (B is .128) to the point where my fingertips are stone, but I was getting lazy with pressure since I really don't get any indention in my tips to remind me to relax.

With all the gain and blend going on the amp was 'overcoming' the slight finger muting on the quarters and halves, given the extra time to ring out, but on the eighths and sixteenths they didnt have enough time to ring, so all I was hearing was that initial muting. Which when done at that pace produced the whoop .

Never heard of extra gain and blend actually bringing technique issues to the front, but hey, I'll take it.

Thank you everyone for your input. I really appreciate you sharing your time and experience.

 

[Engle]

Sounds like you solved your problem, but just to add - if the pickups are too close to the strings, the magnets will interfere with the strings' vibrations and you'll get a weird chorus-like effect. Results will vary depending on the composition of the strings and strength of the magnets.

 

[Grumpynuts]

Sounds like you solved your problem, but just to add - if the pickups are too close to the strings, the magnets will interfere with the strings' vibrations and you'll get a weird chorus-like effect. Results will vary depending on the composition of the strings and strength of the magnets.

Good to know. But mine came to me completely bottomed out. So I would imagine that is not the issue.

I have also run my strings pretty low. B will fret rattle with a stern look. So maybe they are still a bit too close. Honestly these days I'm thinking of selling 5 and my cheapo 4, and buying a pair of epiphone thunderbirds, one set to B and another set to E. My 4 with jamersons doesn't give me half the headaches my 5 has up to this point.

But that's a post for another time...

 

[Grumpynuts]

I would say a resonance issue in the cab/speaker. Or that cab just doesn't have what it takes.

I had an Orange Crush 30 a few years ago and it just didnt have it.

My 50 is solid enough for practice, and with some flogging on the knobs gets pretty loud for my purposes. My neighbors across the street hear it clear as day in their backyard with my older, solid house all closed up. Would make a handy monitor in a pinch.

I wouldn't use it for a show short of an accoustic set with an ABG, but for the price it's well a well built quality practice amp.

 

[Rowan Galagher]

I'm starting to suspect that my bass guitar settings are too loud/hot from the helicopter noises I frequently notice on my recordings. Lucky for this thread. I was going to try counteracting the momentum of the spinning rotor blades with centrifugal force in the opposite direction. Just kidding. I did consider pitch shifting a different bass note to replace the helicopter-y ones. I also wondered if it was a problem related to recording through a sansamp acoustic DI instead of an appropriate bass preamp.

 

[enricogaletta]

Thanks a lot for sharing all these details – they really help paint a clear picture.
In my opinion, your current setup works against the kind of sound you’re trying to achieve.
If what you want is presence, clarity, and articulation, then flatwound strings are the least appropriate choice. By nature, they’re smooth, dark, and soft, and they roll off exactly those upper-mid and high frequencies that make your tone cut through.
Let me start with a core concept:
your tone is 60% fingers and strings.
Then come pickups, the preamp, and finally the amp. So tweaking amp EQs won’t do much if the raw sound from your hands and strings isn’t already in the right ballpark.
Here’s what I’d recommend:
Try switching to steel strings if you’re after a truly hi-fi, present sound. If the feel is too aggressive, you could try nickel-plated strings as a softer step.
Set everything flat: EQ on both bass and amp.
If your bass has an onboard preamp, figure out whether it’s a tone stack or a cut/boost system, because that makes a big difference.
Once everything’s flat, start making small EQ adjustments — start with the amp, then move to the bass preamp. Avoid boosting too much on the bass itself: those knobs have a much stronger impact.
Don’t go heavy on lows or mids — that usually muddies things up rather than giving punch.
And definitely consider using a compressor. A good one won’t magically fix a dark tone (especially if you stick with flats), but it will help with consistency and clarity.
Lastly, my most practical tip: record yourself playing in a band mix.
Very often, what sounds great solo disappears once the drums and guitars kick in. Midrange and high-end detail are key to cutting through.
If you’d like, feel free to send me a video of your playing or even just a breakdown of your current rig, and I’d be happy to give you a few personalized suggestions!
Flats are too dark for a hi-fi tone. Your fingers and strings shape the core of your sound. Go flat on EQ, change strings first, adjust little by little, and explore using a compressor. If you want, message me a video and I’ll be glad to help!

 

[Lobster11]

Zombie alert! I was just about to reply when I noticed that this thread is more 8 years old, so never mind.