• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Take a look at these bass settings and help me?

I cant wait to try this out tomorrow. I think this will help me zone it in better. I've also ordered me a Reddi DI to handle the House signal and sound so hopefully that will help some too.
I took a quick look at the quick start guide for your mixer. It has both a graphic eq section and a parametric eq section. Do you have any idea how those were set? If you're having trouble with the bass being muddy, that is where you problem may be, rather than on your channel strip.
 
The page that I posted is the only adjustments we've made on the bass. I'm going to show up about a hour earlier tomorrow and do some of the recommended adjustments and see if I can get it better.
The recommended adjustments (my original ones included ) were made on basis of misleading info. It's very possible you will foul things up even worse if you try to dial in bass solo. There is some problem with the setup that made the high hpf the best option. You need to find that root cause.

I'd start with making sure the subs aren't hyped. Regular music playback should sound good through an instrument channel with everything flat/off.

Then you need to look at what else is making it into the subs. Kick, toms, keys, open mics. All too often bass cops blame for low mud coming from everywhere but the bass.
 
I cant see the stage volume for my bass being to much because I normally have it so low that you cant even hear it. Amp really isn't needed since we use IEM for monitors. I think I will be able to really improve the sound today when I go in early by using some of the suggestions that's been on here.
 
Last edited:
take a few photos and post them so we can see what this live setup is all about, in terms of physical layout and speaker placement, etc. Perhaps also include a shot of the Main output EQ settings, and comp settings if it is engaged. Is your channel strip Comp/Lim engaged also?

It sounds as though your stage level and the PA are reasonably tuned and appropriate. In this case, if there are no glaring issues with sound quality or feedback emanating from the FOH PA system, if the bass channel EQ looks funny...oh well...just use your ears. It doesn't appear that anything is being harmed or abused, so if that's what sounds good, that's what sounds good.

One of the most difficult instruments to get sounding proper in a PA system is the bass guitar IMHO. It can lack focus and "even-ness" tonally and in level, especially in PA systems where the subs are on the floor and the top end cabinets are flown. (Where are your subs located?). You see, the fundamental notes are living in the subwoofer, but the midrange clarity is living in the top end satellite PA cabinets. I've experienced extreme cases at concerts where you can literally hear the bass notes moving from subs to the flown top end array as the bassist moves from low notes to high notes across the neck. It's almost as though the bass needs it's own set of main speakers, separate from the PA system, in order to accurately reflect the true sound of the bass to the audience via a FOH system.

One of the questions is: do you want the "pump" from the subs, or the "clarity" from the top end cabinets...or both (more complicated)? One solution to this is to have enough power in the mid/hi satellite cabinets to handle the bass at adequate volume down to 80hz, and then leave them out of the subs (crossed over at 80hz), which are then essentially left to focus on the kick drum and possibly floor tom(s). Many bass cabinets will drop off significantly below 80hz (like the vintage SVT 8x10), so it's not as though there is a horrid impact to the bass tone by forsaking the bass's sub frequencies.

OTOH, if you're playing is focused to primarily low note fundamentals, and you don't roam in the mid/high note areas, then perhaps you are better served by subs that are crossed over at 100hz +/-, and keeping the bass focused more in the subs. (110hz is the fundamental tone of an A note, 7th fret on D string or 2nd fret G string.) A lot depends on your sound and the function of the bass in the overall scope of the mix...so...????