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The P doesn't cut through anymore
- Thread starter Noot
- Start date
it would also help to know what kind of music/guitarists youre playing with. are they heavy drop tuned guitars filling up all the low end? also, are you really buried or are you just perceiving it that way after having all that sonic space before? if you stand out in front of your band where and audience would be are you really not cutting through or is it standing by your amp that you feel you arent cutting through? just asking so that before making all kinds of adjustments it is a real issue or not.
Get the guitar players to turn their amp down. No joke. If Steve Harris can be heard with his PBass so should you.
Being in a band is like being on a team. I know it sounds like a time sink but take an hour or so with the whole band with everyone tweaking their EQs/Volume until you find something where everyone can be heard. It might seem silly but trust me its worth it. Also make sure you are moving around the room when doing this as you'll find some "dead" spaces where you can't hear yourself, but moving 5 feet over you can hear perfectly.
i once saw Radiohead at an outdoor gig in Edinburgh - 2 guitars, one Pbass - one of the bass tones I'd ever heard.
EQ will sort it.
EQ will sort it.
The same thing happened to me. I literally bought an extension cabinet for more power, I tried playing some of my old basses that I don't really use anymore and tried just about everything except for one simple thing. It's so simple that you might kick yourself.
I spent about $300 trying to cut through the loud practice sessions and discovered that my strings were just beaten to death. Try DR High Beams or any other Stainless Steel string. You won't regret it. I've noticed stainless steels are SUPER bright right out of the package, but tone down to a perfect cut after a day or so. "Cut" as in; these strings really kick the guitar players in the face (when they aren't dead.) It seems like nickels turn very warm sounding about a week after playing them for only a few hours a day. Stainless seem to keep an attack that lasts over a month and then get on the same level as nickels after about two months. After I tried High Beams, I NEVER went back.
I spent about $300 trying to cut through the loud practice sessions and discovered that my strings were just beaten to death. Try DR High Beams or any other Stainless Steel string. You won't regret it. I've noticed stainless steels are SUPER bright right out of the package, but tone down to a perfect cut after a day or so. "Cut" as in; these strings really kick the guitar players in the face (when they aren't dead.) It seems like nickels turn very warm sounding about a week after playing them for only a few hours a day. Stainless seem to keep an attack that lasts over a month and then get on the same level as nickels after about two months. After I tried High Beams, I NEVER went back.
Perhaps everyone needs to turn down? When a bassist isn't 'cutting thru' everyone is likely way too loud. It's a 'mix'....as in all the elements of the band should be in a complimentary balance with each other....It sounds like everyone in your band might make hearing 'themselves' over the others the priority.
Another possible culprit....you need more wattage to keep up with a loud drummer and 2 loud guitars..
Also, FWIW...I've been playing for a long long time....I've seen 1000's of bands live...P Basses played WITHOUT A PICK are often lost in live mixes. Not ALWAYS....but OFTEN..I have seen this too many times....hundreds of times...especially in 2 guitar band situations. IMO...and this my opinion based on my experiences and mine alone...P-Basses rule in the realm of the studio, or in live situations where the bass isn't competing against Loud distorted guitars...(Jazz, Funk, Latin, Indie Rock, Reggae, etc)...but in a loud, live, rock situation....A Jazz Bass or Musicman type bass 'cuts thru' best for finger style players.
Do you play with a pick?
Another possible culprit....you need more wattage to keep up with a loud drummer and 2 loud guitars..
Also, FWIW...I've been playing for a long long time....I've seen 1000's of bands live...P Basses played WITHOUT A PICK are often lost in live mixes. Not ALWAYS....but OFTEN..I have seen this too many times....hundreds of times...especially in 2 guitar band situations. IMO...and this my opinion based on my experiences and mine alone...P-Basses rule in the realm of the studio, or in live situations where the bass isn't competing against Loud distorted guitars...(Jazz, Funk, Latin, Indie Rock, Reggae, etc)...but in a loud, live, rock situation....A Jazz Bass or Musicman type bass 'cuts thru' best for finger style players.
Do you play with a pick?
Yeah EQ is the key but this can be the culprit for it. Each instrument needs its own "sonic layer" to be heard in the mix.
My experience has been that if one desires an outboard preamp paired with a P Bass with the express intent of cutting thru...It is best to select a pre that provides the capability to shape your mids...2 band pre's with only bass and treble boost can get you lost even further in the mud.
I'm a "P" man as well. I use an amp/cab combination that is voiced mid-forward and also boost mid somewhat in the EQ. I cut the bass a little and also boost the treble just a little for definition. Fine tune for each song with the tone knob on the bass. Should be no problem cutting through at all. Another thing that can help... Use isolation risers under your cabs. When we started using them in our band, the overall sound became much more defined as it removed all the extranious vibrasions and funky harmonics. Really cleaned things up.
I agree with the poster above, I played in a 70's punk covers band where the guitarist played with a Les Paul & Marshall 1/2 stack. P bass with fingers was not cutting it, had I used a pick it would have worked. I ended up mostly using the Jazz bass finger style.
I play with two guitarists, accordian, and mandolin.....P bass works ...... cut your bass, bring up the mids, leave treble flat.....it'll be fine.......
I play bass in one band and guitar in another. Both are guitar, bass, drums. No second guitarist in either band.
As a guitarist, I have a massive sound. I play a PRS -> Way Huge Red Llama -> Fender Vibrolux. It's a loud clean sound that is simply massive when distorted with the Llama. But I always keep the bass control on my amp around 2-3 so the bassist can be heard.
As a bassist, I play either a Precision or a Dano short scale. The guitarist generally runs through 3 - 5 dirt pedals and 2 - 3 amps (no really, I'm not kidding). I'm not yet good enough as a bassist to tell you what allows me to cut through other than volume, but I have noticed that mids generally aren't it. usually what helps me cut through is more treble from the amp, or using the Dano with both pickups on (more treble from the instrument). So there's definitely an EQ issue, but you may have to work it out for yourself.
As a guitarist, I have a massive sound. I play a PRS -> Way Huge Red Llama -> Fender Vibrolux. It's a loud clean sound that is simply massive when distorted with the Llama. But I always keep the bass control on my amp around 2-3 so the bassist can be heard.
As a bassist, I play either a Precision or a Dano short scale. The guitarist generally runs through 3 - 5 dirt pedals and 2 - 3 amps (no really, I'm not kidding). I'm not yet good enough as a bassist to tell you what allows me to cut through other than volume, but I have noticed that mids generally aren't it. usually what helps me cut through is more treble from the amp, or using the Dano with both pickups on (more treble from the instrument). So there's definitely an EQ issue, but you may have to work it out for yourself.
Throw some SD quarter pounders in your bass and turn your amp up...
In all seriousness: if the guitar players are overpowering they should turn down, its called being sensitive to the music(DYNAMICS) If they don't know this or anyone for that fact you dont have any business playing in a band, simply ask them to turn down so that the music is balanced and sounds Hi Fi..if they cant take the constructive criticism they dont have any businesses playing music especially on stage... been doing this for 35+ years been there done that...
