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Double Bass What do I need to have two different sound settings on stage?

#21
I don't have much. In my experience it also depends on the pickup. Realist lifeline or copperhead - the bowing is too strong on my bass. Ehrlund - both well biased on my bass.

Right at the moment I'm listening to Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway album, where according to Wikipedia you play bass. I really enjoy the combined sound of bass and drums. Very cool work!
 
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#22
I thank everyone for their great input. I realize that the complexity begins with my mixed signal of mic with a pick up. It just might be better left to our FOH engineer. This year, as I mentioned, we’ve got Pete, Christian McBrides engineer. He truly loves the bass. I’m in exceptional hands. Perhaps a Felix would be perfect for smaller gigs when I’m on my own to control my sound. I know the unit, it’s incredible. I just don’t want to drag it around the world.
 
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#23
Jason Sypher said:
I thank everyone for their great input. I realize that the complexity begins with my mixed signal of mic with a pick up. It just might be better left to our FOH engineer. This year, as I mentioned, we've got Pete, Christian McBrides engineer. He truly loves the bass. I'm in exceptional hands. Perhaps a Felix would be perfect for smaller gigs when I'm on my own to control my sound. I know the unit, it's incredible. I just don't want to drag it around the world.
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The complexity of the mixed signal is exactly why I went with the Felix, but A) I wasn't flying anywhere with it, and B) didn't have a world-class bass aficionado running sound for me! That's really awesome!

Just curious - at least conceptually, if you had a 2ch box with piezo and mic inputs/outputs and a simple boost that affected both channels independently, but simultaneously, would that solve what you're looking for? You can leave the bulk of the signal processing to your FOH, but have a simple solution to boost both signals by a pre-defined amount when necessary.
 
#24
Background for transparency: my piezo system is a Vic's model C (stereo pickups, one bridge wing and one under the fingerboard) feeding into a mounted K&K Dual Channel Pro ST pre-amp for a single mono signal out, and my mounted mic is a Sennheiser e604 (used clear)...

I've occasionally considered mounting a 2nd dual channel pre-amp on my DB specifically for mixing both the piezo system and the mic. These devices are small and light, the necessary cabling probably weighs more than the pre-amp itself with the battery. I could easily find a spot for it on the DB. Then I'd have a single mono feed out that could provide either or both the piezo system and the mic. It would be less complicated to mount and setup than the piezo system and mic were. But for me it would be one more thing to worry about other than how my playing sounds, and really I don't see the added value in sound.

I absolutely love it on stage when I can just hand my wireless dongle(s) to the FOH people and we're going.
 
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#25
If I had Christan McBride's sound guy, I would 100% let him do his thing. Maybe reach out to him before the tour?

I've seen you and C McB both in the last year. If I were a betting man, I'd put a dollar on you sounding really, really, ridiculously good out front.

As for your non-RG stuff, well frankly, you are far, far better-connected than most of us here. You probably know someone who could get you in touch with Dave Sinko, who does sound for the Punch Bros. He knows a lot about mixing a mic and pickup...
 
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#27
lowfreqgeek said:
The complexity of the mixed signal is exactly why I went with the Felix, but A) I wasn't flying anywhere with it, and B) didn't have a world-class bass aficionado running sound for me! That's really awesome!

Just curious - at least conceptually, if you had a 2ch box with piezo and mic inputs/outputs and a simple boost that affected both channels independently, but simultaneously, would that solve what you're looking for? You can leave the bulk of the signal processing to your FOH, but have a simple solution to boost both signals by a pre-defined amount when necessary.
Click to expand...
Oh talk dirty…YES
 
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#28
Ryan in PDX said:
If I had Christan McBride's sound guy, I would 100% let him do his thing. Maybe reach out to him before the tour?

I've seen you and C McB both in the last year. If I were a betting man, I'd put a dollar on you sounding really, really, ridiculously good out front.

As for your non-RG stuff, well frankly, you are far, far better-connected than most of us here. You probably know someone who could get you in touch with Dave Sinko, who does sound for the Punch Bros. He knows a lot about mixing a mic and pickup...
Click to expand...
Oh Pete is a LEGEND and a great guy. We text regularly just bullshitting each other. I think I should just address it with him and see what he says. I’ve never met Sinko but Paul has talked about him.
 
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#31
Sam Reese said:
I'm working on a set that requires playing both pizz and arco and the solution I have was already on my bass- a David Gage Docking Station (aka a simple volume knob).
Edit- sorry, I didn't see the part about bowing spontaneously...this won't necessarily work in that scenario.
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Don't forget the mic. That's the real rub - how do you simultaneously adjust separate (not blended) mic/DI while spontaneously moving between pizz and arco?
 
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#33
Ryan in PDX said:
This was my very first thought. I can't imagine wanting the exact same levels (and/or blend) for pizz and arco!
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I've got a concept in mind that I'm fleshing out, but the idea is a small 2ch box with separate adjustable boosts for each channel, both controlled by a single footswitch. That would allow you to adjust each side independently, but control both simultaneously.

There's a lot more details I'm working through and some additional features that I would find very useful in my own 2ch live setup where. I'll see where it goes, but the idea is brewing.
 
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#34
lowfreqgeek said:
I've got a concept in mind that I'm fleshing out, but the idea is a small 2ch box with separate adjustable boosts for each channel, both controlled by a single footswitch. That would allow you to adjust each side independently, but control both simultaneously.

There's a lot more details I'm working through and some additional features that I would find very useful in my own 2ch live setup where. I'll see where it goes, but the idea is brewing.
Click to expand...
Interested to see what you come up with. Taking on the first and most important gain stage (or two, with a boost) for both signals is a tall order!
 
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#35
Jason Sypher said:
I used to have a Felix. It was big and heavy and I found that I really didn't use it except for blending a pick-up with my AMT mic. It was an incredible unit for sure. It just seemed like a lot to carry around on tour. What I ended up doing instead was having two inputs at my station, one for the mic and one line out from the pick up. I generally used more mic than pick up signal to my monitor (either a wedge or IEM). I let FOH do whatever they needed to do to get the best sound they could for different venues. The other day at the pub the lads wanted me to bow the first tune of a set (irish) and then come in afterwards. The sound guy asked if I wanted him to just boost the sound for the bowing since it was so much quieter than pizz. This got me thinking. Perhaps I should have such a device at my feet on tour so that when I decide to grab the bow I have a louder setting I can punch and then punch out when I return to pizz. Of course I can tell our FOH guy (this year will be Pete, Christian McBrides sound guy, an absolute legend) to bump me up if I pick up the bow, but that seems pretty clunky and sometimes I just get the notion to bow spontaneously. I am not a gear guy. I like to walk in, plug in and play. I don't really want to lug a Felix around the world, it's too big, too heavy, expensive and just too much. I don't want to eq anything. It's been awhile since I've cared about any gear purchases. What do you all think might be a solution? Thanks.
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Rufus Reid used to do this with a volume pedal. When I was in Boston, John Lockwood from The Fringe used to do this often when they would change extreme dynamic levels. Sometimes he was playing nearly acoustic, but when they really dug in, he used all the volume, and he always backed it off playing arco. I'm not sure what kind of noise it introduces, but that's an option.
 
#36
Jason, I'm curious, I don't do much bowing at all, but when I do, the acoustic volume and amplified signal are always louder, not quieter. I also strive for simplicity, but have a Felix as well. It's been handy for me this summer with several festival backline/soundman scenarios, where I have been doubling.
I think I need a sort of 'pre-flight checklist' with the Felix, to make sure all the buttons and knobs are where they need to be (especially the ones on the back!). There has been more than one occasion where I'll find a channel isn't working etc. right before the hit.
I suppose in my situation, if I needed to bow, I would set my upright/pizz level with the boost engaged, then switch it off when picking up the bow.
Sounds like whatever you choose to do, you will be in the most capable hands!
 
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#37
Sean Peters said:
Jason, I'm curious, I don't do much bowing at all, but when I do, the acoustic volume and amplified signal are always louder, not quieter. I also strive for simplicity, but have a Felix as well. It's been handy for me this summer with several festival backline/soundman scenarios, where I have been doubling.
I think I need a sort of 'pre-flight checklist' with the Felix, to make sure all the buttons and knobs are where they need to be (especially the ones on the back!). There has been more than one occasion where I'll find a channel isn't working etc. right before the hit.
I suppose in my situation, if I needed to bow, I would set my upright/pizz level with the boost engaged, then switch it off when picking up the bow.
Sounds like whatever you choose to do, you will be in the most capable hands!
Click to expand...


The Realist Copperhead is better at matching levels of pizz and arco than most pickups. However, it tends to be a bit boomy and diffuse sounding with pizz. More of a concern for jazz than classical IMHO.

Otherwise your approach using a boost function should work well.
 

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