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What's his problem??

RonSound

RonSound

Proud Registered Supporter of Talkbass
Commercial User
Dec 24, 2008
839
218
IN
www.ronsound.com
Disclosures
owner: RonSound effects and repairs
#1
From the time I joined my current band, the guitarist/soundman has been on me to replace my Schroeder 1515 with a Hartke 4-10. He says the problem with the 1515 is that it puts too much bass into the mics. He laid off for a while then last night after rehearsal he started it up again. I told him I had no intention of going to a 4-10 and packed my stuff and went home. Right after I got home he sent me a text message that we couldn't play in a band together and be friends.
Anyone else ever had another band member try to change their equipment? The guy just dropped $2200 on a 4 channel Marshall head that I think sounds like crap, but I would never say anything to him about it.
 
#2
If he's a soundman, shouldn't he be able to adjust the positioning of the mic so there isn't to much bass. I mean, if you went and played a gig somewhere that had their own sound engineer there wouldn't exactly be able to tell you to change your setup. If he can't respect what you like, it's his loss.
 
#5
Sam577 said:
If he's a soundman, shouldn't he be able to adjust the positioning of the mic so there isn't to much bass. I mean, if you went and played a gig somewhere that had their own sound engineer there wouldn't exactly be able to tell you to change your setup. If he can't respect what you like, it's his loss.
Click to expand...

Tell him if he's going to be a good sound man then he needs to work with you on getting a good sound and he may want to know what he's doing.. anyone can plug in mics and sit at a board and run all the gains up.... that does not make them skilled.. So.. enough trashing the sound man without any facts!!

Here are my suggestions.. ( if you don't need to find another band!..) I'd think sound guys might be easier to find than a good bass player!
==========================

Some mics work better than others if he's not using an SM57 - try one!... take the mic off axis ( fly it from a boom and point it sideways along the edge of the cone. )

Then again.. if you are not putting out any harmonics and only fundamental tone.. then he's going to have a harder time with it!...

So - we don't know both sides of the story.. but you see my point.. Have suggestions for him.. but realize that you might be able to tweak your EQ a little.. What you hear at the cabinet is a lot different than how its going to sound at the end of the stage or on the floor.. Get a really long cord and see what I mean!.. I use wireless.. ( which actually may account for some of my need to feel my AX is to hot on the harmonics side)

But i get so sick of my chord all twisted up or stepping on the damn thing... so tell me to stand still.. i know!

Anyway.. for the first words out of his or her mouth to be "get a different cabinet".. I'd just say, that aint gonna happen so lets find another solution to the problem!

He can't do a 75HZ roll off on your channel's input for starters??
and check on the mic!! and go off axis on mic placement (thus picking up harmonics from the edge of the cone ) what i mean by this placement is.. have the sm57 at the edge of your cone and looking directly across the speaker to the other edge!..

So.. NOT on the floor pointed up right at at the speaker cone.. just a thought..
 
#6
The sound man rule applies.. if you're not bringing the pa or running it, you should do what they request... or find a new sound guy.

Why not just turn way down and send a DI signal.

Who knows.. you may be too boomy for the spectrum -- I have folks say this all the time - they're right.

Timmy
 
#9
I use an LMII bass head and it's plugged direct into the mixer. He's talking about the vocal mics picking up too much bass.
Maybe he's using that as an excuse because he doesn't like the way my little 1515 looks next to his stupid 4-12.
 
#10
"From the time I joined my current band, the guitarist/soundman has been on me to replace my Schroeder 1515 with a Hartke 4-10. He says the problem with the 1515 is that it puts too much bass into the mics."




Are you spilling over into the vocal mics? If so, that's an easy fix without having to swap / sell / or trade cabs.

Riis
 
#11
The old guitarist in our band wanted me to change my equipment but for different reasons. He freaked out on me for getting an SX Ursa I because it was only 109.95. Under the impression that Higher Cost = Better Quality.

He was promptly told to leave.
 
#12
My little bro's band takes some beating...

...he's not allowed to use his warwick, it has to be a P. A Fender P. He has a black Squire P, this is not good enough. He has to use his guitarists Fender P instead. Also, the guitarist has to sell his PRS and buy a Fender tele. The drummer (also my bro) is also expected to buy gear more "suited to the image". And they all go along with this even though the guy telling them to do this is by far the least talented member of the band buy a long-shot!!!

At least it could be worse ^^^^^
 
#13
The problem isn't with the cabs, its with how they are used.

If the sound is bleeding into the vocal mics, the bass may be too loud, the cab pointed in the wrong direction, certain frequencies are too resonant for the room, etc.

My suggestion, turn down and run a DI into the board. The more stage volume you have, the harder it is for the soundman to control and improve the sound. The louder you are, the more limits you put on the sound man. High stage volume and standing waves limit the amount of monitor you can give the vocals. It also limits the dynamics of the vocals. If you turn up the gain on the vocals so they can use dynamics, it's more likely to pick up extra noise and feedback. If you try to give the vocals more monitor to compensate to excessive stage volume, you'll get more bleed and standing waves resulting in obnoxious feedback. And if you're using any compression on the vocals, you may increase your level of noise and potential feedback.

As a guy who plays bass, other instruments, and run sound. I think some players take input from the soundman way too personally. The goal is to sound good, reduce noise, and eliminate feedback. It's not like the soundman is saying your playing sucks, or your equipment sucks, or that the guitar player should get more tone than you, or whatever. The goal is to sound good.

I know that sometimes when a band member runs sound, it can be a little political or personal. But, it doesn't have to be. Go for the best sound as a BAND, and let the personal stuff go. Give it a listen from the back of the room, as it can sound much different than on the stage, and then discuss the details.
 
#14
Shaun_Bass0 said:
My little bro's band takes some beating...

...he's not allowed to use his warwick, it has to be a P. A Fender P. He has a black Squire P, this is not good enough. He has to use his guitarists Fender P instead. Also, the guitarist has to sell his PRS and buy a Fender tele. The drummer (also my bro) is also expected to buy gear more "suited to the image". And they all go along with this even though the guy telling them to do this is by far the least talented member of the band buy a long-shot!!!

At least it could be worse ^^^^^
Click to expand...

That sounds like my band. He's also been on the drummer for better gear and the guitarist/soundman is the least talented member. We've had rehearsals w/o him and it actually sounds better.
 
#16
jive1 said:
The problem isn't with the cabs, its with how they are used.

If the sound is bleeding into the vocal mics, the bass may be too loud, the cab pointed in the wrong direction, certain frequencies are too resonant for the room, etc.

My suggestion, turn down and run a DI into the board. The more stage volume you have, the harder it is for the soundman to control and improve the sound. The louder you are, the more limits you put on the sound man. High stage volume and standing waves limit the amount of monitor you can give the vocals. It also limits the dynamics of the vocals. If you turn up the gain on the vocals so they can use dynamics, it's more likely to pick up extra noise and feedback. If you try to give the vocals more monitor to compensate to excessive stage volume, you'll get more bleed and standing waves resulting in obnoxious feedback. And if you're using any compression on the vocals, you may increase your level of noise and potential feedback.

As a guy who plays bass, other instruments, and run sound. I think some players take input from the soundman way too personally. The goal is to sound good, reduce noise, and eliminate feedback. It's not like the soundman is saying your playing sucks, or your equipment sucks, or that the guitar player should get more tone than you, or whatever. The goal is to sound good.

I know that sometimes when a band member runs sound, it can be a little political or personal. But, it doesn't have to be. Go for the best sound as a BAND, and let the personal stuff go. Give it a listen from the back of the room, as it can sound much different than on the stage, and then discuss the details.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have any problem with turning down or adjusting my EQ if he would ask.
FWIW, he's told me that when running sound for another band he would unplug the bassist's 1-15 cab and leave the 2-10 on. Apparently w/o telling the bassist.
 
#18
vocal mics (SM58s and similar) don't pick up much below 200Hz.

...either he's talking rubbish, or your cab is kicking out something in the midrange that the mics are picking up.

i don't see how changing to a 410 will help much, if anything it might have a bigger mid-hump.

and as has been said, it's his job to position/EQ the mics correctly in any case :)
 

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