Which rig to bring? (revenge)

[loveandbass]

 

[tekhedd]

To the OP - I'm with AP here.
Completely turn down the volume on your bass and play. See if anyone notices.
If they don't.. then perhaps you should quit?

This is how I personally would handle it, HOWEVER, I favor the stealth doom micro. Bring something that looks unassuming. If it looks loud, those people who didn't notice you even when you were cranked up will say "yes that amp looks loud" and side with the sound man. If it looks quiet, they'll say "I thought it sounded nice." Psychology.

Personally, I'd quit, unless it pays. In which case I'd still quit.

 

[bftbassman]

i feel ya i have an all original Christian band that does outreach big time and i am not even aloud to play in my Church praise band.lol...i would bring all your amps and cabs and line em up...seriously tho in Heaven there is thunder so i know there will be bass and it will be loud...serve the best you can my brother... play a stack and control the volume yourself

 

[bftbassman]

I think the turn down completely approach is passive aggressive. Even though you might not be able to hear yourself in the mix, that doesn't mean others cant. Your drummer and guitarist, et. al. may be able to hear you and are relying on that bottom end to hold. If you turn down and they start having problems, you either aim their ire at the soundman, who genuinely isn't at fault that time, or come across as petulant because you didn't get your way.

Got a problem, man up and address it; again if need be and bring the worship leader into the conversation. If you still cant hear yourself, then bring your own venue appropriate rig as a monitoring solution.

hey i am a fellow believer big time and am very blessed to be self supportive original Christian music, but i wanna know why are the leaders always 'tyrants" ...God gave us dif talents..how come it always has to sound like edge playing guitar over and over and no bass. and you only can play a root note on the bass..but only when the leader says too..i love southern gospel churches...loud..loud .loud bass...man does that hit my soul...super bass man funking it up and soul singing that will touch your bones...again not picking..we are all in it for the same reasons....but control....can be a sin too ?!?!?

 

[avocado]

This is how I personally would handle it, HOWEVER, I favor the stealth doom micro. Bring something that looks unassuming. If it looks loud, those people who didn't notice you even when you were cranked up will say "yes that amp looks loud" and side with the sound man. If it looks quiet, they'll say "I thought it sounded nice." Psychology.

Agreed. Funny how the amp size is relative. I used to play with an Ampeg 1x15 combo. In rock bands, it was considered a small amp, but in folk/bluegrass situations everyone thought it was enormous.

All of the OP's suggestions sound bigger than what I would ideally bring to that situation, although I can understand the joy in rolling up with an 8x10 cab and a smile.

 

[vindibona1]

I'm not familiar with your gear, but why don't you bring a smaller amp and a A/B/Y box. That way you can plug into the DI and your amp. If you can't hear yourself kick on the A+B. The sound monkey (no offense to you sound PROS) will still feel like he's got some control and your wife can help monitor your balance and blend so you won't have to give up total control and if nothing else will serve as a monitor for you to hear yourself better.

Like tekhedd said... if you bring something too big someone will complain that it LOOKS loud.

 

[HawldieMPB]

I think you do one of two things:
1. Bring a loud rig and then when you're way too loud keep making faces at the sound guy like "I'm way too loud! Turn me down!!" But actually he won't be able to and the audience will think it's his fault.
OR
2. Bring the hugest, most ridiculous, stadium sized, multi-cabbed, super-rig and then leave it on zero and pretend to play. Even the most layperson will think something is off. Anyway there you go.

 

[PatentNonsense]

Thanks guys - I should have said that the other band members are all wanting to hear more bass too. Also, one of the first things I did was offer to donate a PA subwoofer and power amp to give that system some balls - and the sound guy declined. I also tried the diplomatic approach, several times, which is how I received those broken promises.

How bad is it? One time I stepped on my cord and unplugged myself, and played about 5 minutes that way - because I couldn't hear any difference!!

@vindibona, the A/B/Y box sounds like a great tactical idea - can you or somebody post a link?

Thanks!

 

[katalyzt13]

Personally, most of the suggestions are going to ruin your relationships with the other musicians and the sound guy, probably. Personally, I would do it, anyway.

 

[Big Hoss]

225 or si - but it does have wheels.

At that weight it ought to have an engine!

 

[Skasteadyb]

I would just stay home and sleep in. That's what I usually do on Sundays.

Yeah hasn't anyone learned anything from Homer in the episode of the Simpsons "Homer The Heretic". (God likes football and doesn't wanna go to church on Sunday either)

 

[bravesaint5]

Let him with no bass cast the first bible. I'm joining the group saying that this will only cause more of a rift and potentially make things a lot worse. I understand the frustration, I've been there before (though probably not as bad). Approach him first, be kind and be courteous. Bring him coffee or a donut. If that doesn't change anything, if he's still a crab, talk to the worship leader and approach him together. If he's still being a crab, bring it to the pastor. If you have these people on-board with you, you can absolutely demonstrate that you've tried to approach this kindly and respectfully. If you proceed with your plan, it's more likely that you're going to be asked to leave the worship team than him the sound post.

If you don't care either way, bring the BRX10.4. Just don't be surprised if there's drama.

 

[tekhedd]

2. Bring the hugest, most ridiculous, stadium sized, multi-cabbed, super-rig and then leave it on zero and pretend to play.

I like this. Don't even plug into the amp, just the DI. This removes the temptation to turn it up "just enough that you can hear what pitch you're playing", becuase if anyone can hear you, they'll say it's too loud. Comments will then be evenly divided into two categories: 1) "you were too loud," 2) "why couldn't I hear you?"

It doesn't solve the problem, but it's an interesting psychological experiment.

 

[Jughead6]

2. Bring the hugest, most ridiculous, stadium sized, multi-cabbed, super-rig and then leave it on zero and pretend to play. Even the most layperson will think something is off.

I was just thinking the same thing! Except that I would also wear headphones so that I could shut my eyes and totally rock out on my own, completely oblivious to the audience.

 

[Big Hoss]

hey i am a fellow believer big time and am very blessed to be self supportive original Christian music, but i wanna know why are the leaders always 'tyrants" ...God gave us dif talents..how come it always has to sound like edge playing guitar over and over and no bass. and you only can play a root note on the bass..but only when the leader says too..i love southern gospel churches...loud..loud .loud bass...man does that hit my soul...super bass man funking it up and soul singing that will touch your bones...again not picking..we are all in it for the same reasons....but control....can be a sin too ?!?!?

Yes.

 

[1954bassman]

My advice is to first go to him and talk to him about the bass volume levels. If that doesn't work take someone with you and talk to him - probably the worship leader would be the best bet . If he still won't respond take some elders from the church with you and talk to him . If all these folks are in agreement with you and he is against them then take it to the church. If he goes against the will of the church he needs to be disfellowshipped .

If for some reason you are not comfortable doing this then I suggest you either continue the way things are or go ahead and quit the praise band.

If the rest of the band is using amps and you have a live drummer, I see no problem with bringing an amp big enough for you to hear yourself well.

I do not recommend however turning yourself off, or bringing a huge Amp and playing really loud

Rise above your circumstances and be a good example to everyone else

 

[Jim Carr]

To the OP - I'm with AP here.
Completely turn down the volume on your bass and play. See if anyone notices.
If they don't.. then perhaps you should quit?...

I am with AP and soc9.
I have once had this happen. A BL's significant other kept telling him the bass was too loud on every gig (a gb shuttle into an epifani 210 played at near whisper level). He would just agree with her and pass on the complaints. On the last gig, I finally turned off my amp during the last set. I was still "too loud." The clarinetist next to me couldn't believe it. At the end of the last set, I packed up and semi-politely submitted my resignation. I had waited too long to quit without being somewhat miffed.

It opened my eyes. Since then, I have come to realize that life is too short to work with any musician, who for whatever reason, prevents me from performing in a musically reasonable way in a responsible adult setting. I gladly make a reasonable effort to work things out, but I am experienced enough to know when it is time to walk because nothing will fix it.

This looks like one of those situations to me. Try the "amp off" test.

 

[Gaolee]

A way to deal with this situation is to bring the biggest, loudest looking amp you have and then explain to the sound guy that you couldn't hear yourself in the monitor last time around. Then tell him you hope the problem has been fixed, because you don't know if you can keep a lid on the beast if you have to use it. Then see what happens. If anybody complains that the bass is too loud, joke is on them, because you never actually plugged anything into the big rig.

That's a lot of work for a perverse joke, though. My advice is always worth about the same as you paid for it.

 

[pcake]

if the other band members also want more bass in the mix, perhaps they could talk to the sound man about it. also might be worth recording a show from where people are sitting, just in case your bass is audible to those who aren't on stage.

 

[Jim Carr]

if the other band members also want more bass in the mix, perhaps they could talk to the sound man about it. also might be worth recording a show from where people are sitting, just in case your bass is audible to those who aren't on stage.

Even if the bass is audible to the audience/worshippers, how is it in the interest of anyone not to have a level on stage that allows the musicians to perform their best? Just asking, not trying to argue.

The sound the musicians hear is more important than what the house gets, IMHO. Without that, how can they do their best—which is what they are expected to do, is it not?

Ok, so now I am arguing a little...