Why bother owning an amp

[socialleper]

As a long time FOH guy, guitar and bass player, I should respond to such a silly comment.... but..
Truth is.. MOST musicians - regardless of what they play, are babies! I've met plenty of bassists, drummers and singers with that disease.

For vocalists, that almost goes without saying.
I will also agree that there are a fair number of musicians that make being a musician unpleasant.
The problem I keep running into is that studio\venue engineers don't want to listen or trust anything I tell them. I spend A LOT of time on my tone and thinking about sound in general. I'm not a dunce. And no matter how firm I try to be I always hear later from people "I couldn't hear you" or "that's not how you sound at rehearsal." They keep screwing around with my tone so I sound like what thet think I should sound like (burried in the mix) and not where I want to be (articulate and audible.)
I try to not create problems, and time is always in short supply, but I don't get why someone that just met me and knows zero about my band knows more about my tone than I do.

 

[JimmyM]

Why are people automatically assuming that this dude's amp is not the better solution? It's a V4B... Get real! It not only smokes the lame direct PA sound, but I've heard a rumor that they have volume knobs! I see no reason the guy shouldn't get what he wants. I'd tell that sound guy to get bent, and tell him that when everybody goes Direct, so will he.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I haven't had a soundperson dictate how I perform and I've been gigging a long time.

Then again it's been a long time since I've gigged with a rig that looks too loud, which is an actual thing. My big rig is so small that I often get asked if that's all I brought.

On the soundpeople are lazy thing, yeah.... that generalization is pretty silly. Just like any other job, they come in all levels of competence and motivation.

 

[SteveC]

Almost all my gigs are DI/IEM with my Nano board.

My amp is for home practice and occasional jazz combo gigs. So far, my Genzler MG350 Combo has been all I need.

Either load in is very small and light. I’m in and out in minutes.

 

[s0c9]

For vocalists, that almost goes without saying.
I will also agree that there are a fair number of musicians that make being a musician unpleasant.
The problem I keep running into is that studio\venue engineers don't want to listen or trust anything I tell them. I spend A LOT of time on my tone and thinking about sound in general. I'm not a dunce. And no matter how firm I try to be I always hear later from people "I couldn't hear you" or "that's not how you sound at rehearsal." They keep screwing around with my tone so I sound like what thet think I should sound like (burried in the mix) and not where I want to be (articulate and audible.)
I try to not create problems, and time is always in short supply, but I don't get why someone that just met me and knows zero about my band knows more about my tone than I do.

I agree... you will meet folks like that in ALL walks of life.. it's not limited to music. It's something one needs to learn to deal with and address without getting upset about it. It's a symbiotic relationship and working with these folks is the ONLY solution. Otherwise, you'll give yourself an embolism!

 

[javi_bassist]

I personally don't like to play without an amp (unless I have my own monitor). However, my indie band always wants me to bring my 75W combo instead of my 300W head. And we have a very very loud guitarist.

The thing is that, in my opinion, a musician should play what he or she is most comfortable with. If you can take your amp, take care of it and use the volume stage required (and there is no room problems like playing an 810 in a small bar) you should play whatever it makes you feel comfortable.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Tommygun

You can get a good sound without P.A. support by using your amp?

I see no reason why you should change that, when there is a P.A. support!

Use your amp!!!!!! FOH is not there to "make" your sound,

but to "transport" your sound to to the audiance!

Just a bit of a rant, when you drop a couple of grand on a nice amp you want to use it!

Exactly!

It's a V4B... Get real! It not only smokes the lame direct PA sound, but I've heard a rumor that they have volume knobs!

Sorry, I don 't want to bash soundguys but...

Not using an amp (V4B), that is one of the most used backline amps in history is blaspheme!

(or just stupid!)


may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

Wise(b)ass

 

[NOVAX]

FIRE THE DRUMMER!!!!!

 

[john_g]

We played a few gigs with the same sound company in my last band and they wanted me to go direct, no amp. I did on the first gig and didnt like it. I dont have in ears so it was difficult to hear myself through the stage monitors and when I went out front to listen during sound check, the bass was scooped like crazy. Then it dawned on me...they can take an out from my SVT and like it. Next gig, bass sounds great and sat in the mix much better. I was polite, but polite while i set up my amp and cab =)

 

[KohanMike]

We do gigs often where there is no PA, we have to provide our own amplification. I do love when there is a PA so I don't have to bring my amp, I just use my Sony wireless that has a XLR DI.

 

[IamGroot]

I played a large church gig where they frowned on bringing an amp. Headphones with individual stations. And I loved the light carry in.

 

[mikeyjm2]

For my situation (in one of the two bands) everyone goes direct to board and everyone uses IEM, so it solves the "why do they get to use an amp" dilemma. As much as I enjoy using the amps I have, it really is a nice, light load in / out without them.

 

[bucephylus]

The singer runs her acoustic through the pa as well, both guitarists use 50 watt tube amps mic'd. It was the sound guy who said to do the bass through the pa, not the band. I'm not used to having front of house support so I have no idea how things are normally done but I love the tone out of my amp, why would they not Mic the bass too?

Bass frequencies pervade the stage area and get into the microphones. Sound engineers are increasingly getting rid of the bass cabinet on stage, because the bleed from the bass cabinet into microphones on stage makes the FOH mix more difficult.

There will be other gigs where you will need the cab. That particular gig may just not need a cab. We have to learn to be flexible these days. Things are changing.

 

[Billoney]

Amps are not as necessary as they used to be, but having an amp--even if you only use it at home--is part of the fun.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Tell the sound guy you also have a tube amp and you want your tube amp sound just like the guitarists, and maybe ask him if you should buy your own mic. Unless the whole band is going back line free there’s no reason why you should be made to...

 

[bassburner]

The amps are for stage sound and I've never played anywhere I would 100% trust that the sound guy and house system is going to handle monitoring well. And while I can play without hearing myself, I don't want to. Even I were to get some gadget to hear myself in IEMs that wouldn't help the drummer. I may be in a situation where I can rely on just a DI but I would always bring my amp just in case.

And the sound guy doesn't dictate your equipment. If you want to use your amp then use it.

 

[socialleper]

I agree... you will meet folks like that in ALL walks of life.. it's not limited to music. It's something one needs to learn to deal with and address without getting upset about it. It's a symbiotic relationship and working with these folks is the ONLY solution. Otherwise, you'll give yourself an embolism!

The problem is that if I'm in the studio, for instance, it's my time and money. The Engineer is really an employee at that point. They are telling me how I should sound. They recorded Band X and Band Y, so you go along with it. Then you end up spending hundreds to thousands on something you are totally unhappy with.
Same goes for a show. You have 15 minutes between bands for the other to tear down, you to set up and do a quick line check. Its a rush, and you don't want to make a fuss because the audience is waiting, but then you spend your entire set standing in front of the amp because you can't hear yourself in the monitors, and your friends tell you they couldn't hear you.
You trust them, they don't trust you, and by the time you know there is a problem, its too late.
So back to the OP, THAT'S why I bring an amp to a show. I know I'm going to get screwed, I might has well be able to hear myself even if no one else can. I don't bother in the studio anymore because I know they will weasel out of mic'ing a bass cab even though they will spend hours on everyone's mic'ing (BTW, if I'm playing 1/4 of the bill like everyone else, why am I getting @$$ed out?)

 

[Paulabass]

I would have a very, very hard time with a FOH person who told me what to do. They work for me, and that one would spend some time working for nobody.
If you want to run a stage silent (electronic drums,etc) he may have a little tiny bit of a point, but running the bass back thru wedges is just taking away control from the artist.
The first page of the FOH rulebook: The artist has complete control.

 

[MoeTown1986]

Bring your amp. Use your amp. Tell the soundguy he can DI you to the board for front of house and you'll use you amp for your stage monitor. I've never thought bass sounded good through stage monitors. My band has been on IEM's for about 8 years and I still bring an amp for some stage volume. It just feels right.

 

[Nephilymbass]

So I've been with this folk group for over a year now, and we play with a loud full 5 piece band, singer plays an acoustic guitar, full drum kit and two electric guitars. I own an ampeg V4B reissue 100 watt tube head and so far every show we have played I've been told not to use it. They run me through the PA and Mic everyone else. Is this fairly common practice? If so what's the point of even owning an amp as a bassist. Just a bit of a rant, when you drop a couple of grand on a nice amp you want to use it!

It’s very common in my area to run a DI or xlr out to front of house. Most of the places with good PA wont let us run much stage volume. I haven’t seen a microphone on a bass cab in years. The situation has definitely influenced my setup. I have somewhat pricey DIs (Avalon + Darkglass) and because I never mic my cabs at gigs I’m just using a cheap class d crown power amp and some Ampeg classic cabs so I can hear myself. In other words the money is in my basses and DIs, not in the amp. The flip side of that is we do occasionally play gigs with very minimal PA. I’m talking Twi 15” tops with no subs. That’s the main reason I have two Ampeg cabs. To help out when the PA isn’t going to carry the load. But I’m debating selling one now because it’s been so long since we’ve played a gig like that and with two cabs at most gigs I’m asked to turn down to the point where it was pointless to bring the second cab.